Page 51 of When We Fall: Part One

Matteo sat back in his seat and studied me for a moment. I had no idea what he was talking about. It didn’t take long to find out because Drake appeared at the table dressed in all black.

“What the hell…?” I looked from him to my father. “What’s going on?”

“Drake here is helping me with a few things. That’s nice of him, yes?”

I frowned. “I guess…?”

Matteo sat forward. “He told me he brought Bianca back. That means…”

“I didn’t get to because he was that someone who got there first,” I said sourly.

“I’m sorry,” Drake said simply. “It’s probably for the best anyway. The horsemen are nuts. Enzo is way too controlling to have ever let you in. You’d be stupid to think otherwise.”

I got to my feet and glared at him. “You’re one to talk. From what I’ve heard, you’ve been trying to bed Bianca. You think Dominic will let you in?”

Drake shrugged like he didn’t give a shit. “I’m not there for Bianca. I’m there to gain information. Sometimes, we need to fall in line and do things we wouldn’t normally do to get ahead. I’m only working. Doing my fucking job. Something you should focus more on doing.”

I shoved him, sending him back a step. He made to come back at me, but Alessio intervened, his hand on each of our chests.

“Not here,” Alessio snarled.

I shook my head and looked to my father, irritated out of my mind.

“Did you do this?” I demanded. “Did you send Drake in and ruin this for me?” Anger coursed through me, but something bigger was afoot.Betrayal.It made my chest ache.

Matteo stood and smoothed his tie down before coming toward me.

“Let’s walk,” he said.

I cast one more look at Drake and shook my head. He took a seat at the booth and poured himself a drink. I wondered if the horsemen and kings knew what the sneaky prick was up to.

We stopped at the balcony overlooking the club and stared out at the sea of writhing bodies.

“I did not send Drake to disrupt your plans,” Matteo finally said. “I would never do that to you.”

“Then what the fuck?”

“I understand you’re upset, Alessandro, but Drake is correct. Lorenzo would have never let you join them. He is a sly man, more so than his own father is. He was using you in the hopes of gaining information. At some point, he’d have rejected you. You do know that, right?”

I swallowed hard and gave him a stiff nod. The idea hadn’t been lost on me. I knew Enzo well enough to know he’d look for a loophole in our deal. I’d only hoped Rosalie would have protested and saved me from getting kicked out.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry you didn’t get your girl.” He grew quiet as he stared out at the sea of bodies. I noticed Fox sitting at the bar, drinking while a woman tried to engage him in conversation. His body language said it all. He wasn’t interested. He was hopelessly devoted to Rosalie. I was the same, and it was killing me. I wanted her and could never have her.

“I made a deal with Fox. If something ever happened to him, I’d take Rosalie and run with her. Keep her safe. It’s how I’d gether.” The words were ugly on my tongue because I didn’t want Fox to die. It would break Rosalie. He’d become my friend, too, and I’d miss his ass.

“I see,” Matteo said softly.

We were quiet for a moment, my attention on Fox at the bar.

“So what will you do now?” Matteo asked.

“I don’t know,” I said softly. “What’s left to do but let go?”

“Well, it is my advice to let go just enough so you can still hold on when the time is right.”

“What does that mean?” I looked over at him to see a peculiar look on his face.

“You’re not alone,” he murmured.