Page 81 of When We Fall: Part One

“Enzo?” I pleaded softly. “Please? Can I have him?”

Enzo stared at the kitten for a moment before looking back at me. “Are you sure you’ll have time, babe? You’re so busy with school and everything.”

“I’ll have plenty of time.” I kissed the top of the kitten’s head. “Do you think the guys will be OK with it?”

“I think they’d be fine.” Enzo cocked his head and smiled at the kitten. “He really is cute. You should get him.”

“Really?” I widened my eyes at him.

“Yes. I think he’d be good for you.”

I hugged the kitten tightly to me. He snuggled against my chest, purring louder.

“We’ll take him,” Enzo said to the woman, who nodded eagerly and led him to her office to fill out paperwork. I stayed behind, hugging and petting him, excited I’d be able to bring him home.

Within minutes, Enzo was back and kissing the top of my head.

“Come on. We’re good.” He steered me out of the building and back to the Escalade, then helped me inside. Quickly, he buckled me in with my seatbelt before getting behind the wheel. I noted he had a few of his men following us. He didn’t leave alone anymore, which worried me. To me, that meant things were getting worse. I didn’t want to know, though. I wanted to pretend things were fine.

“We’ll have to go to the pet store and pick up some things,” I said, kissing the kitten on the top of his head again. He let out a soft, contented meow, his eyes squinting.

Enzo made the appropriate turn to go to the pet store. By the end of the hour, we were loaded down with new stuff for our kitten and driving home.

“What are you going to name your kitten?” Enzo asked as we drove.

I smiled over at him. “You mean our kitten. He’s our baby. Our first pet together.”

Enzo chuckled and squeezed my leg. “Fine. What are you naming our kitten?”

I looked down at the kitten. He was going to have long hair. It was already growing and making him look like a little fuzzball.

“I think I’ll name him… Cotton.”

“Cotton?” Enzo raised his brows but grinned. “I like it. Cotton the kitten. King of the De Luca house.”

It was almost perfect. The only thing missing was a phone call from Anson, but I had gotten the point. He was stepping away. I hoped it wasn’t forever, but if it were, I wouldn’t blame him. A person could only be hurt so many times before they had to move on.

I hated that’s what it was, but it had to be that way.

“You OK?” Enzo asked as Cotton snoozed on my lap.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Sunshine, talk to me.”

I sighed and looked out the window. “It’s Anson.”

“He’s an idiot.”

I said nothing and continued to look out the window.

“He’s an idiot for leaving,” Enzo continued. “You’re worth fighting for, Rosalie. If he can’t see that…”

“It’s not that. I’m a losing battle. He finally realized it.”

“That doesn’t mean he should throw your friendship away.”

I shrugged and wiped quickly at my eyes. “It’s fine. I’m glad he was strong enough to. I just miss him.”