Page 95 of When We Fall: Part One

I nodded but didn’t say anything. I had a responsibility to my guys and needed to get my shit together so I could follow through.

“Don’t worry, E. If she’s there, I’ll make sure she doesn’t fuck with you,” Cole promised.

I sighed, not wanting to seem like a pussy. “Fine.”

“Good. Now that we have that settled, my parents will be here this weekend. I want to make sure that goes well and no one fucks anything up.”

“Anthony isn’t coming out with us for the deal?” Cole asked.

I looked to Enzo to see him hesitate.

Fuck. He wasn’t telling us something.

“My father has expressed interest in continuing to let me handle things for now. He thinks I’ve been doing good and wants me to keep working,” Enzo admitted.

“Fuck, man. I thought we’d get a break from this shit with him coming out,” I said, irritated out of my fucking mind at the prospect of a goddamn break taken away from us.

“We’re building momentum. Leaving now would fuck it all up. We can’t stop,” Enzo replied simply.

I let out a groan and closed my eyes.

“Enzo’s right,” Cole finally said with a sigh. “The rise to the top is a bitch, but E, man, think of the spoils. The power. The safety we can have for our girl.”

“None of us are safe,” I said, getting to my feet. “Least of all her. You guys would do well to see this shit isn’t going to go anywhere good.”

“E, come on,” Enzo called out as I went to the door to leave.

“No. I’m going upstairs to spend time with Rosalie. I’m taking a fucking break, OK? Just let me.”

When Enzo and Cole remained silent, I opened the door, went straight to Rosalie’s room, and pulled her into my arms.

Within the span of a heartbeat, I was buried back inside her, letting her take all my fear and anxiety away.

She was my anchor in this storm.

I’d die without her.

There was no question about it.

THIRTY-THREE

FOX

Istared out at the sea of people in the club. We’d been here only minutes, and I already wanted to go home. We needed all hands on deck, and Rosalie was home alone with the doors locked. All I wanted to do was be with her, taking a bubble bath and listening to her newest song. As hard as it was, we’d taken turns collecting her from classes and driving her home daily. It was difficult to navigate, given how much our schedules varied. I hated it. Anson was sorely missed in that aspect alone.

She’d been depressed since Anson had disappeared. She never said it, but I could tell by the look in her eyes. My heart hurt for her. I wanted to do something about it, not only because she was hurting but because it fucked with my plans to get her out of this life.

I’d been considering going to him myself to see what the fuck he was doing. On the other hand, Enzo and Cole seemed more at ease with him gone. And E?

I glanced over at him at the booth. His leg bounced, and he was staring at his hands folded on the table, a look of pure concentration on his face. My ultimate goal was to take him out of here as soon as this deal was over. We’d go home to our girl. Her being alone, even for an hour, had me on edge.

Again, it made me pissed at Anson, but I also knew it wasn’t his responsibility to babysit her.

Enzo assured me the men under his thumb were working hard and had the place surrounded. That didn’t mean one of them wouldn’t fuck up and be a turncoat. It was an unspoken fear I had that I knew we all shared.

Or at least I assumed we did.

I checked my phone for what felt like the millionth time since leaving to see Rosalie’s dot on the GPS was still home. Quickly, I sent her a text.