Page 17 of When We Fall: Part Two

“You never told us about dinner with cunt knob,” Cole said after a brief silence. “How’d that shit go?”

“Vander Veer?” Enzo scoffed. “That guy was about two seconds away from a shotgun mouthwash.”

“What happened?” Fox asked tightly as he sat forward. I stared at him for a moment. Fox didn’t look well. He had black circles around his eyes like he wasn’t sleeping, and he’d lost weight. I knew he was going through something, but Fox kept to himself when he was upset. And that worried me. I recognized what silently falling apart looked like. I didn’t know how to help him, though. I couldn’t even help myself.

“Vander Veer kept telling me she was common at dinner. It pissed me off. I had to give him a gentle reminder on how to interact properly with me. He then told me I should let her go. That she’s too soft and sweet for our world and that Celeste would be a better fit.”

“Are you going to let her go?” Fox asked, his voice soft.

I looked from Fox to Enzo, my heart in my throat. I hated being a co-dependent fuck-all, but I knew I couldn’t live without Rosalie. She made me feel like I had something to strive for. This life was worth everything if she were at my side.

“Never,” Enzo replied just as softly. “She belongs to us. Everything I’ve done, that we’ve done, has been to secure a safe world for her.”

“It’ll never be safe.” Fox sighed. “You know that.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’d die to protect her,” Cole said. “I know I would. I trust in Enzo.”

“I do too,” I said softly, looking at the floor. So many thoughts flooded my mind. Life without Rosalie popped into my head. My stomach twisted painfully at the thought.

“Is that all John said?” I pressed, knowing it couldn’t have been because they had argued for a long time.

“He wants to take Rosie home with him,” Fox said. “He doesn’t think she’s safe here.”

“I told him no.” Enzo glanced over at me. “She’s safe with us here.”

“And I told him to take her,” Fox said, looking sourly at Enzo.

“I-I don’t want her to go,” I started, those feelings from my guts bubbling to my chest.

“She’s not a fucking puppy, Ethan,” Fox snapped at me. “She’s a fucking girl with feelings. With potential, and you pricks are holding her back.”

“What? I-I want her to succeed?—”

“Yeah? Is that why you begged her never to leave? To give up her dreams?” Fox demanded.

“I-I didn’t… I don’t want her to give up her dreams,” I said, stunned at his words.

“Well, she did,” Fox snapped at me again.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

“Enough,” Enzo shouted. “We’re not going to do this! I’m sick of fighting!” He threw his whiskey glass as he got to his feet. It smashed against the wall as his chest heaved. “This isn’t our decision to make. Yes, I want her here. We don’t know thecontext of what happened tonight. John is adamant that she return home. In the end, it is her choice. It’s not ours.”

“It is—” Cole started.

“It’s not,” Fox murmured, glancing at Enzo. “It’s Rosalie’s.”

Enzo stomped to the bar and got a new glass. He filled it with alcohol before downing it. He slammed the glass back onto the counter before resting his hands on the bar, his head down.

“I don’t. . . I don’t want her to go,” I said. “I know that’s selfish of me, but I love her. I need her?—”

“You’re co-dependent, E,” Fox said, his jaw trembling, telling me shit I already knew. “You need to learn to stand and breathe on your own. You can’t keep using Rosalie as your crutch. Same with the drugs. Enzo and Cole won’t tell you the harsh truths, but I will. Rosalie would give everything up for you. For all of us. And if we allow her to do it, that only makes us selfish pricks. I don’t. . . I don’t want to be a selfish prick.”

His words hit me hard. I blinked at them, my chest aching. He was right. I knew he was. I depended on Rosalie’s love. Her support. Her presence. Justher. I loved her more than anything.

“You’re out of fucking line,” Cole snapped at Fox.

“He’s not. He’s right. I-I do depend on her. I depend on all of you. The last year has been hard on me.” I blinked away the tears, willing myself not to cry like a bitch. “But it’s also been hard on you guys. I-I don’t mean to be this way?—”