Page 106 of Into the Fire

Fox engaged him in conversation again. Minutes passed by as I sat half-listening to them and thinking about my own shit. Stuck in my head again. Seemed to be where I dwelled lately.

Rosalie and Cole coming into the room dragged me out of progressively darker thoughts moments later.

I watched as Rosalie made to go to Anson, who stood, but Cole tugged her back to him and wrapped his arms around her.

Fox shot me a quick look, and I sighed. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Cole’s jealousy. He needed to understand at some point that Rosalie could have anyone she wanted, and she’d chosen us.

While I subscribed to the idea that we weren’t anywhere near good enough for her, I respected her decision. Not because I was selfish or relieved but because I loved her and wanted her to have happiness wherever she could find it. Luckily, it had been us. If Cole continued to push this, I feared we’d all start fighting again.

“Hey, Ass Hat,” Cole greeted Anson.

“Cocksucker,” Anson answered without missing a beat.

“You guys.” Rosalie let out a sigh, and Fox stepped forward, clearly thinking what I was.We’d have to intervene between them.

Cole glowered at Anson.

“Anson and Rosalie need to go. She has the practice room booked, and it starts in fifteen minutes. I don’t want her missing out on her time,” Fox said.

Cole grumbled but released her. She turned quickly and kissed him. Of course, he turned it pornographic before letting her go, but that was just how he was.

Anson kept his focus on his feet during it.

Hell, so did I. Cole sure knew how to bring tension to a room.

There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he planned it that way. Seemed like a very Cole thing to do.

I watched as Rosalie untangled herself from Cole, who wore a sour look on his face, and went to Anson. He was quick to rest his hand on her lower back before steering her to the front door.

She called out goodbye to us once more before the sound of the door clicking shut was heard.

“I hate that piece of fuck,” Cole said, breaking the silence.

“He’s not so bad.” Fox smiled at Cole. “Just gotta get past his pretty exterior.”

“Yeah, I like him,” I murmured. “He treats her good.”

“E, man, just. . .” Cole held his hand up to me. “Shut up. I’m not listening to it. You two can be fine with him, but I hate his ass. Someday he’ll fuck up bad enough that I’ll get to smash his pretty face in. I eagerly await that day.”

Fox rolled his eyes.

And me.

I pulled a sugar stick out of my shirt pocket. To hell with it. Between dealing with Cole and the upcoming night with Dom, I needed the reprieve.

So I lit up and took a hit.

THIRTY-THREE

ANSON

Rosalie let out a shriek before she wrapped her arms around my neck and bounced up and down in excitement. We’d just won the sing-off in the commons because she’d seriously rocked the hell out of it.

She was dragged away from me by other singers on our team before I could enjoy the moment. I watched as she laughed and smiled, hugging them all and dancing along with them.

I didn’t have words for the amount of joy in my heart to see her this way. She was typically so quiet and withdrawn. So stressed. Seeing her in this light only solidified my intentions for her continued happiness.

“Anson, want to hit up Ruckus and have some drinks?” Devin Connors, one of the guys on our team, asked, clapping me on the shoulder. “It’s ninety-nine cent pitchers tonight.”

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