Page 117 of Into the Fire

“What the fuck are you doing?” Enzo demanded, shoving me aside as I stood.

Rosalie sat up and wiped her eyes. As she adjusted her skirt, Enzo took a seat beside her.

I glared at her, pissed out of my mind.

“Sunshine,” Enzo started. I caught E coming in and settling on the other couch beside Fox.

“Leave me alone,” she whispered, hugging herself. Tears dripped onto her lap as she shook slightly.

I swallowed, knowing I played a very big part in her tears.

“Rosalie,” Enzo tried again, this time reaching for her. I kneeled in front of her and tilted her chin up. She jerked away from me so quickly and pushed to her feet that it knocked me on my ass. Without a word, she rushed from the room and went upstairs.

Enzo let out a sigh and sank back against the cushions.

“Fucking great,” he muttered. “Fox, I thought you were going to make this smoother?”

“I tried,” he answered softly. “I think I just fucked it up more.”

“What did you do?” I demanded, pushing off my ass and sitting beside Enzo.

Fox scrubbed his hand down his face. “I-I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Why?” E asked tentatively.

“Because it’s not fucking good,” Fox snapped, getting to his feet. “I fucked up, OK? Just like you guys. Fucking shit up. This is just goddamn bullshit.” He violently kicked the coffee table, sending it sliding across the hardwood. I’d not seen Fox lose his cool in a long time. If he was getting physical, then it meant something was very wrong.

“You know what didn’t fucking help?” Fox shouted, turning his anger on me. “You.Throwing her down and fucking her without so much as a good morning!”

I got to my feet and was in his face in a moment. “Fuck you. She pissed me off.” Remorse at my actions with her coursed through me. I’d let my anger take over. Fuck me for being an idiot.

“So that’s a reason to force your way between her legs?” he snapped back. “Huh? Is that it? We’re all fucking monsters here, Cole. Everyone she fucking encounters in this fucked-up world we’ve been dragged into is a monster. You’d think maybe we might just stop and rethink our actions before we fuck everything up!” He shoved me hard, sending me stepping back. Fox Evans wasn’t a small man. He’d never really ever gotten handsy with me, but it looked like it was taking everything he had not to lay me on my ass.

Both E and Enzo got up and stood beside us, ready to intervene.

“I don’t know what happened,” Enzo said calmly. “But we need to talk this out, not fight it out. It won’t go anywhere good.”

“None of this shit is going anywhere good.” Fox shook his head in disgust. “None of it. She’s not happy. She will continue to smile and bear it, but you all know she wants to be free. You know we’re just the pieces of shit weighing her down.”

“You’re the best for her,” E whispered thickly.

My heart banged hard as I glared back at Fox.

“We don’t deserve her,” Fox answered, his voice low. “None of us deserve her.”

“What happened, Fox?” Enzo asked, his voice shaking.

I swallowed hard, not even sure I wanted to know the answer.

Fox sighed and shook his head. “I just came to the realization last night watching her sing that we’re ruining her life. Then I made sure I fucked with it even more by showing up. That’s all.”

“Did Ass Hat touch her?” I demanded, my body vibrating with quiet, barely contained rage. “Did you see him touch her?” The idea wasn’t something I could handle. All he had to do was give me the answer I feared, and I’d leave. I’d find Anson and slit his fucking throat and watch him bleed out. I only needed a fucking answer.

Fox scoffed at me. “You know what, Cole? You don’t give Anson enough credit. He didn’t lay a fucking finger on her. And he won’t. It’s too bad because, really, he’s the one who could change her entire world, and we’re just here holding her back. Making her doubt herself.”

His words were like a punch to my guts.

“You’re team Anson now?” I demanded.

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