Page 135 of Into the Fire

E pulled away from Rosalie and nodded. He cast her a long look filled with so much worry and love that it made my heart twist. He left the room and went upstairs to grab his sweater.

“Fox, is Anson going to be able to sit with Rosalie?” Enzo asked.

“He doesn’t have to. I’ll be fine here alone if you guys are going to the hospital,” Rosalie said. “I-I can work on a new song or homework—”

“He’s on the way. He wasn’t far from here, so he should be here any minute,” Fox said.

Enzo nodded and looked to me. “You good?”

“No, but we need to head out. I can only imagine how the kings are doing right now.” I went to Rosalie and hugged her. “I fucking love you, Rosebud. Be safe. Don’t. . . don’t—”

“I’ll be fine.” She pressed her soft lips to mine. “I love you too.”

I rested my forehead against hers and blew out a breath.

Don’t leave me. Don’t fall in love with someone else. Don’t cry. Don’t worry. Don’t. . .damnit. Just don’t, baby.

“I’ll be right here waiting for you,” she murmured against my lips. “You be safe too.”

“Of course,” I answered before kissing her again. I released her and stepped away, making room for Enzo.

“I’d rather you didn’t leave the house, but I won’t go as far as to say you can’t,” Enzo said, giving her a tight hug.

“I won’t leave. I’ll be right here. Just text me or call me.”

“We will.” He kissed her and backed away before nodding for me to follow, leaving her alone with Fox.

I followed Enzo out to the garage and got into the passenger seat while he got behind the wheel.

“This is fucked up,” I said, staring straight ahead.

“It is,” Enzo murmured. “He was hurting. Levin said he cut his wrists. They’d fought before and had left him to cool down. They went back to check on him, and he’d done it in the bathtub.”

I licked my lips, feeling an intense ache in my chest at the thought of losing my Rosebud. Of losing one of my brothers.

“He loved her so much,” I said, my voice wobbling.

“He did,” Enzo agreed. “Love can lift you, or it can bury you.”

“I hope our love always lifts us,” I said softly.

“Me too, brother. Me too.”

FORTY-FIVE

ANSON

Ifrowned down at the cupcake I was trying to put frosting on. To say I wasn’t a baker was an understatement. Learning how to do it wasn’t something I was against, but tonight wasn’t going well. I’d already ruined three of the fluffy cupcakes Rosalie had handed me. I was working on the fourth, it would seem.

My guts churned with the knowledge of what Dominic had tried to do. I worried for a brother I didn’t even know.

“Here.” Rosalie took the cupcake from me and placed it on the plate.

I looked around to see she’d already finished decorating them. She was so fast and efficient at it. And talented. Hell, was she talented. There wasn’t anything the girl couldn’t touch that she wasn’t able to bring to life.

I stared at the mangled, colorful mess I’d made and swallowed. Everything I touched was destroyed. She was the light to my darkness.

Her green eyes met mine, and she gave me a gentle smile, the sadness clear.

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