Page 24 of Into the Fire

“It’s not, baby. It’s not. Never ever think it was again. You are the best person I know. Someday, you’ll be a mommy, and things will work out. I know they will. We’ll have our little Ellie.Someday.Just. . . hang on and believe that. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Good girl.” I took the onesie from her. “Let’s put this away, OK? Then we’ll go and get some ice cream. Would you like that?”

She nodded wordlessly.

“Perfect.” I kissed her again before getting up and tucking the onesie back into its box then putting it back in the closet. I wipedhastily at my eyes, not wanting her to know my pain, and came back to her. I offered her my hand.

“Come on, Rosebud. Let’s go out.”

“It’s too cold for ice cream,” she murmured, sitting up.

“Then how about some hot chocolate?”

“I’d like that,” she said softly.

“Good. I know a place.”

She put her hand in mine, and I led her from the room, really fucking hoping hot chocolate wouldn’t let me down and that her father showed his face so I could lay him out on his ass. He’d be hearing from me soon enough, that was for fucking sure.

“How is she?”Fox asked, coming in to sit next to me in the living room later that night. Rosalie had been quiet for the remainder of the day. We’d left and I’d taken her for hot chocolate at the local coffee shop.

She’d smiled for me briefly when I’d made her a snow angel in an empty, snow-filled lot next to the coffee shop, but had been quiet since. When we’d returned home, she’d thanked me for taking her out, kissed me, and then went to her room.

Now I was staring down at my phone in my hand.

“She’s still upset. She wasn’t crying anymore, but you know how she is,” I murmured. “Maybe you can cheer her up. E said he was going up there a few minutes ago.”

“Where’s Enzo?”

“He’s on the phone to Vander Veer and his father. Conference call bullshit.”

Fox nodded. “OK. I’ll go see what she’s doing.”

I said nothing as he got up and left the room, leaving me alone with my wild thoughts.

Fuck it.

I dialed her old man and waited for him to answer.

“Hello?” he said.

“Listen up, motherfucker,” I said into the phone in a low snarl. “You ever talk to Rosalie the way you spoke to her today, and I swear to fuck I will strangle you with your fucking dick, you piece of shit. My girl is depressed and has been sobbing all day because of your shit. Don’t you dare ever do that shit to her again.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“You’re not good enough for my daughter.”

“You’re not good enough to be her father, yet here we are,” I shot back. “The difference is, I’m fucking trying while you insult her and make her feel like fucking shit. She thinks she’s the reason the baby died. Did you know she’d had nightmares for months after all that shit? That she was finally getting better, then you pulled this shit today? I swear if she starts screaming into the night, I’m coming for you, John. I really fucking will. Then it’ll be you who is screaming.”

“I know who you are. The things you do,” John said, his voice soft. “I don’t want my daughter involved.”

“Too late,” I said in a low growl. “She signed her name in blood a long time ago to us. We won’t let her go. She belongs to me. To us. If you’re not careful, you’re going to lose her. Is that what you want?”

“Don’t you threaten me—”

“I don’t have to threaten you because you know it’s true. And if you don’t, you’re going to realize it soon enough. Now either her mom shows up bright and fucking early tomorrow morning for this dress shopping or I make a special trip and we talk face-to-face. So, I’ll see her mom bright and early tomorrow, right?”

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