Page 72 of Into the Fire

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Do you think maybe she bailed?” I asked tentatively, really fucking hoping she did.

“I don’t know. I don’t think she’d do that. We have people all over this city. Connections, you know? She hasn’t been seen on any public transport cameras and hasn’t purchased a plane, train, or bus ticket. Her money is still in her account. She’s just. . . gone,” his voice cracked, and that in turn broke my damn heart.

“Fuck,” I sighed, frustrated by the news but not surprised. “We’ll keep our ears open on it. She’s somewhere, man. Believe that.”

“I-I just hope she’s OK.” The pain in his voice made my heart ache even more for him. I remembered what it was like for my Rosebud and E to be missing. It made me regret ever taking Bianca and Vincent from their group.

“I hope so too. I liked her. Give me a ring if you hear anything. We’ll be in touch if we do.” I breathed out, not wanting to show Vincent how pained I was by the entire situation. “Oh, that reminds me. If we do find her, do you want us to kill the fucker who has her or just wait for you guys?”

“We want him,” Vincent said darkly.

“I understand but know that if our girl gets bothered in the slightest by whoever is behind this—and we’re pretty fucking sure it has to be the lords—then we will kill them. Just putting that out there for you.” He needed to be made aware of that. No one fucking would ever touch my Rosebud.

“We understand,” he said. “But if that happens, make it painful.”

“There is no other way.” I let out a soft wicked laugh, the thought of what I’d do to a motherfucker if I found him racing through my mind’s eye. “We’ll talk later.”

The call disconnected, and I stared at my wall for a long time before I got up and went to Rosalie’s bedroom. Softly, I knocked on her door.

“Come in,” she called out.

I opened the door to find her at her desk bent over her notebook.

“Hey, baby. You busy?”

She looked up at me and smiled. “Not really.”

Last night I’d watched her sleep on the couch with her head on Anson’s shoulder. I snatched her off him, waking them both. She’d stared up at me with groggy eyes as I’d hauled her straight to bed without so much as afuck youto the asshole I’d left on the couch. She’d immediately curled into my arms when we’d gotten into bed, and I’d fucking railed into her tight pussy until she was screaming my name.

It was the one fucking time I hoped Ass Hat had stayed. I wanted him to hear who the fuck she belonged to. The raging desire for him to hear me fuck her burned through every fiber of my being.

I stepped into the room and went and sat on the edge of her bed and held my hand out to her.

She came to me easily, and I dragged her onto my lap to hold. Her fingers raked gently through my hair, making those butterflies flap wildly in my chest.

“What’s wrong?” she murmured.

I shook my head, my throat tight. Everything felt compounded. All the shit we’d been through. All the shit we’d gothrough. The ugly fucking thought I’d been bitching at the others for having of just letting her go to keep her safe. . .

Fuck. Fuck. NO.

Never.

I’d never let her go. I was going to be a selfish prick when it came to that. Rosalie Bishop would always be mine. There wouldn’t ever be a time when she wasn’t. I’d kill anyone who tried to take her from me. I’d die without her.

“I guess I’m just upset,” I said, my voice low. “Knowing people as powerful as the kings have lost their girl makes me feel. . . human. If I lost you, Rosebud—”

“Hey.” She cradled my cheek and made me look at her. “You won’t lose me, Cole. Ever, OK? I’m not going anywhere.”

I took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I need to hear that now more than ever. You swear it? Because I’ve told you before I’ll hunt you down and drag you back here if you ever leave us.”

A sad smile graced her plump lips. “I remember.”

“Oh, baby.” I sighed. “What I wouldn’t give for our lives to be better. To not live in fear every day of losing you or anyone we love. It kills me, Rosebud. To think we may never have our family. Our baby.” The words hurt to even say. I wanted to have a baby so much that I was sick with want inside. It was getting worse with each passing day.

She moved away from me and got to her feet.

I practically whimpered at her distance, my hand immediately shooting out to grasp hers to bring her back to me.

---