Page 80 of Into the Fire

“Rosalie mentioned Cole’s favorite dessert is cake. Which flavor?” Anson peered at me through the falling snow as I adjusted the cute pink hat with the dingle ball on top that Rosalie wore. Ethan had gotten it for her. It was right up her alley.

“Uh, he’ll pretty much eat any kind,” I said. “So whatever you want.”

Anson nodded. “I’ll bring some and smash it in his face if he tries to come at me.”

“Ani,” Rosalie admonished.

“It’s hard to fight with cake in your eyes.” Anson shrugged. “I’m a peacekeeper, LeeLee. You know that.”

“You’re a menace,” she said with a little laugh.

He winked at her. “Can’t deny that. I’ll see you guys tonight?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Around seven.”

“OK. Cool.” He smiled. “Rosalie, always a pleasure.”

She gave him a little wave. He turned and made his way across campus while I led her to my Jeep. Her wedding dress had arrived today. She didn’t know it was at home, but E had been there when they’d delivered it and had hung it up in her bedroom. He promised he hadn’t peeked at it and that it was in a garment bag.

I wanted to see it, yet I didn’t. I wasn’t sure my heart could take it. I couldn’t wait until the wedding was over with so we could put it behind us and move on. The feeling that things would go back to normal after made me look forward to it that much more.

“That was so nice of you to invite Anson,” Rosalie said as we walked to my car in the parking lot. “You like him, don’t you?”

“I don’t hate him.” We reached my Jeep, and I opened the door for her. She got in her spot and fastened her seatbelt.

“Are you ever going to tell me about what happened that day with him? When we went to his house, and he was so upset?”

“No.” I pecked her lips. “That’s up to him. If he tells you, then great, but I’m not going to do it. It’s nothing for you to concern yourself with though.”

She sighed and nodded. “Fine.”

I closed her in and went around to my side, really hoping she’d not ask me again. I didn’t like thinking about the shit Anson had done to keep her safe. While I appreciated it more than he’d ever know, it also made me understand how far he was willing to go for her.

And it went under-appreciated.

It was probably why I wasn’t all that pissed about him kissing her. He deserved something out of it all, and if a kiss was the least I could do, well, it was what it was.

The ride home was pleasant. We laughed and talked, and it felt like everything was OK, and lately, it had been. If there was one thing I knew about life, it was that nothing good ever lasted. I wished more than anything I could change that and give her that perfect life. It weighed heavily on me.

But I was a De Santis. Something I needed to tell Enzo about. When I spoke to my dad a few nights ago, he told me to keep it secret. Fuck, though. It was a shitty secret to keep from my brothers. They’d be pissed at me for keeping it hidden. Us guys always told one another the truth. We did our best to protect Rosalie from the ugly in the world, but that just made us come off as pricks, or at least it would to outside eyes. We weren’t. We loved her with all our hearts, and were just trying to get over this massive mountain in our young lives.

So far, we were fucking it up good.

I pulled the Jeep into the garage and cut the engine.

“Foxy, thank you for Anson. I know it’s not easy,” she said, turning to me.

“It’s easier than you think,” I answered, giving her a small smile. “I really don’t hate the guy. In fact. . .” I licked my lips and exhaled. “I actually think he’d be-be good for you.”

Her eyes widened, and her lips parted to speak, but I silenced her quickly.

“Not to join us, babe. But if something ever happens to me, I think he’s the next in line to have your best interests at heart. He cares about you. I’m not an idiot. I can see that. Hell, he loves you. Our agreement stands, right?” I searched her pretty face, hoping to find the truth.

“Me going to him if something happens?” Her voice shook.

I took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Yes. He’s the one to keep you safe. If something happens to me—”

“Fox, don’t say that—”

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