Page 91 of Into the Fire

ETHAN

Despite being high as a kite, I could still feel that familiar burn of fear bubbling in my chest. Seeing this entire thing with the kings play out was wearing me down. I was already dangling from the end of a short rope as it was with my worries. Countless sleepless nights, fears of losing Rosalie or her coming to harm, of me wondering how the hell we could fix any of it.

It wasn’t like I could fix my issues. I was abused as a kid. I couldn’t just get over that shit. And to be fair, my adult life wasn’t so hot either.

“It’s been hours. Drake isn’t answering,” Cole muttered, settling in beside me. Dom kept wandering in and out until Enzo talked him into trying to get some sleep with the promise that we’d wake him the moment we heard anything. Levin and Vincent went back to Bolten to check if any of the lords had returned.

“What do we do?” Fox asked.

Enzo sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Go home. Be with Rosalie. We’ll stay here and take care of things.”

“Anson is there,” Fox said.

“I know.” Enzo shot him a look. “So go home. Another man shouldn’t be keeping her company. There are four of us. One ofus should be there. Get some sleep. Get here bright and early.” He handed him the keys to the Escalade. “I’ll call you if anything happens, and you can come back.”

Fox glanced to Cole.

“You know how I feel. I don’t want her home alone with that ass hat,” Cole muttered. “Enzo is right.”

Fox sighed and looked at me.

“Go home. You’re exhausted,” I murmured.

“You could go,” Fox offered, knowing damn well I needed the space. I wasn’t going to be a bitch about it though. I needed to learn to deal with my issues.

“I’m fine. I’ll stay,” I said, really fucking wishing I could go home and scoop my sweetheart into my arms and leave all this shit behind.

But that would mean leaving my friends, and I’d never do that. I didn’t want to leave them. Ever. While I didn’t exactly love this life, I loved them. So I’d endure. Besides, I owed the world something useful.

“OK. I’ll be back before daybreak.” Fox gave us a nod and left.

“Let’s try to get some sleep,” Enzo said.

“I’ll stay on the couch,” I mumbled.

Cole gave an uneasy look to the ceiling-to-floor windows.

“They’re bulletproof,” Enzo said, answering an unspoken question. “I asked.”

“There goes that plan,” I murmured.

“What?” Cole frowned at me, and I shook my head.

“I’ll take one of the guest rooms upstairs,” Enzo said, getting to his feet. “Be ready at any minute.” He left us with those words.

“Aren’t you going to sleep up there?” I asked.

“And leave you down here with your death wish?” Cole shook his head. “I know you’re feeling like shit, E, but stop wishing for death. It’ll find you when it’s time. Not before. So deal with that shit.”

I said nothing, knowing he was right. Adjusting myself on the leather couch, I rolled over and stared at Cole on the opposite couch.

“Remember when Ian took Rosalie?” I asked softly.

Cole grunted. “E, it’s a fucking nightmare that lives rent-free in my head.”

I breathed out. “It’s just, the kings are pretty much going through what we went through. We can’t do this shit again.”

“We won’t,” Cole snapped. “Fuck, E, get out of your head.”

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