Page 98 of Into the Fire

He turned to face me. “Do you love Anson too?”

I blinked at him, floored by the question.

“I see you with him. I’m not blind,” he continued.

“Cole—”

“Only the truth, baby.”

I licked my lips and gathered my thoughts. “I-I care about him. A lot. But. . . you and the guys are mine. I’m happy with you.”

“Promise?” He crinkled his brows as he stared down at me.

“I’m marrying Enzo because I love you all so much and want us to be together.” I cradled his face, my chest aching. “Anson isn’t an option.”

“If he was?”

“He’s not,” I whispered, flicking my gaze across his handsome face.

He shifted so his body was pressing down on mine again. He took my hands and pinned them over my head as he stared down at me.

“You’re right. He’s not. I’ll fucking kill him and drag you back home if you ever left me for him.” His words were so fierce that they sent a shard of ice through my chest. His lips crashed against mine, kissing me so hard his teeth dragged across my lip at the end, making me whimper and flinch.

“After I fuck you in front of him so he knows who the fuck you belong to. Because you will always be mine, Rosalie. No matter what happens.Always.Tell me. Swear it to me.”

I stared up at him, my heart in my throat.

“Swear it,” he whispered.

“I swear it,” I said thickly.

“Seal it with your blood.”

I blinked up at him, watching as he leaned over and grabbed the knife off the bedside table.

“Cole?” My pulse roared in my ears. “What are you doing?”

“Shh,” he said softly, his one hand still holding my wrists tightly above my head.

The way he could turn on a dime from my sweet, bright-eyed boy next door to the bloodthirsty monster before me was frightening.

“Cole, w-what are you doing?”

He was quick, bringing the knife down and slashing a mark over my heart. The burning made me cry out, but the wound wasn’t large or deep, just surprising. He released my wrists and cut his palm, then pressed it over my heart, his blue eyes locked on mine.

“Repeat after me, my sweet Rosebud.” His eyes flashed. “We belong to one another. For now. For always.”

I licked my lips and repeated his words.

“And I promise this,” he continued in a soft voice. “That no matter where life takes us, even if it somehow takes you away from us, I will hunt you down and bring you home. Because you’re mine. There is no escaping. Ever. This will be the only time I ever give you a choice. So decide. Do you want forever with me, Rosebud? If you say no, if you ever leave, I’ll let you go. But if you agree, know that I’m very fucking serious about it. I mean it.”

I licked my lips, staring up at him as he continued to keep his bloody palm to the cut over my heart.

I didn’t need to think about it. I loved him. I loved my guys. My feelings for Anson were different. I cared about him and knew it could be more if I let it, but this wasn’t that world. In the here and now, there were only four guys I needed.

“I want you. Forever,” I rasped.

“Fucking done.” He pressed his lips against mine, stealing my breath from my lungs.

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