Page 187 of When We Fall: Part Two
ENZO
I’d kept my distance from Rosalie for the next two days. Cole telling me some motherfucker had his lips on hers made me want to burn the city to the ground as a means to kill the prick.
But I reminded myself that what I was doing was a hell of a lot worse, and she was going to hate me.
Good. She needed to hate me.
It was the only way she’d let us go. I knew that as sure as I knew my own name.
E was still hiding in the basement. I was sure he wasn’t sleeping. He didn’t talk much, and I didn’t tell him a lot of what was happening. He wasn’t really in his right mind, and overloading him with everything might break his sanity.
When Colten approached me with the pictures, he’d been pissed. I didn’t deny shit. I told him that, yeah, I was doing exactly what it looked like. He gave me a similar look to what Cole gave me.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
I was just trying to save what was left of our world.
I shrugged it off like it didn’t matter. That I was a prick. Colten glared at me before telling me to get my shit together. Then he stormed away, leaving me in my disgust and shame.
I hated myself a little more with each passing second.
“Lorenzo! It’s so good to see you,” Vander Veer greeted me with a hearty handshake.
“It’s good to see you,” I said as he released me and led me into his office.
“I’m so sorry for the loss of Fox. He was a good man.” He sat behind his desk and gestured for me to take a seat. I did and gave him a forced smile.
“I appreciate the condolences. He is missed.”
“I was most saddened to hear that you canceled your wedding,” he continued. “Is all well with you and your lady… what’s her name? Roseanne?”
“Rosalie,” I corrected, irritated the fucking prick couldn’t even get her name right.
“Yes. Voice of an angel, that one. Beautiful.” He smiled.
“Actually, that’s something along the lines of what I’ve come to talk to you about. Rosalie and I are separating. It’s opened my eyes to my need for a woman who can handle my lifestyle.”
He sat forward, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.
“I have been speaking with Celeste. She’s the kind of woman I need at my side. I like her fire. Her bravery. She would make a good wife.”
“Indeed.” He grinned at me like he was winning the fucking lottery.
“I would like to ask for her hand,” I continued. “I want to marry her.”
“Absolutely,” he boomed out. “I want nothing more than for this union to happen.”
“However,” I cut him off. “I have a few things we need to discuss to make this happen.”
I’d given Celeste the demand that she not tell her father about her pregnancy, and when he asks, she tells him the baby is mine. She was more than agreeable to it. I’d taken her yesterdayto the doctor to confirm the pregnancy. Dom had given me information for testing, which I would definitely do to ensure the baby was E’s, once we reached that point in her pregnancy. I hadn’t told Dom it was for another woman. I said we thought we might need the information for Rosalie later. He willingly handed it over, letting me know he was happy we were working things out.
“Of course. Anything you want.” Vander Veer smoothed his tie down.
I pulled out an envelope and slid it across the desk. He snatched it up and read the contents. It had taken me a long time to gather the necessary information to move forward with this entire project. The saints I’d hired were damn good, that was for sure. Elijah and his men were quickly climbing the ranks of the best I employed. They would be rewarded.
I hadn’t told Ethan any of this, opting to keep it to myself in case I couldn’t pull it off. The last thing I wanted was to disappoint him, as I was already going to risk our hearts on this gamble.
The same gamble I wasn’t so sure we could come back from, but I had faith in Rosalie. In us.
