Page 164 of When We Fall: Part One
I nodded. “I-I do.”
“Perfect. I’ll have something made. Perhaps you and Alessandro could join me for dinner if you feel well enough.”
“Yeah. Maybe,” I murmured, confused about who this man was. He was nothing like I’d heard, but maybe he was just a good actor.
Matteo studied me for a moment before he spoke. “Alessandro, my office later, please.”
“Of course, Father,” Anson answered.
“Rosalie, a real pleasure.” Matteo gave me another smile before he left the room, leaving us alone.
“Did he scare you?” Anson asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
“Yes,” I admitted.
“He has that effect on people,” he mumbled. He went quiet as I ate. “LeeLee? About the other night with the club. I said some stupid shit to you, and I want you to know I’m sorry. It didn’t mean anything. It was just drunk talk?—”
A pang shot through my heart at his words. I didn’t want them to mean nothing. I didn’t want to be nothing to him. In the end, nothing was all we could ever be, though.
“Ani, it’s fine, OK? I understand,” I said in a quiet voice. “I’m not mad.”
He let out a breath. “I’d really like to come back. To be your friend again if you’ll have me.”
“I’d like that,” I said, giving him a sad smile. “But only if you promise to stay this time.”
“Hell couldn’t keep me away,” he replied, his blue eyes on mine.
I squeezed his hand, the butterflies bouncing in my chest, and finished my sandwich, my heart filled with worry and pain.
I did hate it here, and here, as I was quickly learning, consisted of everything and everywhere.
My life was becoming too painful to exist in.
But Ani made it better.
I could admit that much.
FIFTY-TWO
COLE
Three days.
Three whole fucking days.
Enzo had gotten to talk to her on the phone yesterday. She assured him she was OK. He said she sounded awful, and that alone made me want to storm Matteo’s fortress and burn it to the ground like Dominic had done previously.
I’d tried to get the guys to go to Matteo’s with me, but even Enzo seemed resigned to the idea. I knew what a powerful man Matteo De Santis was, but fuck, he had our girl. Sitting here and letting him keep her made me sick. We all knew the sorts of shit Matteo did to women. Bianca was a prime example of the hell he could put them through.
If he touched her, I’d kill him. I didn’t know how, but I’d figure it out. All my Rosebud had to do was say the word, and he was a dead man. I didn’t need Enzo behind me to put out the fucking hit. I’d do it my damn self.
We hadn’t told Dominic because Enzo cited he had enough going on, and there wasn’t fuck all he could do to help since he was on the outs with Matteo.
Everything was resting in Ass Hat’s hands.
I hated it.Loathedit. The moment he walked through the door with her, I was going to kill him. I didn’t care anymore. I was sick of this shit. If the guys weren’t going to end it, I would.
“Are you leaving?” I demanded as Fox came into the room. Every damn time he’d come into the room the last three days, I’d ask because I was waiting for the phone call.
