Page 134 of When We Fall: Part Two
“We’re still here. We’re stillfucking here. That means something, doesn’t it?”
I was quiet for a moment before I spoke.
“It means everything.”
“Then stop saying stupid shit. I’m barely holding it together right now. I don’t need to worry about losing my girl, too. You may not realize this, but Rosalie is the love of my life. I’m never going to love someone the way I love her. We’re supposed to have a baby?—”
“Cole, you need to stop with the baby talk, OK? You’re not going to have a kid with her. Get that through your head. She wasn’t ready when you knocked her up in high school, and she sure as fuck isn’t ready now. So fucking STOP pressuring her on it.”
He glared at me, his blue eyes shimmering with tears. “I really fucking hate you right now, Enzo. I love you, but I fucking hate you. You’re being a fucking asshole. I know you’re hurting. I’m hurting too, but don’t make it worse. I’m begging you to stop. We’re falling apart. I-I don’t want to fall apart.”
“All great empires fall so stronger ones can rise,” I murmured, drinking again. There wasn’t enough alcohol or drugs in this world to numb the pain. I wasn’t even sure why I kept trying to.
Cole threw a pillow from the couch at me, knocking my whiskey bottle out of my hands. It sloshed down the front of my shirt before crashing to the floor.
“Fuck you and your empire, prick.” Cole stormed from the room, leaving me to sit alone.
I deserve it. I deserved all this shit.
But they didn’t.
Fuck, how do I fix this?
I wokewith my entire body aching. I’d passed out in my chair and had half-slept on the floor, my body twisted in a weird angle.
It wasn’t the awkward sleep that woke me, though.
It was Rosalie’s screams.
I staggered to my feet and found her on the couch, rocking, Colten and Jamie trying to calm her.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, stumbling into the room. I could hear Cole’s bedroom door slamming as he came rushing to us.
“She was trying to leave,” Colten said, releasing her so I could hold her. “Said she was going to go find Everett herself. She tried to see E this morning, and he lost his shit. He’s in the bathroom throwing up. Freaked the fuck out on her.”
I noted the faint black and blue mark forming on her cheek. I ground my teeth together hard.
“He hit her?”
“I-I don’t think it was on purpose. He was trying to get away from her, and his hands were going all over,” Jamie said, wincing. “He kept screaming not to touch him.”
Cole stopped in front of us, a worried look on his face.
“Rosebud, baby,” he said gently, kneeling so he could look into her eyes. “Hey, talk to me. Are you OK?”
“I-I don’t know what I did. He’s mad at me. What did I do wrong?” Her words made my heart constrict. Tears cascaded down her pale cheeks.
Fuck, what a mess.
This wasn’t going to work.
It was on repeat in my head.
“He’s hurting, baby. He’s been through a lot. He needs time. Just like you do,” Cole said softly. “Are you OK? Your cheek is bruised.”
She blinked at him. “I miss Fox.”
“I know, Rosebud. Baby, I know.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “He’s gone, though. You have us. I promise you do.It’s been a bad few weeks, but we’re going to be OK. I swear to you that we will.”
