Page 158 of When We Fall: Part Two
Silence descended over the room again.
“E… I need to know. Fox didn’t tell you about the coin?” Enzo finally broke the silence.
I sighed. “I don’t know shit about a coin. He didn’t tell me anything. I swear it.” I finally looked at Enzo. “If he had a coin, he didn’t tell me. I never saw him with one, not in the u-underground, not at surface level. Never.”
Enzo studied me for a moment before nodding and sighing. “There’s more I want to talk about, E.”
I ground my teeth, knowing that was the case.
“I don’t want to relive anything,” I whispered.
“And I don’t want you to, but Vander Veer. You said Celeste was in the underground,” he continued gently.
My breath hitched at her name.
“E, man, this is important,” Cole murmured, sitting forward. “If she had anything to do with Fox’s death, we need to know.”
“I-I don’t know if she did,” I whispered, my legs bouncing. I twitched, my heart pounding hard.
“E, come on,” Enzo coaxed, his voice low. “Focus, brother.”
I tried to relax my breathing, but I was really struggling. I needed to say it, though. I had to. For me. For Fox. For my family. It all needed to be aired out.
My hands twitched as I continued to breathe heavily. Enzo and Cole didn’t push. They waited.
Fuck, they always waited for me.
“I fucked her,” I choked out, the ugly truth tumbling off my lips in stuttered gasps. “I fucked Celeste.”
The room was silent with my confession, so I continued.
“It was forced on me. They tied me down and-and she rode me. They promised to let Fox go if I did it. I-I was trying to save him. I-I fucked her. S-She’s pregnant. I know she is. That was the entire reason for it. She wanted my baby. I-I gave in. I did it. I came inside her so many fucking times. I failed. I failed Fox. I-I couldn’t save him. I ruined our lives. Our family. I was so drugged up.” I wept softly. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. Don’t hate me. Please don’t fucking hate me. I hate myself enoughalready. It should have been me. Not Fox. Never Fox.” Tears flooded my cheeks as I admitted my sins.
Enzo moved forward and kneeled in front of me as I turned in my seat. He didn’t touch me. He simply stared into my eyes.
“Celeste raped you?”
I nodded miserably. “I begged for it to stop. I did. I didn’t want it. I wanted to save Fox, but I-I-I would never… I’d never fuck another woman. Rosalie…my sweetheart. I love her. I love her so fucking much. I can’t stand to be touched because I’m disgusting. I’m so fucking disgusting.” My voice cracked, my tears coming faster. “I don’t want her to know. Please. Fuck, Enzo. Don’t tell her. Please don’t fucking tell her what I did.”
“Ethan, you did nothing wrong,” Enzo said fiercely. “Do you hear me? You’re a victim.A fucking victim.Celeste will pay for what she’s done.”
“Don’t tell Rosalie. Please,” I continued through my tears. “She-She can’t know. Please. I’m fucking begging you?—”
“We won’t tell her,” Cole said, coming to kneel next to Enzo. “Promise, brother.”
He reached for me. I tensed, my nausea churning deep inside my guts at the thought of being touched. But I wanted a damn hug. I needed it.
Carefully, he wrapped his arms around me. I relaxed against him, sobbing into his neck. Enzo put his arms around us, holding us tightly as Cole vowed to make everyone involved pay.
“I don’t want her with my kid,” I rasped. “I fucking don’t. I don’t want a kid with her. S-She’s going to tell Rosalie. I know she will. It’ll ruin every-everything.”
“It’s OK. We’ll work it out,” Enzo murmured, holding us tighter. “I’ll handle it.”
“Don’t tell Rosalie…”
“Never, E. I’ll never tell. I’ll fix it,” Enzo said in a voice that sent shivers down my spine.
He pulled away from us. I clung to Cole for a moment longer before releasing him. He backed away and wiped at his eyes.
