Page 327 of When We Fall: Part Two
“Take care of them and Bianca,” I said. “That’s the only payment I want.”
“Deal.” Dom clapped me on the back and went to Vin and took Sante from him. I watched as he settled on the couch, murmuring to him.
“I need to go,” I said, backing away. “I don’t know anything about babies, so…”
“We have Google.” Vin frowned, not looking convinced.
“Natty is nearby,” Fallon said. “I’ll call her if we have trouble. Or Stella, if we get really desperate.”
It seemed like a sound plan. I bid the kings goodbye and left, unsure of what would happen next, but I really hoped Matteo would make it through.
He was my father, and I did love him. I didn’t want to lose him, but something told me that was the plan.
And that really fucking hurt.
ONE HUNDRED THREE
ROSALIE
We boarded the plane to Colorado. I knew Fox’s parents had owned a cabin there, and Fox loved visiting it when we were kids. Kurt reached out to me and said he’d meet us there for a long weekend before we headed to California.
I hadn’t seen Klaus. Matteo said he was handling some business and would reach out to me when he was done.
Then Matteo kissed my cheek and told me he hoped I liked his gift, which Anson would be giving me once we got to the cabin.
I assumed Anson was telling me he was free now, and we could be together.
I already knew my answer if he asked, too.
“Headphones?” Anson handed me the headset from his carry-on.
I took them and gave him a grateful smile.
“You didn’t bring me any?” Ryder flopped down next to me, and Trent took the aisle seat next to a tiny grandma.
“Do you bake cookies?” Trent asked her. The lady chuckled, but said yes, which sparked his intrigue.
“Fuck, he’s weird,” Ryder muttered as Anson chuckled.
Ryder and Trent were going with us. Anson said we’d need them for security once we started touring. I liked the idea of having people I knew with me, so I eagerly agreed.
The flight was a calm one. Despite the banter between the guys, I couldn’t take my mind off my horsemen.
I would miss them.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, but here I was, flying off to a new life and leaving them behind. They’d left me behind months ago, though. Enzo with his wife and new baby coming. Cole joining them. Ethan…
I wish I could have brought Ethan with me, but I knew he wasn’t ready, and I wasn’t sure I was either.
Maybe someday, though.
It still hurt when I thought about the three of them. I prayed for their safety. Despite how it ended, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to them.
Deep down, I still wanted them, but I knew it was over. It was too much for me to deal with. My future was ahead of me. Fox said not to look back, so I wouldn’t.
For Fox. For me. For whatever lies ahead.
When we landed, Anson went to grab our rental car, and we piled our suitcases inside. I gave Anson the cabin’s address, but it wasn’t much of one. The place was literally on a mountain in the middle of nowhere. Kurt and Fox would go there and hunt when we were growing up. I got to go one year when I was nine. I hated the hunting part, so I’d stayed back with Amy and we’d baked cookies.
