Page 140 of When We Fall: Part Two
Enzo studied me.
We stared at one another for a long time before I figured fuck it.
“You need to stop doing business with Vander Veer. Celeste, his daughter… she helps Everett.”
He blinked rapidly at my words. “What?”
I finished off the sugar and blew out a final puff of smoke. “Yeah. I don’t know if Vander Veer is involved. I didn’t see him down there, but she was there.”
A muscle thrummed along Enzo’s jaw, but he didn’t push me for more on the subject, and I didn’t say more. I couldn’t. Not right now. It wasn’t the time or place. Plus, I didn’t have the ballsto admit that a girl raped me. That I’d been hard. That I’d come inside her. That she was likely knocked up with my kid.
I couldn’t even stomach the thought.
I’d have thrown up again if there was anything left in my guts to throw up.
“Rosalie is hurting,” I said.
“I know.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
He shrugged and looked down at his hands while he fiddled with a piece of lint.
“I love her,” I whispered.
“I know, man.” He didn’t look at me.
“Do you love her?” I ventured softly.
“I will never not love her.” His hands shook as he continued to twist the lint between his fingers.
“When are you going to tell her you’re not going to marry her?” I asked, my voice soft and shaky. I knew Lorenzo De Luca. He was backing down.
He finally looked at me, his dark eyes shiny with tears. “After the funeral. I-I don’t want to tell her right now.”
“Does Cole know?”
He shook his head. “Not really. He suspects.”
I swallowed hard. “You’re going to break it off with her, aren’t you? Break us apart?” My voice cracked.
“E… Let’s not talk about this right now. Let’s just get through this nightmare of a day. One day at a time, brother.”
“The wedding is in two weeks. You have to tell her?—”
“I will! OK. I will.” He exhaled. “I love her. Don’t think I don’t, but I’m confused right now. I blame myself for this entire mess. I’m trying to work through it.”
“If you let her go, she won’t come back to us,” I rasped, tears cascading down my cheeks.
“E, come on. I think we all need some time to sort through things. Now isn’t the time to talk about it, OK? Let’s be here for Fox. Tomorrow it’s a new life. We need to focus on that.”
I said nothing as he stood. I followed him, and when I stumbled, he reached for me.
I jerked away. “Don’t. I-I don’t want to be touched.”
“Sorry,” he murmured.
He went to the door, opened it, and held it for me.
