Page 20 of When We Fall: Part Two
I swept my lips against hers once more. It broke my heart that I was becoming this monster, but to survive in this world, you had to be a monster or you’d be eaten by one. I’d be damned if I’d let anything take us out.
“Fox?”I called out as I stood at his door later that evening. He looked over at me from where he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling.
When he didn’t tell me to fuck off, I came into his room and sat on the edge of his bed.
“I’m worried about you,” I said, deciding just to come out and say it. “I know we haven’t been getting along lately, but I love you just as much today as I always have. Probably more.” When he didn’t reply, I moved and lay beside him. “What can I do?”
“You know what you can do,” he answered, not looking at me.
I breathed out, not saying a word. He was always on me about leaving this life, but we were so damn close to having it all. I said as much.
“At what costs, man? We’ve almost lost Rosalie. Again. All this shit going on… Fuck, I don’t want to do it anymore.”
I sighed. It was the same conversation on repeat.
“I’ll figure something out. I promise,” I said softly.
“OK,” he replied, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
I didn’t leave. He didn’t tell me to, so I stayed right beside him, wishing shit were different and he was the same Fox I’d grown up with.
But we were both changing. I knew that.
It didn’t matter, though. I had to fix this shit and make him smile. I had a lot of work to do.
SEVEN
ANSON
“What’s going on?” I demanded, stepping into my father’s office. The last two weeks had been a fucking nightmare. I’d sat around drinking myself stupid after Rosalie told me we weren’t ever going to happen.
Based on the look in her eyes, I was inclined to believe her. If that didn’t convince me, her running to Fox and begging to leave did.
I stopped dead in my tracks as Bianca sat in the chair across from Matteo, Klaus behind him, and Alessio lurking on the edge of the room.
“Why is Bianca here?” I asked, moving cautiously, my heart banging hard. I’d been so out of the loop lately that I wasn’t even sure this was happening.
“I acquired her in a trade with the kings,” Matteo said. “I’d like to think I got the better end of the bargain.”
I looked from Bianca, who was very pregnant with her head down, to Matteo. I blinked in confusion. How the fuck hadn’t I heard about this? Did Enzo even know? Why hadn’t the kings said anything? No one thought to reach out to me and at least see if I knew this shit had happened? It didn’t make sense.
“I don’t understand. Where’s Dom? What’s fucking going on? Where the fuck is Drake?” I knew Matteo had been unhappy with Levin’s work and had released him. Now it was beginning to make sense.
“I would expect Dominic to be planning my downfall. Drake is working as usual. He has afantasticwork ethic. ”
“Explain,” I said, taking a seat next to Bianca’s chair. She didn’t move at all. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she were a doll.
“Your grandfather is coming for a visit in a few weeks,” Matteo said. “Carmine.”
I raised my brows. I’d never met the man, but from what I’d heard, he was a prick squared. A complete fucking ruthless asshole. Worse than Matteo’s reputation, and that was saying something. From what I’d learned, he’d been shot in the back during an assassination attempt and had to step back because his health had declined. Based on the fact that he hated my mother, I’d say I wouldn’t be welcomed in with open arms. In fact, if the old prick wasn’t plotting my death, I’d be surprised.
“Seems bad,” I murmured.
Matteo chuckled. “Perhaps. Things have changed now. I’m in charge.”
“Are you?” I raised my brows at him.
He gave me a knowing smirk before looking to Bianca. “Bianca is going to be staying with us for the foreseeable future. Alessio, take her back to her room.”
