Page 266 of When We Fall: Part Two
“Do you think if I get my shit sorted that we could try again someday?”
She looked away from me and to the outside world, a sad look on her face. She’d been caged for so long with us and now had a taste of freedom. I wouldn’t lose her to another man. Not really. I’d lose her to freedom.
“Sweetheart?” I whispered, my voice shaking.
She looked back at me. “Call me when you do. We’ll talk then.”
I wiped at my fallen tears and nodded. “You’ll answer?”
“I will always answer you, Ethan.”
“Would you leave whoever you’re with for me? I-If I became ready?”
“Do you remember when we were in high school and I tried to lure you away from the guys?”
I nodded.
“Do you think you’d leave what’s left? Because I can’t go back to Enzo and Cole. Not when they’re with some other woman after Enzo cheated.”
“What if he didn’t cheat? What if…”
“She’s pregnant,” she cut in. “If it’s not Enzo’s kid, then whose? And everything adds up. He did have alone time withher. He promised to cut her off when I asked him to, but never did. Then he pulled away. All of it adds up to the truth.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I couldn’t tell her the truth because even thinking it made me freak out internally. She’d hate me like she hated Enzo and Cole. Fuck, I couldn’t let her hate me.
That was selfish of me to throw the guys under the bus, but fuck…
FUCK.
“I would leave for you,” I said. “I-I would.”
Her eyes glistened. “Ethan. I wouldn’t ask you to. That’s the point. I’m not that girl, and you’re not that guy.”
I understood what she was saying. It hit like a ton of bricks. If she knew I was happy and functioning in life, she would never ask me to leave it behind.
Like I shouldn’t ask her to leave the life she was happy in.
“Is this it?” I rasped. “Is it really the end?”
“I don’t know,” she murmured. “I think it is for right now. Do you believe in fate?”
“I believe we make our own fate,” I replied. “If we’re strong enough.”
“Then be strong, and maybe I’ll see you again. And if I don’t…” She looked away before getting to her feet.
“Then what?” I asked, desperate to will my hand to reach for her and pull her back to me.
“Then know that I love you so much, and our time, and everything we did together, everything we went through… I will never forget. You deserve so much more in life, Ethan. Please. If you love me, then love yourself first. It’ll help you heal. Promise.”
“Rosalie,” my voice cracked. “I love you. I-I’ll prove it. I will. I’ll show you what kind of man I can be. The kind I was meant to be. And then I’ll come for you and bring you home to me. I fucking vow it.”
“Then I really do hope I see you again someday. Bye, Ethan.” She turned and walked away, leaving me to stare after her, my fucking soul dying inside.
“Please don’t be the last time I see you,” I whispered, watching her walk with her head down as she stepped onto the busy sidewalk. “Please, god. Fucking please.”
EIGHTY-ONE
COLE
