Page 296 of When We Fall: Part Two
I swallowed, saying nothing as he leaned in, his voice low.
“You’re going to marryhersomeday. Not today, but someday soon. But only if you walk away. She’s fine where she is.” He straightened and eyed me. “Dante will find you when he’s ready. Rosalie will come home. Have a good evening… cousin.”
And with those words, he twirled his fork, whistling as he left me sitting in the booth, with more questions than answers.
NINETY-TWO
ROSALIE
Dante slept with me. He sat with me. He didn’t leave me.
And he rarely spoke. To be fair, neither did I.
He even fed me.
But he never hurt me. Scared me? Absolutely. He was incredibly overbearing and possessive. Obsessive? I wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, it wasn’t healthy.
I hadn’t opened my eyes yet for the day, but I felt his body near mine. I couldn’t help but wonder if the horsemen were searching for me. If Anson was. If Klaus was. The ugly thought that maybe no one was kept plaguing me, too. It was a vicious cycle.
“I know you’re awake,” Dante murmured.
I cracked my eyelids open to stare at him.
“I want you to meet my family.”
“I don’t want to meet Everett,” I choked out. It had been a fear I’d been grappling with since I got here.
He reached out and cradled my face. “I would never allow him near you. It is why you’re here with me, and not freely roaming the city. He is looking for you. He does not expect me to have you.”
I licked my lips. “You scare me.”
“Good.” He ran his nose along my jaw, making me shake. “Can I tell you something too?”
“Y-Yes.”
“I love you.” His lips brushed against my ear. “Sister.”
I closed my eyes and breathed out.
“I like that you’re scared. I like that you fear me, but I also hate it.” He continued to whisper into my ear, his hand on my waist. “I want you to love me back. Like our mother loved me.”
I winced at him mentioning her.
“Do you know about her? What I did to her?”
“Please.” I shook as he breathed me in. I knew he killed our mother. “D-Don’t hurt me.”
“I already told you that I would never harm you.” He skimmed his lips down my jaw again. He darted his tongue out and licked the edge of my lips. “I like the way you taste.”
I tried to keep my breathing steady.
He let out a soft laugh. “I’m not as crazy as you think I am.”
“I think you are. I think you’re in denial.”
He laughed again before pulling away, his green eyes bright. “Would you like to know how I killed her? Our mother?” He squeezed my waist. “I’ll tell you. Ask me, sister. Ask me how I did it.”
“H-How did you do it?”
