Chapter 37
ANSON
Iwandered through our home, my heart in my throat. This was killing me. No Ellis laughing. No Rosalie chasing her or baking. Nothing. The place was silent.
“You get used to it,” Klaus said as I settled on the couch next to him. I’d been in meetings all day and was finally home. The label seemed happy that everything was resolved, so that was good. I was signing a new band later this week, and was hoping Trackmaster wanted them. It was looking great.
Despite things being quiet on the stalker front, Klaus had still brought on extra men for our estate. He was always willing to go to war, and I loved that about him. Even Trix had security when she went out. We all did, even the band.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” I said, taking the glass of whiskey Klaus handed me. I hadn’t been alone in a long time. Alone, meaning without Rosalie at my side. I felt like part of me had been torn away.
I rubbed my eyes and downed my drink. Evan was still out doing casting for his movie, so it was just Klaus and me.
Trix was out and about doing god knew what.
I assumed whatever it was had something to do with Cas, because he was the one who picked her up and asked me a million questions about Rosalie.
I told him I’d tell her to reach out to him and the guys. He seemed content with that answer.
“I understand,” Klaus said. “You have been with her through it all, much like Evan. He was alone here before I arrived. Imagine his suffering.”
I frowned. I guess I hadn’t realized how it was for him.
He was quiet and didn’t talk about a lot of his feelings these days.
I knew he helped tremendously with Ellis and had cared for her during Rosalie’s long stretches of being away, but now that I thought about it, he had likely been lonely during the early years.
I’d make it a point to hug him later.
“I want to call her, but she seemed tired last night. I assume today won’t be much better.
When I texted her earlier, she said her ankle was bothering her and that Enzo had brought in a doctor who said it was definitely a badly sprained ankle and that the doctor left her with crutches.
Said about another week before she’d probably be well enough to stand on it without a lot of issues.
” I pulled my phone out and stared at it, wanting to call her but also wanting to give her and Ellis the time they needed with Cole.
“She messaged me not long ago.” Klaus took a drink of his whiskey. “Said Cole kept coming into her room last night to check on her and Ellis. She said she had to lock the door because he wasn’t letting her sleep.”
I hated the guy, but I couldn’t deny he was definitely on top of shit. I appreciated that he was concerned and protective, but fuck, let my girls sleep.
“She tired?” I looked over at Klaus.
“Yes. Seemed so. Said that she was going to make cookies with Ellis today, and that Cole was begging to take Ellis out shopping.”
“I hope Rosalie said no.” I bristled at the thought of Cole taking her out period. Rosalie wouldn’t be able to go because she’d be spotted, and that would open up a lot of shit for us to handle, and I didn’t want Cole, a fucking mobster, hauling our little girl out in public.
“She did,” Klaus said, sighing. “But she said Cole was going to figure out a way to make it happen, so stay tuned on that shit.”
I grunted. Cole was relentless, so I assumed it would eventually happen.
I didn’t like it, though. I might have Ryder be part of it.
I’d feel safer if he were there. I didn’t know what sort of enemies the horsemen kept these days, but with the Virelli family a hot topic in the city, I couldn’t imagine it being anything good. ”
“Dante called me this morning,” I said. “Bitching me out about Rosalie being with the horsemen. I guess Malachi got the message to him.”
“Yep.” Klaus drank again. “He called me too. Told me I was a dead man if anything happened to Rosalie now.”
“Was he graphic in his description of your death? Because apparently, he’s going to make me eat my own dick.”
Klaus chuckled. “Yes. He’s going to skin me and let Asylum wear my leather as his new jacket.”
“At least you’ll end up stylish. He is fashionable as fuck.”
“Fuck off,” Klaus said, no venom in his voice as he chuckled.
I sighed. “So what are we going to do tonight?”
Klaus shrugged. “I have an early morning. Meetings all day. I’m interviewing a few more people for some openings I have. After that, I’m scouting out a few new properties. I likely won’t be home until late.”
I grunted. I had shit to do tomorrow too, but I’d be home by evening. Evan had more casting and meetings, and a dinner with the director tomorrow.
I’d be alone in the house.
Fuck. Just me and Cotton.
I looked over to the white fluffball lounging on a chair. As if sensing me, he blinked and let out a soft meow.
“He’s not bad company,” Klaus said with a chuckle. “Ellis keeps asking if we can get another cat.”
“Well, from what I understand, Cole has that covered,” I grumbled.
We were both quiet for a moment.
“How do you really feel about all of this?” I asked Klaus. “Just you to me.”
He finished his drink before he ran his hand down his face.
“I don’t know. You know I love her and Ellis.
They’re my world. My family. I wouldn’t have proposed to her if I had any reservations.
Am I concerned? Yes. Absolutely. Do I trust Cole and the horsemen?
I trust they’ll try their best, and it’s not them that’s the issue.
Aside from Dante, I really don’t think there’s anyone in the world who would try to keep her safe like the horsemen would.
Maybe the kings, but they have their own shit going on. ”
I nodded. “But how do you feel?”
“I don’t like that another man fucked our woman, Anson. I fucking don’t. It took everything I had not to find his ass and drive my fist through his face. I don’t care that it was a mistake or an accident. He’s a fucking doctor. His job is to care for people, not get them high and fuck them.”
My leg bounced as I rubbed my eyes.
“If Rosalie decides she wants to let Cole come back, then I will not oppose it,” Klaus continued.
“I love her, and she has a history with him, but I am with Evan on the mob stuff. I left that life. I’m happy with this life.
I do not wish to return to it. So that’s the issue I foresee.
If Cole comes to us, he must leave that life.
That’s my hard limit. I don’t want Rosalie or Ellis dragged into hell because the horsemen want more.
Cole is a multi-millionaire without the mafia. Did you know that?”
“He is?” I knew he had money, but I never bothered to research it.
“He is. His family is well-off. He was left nearly fifty million in a trust fund when his grandparents passed. Old money. Dirty money. His brother, too. And that’s not even counting the money he has made from investments, the mafia, or anything else he has his hands in.
When his parents go, he will likely inherit their fortune with Colten.
And they have even more. He is not, and will never be, hurting for money.
On top of that, the little shit is a doctor and a bit of a prodigy, if my sources are correct.
His life is, for lack of a better word, cake. ”
I swallowed at that information. I had no idea Cole was that well off.
“Ever heard of the Ashford family?” Klaus continued.
“Yeah.” I nodded, frowning at the name. “That’s old money. I studied the name in high school. Made fortunes on the gold rush and then built an empire on railways and other things that are mostly a conspiracy. Government connections. Dirty laundry connections.”
Klaus raised his brows at me.
“Why? What does that name have to do with anything?”
“Cole’s great-great-grandfather was none other than Augustine Ashford.”
I blinked rapidly at that information. “Are you shitting me?”
Klaus shook his head. “I would never shit on you.”
I shook off his incorrect understanding of the phrase and didn’t bother to correct him.
“And that’s on his mother’s side. His father’s side is the Scott family. They trace back to some royal European bullshit.”
I had no fucking idea. And why would I? I’d never really talked to Cole aside to tell him to go fuck himself.
“Do you think Rosalie knows?” I asked.
Klaus shrugged. “I doubt it. Cole hates his family. His immediate family, aside from Colten. At least he doesn’t flaunt his heritage. I appreciate that about the little dick head.”
“What about E? Nothing crazy in his background?”
Klaus took another drink. “His background defines crazy. Mother and father are both addicts. His mother’s parents were decent people.
Both dead from disease. Father’s side was scum.
His mother’s side was a bit more upper-middle-class.
Ethan inherited what was left on his mother’s side.
He got a few million from savings and life insurance things.
Nothing substantial. E doesn’t need it though.
He’s the sugar daddy. He rakes in so much money every minute on his designer drugs that he won’t have to work a day for the rest of his life or his next life if he doesn’t want to. His son included.”
I blew out a breath. The horsemen really had themselves sorted. I already knew what Enzo had. He had his billionaire status long ago with Rustic Rifles. He was all over the papers with it.
I didn’t nearly have that much money. I was doing well for myself and had millions too, but nothing like what the horsemen had.
I had every intention of starting my own record label, and had been on the fence about just doing it, but I didn’t want it to interfere with Rosalie’s things.
Her contract with Trackmaster was almost up, and I was seriously considering surprising her by offering her a contract with a company I wanted to start.
Klaus had a fuck load of money. He probably rivaled the horsemen, or at least was closer to rivaling them than any of us were.
Evan did great with his books and had sold the rights to his newest book to this production company for a sizable, multi-million-dollar sum, and he generated passive income from all his backlist, but still.
We couldn’t compete with the horsemen. If Enzo went all in, we’d be fucked.
“You worry. Talk to me,” Klaus said.
I sighed. “Cole is Ellis’s dad. What if he decides he wants to take her from us? I mean, he has the means to do it. All Enzo needs to do is snap his fingers, and a judge would grant whatever he wanted. They could argue that Rosalie is gone a lot. Cole isn’t. I… I worry.”
Klaus nodded. “I get it. It’s definitely a concern. If it comes down to it, then we do what we do best, brother.”
“Fight,” I murmured.
He winked at me. “Fight.”
Fuck.
I sent up a silent prayer that it wouldn’t come to that.