Chapter 53
COLE
The day dragged ass, but I was grateful as hell to rush home to my family.
I swept into the place expecting to find Rosalie and Ellis on the couch or in the kitchen making more cookies while that Ryder asshole and Ass Hat were on the couch.
I’d already gotten my ass yelled at over Ryder telling Enzo what happened with Jade.
Fucking prick.
But I suppose Enzo would have found out anyway when he next saw Jade. I doubted the bitch would quit her job. She struck me as one of those women who would up her efforts rather than back the fuck off.
I ran upstairs, hoping I wouldn’t find Anson pounding into my girl again, but my room was empty. I went back to the room Rosalie and Ellis were staying in and saw that it was empty too.
Their bags were gone.
Their bags were fucking gone.
They’d been against the wall this morning. I’d seen them.
My heart pounded hard as I raced back downstairs and right into Enzo’s office.
“Where’s Rosalie?” I demanded.
He looked up from his computer, his eyes bloodshot.
Great. He was fucking drunk again.
“What?” he asked.
“Where the fuck are Rosalie and Ellis?” I repeated.
“I don’t know. They left right after you did this morning.”
My breathing came out shaky. “Their bags are gone.”
Enzo blinked. “No. They’re there. I’m sure they’ll be back.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you stop them?” I shouted. “Fuck, Enzo. Did you fight with Rosalie again? With Anson?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ve been working.”
“You’re drunk. And high.” I scoffed. “You likely don’t even know what fucking day it is.”
He sighed. “I’m not as fucked up as you think I am. I’m telling you everything is fine. Call her. You have her number, right? Anson’s number?”
I nodded. He was right.
I quickly pulled out my phone and called Rosalie. It went straight to voicemail. I snarled and tried again.
Same thing.
Frustrated, I called Ass Hat.
His phone rang several times before his voicemail came on.
I hung up. “Fuck. FUCK!”
I tugged at my hair, my chest aching.
“Cole, man. Relax. She didn’t leave,” Enzo said gently, coming around his desk to kneel in front of me. “I’d have heard them go. I’m sure Anson would have taken great pride in telling me he was taking her, too.”
I shook my head. “She’s gone. I-I’ve been trying. I have. I-I don’t know how to be what she needs. I love Ellis more than anything in this world, but maybe I’m not being a good dad. Maybe Rosalie knows that…Fuck, man…”
The front door opened, and I snapped my head up like a hungry dog. Quickly, I shoved Enzo aside and rushed back to the living room to find Rosalie coming in. Behind her, Anson carried Ellis in his arms and a few shopping bags.
I rushed at Rosalie and dragged her into my arms.
“I thought you fucking left me,” I choked out into her ear. “Fuck, Rosalie. I was scared. I called you guys, and no one answered.”
“I said I’d be here,” she murmured. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t. We got caught up shopping, and then fans recognized me—”
“I don’t care. You’re here now,” I whispered, pulling away and kissing her forehead fiercely before I took Ellis from Anson.
“Daddy got you some ballet slippers,” she said tiredly.
“Yeah?”
She yawned and nodded.
“You’re a sleepy princess,” I murmured, taking her upstairs without looking back. I wanted to tell her a bedtime story tonight.
She nodded and snuggled against me.
We went into her room, and I pulled out her pajamas and handed them to her. It took me a moment to realize their bags had been put into the closet. I’d freaked the fuck out for nothing. Good grief. I apparently had separation anxiety. Perfect. Like I needed more shit wrong with me.
“Get dressed for bed, OK? Brush your teeth.”
She did as she was told, closing the bathroom door behind her. I quickly changed the bed sheets so she’d have soft new threads to lie in before I fluffed her pillow.
She came out a few minutes later. I lifted her easily and placed her in bed, tucking her in.
“Are you telling me a story?” she asked, yawning again.
I tweaked her little nose. “Yes.”
“What about ballet?”
“We’ll do it tomorrow when you’re fully awake to teach me everything.”
She smiled tiredly at me, and I wrapped my arm around her.
“What story will you tell me?”
“Mm, this is the story of why the opossum has no hair on its tail.”
“Is the opossum a princess?”
“No, he’s just a very proud opossum.” I launched into the story and hadn’t even finished it before she was sound asleep, clutching Mr. Rufus tightly in her arms.
“I love you so much, Elissandra,” I whispered, kissing her head gently. I made sure she was tucked in once more before I went downstairs to find Rosalie and Anson sitting on the couch together.
Enzo wandered in, went to the kitchen, and opened the fridge.
“Cole, you hungry?” he called out.
“Uh.” I eyed Rosalie. “I could eat.”
A faint pink tint colored her cheeks, and Anson narrowed his eyes at me.
I winked at him, hoping it pissed him off, but not so much that it pissed Rosalie off more.
“I can make you something,” Rosalie said, sitting forward.
“Yeah?” I perked up. “Enzo too?”
Rosalie’s gaze slid from me to Enzo, who turned to look back at her. Enzo used to love cooking with Rosalie. And he loved her food. He’d mentioned a number of times over the years how much he missed it.
“Um, sure,” she said, focusing back on me. “What would you like?”
“Anything?”
She smiled. “Yes. Anything.”
“Lasagna?” I asked hopefully, praying my big, pretty blue eyes got my point across as I blinked at her.
She chuckled, got up, and passed me to go into the kitchen. I grabbed her hand in passing and gave it a squeeze. She squeezed it back, making my heart dance happily in my chest.
I smirked at Anson, who rolled his eyes at me. I flopped onto the chair in the living room.
“She probably doesn’t cook for you, huh? Tough break,” I said.
He snorted. “Please, Scott. You know that’s bullshit. You know how Rosalie is. She’d never let anyone she loved cook for themselves.”
I grumbled at him and turned on the TV. An action flick was playing.
I glanced over to the kitchen to see Rosalie taking a pot from Enzo.
Fuck, please…
I wasn’t sure what I even wanted, but something.
All I knew was that I was halfway to getting my family back.
Enzo just needed to give in because I knew E would in a heartbeat.
So, once again…
Fuck, please…