Chapter 26 Klaus
KLAUS
Istared at myself in the mirror and breathed out. I looked tired despite having had some sleep. Now, it was late in the day. Rosalie had stopped texting me a few days ago.
Not that she sent many messages. Just enough for me to know she gave a damn about me.
It gutted me.
I wanted her to care about me. In fact, I craved her desire.
I wanted to go to her and tell her I was sorry if I caused her any heartache, but more importantly, I wanted to kiss her and tell her I wanted her.
I wanted her.
Badly.
Fox—Evan—told me he would be OK with it. That he needed time to address his issues and work on his relationship with her. I would grant him that.
I only needed to talk to her about it.
I’d only thought hours ago that I was going to let her go, but the thought made me sick, and only after deciding there was just no way, was I finally able to sleep.
This was a big step for me. It terrified me mostly because I didn’t even know what I felt. Whatever it was, I’d never felt it before, and it was putting a damper on things because I couldn’t eat or sleep properly.
But I told myself that I had to give her the choice. It wasn’t only up to me. She got to decide too, and I really hoped she’d pick me, as terrifying as a relationship was.
I decided I’d return to my place and talk to her. Tell her I wanted her to be with me at the apartment permanently. That I’d be spending more time there to be with her. That I’d try to make it as real as I could. And I’d remind her that I wasn’t a good man, and would probably break her heart.
Above all else, I wanted honesty.
And to tell her that Fox was alive, and I understood if she chose him over me. That I’d step back if he were who she wanted.
It hurt like hell. I was afraid to put it all out there, but I would.
For her, I’d do anything and everything.
I gathered myself and left my room at Matteo’s and went to my car.
It took everything I had to park in the private parking garage at my place and go upstairs.
My heart thudded hard as the elevator rose, and when I stepped into my apartment, I anticipated finding Rosalie in the kitchen, making a late dinner, or curled up in front of the fireplace, reading one of her many books.
Instead, the place was pristinely cleaned and empty.
I frowned as I came out of my bedroom, really hoping to find her waiting for me in my bed. All her stuff was packed neatly into her suitcases. Before, I’d given her one of the walk-in closets, but now everything was back to being tucked away in her few pieces of luggage.
I closed my eyes and stood in the center of my living room, really hating myself for not reaching out to her. She had to hate me.
Goddamn it. Fuck.
She was going to leave me.
I had to fix this. Even if she decided she didn’t want me, I needed to clear the air and let her know everything.
Thinking that maybe she’d gone to a hotel room since Anson was at Matteo’s and hadn’t mentioned anything, I willed myself to be calm. I figured she might have rested there and was going out to clear her head. But her bags were still here, so that meant something I’d cling to.
The hotel was what I’d do if I were her, though.
I left my place and mentally ran through the various clubs in town that might appeal to her. I settled on the one that seemed best and went there.
I bypassed the long line outside, not seeing her, and went inside without issue. It took me a moment of searching, but I finally spotted her at the bar, looking so damn beautiful that it made my heart clench.
And she was alone.
No one was dancing with her or hitting on her.
I breathed out and steadied myself before approaching, vowing I’d get through this, even if it fucking cut me to pieces, and she told me to go fuck myself.
Figuring that maybe I just go for it, and if she pushed me away, I’d take the hint.
Seemed like a solid plan.
I placed my hands on her hips, loving the pretty purple dress she was in. She looked like a goddess to me. All her long, red, curly hair. Her sexy as hell body. Long legs. Perfect tits.
God. Damn.
“Klaus?” She turned and looked at me, her big green eyes filled with her apparent surprise at my presence.
“Hello, hummingbird,” I said softly, drinking in her beauty.
“H-How did you know where I was?”
“It wasn’t hard. This is the best place in town that we don’t own. It’s where I’d go.”
She threw her arms around my neck and held me tightly as the crowd shifted around us.
I hugged her back, a breath of relief leaving my body.
“I was worried about you. I thought you were mad at me. I-I was already nicknaming you my Klaus cloud. Like a storm cloud.” She crinkled her brows amid her babbling.
“I could never be mad,” I said before kissing the top of her head with a little laugh. I loved how she was always so nervous, sweet, and unpredictable. “Come, silly girl, with your goofy names.”
I led her through the crowd. She tripped at some point, the gold lace that wound its way up her calf coming undone. I caught her easily and brought her to a booth near the back so we could have some privacy.
I snapped my fingers at a shot girl, and she rushed over like her heels were on fire.
“Bring me a sealed bottle of your best. Now.”
She nodded, her brown eyes wide, before she rushed away from us.
Rosalie made to sit beside me, but there was no way in hell I was letting that happen, so instead, I lifted and placed her on the table in front of me.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Let me fix your shoe. It has come undone.”
She raised her foot and pressed her high heel to my chest.
I began winding the soft material around her calf before I leaned forward to tie it. She pushed me back in my seat with her heel. I blinked in surprise at her before giving her a smile.
“Is my lady upset with my actions?” I asked as I cradled her ankle.
“I was worried.”
I leaned down and kissed the top of her foot. “And for that, my apologies.”
I released her as she stared back at me.
This was it. She’d tell me to go fuck myself or… hell, I didn’t want to think about the or.
“Is everything OK?” she asked.
“It will be,” I replied. “Someday, perhaps.”
I was surprised when she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.
That was it. My answer.
I was lost in all that was her as I rested my hands on her hips before I dragged her closer so I was situated neatly between her legs.
My second-favorite place on Earth, because the first was in her arms.
She raked her fingers through my hair. I couldn’t stop the soft growl that slipped past my lips. She shifted closer to me, making everything seem unreal.
“What does my sweet girl want?” I asked, moving my hands beneath her short skirt.
I’d picked this corner specifically because of the level of darkness. Granted, you could certainly see us, but it was away, and that was all that mattered to me.
“I don’t know, and I think that scares me,” she answered.
“I feel this same fear,” I replied, drinking in how pretty she looked. How sweet. How… innocent.
I had the sudden vision of my ring on her finger and her belly swollen with my baby. It did something to me. I’d come with the intention of giving her a choice tonight, but damnit, did I want to keep her regardless of if she told me to go to hell.
Now I understood how a man could become a villain because of a woman.
I moved in and placed a soft kiss on her thigh. Higher. Higher. I trailed my lips along her skin until I got to the hem of her skirt and pushed it up so I could kiss more of her.
“K-Klaus?”
“Yes?”
“I-I’ve never… in public…”
I chuckled softly. “You think I’m going to lay you out on this table and eat your pussy so everyone here can see it? Oh, sweet girl, I would never. Your soft moans are only for my ears.”
And that was a fact.
Goosebumps popped up along her skin. I smiled at it, proud that I could make her react in such a way.
“We should talk,” she finally said.
I breathed out, prepared to be a villain. Then I thought about Evan, and damn my bleeding heart.
I had to do this for him. He was family by default, and he was a good man. Fuck me for my morals. Or what was left of them.
“I agree. When you’re sober, though. I want you to remember my words.
I don’t like repeating myself.” I stared into her eyes.
My plan was to just come out with everything like she’d done for me in regard to Stefan.
I’d tell her Fox was alive. That I’d take her to him, damn what Matteo had to say about it.
That I wanted her. That I’d spoken to Evan about it all and the choice was hers, but I really hoped she picked me too.
I was nuts. That’s how I felt as I stared back at her.
“I’d like to think you’d make an exception for me,” she said, leaning in again and kissing me.
Fuck, she knew me too well when it came to her. She would always be the exception.
“Wicked little thing.” I nipped her bottom lip, making her hiss. “I want you.”
“You said you weren’t going to take me on this table—”
“I want you,” I repeated, cradling her face as I brushed my lips against hers again. “To keep.”
“To keep?”
“I-I want to talk to you about it. When you’re sober, of course.” There. I’d said it.
She nodded wordlessly and swayed a bit. I knew she’d likely been drinking away her worries, much like I’d done the last few days. She was certainly drunk.
She kissed me again. “I have to use the bathroom.”
“Go. I want to take you home when you’re done.” The last thing I wanted was for her to feel suffocated by me, so I’d let her use the bathroom on her own. She’d be fine.
“I want you to take me home too.”
I smiled against her lips and captured another kiss before helping her off the table. I watched her walk to the bathroom before she looked over her shoulder at me and smiled.
It sent an emotion rocketing through me I’d never felt before. I didn’t hate it.
Not even a little bit.
I frowned and looked to the hall that led to the bathroom. Rosalie had been gone far too long. I pulled my phone out and called her, but she didn’t answer.
Worried she may have stumbled out the side door in her drunken confusion, I made my way that direction, deciding I’d check the bathroom on the way.
A large out-of-order sign hung on the door, but I tried the handle anyway to find it locked. I let out a snarl before pushing onward and going out the side door.
I stared around at the dark parking lot.
“Rosalie?” I called out into the darkness. When no answer came, I turned and came face to face with Cole Scott. Her ex. A horsemen. Lorenzo De Luca’s right-hand man.
He didn’t say shit to me before his fist was flying. It caught me in the face, and I stumbled back before the white-hot rage rushed through me.
I surged forward and punched him in the face twice before he managed to hit me again. I had to hand it to him. Cole Scott could fight.
He struck me again before I got him back.
It was the sound of clicking guns being pointed at me that had me backing off him.
Cole wiped at the blood on his face and glared at me as his men surrounded us.
If they killed me, Matteo would burn the city to the ground.
“You piece of shit,” Cole snarled at me. “Do you know who the fuck I am?”
“Do you know who I am?” I countered, glaring back at him.
“You’re the man who is going to die for touching my girl,” he said.
I laughed at that. “I think you mean my girl. Not yours. Not since I was between her legs, carving out a wider path.”
He surged at me, fists flying again. I was able to block most of them and return his attack, but his men grabbed him and dragged him away from me as I wiped at the cut on my cheek.
“You’re fucking dead. Do you hear me? Dead!” Cole shouted. “All of you are.”
I stared after him, watching as his men dragged him away and to their waiting vehicle.
They loaded his drunk ass into the back before speeding off. I stared after them for a moment before rushing back inside to look for Rosalie, but no matter where I searched for her, I came up empty-handed.
I stood outside the club, my heart in my throat as I realized she was gone.
Hoping to keep it together, and that maybe in her drunk confusion, she’d gone back to my place, I headed there by going around the front of the building.
Or maybe she’d decided to hell with it and bailed on me.
That was a thought I forced out of my head because it made me sick to my stomach.
Whatever the cause, I’d find her, and when I did, I’d never let her go again.