31. Rosalie
THIRTY-ONE
ROSALIE
“ A h!” I shrieked as Enzo swept me off my feet weeks after Fox told him his secret about his father.
Things had been going well with all of us.
Anson hadn’t returned to classes, but I overheard one of the professors talking about how he’d made arrangements to turn everything in online and was coming in to do practical parts during office hours.
It hurt my heart that he was avoiding me, but I understood it, even if it did suck.
“How’s my future wife?”
“Good, now that you’re home,” I said, kissing him gently. He took it to another level for a moment before breaking away and leaving me breathless.
“I want to talk to you.” He put me back on my feet and held my hand. I let him lead me to the island, where we both sat.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He kissed my knuckles. “My parents are coming in a few weeks.”
“Really?” I raised my brows in surprise, relaxing. They’d planned to visit us for weeks after leaving their safe house.
“Yeah. We’re going to have dinner. Here at home because I still don’t feel it’s safe for them to be out in the open like that. Plus, I don’t feel comfortable being in the same place with them.”
I cringed at his words. They didn’t sit well with me and only served as a reminder of what sort of life I was heading into.
“I was thinking we could browse catering for dinner. I don’t want you to have to cook for them.
They’ll stay in the guest room. Mom is excited to do wedding stuff with you, bringing me to my next point.
Your mom. I thought maybe you could reach out to her and see if she’d like to come for a long weekend and do wedding stuff with you and my mom. Jamie, too.”
The prospect excited me for all of a moment before my heart deflated.
Jamie would be amazing to have, and I knew she’d come in a heartbeat if she weren’t busy, and we’d have an amazing time.
I already knew she would be tough. We’d spoken not long ago.
My mom was a different story. She was so withdrawn the last time she’d come, and I knew it resulted from my dad making everything tense because he didn’t want me to marry Enzo. I was sure she felt the same way.
“Sunshine? Do you want to do that?” Enzo asked, pulling me away from my morose thoughts.
I winced. “I don’t know. My mom wasn’t much fun the last time she was here. Maybe it’s best if she doesn’t come.”
“Ask her, OK? Maybe she’ll surprise you. You’ll regret not asking. You know you will. If she won’t come, I’ll be there for you.”
“I love you.” I kissed him sweetly.
“I love you too.” His dark eyes sparkled as I pulled away. “You make me beyond happy, baby. I hope you know that.”
I smiled. “I do.”
His phone rang, further dragging him away from me. He looked at the screen and frowned.
“I have to take this,” he said, kissing the top of my head before getting up to go. I watched as he answered, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine. It was his business voice.
“What do you have for me?” he demanded, leaving the room.
I sat in silence for a long time before Ethan wandered in.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted me, coming to take the spot Enzo had been in.
“Hey, what are you up to?”
“I’m actually going to go out and take some pictures. Do you want to come with me?”
I widened my eyes at him. “Can I?”
He seemed confused by my question. “Why can’t you?”
“Because you’re the sugar daddy, Daddy,” Cole called out, coming into the room and ruffling Ethan’s hair. “Enzo already told you that if you leave, you need manpower with you. And no offense, Rosebud, that’s not you.”
I rolled my eyes at him.
“So come with us,” Ethan muttered, the light leaving his eyes.
I hated that. I didn’t want him depressed or dimmed in any way.
“Yeah, come with us. Ethan can take our pictures,” I said, hoping that brightened Ethan a little.
Ethan’s eyes lit back up, allowing me some relief.
“Can I wear my thong?” Cole narrowed his eyes.
“No,” I said at the same time Ethan did.
“You guys embarrassed of me or what?”
“No.” I shook my head and got to my feet. I ran my hand down Cole’s hard chest and smiled coyly up at him. “You’re sexy. You in your thong is for our eyes only.”
“Keep talking to me like that, and I’ll let you tear it off with your teeth,” he growled back, his blue eyes darkening.
“Mm, keep threatening me, and maybe I will.”
His hands landed on my waist before he tugged me against his body roughly. “I am going to fuck that little pussy of yours so hard, Rosebud?—”
“Me too, but can we go before Enzo returns?” Ethan said, breaking Cole away from me and taking my hand.
“Only if you promise we’ll both fuck her in public.”
Ethan eyed me briefly, his cheeks tinted red before he answered. “I don’t want to get caught.”
“That’s the best part.” Cole laughed.
“Yeah, but Rosalie is going to be famous someday. She doesn’t need that shit out there.”
“I’ll keep watch. You in?” Cole asked.
Ethan shrugged. “Of course, as long as you stay focused.”
“Me? Focused? I’m a fucking laser…”
They were off and running. I laughed and followed them out to Ethan’s new car, something he’d recently acquired. I hadn’t questioned him on it, but I knew all the drugs he was making funded it.
I got into the back, and Cole joined Ethan in the front.
Both of them were still bantering about Cole’s thong and the most recent cucumber Ethan had found in his underwear drawer.
I smiled from my seat before I took my phone out and looked at Fox’s name.
I wanted to invite him to join us, but I knew he was doing some football thing with the guys from the team, and I didn’t want to disturb him.
We rode in comfort all the way to a little park near the Mayfair campus before we got out. As much as I wanted to hold the guys’ hands, I knew I couldn’t, so I walked between them, the three of us close.
I saw a black SUV in the distance across the street and knew Enzo’s men were on the clock. I ignored it, not wanting it to ruin the moment, telling myself I should be grateful for the added security.
“Here.” Ethan stopped and gestured to a spot near a garden that had flowers in bloom.
“How do you want us?” Cole took my hand and led me to the flowers.
“Uh.” Ethan glanced around the park. The only people around were an elderly couple walking their little dog along a path. “Just do what feels normal.”
“Public fucking.” Cole waggled his brows at me.
I shook my head and laughed.
“Absolutely not happening,” I said as he tugged me against his hard body.
“No?” He faced me and placed a finger beneath my chin before tilting my face up.
“You don’t want me to claim what’s mine in public?
You don’t want me to make you feel so good, baby?
” His voice came out in a low, seductive growl.
He had a way about him that made me melt.
One moment, he was completely insane, and then the next, something so all-consuming he made my head spin and thighs clamp closed as a means to soothe the ache he brought with the change.
“I didn’t say that,” I whispered, staring up at him.
A tiny smirk clouded his lips. “Then tell me yes.” He wrapped his fingers around my neck before kissing me gently. “Tell me, Rosebud.”
“Yes,” I choked out, letting him do whatever he wanted.
His other hand moved to my waist, where he gripped me tightly. Possessively. His lips skimmed along the edge of my jaw as I closed my eyes.
“I can’t wait until our trip,” he whispered into my ear. “I’m going to worship you like the goddess you are every damn night. Show you what it’s like to be loved by me one-on-one.”
“God,” I rasped, his words doing something to me.
“Mm, would you like that?”
I nodded eagerly, making a soft chuckle fall from his mouth. He released me and turned to Ethan, who was holding his camera. Ethan let the camera down and stared back at us.
“Those were good,” he said.
I’d been so enraptured by Cole that I hadn’t even remembered we were doing pictures.
“Perfect. Now let’s do some of that boring couple’s shit.” Cole focused his attention back on me, then placed his hands on my shoulder and cocked his head.
“What are you doing?” I laughed.
“Doing awkward couples pictures,” he answered. “Be serious, baby. These are for the living room wall. Push your chest out.”
I snorted at him but went through and did all the ridiculous poses he wanted to do. Ethan laughed just as much as I did. Finally, Cole stepped away and grabbed Ethan’s camera.
“Go on. Your turn,” Cole said, nodding toward me. “I’ll do some glamour shots for you now.”
Ethan moved toward me and gave an awkward smile.
“Bro, what are you doing?” Cole looked over the lens.
“I’m good at taking pictures, not being in them,” Ethan muttered.
“Come on. Do like you told me. All normal and natural.”
“What you did was not normal or natural.” Ethan let out a nervous laugh.
I took his hand and brought his attention back to me.
“It’s me and you. For the living room wall,” I said softly, staring up at him.
He smiled down at me, his entire demeanor changing.
“For the wall,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing my lips gently.
The poses were easy after that. Ethan was a natural. He just didn’t realize it. I let him move and touch me any way he wanted until Cole seemed satisfied with the shoot and called out that he was hungry.
We left the park, but not before Ethan took a few pictures of a squirrel. It was when we entered a little cafe that my heart jumped.
Anson turned away from the counter, and his blue eyes locked on mine.
Ethan squeezed my hand as we made our way to a table. Cole pretended he hadn’t seen Anson, but I knew he had.
“Ignore him,” Cole muttered as we sat. “He’s the one who walked.”
Ethan didn’t say a word. He simply continued to hold my hand. I did as Cole said and stared down at the menu instead.
The door jingled several long minutes later, and I couldn’t stop myself from looking out the window I sat next to.
I watched as Anson walked past to his blacked-out Challenger.
He paused momentarily and stared at me through the window before getting into the driver’s seat and starting the car. Seconds later, he peeled away.
“Some friend,” Cole said, shaking his head.
I said nothing, but Ethan gave my hand a gentle squeeze before he changed the subject to something more pleasant than losing one of my best friends.
It was just as well. Life was hard enough without dwelling on the things I couldn’t change.