48. Ethan
FORTY-EIGHT
ETHAN
“ W hat’s going on?” I came into the office and sank onto the couch. Enzo sat in his chair while Cole was on the couch next to me. Fox sat on the loveseat.
I’d just answered Rosalie’s text. She would be late tonight because she was going to stop in and speak to one of her professors. Then, an opening happened in the practice room for the evening, so she was going to do that.
“I was at Anson’s last night,” Fox said, clearing his throat.
“What the fuck were you doing over there?” Cole demanded immediately.
I sighed, hating that this was how we would start this conversation.
I liked Anson. He was a good guy, and I wished Cole and Enzo would let him in.
It would be awkward and weird initially to see her with someone new, but we’d get used to it.
He gave a damn about her, and I figured he was in for the long haul.
I was all for it. I didn’t mind sharing her if she wanted to be shared.
Whatever made my sweetheart happy was good with me.
“He asked to talk to me,” Fox said. “I went to see what he wanted.”
“Fuck him. I’m glad that prick finally got a clue. Don’t feed into his shit,” Cole spat out. “Let him be and tell him to go fuck himself. You can directly quote me on that. I hope he gets ass herpes and chokes on a piece of crusty pussy.”
“Cole,” Enzo called out. “Enough. Fox. I know you didn’t want us all together only to listen to Cole’s rant. What’s going on? What did he want?”
Cole cursed softly under his breath and shook his head.
I sat forward, wondering what was happening too.
“He would like to resume looking over her,” Fox said.
“Yes,” I said immediately.
Cole snapped his attention to me, a sour look on his face.
“Hear me out,” I said before he could rant again. “If he’s around, he’ll return to looking out for her. She won’t be driving herself. We won’t be worrying about her after hours. She won’t be here alone while we’re gone. He has my vote.”
“Traitor,” Cole snarled. “He wants to fuck her?—”
“It doesn’t matter what he wants,” I said. “Rosalie is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to that. She’s been nothing but honest with us on it. She’s not going to leave us for him. I trust her.”
“He fucking said he wants her! He’s kissed her!” Cole’s face reddened.
“And she told us,” I answered back. “She hasn’t reciprocated that stuff. He is her friend. Probably her best friend past Fox. She’s sad without him, and let’s face it. We do need him. So yes is my answer. She matters more than my feelings.”
Cole gave me a sour look. “No. My answer is no.”
“My answer is yes,” Fox said.
Cole let out a huff of frustration and looked to Enzo. “Don’t fucking do this to me, Enzo. Come on.”
Enzo tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair for a moment before sitting forward. “Let Rosalie decide if she wants to continue their friendship. It’s not our choice.”
I blinked at his answer, floored by it. Enzo typically gave the final say on shit. This was completely unlike him. Granted, he and Rosalie had been at each other’s throats only weeks prior, and she basically told him to get his shit together, but this? This was new.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cole got to his feet, his hands balled into tight fists. “What the fuck, man? Why?”
“Because I want no fighting and her happiness. We focus so much on our own feelings that we’ve let hers go,” Enzo said.
“I want her to love us because we’re good to her.
I don’t want her to love us because she feels trapped and has to.
If we let her make these decisions, it gives her a sense of freedom and independence. I want that for her.”
I nodded. “I’m with Enzo. I’m good with it.”
“So I’m the only smart one here?” Cole demanded. “I’m the only one who fucking knows where this is headed?”
“Where is it headed?” I asked.
“Fucking, hell, E. Eventually, he won’t be able to control himself. He will give in and make another move,” Cole’s voice wobbled. “Or she will.”
A pang shot through me at his words. I knew what he was saying. He worried she was in love with him and couldn’t keep her feelings tamped down for long.
“Then we let it happen,” Fox said.
“I swear to god, you take that back, or I’ll beat your motherfucking ass, Evans,” Cole said, advancing on him. Fox got to his feet.
Fucking damnit.
I stood at the same time Enzo did. I went to Fox, and Enzo got in front of Cole.
“We aren’t doing this,” Enzo said, taking Cole’s face in his hands. “We aren’t. Do you love Rosalie?”
“Yes,” Cole said fiercely. “You fucking know I live and breathe for her. And someday, for our kids. Don’t fucking take this from me, Enzo. He’s going to ruin everything. You know he will.” Cole’s voice finally cracked, his blue eyes shining with tears.
It broke my heart to see him this way. I knew how much he wanted a baby with her. And now that she’d agreed, I understood how this caused him worry and fear.
“Cole, she loves us,” I called out gently, hoping he’d relax. “She’s not going to do anything like that. If it comes to her feelings for him growing, we can discuss it.”
“We can’t. I refuse,” Cole said. “If it gets to that point, I’ll fucking kill him. I’ll slit his fucking throat while he sleeps. I swear to fucking god I will. If you love me, you won’t make me do that.”
“Cole, we can’t keep controlling her,” Fox started.
Cole let out a shout and stormed away, pacing wildly.
I watched, concerned about what he’d do next.
I didn’t want more fighting for any of us.
I was so tired of it. I liked where we were right now.
Sure, I was worried about how Anson coming back would change things, but I had faith in Rosalie.
In our relationship. Our love. I believed it would be OK.
“Cole. Come on,” Enzo called out. “She may not even want him to come back. It’s been a long time since he walked.”
Cole stopped pacing and shot Enzo a withering look. “You’re fucking stupid if you think that. She went to him last night, didn’t she? She cares about the asshole.”
“I’m tired of this same fight,” I said loudly. “I want to feel better. The fighting stresses me out. My therapist said to take what life throws at you as it comes. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future.”
“Stop paying that bitch. She’s full of shit,” Cole grumbled.
I sighed and looked to Fox.
He closed his eyes briefly before looking at Cole. “I’m with Enzo. Let her decide. I think that’s going to be our final answer. If you love her, you’ll let her make this decision on her own.”
“Don’t fucking question my love for her!” Cole stormed forward, but Enzo shoved him in the chest to slow him down.
“Knock it off, Cole. Fucking stop.” Enzo gripped his face tightly. He whispered something to him, which we couldn’t hear, but it did seem to calm him because Cole nodded and backed away when Enzo released him.
Without a word, Cole left the room.
“Where is he going?” Fox asked.
“He’s going upstairs to run a bath for Rosalie. He’s going to order dinner and spend the evening with her. I told him that she was all his tonight. I-I told him he can practice babymaking.”
Fox sighed and sat back in his seat. I followed, sitting in mine. Enzo poured us all a drink before taking his spot in his chair.
“I’m worried about him,” I muttered.
“We all are,” Enzo said. “But Cole loves hard. Rosalie is his entire world, and he’s protective of his future with her. We know that.”
“I think we should consider letting Anson join us,” I said, looking to Enzo and then to Fox.
“No,” Fox answered, his voice low.
I blinked in surprise at him. “Really? I thought you’d be on board with it. I thought you liked Anson.”
“I do like him, but my answer is no,” Fox said simply.
Enzo nodded. “My answer is always no and will always be no. I want her to choose, but we also get a say as well. That is my answer. If she’s ever with him, it’s because she’s told us to fuck off.
And even then, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince Cole to help me kill him. She will never be with him. Ever.”
Fox shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
I didn’t press the subject. I didn’t like to think about Rosalie without us.
She was everything I knew. Everything I wanted.
There was no future in my mind without her.
It’s why I continued to keep fighting for us.
If I ever did anything that hurt her, I’d let her go, but there wasn’t shit in this world that would make my loyalty to her waver.
Ever.
I dared anyone to fucking try me.