56. Rosalie #2
“I would never,” I whispered, “but what are you asking me?”
“To leave with me.”
“What?” I frowned at him.
“If you leave them, you’ll survive. You’ll get to have a life. If you stay, someone could die. It might be you. It-it might be one of them. I don’t want either thing to happen. Just for now. Just until Enzo gets his shit together and his climb to the top is conquered.”
I exhaled, trying to gather my thoughts.
“And what of us? You and me?”
He rubbed his thumb in gentle circles on the top of my hand. “Whatever you wanted. If it were me, you’d have me. If it were just for things to remain how they are, I’d give that to you, too.”
I closed my eyes, my heart hurting. I knew he meant well. He had the same fears I had, but a life without my guys… god, the thought made me sick.
“I’m giving you a way out, LeeLee. You don’t even need to take anything. Say yes, and I’ll start this car and drive away with you. Tell me, and I’ll make it happen.” His words were strained with a rough edge. “I will give you a life you’ll never regret having. I swear it to you.”
His words sounded so good. There was just one problem—my guys. I was in love with them.
“No,” I said softly. “I can’t.”
“Rosalie, please?—”
“I care about you, Ani. Probably more than I should,” I said, my voice wobbling.
“I can’t leave them. I’m in love with them.
I’m going to marry Enzo and have Cole’s babies.
Fox is going to play football. I’ll sing.
Ethan will be with me every step of the way.
Even though your words are so wonderful, I’d be empty.
I’d have you, but lose part of what I love.
I don’t think I could live that way. I need them. ”
He looked away from me, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“OK,” he said after a moment of silence.
“It’s really not, though.” I studied him. “What would we do? Marry and pretend this life never happened?”
“Yes,” he said softly, his focus back on me. “I’d marry you. Make you my wife. Give you the world. A safe world.”
My heart lurched at his words.
“You’re still you, Ani,” I whispered. “You’re an heir just like Enzo is. Like Fox would be if he stepped into the life and reclaimed it. How would being with you be any safer than staying here?”
“Because I don’t fucking want this world, Rosalie.
I don’t. I know I could have power and wealth, but that’s not exactly what I had in mind when it came to it.
You know what I want? I want to marry the woman I love, raise a family with her, sing, and play the damn violin.
Maybe see the world with the people I love at my side.
Raise good, decent kids. Then grow old with my girl.
Sit on the fucking front porch and hold her hand while we watch the sun set on another day.
That’s it. I don’t want to be out there killing people or taking over empires.
I’m a simple man who wants simple things. ”
I exhaled at his words. He was describing a life I yearned for, too. A life that I’d never have here.
“I can give that to you,” he said fiercely.
“I know I said I’d stay in my lane, but fucking hell, LeeLee.
I also can’t sit back and watch this nightmare unfold.
So I’m proposing this. My door is, and will always be, open to you.
Come join me on the front porch when you decide you’ve had enough. Deal?”
I bit my bottom lip, and our eyes locked on each other.
“Deal,” I answered thickly.
“And if these dickheads decide they want to join us on the front porch, this world forgotten, they can sit with us too.”
I smiled at his words.
“Even Cole?”
He sighed, a tiny smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I guess. Even Cole.”
“You’re the best,” I whispered. “I don’t deserve someone like you?—”
He pressed a finger to my lips. “Shh. You deserve the world, Rosalie. And someday, I will be the man who gives it to you. I promise.”
“Ani, I know the idea is wonderful, but we can’t?—”
“Shh.” He closed his eyes, his finger back to my lips. “Just dream with me. Close your eyes and dream with me.”
I closed my eyes, my breathing matching his. Calm settled over me.
“Are you on the front porch?” he whispered, his hands clutching mine.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“The sun is beautiful. Look at all the colors.”
I swallowed hard, my heart aching. “It’s beautiful.”
“Another day, Rosalie. We made it another day.”
“We did,” I answered, my voice wavering. I opened my eyes to find him staring back at me. He reached out and tucked a curl behind my ear.
“Go inside. See Cotton. Get some food. I’ll be around if you need me.”
I nodded wordlessly as he reached out and cradled my face. We stayed that way for a moment before he pulled away and got out, going to my door to open it for me. He helped me out before dragging me in for a hug.
“See you, LeeLee,” he said, breaking away from me.
“See you,” I answered, leaving him to go to the front door, my heart heavy. I’d have gone anywhere Ani wanted me to go in another life. This wasn’t that life, though.
I turned to see him standing where I left him, his blue eyes on me.
The door opened, and I was pulled inside, Enzo’s hands on my waist.
The door closed behind me, and I stared up into the face of someone I loved with everything I was.
“Enzo—”
He shook his head at me. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here.”
“It was just talking?—”
He pulled me in for a tight hug. “If it were just talking, you wouldn’t feel the need to apologize to me.”
My throat tightened at his words.
“Does he promise you the world, too, Sunshine?”
“A different world,” I whispered, clinging to him.
“His world is dangerous,” he said softly.
“Why?”
“Because in his world, I’m the villain who steals you away.”
I stared up at him. “You’d steal me away?”
“And kill anyone who tried to stop me.” He tucked a curl behind my ear, his words chilling me to the bone. “Don’t make me the villain.”
I said nothing, his words sinking deep within me.
I loved Lorenzo De Luca.
That wasn’t something I could easily change. It wasn’t something I wanted to change.
There were days when I wanted the front porch, though, and days like today when I knew I’d never have that in this world.
It just made everything in my head that much harder to deal with.
“Come. Let’s make dinner,” Enzo said, taking my hand.
I obliged. At least today, it was as close as I would get to the front porch.