75. Fox
SEVENTY-FIVE
FOX
“ W here the fuck did she go? She’s left her jewelry. Her fucking phone is going to voicemail! What the fuck did you do!” Cole shouted at Anson, who didn’t even look up from his phone as his thumbs flew over the screen.
Ethan stared out the window, not moving a muscle.
Rosie had been in the room one minute; hell broke out, and she was gone the next.
My heart was in my throat as I tried calling Jamie in the hopes she would reach out to her to vent.
Once we got Cole and Anson sorted, we noticed she wasn’t anywhere to be found.
Searching the house and grounds told us her car was gone, and she’d bailed.
“Hello?” Jamie’s voice came on the line.
“Hey, it’s Fox. Did, uh, Rosie call you tonight?”
“No, why?”
Fuck.
“She was upset and left. We’re just worried about her.” I looked to see Enzo barking orders at his men. He was sending a fucking army out. Thank god.
“I haven’t heard from her.” Worry painted Jamie’s voice. “I know she’s been sad lately, but she hasn’t reached out tonight. If she does, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks,” I said, frowning at the information on her being sad. She’d seemed quieter than usual but had not seemed outwardly sad. It was easier to talk to Jamie about problems than to us, although it hurt me a little since Rosie and I shared everything.
“Let me know if you hear from her. She told me about what happened in the alley…” her voice trailed off. “I worry, Fox. Please. Text me to let me know. Or call.”
“I will. Talk to you soon.” We disconnected, and I raked my fingers through my hair, frustration coursing through me.
“Nothing?” Anson called out.
I shook my head and grabbed my jacket.
“Where are you going?” Enzo demanded.
“I’m going to look for our girl,” I said.
“I’ll come with you.” Anson got to his feet and walked to the foyer without looking back.
“Just… be safe,” Enzo said, his voice rough. “Take the east side of the city. I’ll take Cole and E to the west side. Stay by your phone, OK?”
I nodded. “Be safe.”
I didn’t wait for a reply. I rushed out, praying my Rosie was OK. We couldn’t keep doing this shit. The coin pressed against my thigh in my pocket, and I exhaled.
Fuck.
We took Anson’s car and covered the entire east side of the city before heading to the south end.
Come on, Rosie. Please. Call and tell us you’re OK.
“Let me see if Ryder and Trent have any news,” Anson said as we pulled up along a curb. He quickly dialed and put Ryder on speaker.
“Hey, man,” Ryder greeted him.
“Hey, have you seen or heard from Rosalie?” Anson asked.
“Uh, no. Why? What’s wrong?”
“I, fuck, I went over to her place to talk to her. Shit got out of hand with Cole. We fought. She ran. We can’t find her.
” Anson looked out the window, a muscle thrumming along his jaw.
He still hadn’t told any of us why it was so important he see her.
He’d been angry and frantic when coming into the house earlier that night.
“Damn. I haven’t seen her. Trent and I can take a drive and see if we see anything. She has her car?”
“Yeah,” Anson muttered. “Call me if you find her or hear anything.”
“Absolutely. Talk soon.” The call disconnected, and Anson rubbed his eyes.
I swallowed thickly before speaking. “Why did you come over tonight?”
Anson sighed and closed his eyes as he rested his head on the headrest.
“Because she turned down the contract.”
I blinked rapidly at his words. “What contract?”
Anson shook his head and unlocked his phone. A moment later, he handed it to me.
I stared down at a PDF of a recording contract for Rosie with a fuck ton of zeros.
“She didn’t tell me,” I whispered. “I had no idea. When…?”
“Alex Ryan from Trackmaster Records was at the showcase,” Anson said.
“I’d sent him a few tracks we’d recorded.
She didn’t know I was doing it. He loved it and was in the area, so he popped in.
She blew him away, Fox. Alex Ryan is not easily impressed.
It was immediate. He loves her and thinks she’s going to be huge.
He offered her the contract a few weeks ago. We went to dinner with him.”
I remembered that night. She’d been wearing a pretty dress, and her nails were done.
“Alex called me tonight to tell me she turned the contract down. Said she told him her boyfriend was having issues and she couldn’t leave right now. He told her he’d wait, but she said no.” Anson’s voice shook with his story.
“Ethan,” I murmured. “She’d give it all up for him because she knows he’s struggling.” I ground my teeth, my anger rising. Why hadn’t she talked to me about it? Fuck, it was her out, and she was choosing to give it up.
“The engagement party is coming up,” Anson continued. “In what? A few weeks?”
I nodded my stomach in knots.
“Fox, man…”
“It’s time,” I said softly, pulling the coin out of my pocket and staring at it.
“Don’t you dare fucking press that shit,” Anson snapped at me. I looked over to see a pained expression on his face.
“She’ll never leave. I have to,” I whispered.
“You have to get her out of here. She loves us all so much… this life isn’t it for her.
She’ll never have her dreams because of it.
She’ll leave if I’m gone. She promised me.
” My hands shook as I ran my thumb over the button that would change a fuck lot of things.
“Don’t,” Anson said fiercely. He reached out and wrapped his hand over mine. “Fucking, please, Fox. Don’t. ”
We stared at one another for a long time before he spoke again.
“You fucking matter to me,” he rasped. “You’re one of my best friends. I can’t lose you. It’ll kill her too. Please. Rethink this. There has to be another way.”
I tore my stare from his and looked down at his hand, covering mine and the coin.
“I have to,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “For Rosie.
“Give me a few weeks, OK? I can fix this. I can get her to leave. I promise, man. Can you do that for me? Let me do what I have to do. Then she’ll go, and you won’t have to die for it. Please? Fuck, Fox, I’m begging you.”
I breathed out. “How would you convince her?”
“I’ll… tear her away,” he whispered. “I’ll make a move.
It’s going to fucking hurt, but I’ll do it.
She’ll-She’ll cheat and won’t be able to h-handle it.
” His words wobbled with the ugly weight behind them.
I knew he didn’t want it like that. Fuck, I didn’t want it like that, but I was willing to die, so this was hardly bad in comparison.
“She’ll tell you guys. I might be the one to die.
” He let out a soft, sad laugh. “Then you tell her you’re done.
It’s too much. The party breaks apart because there’s no group without you.
It’ll tear it all down. I-I don’t want them to hate her because she’s so fucking perfect and easy to love, but I want you to live, Fox.
I fucking do. You can find her again. I’ll take her.
I swear I will. I’ll give her right back to you, man. I’ll do anything.”
We stared at one another for a long time.
“Will you fuck her?” I whispered, my heart clenching.
“If she wants me to,” he answered, his voice still holding that tremble to it. “I-I don’t want her like this, but I’ll do it if it means saving her from the heartbreak of losing you forever.”
“This is fucked,” I said thickly. “We’re fucked up for even discussing it.”
He closed his eyes for a moment. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do it. As long as you live.”
I knew the guys wouldn’t let her go. Ever.
And she clearly wouldn’t let them go. Something big had to happen.
They’d never tolerate her betrayal. I’d never accept it.
Anson might get fucked up over it, but I don’t think they’d actually kill him because they’d still love Rosalie and wouldn’t want her to be hurt.
They might even tell her they forgave her, but I’d be the one to say no.
I’d be the one to break it to pieces. She’d go to Anson.
He’d take her away. I’d live and find her again after she settled in.
It could work.
“Do it,” I answered softly. “Whatever you have to do, do it. If you don’t, I’ll push the button.”
A tear slipped down his cheek as he stared back at me. His bottom lip wobbled.
“OK,” was all he said.
It fucking hurt, but I was willing to pay the price to get her to have her dreams and her freedom.