Chapter 33 Anson
THIRTY-THREE
ANSON
“How are you?” Bianca asked as we walked through the gardens on the mansion grounds.
“Been better,” I muttered.
She nodded. “Been there.”
I glanced at her to see her rub her belly. She winced and moved to sit on one of the stone benches near some rose bushes. I followed and sat beside her.
“Babies kicking?” I asked.
She breathed out and gave me a shaky smile. “Yeah. I swear they’re going to come out fighting each other.”
I smiled at that. “I would expect nothing less.”
We were quiet for a moment before I tentatively reached out and rested my hand on her belly. Little kicks greeted me.
“Wow,” I murmured in awe. “I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“It’s all sweet until the kicks and punches are in the ribs,” she said, wincing as a rather rough nudge thumped beneath my hand.
I let my hand fall away, watching as she gazed ahead, a sad look on her pretty face.
Without a word, I withdrew my phone and called Dominic.
He answered on the second ring. I’d not called him for her yet.
I knew from our weekly contact that he and the kings were helping the guys look for Fox and E.
Nothing had turned up for them either. Matteo, looking into it further, had me hopeful.
His men were out scouring the streets, too, so I knew he gave a damn.
“Hey. Everything OK?” he asked, a note of fear wavering in his voice.
“Yeah. Yeah, everything is good.” I got up and wandered away from Bianca because while I wanted her to talk to him, I also had my reasons for needing to speak to him. “You said you were going to stay and help out with Rosalie. How is she?”
“Fucked,” he muttered. “She’s a fucking mess. Female me if you’ve heard those stories.”
I closed my eyes, my heart aching.
“Can you tell her to call me? Or text me? She isn’t returning anything I send to her.”
“She likely won’t. She’s too wrapped up in her fears and grief. I made her shower yesterday.”
“Did you see her naked?” Immediately, I was pissed. I didn’t want anyone to see her without her clothes on. It was a dickhead thing to feel, given the circumstances, but I couldn’t help myself.
He let out a huff of indignation. “You’re joking, right? Yeah, man, I saw her naked. Not all of her, since I can be a gentleman, but she was crying in the shower, so I hauled her ass out and had her get dressed.”
“Why?” I demanded, my throat tight. “Aren’t Enzo and Cole taking care of her?”
He let out a bitter laugh. “They’re too busy dealing with this other shit. I have a feeling Cole is the only one invested in this relationship at this point. I get the distinct impression Enzo is on his way out.”
I swallowed at his words.
“He and Cole rode my ass about falling asleep with Rosalie last night. I kept her company so her friend could get a damn break, but I have a feeling she’s banging out Cole’s brother, who was conveniently absent last night.
I heard them in his room.” He paused. “Anyway, I kept Rosalie company. Fallon and the guys went out onto the streets to do some digging. Nothing. No one is talking. But Rosalie needed a kick in the ass to eat and shower, so I gave it to her. This morning, I was read the riot act about being in her bed. I don’t want to fight with them, but I let them know their girl is on the fast track out of this world.
Cole was hurting. Enzo? He’s just… not himself.
I know what fucked up and twisted looks like. This is that, but worse.”
“Did Enzo say anything?”
“He said thank you.” Dom let out another huff of bitter laughter. “She’s going to kill herself if they don’t start fucking paying attention to her. She told me she likes being alone, and trust me, that’s the scary part because when we’re alone and hurting, it’s when we do stupid shit.”
I looked to the sky, my throat tight and my eyes burning.
“She won’t talk to me. I try.”
“I know. Just… know shit is probably going to go from bad to worse. None of us are stupid, Anson. We know you love her. Why don’t you just come here and take her?”
I blinked rapidly at his words. “You know I can’t do that.”
“Why? Because you’re engaged to my girl?” Another bitter laugh.
“Partly,” I snapped back, “but I also know my presence would make Cole lose it completely. That would hurt her, and I can’t do that to her. She’s already going through enough. All I can do is continue to send her texts letting her know I’m here for her.”
Dom sighed. “I get it.”
We were quiet for a moment before he cleared his throat. “How is my girl? My babies?”
“They’re good,” I said softly, looking to Bianca to see her pulling the petals off a red rose. “But hey, ask her yourself.”
I moved back to Bianca and handed her the phone. She looked confused for a moment before she took it from me.
“Hello?” she asked, her voice soft.
Her hand shook before she burst into tears, sobbing as she said Dom’s name. I walked away and gave them some privacy.
If I couldn’t save Rosalie’s world, at least I could try to save Bianca’s and the kings.
It still didn’t make me feel better.
“What’s going on?” I demanded later that evening as Matteo’s men rushed in, armed to the teeth. I’d just left Bianca in her room and was coming down the hall when everyone swept in.
“Alessio?” I shouted, spotting him, when no one answered me. Out of fifty fucking people, not one would say a word. “What the fuck is happening?”
This wasn’t just some Sunday walk in the park. Something major happened. You didn’t assemble an army of men like this if you weren’t going to war.
Alessio tucked a gun into his inner jacket pocket and looked at me as he came into the hall.
“Wait for your father,” he said, moving past me to get the men together.
I looked to the doorway to Matteo’s office and saw him emerge with Klaus, both looking murderous.
“Father—”
He held his hand up to me and walked past, Klaus at his side.
What the FUCK was going on?
I followed and listened as he addressed his men.
“Your job is to infiltrate. I don’t give a fuck who you kill regarding his men, but I want Everett Church alive if you can get him.
Prisoners are to be freed if you have time, but it’s not a priority.
We can deal with that once we have things sorted.
Alessio must reach his target. You are to ensure he does.
Capture Everett Church. Alessio will handle the rest. If he is harmed, you’d better hope you die protecting him because if you come back to me and he doesn’t, I’ll kill you. Understand?”
There was a general acknowledgement amongst the men.
Matteo clapped his hands, and everyone dispersed except Klaus.
“Father, tell me what’s going on?” I demanded.
“Fox has pressed the button. It pinged in the underground. Everett Church has him. Alessio and my men are going in.” He walked to his office calmly, Klaus silently beside him.
I followed him in and watched as he poured a glass of whiskey and looked out his window.
“How do you know? What if it’s a trap?”
“It’s not a trap.”
“I-I have to tell Enzo—” I made to leave the room, but found Klaus at the door, blocking me.
“Move,” I snarled at him. He was a big son of a bitch, but I’d taken out men his size before.
“Sit,” Matteo called out to me. “Have a drink.”
“Fuck the drink! Fox needs me—”
“Fox is dead,” Matteo said, looking over at me.
I blinked at his words, my heart clenching. There was no way. “What?”
“He’s dead,” he repeated. I watched him down his whiskey. “The only reason he’d push that button would be because there is no other way out. We made a deal. He pushes it. He dies. Wish fulfilled.”
“No. No!” I shouted. “What the fuck is the matter with you? Why are you doing this? You can’t fucking do this! You promised!”
“You’ve seen the horrors of the underground,” Matteo said softly. “They’ve been there for weeks. You went there and saw nothing on your investigation with Drake. But you heard the screams of the prisoners. Yes? You know what happens there.”
I nodded tightly. I had gone to the underground right after Fox and E disappeared and questioned Everett.
He seemed genuinely confused at me even thinking he had something to do with it.
I was an idiot. I believed him. The meeting was a short one because I walked the levels with Drake and didn’t see anything.
I fucking believed him.
My stomach roiled at this being my fault. I’d let my guard down and had been an idiot, trusting what I saw, not what I didn’t.
Fuck.
“Do not blame yourself, Alessandro,” Matteo said gently, his voice soft. “If Fox was able to press that button, it means he’s ready to die. It means it’s bad enough to die.”
I swallowed. I knew the horrors. I fucking knew them. To think he’d likely endured what I’d suffered at Everett’s hands made me sick. And E? Fuck. FUCK.
“I can’t just sit here,” I whispered. “Let me go with Alessio. Let me help.”
Matteo stared me down for a moment before sighing. “I cannot risk your safety. You will remain with me.”
“I can’t fucking stay here when this shit is happening! Fox needs me. E needs me!”
“You are not one of them—”
“It doesn’t matter,” I shouted, pounding my chest. “It’s what’s right! I love Rosalie. I love Fox. I need to be there to help.”
Matteo said nothing as he continued to stare out the window. Klaus continued to guard the door.
I paced the room for what felt like forever before Matteo finally spoke.
“Go.”
I stopped and stared at him.
“What?”
“Go. Tell Lorenzo.”
I blinked rapidly for all of a second before I was out the doorway Klaus had vacated and in my car, my phone pressed to my ear.
Enzo’s phone rang forever without an answer.
Snarling and cursing, I disconnected the call before trying again. Nothing.
I tried Cole next.
“What the fuck do you want?” he snapped when he answered.
“Fox and E. They’re in the underground. Everett Church has them.”
There was silence for a moment.
“Are-how do you know?”
“Fuck, man, just listen to me!” I shouted into the phone. “They’re there. We have to go now—”
“Anson?” Enzo’s voice came on the line, breathless and thick. “Are you positive?”
“Yes. I’m on my way now.”
“We’ll see you there.”
I hung up and hit the gas.
“Come on, Fox. E. Please be OK,” I whispered on repeat as I tried to get through the fucking traffic. I’d abandon my car and run there if I had to, which was looking like what I might have to do.
“Please be OK.”