Chapter 48 Enzo
FORTY-EIGHT
ENZO
Aweek after Cole went to Rosalie at the bar with the kings, I sat in the office, staring down at the coin I’d found on Fox. I had no idea where he got it or what it meant.
It was eating at me.
A soft knock sounded out on my door.
“Come in,” I called out.
Emilio stepped into the room and came straight to where I was sitting in my leather chair.
“You wanted to see me?” he asked gruffly.
He looked like hell. His dark hair was disheveled, and there were black circles under his eyes.
I knew he’d been working nonstop. He wanted to take out the fuckers who ruined our lives as much as I did.
I didn’t bother him. I knew Emilio. If he was working, then so be it.
I knew what it was like to need to release the anger.
I’d been doing it a lot lately on anyone suspicious.
I gestured to the couch. He took a seat and stared at me with tired eyes, waiting for me to speak.
“How have you been?” I asked.
“Awful,” he answered, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “But I’m sure you know how that is.”
I nodded. “I do.”
He was quiet for a moment.“I loved Marissa and Anthony. I never thought I’d be without them.”
“Me either,” I murmured.
“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you everything. I’m sorry for a lot of things. We should have—”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, staring him down. “It doesn’t. My parents loved you. I love you. I understand.”
His dark eyes misted over, and he gave me a curt nod.
“I didn’t ask you here to discuss my parents,” I continued as he wiped at his eyes. “I asked you here to see if you knew what this is.” I tossed him the coin.
He caught it and stared at him for a long time before he breathed out and reached into his pocket. I watched him bring out an identical coin.
I sat forward, my heart pounding.
“We created these in college,” he murmured. “They were meant to be activated in case we needed help.” He looked at me. “Did Anthony leave these to you?”
I shook my head. “No. When we went to the underground, I found Fox holding it. How would he get it?”
Emilio frowned. “I don’t know.”
I sat back, watching as Emilio stared down at it. “It was activated.”
“How come if it was activated, you didn’t know about it?”
“I-I don’t know…” He was quiet for a long time. “Was Fox ever around Matteo?”
“Briefly. He had to get Rosalie from him when she was attacked in the alley.”
“He never said anything about making a deal with him?”
I shook my head again. “No. He was being weird the last few weeks before he died. I thought it was because he was upset over my marrying Rosalie. It seemed that was the cause because he cheered up a bit once I told him I wanted us all to marry her.” I paused. “Matteo was in on these coins?”
“He was. They were his idea,” he said. “When we were all friends. He came up with the idea because things started to get complicated the deeper we delved into this world. He kept thinking his father was going to kill him, and if he didn’t, then Sergio would. This was his solution.”
“How did he create it?”
Emilio smiled sadly. “Matteo has a master’s in engineering. Bet you didn’t know that. He was always a whiz with electronics and designing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science, with a specialization in programming. He was proud when he created these.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you didn’t know when Fox activated it if they’re all connected. How do you know if one has been activated?”
“The button on it.” He pressed and held it for a moment. Nothing happened. “They buzz when activated,” he said softly. “And they don’t stop until deactivated. They’re a one-time use.”
“How do they get deactivated?”
He let out a soft huff of sad laughter. “In a similar way that they’re activated. You push the button twice and hold it to deactivate it.”
“And why would it be deactivated?”
“Two reasons,” he murmured. “Either you’ve been rescued, or a job has been carried out.”
“A job?”
“You know the kind.”
We sat in silence. I rolled his words over in my head for a long time before I hit the intercom next to my chair.
“Colten?” I called out.
It took him a moment to answer, but his voice eventually carried into the room over the speaker.
“Yeah?”
“Bring Rosalie to me.”
“OK.”
I exhaled and steepled my fingers, waiting for her to join us. When she did, she looked so fucking broken, I had to look away from her.
“Rosalie,” Emilio greeted her softly as she moved to the couch. He stood and hugged her tightly. “Sweet girl. Are you well?”
She shook her head, her once vibrant red curls now hanging limply around her.
He pulled her down to sit beside him.
“It will get better. Even if it feels like it doesn’t.”
“Don’t lie,” she whispered. “You’re hurting too.”
He wiped at his eyes. “I am, but I have hope. It’s the only thing that hasn’t left me. Keep yours. We are nothing without hope.”
She sniffled and nodded as I cleared my throat.
“Rosalie. I need to ask you something,” I said.
She looked at me, tears in her eyes.
“Do you know where Fox got this coin?” I nodded to the coin Emilio held.
She frowned as she stared at it. “No.”
“You’ve never seen it before?”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t understand. Where did you get this?”
“I took it out of his hand when I found him,” I said thickly.
Her bottom lip wobbled.
“Did he tell you… anything?”
“No,” she whispered. “He was worried about our lives. He-He wanted our safety. I don’t know what you’re asking me for. I don’t know anything.”
“Because Fox didn’t keep secrets from you,” I said. “He told you everything. If you know anything, you need to tell me. Secrets don’t need to be kept here.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” She lifted her chin as she stared at me.
I sat forward and stared her down.
“Are you lying to me?”
“I am not a liar,” she said, getting to her feet, her hands balled into tight fists. “You know me better than that.”
“Rosalie, I’m only trying to get things figured out—”
“How about you not accuse me of lying? Or maybe try not to accuse Fox of doing shit? He’s dead, Enzo. It doesn’t fucking matter where he got the coin. He’s fucking dead!” she shouted, grabbing the coin from Emilio and throwing it at me.
It hit me in the chest, making me wince because she’d put her elbow into it.
I shot to my feet and grabbed her by her biceps, giving her a gentle shake.
“Stop. Stop it,” I said to her. “You don’t throw things at me.”
“Let me go.” She tried to jerk out of my hold, but I held tighter.
“Rosalie, enough!”
She fought me for another moment before collapsing against me. I released her arms, not touching her.
She sobbed into my chest, her fingers twisting in my shirt.
“I need you,” she choked out. “Enzo. I need you. Please… give me anything…”
“Go to bed,” I said softly, uncomfortable with Emilio in the room to witness the moment. “We’ll talk later.”
“No. I want you. I need you! Please, Enzo—”
“Go upstairs,” I snapped. “You need to rest.”
I hit the intercom again and called Colten to come back. He opened the door and strode toward me a moment later.
“Take her to bed. Have Jamie make sure she showers and eats.”
Colten shot me a look that told me I was being a dickhead, but I ignored it. The truth was, I knew exactly how I was being. I couldn’t stop. I hated myself. I didn’t want to make shit worse, but I knew I was.
I was on a downward spiral and had no way to stop myself. The guilt, the regret, all of it.
She was supposed to be my wife, but now she was my best friend’s grieving girl.
I couldn’t… I just fucking couldn’t.
Colten led her away amid her soft cries for me, further breaking my heart.
When we were alone, I sat and buried my face in my hands.
“It’s best if you release her sooner rather than later,” Emilio said softly.
I let my hands fall away and stared at him, my eyes burning with unshed tears.
“You know it’s your plan, Lorenzo. If you love her, maybe let her go.”
“I-I can’t,” I choked out. “I know I should. M-My dad told me to before he died. I can’t. I love her.”
“It doesn’t need to be forever,” Emilio said. “Just long enough for you both to heal. For you to secure a safe place for her. She loves you. She will wait.”
“I don’t know what to do.” I wiped at my eyes. “I’m terrified of letting her go, but I know… I fucking know it needs to happen. Fox told me. He told me, and I still can’t. What does that mean?”
“That you love her.” He sighed.
I nodded miserably. I did love her.
“E told me Vander Veer’s daughter, Celeste, was in the underground,” I finally said, needing to change the subject.
Emilio tensed, his facial expressions hardening. “What?”
“He said she was there. He wanted me to cut ties with Vander Veer.”
“For Ethan’s sanity, you should,” Emilio said solemnly. “You don’t need him, Enzo.”
“I do. If he arms our enemies, then what?”
Emilio was quiet for a moment. “I’ve always thought he was a snake. I’ll look into it. If he’s the reason for any of this shit, I’ll kill him myself.”
“If he had anything to do with any of this, you bring him to me, and we will end him together,” I said darkly.
Emilio nodded. “As you wish… boss.”
For the first time in a long time, I smiled. Emilio really was family to me, and he was all I had left of my parents.
“Get to work,” I said.
He didn’t say another word. He was on his feet and out the door without a backward glance.
And I sat in silence, my heart still aching as I thought about my sunshine upstairs, missing me.
I missed me too.