Chapter 62 Anson
SIXTY-TWO
ANSON
Ifrowned down at the message on my phone.
“What is it?” Bianca asked, munching on the brownie I’d brought in for her as a midnight snack while rubbing her belly.
“I-I need to go. Let’s get you back to your room.” I stood, and she didn’t question me. We’d grown close over the last few weeks. She never questioned me. It was a mutual trust we had for one another.
I led her back to her room. She used to fight me on it, but now she went easily because I always promised to come back and get her out. I hated that Matteo kept her locked up, but I also knew she’d likely go into the kitchens, grab a knife, and gut him while he slept if he let her roam freely.
Once we were married, I’d be able to bring her out of the estate and back to my place.
I wasn’t even sure how it would all go down, but I’d been planning on turning my second bedroom into a nursery for the babies at the very least until we got shit sorted.
I’d been bombarded with wedding details.
It wasn’t my thing. Matteo wanted a lavish affair.
Likely to show the world his heir has married.
I didn’t care about wedding stuff. Biance didn’t seem to either, so we just told the planner to do whatever. I had no idea where the wedding was even taking place, just that it was.
I went out to my car and started the engine. I peeled out of the driveway and hit Colten’s name. His message said it was urgent.
“Anson,” he said tightly. “I need your address.”
I rattled it off to him. He must have been putting it into his GPS because he came back on the phone a moment later.
“I’m coming to you,” he said.
“I’m not home. I’m heading there now, though. How far out are you?”
“About ten. Maybe fifteen.”
I nodded. “I’ll see you there. Is everything… OK?”
“No. We’ll talk when I get there.”
I said goodbye to him and sped back to my apartment, worried out of my mind that something had happened to Rosalie and he needed to deliver the news in person.
By the time I got to my place, my body was shaking with my anxiety. I pulled up to my building to find Colten pacing outside an SUV.
I ran to him after parking in my spot.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, my heart in my damn throat.
“Rosalie. The guys broke up with her earlier today. She was a mess. We got her to her bedroom, and she asked to be drugged. We did it because she was hurting, and I was worried.”
“Where is she?” I demanded, my heart cracking at his words.
“Listen.” He put his hand against my chest as I made to step around him to see if she was in his car.
I stared at him. “What?”
“We let her sleep. I had a feeling shit wasn’t going to go well. Enzo told her today he got some girl knocked up. He’s marrying whoever this girl is. He’s been cheating for a long time, he said.”
My guts twisted at his words.
Fucking asshole motherfucker…
“I don’t know the details, but the night Rosalie was out all night, it sounds like she met someone, too, and kissed them or something. I don’t know.”
My heart fell.
“Cole used it to break up with her. They took E and left her with me and Jamie at the house. Rosalie was under for a few hours. She must have woken. I went to her room to check on her and found it empty and a bottle of booze drained. I panicked. Searched for her and found her in Fox’s room. ” He paused, his face pale.
“What is it?” I whispered, all sorts of awful scenarios flying through my head.
“She had a gun,” he said, his voice shaking. “In her fucking mouth. It was loaded. She was drunk off her ass and going to kill herself.”
My heart plummeted, and I caught myself with my hand against the side of his car.
“I-Is she OK?” I choked out. “She didn’t…?”
“I got there in time.” He closed his eyes and breathed out. “I didn’t know where else to take her, so here I am. She’s in the car. She passed out before I called you. She kept saying your name and Fox’s. I-I didn’t know where else to go—”
I pushed past him and opened the passenger door to see her sitting in Fox’s oversized t-shirt, no pants on.
She was passed the fuck out, tears dried on her cheeks, and a book clutched in her hand while Cotton meowed in his carrier in the backseat.
She looked awful. She was skin and bones. Definitely not my vibrant girl.
I called out my apartment number to Colten as I unbuckled her and lifted her into my arms. She was light as a feather.
“Bring her stuff,” I said, moving quickly into my building and going to my apartment. I was able to unlock the door and still hold her in one arm.
Once inside, I took her directly to my bedroom and laid her in my bed.
“Fuck, LeeLee,” I whispered in a shaky voice as I smoothed her tangled curls away from her face. “Baby.”
I heard Colten come in twice, bringing in her things. I kissed her forehead gently and left her in my bed before returning to him.
“She doesn’t have much. Her cat,” he said, gesturing to Cotton in his carrier.
“Let me call someone,” I muttered, pulling my phone out. I hit Ryder’s name.
“You coming out?” Ryder’s voice met mine. He’d tried to get me to hit up some bars with him and Trent tonight, but I’d declined.
“Something happened. I need a no-questions-asked.”
“What do you need?” He was immediately all business.
“I’ll send you a list. I need it now, man. Hurry.”
“On it.”
I disconnected the call and sent him a list of things I’d need before sitting in my chair as Colten took the couch.
“Where are the guys?”
“I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “I expect Cole to reach out at some point.”
It was as if the devil heard him because his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and frowned at the screen before answering it.
“Hey,” he said. “Cole, we need to talk.”
I couldn’t hear what was said back, but a hard look crossed Colten’s face.
“No fuck face, she’s not OK. You need to come home. I have to talk to you. No. It can’t be over the phone. I’m serious. No. No, that won’t be a fucking problem because she’s not at the house anymore. Fine. Yes. I’ll see you in a few.”
While I couldn’t make out what Cole was saying, I did hear his voice rise.
“I’m going to talk to him,” Colten said. “Keep an eye on her. She’s not herself.”
I nodded tightly and watched him get up. He left without another word. I sat in silence for a long time before getting up to take Cotton out of his carrier and holding him on my lap.
And I cried because this was so fucked.
I woke to Trent shaking me an hour later.
I sat up, making Cotton jump off me.
“When did you get a cat?” Ryder asked, placing a cat litter pan, food, and some litter on the floor and frowning at me.
“It’s Cotton. Rosalie’s cat,” I said, rubbing my eyes.
It took me a moment to come to.
Rosalie.
I shot off my seat and rushed to my room to find her still out.
“What’s going on?” Trent asked, stepping up next to me. He stared down at her. “What happened?”
“Come on,” I murmured, gesturing for him to follow me.
When we got to the living room, we found Ryder petting Cotton on the couch.
I settled back in my chair and rested my head in my hands.
“What happened?” Ryder asked after a few minutes.
I breathed out and told them everything I knew. The room was silent as we all sat there.
“So now what?” Ryder asked.
“I don’t know. I’ll talk to her when she wakes. I-I have to be at Matteo’s with Bianca—”
“Fuck that,” Ryder said. “Your place is here—”
“I-I know, but I can’t leave Bianca either. She trusts me. I keep her sane.”
“Uh, not to be a dick here, Anson, but the woman you love tried to kill herself tonight. Might be a good idea to tell Dad you’re out and Rosalie needs you. I know he’d understand.”
“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head. “I know she needs me, but I committed. I promised Dom I’d keep Bianca safe. Once the babies are born, I’ll be able to be more useful. I can’t leave Rosalie either. I-I don’t know what to do. I want to be here with her.”
“So be here,” Trent said. “You idiot.”
I scowled at him.
“I’ll do it,” Ryder said softly.
I looked over at him.
“I know you, man. You’re always trying to save the world. I know you care for Rosalie. You love her. But I also know you’re worried about shit happening to Bianca and her kids. Go handle that. I’ll spend time here with Rosalie when I can.”
“Me too,” Trent said. “We’ll both help.”
“Thank you,” I said, really meaning it. “Thank you.”
“Of course. She’s a good girl. Maybe we can take her mind off shit,” Ryder said.
I nodded. Ryder was a good distraction, and I trusted him with my life.
And Trent. He was my brother, and he’d do anything for me and vice versa.
“The babies are due soon. Once I have it sorted and work on Dad letting her go, I’ll be here more. I-I think I’m getting him convinced,” I said. “He was in the same room with Bianca today, and he actually smiled.”
“Well, she’s hot,” Trent reasoned. “She’s probably even hotter now, all pregnant and shit.” A faraway look crossed his face that made me shake my head. My brother had weird moments. I didn’t take him for a baby guy, but maybe he was. I wasn’t going to ask him now, though.
Ryder snorted and shook his head. “Whatever. Freak.”
Trent flipped him off.
“Did Trent tell you we tag-teamed some chick from Dice?” Ryder continued.
“No.” I laughed. “You actually shared?”
I wasn’t sure which one to ask since they were both possessive pricks.
Trent shrugged. “I’ve shared before. I fucked some chick with Drake and Fallon once.”
“Really?” I raised my brows at that information as he grinned at me.
“Bet they never told Bianca that,” he said, laughing. “Feel free to bring it up the next time you’re feeding her brownies.”
It was my turn to flip him off.
But it was OK because that’s how Ryder and Trent were. They took your mind off things when you needed it most.
We hung out for another hour before they left to go back to Ryder’s place. I fed and watered Cotton and set up his litter box in the bathroom before checking my fridge for food.
I didn’t have shit, so I put in a grocery order to be delivered in the morning.
I checked on Rosalie once more and found she was still sleeping. I placed a bottle of water and some medication next to her so she could take them if needed when she woke. Then, I went to the living room and lay on the couch. Cotton jumped up and lay on my chest, purring as I scratched him.
I closed my eyes, nervous about what tomorrow would bring. I wanted Rosalie, unlike anything else in this world, but fuck, what timing.
I’d do whatever I had to as fast as possible to be here for her, though.
Anything for her. Fucking anything.