Chapter 69 Anson
SIXTY-NINE
ANSON
Ifrowned as I stared down at the image of Rosalie and Ryder on her social media.
Date night.
Looking up from the image on my phone, I stared at the pair sleeping on the couch, twisted up in one another.
I didn’t get to make it back home last night. Bianca was experiencing some contractions, and Matteo called over her doctor, who informed us that they were Braxton-Hicks contractions, a practice run for her body. He ordered her to rest.
So I stayed as she whimpered through them. I let her talk to Dom and the guys, which seemed to help. She did a video chat with them before eventually falling asleep in my bed at Matteo’s while I stared up at the night sky from my bedroom window.
The kings had thanked me and asked me how Rosalie was. We had a brief conversation before I disconnected the call and fell asleep next to Bianca.
Now that I was home, I was pretty annoyed at what I was seeing. Trent was tangled up in my bed, so I sat on the chair, waiting for everyone to wake.
I watched as Rosalie stirred, her fingers twisting in Ryder’s shirt. He mumbled something and pulled her closer to his body, which only made my irritation grow.
It was probably his hand on her ass that I found most offensive, though.
He seemed to come to a second later, because he swore softly and sat up, his hair a wild mess.
“Long night?” I asked.
He jerked his head up and stared at me.
“Fuck, man. I’m sorry.”
I said nothing as he stood and doted over her for a moment, covering her with a throw blanket. He moved to the end of the couch nearest me and sat once he was satisfied.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated.
“Why… just why?” I asked.
“It’s not… not like that. I mean, I made out with her—”
I widened my eyes at his words.
“What?” I seethed.
“No. No. Not like that.” He launched into telling me about Cole and Enzo and how he wanted her to feel powerful and in control. How they left and rode his motorcycle most of the night before hitting up Twisty Cone for ice cream. They came back, had some drinks, and fell asleep.
“So… that’s it? You guys didn’t…?” I swallowed hard.
“What? No!” Ryder said. “I mean, fuck, I wouldn’t do that to you, man.”
I exhaled. “OK. I mean, it’s OK—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Ryder said, rolling his eyes at me. “It’s not, and you know it. Don’t use Bianca as an excuse. You want Rosalie.”
“Shut up,” I hissed at him, glancing to make sure she was still asleep. She had to be because her lips were parted and she was breathing deeply.
I got up, went into the kitchen, and started preparing breakfast. Rosalie would wake soon and be hungry.
“How was it when you kissed her?” Ryder asked, referring to New Year’s Eve when I’d made a move on her.
“It was… I don’t know. She didn’t really kiss me back,” I mumbled.
“Well, she definitely fucking kissed me back,” he said, handing me an egg. My hands shook as I took it from him, but I didn’t say anything, even though my heart was screaming at me.
“She’s amazing. You’re missing out. I’m telling you, just tell her you want her—”
“Stop.” I slammed my hands on the counter and let out a shaky breath. “I made a commitment, and until I’ve fulfilled that end of the deal, I have to wait. OK?”
Ryder pursed his lips.
“Anson, you need her as much as she needs you.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I fucking know. Timing is just never right with us. I don’t even know if she wants me. She told me no. She said never. I still believe she meant it.”
“That was before—”
“And so much has happened. I’m not going to force it. I-I can’t. She needs time to heal. I’m here for her as her friend. That’s it.”
Ryder sighed and shook his head before grumbling about how I was an idiot.
I didn’t argue with him. I was an idiot, but I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t want to pressure her after everything she’d been through.
Timing isn’t right.
Fuck, it’s never right.
It sucked.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Ryder called out affectionately.
I looked over to see Rosalie sitting up. She nervously tugged at the impossibly short dress she was wearing, her cheeks red. Her curls were wild and gorgeous.
Fuck, she looked good.
“Morning,” she mumbled before going into the bathroom.
Ryder shot me a look that told me to make a move. I scowled at him. Making a move worked shit for me. I couldn’t handle a third rejection. At some point, I did need to move on.
I thought I was doing that, but my heart clenched as she came back into the room, still in that fucking dress that was driving me insane.
She came right into the kitchen and up to me.
I paused mixing the pancake batter and stared at her.
“Hey,” I said, giving her the best smile I could muster.
“Can we talk?” she asked softly.
I nodded and glanced to see Ryder pretending to be busy on his phone. He looked up at me.
“I’ll finish breakfast,” he said. “I’m hungry.”
I nodded for Rosalie to follow me, and she did, going into the spare bedroom.
She blinked as she took it in. Apparently, she hadn’t snooped in there.
“Wow,” she murmured, looking at all the baby furniture I’d picked out for Bianca. I wasn’t sure if it would be used, but I’d rather have it than not.
“Yeah, I-I wasn’t sure what was going to happen once the babies were born,” I explained, watching as she ran her fingers lightly along one of the cribs until she got to a teddy bear. She picked it up and hugged it.
It took me a moment to realize she was crying.
“LeeLee?” I moved behind and reached for her.
She turned and looked up at me, tears on her cheeks.
“Fuck, I-I’m an idiot. I’m so sorry.” I realized she’d lost her baby before, plus with Fox gone and shit with the horsemen over, of course, this was the worst place to bring her.
“I-It’s OK. It’s nice. I-I like it. Bianca is really lucky to have you.” She sniffled.
I wiped away her tears. “I-We can go into the second bathroom. I can wake Trent and make him get out of the bedroom so we can talk—”
She shook her head and placed the bear back into the crib before going to the window and staring out at the city.
I hesitated for a moment before moving to stand behind her, wishing I could hold her.
“I’m sorry about Ryder. I know you must have seen us on the couch. Nothing happened. I would never. I mean, I kissed him. A lot.”
I breathed out.
“He told me everything. It’s not an issue. If you decide you like Ryder, you have my blessing. He’s a good guy.” I couldn’t see her face, but she sighed softly.
“I feel like I’m interfering in your life. In Trent and Ryder’s lives. I don’t need a babysitter. I promise I’m OK.”
“It’s not that,” I said carefully. “We know you’ve been through a lot. We don’t want you to keep feeling alone—”
“I am alone, Ani!” She turned to me. “And it’s OK.
I need to be for a little bit. It’s great that you guys try to take my mind off things, but I can handle being alone sometimes.
I won’t hurt myself. I-I read the letter Fox left me.
I’m going to keep going. He wanted me to.
I just… I need to breathe. To get back to living.
That’s all. I-I want to go look at an apartment later today. ”
I stiffened at her words. “You can stay here—”
“I have a job interview. At a diner nearby. It’s part-time. And Gus at the music center said I can offer lessons there too, so I’m probably going to do that.”
“What? No. No, LeeLee. I don’t want you to work—”
“I have to stand on my own feet, Ani. I’m alone now.
I need to be strong enough to survive. I don’t have any ties that will hurt me now.
I’m free.” She shrugged. “Ryder said he and Trent will pick up my car from the house for me. I was wondering if you’d text the guys and tell them they’re coming so they don’t lose it on them. ”
I swallowed hard but nodded. “OK.”
“Thank you,” she said, smiling up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I actually have some money for you, too. For letting me stay here.”
“No,” I said fiercely. “Absolutely fucking not, Rosalie. I’m not taking it. You’re my friend. My… my… best friend. You never have to pay me for anything.”
“I still want to,” she said. “It’ll make me feel like I’m being useful. Let me. Please. I don’t want to be a leech. Maybe this apartment will be nice, and I’ll be moving out soon. Until then, please take the money.”
I ground my teeth, knowing she wouldn’t let this go. I nodded.
“Thank you.” She reached out and hugged me tightly.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her back.
“How about we go out today and shop?” I said. “I-I’ll look at the apartment with you. Make sure it’s OK. Get you a different dress.”
She pulled away and gave me a bashful smile. “You don’t like my dress?”
“Quite the opposite,” I said thickly. “I like it a little too much.”
Her cheeks darkened at my words, and I immediately hated myself for saying them because they had no place in my vocabulary since I was engaged to someone else. I wasn’t the type of guy who flirted with other women when I was with someone.
“I’ll let you pick out the next one,” she said.
“Deal.”
She pulled away from me, a genuine little smile on her lips. “We should go. Ryder might try to make pot pancakes while we’re gone.”
I laughed at that. She knew him too well.
“Apartment is a bust,” I said as we walked out of the dingy, tiny hole-in-the-wall place. There was no way in hell I’d let her move into that place. It smelled like piss and misery on a hot Sunday afternoon.
She sighed. “Yeah. It was gross, huh?”
“Definitely.”
She looked down at her new phone. I glanced over to see her going through apartment ads.
“How about you let me pick out a new dress for you now,” I said, wanting to distract her from apartment shopping.
She looked adorable in her black pants, blue button-down, and black ballet flats. She had her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She said she wanted to be ready for her interview at the diner in case the apartment showing ran late.
“OK. Lead the way.”
She seemed a lot happier than she had been lately, so I’d take the smiles where I could get them.
I’d texted E and asked him to get a message to Cole and Enzo about Rosalie’s car. He said he’d handle it. I’d saved the photo of the girl he’d sent, and really meant what I’d said when I said I’d keep an eye out for her.
Out of the guys, E was the one I liked the most. I knew he wasn’t an asshole like the other two were. He had his own shit going on.
So Ryder and Trent were getting Rosalie’s car for her. That offered me some sense of relief. Trent texted earlier, saying they were there, and Enzo had sent some guys over to watch. It looked like everything would be fine. They’d message if anything changed.
We got into my car, and I drove us to a shopping center I knew she liked. She kept checking apartments and making notes in a little notebook. I found it hard to focus because I didn’t want her to move out. I liked her being at my place. It was nice to come home to her every day.
Plus, I was worried about her safety being on her own. Maybe not so much that she was going to kill herself now, but this world was dangerous, and while she wasn’t the horsemens’ girl anymore, that likely wouldn’t stop someone like Everett Church from trying to sink his claws into her.
I’d caught glimpses of men sitting outside my place a few times. I knew they were Enzo’s men. He said he’d make sure she still had security. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. If she noticed them, she didn’t say anything about it.
We walked through a few shops, me pointing out hideous outfits in the hope that she’d laugh. She did, her eyes lighting up with each ridiculous one.
Finally, I took her to a high-end place. She’d hesitated at the door before following me inside. I knew she wasn’t this sort of girl, but I always dreamed of dressing her in clothes from there. It sounded weird, but there it was.
“Try this on,” I said, going to a dress I’d been eyeing for her for what felt like forever. Now was my chance. I grabbed her size and handed it to her.
“Oh my God. Anson, this dress is almost a thousand dollars,” she hissed at me.
“So? Try it on—”
“Just let me take a picture of it. I bet I can find one online just like it for, like, forty dollars. Jamie could even make a dupe.”
I smiled at her as she fumbled for her phone in her purse to take a picture. I wrapped my hand over hers.
“LeeLee. Try on the dress. I really like it, and you said I got to pick. I’m buying anyway.”
“No, I said you could pick it. I didn’t say you’d be paying—”
I pressed my finger to her soft lips. “Shh. I make these rules. Go.”
She stared up at me with those impossibly green eyes. She was really doing something to my heart that I was desperately trying to fight.
Finally, she took the dress and went to the fitting room. I blew out a shaky breath. My phone buzzed as I was picking out shoes for her. I pulled it out to see Trent in Rosalie’s car, giving me a thumbs up.
Perfect.
I grabbed the heels and took them to Rosalie’s fitting room.
“Hey, I got you some shoes,” I said, pushing them under the door.
I heard her swear softly as she took in the price. It made me laugh. No wonder Cole had shopped without her.
I sat in one of the chairs, waiting for her. When she came out, I sat forward, completely mesmerized by her.
She was breathtaking.
“What do you think?” she asked nervously.
“You’re perfect,” I murmured, taking in the black silk hugging her body. “Wow.”
Her cheeks flushed pink.
“You don’t think it’s too short? Or low….here?” She gestured to her chest.
“Hell no,” I said immediately. Her cleavage looked spectacular. Her long legs. Her tiny waist.
I adjusted the collar on my shirt as I stared back at her.
“It was made for you,” I said. “I’m buying it.”
“Ani—”
I got up and went to her, unable to stop myself as I placed my hand on her stomach and put my lips to her ear.
“This dress is yours, Rosalie. You look amazing in it. Now go take it off for me, pretty girl.”
She shivered against my body before backing away.
I watched her go, my dick hard as hell in my pants. The moment she was back in the dressing room, I exhaled.
Fuck, what she could do to me.
I had to get my shit together. I was failing. Hard.
Rosalie Bishop could turn an otherwise honest and engaged man into a cheater.
I winced at that thought.
But fuck me for not hating it.