Chapter 73 Ethan
SEVENTY-THREE
ETHAN
“You don’t have to do this,” I said as I stared at Enzo.
“It’s done,” he said stiffly, tying his tie and putting on his suit jacket.
“Enzo.” I stood at the edge of his bed. “You don’t have to.”
“Ethan, I do. We’ve been over this.” He turned to face me. “It’s my wedding day.”
I wiped at my eyes. Fuck, I didn’t want him to have to do this.
“You going to be OK today?”
“Yeah. I-I’m just going to hang out here. Elijah will be here, right?”
“Yeah. If you need me—”
“I’ll be fine,” I mumbled.
Enzo tugged me to him and hugged me tightly. “I love you, E. We’re almost done, OK?”
I hugged him back. “OK.”
“Stay strong. It’ll be worth it in the end. I know you’re not well. Please, hang on a little longer. Promise me.”
“Promise.”
“Car’s ready,” Cole said, coming into the bedroom in the suite we were in.
Enzo and Celeste would be moving into their new house tonight.
A beautiful mansion. I’d seen it from my window.
I didn’t want to go in. In fact, I didn’t even go back to our old house.
Cole had gone in and grabbed our shit, and the men had moved my sugar to a warehouse on Enzo’s orders.
We were moving into our apartment in the city tomorrow. It was a big place, I heard. Cole and Enzo set it up. Like everything else, I had no interest in it.
I didn’t have interest in shit these days.
Cole was Enzo’s best man. And I was the baggage they had to drag around and ruin their lives.
“Get out of your head,” Cole said, tearing me away from my morose thoughts.
I forced a smile at him. “I’m good.”
“You’re not. Stop lying. Just chill. I’ll be back later,” Cole said.
“I’m scared,” I admitted. “The last time—”
“That won’t happen,” Enzo said fiercely. “We’re coming home to you.”
“Doesn’t make me any less scared,” I said. “We thought that last time, too.”
“This isn’t like last time,” Cole snapped.
“Right. Fox is already dead.” I knew I shouldn’t be so fucked up, but I had issues. Sue me.
Cole winced at my words.
“Be safe,” I mumbled. “I’ll really die if something happens to you guys.”
“You know we’ll be late, right?” Enzo asked.
I nodded. “I assumed.”
“I’ll call and text throughout,” Cole said. “OK?”
“OK.” I looked back at Enzo. “I-I’m sorry you have to do this—”
Enzo tugged me back against him. “I would burn the world down for you, E. I love you. Be good, man. Please.” He kissed me fiercely on the forehead.
It had been a lot of work for me to let him touch me. I felt like I was on fire and screaming inside, but I forced the feelings away.
Cole and Enzo were my brothers. Not my enemies. It was something I was trying to relearn.
Enzo had my therapist coming to the hotel for five hours a week. I hated it, but also appreciated it.
Enzo released me, and that was it. I knew I couldn’t change what was going to happen. It was a runaway train, and I was stuck inside, waiting for the crash.
He’d be married to the woman who raped me. Who was carrying my kid. Who ruined our lives.
I trusted Enzo and Cole. I did, but fuck, this was hard.
“Elijah is here,” Cole said, going to the door to let him in. Elijah entered a moment later, dressed in black.
“You know the drill.” Enzo looked at him as he pushed his gun onto his hip beneath his jacket. I knew he had knives on him, too.
“Got it.” Elijah looked at me. “E, man, ready for a night of chess?”
I smiled the best I could. I was really enjoying playing it. I sometimes sat alone in my room, moving the pieces around. I wasn’t sure why I found it so soothing, but I did. I was hoping Elijah would want to play.
“Perfect.” Elijah turned back to Enzo and Cole. “My guys are ready and waiting. Whatever you need.”
“Thank you. Truly.” Enzo clapped him on the shoulder before heading to the door, Cole with him.
“See you later, E,” Cole said as Enzo stepped out into the hall. “I’ll have good news when I get back.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, but I sure as fuck hoped so.
“We should invest in a better chessboard.” Elijah frowned down at the cheap board I’d had delivered. “Since this is our bonding time.”
I scoffed. “Bonding?”
“Yeah. We’re friends.”
I shrugged. I suppose we were.
“Did your friend ever get back to you about Indie?” he asked.
“No, but he’s good for it. If he sees her, he will reach out.”
“What’s the friend’s name?” He moved a knight.
“Uh, Anson.”
He looked at me with raised brows. “The fucking Archangel?”
“So you’ve heard of him?”
“Everyone has heard of him. He’s a fucking legend.
Dangerous inside the ring and out. Dmitri fought him, and Anson didn’t kill him.
He has that ability in the ring, you know.
In the underground fight rings, if you’re the reigning champ, you can kill your opponent.
He’s never lost. Rumor has it that he was able to take over briefly after Everett did him dirty.
” He paused. “Did you guys talk to Anson about finding out if he knew anything about who took you and Fox?”
“He had no answers. He even searched for us, I guess. So I’ve heard.”
“I always thought the guy was on the straight and narrow, but with the underground, you never know.”
“He’s good,” I said. “I trust him.”
He didn’t push the subject, for which I was grateful.
We continued to play well into the night, one game turning into another. Elijah was easy to talk to. He didn’t push for information and answered my questions easily.
By the time it was after eleven, I was nervously checking my phone. Cole hadn’t called or texted me but twice, both times saying the wedding sucked, but all was well.
It had been hours now.
“Go to bed,” Elijah said, catching me checking my phone. “If something happens, I’ll wake you.”
I rubbed my eyes and got to my feet.
“Thanks for tonight. Keeping me company and all,” I said, gesturing to the chessboard.
“That’s what friends are for,” he replied, smiling at me.
I smiled back.
I was grateful I still had some, but the days were always hollow now without Fox and Rosalie.
Tiredly, I dressed for bed and slid beneath the covers, my mind on my girl. Or rather, my ex.
I sighed at that.
Rosalie was my ex.
I couldn’t help but wonder where she was and what she was doing. I kept her in my mind’s eye.
It helped me sleep when I did that. I focused on my memories of her. Her kiss. Her touch. The way she’d smile and say she loved me.
It calmed me as I closed my eyes.
Enzo promised.
Fuck, I hope he delivered her back to us.
I had a lot of work to do on myself before I was ready for her. Right now, I wasn’t good for shit.
That just made me hate myself even more.