Chapter 77 Anson
SEVENTY-SEVEN
ANSON
Iwas in misery.
I kept replaying what I could remember of my kiss with Rosalie in my head.
“You’re a million miles away,” Alessio commented as I stared out a window during a meeting we were in with my father over trying to find Everett Church and some of the missing captives.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, turning back to pay attention.
“Alessio is right. What has your attention, my son?” Matteo focused on me.
“Nothing. I’m just tired.”
“How is sweet Rosalie?” he pressed.
I sighed, shaking my head. “I don’t know. She moved out. We’re taking some space.”
Matteo sat forward. “What? Where is she staying?”
“A hotel for now—”
“Alessio, get her here. I want her looked after—”
“Father, no,” I snapped.
Everyone paused and stared at me.
“She-She wants to be free. I’m letting her. I think a break would do her good.”
“She works at a diner,” Klaus said. “Waiting tables for pennies.”
I shot him a sour look. Of course, the brute already was clued in.
Matteo frowned at him. “How do you know that?”
“I heard they serve good muffins. I was curious. I went in and she was working,” he said matter-of-factly.
Rosalie never told me Klaus had come into the diner.
“I left her a fifty-thousand-dollar tip to quit. She told me to go to hell, but nicely, and gave me the check back,” Klaus continued.
Matteo chuckled at that. “Strong one, that flower.”
She hadn’t told me that either.
“What happened between you two?” Matteo looked back at me.
I shrugged. “Bad timing.”
“You control your time,” Matteo said. “Go get your woman, Alessandro.”
“She’s not my woman,” I said fiercely. “I have a woman.”
“You have a woman who is using you to stay alive. She won’t fuck you or love you.” Matteo waved me off. “Marry Bianca if you wish, but you can still be with Rosalie.”
“Yeah? How’d that work for you?” I shot back.
He stiffened as he stared at me.
“Alessandro, you’re a good man, but if this marriage to Bianca is ruining your potential happiness, then you owe it to yourself to let go and take what you want. You deserve to be happy, too.”
I looked out the window again, my throat tight. “I don’t quit things I start. I’m marrying Bianca.”
“Is that your final answer to this entire situation?” Matteo asked.
“Yes,” I said.
Matteo sighed, and the room fell quiet for a moment.
“Alessandro, go to Bianca. Take her something to eat. She’s been enjoying ice cream a lot lately. Take her some.” Matteo looked at me.
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I hated sitting there, listening to them reprimand me on love and life.
“Alessio, call Trent. Tell him to come to me,” Matteo said as I walked out the door.
Great. Trent was going to bitch at me for ruining his day. I knew Trent loved our father, but he also loved being free from this shit. I didn’t blame him.
“Oh, ice cream,” Bianca said as I came into her room with a strawberry sundae.
I smiled at her enthusiasm and gave her the bowl. She dug in right away, rubbing her tummy as she swallowed.
“What’s up?” she asked after several bites.
I sighed and sat on the edge of her bed.
“I-I’m going to marry you,” I said.
“I know.” She ate more ice cream.
“What if… I have to keep you? Like, you have to stay with me to stay alive?”
She placed her bowl on the bedside table and stared at me.
“What’s going on?”
I’d taken the cameras out of her room, citing that she needed privacy. Matteo agreed and didn’t fight me on it, thankfully.
I scratched my head. “Just hypothetically. Could we… work?”
“Um, I don’t hate you,” she said softly. “Do you mean… like sex and an actual relationship? What about Dom and the guys? Rosalie?
I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just hypothetical. Rosalie and I aren’t happening. We can’t. Timing is off.”
She slid closer to me and leaned in. I froze as she kissed me.
“What was that?” I asked softly.
“Hypothetically,” she murmured. “That’s what it’ll be like to be with me. Does it feel right to you?”
I swallowed and leaned in, pressing my lips to hers again, this time really kissing her.
There were no pounding butterflies. My cock didn’t even stir as her tongue glided against mine.
I put her gently against her stack of pillows and kissed her more, my hand moving to her breast. She gasped between kisses.
I broke everything off and stared down at her.
“I-I can do this,” I said.
She winced. “Anson—”
“I’ll marry you still. Take care of the babies. I’ll speak to Matteo about getting you out of here. I don’t want to live here any more than you do.”
“What about my guys—”
“I-I don’t know. We’ll work something out. Just… let me try to figure it out.”
Worry crossed her pretty face, but she nodded at me.
“I trust you,” she said. “I’m scared, though.”
I reached out and hugged her to me. “I know. Me too.”
I’d made a damn commitment, and this was me seeing it through.
That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to pray for a miracle to save me, though.