Chapter 99
NINETY-NINE
ROSALIE
Sirena fluffed my hair, her lips parted. She’d done my nails for me last night while we all sang karaoke. I really liked her. Dante seemed especially happy as he watched us together, which automatically made me happy.
He and I had sat together when everyone went to bed, and he asked me about writing songs. I told him what it was like, and he brought out a guitar and strummed it, surprising me.
He asked if I’d write a song with him, and I immediately said yes.
So we did. Dante had a beautiful voice when he sang. He could probably make it big if he tried. He laughed me off, saying that the stardom life was for me, not him. He said he wanted me to sing our song onstage someday.
It was another promise I made him.
Now, I was sitting here with Sirena while Dante watched. He’d brought me new clothes to wear.
They were things he picked out.
All black, of course.
A black maxi dress with long sleeves and a scoop neck collar.
He’d completed the look with a necklace that contained a vial of his blood.
He’d taken my blood from me the night he cut my throat with his knife.
He asked me to wear the vial, so it was now around my neck.
And he was wearing my vial next to Sirena’s vial on his necklace.
“You guys are weird,” Stitches muttered, coming into the room and eyeing the vial around my neck. “Church, man. You’re weird.”
“She’s your sister, too. I got extra for you.” Dante tossed him a necklace.
I smiled at Stitches. He was a grouch, too, but he was funny about it.
“Only because you’re my sister,” he grumbled, putting the necklace on.
“You love her. You know it.” Ashes flopped down next to me on the couch and hauled Sirena onto his lap and kissed her. They were so good with her. It made me sad that I no longer had that, but Sylar swore to me that life would get better. I had to believe him or I’d break down and cry.
“Yeah. She’s OK.” Stitches smirked at me.
I leaned in and hugged him. He sighed and hugged me back as Sin and Shadow came into the room, followed by Sylar.
He waited next to the door, his eye on his watch like he was expecting someone.
Dante seemed like he was, too, because he kept looking out the window to the streets far below.
Finally, Sylar opened the door before anyone could knock.
I sat forward, stunned, as Anson stepped into the room.
Wordlessly, I launched myself out of my seat and rushed to him. He captured me in his arms and held me tightly as Sylar closed the door behind him.
“LeeLee,” he choked out. “Fuck. I’m so glad you’re OK.”
“I missed you.” I let my tears fall as I held him. I had no idea he was coming. Dante said he’d let me go soon, but I didn’t know it would be today.
“I missed you so fucking much.” He squeezed me tighter.
Finally, I pulled away, and he wiped at my tears.
“Are you OK? Do you need anything?” His blue eyes swept over me. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “I’m OK. I was never hurt. Maybe a little scared at first, but I’m fine.”
He pulled me back to him and placed a fierce kiss on my forehead. When he broke away, he looked around the room, his body tense. Dante approached like the predator he was.
“Archangel,” Dante said, stopping in front of us.
“Dante,” Anson answered tightly.
“We should talk,” Sylar said brightly.
“Yes. Come.” Dante backed away. I took Anson’s hand and led him to the massive leather wraparound. We sat, and Anson stared at Dante, his body still tense.
“Why did you take her?” Anson asked.
“Because she is mine to take. My sister,” Dante replied.
“You don’t own her,” Anson shot back. “She’s not one of the souls in the underground.”
“She was born there. All things that come into existence in the underground belong to its king. That would be me.” Dante’s voice held no emotion.
“There is no underground. It was burned.”
“I am aware. That wasn’t by accident.” Dante gave Anson a sinister smile. “It was by design.”
“You… did it?” Anson frowned.
“Technically, it was Ashes.” Dante nodded to Ashes, who inclined his head at Anson. “It was all part of the plan to take out my father. I assume we want the same thing regarding him.”
“I want him dead,” Anson seethed.
“As do I.”
“What about Fox and E? You were part of their torture.” Anson rested his hand on my knee and squeezed it.
Dante looked at me with a sad expression on his face. “Sister,” he murmured.
“Y-You said you weren’t,” I choked out.
Dante sighed. “Sylar and I had a part to play. Fox was aware of that part. I did hold back. I ensured he had food and water. That he had pain medications and anything else I could. Sylar worked on the outside to free him. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, he didn’t make it.
We tried.” Dante stared me down. “We tried, Rosalie. If he could have hung on for a few more hours, he’d have been OK.
My father sent someone to him who finished the job.
I-I didn’t expect that to happen.” Dante visibly swallowed.
“I regret not staying, but I was trying to save Cady and her father. Everything went to hell, and in the end, only Ethan made it out.”
I wiped at my eyes, and Anson held me tightly.
“So why are you letting her go now?” Anson asked.
Dante sat back in his seat and steepled his fingers, his green eyes locked on Anson.
“Rosalie entered into a contract with me. You know how that goes.”
“What is the contract?” Anson stiffened.
“It’s easy enough. She is to sign her music contract and leave this city. If she doesn’t, she must return to me. This is where she will stay until the day she dies. Under my thumb. My protection.”
Anson’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “That’s it? She signs up for her dreams, and she’s free?”
Dante inclined his head. “Correct.”
“There’s a catch. There’s always a catch,” Anson said.
“I am not my father, Alessandro,” Dante replied.
“I lay the terms out in the open. She signs the contract, leaves the city, and goes on to live a good life. If she doesn’t, she will remain here.
There is no place that she can ever hide that I will not infiltrate.
She agreed. It was signed in our blood. The deal is done. ”
Anson looked at me. “LeeLee, is this what you want?”
“Yes,” I murmured. “I-I’ve been so scared to leave, but Fox wanted me to do it. I-I have his list. This is on there. There is nothing left for me in this city.”
“Klaus?” Anson asked.
I smiled at his name. “If he wants me, he can come get me. I can’t wait for a man to make up his mind. I trust he has other things he needs to tend to. If nothing ever happens between us, we’ll both be OK. I know we will.”
“OK,” Anson murmured. “I’ll call Alex.”
“Now,” Sylar said, finally speaking. “If you don’t mind. She doesn’t leave this space until the contract is signed and sent.”
Anson narrowed his eyes at Sylar for a moment before pulling his phone out and calling Alex. Everyone else in the room remained silent as Anson spoke to him.
“Hey, Alex. It’s Anson. Yeah. Uh, Rosalie is ready to sign the contract.
Is there any way you can email me a fresh copy?
I can get it back to you within the hour.
Yes. Absolutely. Me too. Yes. We can arrange all of that once everything is finalized.
Of course. Thank you. I appreciate you. Bye.
” Anson hung up. “Do you have a computer we can use?”
“This way,” Shadow said, getting up and gesturing for us to follow him. Dante and Sylar came with us to another room. It was a library filled with so many books on shelves that were floor to ceiling. Two levels of them. Along the wall were numerous computers.
“Wow. I didn’t know you had a library,” I murmured, staring around.
“Mother loved books,” Dante said as Sylar led Anson to the computer after Shadow left us. “She always wanted a library. This is a tribute to her, I suppose.”
“Do you like to read?” I asked, looking at him.
“I don’t hate it.” A tiny smile curved his lips upward. “I know you love to read. You look like the type.”
“And what is that?”
“You just look intelligent. Bit of a nerdy look about you.”
I let out a soft laugh at his assessment. “You’re kind of a jerk.”
His smile grew. “I’ve been called worse.”
I noticed Anson was watching us, a curious look on his face. He quickly went back to his email.
“Did Fox suffer a lot?” I asked softly.
“Rosalie.” Dante sighed. “Everyone suffers in the underground, but I promise, he suffered the least. Not that it’s any better, but that is what it is. He was strong, and he spoke of you to me. He asked me to keep you safe.”
“H-He did?”
“He did,” he murmured, squeezing my hand. “I’m doing right by him and following through. I think a lot of us are. He wasn’t supposed to die. I cannot tell you how sorry I am.”
I hugged him, seeming to surprise him. He was quick to hug me back, though. He kissed the top of my head.
“I will always protect you. You have my word.”
“I believe you.”
“Here.” Anson called out. “It’s ready to sign, LeeLee.”
I pulled away from Dante and wiped my eyes before going to the computer. I sat in the seat Anson stood from and digitally signed everything as my heart banged hard.
This was it. The start of a new life.
“You’re going to love it,” Sylar said softly, kneeling beside me as I finished. “Now, I believe you have one last thing on your list to do.”
“The mountains,” I whispered, knowing it was my last stop before I made it to California.
“The mountains,” Sylar repeated. “Just don’t look back, OK?”
I looked over at him. “Is this my wish?”
“It is.” He kissed my forehead. “Take care of yourself, moonbeam. Anson has my number. I expect to hear from you sooner rather than later.”
“You will.” I hugged him.
“No kiss?” he let out a soft laugh.
“You’re such an ass.” I pulled away and smiled at him.
“Can’t get mad at a guy for one last going-away present. I think I deserve it, honestly. I mean, I’ve done a lot of string pulling—”
I pressed my lips to his, silencing him.
He kissed me back sweetly before I pulled away. “Go get your girl. It’s time, don’t you think?”
He smiled at that. “Yeah, I think it might be.”
“Come on.” Anson held his hand out to me, and I took it as he helped me to my feet.
“You kiss my sister again, I swear I’ll kill you,” Dante grumbled to Sylar as we left the room.
“Dante, you were there. She clearly kissed me. I’m just an innocent bystander. A victim, really.”
I chuckled as the pair argued with one another.
“How did you put up them?” Anson asked softly.
“I think I blacked out for most of it,” I admitted.
He shook his head as we returned to the living room, where everyone was still waiting.
“Will you guys stay for dinner?” Ashes asked.
I looked over to Anson. “One last supper?”
He eyed the group wearily. “It’s not people, right? What we’re eating?”
“Gross,” Stitches said. “What the fuck, man? We don’t just keep legs and torsos in the freezer.”
“Well, not here,” Dante said.
“Right. Those are in the basement,” Sylar added.
“I didn’t thaw any for dinner.” Ashes frowned. “Are you OK with chicken instead?”
“I was honestly hoping for some bicep tonight. I can do chicken, though,” Sin piped up.
“I guess I can too. Completely disappointed in the menu. Can you add potatoes? I think potatoes sound good.” Shadow sat forward.
“French fries. Fuck yes,” Stitches called out. “Fuck chicken. Let’s do burgers and fries. Cheeseburgers. Maybe some human kidneys on the side to spice shit up.”
“I would prefer chicken or burgers, yes,” Anson said, looking like he might be sick.
The guys laughed loudly at him.
I smiled. My family really was weird.
But I honestly liked it. I suppose that said a lot about the person I was, or who I was becoming.
Dante winked at me before going into the kitchen with Ashes.
I looked over at Sirena, who was smiling at me.
Yeah. I really did like my family.
“Pretty sure they like you, too, moonbeam.” Sylar nudged me.
Definitely weird.