Chapter 42
ROSALIE
Isat on the edge of Enzo’s bed and looked around. Clean. Everything in order. Not much had changed in that respect.
I watched as he went to his closet, pulled out a suit, and took off his t-shirt.
Jesus.
He’d gotten a tattoo that covered nearly the entire side of his body. I’d noticed his neck tattoo before, and I guess it snaked down his body. He was even more muscular than I remembered him being.
He was a living, breathing god.
But hell, he pissed me off.
I looked away when he glanced at me.
“I said some things last night that were uncalled for. I drank a little. It clouded my senses. It’s not an excuse, but it’s all I have.” He put on his dress shirt and began buttoning it. “Don’t leave and fuck Cole over on account of some words.”
I scoffed at him.
“Rosalie. I’m serious. He loves you. He loves his daughter. I know he only just met her, but you know as well as I do that he’s dreamed of her for years. Don’t hurt him.”
I knew he was right.
“I promise to stay out of your way while you’re here. Just stay. For Cole. He needs this. He went crazy and even kidnapped you.”
“He’s nuts,” I muttered.
“He is, but that’s just how he loves. Full force. You brought Ellis out because you wanted her to know him. Now he knows she exists. He’s not going to let you walk away. You do understand that, right?”
My throat was tight. I knew he was right.
“I am asking you to give him this time with her. Or you could even leave her here with us and go back to LA for a few weeks—”
“I am not leaving my daughter,” I snapped, glaring at him.
He had his tie on with his shirt and pants now.
God, why did he have to look so damn good?
“OK. I understand.”
“You may just let someone take your son, but I’m not like that.”
He raised his brows at me. “You don’t know shit about our situation. Don’t act as if you do. I have no problem discussing my son with you later if you want. Right now, this is another subject.”
I ground my teeth. God, he’d gotten even more insufferable over the years.
“What can I do to make this stay better for you?” he asked, moving to stand in front of me, now fully dressed.
I stared up at him. “I just think we should avoid one another. It’s your house, so I can stay upstairs when you’re home.”
He scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“You asked,” I snapped at him.
He nodded. “You’re right. I did.” He clicked his tongue.
“Fine. I don’t come home until late in the evening.
I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying, but I can continue doing that.
I have a lot of work to do. Next week, I have a gala I need to attend and likely won’t be home until very late.
I have a trip to New York as well in a few weeks, so if you’re still here, you’ll be here alone with Cole while I’m away for a few days.
We can avoid one another if you’d like. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you want. ”
“Wouldn’t want to prevent you from having the best sex of your life with whatever woman you’re fucking over now.” My words came out bitter.
He chuckled softly. “You won’t.”
I got to my feet and stuck my crutches under my armpits.
“Just so you know, Anson fucks me better than you ever hoped to.”
He glared at me, a muscle thrumming along his jaw.
“And when Klaus joins in? I forget you even existed. You were my practice so I could learn to run with real men. So thanks for the mediocre sex.” I hobbled past him, hoping that it tore him up inside.
I returned to my room to find Cole and Ellis sparring. She was punching a pillow he held, and he was instructing her to watch her feet and keep her hands up.
“What’s going on?” I asked, coming into the room.
“Just teaching her how to kick Penelope’s ass,” Cole said as Ellis swung again.
“Absolutely not.” I broke the pair up.
“Mommy! Daddy was showing me how to be strong like you!”
“Honey, Mommy doesn’t punch people in the face,” I said.
“Liar,” Cole muttered.
I blew out a breath.
“We don’t hit people. We tell the teacher, or you come home and tell Daddies and me, OK?”
“OK, but Daddy said people with fat lips don’t talk smack. Right, Daddy?”
“Right, Ellie-phant.”
God…
“Cole,” I said, closing my eyes to gather my patience. I was already annoyed with him and Enzo.
“Are you staying?” he asked, his voice soft.
I sank onto the bed. “Ellie, baby, go brush your teeth, OK?”
“OK.” She grabbed Mr. Rufus, went to the attached bathroom, and closed the door.
Cole knelt in front of me.
“Rosalie? Would it help if I said I was sorry?”
“Are you? Sorry?”
He nodded. “I am. I was angry and hurt. It’s hard for me. All I’ve ever wanted was a family, and I had one this whole time. It just… hurt.”
I nodded. “I know. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was scared.”
“I understand,” he murmured. “But I want this. I swear to you on my knees that I will do whatever you want me to do. I will cook for you. Buy you guys anything you want. I’ll get on all fours, and you can ride me around the house like a horse, just please. Don’t fucking leave me.”
“I have to leave at some point,” I said. “I have a life far from here.”
“I-I know, but fuck. Stay.”
I frowned at him. “What does that mean?”
“It means I fucking love you, Rosalie. We have a family together. I-I don’t care if you have a husband or new guys. Stay with me. I am begging you to be a family with me. I-I want you. So fucking much it’s killing me. I want Ellis. Please. Don’t take it all away from me.”
My heart ached at his words. I knew he cared. Cole was insane, but he loved hard. I’d always known that.
But five years ago, I thought he was loving someone else hard.
“You broke my heart,” I whispered. “I can’t trust you.”
“I know.” His voice cracked. “But please. Give me another chance to prove I’m worth it. I’ll be a good husband. A good father. You’ll want for nothing with me. I have so much fucking money that our great, great, great grandkids won’t have to work—”
“It’s not the money. I have money.”
“Fuck, I know. I-I’m smart. I’m good in bed. I will love you unlike anyone else in this world, Rosebud, and what’s more, I will love Ellis.”
“I can’t leave my husband for you,” I said thickly. “Or my guys. I love them.”
His jaw quivered as tears gathered in his eyes.
“Please…” he whispered.
“I-I… maybe if things go OK, you could…”
“What?” He moved forward and took my hands in his. “What is it? Anything. I’ll do it.”
“Maybe if we try to work things out, you could join us,” I said, my voice soft.
His lips parted, and he stared at me for a moment before shaking his head.
“Join you? As in be in your new group?”
I nodded.
He visibly swallowed. “I fucking hate Anson.”
“We’re a package deal.”
“I hate Klaus.”
“You don’t know Klaus.”
“I know he stole you away from me,” he mumbled bitterly.
“He didn’t steal me. We weren’t together.”
He grunted.
“Will you stay? For a few weeks?” he asked after a few moments of silence. “Give me a few weeks.”
I sighed. “I’m not getting along with Enzo, and I feel like I’m intruding here. His son can’t even be home. That’s not fair.”
“Riot is fine. I promise he is. He and E are close. They’re likely hanging out, eating junk, and watching Ninja Turtles.”
“I can’t make a little boy stay in a hotel away from his home.”
“How about we do this for a bit more, then I talk to Enzo and E if things are going OK? Then maybe Riot will come back. How about that?”
I sighed. “Maybe.”
“So you’ll stay?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“Yes. I’ll stay a few more days.”
He threw his arms around me. “Fuck. Thank you. Thank you.”
I hugged him back, breathing in the way he smelled. God, I’d missed him.
“I-I want to join you,” he said softly as he held me. “But I need time, OK? I want you to make sure you want me. That I won’t cause issues.”
“Is that growth?” I asked.
“My dick isn’t hard,” he murmured.
I chuckled. “No. Personal growth.”
“Again, dick isn’t hard.”
“Cole,” I said with a laugh.
“I just want to do right by you. I do hate Anson and Klaus, and I don’t know Evan, but I love you and Ellis, so that love has to cancel it out. I-I can’t guarantee I’d be good, so I think we should just… go slow.”
“OK.”
He released me. “Do the guys even know you are considering me?”
I nodded. “Sort of. They knew about Ethan.”
He frowned. “What about Ethan?”
“Um, we’ve been talking for a few weeks now. He came to my concert, and then we went to the lake and had pizza. Then… you kidnapped me.”
He blinked rapidly. “Wait. You’re fucking Emily? You’re the girl he kept talking to?”
I nodded. “He promised he wouldn’t tell.”
“What the fuck?” His frown deepened. “How did you guys start talking?”
“He heard about my marriage. He reached out to congratulate me.”
“Motherfucker. Should give that prick an award for his acting skills.” Cole shook his head. “What a dick.”
We were both quiet again.
“So… we’re going to try?” Cole asked softly after a moment.
“I-I think so. We will go slowly. You’re right. We’ve both changed a lot.”
“You could turn into a worm, and I’d still carry you in my pocket and love you, Rosebud.”
“Am I at least a cute worm?”
“The fucking cutest.”
The bathroom door opened, and Ellis came out.
“Look how shiny my teeth are!” She showed us her teeth.
“Oh wow. Those look like they’d like to tear apart some pancakes.” Cole eyed her teeth. “Like a dinosaur.”
“With bacon?” Her eyes were wide. “Dinosaurs eat bacon.”
“Hell yeah, little me. Come on. We’ll make Mommy some breakfast and have cookies for dessert.”
Ellis clapped her hands excitedly, and Cole turned for her.
“Get on, cowgirl,” he said.
Ellis hopped on his back, and he stood.
“Wow! So high, Daddy!”
He grinned at me. “What do you say, Rosebud? Want to be dinosaurs with us?”
I nodded. “I do.”
“Come on.” He winked at me. “I’ll race you, you broken donkey.”
He took off out of the room, Ellis whooping loudly and giggling as they left.
“Only a broken donkey because you kidnapped me,” I muttered, grabbing my crutches.
But I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. For once, I was glad to be kidnapped.
Maybe Cole’s craziness was contagious.