Chapter 47
ENZO
Iknew Cole had to go to work early, and I’d barely slept after having dinner with E and Riot. I’d hung out with them after, staring at my phone and half-assedly texting Jade whenever she’d message me.
Work had become strange after she slept in my bed with me. Waking with her had been exceptionally uncomfortable, but I told myself nothing happened, and even if it eventually did, we were adults, and I was a single man.
I’d slept on our couch last night after drinking myself to sleep, and typically, Cole would wake me, but he hadn’t.
So I wandered up to his bedroom, opened his door, and stepped inside. I was greeted with Rosalie in his arms, him holding her tight.
I blinked at the pair and breathed out, my damn heart pounding. It had been years since I’d walked in on them together. Back then, I’d have gone straight to them and crawled in next to her before kissing her breathless.
Now?
I was an outsider looking in.
But Cole was going to be late, and my heart ached, so I went to his side of the bed and shook him gently.
His blue eyes snapped open. He seemed confused as he stared around. Then he realized he was holding Rosalie, and a smile washed over his face.
I swallowed.
“Cole. You have the hospital today,” I said softly.
He fluttered his lashes for a moment before looking up at me.
“Hey,” he mumbled. “Fuck the hospital. Look.” He nodded to Rosalie in his arms.
“I see, but you can’t miss. You need to go.”
He lay there for a moment before he blew out a breath. Then, carefully, he untangled himself from her. She continued to sleep as he slid out of bed.
Satisfied that he was up, I left the room and went back downstairs. I knew we’d talk when he got down there to me, so I waited on the couch after brewing a pot of coffee.
He wandered down not long after, dressed in gray dress pants and a blue button-down with his tie.
He went straight to the coffee pot and filled his tumbler, which he took with him to work, before he grabbed a granola bar and stuffed it into his pocket.
Finally, he walked over and took a seat on the chair and stared at me.
“I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you, man,” I answered, frowning at him. “Did you have a good night?”
He nodded, a smile on his face. My chest clenched.
“I think I got the girl,” he said, his eyes bright.
“Yeah?” I asked thickly. “You guys fuck?”
He shook his head. “No. Nothing like that. We-We kissed. Uh, then we slept, but we talked.”
“All good things?”
He sat forward and looked at his hands. “I, uh, yeah. Yeah, man. All good things. It’s a lot, you know?”
I nodded. I did know. We hadn’t had a lot of time to really sit and talk. I wanted to, though.
“I have a daughter, man. A little girl.” His eyes glittered with happiness. “I-I prayed every night for Rosalie and a family. I have it. I’m just… I don’t know. It’s crazy, right?”
“I’m happy for you,” I said, giving him the best smile I could muster.
“Last night, we did this video chat with her husband, Klaus, and Ass Hat. I got through it. I didn’t tell Ass Hat to go fuck himself once.
And they’re so good with Ellie, man. Like, so good.
They dressed up and read her a bedtime story.
I just… fuck. I gotta be a part of that.
She’s my kid, you know? My old man wanted fuck-all to do with me, but I have a chance.
I-I want to take it.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared back at me.
“Then you should take it,” I said. “Really, brother. Your prayers have been answered. You have loved Rosalie since the very first day. Now is your chance. Don’t ignore it.”
It hurt to say the damn words, but I loved Cole. I wanted his happiness, even if it meant I had to let him go to get it.
“I don’t know how this is going to work. I’m here. She’s in L.A. with the guys. I need to finish out my residency.” He shook his head.
“It’ll work out. Focus on the now, brother. You can finish everything out and then go if you need to go.”
He nodded, his throat bobbing. “I-I need to talk to you. Later. I want to make sure this is real before I make any big moves.”
“I understand,” I said, knowing exactly what he wanted to talk to me about.
Leaving.
E and I had already planned for it.
I cleared my throat. “I have the gala tonight. I’m taking Jade with me.”
He crinkled his brows. “As your date?”
I shrugged. “I guess.”
“Man, what about Rosalie—”
I held my hand up. “Cole, I think Rosalie is going to be your girl, man. Not mine. I have to move on. She hates me. Like she really, truly hates me. I’m not going to try to win her over. I only want your happiness. Don’t worry about me. I have E and Riot. I’ll be OK.”
He frowned at me. “I have to go, or I’ll be late,” he muttered. “But we’re going to talk about this Jade shit when I get back. Don’t do anything stupid with that bitch, man. She’s a gold-digger. I don’t trust her ass.”
“Go to work. I’ll see you probably tomorrow. Do you work tomorrow?”
He grimaced. “Yeah.”
I watched him get up and grab his bag and coffee. He went to the door and stopped.
“Enzo?”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever thought about leaving this life?”
“No,” I said. “I can’t walk away. Rustic Rifles—”
“No, man. The mafia. Have you considered it? We don’t need it anymore. Why are we still here?”
I frowned at his words. I’d not considered it. It was just my life. It always had been. I’d been raised to become a don. My parents died for this life. I promised my father I’d take over.
“Just think about it, OK? Leaving. What it could mean. I mean… it might get Rosalie back if you want her.”
I forced out a smile. “Go to work. You’ll be late.”
He didn’t move for a moment as he studied me. Finally, he spoke. “Ryder is coming today to take Rosalie and Ellie out to get their nails done. Don’t give him shit, OK?”
I blinked at his words. Cole hated him and had vowed to kill him at one point after he’d seen Ryder kissing Rosalie all those years ago.
“OK, man. I’ll be good.”
“Thanks.” Relief swept over his face, and he left the apartment, the door closing behind him.
I drank my coffee as I sat in my chair.
“Mr. Enzo?” Ellis called out softly.
I put my coffee down. “Hey.”
“Do you know where my mommy and daddy are?”
“Uh, yes. Daddy had to go to work, and Mommy is asleep in Daddy’s room.”
She nodded and looked at the floor. God, she was such a perfect mixture of Cole and Rosalie. Truly a beautiful little girl.
“Mr. Enzo?”
“Yeah?”
“My tummy is hungry. Can you make pancakes like Mommy?”
I chuckled softly and got to my feet. “Sure. Come on. You can help me.”
She dashed ahead of me and went into the kitchen. I watched as she climbed onto the chair and settled in, her blue eyes bright.
I set to work making pancakes for her. I added in chocolate chips like Rosalie did.
“Do you want eggs?” I asked.
“Can you make sunshine eggs like other daddy does?” she asked, her eyes big.
“Uh, maybe. How does he do it?”
“He makes eggs, and then he puts a bacon happy face on it.”
“OK. I think I can make that.” I set to work on making some bacon and eggs. I added in my special French toast that I hadn’t made in ages, before I poured us both glasses of orange juice and joined her at the island to eat.
“Like this?” I asked, showing her the eggs and bacon.
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Just like that.”
I chuckled and watched as she dug in.
“Do you like the French toast?” I asked.
“This bread?”
I nodded.
“Yes. It’s tasty for my tummy.”
I smiled at her. We ate in silence for a little bit. Finally, I decided to talk to her about her daddies.
“How is it with other daddies?”
“I love my daddies,” she said, looking at me. “They are so fun!”
“Of course,” I murmured. “How is Evan?”
“Daddy Evan makes me macaroni and cheese soup. He does tea parties with me, and he goes to all my ballet shows!”
“Is he ever mean?” I asked. He was certainly someone I wanted to keep an eye on after the shit he’d done here while Riot was around.
“No.” She shook her head, her curls bouncing. “My daddies are nice.”
“What are you doing?” Rosalie asked, coming into the room.
I cleared my throat. “I, uh, was just talking to Elissandra.”
Judging by the glare on Rosalie’s face, she’d heard me asking questions.
“Mommy, look! Mr. Enzo made sunshine eggs!”
Rosalie forced out a smile. “Looks yummy.”
Ellis nodded. “I’m full. Do you want the rest?”
“Sure, baby. Why don’t you go get your teeth brushed and pick out an outfit to wear? Ryder is coming to take us out today.”
“Ryder?” She squealed and slid off her chair before rushing out of the room.
Rosalie rounded on me the moment Ellis was out of earshot.
“What the fuck are you doing questioning my daughter about our family?” she demanded, her green eyes flashing.
“I’m making sure your husband isn’t a maniac,” I said back, keeping my voice even.
She scoffed at me. “My husband and daughter are not your concern.”
“I beg to differ. Cole is one of my best friends and a brother. Ellis is his daughter. That makes her automatically my family. I look out for my family.”
“Yeah? Well, newsflash. I’ve seen how you treat family, Enzo. Keep my daughter away from your definition of it. You kill your brother and walk away from your fiancée. You’re a cheater and a liar.”
I got to my feet, pissed off, and approached her. She stared up at me as I crowded her space.
“You don’t know shit about any of it,” I snarled at her.
“I know what it felt like to mourn alone,” she whispered. “I learned how to be alone. You taught me that.”
“You weren’t alone, Rosalie,” I said softly. “You had Sylar. You had Anson. You had Ryder. You had fucking Klaus. You were never alone. I’m certain every single one of them kept your bed warm for you.”
She blinked back tears and took a step away from me on her crutches. I thought she might hit me with one, but she didn’t.
Regret surged through me at my words. I was angry. Hurt. Fucking devastated that I had to lose her all over again.
She turned to leave the room.
“Rosalie. Please,” I called out, Cole flashing through my head. He’d trusted me to be here with her and not fuck anything up. If she left because of me, he’d hate me forever.
“I’m not leaving,” she said, her voice shaking. “I have to check on Ellis.”
“Just… don’t leave Cole, OK? He’s so fucking happy. I’ve missed my brother. You coming back into his life with everything he’s ever wanted has made him human again. Please. Stay. I’m an asshole. I said I’d make myself scarce, and I will.”
“It’s your home, Enzo. I don’t expect you to hide in it. I’ll speak to Cole tonight. I’m sure we can come to a different arrangement.”
“Just don’t leave,” I called out, desperate. “Please.”
She was quiet for a moment before she nodded. And that was it. She left the room.
I stood watching her go, wishing more than anything that I could reach for her and tell her I loved her, too.
But it was over.
I had to move forward or get crushed by the weight of the past.