Chapter 60
ENZO
Iwas always a good judge of when shit was on the line.
And shit was definitely on the line as I stared at Rosalie with blood on her lips, the straps of her dress down, and tears in her eyes.
I tightened my hands into fists.
She’d made a fucking blood contract with him.
Judging by the way he licked his lips, he did them a little differently with her. I didn’t fucking like seeing the straps of her dress down. I didn’t know what sort of sick, fucked-up games he played, but shit needed to be looked into.
Seeing her that way made me angry. Beyond angry. All I wanted to do was rush to her and wrap her in my arms. Declare that I gave a damn and vow to protect her better than fucking Dante Church ever could.
But I knew a lot was at stake, so I held it in as Dante reached out and pulled the straps of her dress back up before thumbing away the blood on her lips.
I could see Cole barely holding it together on my other side as he took in the scene.
I breathed out and checked E, who was stoic as always.
Dante murmured something to Rosalie before taking her hand and leading her behind his desk. He tugged her to sit on one of his legs as he stared out at us.
They had the same big, beautiful green eyes. Same plump lips. He was blond. She was a gorgeous redhead, but there was no mistaking that they were siblings.
I didn’t like the way he kept her close, his hand on her waist, her ass on his lap.
I knew he was a fucking weirdo, though.
“Horsemen, welcome,” he said. His men hadn’t left the room. Instead, they were lined up behind us as we each took a seat in front of his desk.
“My sweet sister has informed me that she’d like to break your contract with me. I have agreed.” He stared out at us.
I blinked in confusion and looked to Cole, who was frowning, then to E, who narrowed his eyes and sat forward.
“Of course, there are stipulations,” Church continued. “But first, let’s talk.” He stared at us for a moment. “Cole. Tell me how much you love my sister.”
“I love her with everything I am or will ever be,” Cole said immediately, without hesitation. “I want a life with her and my daughter.”
“And you’re willing to join her in L.A.?”
“Yes,” he said fiercely.
Church nodded and looked to Ethan. “Same question.”
E glanced from Church to Rosalie. “I do love her, but… I-I cannot join her. I have a life here.”
“So you are rejecting my sister?”
“I-I don’t want to. I love her. I miss her. I-I just don’t think…” E shook his head. “There’s a lot going on.”
Church nodded before looking over at me.
I said nothing as I looked from Church over to Rosalie on his lap. Fuck. E said no. I couldn’t leave him. Plus, we had Riot. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. I wanted my life back. I didn’t know if I’d leave my life to get my old one back, but goddamn, did it sound nice as I stared at Rosalie.
She stared back at me, tears in her eyes.
She already knew, based on E’s answer, what mine would be. I’d walked out on her before. I’d been a real prick to her the last few weeks, but fuck, those weren’t my real feelings. God, I missed her more than anything in this world.
I licked my lips.
“Lorenzo?” Church called out. “Do you want my sister?”
“We are very different people now,” I said softly.
“Enzo, man,” Cole snapped. “Fuck. Come on—”
Church held his hand up. “Stop. Let him answer.”
“I will always love her,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I would take her. Yes.”
Rosalie widened her eyes at my words. I noted that Church tightened his hold on her waist, cinching her tightly to him. We were here, so I may as well be honest about it.
Yeah, I fucking wanted her.
“Ethan, are you sure you want to stick with your answer?” Church asked.
E sighed. “I want her. You know I do. She knows I do.” E was quiet for a moment, his legs bouncing. “Fuck. Yes. Yes, I want her. Yes, I’d take her.”
Church nodded. “That’s really interesting, especially for you, Lorenzo, considering how you’ve been a real cocksucker to her lately. Don’t think I don’t know, either.”
I said nothing. He wasn’t wrong.
“Of course, I already know why you were. Contract and all that. I do appreciate your integrity on the matter, and that will not go unnoticed. Now, here are the stipulations.” Church smirked at all of us. I held my breath, knowing the monster had a trick up his sleeve. He’d given in too easily.
I think E knew it too, because he visibly tensed.
Fuck.
“I have come into a blood contract with my sweet sister regarding the matter.”
“And what arrangement is that?” I asked tensely.
“I know you have some ugly little secrets you’ve kept hidden from her. If you want my sister, you will divulge all of them to her. Now. In my presence. If she decides they hurt her, you’re out, and I get to play.” His green eyes sparkled. “So speak, horsemen. Tell her all your dirty laundry.”
Fucking asshole. He knew Riot was E’s kid. He was going to make us out E and tell everything that happened.
E paled, his hands trembling. It was like a flashback of him from five years ago, when he could barely form a coherent thought.
“What the fuck are you trying to do?” Cole shouted. “You fucking asshole!”
“Tell her or I will,” Church said in an even voice. “Lorenzo. Let’s start with you.”
I swallowed hard and stared at Rosalie. “I-I…”
She tried to sit forward, but Church held her in place.
“Tell her,” Church said softly.
“I lied to you. Five years ago. I-I never fucked Celeste.”
Her brows crinkled as she stared back at me. “What? I-I don’t understand.”
“I lied, Rosalie. Fox was dead, and you were his whole world, and let’s be honest, he was yours.
He and I spoke about his desire for you to be free.
I realized after everything that he was right.
You needed to be free from us. Vander Veer wanted me to marry Celeste.
I agreed to do it. I knew you’d never let us go, so I said I was with her.
That I’d gotten her pregnant. I-It was all a lie.
I-I didn’t. Fuck.” I wiped at my eyes. The last damn thing I wanted to do was cry in front of the fucking watchers.
The ghosts of the underground. But here I was.
“You deserve so much more in the world than me,” I continued, my voice thick.
“After, I pushed you away because of the contract with Church that said Cole and I would never go near you. We’d never reach out to you.
We’d have to wait for you to come to us, but you never did.
” My voice cracked. “I’ve been pushing you away because this shit has been killing me, eating me alive, to know what my actions cost us all. ”
“Y-You didn’t cheat on me?” Rosalie asked, her voice shaking.
I shook my head and stared at her. “No. I never fucked her. Not even when we were married. I found out that her father was behind the attacks on you. That he was behind a lot of shit that happened. I promised to the top, and I did what I had to do to get it.”
“You killed him,” she murmured. “Then…”
“Then I killed her,” I whispered. “Because she was a fucking monster who didn’t deserve to live.”
“I don’t understand. You have a son…”
I shook my head and looked away from her, my throat still painfully tight as I tried to fight my emotions.
Church nodded. “Ethan. Now you.”
E stared back at Rosalie, tears rolling down his face.
“Sweetheart, I am so fucking sorry. All of this was my fault. I-I asked the guys to protect me. To protect you. I-It was me. I-I’m Laz’s dad. I fucked Celeste.” He sobbed softly, holding himself.
“What?” Rosalie choked out.
It was the sound of her voice that got me. Not the way she paled, or the betrayal I saw burning in her pretty eyes. It was her voice. She expected that shit of me, but she didn’t from E.
“In the underground, I was raped. She-She raped me, but I also agreed because I thought I was saving Fox. I begged for it to end, but she never stopped. None of them did. I lost count of the number of times I was fucked or had fucked.” His jaw shook as he wiped at his eyes.
“I was fucked up, Rosalie. I was sick and scared. I had told you a hundred times that I didn’t want kids.
That I’d never have them. Then I did it with someone else.
Laz is my son. I’m his real dad. I asked the guys not to tell you because I didn’t want you to hate me for it.
I-I still don’t want you to hate me. I’m so fucking sorry.
All of this was because I was weak and scared.
Enzo took the heat. Said he cheated. He married her to protect me.
Then she tried to kill Laz, and something inside of me snapped.
I realized I needed to man the fuck up and get my shit together.
I did, but I regret a fuck of a lot of my choices.
” He let his head fall forward as he cried.
“Don’t hate Cole and Enzo. This was my fault. I fucked up. Please.”
Rosalie said nothing, letting E’s words hang in the air.
All was quiet except E’s soft sobs.
Church cleared his throat. “Cole. Your turn.”
“I-I didn’t know what was happening,” Cole said finally. “But I love the guys, and I will always be all in with them.”
“Did you know a-about Ethan?” Rosalie asked, her voice a soft tremble.
“Yes,” Cole replied. “I did. I love him, Rosalie. You know what a fucking mess he was. I only wanted him to be safe. I was terrified he was going to kill himself. You were a fucking mess, but god, baby, you were always so strong, and I knew you had Anson. I know I came off hating him, and that’s not a lie, but I fucking knew you’d still have him. I had to save my brothers. I’m sorry.”
I closed my eyes.
This was a fucking nightmare.
This was Church’s plan all along, though. He wanted this shit to happen. He knew she’d walk based on all the lies.
“Rosalie?” Church asked finally. “What do you want to do? They’ve lied to you. Ethan is a father. Lorenzo and Cole are liars and chose themselves as a group over you and your heartache. Make your choice, and I will carry it out.”
Fuck. She was going to let us all swing. I would if I were her.
She wiped at her tears, and Church released her as she stood. His men had been silent this entire time behind us, but they’d likely strike in silence, and we’d be dead on the floor within moments. But if she were the last thing I got to see, then I’d die a happy man.
She approached and stared down at me.
“Sunshine,” I whispered, reaching for her. “I’m sorry.”
She leaned in and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, wanting to tell her a million things, before she pressed a tender kiss to my cheek without saying a word and released me.
She moved to E, leaving me feeling like I’d just been gutted.
I had no idea what she was saying, but I was really terrified of what it meant, too.
She did the same thing to E. He wept softly as he clung to her. She rested her forehead against his for a moment before kissing it. Then she released him without a word and moved to Cole.
“Baby, no,” Cole said thickly. “Don’t you dare—”
Her lips met his in a deep kiss, silencing him. He, like us, clung to her before she broke off the kiss and backed away from him.
And that was it. She walked out of the room without a backward glance, sending my heart crashing to the floor.
“Looks like she made her choice, and it wasn’t you,” Church said, getting to his feet. He gestured his men forward, and they swooped in, restraining us quickly.
I didn’t fucking fight it.
But Cole. Fuck… Cole.
He howled Rosalie’s name, trying to break free and get to her, all while cursing Church to an early grave. It was Ashes who ended up drugging him. Cole sagged forward as they held him.
“Take them to the underground,” Church murmured before a black bag was pulled over my head.
And in that darkness, all I heard was Cole’s cries for Rosalie and Ellis, and E’s soft sobs.
If this was the end, then thank fucking god. At least the truth was out there. I could die in peace now. And when I got to wherever I was going, I’d hug Fox and tell him I loved him and that I was so fucking sorry.
Because I was.
So fucking much.
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