12. Rosalie
ROSALIE
Evan walked through the door to the apartment Dominic had set us up in, looking like a storm cloud. I hadn’t seen Dominic yet, or any of the kings, but Klaus said Levin had called and mentioned they’d be stopping in.
It had been many years since I’d seen Dominic. He’d helped me through some of the worst times of my life, and I never got to thank him. He never visited us. If Ani wanted to see him, they would talk on the phone, but that was pretty much it.
I saw Levin more often, since he flew from Chicago to L.A. from time to time to see Klaus.
And more often wasn’t all that often. Maybe twice in five years.
“How did it go?” I asked, getting to my feet from the couch where I’d been strumming my guitar so Ellis could dance.
Klaus came out of one of the bedrooms where he’d set up a makeshift office for the time being.
“Fucked,” Evan said. “Dante won’t let them go. I tried to reason with him, but he said they had violated their contract with him.”
“He promised he wouldn’t hurt them—”
“He hasn’t,” Evan said. “Baby, he’s not done anything to them. I don’t know what he’s doing to them, but physically, he hasn’t touched them.”
I breathed out, grateful for that.
“Did you tell Cole?” Klaus asked as we moved to settle back onto the couch. I sat next to Klaus, and he wound his arms around me as Evan knelt in front of me.
“I did.” Evan gripped my hands tightly. “He’s pretty pissed.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, sitting forward to cradle his face. I could feel his tears beneath my fingers. “Evan, I’m sorry.”
His jaw trembled. “I expected it, and I get why he’s pissed. I accept it. It just sucks. I-I hope it doesn’t mess things up for you and Ellis. It’s my biggest fear. I’m sorry, Ro.”
“We’ll be OK,” I murmured. “Everything will be.”
“Promise?” His voice cracked.
I leaned in and kissed him gently. “Yes. I promise.”
He wrapped me in a tight embrace, his tears coming freely.
Klaus got up, and I heard him talking to Ellis and then their footsteps as he led her away so she wouldn’t see what was going on.
The moment she noticed Evan was crying, she would cry and want to know what was happening. I didn’t want her to be worried.
“I fucked everything up. All I could think about was saving you, but here we are. Right back where we started, Ro. What the fuck am I supposed to do? I’m torn between wanting you happy and free and making things right with my brothers, who are right where we left them.
Am I terrible? Did I ruin everything?” He stared back at me, his sunglasses gone.
He’d suffered so much, and no one saw that.
They saw that he’d left, not his pain in the decision to do so, or the pain he went through as he tried to overcome.
Evan was a good man who loved endlessly.
I knew leaving the horsemen had broken him because he loved his brothers.
But he said he loved me more.
I hated that he ever had to compare the love, and all I wanted was for him to be happy. Right now, I wasn’t so sure he’d get that, and it was tearing me apart.
I had to fix this.
“You didn’t ruin anything. I swear you didn’t. Cole is angry and hurt. So is Ethan. They will come around. I promise.” I wasn’t sure I could keep that promise, but I knew I’d damn well try. Evan was worth it and more, and I’d do what I had to do to make it a reality.
I held him as he cried. Klaus came back into the room without Ellis and sat next to us before wrapping his arms around us.
“All will be well, brother,” he murmured to Evan. “Time can heal us all. I am a testament to that.”
Klaus kissed the top of Evan’s head.
Evan pulled away, finally, and wiped at his eyes.
“I’m going to take a nap,” he said softly. “I just… I need to get out of my head for a bit.”
“Go,” I said gently. “I’m going to call Ani and check on Ryder.”
“OK, baby. I love you.” Evan kissed my forehead before squeezing Klaus’s hand. I watched him get up and walk to the bedroom before closing himself in.
“We have many secrets that need to be revealed,” Klaus murmured.
I sighed. “Yes, we sure do.”
Klaus gave me a sad smile. “No matter what, though, I love you all and will be at your side always.”
I kissed him gently. “And I love you.”
He dragged me onto his lap, his kiss commanding and in control.
I fell into it easily, wanting him, but knowing we couldn’t. Ellis was likely only playing in her room.
“The things I want to do to you, hummingbird,” Klaus murmured, his lips skimming along my jaw. “It has been far too long since I’ve been lost inside your warmth.”
It was true. I hadn’t had sex since the night I was with Anson and Cole. That had been well over a week ago now. Everything had been too hectic, emotions all over as we tried to navigate through everything.
“Soon,” I said, breathless, as he gripped my hips and pulled me against his hard cock straining against his pants.
“Not soon enough, my love.” He nipped my bottom lip.
“I need to check on Ellis,” I rasped.
He chuckled softly before releasing me. I stared down at him, hungry for all that was him. His blue eyes sparkled knowingly before he kissed my rings on my ring finger.
“I’ll have you soon. See to our daughter. I need to call Levin.”
I surged forward and crushed my lips against his in a deep kiss.
Klaus was everything to me. He’d softened so much over the years.
When I’d first met him, he’d terrified me because he was so quiet, sullen, and grouchy.
Now, I realized it was all a mask, and he was really the sweetest man and loved deeply.
He’d just never had anyone before who cared for him in that manner.
“Fuck, baby, you’re going to make a liar out of me,” he moaned softly against my lips. “If you don’t leave now, I’m going to fuck you right here on this couch.”
I laughed softly against his lips before breaking away. It took everything I had to move off him, but I finally was able to.
He smirked at me from his spot, his hand over the impressive tent he was sporting in his pants.
“You’re the devil,” he said through the smirk.
“Sinner,” I teased.
His smile widened, his eyes sparkling. “Always for you, baby.”
I chuckled at that and left him to go to Ellis. But my mind immediately went to Ryder and my fears for him. He’d nearly died. I wasn’t able to go see him, Ani’s orders. He wanted me to stay inside, but it was killing me. I’d thrown up earlier in the day because I’d been so worried.
If it wasn’t Ryder on my mind, then it was the horsemen.
I needed to see Enzo. I knew Evan couldn’t handle telling him right now, but Enzo needed to know before Dante got to him.
And Dante… my brother needed a come-to-God moment.
And I was God.
At midnight, I crept out from beneath Evan and Klaus and dressed in all black before tiptoeing out of the bedroom and going to check on Ellis. She was sleeping peacefully, clutching Mr. Rufus.
I’d spoken to Ani earlier in the evening, and he said Ryder was out of it on pain meds and couldn’t talk. That seemed to be the usual response I would get on the matter.
The cops weren’t coming up with any leads, and Klaus had sent more men out to look. So far, we had no answers, and it terrified me.
I pulled my phone out and hit Levin’s number, praying he’d answer me.
The phone rang five times, and I was resigned to just hang up, when his deep voice came on the line.
“What happened?” he demanded, his voice muffled. He’d clearly been sleeping, and I’d woken him.
“N-Nothing,” I said. God, I hadn’t spoken to him in forever.
“Rosalie, what’s wrong?” he pressed. “Is my dad OK?” I noted the tremor in his voice. They’d worked long and hard on their relationship, and while Levin still was a bit cold, I knew he cared for Klaus.
“H-He’s fine. I-I need a favor.”
Levin was quiet for a moment before speaking again. “I’m going to guess my dad doesn’t know.”
“Right.”
He sighed. “Where are you?”
“At the safe house Dominic set up. Can you… Can you come get me?”
He was quiet again before I heard background noise.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” The line disconnected, and I closed my eyes. I wasn’t sure if he’d come, but he was really the only one I could reach out to about this.
I kept glancing at the bedroom, hoping the guys hadn’t woken and noticed me gone. Finally, there was a soft knock on the door. I pulled it open to find Levin standing in front of me, shrouded in black.
He raised his brows at me.
“Seems we had the same idea. Maybe I’m turning into Dom with knowing shit I shouldn’t know.”
I stepped out of the apartment, locking the door behind me.
“Thank you for coming,” I said, reaching out to hug him.
He hugged me back tightly.
“It’s been a long time,” he mumbled. “I assume you’re keeping my old man in line.”
“Sometimes,” I said, pulling away.
He nodded tightly. I wasn’t sure what he thought about Klaus and me. Klaus didn’t discuss it, and I didn’t ask.
“Where are we scurrying off to tonight?” Levin asked.
“Um, I need to see my brother.”
He groaned and closed his blue eyes. “Fucking Church? That’s the last goddamn place I want to go.”
“You can leave me there. He will make sure I get back—”
“Not happening. If I’m with you, then I’m with you. My old man will kill my ass if something happens to you. Come on, troublemaker.” He grunted and gestured for me to follow him. I did, and we got into the elevator and headed down to the lobby.
“Klaus said you’re going to be a dad. Congrats,” I said.
He smirked. “Thanks. It’s going to be… wild.”
“Well, you’re not too new to it. You guys have the other kids.”
“Full house,” he muttered. “Drive me fucking nuts. I woke up the other day to my arms tied to the bedpost. Spoiler. It wasn’t the adults in the house.
Saint and King strapped my ass in and held a water gun to my head and demanded chocolate cake for breakfast. Poor Vinny was strapped to a damn chair in the living room.
They’d colored in marker over his face. He’s still trying to get the shit off. ”
I winced. “They’re wild, huh?”
“Wouldn’t be a king if they weren’t.” He winked at me.
“So did you give them the cake?”