66. Enzo #3
“She was with her. Fucking, Enzo. Do I need to spell it out for you? Ethan was raped by them. He was completely out of it. I was not brought to that room to torture him. I was brought there to be tortured because my father knew I cared about Ethan. It was my punishment.”
Rosalie wept softly at the information.
“So I put a little bug into Vander Veer’s ear.
I said you would be the one Celeste should marry because I knew you loved your brothers and I knew you would end her life.
Ethan does not know what his mother, Alina, did to him.
All the pieces were in place, and you played the fucking game. You won. And here we are now.”
I choked down the bile burning my throat. “Where is Alina? Where is she now?”
“Below our feet,” he said softly. “Perhaps I can introduce you to her once you’re feeling more up to it. Or maybe Ethan would like to speak to her. I will give him one free hour with her to do as he pleases in our weapons room. But if he prefers his bare hands, then I find that acceptable.”
“Dante, you waited this long?” Rosalie asked, wiping her tears.
“I only recently acquired her. Ethan deserved to know at the right time. No time seemed right; it is why I am offering Lorenzo the hour with her instead if he decides he wants to do his brother a favor. Think on it. Let me know.” Church stood, face to face with me, his voice low.
“I knew the ending before you even started the story, Lorenzo. Be careful out there. It’s not safe. ”
He stepped away from me and went to Rosalie. He helped her to stand before he hugged her to him. I couldn’t hear what he said to her, but she didn’t hug him back. He pulled away and kissed the corner of her lips tenderly.
“I love you, sister. We will speak soon.”
And with that, we were dismissed.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded as Memphis pulled along a side street.
“I don’t know, boss. I’m not getting any power. I don’t understand.”
I sighed and opened my door. “Pop the hood.”
Memphis did so, and I peered beneath the hood. He got out and looked with me.
“I don’t get it. It was fine before. I’ll call Elijah and have him come. Get back into the car, boss. It’s not safe out here for you.”
Rosalie came out to join us, and I put my arm around her waist.
“Come,” I said, looking around uneasily. I guided her back to the backseat, but gunshots rang out.
Memphis let out a cry, and I watched him fall, the bullets hitting him.
“Run! RUN!” I shouted at Rosalie, pulling my gun.
She stared wide-eyed at me for a moment before shaking her head.
“I won’t leave you!”
“Fucking go!” I shoved her hard, and she fell against the side of the SUV as more gunshots rang out. Windows shattered. Glass rained on us.
I shot back, knowing damn well I was outnumbered.
I pulled my phone out and tossed it to Rosalie.
“Call for help,” I said before going back to shooting.
“Evan! EVAN! PLEASE! HELP!” she shouted into the phone as more gunshots sounded out. I heard her rattling off directions before she screamed, her arm bleeding.
She’d been shot.
My girl was shot.
Ugly images of the night she was hurt at our engagement party raced through my head.
I grabbed her and tugged her against my body as I continued to shoot.
And then…
Click.
I was out of bullets.
I stared at Rosalie, my heart in my throat.
“Enzo—”
“I love you, Sunshine. I have always loved you. You were the first thing I thought of every morning, and the last face I saw when I closed my eyes. You were my always. My forever. I-I’m sorry for everything.
I’m so fucking sorry.” I wept and clung to her.
She sobbed into my chest as I closed my eyes.
“Enzo. I love you. I love you,” she kept repeating.
I had nothing left to defend us with. I’d gone through three magazines. I was out.
So this was the end.
I let out a cry as a bullet hit my shoulder. And then somewhere low in my back. Then my leg.
We fell to the ground, me on top of Rosalie, shielding her as the bullets whizzed past.
“I love you,” I choked out. “My Sunshine.”
“Enzo.” She wept softly, her entire body shaking beneath mine as I shielded her.
“Close your eyes, baby. Close them,” I whispered, my voice shaking from the pain as another bullet struck me.
She screamed as a bullet tore through my back again. I knew it went straight through and hit her too.
Fuck. Why, god! Fucking why?
Please, let her live. Let her live!
I continued to shield her body with mine, taking the bullets as they rained down on us. There was nowhere to run. We couldn’t escape.
Blood tainted my tongue. My vision grew darker.
“Enzo. Enzo! P-Please,” Rosalie choked out. “Don’t… Don’t leave me. PLEASE! I need you! I need you!”
“Sunshine… F-Forgive me.”
The sounds of the violence began to fade as my eyes shuttered closed. My ears rang. I was so weak. So tired. My body felt so light.
I’d spent years building this empire, only to give it away and have this be how I was taken out once I was free.
The pain melted away, taking Rosalie’s soft sobs with it.
And then…
Darkness.
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