“Rosalie, come on?—”
“I like that part of my life to be private. I don’t break promises to him. He’s my world, Ethan. I love him so damn much. I just… I can’t break a promise.” She hugged herself, and I knew just by her reaction that this wasn’t some silly Hollywood marriage. This was the real deal. She truly loved this Evan guy.
“I would like to meet him,” I continued gently. “I don’t want our friendship to cause any rifts.”
“He knows everything about you already.” She looked at me. “He does. He’s OK with you and me being friends.”
I studied her for a moment before deciding that if she was good with it, then I would be too.
“So you married this Evan guy?”
“Yes.”
“Why not Anson? You guys made a lot of sense.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Evan asked first.”
I nodded. “Guess that makes sense. Was Anson upset?”
She shook her head. “No. We spent the night together on my wedding night. The three of us. He’s happy. We all are. My three guys and I.”
Three guys. She had three guys. We’d been fucking replaced.
My throat was tight. “It seems like it all worked out.”
She shrugged and looked out the window again. I’d somehow taken this conversation to a place that seemed to hurt us both. I didn’t like that I’d done that. She was the last person I ever wanted to hurt, but damnit, I had to know what she had going on in her life. I was desperate to know her again. Even the painful parts.
“Is one of your band the other guy? That Cas guy?” I ventured. I figured if I was going to hurt my feelings, I may as well get it over with.
She laughed softly. “God no. There’s no way I could handle Cassius. Hex is a superior grouch ass. There’s just no way.”
“Is it Riley?”
She gave me a smile. “No, it’s not Riley.”
I nodded and looked at my hands.
She reached out and placed her hand gently over mine.
“Klaus,” she murmured. “He’s my third.”
I closed my eyes.Klaus Seeley.Of-fucking-course he was. He’d left Chicago around three years ago. Levin said he was headed to California for work. He needed to get out of Chicago after everything. That he had a security firm out there and was doing real estate.
In the back of my mind, I wondered if Rosalie was the reason for his California retirement. Now it was confirmed. I suspect Enzo wondered too, but he never said anything, probablybecause he was trying to protect me and keep Cole from losing his mind completely.
“Only three?” I asked, looking over at her. “Do you have plans to add more?”
She reached out and cradled my face. “Maybe.”
“Really?” My heart jumped in my chest. I hadn’t meant me, but if she were offering…
Fuck, there was no way in hell. None. I couldn’t leave my life. I was meant to replace Cole on the contract if Church would allow it.
“Yeah, but we live very different lives. I don’t think it would work out. I’d never ask you to leave your life.” She stared at me.
I placed my hand over hers on my cheek before wrapping my fingers over it and bringing her hand to my lips. I kissed her fingertips gently.
“I know,” I whispered.
