Klaus studied me for a moment before accepting my answer with a nod.
Even if I couldn’t join, I wanted to bring her home because I loved her.
I loved her so fucking much.
I’d pushed her out of my head for way too long, and it was having an effect on me. If Enzo got Church to agree to the new contract terms, then she’d be out of my life for good.
But I loved my brother, and I knew he needed Rosalie. I knew I could survive without her. I had been surviving without her. I wasn’t so sure Cole could.
“Clear your schedule,” Klaus said, getting to his feet. “We have a busy day ahead of us.”
I stood, followed him out of the restaurant, to his fancy Aston Martin waiting with a valet, and got into the passenger seat.
“You have a gun?” he asked, starting the engine.
“Always.”
“Then let’s put it to work.” He revved the engine before pulling onto the street.
I would bring her home or die trying.
35
ANSON
Nothing.
Not a fucking thing.
We’d been looking for Rosalie for almost a week now. The band had returned to L.A. There was no point in them hanging out here, even though they seemed intent on helping out. I’d told them they’d be helping more by going home and keeping Trix company, since Dante was taking on Ellis duties now. Trix lived in our big mansion with Cotton. She had to be bored.
So they’d left, and we still had no leads with dead ends all around.
I was sick. So fucking sick.
The best we had was Cole losing his shit on a reporter and beating the piss out of him in front of all the cameras. It put Enzo in the spotlight even more, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Enzo had already paid off the prick who provoked Cole.
I barely slept. I’d made statements to the press, saying that Rosalie was home and needed rest. The label thought it was better this way, but it was killing me inside to know she was still out there.
The cops were next to useless. Klaus threatened Henderson enough that I hadn’t even made it to the precinct before they pulled over and undid my cuffs. They’d left me on a damn sidewalk, and Klaus and Evan had picked me up. Now, Henderson was sitting in an unemployment line somewhere because Klaus kept his promise.
I hadn’t seen E yet, but I knew Klaus had been working closely with him. It was odd to see him doing it, considering I knew he wasn’t a horsemen fan, but I was grateful anyway.
While Klaus and E scoured the city, Evan and I worked on our part. I’d contacted Dom, and he’d sent his men for me, which I was grateful for. I knew he and Rosalie had a friendship at one point, and whenever we’d spoken over the years, he’d ask how she was doing, which meant he still gave a damn about her.
I lay in bed next to Evan that night. He’d been so sick and exhausted that I forced him to take some sleeping pills to get some rest. He’d refused at first, and I almost had to fight him, but finally he relented when I told him if we weren’t strong, we wouldn’t be able to fight for Rosalie. That seemed to do the trick because he’d swallowed them down and fallen asleep almost immediately.
I should have taken my own advice, but I couldn’t shake this shit. I blamed myself for all of it. I never should have gone out that night to see the new band. I should have had more security on. I should have cut the night out early and gone to her. It was killing me inside.
I knew Ryder was dealing with the guilt, too. He’d been released from the hospital and was staying with us at Klaus’s penthouse. He still had more resting and recovering to do, so he held down the place while we went out. But I’d heard him crying in his room last night, and when I’d gone in to check on him, he’d stared at me with so much turmoil on his face that I broke down too.
“I’m sorry, Anson. Man, I fucked up. The guy came out of nowhere. I-I tried. Fuck. I tried. He had the upper hand. I’m so fucking sorry, brother. Please. Don’t hate me. I hate myself enough already. I was in my feelings that night and not paying attention. I don’t know what the fuck is the matter with me. I’m sorry,” he choked out.
I hugged him to me, and we both cried.
“I don’t blame you. I don’t,” I whispered. “I love you, man. I know you. I know you’d have died to protect her. We’ll get her back. I know we will.”
He sobbed softly as he clung to me. “I miss her. Ellis misses her. You guys… our-our family. You’re all I have, and I fucked it up.”
