“Do you like her?” I ventured.
He gave me a sad smile. “Yeah, man. Emily is great.”
“Then go to her. Make it happen.”
He clapped me on the shoulder, looking so fucking sad it was breaking my heart.
“One day at a time, brother. I’m going to get to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day with Laz. We have that house to look at. You said you wanted a pool. This has it.” He left me and went upstairs.
I flopped back onto the couch, pulled my phone out, and stared at all the images on Rosalie’s social media, hating that I was putting myself through it. I didn’t deserve her. In fact, a fitting punishment of her being with Anson and having his kids was exactly what I should get.
It turned my stomach to think it was just around the corner. Everything I didn’t want to happen between them had happened. He married my girl. He gave her what I couldn’t. He was the one between her legs every night.
Not me.
Never me again.
It didn’t make it hurt any less, despite my deciding long ago I wasn’t worthy.
I wouldn’t burden her ever again with my bullshit. I’d vowed it to Fox at his grave one night when I’d drunk too much, and I vowed it to Dante Church when I signed the blood pact.
I was a man of my word.
Rosalie was free from me.
Forever.
24
KLAUS
“Here.” I handed Evan a beer.
“What’s this for?” he asked as I stepped around him to settle on the couch.
“It’s been a long day,” I mumbled before taking a deep drink. I hadn’t been a beer drinker until I moved in with Evan and Anson, but they made it seem like a nice escape. I was used to top-shelf liquor, but a beer from time to time really helped me out.
Evan took a drink from his beer and wiped his mouth.
“Something’s up. What is it?” he pressed. He’d hit his deadline and was free for a bit. That made things less lonely.
“Guess I’m feeling lonely. Figured you may be too.”
He sighed. “She’ll be home soon.”
“Likely with a horseman,” I muttered, drinking again. I wasn’t against her getting close to them, not really, but we’d left that life, and I rather liked the calm I lived in now. Going back, especially after Fox’s “death” and Ellis, just screamed bad news to me. Enzo wasn’t some run-of-the-mill wannabe. He was the real deal. Billions of dollars to throw around. Power. Respect. Fear.
He had turned into Matteo.
But now that Teo was gone, all that was left was Enzo and the horsemen. Of course, Dominic was definitely still in the game, but he had an alliance many could only dream of.
“Maybe,” Evan said, not bothering to deny it.
“Aren’t you upset over it?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Not really. I miss them, too, but I am still pissed about the shit they did to her. Not so much E as he was struggling. But there isn’t an excuse for Cole and Enzo. I’d like to see them again just so I could punch them both in the face.”
“I’d also like to,” I said. “I saw her back then. She was a mess. But had they not done it, I’d not be here, so I’m conflicted on the violence.”
