“I’m saying you could say thank you,” E said. “That’s all.”
“If I remember correctly, Enzo fucked around on my wife and broke her heart. Got the woman pregnant. Left Ro devastated, especially after her boyfriend’s death. Then Enzo and Cole, well, the story goes that Cole’s brother found Rosalie in her dead boyfriend’s bedroom with a gun in her mouth. So you’ll have to excuse me for not giving thanks so easily.” He paused. “Of course, I will thank them both someday for letting her go because she came to me. Destiny and all that.”
A muscle thrummed along E’s jaw. I cast a quick look at Klaus, who was visibly tense.
“Is there anything I should thank you for?” Evan asked softly, his voice that rough, raspy tenor. “Because I’m feeling generous right now.”
“When I find Rosalie, I’m going to tell her you’re not right for her,” E said, his voice steady. “You can thank me for saving her that way since I wasn’t well enough to save her before.”
Evan chuckled. “OK. You do that. We’ll see how it goes.” He stood, and E matched him.
Klaus shook his head slightly at me, wanting me to let this play out. E and Fox had been close, so seeing them like this was odd. Of course, E didn’t know Evan was Fox, but still.
“Don’t,” Evan murmured. “That thought in your head where you think you’re going to challenge me?Don’t.”
“I want you to know that I’d go to war for Rosalie,” E said, his voice still strong. “She was mine before she was yours.”
Evan huffed out a soft laugh. “Sure. If it helps you sleep at night.”
“You think I’m bluffing?” E raised his brows. “Don’t fucking play games with me. I will kill you without hesitating.”
“Funny you say that.” Evan stepped up to E and leaned in. His voice was loud enough for Klaus and me to hear, though. “One thing I’m good at is coming back from the dead, so bring it on, little horsie. I’m OK with being a villain.”
Evan pushed past him and went upstairs without looking back.
“E, man, what are you doing?” I called out to him.
He looked at me. “He’s not good for her.” His hands shook. “She’s my friend. I can’t let this shit go on.”
“Because he didn’t say thank you?” Klaus asked. “Ethan, may I say that’s a little petty and nitpicky? Evan doesn’t do a lot of talking. That’s just his nature. You can hate him if you need to, but don’t pick a fight with him. You won’t win.”
“I don’t fucking lose these days,” E said softly. “Ever.”
“No offense, E, but neither do we,” I replied. “Don’t make us your enemy. Evan is our brother, and he’s Rosalie’s husband. He’s Ellis’s dad?—”
“Cole is her dad,” E said.
“Don’t mess this up,” I said, my voice low. “You may be a horseman, and you aren’t scared of shit, but, and I mean this respectfully, our army is bigger than yours.”
“Because of Church?” E asked, laughing softly. “I don’t need the fucking underground, Anson.”
“My son will not fight against me,” Klaus said. “Not now. Perhaps you need a break. Go home. See your brothers. Make your choices if you think they need to be made, but if you made a promise to Rosalie, I ask that you honor it. She deserves to have promises kept, not broken. She has lived through too many broken promises from the horsemen.”
E visibly swallowed before giving us a nod. “You’re right. Choices do need to be made. I’ll be seeing you.” He went to the door.
“E,” I called out.
He turned back to look at me.
“Make the right choices because you care about Rosalie, not because you think you hate someone you aren’t giving a chance to.”
He stared at me for a moment before pulling the door open and leaving. It clicked closed behind him.
“Do you think we’re going to have trouble?” I asked Klaus as I stared at the closed door.
“Of course,” Klaus said. “Do you think I give a fuck?”
“No.”
