“Hey, Cole,” Anson called out.
“Yeah?”
“Take Rosalie to your bedroom,” he said.
I hesitated. “Why?”
“So we can talk,” Anson said.
I looked at Rosalie for her answer, and she nodded, so I went to her and scooped her into my arms before leaving the room with her. I walked her to my bedroom and deposited her on the bed. Carefully, I propped the phone up on my dresser and settled in next to her.
It felt really fucking weird to be next to her, knowing she wasn’t really mine, and that we were talking to her three guys. I felt like I’d stepped into the twilight zone.
“How is everything going?” Anson asked.
“Fine,” Rosalie said, glancing at me. “It’s… different.”
I nodded. She wasn’t wrong.
“Plans for… more?” Klaus asked.
My heart kicked in my chest. I looked over at Rosalie to see her staring down at her hands.
“It’s too soon,” she murmured. “I-I don’t know.”
“I want to,” I said immediately, jumping on my damn chance. Fuck it. Yeah, it had been five years, but she was everything I’d ever wanted, and we had a daughter. I didn’t see a reason why we couldn’t be together again.
Rosalie looked at me. “You said you were done.” She frowned.
“I also said I liked spiders when I was eight to impress some bitch in my class who said she had a pet one. I’m a fucking liar, Rosebud. I already told you I wanted to try. I wasn’t kidding then.”
Her lips twitched in the corners as we stared at one another.
“We wanted to get some things out in the open,” Anson continued. “We’ve already discussed it, and Rosalie has agreed. We’re open to you joining us, but you have to leave the life.”
“The life? My life?” I shook my head. “I-I can’t leave here. I’m almost done with my residency?—”
“The mafia,” Klaus said in his deep rumble. “You leave that life. None of us wishes to be a part of it. It makes no sense to bring that danger to our door. We do not ache for more power or wealth, nor fame. We have all of that. If you want to join Rosalie with us, that is our hard limit.”
“I-I…” I looked from the screen back to Rosalie, my heart in my throat. I didn’t mind leaving this life of crime, but I had a hard time saying I would because it meant leaving behind E and Enzo. And Riot.
Fuck.
“Fox died for her freedom,” Anson said softly. “Don’t let that death be in vain.”
“Fuck,” I whispered, swallowing hard. Throwing Fox’s name out was a low blow.
“You should kiss her,” Evan said as I stared back at Rosalie. “Maybe it’ll help you make your decision. If you’re not feeling it, then there’s no point in wasting anyone’s time. We can work on scheduling visitation for you with Ellis if you choose to be in her life. That visitation will only happen in L.A. if you aren’t leaving the life. We can’t risk our daughter becoming a victim as Rosalie has over the years.”
I looked over at him, my mouth going dry.Was he fucking serious?
“You’re going to dictate when I see my daughter?” I scoffed at him. “I think the fuck not?—”
“I’m going to dictate it. Evan, Anson, and Klaus are going to enforce it,” Rosalie said softly. “Ellis’s safety matters to us. You know as well as I do that this life isn’t safe, Cole. Do you really want the same shit happening to her that’s happened to us? To me?”
I swallowed hard at her words. “No,” I whispered. “I don’t.”
“Then kiss her,” Evan said firmly. “If the spark still exists, perhaps it’ll guide you in your decision. We have Rosaliescheduled to return home within the month. Once she’s here, this is where she will remain. With Ellis.”
