I knew this was a possibility. It sort of went hand in hand with the new contract Church might write up for us. However, if he didn’t, Cole could very well be tortured and executed in the underground for violating the contract that was already in place. Rosalie may be able to pull a lot of strings, but I doubted she could rein in a pissed-off Dante Church and his fucking blood contracts.
I said as much to Cole.
“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head, still not looking at me. “Whether he changes the contract or not, I know what I want, and I’m going to get it. If it means I die for it, so be it. I’d rather die than be without my family.”
E cast a quick look at me.
I wasn’t surprised this was Cole’s answer.
“What about us?” I asked. “What does it mean for… us?”
“I-I don’t know.”
I licked my lips. “Cole, walking out of this life includes us. You’re prepared to go no contact with me and E? Forever?”
He was quiet for a long time before he looked at me, tears in his blue eyes.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Both of you, but they’re my family. You know how much I’ve prayed for this. I-I would leave. I’m sorry.”
“It’s OK,” E said. “I understand. We knew it was a possibility going into this. I want your happiness, Cole. If it’s away from us, so be it. I will always be on your side. No hard feelings. Only happiness for you, brother. ”
“Thank you,” Cole whispered.
He looked to me. “Enzo?”
I said nothing as we locked eyes.
“Come with me. Both of you. We don’t need the money from this mob shit. We could all have a new life. A family with the girl we love. Please…?”
“That is not a possibility,” I said gently. “We left to protect her. E doesn’t want her to know about Riot, and he looks just like E. We couldn’t explain that away. Plus, once she does realize it, she might boot you out for keeping it from her.”
“She deserves the truth. Foxy would want that for her,” he murmured. “Foxy would want us to have a new life and to be together. She’s a good girl. She’d accept Riot, and he’d get a little sister to protect. I know Rosalie would take him as her own. She could love all of us?—”
“Her and her new group?” I scoffed. “And don’t forget Ryder, because he’s working his way in. Do you really want to share your girl with men you barely know?”
“I know Anson and you guys,” he mumbled.
“You hate Anson. Just because your cocks touched last night doesn’t mean he’s your bestie, Cole. It means he’s tolerating you, but will likely push your ass out the first misstep you take.” I stared Cole down.
Cole frowned at my words. It wasn’t like I wanted him to stay behind with us, because I did want his happiness, but I alsodidwant him to stay behind. He was my best friend. Losing him would be like losing Rosalie. The same held true for E.
“As for Fox,” I started. “Maybe we should go to his grave today, and sort of talk things out?—”
“No.” E shook his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Don’t… I-I’m not going to his grave ever again.”
Both Cole and I looked at him like he’d lost his mind. E made weekly trips to Fox’s grave. In the beginning, he’d sit out there for hours talking to the air because he missed him and blamed himself. This was unlike him.
“What?” I asked.
“I’ll go to Foxy’s,” Cole said.
“I’m not going, and that’s final,” E said in a no-nonsense voice. “We don’t need to be wasting our time out there. It’s pointless. He moved on.”
“Uh, yeah, E. He died,” Cole said softly.
E scoffed, shaking his head.
I frowned as I took in the way E’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He was being weird.
