“It’s lonely at the top, isn’t it?” he finally asked.
“Yes,” I whispered.
His phone buzzed, but he didn’t bother to look at it. Instead, he spoke.
“Klaus and Evan are home.”
Thank fuck.
32
EVAN
To say I was surprised to walk into our house and find Enzo in our living room would be an understatement.
He stood as Klaus and I stepped inside.
“Hey. What’s going on?” I demanded.
“Uh, I have news on the stalker situation,” he said.
“Sit.” Klaus pointed back to Enzo’s seat.
Enzo sat once more, and we took up places in the living room. Me next to Anson, across from Enzo, and Klaus on the love seat.
“Tell us,” I said, taking in the way he looked.
Tired. Angry. On the edge of screaming.
I knew Enzo well enough to know when he was stressed. Anson had likely been giving him a hard time.
“There was a shooting at one of my clubs,” he started. “One of the men was apprehended. One of Virelli’s men.”
I nodded, really not liking where this was clearly going.
“We took him to a warehouse and questioned him.” He paused. “He said Rosalie is a target. They know she’s pregnant. They know she was with me. They think….”
“That getting to her will get to you,” Klaus finished, his voice filled with violence.
Enzo nodded. “It appears that way. The guy knew that Rosalie had been to my place. I’m not really surprised, being as I know Virelli watches my shit. But he knew she was pregnant. How?”
“How indeed,” I murmured, looking over at Anson.
His hands visibly shook. “What else?”
“They want her. We were told Virelli would cut the baby from her and send it to us in pieces,” Enzo whispered, his voice thick. “Then he said Laz was next.”
Anson swore and got to his feet, kicking at the couch, his body trembling.
“She’s not safe here,” Enzo continued. “I have more information. I did some digging. Virelli has men here. Lots of men. H-He’s been linked to Mikhail Ivanov, and Mikhail is in L.A. as we speak.”
“Fuck!” Anson shouted. “Fucking hell! This is your goddamn fault! You should have had the fucking sense to leave this life years ago when Fox died! It was your fucking out, De Luca! Now look! My baby… my girl… are at risk. We have spent the better part of the last few years living in complete fucking bliss. In safety. And now this shit! WE FUCKING ESCAPED THAT LIFE! You were too fucking stupid to let it go! Now look! FUCKING LOOK!”
“Hey, hey, man.” I got up and went to Anson. I cradled his face. “Look at me. Rosalie is safe. She is. Ellis is safe. The baby is nestled safely in Ro’s belly. Everything is going to be OK, brother.”
“Fuck, Evan, I-I can’t…”
“I know,” I murmured. “I know. But we’re smart. We’re strong. We have the means. We may not want to, but for our family?—”
