SWNOVELS In Ruins: Chapter 22
After the night at Enzo’s, I curled up in bed, my mind troubled. They’d sent the video to Fox. I hadn’t heard anything from him, so I assumed no news was good news. However, Fox was more dangerous when he was silent.
I rolled over in bed, unable to sleep. My phone buzzing on my nightstand had me sitting up and reaching for it, wondering if Cole and Enzo were going to taunt me with the video like they were doing with the other one.
Fox: Can I call you?
I stared down at my phone in stupified silence. Fox wanted to call me? And he was asking for permission?
Fox: I can’t sleep.
With shaky hands, I texted him back.
Rosalie: Call me.
I held my breath, waiting for his phone call. A moment later, my phone buzzed in my hand, his name on the screen. Hauling in a deep breath, I answered.
“Hello?”
“Rosalie,” Fox’s deep voice greeted me.
“Hey.” I stared down at my blanket, unsure what to say to him.
“I wanted to talk to you about Enzo.”
I swallowed thickly. “OK.”
“He told me you guys worked on a song for your audition.”
I breathed out slowly, my anxiety dying down. “Oh. Yeah. He helped me to finish writing it today.”
Fox grew quiet for a moment before he cleared his throat. “I’ll play guitar for you for your audition if you want.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared down at it dumbfounded. I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him correctly.
“What?” I asked when I put the phone back to my ear.
“I’ll play guitar for you,” he repeated.
“Oh. Um, OK. I guess if you want.”
“I do.”
There was an awkward silence.
“I can get the music to you—”
“I already have it.”
“OK. That works.”
We were quiet for a moment before he cleared his throat. “How are classes going?”
I frowned. Was he drunk? He never spoke to me, at least not in such a nice capacity.
“They’re OK. Physics sucks.”
“I bet. That’s why I don’t take it.”
“Well, you probably wouldn’t be able to handle it anyway,” I retorted, biting my lip after the words came out.
Fox laughed a deep, genuine laugh at my words. “You’re probably right.”
I smiled, relaxing. “I’m surprised you called me.”
“Me too.” He grew quiet once more. “The guys really like you.”
“Surprisingly, I like them too. Most of the time, anyway.”
Fox chuckled. “Yeah, they can be pains in the ass sometimes.”
“I can think of a few instances.”
Fox cleared his throat. We both knew I was referring to the blackmailing.
“Any issues with Ian?”
I didn’t answer right away. What was I supposed to say? Anything I did say would end up with Ian’s face smashed in again and him spilling our secret to Jamie in retaliation.
“No.” I swallowed down my anxiety. “Everything’s OK.”
“Good.”
“I know you hurt him.”
Fox chuckled, this time chills coursed through me. “He deserved it. He used you. He drugged you, Rosie. He’s a piece of shit.”
“I could say the same thing about you guys. You used me.”
“This is different.”
“How?” I whispered, desperate for answers. Needing him—needing them—to be different.
“Rosalie, come to the window.”
I blinked rapidly. He switched gears so fast.
“Now,” he commanded softly.
Knowing better than to defy him, I got to my feet, shuffled to my window, and pushed the curtains back to find a shirtless Fox sitting in his window seat, staring out at me. I slid my window open as he did the same and peered back at him.
“What are you doing?” I called out.
“I don’t fucking know anymore,” he answered, a stricken expression on his face. “Going crazy, I think.”
“I heard I’m a freak. I’m sure crazy is part of that. Maybe I can help?”
Even with the distance between us, I could see the pain reflecting in his eyes.
“I think you might make it worse.”
“You won’t know until you try,” I offered, my heart going out to him.
He looked so sad as he stared back at me. “That’s the problem. I’m terrified of trying.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve spent years avoiding everything about it. And now that I have everything in place, I’m not sure I can go through with it.”
“I know we’ve been apart for a long time, Fox, but do you remember when we’d go to the old tree fort in the woods behind our houses? Do you remember when we were telling ghost stories and I said I was scared to go to sleep? Do you remember what you told me?”
Fox let out a soft, sad chuckle, resting his head against his windowsill. “How could I forget. I told you I’d chase all the monsters away.”
I nodded sadly, tears springing to my eyes.
“The same stands true for me. I’d do it for you. Even now.”
“Oh, Rosie,” he sighed, closing his eyes. When he opened them, I could make out the sheen of tears in them, a mirror of my own. My heart ached for whatever he was going through.
“I don’t know what’s going on, Fox, but I’m here if you want to talk.”
He looked down at his hands.
“I should let you go.”
“If you want. I was in bed anyway—”
“No. I mean, I should delete the video and set you free.”
My heart kicked wildly in my chest at the prospect of freedom. Did that mean the other guys would go too? Panic set in at the realization that I was beginning to enjoy our moments together, even when they were being jerks.
“Are you going to?”
“I should.” He picked a piece of fuzz on his pajama bottoms. “I need to sleep, Rosie. Thanks for the talk.”
“You’re welcome,” I answered softly as he gave me another sad smile.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”
“Night, Fox.”
He closed the window and shut the curtains behind him, leaving me to sit there wondering what the hell was happening to my enemy. Or was he my friend?