“Once you go Gene, you never go back,” he joked, keeping it light. “Ethan saw you through the window. Are you okay?” he asked, realizing he said that a lot to both brothers.
For some reason, Callen found that one question amusing.
Was he?
No.
Not even close.
Callen was struggling with a lot at that moment. He’d only stayed because if he went to Timothy’s stirred up, the man would be up his ass.
Then up Ethan’s.
So, instead, he was standing there fully expecting Kaya Cheek to jump out of the trees to make an attack on his cabin to get to Ethan.
Boy…
She would have been shocked as shit.
“Yeah, I’m good. I just didn’t want to bother both of you as you fornicated on my couch.”
Yeah, about that.
“I’m sorry we funked up your furniture. I’ll replace it if you’d like. If it’s any consolation, my ass wasn’t rawdogging it. I kept my clothes on to give you a little respect.”
Callen appreciated that. From what he saw so far, it appeared Ethan was in a good relationship and had not broken up with the man.
So that couldn’t be why he came back here.
That was the big mystery.
“That couch has seen worse. Besides, I owed him one. I fucked his girlfriend, so…no worries about it. I am worried about Ethan. Is he going to be okay?” he asked. “He showed up early this morning and was in a bad way.”
Oh, he bet.
Gene reassured him.
“He will be. We’re going home tomorrow.”
Yeah, he figured.
Honestly, it was for the best. With Kaya circling, Wyler drinking again, and Timothy meddling…this place would make Ethan go insane.
God knew he wanted to lose his ever-loving mind on a daily basis being here.
“Good. Keep him as far from here as possible. I see a change in him,” he admitted. “You’re giving him his life back. That’s all I want for him. I want Ethan to survive this. One of us has to.”
Gene could hear the love in his voice.
And the pain.
So, he opted to help the man out. Ethan had told him many times how before he was taken by CPS, he and Callen would always be together so they could protect each other from bullies, the world, and their family.
Yeah, he owed him one.
“He loves you,” he admitted. “He thinks about you often, and he talks about you.”
Callen laughed.
