“Plotting my death?”
Gene shared. Hopefully, one day, Ethan would forgive himself enough that he could find his way back to Callen. It was crystal clear that they were two peas in a very bad-situation pod.
“No. I have brothers,” Gene shared. “If I called them, they wouldn’t come. If you called Ethan, he’d show up in a heartbeat.Take that kernel of knowledge how you will. What you think you know about him doesn’t not make it the truth.”
He looked over and there were tears in Callen’s brown eyes.
“Please take care of him. Get him the fuck out of this cesspool. I love him more than he’ll ever know. Please don’t tell him I told you to take him out of here. He’d think it’s for other reasons. He’s suspicious as fuck.”
Oh, Gene knew.
Since Timothy told him the same thing, he was beginning to think it wasn’t a coincidence.
This place was dangerous to his man’s heart.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get him out.”
Callen stopped leaning on his truck and kept talking. If this man was going to be his brother’s person, he needed him to be well-aware of this place.
“I’m serious about you getting him out of here. Unfortunately, the Shaman is always right, and he said this place will lure him back. If you love him, like I think you do, don’t let him return. Let him forget about me, and this place. For the record, I didn’t sleep with his girlfriend because I wanted her.”
He said nothing.
But Callen did.
“There’s nothing here for him. I don’t want to have to break him again so he never returns.”
Gene was surprised by the last part.
“Please. I’ll always show up for him, but I won’t call him back here. Someone has to save Ethan’s soul. I dropped the ball. You can’t.”
With that, he moved to get into his truck.
As he started it up, he rolled down his window.
“The Shaman wants us at his place for six. Be prepared to be mind fucked. It’s what he does best. After that, run,” he saidright before backing up from his own driveway to leave Gene standing there.
The whole time, he watched him escape because that was definitely what he was doing.
And Gene had one thought.
Yeah, that was both the weirdest and most terrifying conversation he’d had.
It was clear that they couldn’t come back here.
It felt like Ethan’s soul depended on it.
Chapter Six
Friday Evening
Timothy’s Home
Dinner
After Ethan finished showering, they’d cleaned up the living room since they’d‘used’it last. Ethan took a few minutes to leave Callen a note, and Gene didn’t even try to read it. If Ethan wanted a private moment with his brother, he should have it.
That was likely important because after they left, Gene was going to heed both Timothy’s and Callen’s advice.
