“We’re brothers,” Ethan said. “We could never…”
Callen cried even harder.
“I know. Trust me, I know,” he whispered, his head barely able to stay upright.
He was so damn drunk.
The whole time, Ethan just held him. The water was cold, and the truth was brutal, but that cat was out of the bag. Now, Ethan had to catch the cat, and shove it back in the bag.
AND NEVER COME BACK.
There was no way he could come back here until he was married, and secure. Because deep down, he didn’t blame Callen for feeling the way he did.
It was there.
It was lurking under the anger, rage, and pain. He’d left because of Callen, and he’d run back here because of Callen. He was the tie to this place.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
What did he say to that?
The thing about Callen was he was so much stronger than Ethan was. He’d face his trauma head on, and fight.
Ethan would run.
“It’s okay,” Ethan said. “I’m here. We’ll figure this out when you sober up.”
But would they?
He should be incredibly horrified by this whole thing, but he wasn’t. A part of him knew that Callen was right. If he stayed, they likely would have ended up a couple.
A couple of nuts breaking the law, but that was neither here nor there.
Ethan needed time to think, and he couldn’t leave him here.
Callen was getting heavy, and he was going to pass out sooner rather than later.
“Gene!” he called.
It didn’t take long before his man headed in.
“Book a second room at the hotel. We have to bring him with us,” he said, holding his wet, naked brother up.
Without a single word, Gene did as he asked. He pulled out his phone and got to work.
“Just leave me here,” Callen muttered.
Absolutely not.
Kaya would come back, and worse, Timothy would get wind of this, and kick Callen’s ass. The man was already in freefall. He had to buy him time.
Because Callen had done that for him.
“Need help?” Gene asked, seeing his man struggling to hold the heavier man up.
Ethan shook his head.
“No, I’ll get him dressed. Just give me some privacy so he doesn’t have to worry that some guy saw him naked.”
