He took the note.
“Do you hate me?” Callen asked, as his brother walked toward the door, ready to leave.
He turned.
“Yes,” he said, but then he winked at him, so Callen would always know the truth. What he felt for the man was anything but hate.
Callen was grateful for a few things. Gene Cantrell had changed his brother, for good. Oh, and that one day, he hoped Ethan returned.
Until that day, he’d be hands off.
They both deserved space.
“Goodbye, EJ. I’ll see you sometime down the road. Stay safe, and don’t call.”
Blackhawk blew his brother a kiss.
“Same, Callen. Don’t look for me. If Fate wants it to happen…”
Callen nodded.
“It will happen. Just pull that punch if it happens. You’re a dick when you swing.”
That he was.
Hell.
He was a dick more times than not when it came to just the everyday things.
Ethan took it all in one last time.
And then, he headed out.
It wasn’t how he expected to make peace, but he had. The world and everyone would think he hated his brother, but he didn’t.
That would be their secret.
And if he did come back, he’d make sure that lie stayed in place.
Because he knew deep down, if he didn’t have Gene, he would have stayed.
And everything would have changed.
EVERYTHING.
* * * Blackhawk & Cantrell * * *
Next Stop:
The Morgue
Saturday Morning
Eight A.M.
And so, it began.
When Ethan met his partner downstairs in the hotel, he was absolutely silent.
