“Hey.”
Ethan went into his bigger body and rested his head on his shoulder. He knew he was playing with the devil on this one, and it was starting to wear him thin.
As Gene hugged him, no one said a word.
They knew better.
As Gene rubbed his hands up and down Ethan’s back to comfort him, Ethan went there.
“I did what needed to be done. May we survive the blowback of this one.The Huntershave been put on alert to assist.”
Oh, boy.
Callen was curious.
“And they are in? Was it what we discussed?” he asked, making sure.
Ethan got free of Gene’s embrace and faced the men he loved.
“Yes. I contactedThe Huntersafter the fact. They are going to help us. I offered to pay them, and they declined. They want in. They are about to head out, but as soon as they get back stateside, she has help.”
Gene was curious.
“Did you tell Elizabeth that you were going to do this?” he asked. “Asking because while we discussed it, part of that was usTELLINGher inADVANCEwe were getting her help.”
Ethan just shook his head.
Well, shit.
That was a problem.
There was no doubt that this was going to go badly. There was no doubt she was going to see that as going behind her back in some sort of betrayal or lack of faith in her.
“She didn’t want to burden them…”
Chris sighed.
Oh, and they all knew what that meant. Even he knew this was going to get prickly. Like a porcupine stuffed full of explosives about to blow right in front of them.
“EJ,” Callen said, reassuring his brother. “We need their help.”
Oh, he was aware.
Still…
He didn’t relish in usurping Elizabeth’s control. As a husband, it was a difficult path to navigate. As a husband to a strong, independent woman...
It could be someone’s downfall.
“I’m worried,” he admitted. “I made us stay here. This is on me. If she hates me for interfering, I’ll deal with it. If she asks, I did this on my own.”
Yeah, no one would let him take the fall for this alone.
No.
One.
It wasn’t happening.
