Page 92 of Boss and Brat

He looked exhausted.

“Ethan,” he said, striding toward him. “I tried to reach you two at the cabin last night.”

“We left,” Carter said. “It was safer to leave for the night.”

His father said, “We weren’t home either when it happened. We took Sarah out. I’m… I’m sorry this happened.”

Still, Ethan found no words.

His father shook his head. “It’s not your fault, Ethan. I’m sure it’s the same assholes who tried to get money from you after I paid for the bikes.”

That hit Ethan harder than he had expected. His family wasn’t there. They could’ve been hurt too. A sadness washed over him when his father mentioned the family dinner for Sarah’s impending trip to Paris. He was no longer a member of theEvans family. He wasn’t invited to the dinner or to the airport for Sarah.

His father exhaled, stroking his beard. “They destroyed your electronics and clothes. They didn’t touch your books or pictures. I’ll replace whatever needs replacing.”

Ethan’s knees nearly buckled. His books. His pictures. The things that mattered most. Still safe. His father’s wallet was his go-to tool for fixing whatever went wrong.

His father stepped closer to Carter, lowering his voice. “I’m trusting you with my son.”

Carter’s answer came without hesitation. “I will protect him.”

Ethan didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to breathe around the mix of relief and fear with an exhaustion pressing down. All he knew was that Carter stood beside him, solid as ever. And for the first time since the phone call, Ethan didn’t feel like he was about to fall apart.

His dad turned to Carter. “Ethan doesn’t go anywhere without you. Understood?”

Carter nodded. “Yes, sir.”

A faint but real warmth stirred in Ethan. Carter’s extra time was more than welcomed.

His father continued but looking at Ethan, voice clipped and tired. “I terminated all your jobs on the ranch for now. Hired more men to handle your chores. Until this is sorted, you’re not doing any work around the ranch.”

Riding was the one place he felt free. Losing it felt like someone had shut off the last light in the room. “How am I supposed to pay you back?” Ethan asked.

“That’s not a priority right now. Your safety comes first.”

Then his father looked at Carter again. “I want you to take Ethan out of here. Until the security is in place. All you two need to do is pack and leave.”

“Go where?” Ethan shouted.

“Beach house. I’ll text the code and address for Carter.”

Again his father stepped closer to Carter, voice low but firm. “Remember, I’m trusting you with my son.”

Carter nodded.

“And we will formalize our deal upon your return,” his father said to Carter.

“Yes, as you wish.”

Ethan let the words sink in, slow and heavy, like warmth spreading through him in a way that didn’t feel entirely safe. What deal did Carter make with his father? He wanted to know. He had to know. For a second he couldn’t pull in a full breath. His eyes drifted to Carter’s hand—steady, close, something he shouldn’t want to lean toward but did anyway. The world around him blurred at the edges, the way it always did when too many things hit at once.

He just stayed still, staring at the space between them like it might hold him together if he didn’t move.

But Carter stood beside him, steady as ever.

“Before we leave,” Carter said. “Ethan was denied entry to his room.”

Ethan’s stomach twisted again. Hearing it out loud made it sting all over.