Page 72 of The Defiant Curse

NO ONE.

“Just get me out of here, and I’ll handle the rest. If I disappear from here, they’re heading right to the airport where the jets are. I have some military favors I can pull. I can get the flight log switched up. I can go dark. I can get on a military transport. I just need someone to get me out of the house, and to wear my tracker.”

He shook his head.

“Nope.”

Ethan wanted to weep.

There went his only chance. While he could just tell the family, he wanted to see Elizabeth alone. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his brother, Chris, and Gene, but in order to fix what was broken, he and Elizabeth needed time.

Alone.

He’d done the crime, so he’d do the time.

In that moment, Ethan gave up. It was crystal clear that Winn was NOT helping him.

He sighed.

“I’m sorry I put you in this position,” he said. “I’ll just have to hope she forgives me,” he said, going to walk away.

That was when Winn stopped him.

“Wearing your tracker isn’t happening. If you want out, I’ll get you there, but you’re doing it my way. Let’s call it what it is. You men are NOT the reigning hide-and-seek champions, or she never would have slipped away. You definitely need help with this. There are multiple layers of security in place to keep you guys watched. You need help.”

His heart skipped.

“You’ll help me?”

He kept his voice down.

“The ONLY reason I’m doing this is because Elizabeth deserves someone to be there for her. Michael isn’t the one she needs. I happen to agree that you fucked this up, and you should fix it.”

When Ethan opened his mouth, he stopped him.

“No, now you listen.”

And he did.

“I truly believe that you’re one mistake away from blowing this fucking family up, and destroying it with your ridiculousness—and telling your goddamn wife, who does EVERYTHING for the men in this family that she doesn’t have your faith, or letting her believe that is the dumbest shit I’ve seen from you since the time you got pissy that she had a previous sex life before you!”

He laughed.

“Sugarcoat it for me.”

Winn was to the point.

“Your wife puts up with a lot of fuckery from the men in this unit. You’re a moody bitch, she’s carrying Chris and his HIV, and she has to watch women hit on Callen when he’s suited up to be Jackson James. It’s a lot. She deserves someone to have her back, and if you’re going to FIX THIS, and stop being a cuntwaffle over stupid shit, I’ll help you, but this is the last time I’m saving you from shit like this!”

He would take it.

Why?

Because he was right.

Beggars couldn’t be choosers, and nothing he said was wrong. Gene was the ONLY one not making her carry a burden, and that was likely why she trusted him.

“Deal. I’m an idiot. Help me fix this.”