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Ethan ducked, and in a smooth kickflip, I no longer had the gun, and somehow Ethan had it, and was holstering it with care.
“I’ll teach you.”
I stumbled back against a pillar, holding my hands in front of him, and stared in horror—not only shocked Ethan had taken the gun but that he wasn’t pointing it back at me.
“Let’s go.” Ethan said. He retook my arm, tugging me down the on-ramp towards god knows where.
“I need to make sure Ben’s safe. I need to get to court—”
“Let me think,” Ethan interrupted. “They want you. They want me. Your son is safest where he is, with neither of us anywhere near him. Ryder and Luca will keep an eye on your son.”
“No, you don’t understand—I’m supposed to be in court in a couple of hours. “
“That’s not happening. They pushed it back, and that’s all I know for sure. Fuck knows what strings they pulled.”
“Who isthey? You keep saying ‘they’.”
“I don’t have time to… ” Ethan shook his head and shrugged off the backpack, rummaging inside it and yanking out a cell phone. He scrolled and connected and then had a one-sided and very brief conversation.
“Where can we go? Okay... no, he’s not with me. No...I promise it’s me and the asset...jeez Ali. Okay.”
That gave nothing away, apart from knowing he was talking to someone called Ali who was somehow connected to the maniac driver of the van. I was over this not knowing a fucking thing about what was happening, although I had no chance to fight or ask questions because Ethan was pulling me again, tugging me behind a pillar and then through a fire exit door, and into a stairwell. We climbed two flights, and Ethan let go, but I followed him because what else could I do? The court case was canceled. How hadtheydone that—and who in God’s name werethey? Was it Danvers? Was it Rouxier, Ruth’s husband-to-be? What didtheywant with me?
“Wait,” Ethan commanded, raising his hand in a closed fist, and I stopped. I could see the mall food court beyond through the glass in the door, already full of customers sitting at tables, even at six a.m. No other stores would be open, but there were offices above the mall, so I guessed they were the workers. Ethan turned to me, straightened my jacket, pulling it closed, buttoning it, and then carding a hand through my hair to straighten it. I tried to protest, but Ethan did the same to himself, making himself look less like a guy on the run. He pulled a cap out of the bag, frowning as he rummaged. “Wear this; keep the bill low. Don’t walk with me; go slowly past the franchises, make it obvious you’re checking food out ready to make a decision, and then head for the far exit to the road. Please keep to the windows, head down, and don’t make any of this too obvious. Don’t stand out. Got it?”
“Don’t walk with you. Head down, franchises, door, windows. Okay.”
“I’ll go outside the door to the burger shack and place an order—I’ll have eyes on this door at all times. Any issue, anything that feels off, and you come out of this door like your tail is on fire. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, wait for two minutes and then follow me, but go clockwise around the franchises, okay? Don’t look at me, don’t talk to me, pretend you’re on your own, casually considering breakfast before work.”
I glanced down at my pants and shirt, which were crumpled and stained if a person was to look close enough.
“Clockwise,” I confirmed.
“Don’t run from me when I go, okay?” Ethan placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed. “Please do as I say, don’t run. I’m the only one who can help you.”
I hadn’t even considered running, but the thought was now niggling at the back of my mind. Icouldwait for Ethan to leave, then turn, and run in the opposite direction.
Run where, exactly? What if Danvers finds me and wants to ask me questions? I was just an accountant… a dad. Who arethey? What iftheyfind me?
“Josh? Are you with me?” Ethan shook me a little, and I blinked at him, catching his gaze, and seeing fixed determination in his hazel-green eyes. Somehow, despite everything, I trusted him.
“Ethan, what is—”
“I gave you the gun; I could have hurt you, but I haven’t. I intend to save you and get your son back to you, whatever the cost. Are you with me?”
Wait? There was a cost? This was the moment I decided to run or stay with the man who’d turned my life upside down.
“I’m with you,” I said after a pause.
Ethan stared at me as if he was checking for deception and then gave a sharp nod. “In two. I’ll be at the burger place, okay? I have your back. I won’t letanythinghappen to you.”
After I nodded, Ethan took out his gun, checked it, then holstered it, tucking his jacket close before heading out.
And I waited.
