“Good.”Hopefully they were being overly cautious.“Tell us if the status changes.”
Then he headed outside to climb a tree.
Chapter 18
Chelsea woke to find the bed next to her empty and cold.She blinked to clear the fog from her eyes and brain and checked the time.
Seven o’clock.
Surprise made her sit up.She’d thought she would sleep a lot later.
So what had woken her?
Ethan must have left some time ago if the bed was cold, but she remembered him holding her as she cried.
Memories flooded back.Aunt Maggie’s death had been no accident.
The wave of sorrow and anger washed over her.How could someone be so callous and greedy?
Johann needed to be stopped.Would Josh have news by now?
She dressed and brushed her hair, tying it up in a quick bun before heading downstairs.Her kitchen was full of special ops men making bacon and eggs and, more importantly, coffee.
Her gaze met Ethan’s and his grin washed some of the fatigue and sorrow from her.
“Morning, honey.”He swept her into a hug and kissed her.
She clung to him, trying to get her brain to function at a reasonable pace.“You’re all up early.”
“It happens when you don’t go to sleep,” Noah mumbled.Dobby elbowed him and Chelsea’s eyes widened.
“You didn’t sleep?”She turned to Ethan.“You came to bed with me.”
He nodded a little sheepishly.“I got up after you went to sleep.We weren’t sure whether Darren might also appear.”
Hurt filled her.He’d been out there risking his life while she’d been safely tucked in bed.“You lied to me.”
Ethan pulled her into the laundry where they had more privacy.“Technically I didn’t say I was going to sleep,” he said, and then immediately held up a hand to ward off her retort.“But yes, I implied it.You needed to rest, and I didn’t want you to stay awake worrying about me when I was fairly sure we were being overly cautious.”
She frowned, trying to process past the pain in her heart.In her tired state she wanted to cling to her hurt, but a tiny rational part of her brain told her to consider how much more exhausted she’d be if she hadn’t slept.And she had a whole day of work planned.
“You decided for me without giving me a choice.”She gave him a stern look.“Again.”Would this be what their relationship would be like?Ethan always thinking he knew what she needed and taking away her agency?
He winced.“You’re right.I didn’t think of it like that.I’m sorry.”
She sighed, and slumped against the cupboard.Was this a dealbreaker?Not today.She’d deal with it later when her brain could think more rationally.“Don’t do it again.”She squeezed his hand and then stepped past him into the kitchen.“Who’s in charge of coffee?”
Heath raised his hand.“One flat white coming right up.”
Chelsea smiled and sank into a chair.“Any news from Josh?”
“Not yet.”Ethan set the table around her.
Rhys was piling bacon onto a plate, and Noah had cooked enough scrambled eggs to feed an army.Dobby and Connor were nursing coffees at the table.
“Will you sleep after you’ve eaten?”Chelsea asked.
“We’ll sleep in shifts,” Dobby said as he dished up.“An hour or two at a time is all we need.”
