He knew how much Elizabeth was sacrificing for Ethan, and he only hoped it worked out. She wasn’t one to sugarcoat shit, but being here was going to wear thin at some point.
He’d bet on it.
She was a creature of habit.
“What wouldn’t we do for Ethan? All he had to do was tell us, Gene. If someone is unhappy, we need to know so we can adjust, or the marriage will fall apart. This relationship is a delicate balance, and we can all feel when someone is off. My brother has been off for a while.”
Yeah, he firmly believed that, and that was why he’d made Ethan say something.
“Well, thank you,” he said. “He’s much better than he was two weeks ago.”
Oh, he didn’t have to thank them. As a family, they stuck together no matter what.
That was their job.
“I guess I’ll wait for Ethan to be finished with Wyler, and then, I’ll ogle a man for the rest of today since it’s kinda slow,” Callen said. “I know she said I should be working on that book, but I’m not feeling it.”
Immediately, when the words were out of his mouth, Ivan began laughing.
“Well, you just killed that slow streak,” he admitted. “Yeah, and don’t you dare tell her it was me this time. I didn’t say jack shit, and I didn’t cause the chaos that is going to head our way now.”
Gene laughed.
“We’ll be fine. Our last case was mild. It’s like the crazies are laying low or something.”
Yep.
Those would be famous last words.
Because the shit was coming for them.
Again.
Chapter Two
The Tipi
Same Time
Dream Walking
While this was something that he wanted, the truth be told, Wyler was nervous as hell, oh, and for some damn good reasons too. Taking a walk into the smoke to find his first wife, and make amends was huge.
The bottom line was he was worried about the fallout.
First, he and Ethan were still on shaky ground. There was no water under that bridge.
All of it was being held back by one hell of a dam—of anger.
There was no doubt in his mind that his one son, this particular one, was still angry with him for the stunt he’d pulled when he ran from DC.
And he didn’t know how to change that.
Oh, he’d tried.
And tried.
And tried.
