He just stood silently watching her.
“Will we get a flight tonight?”
“That’s one of the things I need to check out.” He was so calm, when every part of her body seemed to be twitching.
“Okay, w-we need to do this, then. Tell me what I should do, because I seem to have lost the ability to think,” Annabelle said, the panic inside her making her voice sound high-pitched.
“The first thing I need you to do is trust me. Can you do that?”
She nodded as he closed the distance between them. “I’ve always trusted you.”
“Now, that makes me feel good,” he said, cupping her face. “I need you to know that I’m going to do the best I can for Cooper, honey, okay?”
“I’m so sorry that this has happened.” Annabelle whispered the words into his chest.
“It’s not your fault.” She felt his lips on the top of her head. “Our families are just screwed up.”
His warm arm around her waist was the only thing keeping her anchored as they walked back inside. She managed to smile and talk to people as they said their goodbyes, and the entire time Ethan kept her attached to him. If he didn’t hold her waist, he had her hand, and she did nothing to pull away. If she was anchored to him, she wouldn’t fall apart.
“We’ll be leaving this evening, Mother, Father,” Ethan said, facing his family before they left the reception. “Annabelle has had a call from her family, and we have to return immediately.”
She saw no concern on E.G.’s face as he looked at her, but Ethan’s mother touched her hand briefly and she offered a small smile. “I hope everything will be alright, Ms. Smith.”
“Thank you, and thank you for your hospitality,” Annabelle said.
“I’ll see you in a few weeks, Annabelle,” Taylor said, hugging her. “I’m coming to Brook, and Ethan’s taking me on a scenic tour,” he added, shaking his brother’s hand.
“I just have to talk with Uncle Mitch now,” Ethan said as they walked away from his family. “And then we’ll go back to the house and get our things before we head to the airport.” He pushed her gently into a chair after he’d spoken, then disappeared into the guests, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
What were they walking into in Vegas? Would Ethan be safe? She shouldn’t be letting him do this for Cooper. Surely the risk was too great. Dear God, if anything happened to him, how would she live with herself?
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop it now,” Ethan said when he returned.
“It could be dangerous. I can’t let you take this risk.”
“Well you’re not taking it without me, so what’s it going to be?” He stood before her, legs braced, hands on his hips as he looked down at her, and she’d never wanted anything more than to stand and curl into his body and ask him to make the fear go away. Instead, she took the hand he held out to her and together they left the reception.
The drive to the house was quiet, and she used the time to regain her composure, push all the worry into a place at the back of her head and focus on what had to be done. She couldn’t help Cooper if she fell apart.
The guilt was riding her. Guilt over ignoring her brother’s phone calls when he had needed her most. None of this would have happened if she’d just talked to him.
When they arrived back at the house, they packed their things, and Annabelle cleaned off her makeup, then pulled on jeans, a sweater and boots. She went through each task methodically, and then, picking up her bag, she left the room.
“Ready?” Ethan stood with his bag in hand, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, ready to leave.
“Yes.” Annabelle followed Ethan from the room after a final look around. She’d never come back here, she knew that, but wasn’t unhappy about that fact. This house was sterile and filled with anger, and she didn’t want to experience that again, even though it had been here that she’d realized how she felt about Ethan.
She’d seen a different Ethan here, the man who was vulnerable and gentle. He’d shared his past with her, and so much more. They’d made love, and Annabelle had never felt so much emotion at the hands of another before. But she couldn’t think about that now, and maybe not ever, because tonight everything had changed. Tonight she had to save her brother.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ethan saw the car waiting for them as he landed the helicopter. Annabelle had been silent since leaving the reception and he could feel the tension coming off her. Throughout the entire flight her hands had stayed fisted on her thighs, her eyes forward, her body rigid, and he could only imagine the thoughts that were churning around inside her head.
He hadn’t told her everything that Johnnie Bills had told him, but the bag of money he knew would be waiting for him on the plane would take care of Cooper’s debt and the threat hanging over his head.
“We’re going to get in that car now,” he said after they’d climbed out of the helicopter. She nodded but said nothing, just took the hand Ethan held out to her and gripped it tight.
They drove a short distance to another hanger, and he got out when the car stopped, taking her with him.
