Ethanmet Sawyer’s intent gaze.
“Nothingwill bring Gavin back. Nothing. Hold up,” Sawyer said when Ethan lifted hishand, preparing for a response. “Listen to me.”
Ethannodded. It wasn’t like he had much of a choice.
“Wecan’t bring Gavin back, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something. Jimmy hasgone unpunished all these years. If he did that to you, I hate to think whatelse he might’ve done. I won’t be the one to punish him, although God knows Iwant to. But that doesn’t mean I will sit quietly and watch. Mom and Dad taughtus to stand up for what we believe in. It’s time we stand up, E.”
Ethan’sback straightened.
“Karmais a vindictive bitch. Jimmy will get his. And I assure you, it won’t be fromme. One day, he’ll meet his match, and he won’t win. Until that day comes, wehave to stand up for what is right, protect those who need it and hiding whoyou are isn’t going to help.”
“I’mnot…”Fuck.Ethan couldn’t even finish the sentence.
Hewashiding. He’d been hiding from everyone, including himself, for ninelong years. “What if Jimmy goes after the people I care about?”
Sawyerdidn’t answer the question right away, just stared back at him for long seconds.Ethan wanted an answer, needed someone to reassure him that his family wouldn’tbe put through hell; that they wouldn’t have to endure the wrath of those whofelt Ethan was an abomination. And he wanted someone to guarantee him that Beauwould never be hurt.
Beforehe could pelt more questions at Sawyer, there was a knock at the door.
Shit.And now he had interrupted Sawyer’s night.
“Igotta go,” Ethan said abruptly, turning toward the door. Pulling it open, Ethannearly ran face first into Beau.
Thesudden sight of him had all of the emotion bubbling up again, making it painfulto swallow.
“Hey,”Beau said, taking Ethan’s arm gently, keeping him on his feet.
“Ineed to go home,” he told Beau absently. Without thinking about it, Ethan letBeau lead him down the front steps and toward his truck.
“I’lldrive,” Ethan said when Beau tried to steer him toward his truck. “I’ll be fineto get to the house.”
Beaunodded, but Ethan made a beeline for his truck immediately, not waiting forBeau to do or say anything more.
Ifhe was lucky, maybe he’d manage to reason with himself before he got there.Because if not, he was about to do something he’d never done before.
Andhe wasn’t sure what Beau was going to say when he told him that he loved him.
??
Standingin Sawyer’s front yard, Beau watched Ethan’s taillights fade in the darkness.He had been sitting outside in his truck for the last twenty minutes, waitingfor Ethan to come back out.
Afterhe dropped Ethan off at his house, Beau had known instantly that he was up tosomething when he let Beau leave with a simple kiss and nothing more. Ethan hadbeen mentally off in another world at that point, he was sure.
Youdidn’t have to be a genius to know that the conversation that they witnessedthat afternoon had drawn numerous questions. Beau knew Ethan wanted to askSawyer some, but more importantly, he knew Ethan intended to call Sawyer out.Curtis’ knowledge of the events from back then was a dead giveaway that someonehad talked. According to the story Ethan had told him, the only person whowould’ve had anything to tell was Sawyer. Well, Greyson would’ve known, butBeau couldn’t see him saying something. That’s not the way Greyson seemed towork.
Withno desire to go home and worry, Beau had driven to the Walker Demolition shopand parked. Giving him some time, he had waited before driving to Sawyer’splace not far from Ethan’s. Just as he suspected, Ethan’s truck was parkedbehind Sawyer’s expensive car in the driveway.
Forwhatever reason, Beau had forced himself out of the truck and to the door whenhe would’ve preferred to sit outside and wait longer, give Ethan and Sawyertime to chat. He hadn’t. Something had spurred him to go to the door. Based onthe way Ethan looked when he flung the door open, Beau knew what had pulledhim. It was that emotional connection he had with the man and he had somehowknown that Ethan was hurting.
Turningback toward Sawyer’s house, Beau moved up onto the porch when he saw Sawyerstanding there. Sawyer gave him a curt nod as he leaned slightly forward, handsresting on the door jamb above his head as he stared back at Beau.
“Yougot him?” Sawyer asked directly.
“Yeah,I do.”
“Itake it you know what happened?”
“Hetold me.”
