Page 69 of The Defiant Curse

When someone you loved walked away, you followed. That was a lesson he’d learned personally.

When Gene left him all of those years ago, he’d wanted to follow, but he chose the FBI, and his fears over his person.

And he’d lost him.

This felt vaguely familiar, and like a looming nightmare was coming up hard and fast from the horizon. History did repeat itself, and this time, he was taking control of the situation.

This would not end the same way it had with Gene. He simply couldn’t risk it. Losing Elizabeth was NOT an option, and he had to do something about it.

NOW.

When he got to her, if she wanted space, he’d figure that out then, but he had to go to her.

It was time to handle this.

Grabbing a bag, he tossed some things into it, and he snuck out of the room. This was going to be difficult, but he knew someone who would help him.

If she was using her bestie to escape, well, then, so was he.

All around the house, security was still doing rounds, since there was a Russian spy unaccounted for, so it was only a matter of time.

When luck prevailed, and he saw Raphael walking down the hall, he yanked him into a room, scaring him. That in itself was risky.

You didn’t manhandle an Archangel for shits and giggles. They got punchy.

In this case, he also got lucky on that front. He didn’t get his nose broken, or his teeth punched out.

“Jesus Christ, Ethan!” Winn said, when he saw who had pulled him into the room. The only reason he didn’t start swinging was his husband was known for a hallway accosting.

He hushed him.

“I need a HUGE favor. I’ll give you my kidney,” he whispered.

Winn stared at him like he’d lost his mind. This was NOT the man he wanted to cozy up to in a linen closet while on duty.

“Did you hit your head? What the hell does that mean?” he asked. “I didn’t ask for a kidney.”

Ethan kept his voice low as he tried to get it all out as quickly as possible. He didn’t have much time before Gene was out of the shower, and looking for him. Now, he needed an escape plan, and he needed it fast.

“I know where she is.”

His eyebrow went up.

Oh, boy.

If he had successfully figured out where Elizabeth was, that meant Gene cracked. For that to happen, there had to be torture or gratuitous sex.

Gene didn’t crack easily.

The man was a pro at evading questions.

As for his comment, already, he knew where this was heading. Ethan was about to ask him a HUGE favor—the kind that got you fired because Ivan would do just that when he found out that Raphael, one of the hands of ‘God’, was helping another person escape their home.

On top of it, Elizabeth was going to be pissed at him since she didn’t want to be found. When Ivan fired him, she wouldn’t save his ass on this one.

“No.”

Ethan tried.