34. Ethan
Chapter 34
Ethan
“ D o you love me?”
I sit up in bed, phone to my ear. It’s the middle of the night. I nearly missed the call, and when I saw Denver’s name on the screen, I almost ignored it altogether.
It’s been almost a month with no word from Denver, but I fully expected her to cut me off. But now she’s back, calling me in the middle of the night, asking me if I love her. And I’m too weak to pretend I don’t.
“You know I do.”
“I need you to do something for me. Axel is coming to you.”
“Axel? Why?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Jesus Christ, Denver. Are you serious? You wake me up in the middle of the night after not speaking to me for weeks, ask me for a favor, but don’t trust me enough to tell me why I’m doing it?”
She sighs. Wherever she is, her voice echoes.
“I’m only asking because I’m desperate.”
“Then call Ranger.” I sound bitter. I sound jealous. I’m both.
“I can’t,” she says, and her voice cracks. “Axel is in trouble, and you’re the only person I trust. You wanted to save me from this world, Ethan? You can’t. But you can save him.”
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and wonder if this will ever stop. I vow every time she walks away that I won’t let her back into my life, but whenever I close the door on Denver Luxe, she cracks it open again.
“What do you need me to do?”
She exhales, relief filling her voice. “Let him shower. Give him some clothes and something to eat and keep him calm. Someone will leave something in your mailbox in a few hours. When it’s time, drive him to the airport.”
“‘When it’s time’?” I ask. “Be more cryptic, please.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what flight he’s getting yet. I’ll let you know.” She pauses. “You can’t tell Archer this is happening.”
I squeeze my eyes closed. “I won’t.”
“Promise me,” she says. “Promise me you’ll keep this between us because I can’t lose Axel, Ethan. I can’t.”
Truthfully, I haven’t spoken a word to Archer since the night Ranger came to the house. I refused to help him anymore, not that I would be much use after Denver cut me out of her life completely. I’d driven to Sebastian and asked him to do what he could for my busted face and ribs, and he vowed not to say a thing to his brother. But even if Archer had been in constant contact, I’d make this promise to her, if only to make up for the pain I’ve caused.
“I promise you.”
“Thank you,” she says. “And… you have an incinerator, right? At the clinic?”
My eyebrows drop. “Yes, why?”
“Fuck, I’m sorry to ask you to do this, but… can you burn his clothes?”
I groan. “Fuck me .”
“I’m sorry. I’d do it myself, but I can’t.”
“Why? What are you doing right now that is so important that you can’t be here for him yourself?”
Her pause is long. Pained. And I suddenly wish I hadn’t asked.
“You really don’t want to know.”
I hear a car outside, and the dogs hop down from the bed, their ears up.
“I think he’s here,” I say. “Just… tell me you’re okay, Denver.”
“I’m fine. Just look after him, please,” she says. “I’ll call you.”
The line disconnects, and I walk to the door, opening it before Axel knocks.
The last time I saw Axel Luxe was in Pulse. He’s a younger version of Ranger, huge and intimidating, but now he looks like a kid on his first day of school, unsure what to do or say.
And there’s blood on his shirt.
He has his head down, keys in his hand. “Did… did Denver call you?”
I nod. “Yeah. Come in.”
This kid is taller than me but may as well be twelve years old. The closer he gets, the more blood I see, and if this were anyone else, I’d call the police. But the look in this kid’s eye is pure fear, and I want to help. I want to protect him from whatever he’s seen tonight.
“There’s a shower down the hall,” I say, going into the kitchen and grabbing a trash bag from under the sink. “Put what you’re wearing in this. I’ll leave some clothes for you in the bedroom.”
I hold out the bag, and Axel approaches quietly, taking it from me. Blood dots the backs of his hands.
“You’re Ethan, right?” Axel asks. “We met at Pulse?”
I nod and smile as warmly as I can. “Yeah.”
“My dad hates you.”
I shrug. “Who doesn’t your dad hate?”
Axel nods and heads down the hallway.
An hour later, just like Denver said, I hear another car, and someone knocks on the door. They’re gone when I answer, and a thick envelope is lying on the doormat. It doesn’t have a name on it.
Axel quietly eats a sandwich, both of us eyeing the envelope on the kitchen island, both seemingly too scared to open it.
“Who is it for?” Axel asks.
“You, I think.” I push the envelope over to him.
Axel moves his plate away and empties the contents of the envelope onto the counter. Inside are two passports, two IDs, a phone, two birth certificates, paperwork, and a credit card. A folded piece of paper has a flight number and time scribbled on it. It’s a few hours from now.
Axel picks up the passports and opens them.
“She’s coming with me.” Axel’s voice brightens, and he smiles. “Look.”
He passes me the passport. It’s Denver’s photograph but with a different name. The other passport is Axel, his face but with a different name.
Axel’s smile widens. “We’re both getting out.”