Chapter 16
Sixteen
Ethan closed another box and glared up at the shelves.
He’d already filled six boxes of books and still not made a dent in Marcus’s collection.
The boxes were also impossibly heavy now and couldn’t be moved without a dolly.
It also wasn’t helping that he’d paused on several occasions to flip through some of the more interesting books in his collection and read the back covers.
He sighed again. There just wasn’t enough time for all the books he wanted to read.
Of course, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d lain around reading a book.
The past few nights he’d worked late packing with Marcus at his side.
It really was sinful how sexy the man was in a pair of jeans and a tight black T-shirt.
He’d freaking tripped over shit twice crossing the room while staring at Marcus’s ass.
Since the encounter at the piano, they’d managed to behave themselves and keep their hands off each other, which Ethan couldn’t say he was thrilled about.
It probably hadn’t been too hard for Marcus since Ethan’s face hadn’t looked its best. The swelling was gone, and the bruising was starting to fade at last.
Even if they weren’t taking little breaks to explore each other’s bodies, they did have the chance to spend the time talking. Marcus told him about all the interesting places he’d lived over the years.
The funny thing was that the longer they talked, the more often Marcus failed to catch himself when he slipped up on the timing of something.
Marcus looked as if he was in his early thirties, but if Ethan tallied up all the different places Marcus had been and the time frames, the man had to be at least seventy.
But Marcus didn’t seem to notice the slipups.
Ethan chalked that up to Marcus growing more comfortable around him, and that warmed Ethan in ways he couldn’t quite explain.
Ethan even found himself talking about the family he lost, a topic he avoided under almost all circumstances. Marcus felt safe, though.
Just as there had been no more kissing, there had been no more important talking either.
Carl had stopped contacting Ethan, for which he was grateful.
Each night, he hurried from Marcus’s home to his apartment, looking over his shoulder the entire time.
He also installed a little more security in his apartment to watch for anyone breaking in while he wasn’t there. But the League had been quiet so far.
It didn’t change the fact that he needed to tell Marcus about the Humans Protecting Humans League and his assignment at the town house.
He’d briefly considered tucking that secret away and not telling him.
If the League never did anything, then there was no reason to stir up trouble.
But that was a coward’s way out. Marcus deserved the truth.
He just didn’t know when to tell him. Marcus already seemed extremely stressed about the move as well as something else he wasn’t telling Ethan.
He could feel it building. It was like looking on the horizon and seeing a wall of dark clouds crawling closer day by day.
Ethan didn’t want to add to the problems weighing on Marcus.
Right now, he was leaning toward telling Marcus after the move was completed. He would be more relaxed. One problem would be solved, and he could breathe a little easier.
Or was he still being a coward?
Growling to himself, Ethan turned to fold up another box as he continued to work his way through the library. A high-pitched yelp escaped him when he saw a short but elegant-looking woman watching him from the doorway.
“Oh God, sorry!” Ethan gasped, pressing his hand to his chest as if he were trying to keep it from jumping out of his chest.
She giggled, her smile sweet and kind. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Ethan gave a dismissive little wave. “No worries. I tend to get lost in thought while I’m working. Oblivious to the whole world.”
“I heard you working in here and I thought you were Amy, but I forgot that she doesn’t work for my son any longer.”
Ethan’s heart ramped up again and he fought the urge to take a step backward when he suddenly realized who he was talking to.
There was only one other woman who might appear in Marcus’s home and that was Janice.
But this wasn’t the stern woman who interviewed him.
This was a lovely woman with black hair that was graced with a few random strands of gray and too-familiar blue eyes.
This was Julianna, Marcus’s mother.
The woman who instilled in Marcus and his brothers a deep love of music.
The woman who had clawed at Bel, trying to rip his heart from his chest with her bare hands.
But…she didn’t look like the woman he remembered from his childhood nightmares. This wasn’t the blood-stained woman calling for him after murdering his family.
No.
That couldn’t be right.
It had made sense after seeing what she’d done to Bel, her own son. Of course this woman had escaped her captors and gone on a blood-soaked rampage that ended in the deaths of more than a dozen people. It had to be her.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly. Ethan hadn’t realized he’d gone quiet as he stared at her like she was the angel of death. Well, she was sort of, but not the one he’d been looking for.
“Sorry. Tired, I guess,” he chuckled. He wiped his hands on his pants and slowly crossed the room. When he was within a few feet, he extended his hand. “I’m Ethan Cline. Mr. Varik hired me about a month ago to pack up his house for his move and to work as his assistant.”
He was proud that his hand didn’t tremble. She seemed fine right now. Not murderous in the least. And if she was here, Marcus had to be somewhere in the house as well. Marcus would hear him if he screamed for help, right?
Of course, if she was here, it meant that it was now dark outside. Fuck. How late was it? He’d completely lost track of time. He’d promised Marcus that he’d leave on time tonight rather than staying late. Obviously, that was because his family was stopping by for some unknown reason.
“Julianna Varik.” She took his hand without hesitation, smiling warmly at him. “I’m Marcus’s mother.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Varik. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Oh, no! I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just heard someone moving about and was curious who else was here.”
“You’re not disturbing me at all. Actually, I just realized how late it was.
” He pulled out his phone and confirmed that it was well after eight in the evening.
So damn late. Marcus was not going to be pleased, but Ethan couldn’t bring himself to fully regret his absentmindedness.
It meant that he got to meet Julianna. That was the only way he was going to remove the last of the doubt and questions from his mind about her and his past.
“I won’t keep you,” Julianna said. She started to move toward the door. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”
“I was wondering…” Ethan quickly said, stopping her. “Were you the one to teach Marcus how to play the piano?”
Her expression instantly brightened, and it was like she was shining in her joy. “You’ve heard him play?”
“Yes. It was amazing.” Which was the honest truth.
Marcus’s skill behind the piano was stunning.
His nimble fingers flew across the keys, moving like the instrument was simply an extension of his body.
He didn’t need to mention that the one time he’d heard Marcus play was at the request of his injured brother to soothe him.
“Well, he actually had several tutors growing up that taught him and his brothers to play instruments. I was just there to encourage him and find him new sheet music when he mastered the songs he had. All my boys are just so skilled.”
“You must be so proud of them.”
She nodded, taking another step into the room. “I am. I am a very lucky mother to have four such amazing and talented sons.”
“I think Marcus, I mean, Mr. Varik, is very lucky to have you. He speaks very highly of you.”
A rosy blush rose to her cheeks and she gave a little shake of her head. “Your mother must be proud to have raised such a kind child.”
“I like to think she would be,” Ethan murmured softly.
“Would be?”
“My mother was killed when I was very young.”
Julianna gasped softly, her cheeks losing their blush. She took a step toward Ethan with her hand outstretched toward him. “I’m so very sorry. That’s just horrible.”
“Thank you. If you don’t mind me saying so, you remind me of her a little bit.
You’re kind like she was. Similar smile too.
” He paused and looked down at the carpet for a moment, trying to gather together the courage to continue.
He felt dirty and underhanded, but he had to know.
Had to know the truth. He had his doubts, but he had to finally remove all the doubts from his mind.
“We…we used to play hide-n-seek in the house when I was little. Me and my two sisters,” he continued. “Did you ever play that with your sons?”
Juliana laughed and Ethan looked up at her. “I did, actually.”
“Did you ever sing ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are,’ as you sought them?”
Her brow furrowed a little in thought. “I…I don’t think I did.”
“Would you mind saying it now? You just remind me of her, and…I guess I just kind of miss that moment.”
Juliana’s smile was wide, but there was no missing the sad look in her eyes. “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” she sang.
Ethan blinked back tears. Her voice was like that of an angel, sweet and pure. So very perfect. And nothing like the woman who tried to hunt him down in his own apartment.
This wasn’t the woman that slaughtered his parents and sisters. She wasn’t the one who killed several families in his apartment building. She wasn’t the one.