Chapter Eight #2
Then, he focused on Callen, and outed Elizabeth in order to keep the family intact. It was crystal clear that Ethan found her, and that meant it was only a matter of time.
“For the record, Callen, you did help. She’s in Scotland at the castle. Right now, she’s with Michael and his husband, the Black Watch soldier. She’s safe. I’m going to say Ethan is currently there with them now. If he is, then, he is safe too.”
They all looked at Raphael, and he nodded but said nothing.
Ivan sighed.
“I have a migraine.”
Yeah, no one doubted that since they all had one.
When Demeter opened his mouth, AGAIN, Chris shook his head in warning.
Someone had no sense of self-preservation. Ivan was firing people left and right, and he’d love to send Demeter packing.
Now was definitely not a good time. Ivan was one step away from a trip to the ER and stroke protocols.
“Don’t do it, Son. He’s not in the mood,” he warned.
Once more, he closed his mouth.
But Ivan didn’t.
“How did Ethan find out where she was? If everyone helped her get out of here, how did he figure it out? Because if he did, someone else can too.”
Gene knew.
There was only one way, and he was the weakest link—apparently. He should have taken his phone into the shower instead of leaving it on the nightstand.
None of them kept secrets, and they could all access each other’s tech, even Elizabeth’s—even though she had a higher work clearance level.
Trust was trust.
“It was me. I was in the shower, and Michael texted me. Ethan must have seen my phone sitting on the nightstand. Normally, it’s with me, but I put it down.”
Well, that helped a little. At least they knew it wasn’t something nefarious that gave it away.
“Still, this is ridiculous,” Ivan stated. “The more I tell you guys not to slip away, the more you do it!”
Gene wanted to get some sleep, so what was ridiculous was having this conversation at three in the morning. They were all running on absolutely nothing, and if a case came in…
They were up to bat.
“Can we stop this merry-go-round of bullshittery? She needed to leave. Let’s leave it at that, and respect her wishes. Ethan knows the dangers, and he weighed them before doing this. We all know he doesn’t do rash things.”
Ivan recalled the conversation he had with her.
Still…
That didn’t mitigate his job.
“Are we sure she’s safe? Michael has his own life and issues there.”
Gene laid down the law.
“Michael has this, and even if he didn’t, this is what Elizabeth wants. Maybe locking her in that gilded cage is her breaking point, Ivan. Lighten up. She went out with The Hunters, and survived that. I think she can manage Scotland in a castle. Now, leave her alone.”
Ivan was aware, but why were they all missing the point? They had security for a reason!
“But she’s not safe.”
Gene was getting bitchy. While he didn’t mind a family meeting, they shouldn’t be at this time of the night. When he’d found out at eleven at night that Ethan was MIA, there was no doubt where he was.
They weren’t children.
Someone needed to stop acting like they were.
“She’s had enough. Can’t you see that? She’s had enough of being a fucking prisoner.
She’s had enough carrying everyone, worrying about your kids, and the Marines who died.
How about we just give her a little leeway and cut the shit?
She’s not coming back if we keep making her hurt as much as we are.
Ethan went after her to make sure she eventually comes home to us! Now, back off!”
Ivan said nothing because Gene was NOT prone to outbursts. This one was out of his norm, and caught him off guard for a few reasons.
Had they done this to Elizabeth by locking her down too much? Come to think of it, they all got to go home at night, or could leave the family compound.
She couldn’t.
Not alone.
Only, Gene wasn’t done.
“She’s overwhelmed. Callen’s second job takes him away, and she picks up the slack going to parties and book signings with him.
Chris has his conferences where she plays arm candy for the doctor.
Plus, she worries about his health. Then, there’s Ethan who opted to be Shaman, and she had to carry that too in a place she hates.
I don’t know why no one sees how close to the edge she is, but me.
Everyone needs to leave the poor woman alone! ”
No one said a word because that was directed at all of them, and they knew it. Who here hadn’t asked for something from Elizabeth?
When Gryphen had been shot, she sat with Ian in the hospital, making sure they were okay.
When Jet died, she stayed with him on the trip back.
When Ivan’s daughter had a hole in her heart, she sat with Blue and Ivan for the twelve-hour surgery to repair it.
It seemed like a lot of take and very little give.
“She worries about your family, too, Ivan, and your daughters. Elizabeth stresses over each and every person in this room. When Demeter was depressed, who did he go to?”
He knew.
“Mom.”
Gene continued.
“We ask a lot of her. As a wife, as a mother, and as someone who flawlessly plans weddings, and parties, and as someone who shows up for her kids, ALL OF THEM. How about we cut her a fucking break, don’t bother her, and let her find herself?
You didn’t see what she had to do. I did.
I saw how it broke her, but she did it for the Marine who died, and the one who lost his girlfriend.
She did it for the people of this country, and the family she carries.
Let her have this and let him have it. She’s a fucking prisoner, and Ethan is going to make sure she survives all of this. ”
Ivan was aware.
“But Ethan didn’t have to escape, either.”
He stops that.
“That’s his wife. The two of them built this family from the bottom up.
He knows that each one of us is hurting her.
So, of course, he wants to be with her to help her.
If he didn’t go, we’d all think he was a shit husband.
Maybe instead of dumping it all on the Raven, we join the flock and help her? ”
They said nothing.
He pointed at Ivan.
“You’re out of control, Napoleon. You’re control freaking way too much, and it’s affecting her well-being. You’ve locked her down so hard she can’t breathe. She can’t be herself. She’s in a cage, Ivan, and that bird is slowly dying from that.”
Once he said it, they were all quiet.
As if he hadn’t said enough, he kept going to prove his goddamn point.
“When there’s a problem, who solves it?” Gene asked.
They all knew.
Her.
“When someone’s sad or needs Cupid, who carries it?” he asked.
And again, they all knew.
Her.
“It’s time we give her some space, and for her to want to go to these lengths should tell you all you need to know.
For him to leave and get Raphael to lie says it all.
She’d rather get hurt and die than keep doing this, and he’d rather get hurt and die than see her suffer.
So, respectfully, back the fuck off of my husband and wife, or I’m firing you! ”
With that, Gene lumbered out of the room to go to bed and get some sleep.
As he left, no one said anything, but when he wasn’t in earshot anymore, Chris went there.
“He’s right. She told me she can’t hold up anymore.
We’re too much,” he admitted. “We’re suffocating her.
She isn’t sure she wants to do this anymore, and Ethan saw that.
He’s trying to be proactive. I support his choice, and that’s why I helped her slip away, and had he asked me, I would have helped him too.
There’s a hierarchy in this family, Ivan.
Between all of us, her partners, Ethan is just below her in it.
This was his responsibility, and he’s doing what needed to be done.
If he calls, Callen and I will be going, and so will Gene—without security on our asses!
We’re making a stand on this one, so back off. ”
Jesus Christ.
Ivan rubbed his temples.
From where he stood, Callen didn’t like any of this, especially the part where his wife walked away forever because they got a little too comfortable with her carrying all of the weight of the family for them.
“Ethan had a fight with her, and he wants to fix it,” Callen admitted. “We need to give them time to work through this. I’d hope if I hurt her, the people I call family would give me that same leeway. I’d hope Raphael would help me get to her.”
The man nodded.
“I absolutely would,” he reassured. “I’m doing this for mom, NOT Ethan, contrary to what everyone believes. While he’s my best friend, she’s my MOM.”
Well, then, he was a good man, because he’d done the job when they hadn’t.
Chris leaned against his other partner and reassured him.
“We would, CJ,” he reassured. “That Ethan went there…he’s trying to save her for a change.”
Then, he focused on Ivan and laid down the law.
“I’m with Gene. If you call him, or her, or interfere, Ivan, you’re fired. It’s time we do something in her best interest and loosen up the reins.”
Callen agreed.
They did use her as much as possible.
“She never gets a break. We are too much. She hasn’t asked us to do anything for her like a date, or to cover for her when it comes to the kids. Maybe we need to let Ethan have this so he can help Elizabeth, and we let her be free for a bit. I trust Michael and Graham.”
Ivan said nothing at first, but it was crystal clear when he gave up and backed down.
That was the good thing about Ivan. At some point, he’d relent and see the big picture.
This was what Elizabeth wanted, and Ethan was just doing what he could to help her.
He sighed.
“We love all of you,” he finally admitted. “It’s hard when you know what is at stake.”
And there they were.
Someone had just chilled out.
Immediately, Chris hugged him.
“We know, but in a way, she’s asking for some time without any of us breathing down her neck. She might tell Ethan to head out, and she might not, but either way, we’re not going there. Michael has this under control. We’re going to trust her. That’s all she’s asking for. FAITH.”
It appeared he had no choice.
So, he did the deed.