CHAPTER 5 - JOSH
I'm pointing a gun at Ethan.
Josh had never even held a gun, let alone pointed one at someone, and he couldn't stop shaking. Was the safety on or off? Would he actually be able to shoot even if Ethan didn't take him to see Ben?
Where is Ben? Is he safe at home?
Ethan's gaze narrowed, and he took a step away from Josh. Was he going to run? Did that mean Josh wouldn't get to see Ben? Was he going to leave without telling Josh what was going on?
"Don't move," Josh snapped, and his hands started shaking even more.
"The safety is on," Ethan explained carefully, taking another step away.
"You can't go!"
"I'm not going anywhere," Ethan took another small step back.
"I'll figure it out!" He didn't even know where the safety was, moving his fingers subtly to see if there was a catch he should be flicking. Still, he stopped when it hit him that he could accidentally shoot Ethan, and there was no way in hell he would fire at anyone, whatever the circumstances.
"It's right there by your thumb—"
"I found it!" Josh lied.
"I'll show you."
"I don't need you to—" Ethan ducked quickly, and in a smooth kickflip, Josh no longer had the gun, and somehow Ethan had it, and was holstering it with deliberate care.
"I'll teach you."
Josh stumbled back against a pillar, holding his hands above his head, and stared in horror—not only shocked that Ethan had taken the gun but that he wasn't immediately pointing it back at Josh.
"Let's go."
Ethan retook his arm, tugging him down the on-ramp towards god knows where.
"I need to make sure he's okay. I need to get to court—"
"Let me think," Ethan interrupted and stopped abruptly. "They want you. They want me. Your son is safest where he is, with neither of us anywhere near him. Ryder and Luca will keep an eye on him."
"No, you don't understand—we're supposed to be in court in a couple of hours. "
"That's not happening. They pushed it back, and that's all I know for sure—fuck knows what strings they pulled."
"Who is they? You keep saying they."
"I don't have time to…" He shook his head and shrugged off the backpack, rummaging inside it and yanking out a cell phone. He scrolled and connected and then had a one-sided and very brief conversation.
"Where can we go? Okay... no, he's not with me. No...I promise it's just me and the asset...jeez Ali. Okay."
That gave nothing away, apart from knowing he was talking to Ali. Josh was over with not knowing a fucking thing about what was happening, although he had no chance to fight or ask questions because Ethan was pulling him again, tugging him behind a pillar and then through a fire exit door, and into a stairwell. They climbed two flights, and even though Ethan let go, Josh followed him because what else would he do? The court case was delayed? How had they done that—and who in gods name were they? Was it Danvers? Was it his ex-wife's new husband-to-be? What did they want with him?
"Wait," Ethan commanded, and Josh immediately stopped. He could see the food court beyond through the glass in the door, already with customers sitting at tables, even at six am. No other shops would be open, but there were offices above the mall, so he guessed they were the workers. Ethan turned him, straightened Josh's jacket, pulling it shut, buttoning it, and then carding a hand through Josh's hair to straighten it. Josh tried to protest, but Ethan did the same to himself, making himself look less like a guy on the run. He pulled a cap out of the bag, frowning as he rummaged. "Wear this; keep the brow low. Don't walk with me; go slowly past the franchises, make it obvious you're checking things out, and then head for the far exit to the road. Please keep to the windows, head down, and don't make any of this too obvious. Don't stand out. Got it?"
None of that made sense and Josh didn't know what else to do but summarize. "Don't walk with you. Head down, franchises, door, windows. Okay."
"I'll go just outside the door to the burger and place an order—I'll have eyes on this door at all times. Any issue, anything that feels off, and you come out of this door like your tail is on fire. Got it?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, wait for two and then follow me, but go clockwise around the franchises, okay? Don't look at me, don't talk to me, pretend you're on your own, casually considering breakfast before work."
Ethan glanced down at his suit, which was crumpled and stained if a person was to look close enough. "Clockwise," he confirmed.
"Don't run from me when I go, okay?" Ethan placed his hands on Josh's shoulders and squeezed. "Please do as I say, don't run. I'm the only one that can help you."
Josh hadn't even considered running, but the thought was now niggling at the back of his mind. He could wait for Ethan to leave, then simply turn and run in the opposite direction.
Run where exactly? What if Danvers finds me? Who are they? What if they find him?
"Josh? Are you with me?" Ethan shook him a little, and Josh blinked at him.
"Ethan, what is—"
"I gave you the gun; I could have hurt you but I haven't. I intend to save you and get you back to your family, whatever the cost. Are you with me?"
Wait? There was a cost? This was the moment he decided to run or stay with the man who'd turned his life upside down.
"I'm with you," he said after a pause.
Ethan stared into his eyes as if he was checking for deception and then gave a sharp nod. "In two. Okay? I'll be at the burger place, okay? I have your back. I won't let anything happen to you."
After Josh nodded, Ethan took out his gun, checked it, then holstered it agan before heading out. And Josh waited for someone to creep up behind him, and tried to watch Ethan at the same time.
It was the longest two minutes of his life.
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