Page 77 of Abduction

The threads were visible and un-cut able.

Apparently.

Maura made the introductions.

“Tommy, this is Lewis,” she said. “He’s here with Elizabeth to help us out.”

Tommy shook his hand and said nothing.

Maura continued.

“This is Tommy Bernard, and he’s Gene’s fiancé,” she said.

The minute it was out of her mouth, Gene cringed, and Ethan caught it. He was standing close to him and knew the man well enough that the tensing of his body, and the lines that appeared on his face meant one thing.

Something bad had happened.

He’d bet on it.

That one sentence hit a sore spot.

Only, he didn’t know why. Ethan had talked to Gene last night, and they’d texted this morning. Yet, he’d said nothing about trouble in paradise.

Tommy shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s my role here,” he said. “Marrying Gene,” he added.

EVERYONE heard the tone, and it was…uncomfortable.

Why?

They were familiar with a relationship going to Hell in a handbasket. They’d all had them at some point, well, minus Zayn. Now, someone sounded pissed, and that was never a good thing.

Uh-oh.

This was going to blow.

They’d bet on it.

From where he stood, Gene was going red, and Ethan knew that sign anywhere.

There was trouble in that paradise.

He’d been with Gene long enough that he knew him better than anyone here—including his current fiancé. That one single look was anger, and Gene was pretty laid back.

Until he wasn’t.

That was his signal that if they weren’t separated, then war would erupt.

Ethan took one for the team, and because he genuinely loved Gene.

They had a history that couldn’t be brushed away. It was what made him the man he was today. He was able to be a husband because he learned how to love from this man.

Ethan owed it to him.

“Elizabeth, Baby,” he began, “I’m going to handle something that I need to do while we’re here,” he said. “Can you handle this without me?”

Uh, the only thing they had to handle was…

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