Page 50 of Boss and Brat

“He threatened me and hit me.”

“And why did that happen?”

“I don’t know. He’s a thief and a liar.”

Carter’s temper flared. “You told your cousin and his friend to visit Ethan last night, didn’t you?”

Tomás and Ethan exchanged sharp, death glares.

“So what? Ethan owes them money,” Tomás said.

“Mr. Evans paid them, so he doesn’t owe them anything. And you’re on thin ice,” Carter growled. “Either you pull that complaint, or I’ll fire your ass right here. What’s it gonna be?”

Tomás’s bravado cracked. “I’ll remove the complaint.”

“Call Officer Duarte. Now.”

Tomás did, voice shaking as he told the officer he was withdrawing the complaint.

Carter didn’t wait for the call to end. He turned and headed back to the truck, Ethan trailing behind him like a kicked dog.

The drive back to the cabin was quiet—too quiet. Carter’s jaw ached from the sheer intensity of his clenched jaw. He kept one hand on the wheel, the other drumming against his thigh, trying to bleed off the irritation before it turned into something sharper.

Ethan sat hunched in the passenger seat, staring out the window like the trees might swallow him whole. Every few minutes he shifted, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t get the words past his teeth.

Carter hated that. Hated the silence. Hated the way the kid folded in on himself like he expected to be hit with bad news any second.

When they pulled up to the cabin, Carter killed the engine and sat there for a moment, breathing through the leftover anger. He wasn’t mad about Tomás anymore. He was mad that Ethan had been carrying all this alone. Mad that no one had taught him how to trust anybody.

He turned toward him. “Get inside.”

Ethan nodded quickly, almost flinching, and followed him in and they silently removed their boots.

Carter shut the door behind them and leaned against it, arms crossed. Ethan hovered in the middle of the room, hands shoved deep in his pockets, shoulders tight. Carter let the silence stretchjust long enough to make sure Ethan was listening. Then he said, “I’m not sending you anywhere.”

Ethan’s head snapped up. His eyes were wide, confused—like he didn’t trust what he’d heard.

Carter stepped closer. “You hear me? I’m not sending you back to the barn. I’m not kicking you out. I’m not dumping you on someone else. You’re staying here.”

Ethan blinked fast, throat working. “But… I messed up.”

“Yeah,” Carter said. “You did.”

Ethan winced.

“But messing up doesn’t mean I’m done with you.”

Ethan’s breath hitched, barely audible. His shoulders dropped a fraction.

Carter kept going, softer now. “I can’t help you if you hide things from me. I need the whole truth.”

Ethan swallowed hard. “I know. I’m sorry.” His voice cracked on the last word. “I didn’t want you to think I was… I don’t know. Too much trouble.”

Carter’s chest ached with a sudden, sharp twist of emotion.Damn kid. Always expecting to be thrown away.

“You are trouble,” Carter said, but there was no heat in it. “But you’re my trouble now.”

Ethan let out a faint breath, eyes dropping to the floor. “I’m sorry, Carter. I should’ve told you. I just… I didn’t want you to look at me like everyone else does.”