Page 74 of Boss and Brat

Carter kept one arm around Ethan until the shaking eased enough that Ethan could breathe without gasping. He didn’t rush him. Didn’t push. Just held him until the worst of it passed.

When Ethan loosened his grip, Carter brushed a hand through his messy hair. “Sit down a minute,” he said gently.

Ethan nodded, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He sank onto the couch like his legs weren’t fully steady yet. Carter grabbed his phone off the counter, jaw tightening as he scrolled to Mr. Evans’s number.

He didn’t want to do this in front of Ethan, but he also wasn’t about to leave him alone in that state. So he sat beside him, close enough that their knees touched, and hit call.

Mr. Evans answered on the second ring. “Carter? Everything alright?”

“No,” Carter said bluntly. “Your wife just showed up here pounding on my door like she planned to break it down.”

There was a pause—sharp, surprised. “She what?”

Carter kept his voice low, steady, but there was no hiding the edge underneath. “You need to keep her away from Ethan if you want him to grow up and become a man. She scared the hell out of him. He told her he wasn’t going to church, and she showed up anyway. Bible in hand. Demanding he leave with her.”

Ethan flinched at the memory. Carter rested a hand on his knee, grounding him.

Mr. Evans exhaled hard. “I had no knowledge of this. None. I told her not to communicate with him. I was very clear.”

“Well, she ignored you,” Carter said. “And she barged into my cabin. Started checking rooms. Accusing me of influencing him. It was a mess.”

Another long silence. Then, quieter, “I’m sorry, Carter. Truly. I’ll handle it. It won’t happen again.”

Carter believed him—mostly. The man sounded tired, frustrated, and embarrassed all at once.

“Good,” Carter said. “Because Ethan’s shaken up. And I’m not letting anyone drag him out of here.”

“You have my word,” Mr. Evans said. “I’ll speak to her. She won’t come near him again.”

Carter nodded even though the man couldn’t see it. “Alright.”

They hung up.

Carter set the phone down and turned fully toward Ethan. The kid was staring at the floor, shoulders still tight, but his breathing was steadier.

“Hey,” Carter said. “He’s on our side.”

Ethan swallowed, eyes flicking up. “He… he really didn’t know?”

“No,” Carter said. “And he said it won’t happen again.”

Some of the tension slipped from Ethan’s face. He leaned into Carter’s shoulder, not crying anymore—just tired, worn down, needing closeness.

Carter wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in. “You’re safe here,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”

Ethan nodded against him, small and quiet. “Okay.”

And Carter held him, steady and sure, until the fear loosened its grip.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ethan stayed pressed against Carter’s side until his breathing evened out. His eyes still burned, but the panic had loosened its grip. When Carter pulled back just enough to look at him, Ethan felt a little embarrassed—like he’d fallen apart too fast, too hard.

Carter didn’t treat him like he had.

“Let’s eat,” Carter said. “Then we’ll get ready for the surprise I planned for today.”

Ethan blinked. “You still want to go?”