Consumed by Wrath: An FBI/Romance Thriller (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 8) (7 page)

God, she was starving and her stomach was rolling from nausea at the same time. Yeah, if there was any doubt
of her state, Elizabeth could pretty much erase it.

“I actually did,” he replied, dropping a kiss to her waiting mouth. “What are you in the mood for?” he asked, as he moved over to one of the leather chairs sitting across from her desk.

“I don’t care,” she replied, trying to remain neutral. If she said anything, he might suspect that there was something going on in her body.

“Well, my schedule is almost clear for the day,” he began. “I have a mediation call later this afternoon, and most likely will have to work late.”

Elizabeth could hear the wariness in his voice.

“You realize that you can head back out on assignments, Callen. I have it un
der control now,” she reassured, except it was nothing but utter and total bullshit. Elizabeth felt out of control and out of step.

“No, I’m okay,” he stated. “I’ll head out once everything here is back to normal.”

They both knew what he was referring to on that one. He intended on sticking close until Ethan was back on his game. If it took ten more years, Callen was willing to bear the burden of long days, longer nights, and the stress.

He would do anything for his family.

“Besides, I can’t bear to be away from you,” he answered, lecherously. “I need my daily Lyzee fix.”

The laughter came easily, as it always did with this man. Callen had a way of making her heart light, even when it felt like concrete.

At the knock at the door, they both paused.

“Come in,” she said. When Ethan entered, she shuttered all the emotion on her face. If not, she would break down and cry, right then and there.

“Do you have a minute
to spare?” he asked. Before walking in, he had heard the laughter and now, it was gone. Ethan honestly believed that he was a giant vacuum, sucking the life out of the people he loved.

He was their Achilles heel.

She stared at him and tried not to bawl. Today, he was wearing the pocket square that she had given him two Christmases ago. Still, he had yet to break out the matching tie. Even without it, God, he looked so handsome, and Elizabeth almost wanted to run to him and wrap herself around his body.

It was hard not to do it.

So damn hard
.

“I do,” she replied, leaning back in her chair. “How was your appointment?”

“You can call it what it is, Elizabeth. It’s therapy for those of us that are crazy.”

Once the words were said, he automatically saw the ramifications of them. Her body went tense, the hurt filled her eyes
, and even his brother let out an exasperated sigh.

Yeah, this had to end.

“I’m sorry. I didn't mean to direct that at you. You shouldn’t have to be my emotional punching bag when I’m in a bad mood.”

Elizabeth stared at him and measured her options. “It’s okay, Ethan. No offense
was taken, because I understand.”

Right then and there, he wanted to scream. The woman he married never would have taken that
lying down. Elizabeth would have handed him his ass, and laughed while doing it.

This was a big sign of how bad they were doing.
She was giving up on him, and soon so would he.

For the moment, he let it go.

“Therapy was good, I guess. Doctor Gaines made some suggestions, and I’m going to take them.”

Elizabeth was all ears. At this point, she’d cut off her arm and dance naked with a hungry lion to fix Ethan. Picking up her coffee, she took a sip and waited for the miracle cure.

“She told me to go away.”

The cup slipped from her hand and hit her desk. It spilled all over her paperwork
, and she simply stared at it, almost numb to what had just happened. Her body shook, and everything in her was terrified by the words that had come from the man she loved.

Immediately, Callen was up and at her side
, mopping the spilled coffee up with a handful of tissues.

Ethan watched the reaction and hated that his wife was broken like this. This was his fault and he knew it. Deep down, he knew that he shouldn’t have phrased it like that, but he needed to know if they still had a chance.

Could he fix them?

Did she want him to?

Was she still in love with him?

“I’m sorry. T
hat didn't come out right,” he stated, as he watched Callen come to the rescue. It both eased his pain and hurt him more. He was slowly being replaced, and he had no one to blame but himself. In all their time together, as a couple, this was the first and only pang of jealousy that he had felt towards his brother.

Sadly, that too was his fault.

“How was it supposed to come out?” she asked, as her hands shook. God, why was her life taking this route? For years, Elizabeth dedicated herself to those who had no voice, and now it was as if she was slipping into that same shadow land.

What she wanted to do was scream, rage
, and shout until Ethan heard her.

Saw her.

Loved her once more.

When Callen’s hand came to her lower back in support, he gently offered her some peace
.

“Doctor
Gaines told me that I really need to go away and take an extended weekend. She feels that once I do it, I’ll be able to deal with everything that’s happened and is happening.”

Callen and Elizabeth watched him and neither were willing to make a comment. Then
, she realized that she couldn’t keep these emotions bottled up any more. If she was indeed pregnant, this stress was going to hurt her and the baby.

“Are you ever coming back?” she asked, softly.
“Or is this your way of telling me goodbye forever?”

Even Callen tensed at the words his brother had handed them. He loathed that Elizabeth was this hurt
, and he was beginning to dislike the man who was damaging her.

“That depends. Will you run away with me for a long weekend? Maybe we can get lost together, all three of us.
Then, we don’t have to ever come back.”

There was a
collective sigh of relief in the room. It was as if all the tension was pushed out the door and only the three remained.

“I’ll always run away with you, Ethan,” she said softly. When Callen’s hand on her back pushed her towards him, she didn't fight it. Instead, she let
one of the men she loved help her navigate this minefield. Where she didn't trust her own instinct anymore, she believed in Callen’s.

Ethan was surprised that she came to him. Lately, she had been trying to keep her distance. As she wrapped her arms around his waist
and buried her face in his shoulder, he left a gentle kiss on her neck.

God, he missed her so much.

The scent and feel of his woman offered him a small clue on how to find his way home.

Now
, if he could only bottle this moment.

“I can stay and hold down the fort,” Callen offered. If staying
home meant healing Elizabeth, he’d face Valentine’s Day alone. For the two people he loved, Callen would do or sacrifice anything. “I have calls tonight and tomorrow, anyway.”

Ethan wanted his brother there. “When you’re done, I want you to fly out. I really need this time to reconnect with both of you
, and find my way back to us.”

Elizabeth memorized the scent of his cologne and the feel of his body against hers. She missed this part of their relationship. Just the tender stroking down her back was offering her so much strength. If she closed her eyes, maybe she could believe that everything was back to normal once more.

That this was her Ethan.

Rising from the ashes
like the phoenix.

“Whe
re are we going?” Callen asked.

“I’m taking Lyzee back to where it all started.”

She glanced up into his eyes. “We’re going to Salem?” Her heart skipped in her chest. They hadn’t been back there since the day they left to move into his brownstone in Georgetown.

When they tried to go there, something with work always popped up and prevented them from getting
away. Plus, it held old demons that she knew would love to have her back in their clutches.

“Yes, sweet cheeks,” he answered, trying out the nickname. It reassured him that it brought tears to her eyes and made his wife wrap her arms around his waist even tighter.
When she burrowed into his body, there was peace.

“I’ll pack, love bug.”

Callen watched his brother and Elizabeth and it offered him more strength, since he had been right. They could do this. He knew it!

“I want to share it with you too, Callen,” he answered. “I know how hard you’re working while I’m,” he paused to search for a word. Crazy almost tumbled from his lips, but he refused to hurt Elizabeth anymore. “
Unwell.”

Elizabeth clung to him, praying that she would never have to let go. Just this moment meant so much to her. It showed that they had a chance
, and it refilled her well of hope.

Gone was the melancholy
, as the man she fell in love with years ago was fighting to come back. It made her want to cheer him on. Maybe going home would be the catalyst in change.

“I already called Gabe. He said that you need to finish your calls for the week
, and then you’re free. He’ll cover any of our conference calls.”

Elizabeth desperately wanted to kiss her husband. Going up on her toes, she took a chance and lightly placed her lips against his. “I can’t wait,” she whispered
, as she finished the gentle kiss.

Neither could he.

“Our flight leaves later today. Callen, yours is tomorrow afternoon.”

Gently, he ran his fingers over Elizabeth’s pixie cut and stared into her
icy blue eyes. “You should go back home and start to pack.” Dropping a kiss to her lips, he reluctantly released her and walked away.

Callen watched him go. “Was that the Ethan we all know and love?” he asked, hoping he was coming back after all.

Elizabeth simply touched her lips with her fingertips and memorized his taste.

“God, I hope so.”

                           *     *     *

Saying goodbye to their three kids and Wyler wasn’t an easy
task. There were kisses, more kisses, and then wails from the children.

Mom and dad were heading out
, and they were going to have to survive a few days without them. It wasn’t like they had never left their kids before.

Besides, they were leaving CJ, EJ
, and Cat with the grandfather of all grandfathers. They were sure that the kids would be fine. Callen would be home that night to help ease them into missing the momma bird. One half of the dad team was going to be there as backup and everything would be fine.

Ethan trusted Callen with not only his life, but his son. It was a testament to their bond
.

While packing her bag, she slipped a few sexy things
inside, just in case the three of them were to get naked. Yeah, there was sex still happening between them, but with Valentine’s Day, Elizabeth hoped to make some more memories. In the bottom of her suitcase, she also packed a pregnancy test that she managed to buy without anyone knowing.

While they were there, she was going to drop the big bomb on Ethan and give him a gift
that he wouldn’t soon forget.

Or at least she prayed that were the case.

Before he had been abducted, he was gung ho about having another baby, and then again the night they all cut off their hair. Yet, since then, the enthusiasm stopped and she wasn’t sure why.

Was he tired of asking?

Or tired of waiting?

Well, it was too late now. Ethan was going to get his wish
, and she only prayed that he didn't regret it.

Elizabeth didn't believe that her heart could
take it. If he wasn’t happy that another child was coming, it would likely be the killing blow.

“Where did you go?” he asked, as he loaded their suitcases into his car.

She glanced over at him. “Sorry, I was just thinking about us,” she replied, going with the honest answer.

He slammed the trunk of his Mustang and opened the door for her. “What specifically?” Already, he was thinking back to when the doctor told him to be open and honest with the people who he loved
, and it would all fall into place.

“If we’re fixable.”

Ethan didn't expect her to say it out loud. Here were shades of his ballsy, tough wife peeking through the still mourning woman.

“I think we are.
I have to believe that we have a strong foundation underneath the rubble. We’re still Lyzee and Ethan, right?”