Chapter 23: Shadows of the Past

Ethan barely slept that night. Even with Sarah curled up beside him, her warmth seeping into his skin, his mind refused to settle. His father was back. Looking for him. That fact alone sent a wave of unease through his body.

For years, he had done everything he could to distance himself from the man who had shaped his childhood into a battlefield of power plays and manipulation. He had walked away from the life his father had built, cut off every tie that bound them together. And now, just when he had started to find something real, something worth holding onto—his past had come knocking.

Beside him, Sarah shifted in her sleep, murmuring something he couldn't quite make out. He glanced down at her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She had no idea what she had stepped into by being with him.

And he hated that.

By the time the sun peeked through the curtains, Ethan had made up his mind. He wasn't going to let this destroy the fragile peace he had found here.

He had to take control before his father did.

Morning Tension

Sarah woke to the smell of coffee and the quiet clatter of dishes. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Ethan was already downstairs, moving around the kitchen with the kind of quiet intensity that told her he had barely slept.

She padded down the stairs, pulling his hoodie tighter around her shoulders. "You're up early."

Ethan glanced up from the counter where he was pouring coffee. "Couldn't sleep."

Sarah leaned against the doorframe, watching him. His movements were precise, controlled—but his eyes gave him away. There was a storm raging beneath the surface.

"Still thinking about last night?" she asked gently.

Ethan exhaled, sliding a cup of coffee toward her. "Yeah."

Sarah took a sip, letting the warmth settle in her chest before setting the cup down. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He hesitated.

For a moment, she thought he might shut her out, but then he ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "I left that life for a reason, Sarah. My father… he's dangerous. He doesn't take no for an answer. If he's looking for me, it's because he wants something. And that means trouble."

Sarah frowned. "But you don't even know what he wants yet."

"I don't need to," Ethan said. "With him, it's always the same. Power. Control. He either wants to drag me back into his world or remind me that I'll never really escape it."

Sarah swallowed. "So what do we do?"

Ethan's eyes flickered to her. "We?"

She crossed her arms. "You're not in this alone, Ethan. Whether you like it or not."

His gaze softened for a split second before he schooled his expression back into something unreadable. "I need to figure out what he's after. And I need to make sure he stays the hell away from you."

Sarah's heart clenched at the protectiveness in his voice. "Ethan, I—"

Before she could finish, the sound of a phone buzzing cut through the air.

Ethan's jaw clenched as he reached for his phone. The number was unknown, but he had a feeling he already knew who it was.

He answered. "What do you want?"

A deep chuckle came through the speaker. "Now, is that any way to greet your father?"

Sarah watched as Ethan's fingers tightened around the phone, his whole body going rigid.

"You have five seconds to tell me what you want before I hang up," Ethan said coldly.

His father sighed dramatically. "Is that how we're playing this? No reunion, no pleasantries? Just straight to business?"

Ethan didn't answer.

A pause. Then, in a voice smooth as silk, his father said, "Fine. I'll make this simple. I have a business deal that requires your… particular expertise. You and I both know you're the best at what you do."

Ethan's stomach turned. "I'm not interested."

His father chuckled again. "Oh, you will be. Because if you refuse, I'll start looking elsewhere. Maybe even closer than you think."

Ethan's blood ran cold. He knew exactly what that meant.

Sarah.

He locked eyes with her, his grip on the phone tightening. "Stay the hell away from her."

His father hummed. "I haven't even said her name."

Ethan's chest rose and fell rapidly. He had underestimated how quickly his father could find weak spots. And right now, Sarah was his biggest one.

"I'll send you the details," his father continued. "Think it over. And Ethan?"

Ethan didn't respond.

His father's voice dropped to a low whisper. "Don't keep me waiting."

The line went dead.

Unspoken Fears

Sarah stared at him, worry etched into every inch of her face. "Ethan… what did he say?"

Ethan tossed the phone onto the counter, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He wants me to work for him. And if I don't, he's going to start making trouble."

Sarah stepped closer. "What kind of trouble?"

Ethan exhaled harshly. "The kind that doesn't leave options."

Sarah didn't like the way he said that. "So what are we going to do?"

Ethan looked at her, his gaze heavy with something unspoken. "I don't know yet."

She placed a hand on his arm. "You're not seriously considering working for him, are you?"

Ethan's jaw tightened. "No. But I need to find a way to shut this down before it escalates."

Sarah hesitated. She could see the weight he was carrying, the way his past was clawing at him, trying to drag him back under.

She wouldn't let it.

"You're not alone in this, Ethan." Her voice was firm, steady. "We'll figure it out together."

For the first time that morning, something in Ethan's expression cracked. He reached out, pulling her into him, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"I don't deserve you," he murmured.

Sarah closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him. "Too bad. You're stuck with me."

They stayed like that, holding onto each other as if bracing for the storm ahead.

Because one thing was clear—Ethan's father wasn't done with him yet.

And neither was his past.