choice, as long as we can keep things under control. And I don’t see any reason why we can’t.” She heard the ‘but’ coming before he said it. “But we’re going to have to be careful on this ride.”
“I know. Trust me, I’m going to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, expecting one of these guys to have a gun at my back.” She’d worried about trust before, but now, with Dennis making his stance clear out in the open, in front of what amounted to most of the club, it would be easier for the others to gather their ranks and work against her. Taking a deep breath, she told him, “I trust you, Ethan. More than anyone else right now. Don’t screw that up.”
He gave a short nod. “I’m trying. Hell, there are a lot of things I’m trying not to fuck up right now.” His eyes shifted, and she caught the way he glanced over her. It made her body heat up, and she had to wonder if she’d ever be able to control her attraction to him. “So, are we good?”
“We’re good,” she assured him. “Thanks for your help. And thanks for not leaving.”
With a salacious grin that felt far too exciting, he told her, “It’s going to take a lot more than a few angry words to make me leave.”
Brett swallowed hard at the insinuation she read in those words. “I threatened to shoot you.”
He shrugged, that grin turning boyish. “Some things are worth the risk.” Tossing the cigarette aside, he sobered and told her, “Listen, I’m going to play a role here and see what I can find out. Just know that, whatever rumors you hear around here, I’m not gunning for club president.” He winked at her, and Brett had an idea of what he meant to do.
It wasn’t comfortable, but she swallowed her pride and nodded. If she was going to trust him, she had to trust that he knew what he was doing, and she had to keep faith that it would all turn out alright.
11
This crew was rowdy and disorganized, and the more time Ethan spent in their midst, the more he realized something had to change. It was pretty obvious Brett was doing everything she could to make that happen, but the precedent was there, and it had been spoken out loud in what Ethan had to assume was most of the club brothers.
Brett was still a woman.
She had a hold on things, and there were obviously men in the Silver Suns who respected her, but it was a precarious hold with someone as adamant as Dennis working against her openly. He was hiding things, that much was clear, but the fucker wouldn’t fess up what was going on in his head. And Brett needed to sleep with one eye open while they made the run to the border.
At least, if she slept alone.
Why Ethan let his mind slip back into that place he didn’t know, and he stalked into the rundown clubhouse, looking around and trying to decide where he was going to start. He didn’t particularly feel like dealing with Dennis, or any of the three men gathered around him. Not yet. His anger still simmered below the surface, and that wouldn’t get him into anyone’s good graces. If he was going to win any of these assholes over, he would have to do it with personality and a tough hand.
“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” Ethan turned to see Kent standing beside him. They’d only met briefly yesterday, but considering this was the guy who’d tried to deck Dennis, Ethan liked him already. “I just couldn’t take Dennis running his damn mouth anymore.”
Ethan nodded. “I get it. I want to flatten him to the ground.” Ethan wasn’t trying to pick favorites among this group, but he knew how to talk to people about what they liked, choosing the right thing to say that will make them open up to him.
Crossing his arms, he turned to face Kent, deciding this would be a better place to start for the day. He’d be able to be a little more open, express some of his distaste, and perhaps calm himself before he had to talk to any of the less savory members of this club. “Does your loyalty lie with Brett and Martin, or do you just have a problem with Dennis?”
Kent shook his head. “I’ve always followed Martin. He’s not the ideal leader, but he