Ethan (Devil's Flame MC #9) - Romi Hart Page 0,6
a sense of confidence that was piercing. She didn’t know what the man had done to earn that, but she couldn’t shake the feeling, and as the group neared and she stood, that sensation only grew. He stepped towards her and held out his hand in greeting. She took it, surprised that he shook with the security of a greeting between two men. He didn’t hold back, and she appreciated it.
“I’m Ethan,” he said, and the voice tickled down her spine. So this was Ethan. “This is my president, Corey, and my VP, Rafe.” Finally, he pointed to the blond with the different cut. “And this is Dylan, the president of the Diamond Kings. I’m assuming you’re Brett.” Nods and greetings were exchanged between them.
She didn’t miss the way his eyes ran over her. Under other circumstances, she would have been upset, but since she’d already assessed him so fully, she couldn’t balk at his attention. “That’s me. I guess you’ve met Dennis, the VP.” She pointed to Dennis, who hadn’t bothered to stand. She’d tear his hide later for that, he was being a bitch when he didn’t have the clout to back it up.
“Let’s get to it then” Dylan said, and they took a seat, Ethan and Rafe pulling up chairs to the ends of the table. Ethan sat at her elbow, and he radiated that same raw sex appeal she’d sensed earlier. It didn’t seem to have anything to do with his status with the motorcycle club. He didn’t have any officer patches on his cut. Rather, it seemed like a personal assurance, faith in himself, and now he was even more intriguing.
She cleared her throat, wanting to start the meeting off on the right foot, with the right attitude. “Look, I want to say, first, thanks for meeting with us, I appreciate it. And second, I had no idea what was going on with the club, or that there were plans to screw you over. I don’t want anything to do with the Ravens, if there are still any out there, and I have nothing against either of your clubs.”
Corey spread his hands. “Fair enough. Dylan?”
Brett turned her eyes on the blond, and he nodded. “We’re good. The question is, what happened to Martin? And where do we go with our deal from here?”
Brett took a deep breath. She had thought about this overnight, and she had come to a conclusion that she hoped would keep everyone happy. “My brother is a mystery. Unless one of your clubs had beef with him, I can’t imagine any reason he’d run off. And I can’t think of anyone who’d take him out.
“As for the deal, I’m not aware of all the details of the arrangement, other than the fact that we were going to help with transport of some products for the Kings. I’m not all about getting involved in that long term. We don’t have the numbers, connections, or the money to stay under the radar and be safe. But because you already had a deal with Martin, and he tried to screw you once, I’ll honor the original agreement, whatever it was, while you find another method of transport.”
Silence fell over them, and Corey and Rafe both looked towards Dylan as he pondered the decision. She knew it took a lot of self-control for Dennis to hold his tongue, but he wasn’t about to risk the wrath at this moment by speaking out. When no one else spoke for what felt like an eternity, Ethan inserted, “It was only on a trial basis anyway. We’re not in the business, either, so I understand the reason for your hesitance.”
She liked him. He sounded sincere, not condescending. She turned to Dylan, though, who would make the final call, since it was his product. He scratched his chin and shrugged. “We’re in negotiations with another club, near the border. If we can get them on board, we’ll be alright, and I think we can manage that in the next couple of weeks. But we have another shipment before that. Are you okay with one more run?”
Brett wasn’t, but she didn’t see a lot of choice here. “I think we can make that happen, on one condition.”
Dylan smirked. “What do you want from us?”
“Aside from payment in full per whatever agreement you had, I need help. I don’t think my brother’s dead, and I need to find him,” she told them. She didn’t have anything to hide, and she wasn’t