“And why would that be?”
“I wasn't a very nice person during school, or after, for that matter.”
“I'm sure that's not true.”
“No, it is, ask Annabelle.” Ethan climbed into his seat.
He would make sure to do that, because anything to do with this woman interested him far too much.
“I'll only be here for a few more days, not sure I'll have the time.”
Ethan muttered something, but as the engines were roaring, he didn’t catch it. Brad buckled himself in and then felt the rush of exhilaration as Ethan took the bird up.
“God I love this.” He hadn't realized he'd said the words out loud until Macy laughed.
“You both said the exact same thing at the exact same time.”
He didn't look at his brother, instead fixing his gaze on the scenery. The trip wasn't long, but spectacular. They flew over long ribbons of blue water and acres of land. They scaled a mountain and followed a tree line.
“It's spectacular.”
“Hard to find any place nicer,” Ethan answered him.
“There,” Macy said, pointing. “See that lake? Buchanan land starts there and borders the water on three sides.”
Ethan flew them over it as low as he could, and Brad saw the huge old trees, and then the homestead. Isolated, and yet peaceful, he thought.
“You see those two choppers there?”
He followed Macy’s hand and found them. Some distance off, but he saw the rotors.
“Are they on the land?”
“Yes.”
“I'll take her down over there, where there’s a clearing away from those other birds,” Ethan said. “I don’t recognize them as charter flights.”
As they dropped, Brad saw men. At least a dozen of them, and all close to where they were landing.
“Do you see him?”
Brad knew whichhimhis brother was referring to. Searching the group, he found EG in the middle.
“Yes.”
“You two need to stay in control, because I'm not breaking up any fights. I don't want either of you giving these men any reason to go after us. We’re trespassing here, not them, because I can see that bitch Nadine down there.”
Ethan shot Macy a surprised look. Obviously he'd never heard her speak with such authority. Yet it didn't surprise Brad. He knew she was strong; she’d had to be.
His insides were churning as Ethan landed, and he felt the anger and insecurities surface.You’re not that man now, he reminded himself. The one who did whatever his father had wanted, and taken whatever his father had handed out to him.
“I need your word on this, Geldermans.”
“Aww, do we have to?”
Ethan's words were supposed to sound whiny, but they came out clipped.
“Now,” Macy said.
