Page 51 of The Viper
Noah nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Good morning."
Then she turned to Ethan, extending her hand. "I'm Lexi."
Ethan, despite his size—six-five, built like a mountain—looked a little shocked, his arms hovering awkwardly before he returned the greeting. "Uh, Ethan," he said, glancing at me over her shoulder like I'd just handed him a live grenade.
Lexi stepped back, her eyes twinkling.
I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. "Ethan’s my big brother."
Lexi stepped in again and gave Ethan a big hug. So much for subtlety.
She beamed, but there was an awkward silence that followed, the kind that screamed unspoken questions. Lexi caught it, her expression shifting to understanding. "I know that look," she said, grabbing her bag from the counter. "Family talk. I'll make myself scarce."
"It'll only take a minute," I said, looking at Noah and Ethan for confirmation. "Right?"
Noah's eyes met mine, and I saw the weight there—something more than a casual visit. "I'll take Lexi to the set," he offered. "Give you two a chance to catch up."
I didn't argue, though my instincts screamed that this wasn't just a drop-in. "See you soon," I said to Lexi, my voice low.
She surprised me by leaning in, kissing me right on the mouth—a bold move in front of Noah and Ethan. Her lips were soft, a reminder of last night, and it took everything not to pull her closer.
She grabbed her things and followed Noah out the door, leaving me with Ethan in the sudden quiet of the suite.
Ethan gave me the look—the one that saidwhat the hell did you get into?—his eyebrows raised high enough to touch his hairline.
"Lexi Montgomery?" he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and amusement. "You always did aim high, little brother."
I ignored it, waving him toward the sofa. "You hungry? I can order room service."
He shook his head, dropping into a chair that looked too small for him. "Always hungry, remember? But no time for breakfast. This isn't a reunion in the fun sense."
My stomach knotted. "Then what is it?"
Ethan leaned forward, his massive frame making the furniture creak. He took his time, like always, choosing his words carefully. I could see the scars on his arm—the ones from that day in Montana, the grizzly attack that had changed everything. The memory hit me hard, unbidden: we were kids, hiking the backcountry near the ranch, fly rods in hand, riding horses, laughing about nothing. The grizzly came out of nowhere, a massive shadow exploding from the brush, claws like knives, roar shaking the ground. It went for me first, but Ethan—always the protector—cut between us with his horse. The bear swiped his horse then went after him, tearing into his arm, blood everywhere, but he didn't back down. He fought like a demon, shot the bear multiple times before he was empty, giving me and Caleb time to run away.
Ethan had saved us that day, his arm mangled, but his grin fierce through the pain. "Got him good," he'd said, as if it was just another scrape. That scar was a reminder: family first, always.
"Ethan," I said, my voice steady but urgent. "What's going on? You been called in, too?"
He nodded, his expression grave. "Yeah, but it's more than that. I made a career change, Lucas."
I stared at him, the words not computing. "Out of the service? You? Ethan, you're a soldier through and through. What the hell?"
He held up a hand, his scarred arm catching the light. "Hear me out. It's about family."
My mind raced. "One of the brothers? Caleb? Levi? Micah? Is someone hurt?"
"No," he said quickly. "Everyone's fine. But this … it's about dad."
Dad. Byron Dane. The name hit like a gut punch. I tried not to think about him—the man who'd been a ghost in our lives, showing up sporadically with stories of adventure and lessons in survival, only to disappear again.
Mom had raised us, kept the ranch running, taught us to be good men. But dad—he'd instilled the fire, the drive to protect, to fight. He'd taken us on those rare trips, showing us how to track, how to shoot, how to stand tall against the world.
And then he'd vanished for good, leaving questions we never asked.
"What about dad?" I asked, my voice tighter than I meant.
Ethan's face twisted, pained. "He had secrets, Lucas. Big ones. The biggest was here in Charleston. Dominion Hall. Noah and his brothers—they're connected."
