My Stallion Heart (The Stallions Book 7) by Deborah Fletcher Mello

yet.”
    “This woman must be very special!” Travis crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat.
    “I liked her. She had a lot of spirit. She lives in London, so hopefully our paths will cross sometime soon and I’ll get a chance to see her again.”
    Travis nodded. “I hope that works out for you. I really do.”
    “You hope what works out?” Tierra said, moving back into the room.
    The two men exchanged a quick look.
    “That my new business will do well,” Tinjin said as he broke the eye exchange with Travis.
    Tierra nodded. “What all do you need?”
    Tinjin paused for a quick second before answering. “Money. I’m dumping my entire life savings into the initial collection but it would be nice to have some seed money to fall back on to keep things rolling until the designs really take off. So I’m hoping to find an investor. Someone whose interests are also in the fashion field.”
    “Well, you know Travis and I will help as much as we can. But you might want to talk to John and his brothers while you’re here. They’re always looking for investment opportunities.”
    “I agree,” Travis added, “although Stallion Enterprises likes to have controlling interest in all of their business ventures. That might be problematic if you’re looking to have free rein.”
    “I am, which is why I want someone who knows the industry and how it works. I just need a short-term investor with deep pockets who’ll buy in while I get off the ground and who won’t mind being pushed out when we’re rolling.”
    “Well, good luck with that,” Travis said as he moved back onto his feet. He quickly glanced to the watch on his wrist. “We should start getting ready. We’ll need to be downstairs soon.”
    Tierra nodded. “This is so exciting! Actually finding family you’ve never known about.”
    Travis chuckled. “It is, but a part of me wishes it was your family and not mine.”
    Tinjin laughed. “No thanks, brother. If we started unearthing siblings and cousins, both Tierra and Mama Dee would be even harder to deal with. The two of them are already difficult enough.”
    “We are not!” Tierra exclaimed, pouting profusely. She swatted a heavy hand in her brother’s direction. “You wait until I tell her what you said.”
    Travis laughed. “I understand, man. I understand completely!”

Chapter 5
    J ohn Stallion stood alone in the small conference room of the luxury hotel. Marah had gone to the banquet room to ensure everything was in place for the family meal. He was deep in thought when his brother Mark came through the door.
    John nodded his head in greeting. “Are they here yet?”
    “No. I don’t think so,” Mark answered. “Matthew is waiting in the lobby for them. Michelle and Katrina took the kids to the dining room.”
    “Where’s Luke?”
    “Late.”
    John chuckled softly. “At least he’s consistent.”
    “You know how Luke does. Besides, I think he’s feeling some kind of way about all this.”
    John met Mark’s raised eyebrows. “Some kind of way how?”
    Mark shrugged his broad shoulders. “First Phaedra showing up on our doorstep announcing she’s our father’s love child and now a dead aunt and cousins...” His voice trailed as he shrugged a second time.
    John took a deep breath. “They are our family. We’re going to embrace and love them. It’s what Mom and Dad would have wanted from us.”
    “I get it but still, it’s a lot to swallow. I’m starting to feel like we’re caught up in a scripted entertainment series and someone’s just waiting to drop another shoe to see if we’ll jump.”
    John laughed. “That’s a little much, Mark. A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
    “Maybe, but it all used to make sense. We were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John Stallion. We knew our lane and we stayed in it. It worked for us and with you at the helm we built an empire together. We have this legacy we’re going to be able to pass down to our children and now,