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She found them out on the veranda enjoying the spectacular view. Merrik handed her a fresh mug ofwessin, his gaze lingering on her face. “If we are one step closer to bonding, I’d like to know more about what my life would be like if we formed a power triad. What do you guys usually do when you aren’t courting a potential mate?”
“Tov and I own a small fleet of ships and they are our primary source of income. I own less than twenty percent, so it is really Tov’s company.”
She hadn’t realized it was a mutual endeavor. She thought Merrik was employed by Tov. “How did you two meet?”
“I went to work for Tov decades ago, back when he only had three ships,” Merrik told her, but he averted his face when he heard the question.
His reaction was so odd that she couldn’t help but ask, “Are you native to Altor?”
His features tensed and his voice grew mechanical. “My past is unpleasant and has no bearing on my life now. You asked about my shared history with Tov. I was there to watch him take three rusted-out relics and turn them into a state-of the-art fleet.”
“He is being modest,” Tov insisted. “I was lucky enough to be born into a family wealthy enough to provide venture capital, but Merrik and I built the fleet together every step of the way.”
There was way more to the story than they were saying, but it was obvious Merrik had no desire to share. “How does the Citadel fit into your shipping empire, or are they completely separate?”
“We are contracted by the Citadel on a mission-by-mission basis,” Tov explained. “If we accept the contract, we provide the ship, supplies, and often the personnel to accomplish the objectives.”
“You can refuse missions?” No wonder they seemed so different from the other teams.
“Can and frequently do.” Merrik looked at her again, the tension gradually easing from his handsome features.
“So, let’s get down to the specifics. What would my life look like if I allowed you to claim me? How would I fit into your world?”
Tov leaned his hip on the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. “We would take you to the Citadel so you could receive basic training from an experienced conduit. After you’ve learned how to manipulate the conduit, we would practice functioning as a team.”
“Once Zevon was comfortable with our level of control, he would send us on our first mission,” Merrik added.
“How often do you guys go on missions?”
Tov shrugged. “There have been times when we won’t hear from Zevon for a couple of months. Other times we will take back-to-back missions that last even longer. The average is about once a week.”
“And the rest of the time?”
Merrik smiled, clearly pleased by her interest. “We run a shipping empire.”
All of that sounded better than she’d expected. “We would live here?”
“Unless you prefer the Citadel,” Tov teased.
“No, here is much nicer.” She paused. She knew nothing about shipping, but she could certainly learn. “Would I be allowed to help you guys? I have to have tasks, goals, accomplishments or I’d go insane.”
“Of course,” Tov assured her. He pushed off the railing and faced her, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Triads share everything. We want you to be an active part of our lives. If you don’t find our business challenging or fulfilling enough, we would support you in whatever you want to do.”
Encouraged by their answers, and Tov’s attitude, she risked the subject she’d been dreading since she decided to talk openly with them. “Submitting sexually is starting to feel natural. However, I’m not sure I can, or that I want to, submit in other areas of my life. I would need our relationship to be cooperative. I want lifepartnersunless we’re having sex.”
Tov ran his hands up and down her arms as he gazed deeply into her eyes. “There has been little time for anything but sex during these past few days. This is not how the rest of our lives will be.”
“Your ideas and opinions are important to us,” Merrik insisted. “We want to share our lives with you.”
“There is one other situation when you will need to obey without question,” Tov cautioned.
“During missions?”
He nodded. “While we are on missions, I become your commanding officer. You will need to obey me without hesitation or question.”
“I understand and it makes sense to me. I felt how dangerous the connection is without you there to control it.”
A faint humming made Tov look at the inside of his forearm. “It’s Zevon. He wants to speak with both of us,” he told Merrik. He bent down and brushed Cara’s lips with his. “We’ll be right back.”
