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Flynn’s arm around my waist was the only thing holding me up. I leaned against him, absorbing the strength and calm he was lending me.
“Hey,” she added gently, taking my hands and squeezing them. “Not that kind of research. The legal kind.”
“Okay,” I conceded, blowing out a slow breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding. I concentrated on them, on their gentle touch and their steady presence. There was no hiding the tremble in my hands or the wooziness that had washed over me with the force of a tsunami.
Zali cupped my face and pressed her lips to my cheek, standing on tiptoe to reach, and I clutched her waist, drawing her close and holding on to her for dear life.
“You okay?” Flynn asked, and I nodded, wrapping an arm around his waist.
“Let’s sit,” I suggested, gesturing at the bench seat that lined one wall of my office.
Zali slipped onto the bench next to me, and Flynn pulled up a chair. He sat perched on the edge, my knees bracketing his. I held their hands and nodded for Zali to continue.
“I haven’t been able to verify the owners of some accounts that RemagINC transferred funds to. Turns out they were all opened at the one bank.”
“That can’t be a coincidence.” My gaze bounced between them.
When Flynn and Zali both shook their heads and agreed, I let out a breath. “So what’s the plan? You can’t exactly get their names….”
“That’s where I need you to trust me.” Zali took my hand in hers and squeezed. “I promise you, Tristan, I will keep you safe. Nothing, and I mean, nothing will touch you.”
I hung my head and closed my eyes. I believed her. I really did, but fear was a bitch.
“Tris,” Flynn murmured, his voice a soothing balm. “I need you to talk to us.”
“I’m… okay. It’s stupid. Every time I hear about what Zali does, I’m fucking terrified. The walls start closing in, and I can feel the blows raining down on me.” I exhaled and rubbed my chest, the broken ribs I’d suffered having long since healed, but the phantom pain was as real as it had been that day.
Zali brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear, but as soon as she lifted her hand, it fell forward. She did it again, her soft touch soothing. “I’m sorry—”
“No, this is on me.” I shook my head. “I trust you; I do. It’s just a lot for me to get my head around. I’ve spent so long hiding away from anything that could possibly bite me in the arse that I just….”
“I get it.” She gave me a small smile and ran her fingers through my hair again. “I was going to suggest a research trip, but maybe it’s better that you stay.”
“Is that why I need a passport?”
“It is.” She nodded and shrugged. “There’s a ball in Monaco in a few days. I thought we could go on that date.”
“Monaco?” I stuttered, my eyes going comically wide.
She bit her lip and eyed me like she wanted to eat me. My cock twitched at the intensity of her gaze. “Mmhm. At the Monte Carlo Casino.”
Flynn’s hand landed on my thigh, and he inched it up until his thumb pressed against my balls. My breath caught, and he chuckled, a soft puff of air against my cheek. I clutched his shirt, drawing him closer, and he shifted, rubbing me through my pants.
“I want to see Flynn peel you out of a tux,” Zali murmured, nibbling on my throat.
“Yes,” I gasped, my cock rock hard and desperate.
But they stilled as one and pulled back, a silent conversation passing between them.
“The flight leaves tonight,” Zali said. “I’d love to see you there, but this is your decision, Tristan. I don’t want you to feel forced into anything. No matter what choice you make, I’ll still love you.”
The sincerity in her eyes drew me in, and I found myself falling for her all over again.
“So will I,” Flynn added, bussing a lingering kiss to my temple as he stood. I reached for his hand, squeezing it, trying to hold onto him for a moment longer. “I’ll text you the details. If you’re not there, we’ll text you as soon as we land to let you know we arrived safe.”
My cock hated me, but my heart and my mind were on the same page. The weight that had been suffocating me only a few moments ago lifted, and I breathed easy. This was my moment, the one in which I either committed to being all in or the one I used to distance myself from that part of them. I didn’t know if I could successfully turn a blind eye. I didn’t know whether I could be with them and yet be completely innocent of any wrongdoing, knowing the kind of work Zali did. But the fact that they’d given me the choice meant the world.
“Thank you.” Standing up, I gathered Flynn in my arms and kissed him slowly, pulling back only to press our foreheads together before drawing Zali in. When our kiss slowed, I held them tight and whispered, “I don’t know if I’ll be there. But I’ll think about it.”
