Page 48 of Clash of Sin and Secret

He lets out a long breath. “Or not choose.”

I lean my shoulder against the frame of the door and cross my arms. “Sour grapes?”

He grunts, rounding the desk to sit on the edge and face me. “If I’m being honest, yes. I’d love for things to be the way they were when I was the center of her universe, but I also recognize how much stronger and more vibrant she is now that she stands on her own.”

“She’s an amazing female.”

He nods and looks down at the letter opener.

I draw a deep breath, a mix of nerves and determination steeling my resolve. This isn’t just another chat. It’s the segue into a much needed man-to-man conversation about Scotland.

“I know there’s history between you three,” I start, waiting until he looks up to meet my gaze before continuing. “You’ve got a piece of her soul and Huntley and Scottie are of one mind more often than not. I understand that connection is rooted deep and I respect that.”

He nods slowly but doesn’t interrupt.

“But I have a piece of her heart that I intend to cherish and nurture. I love her and my bear claimed her as our mate.”

Zane leans forward slightly, his interest piqued, but still cautious. “And what do you think that entitles you to? We all love her.”

“Exactly. So, I’d like to explore what a four-person love affair looks like. If we know where everyone’s expectations lay, there will be less of a chance for things to go wrong.”

Zane rubs the back of his neck as he considers my words. “Fair enough. What do you expect out of this?”

I shrug, my mind racing through possibilities. “While you and Huntley are both attractive men, and I’m fully supportive of your relationship, I’m not looking for anything physical with either of you.”

He raises an eyebrow but keeps quiet.

“I’m all about Scottie,” I add, my voice steady now. “She’s my passion and my focus. But…”

Zane leans back again, crossing one ankle over the other. “But…?”

A small smile creeps onto my face. “The idea of watching you two with her or the three of us doing her right…yeah, that could work for me.”

His eyes narrow slightly as he processes what I’m saying.

“I’m not self-conscious and don’t mind sharing a bed with you guys if we’re working together to please her, but I won’t be crossing swords.”

A chuckle escapes him. “Good to know.”

The room falls quiet, and I laugh lightly at myself and the absurdity of this conversation. “And that’s it.”

Zane shakes his head. “I need a drink. Do you want a drink?”

“Hell yeah,” I reply without missing a beat.

Zane pushes up to his feet and moves toward the small bar tucked away in the corner of the office. After pouring two glasses of something amber, he hands one to me and clinks his against mine.

“To new arrangements?” he says with a smirk.

“To new arrangements,” I echo, before tipping it back and downing it in one go.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Zane

So, this is my life now. I lean back in my father’s chair, the leather creaking in protest as I stare at the security images cycling on the screen before me. Bran set up this elaborate networked system over the course of three decades, leaving us in a position to pick up where he and my father left off.

Thanks to them, we have eyes on the compound and the surrounding city blocks, the financial district on a whole, four different warehouses, a dozen retail outlets in the PATH underground, and the docks where our shipments of enchanted objects land.

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