Thankfully, Killian’s quick to accept it. “Nick wants to make a deal to clear his name.”
“Clear his name?” I adjust the blanket as Tristian pulls me close, arms closing around my middle. “But he had nothing to do with it.” After talking to my mom, I realize that. The fire happening right after Daniel’s murder was just a lucky coincidence. Clearly, everyone was just scheduling around Killian’s award banquet.
Nick thrusts out a palm, exclaiming, “See! She knows that whole shitshow was set up.”
Dimitri ignores him, looking at me. “Baby, your mom could have gotten to him.”
“Who knows who all she had working for her,” Tristian agrees, body solid and warm beneath me. He dips his thumb beneath the sweater to caress my thigh. “If she got to Ugly Nick and Martin, there could be more. We have to start from scratch with this, Killer.” The last part is said to the man looking stony and troubled in the middle of the room.
Killian gives a heavy nod. “I need to know who I can trust. It doesn’t help that another King has it out for me.” He tosses Sy a dark glance, and the man scoffs.
“It’s not my fault you beat the shit out of him over a case of mistaken identity. Go and apologize like a man.”
“Apologize?” Killian’s jaw goes rigid, eyes filling with fire. “Over my dead fucking body.”
“Saul Cartwright forced himself on me.” I glare at Sy, making sure he understands. “He cornered me, attacked me, and tried to rape me. We’re not sorry for any of it.” Beneath me, I can feel Tristian getting hard, which is making it difficult to inject the necessary acid into my voice.
“Whatever.” Sy shrugs, looking unconcerned. “I’m not a Duke yet. I don’t have any loyalty to Saul, and I sure as fuck don’t have any pull with him.”
“It’s not his, anyway,” Dimitri adds, looking up at Nick. “Why are we ignoring the obvious here? The Dukes’ Kingdom belongs to a Bruin.”
Nick makes a short, dismissive sound. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
“Wait. What does that mean?” I ask, looking between them. “It belongs to a Bruin?”
Killian’s the one who explains. “Remember what I told you before, about Kingdoms being won by blood?” At my nod, he gestures to Nick. “Well, his dad was King, but he left. Walked away from it all.”
“Saul Cartwright took it over,” Tristian goes on. The low tenor of his voice combined with his fingers shoots straight to my center. “But he didn’t win it. Nick still has a legitimate claim.”
“I don’t want it,” Nick says, lifting a shoulder in a loose shrug. “I don’t give a fuck about your dumb frat drama. I just want to take what’s mine and fuck off.”
“What’s yours?” Dimitri’s chest bounces with an ominous laugh. “Even if we helped you get Lavinia, you couldn’t keep her. She doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
“That’s my problem to solve,” Nick says, eyes hard when he turns to Killian. “Our deal’s still good, Killer. I got your boys into the office.”
Too tired to keep up with their bickering, I let myself get distracted by what Tristian’s fingers are doing. They started out doing these idle little sweeps against my thigh, but they’re growing more deliberate now. When I lean back, letting my legs relax, I feel it.
His cock gives a strong, eager twitch.
I’m only half expecting it when he wedges a hand between us. I know Tristian well enough to understand that we’re recovering from a tense situation and he’d absolutely want something like this—exposed yet private. It’s not all fun and games for him. Sometimes I suspect he just needs a connection.
But I’m not expecting the boldness. I feel him take his cock from his boxers, the head dragging against the small of my back, and then reach for the crotch of my panties.
But before he tugs them aside, he stops.
His breath is even and controlled, and I know without glancing over my shoulder that he’s watching them with a perfectly normal expression—concerned when Killian gets too energized with his gestures, annoyed when Nick reacts with amusement, threatening when Sy looks like he might jump in. He’s playing the part, but his attention is fixed to me. I can feel it.
He’s waiting for a signal, I realize.
He’s waiting for me to tell him I want it.
He’s waiting for my answer to his request.
I give it by adjusting, and I try to do him proud, acting like I’m just squirming my way out of a minor discomfort. Swiftly, he tilts his hips and positions his cock, allowing me to slip right onto it.