“Tired, love?”
He smiled a little at the endearment.Someday, when things were calmer, he’d teach her Dutch love words.It had been a long time since Dutch had been his first language, but to hear her call him names in that tongue would be a joy.
“Very,” he admitted, turning back from the passenger seat to look at her.She was nestled between Marc and Ryan who didn’t look tired, if anything, they looked calm and at ease.
But then, they’d spent the last two nights with her.She was still in heat, and Trip’s tension was flying through the roof with her scent in the air—even if he was exhausted.
And, truth was, that exhaustion was because of her anyway.
With his own hormones through the roof because of her, it had been a relief to dive into the accounts.
Shawn jumped into the driver’s seat, peered around the car, then nodded.“We good to go?”
Ryan murmured, “Yeah.Everything quiet?”
“Yeah.All good.”
Ryan hummed his approval as Shawn started the engine.Within minutes, they were driving through the gate and heading out toward the city.
“Does Adam know what we’re doing today?”
El’s question had Trip turning back to face her.“No.I had him reach out to the Council, but I arranged the date and time myself.We didn’t want news to reach anyone’s ear.”
“You don’t think he had anything to do with the bomb, do you?”she demanded, aghast at the prospect—Adam was Ryan’s natural brother, after all.
It charmed him that even though she came from a family of backstabbers, she was idealist enough to think such a fate was heinous.
“No,” Ryan replied.“Adam isn’t involved.He loves me.And I’d have scented his deceit.”
Marc snorted.“Not necessarily.The ones closest to us find ways to slip under our radar.It’s how they’re near us after all.”
Trip rolled his eyes.“Stop shit stirring.We both know Adam is gold.”
Marc’s grin was rueful.“Yes.We do.But Ryan is so damn cocksure at times.”
El elbowed him in the side.“Well, that wasn’t the moment to make him doubt.Jesus, Marc.”
“Yeah, Jesus, Mark,” Ryan parroted, earning himself a laugh from the men and an elbow in his side from El too.
“I was on your side!”she argued.
“I know, and it was adorable,” Ryan teased, making her pout.
“If we trust Adam, why are we hiding today’s day trip to the zoo from him?”
Trip laughed.“When you see the motley crew we’re about to meet, you’ll realize how offensive that is to zoos everywhere.”
Her eyes widened.“What’s wrong with them?”
“The Pantera are…”
Ryan’s words died and Marc supplied, “Rough and ready.”
Trip grunted—even that was an understatement.
“They’re very badly managed, but they hold a fair bit of power.”
“Why?”
