Marc squeezed her hand again.“You’ll go with Ryan to see them.”
Ryan frowned.“That’s not fair, guys.”
Trip shrugged.“It makes sense.In public, she needs to be on your arm.There are going to be times when you’re in the human society pages, Ryan.She can’t keep swapping and changing.Not without making tongues wag.Within our own world, it’s different.”
“You’re okay with that?”she asked softly, hating the deception, hating the fact they’d have to hide their bond.Even though it was all still beyond her perception and understanding, she knew how huge a deal it was for them to take this step.And even though love shouldn’t have come into the equation yet, she loved them for making that sacrifice for her benefit.
And loathed her circumstances for making a sacrifice necessary at all.
Trip lifted an arm and curled it about her shoulder.She’d never been overly tactile before, but she loved how easy it was for them to touch her.It was so natural.Like breathing.It reinforced their connection, made it realer somehow.“Marc and I discussed it, sweetheart.We think it’s best.”
“But we were going to go to Wild functions together,” she said mournfully.
Marc blinked at that.“You really meant that?”he asked softly, and she knew he was touched.
“Of course.This bond between us is still insane to my mind, but it doesn’t matter.Just because my very rational brain doesn’t understand, every other part of me does.I’m not just Ryan’s.I’m all of yours.”
“Your name brings you under more scrutiny than most, El.”Shawn sighed.“You know they’re right.”
“Look on the bright side,” Marc said softly.“Shawn will be with you.He can look like a guard.”
“Can’t you all?”She turned bright eyes on Trip and Marc.“I really don’t want to have to deal with being parted from you when it comes to these kinds of events.”She sucked in a shaky breath.“Already you’re grounding me.I can feel it.”
Marc shot Ryan a look.“The bond’s coalescing faster than anticipated.”
“I know.When I called upon the links earlier, it’s three times thicker than it was yesterday.”
Marc and Trip stiffened at her side.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, not at all,” Ryan soothed.“It’s just… you might be right.Having to hide the bond in public will take a very deep toll on you.More than we could have foreseen.”
“This still isn’t sounding like a good thing.”
At her wary statement, Trip chuckled a little.“It’s a great thing.It means that the rational part of you that thinks this is nuts is going to be drowned out soon.Your head is only a single part of you.Your heart and soul two other different things.”
“Does this mean you’ll pretend to be guards to stay with me?”
“It means we might not have a choice to do anything else,” Ryan told her.
“We’ll need to curb back on travel too,” Marc pointed out.
“No, I don’t think so.The hiding and the secrecy will exacerbate her insecurities.Not if we have to travel.”Trip tightened his hold on her.“You’re a strong little bit, baby, aren’t you?”
“Well, I thought I was,” she said ruefully.“Now the fact I want you to hold my hand when we go to events is changing that.”
Santiago broke into their conversation by clearing his throat.“Sirs, we don’t mean to interrupt but this should probably be a private discussion.”
Ryan blinked.“You’re right.Apologies.What is your next step?”
“We’re looking into any reasons why the Pantera would want to mess with Ms.Forsythe-Drew’s family.Any links there would explain a lot away.Also, we’re going to start looking into what Mr.McNamara just shared.We need to figure out if the two men acted as individuals or as part of the Pantera collective.”
Ryan nodded.“Keep me posted.”
“Of course, sir.”Erickson’s smile was tight.“We’ll be in touch, and, er, congratulations.”
The Triad murmured as one, “Thank you.”
