I reached out to smooth his worry away, my thumb pressing gently into the crease between his eyebrows. “World peace. De-escalation of tensions. Providing aid. Gentle disruption of terrorist plans. Prevention of mass suffering.”
My grandfather’s words moved easily out of my mouth as I passed along part of the secret to him—something I’d thought I would never do. “It started with whispered words during regular Paxis tournaments. A dozen very powerful men began to recognize the power they held outside of any government. It was power due to immense wealth but also connections. Why depend on fickle or corrupt government leadership to act when the council could act much sooner and without the obstacles of international diplomacy and red tape?”
Jett tangled his legs in mine. “Ah, a cadre of superheroes.”
“More like a cadre of people with enough resources to make a difference. And the one thing these men had in common was a desire to do good with those resources instead of hoarding them.”
“How can you trust everyone in the group?”
“You can’t. Al-Qadiri proved that.”
I went on to explain about the insider trading, why that kind of activity was against the rules, and how the only way to protect the Paxis Council from a vengeful ex-member was to eliminate them.
“So the Paxis Council planted the bomb?”
I shook my head. “His father-in-law did. We think Liyana called her father after Saleem asked her to buy the Helvig stock.Mehmet was the one who brought Saleem onto the council. He knew it was his responsibility. Saleem’s actions shamed him.”
“Liyana betrayed her husband for the sanctity of the council?” he asked in disbelief. “How could she?”
His outrage warmed something in my chest. “You wouldn’t do the same?” I teased.
“Fuck no. Would you?”
“Of course not. But I’m not sure she loved her husband more than the game. She’d grown up around the council and felt betrayed when her father passed her over for her husband.”
Jett’s eyelids were drooping. “What if the council finds out I know the truth about everything?”
I rubbed his back slowly, in hopes of soothing him to sleep. The poor man looked wrecked. Like he’d been as upset by the past week as I had.
“First of all, they won’t,” I promised. “Because we’ll come up with a plan. Our own code. Secondly, your agency will have your back, Jett. Even if you no longer work for them.”
He snuggled closer to me. “Maybe I could be an asset for the council,” he murmured sleepily.
“Mm, maybe. Get some sleep, baby.”
“Don’t leave. Want to suck you later.”
I couldn’t hold back the laugh, and I felt his grin against my chest.
“Duly noted,” I said. “I’ll wake you for the sucking.”
Several long beats of silence passed. Enough that I thought he’d fallen asleep. Until Jett’s soft breath moved across my skin differently. “Want to introduce you to my family.”
I moved my hands up and down his back, then moved my fingertips lightly through his hair. “You won’t be embarrassed by the caveman who claimed you in front of every gay man in San Francisco?”
“No one’s ever claimed me like that before,” he admitted softly. “’S nice.”
“You’ll move in with me when we get back to the city, right?”
“Meh,” he said.
“Meh?” I asked, staring down at the side of his face. “Meh? What the fuck does that mean? Yes or no, and the answer better be yes, Jethro.”
His lips curled up, but he didn’t open his eyes.
“Some decisions are best made hungry, Johnny.”
I laughed, remembering what I’d told him when I’d made the original indecent proposal. “You don’t even know what you’re talking about. That makes no sense.”
