Page 62 of Sweet Little Spies

Sometimes he had to translate for Tristan. “I think whathe’s trying to say is, it’s inevitable so let’s not play games. You honestlythink you’re going to be in a high-pressure situation and not end up in bedwith us? Tell me you’re not already rationalizing how this evening’s going togo.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carys’s expressionhad gone blank.

He could speak Carys, too. “You don’t? Let’s see if I getthis right. That beautiful brain of yours is arguing with your wounded heart.And I understand, baby. I truly do. We hurt you, but your logical mind iswondering if it’s worth it to lose everything. You’re wondering if you canforgive me. Maybe Tris can be the sacrifice you make so no one thinks you’re adoormat. No one thinks that, but this is where your pride comes in.”

Tristan sighed. “I got a lecture on pride already today. Iwas told in no uncertain circumstances that pride has no place in arelationship. You know when you think about it, she’s a little like me.”

Carys’s eyes flared.

“Don’t help me out,” Aidan complained. “Like I said, yourhead is at war with your heart. Your heart reminds you how much you haveinvested in this relationship and prays there might still be a way to save itall. The problem is you’ve spent years and years being taught to shut down youremotional side so you can do your job.”

“So you think I’ll choose you and sacrifice him. Then whylet him in our bed?” Carys asked as though the question didn’t matter.

He’d thought about this for freaking years. “Because wedon’t work without him, and you know it. There’s a reason we didn’t followthrough with the first wedding. There’s a reason we’ve waited for him. He wasan asshole, but he’s our asshole, and without him we’re floating through. Hell,the only reason we were getting married this time around was his insistence.”

“You didn’t want to marry me?” Carys asked, her voicetremulous.

“Of course I did and I do, but baby, we need him. I worry ifwe’re alone, we drift apart. Like we’ve been doing for a while now,” Aidansaid. “I love you, but you need more than me. You need him, too. And that’swhat he’s trying to show you. He’s not trying to steal some sex before it’s allover. He’s desperately attempting to prove to you we can still work.”

“I don’t think we can. I don’t think us sleeping and playingtogether for a couple of days is going to fix our problems,” she argued.

“But you’ll do it because while your brain and heart are atwar, your pussy is going to sneak in and take what it wants.” This was what hehadn’t done in forever. He hadn’t challenged her. They’d fallen into ruts,neglecting their bodily needs while they both tried to pretend they didn’t missTristan. He’d hidden his worry from her and she’d done the same, both afraid toupset the other. “Your pussy hasn’t had what it really needs in a long time.Two men worshipping you, pushing all your boundaries. Showing you that whileyour cousins are badasses, they’re not the ones who are so fucking incrediblethey require two men to satisfy them. Tell me you’re not thinking you can sleepwith Tris and walk away and get some revenge.”

“Of course she is,” Tris said, his eyes steady on her.

“What if I decide I don’t need either one of you?” Carysasked.

“Then you lose nothing.” It wouldn’t happen. They couldprove it to her. He was still pissed at Tristan, but he was self-aware enoughto know he didn’t want to break with him.

“And if he leaves again?” Carys sounded more vulnerable now.

This was the heart of the matter.

Tristan was quiet.

Aidan moved into her space. “Then I will figure it out. I’llfigure out how to be enough for you.”

Carys’s hand came up. “It’s not…”

He shook his head, hand coming up to keep hers against hischeek. “No apologies. This is who we are, but we have to figure it out. I wantto give it one more try, but if he fucks up again, I’m not willing to give upon us. I’ll find a way.”

Carys’s eyes closed briefly but when she opened them againher expression softened and she went on her toes to press her lips against his.“I needed to hear that. Thank you. And you know my pussy is going to win thiswar, so I should go and get dressed. I don’t know how this is going to work,but I will give you this time. Even if it means I have to give it to him, too.”

“I’ll take it,” Tristan agreed. “Feel free to punish me asmuch as you like in the vanilla world, but understand on the dungeon floor,you’re my sub and I’ll deal with you as I see fit, brat.”

Carys kissed Aidan again and walked away, moving toward thestairs leading to the locker rooms.

“I was hoping getting her ass kicked would put her in abetter mood,” Tristan said with a long sigh. “I suppose I have a lot of work todo, but at least she’s not forcing the issue for now.”

“She’ll want to know what your plans are at some point.”Aidan took the seat across from Tristan. “I know I’ll want them. If you’replanning on going back to working for months at a time with no word, we shouldthink about ending it here and now.”

“And if I decide I’ll only work with Uncle Ian’s team? Wouldyou be satisfied with that outcome? The twins are never gone for more than aweek or two. I could resign my military post and take a job with my fathers ascover,” Tristan offered.

“I thought you were trying to avoid working at MDWM.”

“Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Someone’s going to have to runit someday, and it’s not going to be my sister,” Tris admitted. “I don’t know.I only know I have to find a way to fix this thing with her. With you. I hurtyou, too.”

“Are you sure? You’ve made new friends.” Aidan had beenthinking about this for days. “You know it would be more normal for you todrift away. Not many people are lifelong friends. Things change. Circumstanceschange. You have more in common with Zach now than you do me.”

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