Page 84 of Beloved Sacrifice

“Don’t,” Weston growled.

“Told.”

“You’re a dick.”

“You.”

Weston made a disgusted noise and got up, rinsing out his bowl.

“So,” Tristan finished.

“Told him so what?” Rose asked.

She and Marek were in the doorway. Rose once more wore the long white negligee. Marek wore his pants and tank top. His feet were bare. Weston felt his cheeks heat a bit as he looked at them.

Tristan looked between the three of them. “Ah, for fuck’s sake, Anderson, only you could manage to take a shit situation and end up getting a damned threesome out of it.”

Rose tipped her head to the side, regarding Tristan. “You’re pretty enough. So, either you’re a complete ass or you have a small dick.”

Tristan choked on a mouthful of tea and Marek snickered. Weston doubled over laughing.

“Fuck you, Anderson,” Tristan said.

“Don’t worry. We will,” Rose purred.

Marek couldn’t hold it back anymore and started laughing.

“I seem to be losing control of this situation,” Knight said grimly.

“What is this situation?” Rose crossed the room and paused by the chair. She raised her brow, and all three of them jumped to pull out her chair. Tristan was closest and got there first.

“Tea, please,” she told Knight.

Tristan poured her a cup from the pot he’d made. He may have grown up in a bad part of London, but the Masters’ Admiralty had drilled manners into him, turning him into a man worthy of the name Knight.

Weston only knew this because he and Tristan had been friends for over a decade. Tristan had quite literally saved him.

And now that friendship was coming to an end. They may be bantering now, but this was just a reprieve, and Weston wasn’t dumb enough to think otherwise. No matter how much he wanted to.

Marek got himself a cup of tea and leaned against the wall, while Weston leaned against the sink. Tristan immediately stood, backing up until he leaned against the far wall, in a position where he could see all of them.

He rested the heel of his left hand on the pommel of his short sword, which was belted to his right hip.

The moment of mirth faded into memory and tension filled the small kitchen.

“What is the situation?” Rose asked again, but her voice was quiet.

“Weston has convinced me that he should get the full three days to put his affairs in order.” Tristan’s tone was a bit deeper than it had been, formal. “Mr. Lee, you are free to leave.”

“I’m staying with them,” Marek said.

Rose twisted in her chair to look at him, and Weston was both surprised and relieved.

“I can’t tell you to leave when the time is up, but I suggest that if you want to remain in England when this is done, you go visit your grandparents.”

Translation: when this is over, either leave or find someone to protect you.

“I need to go to Dorset,” Weston said. “There’s information there that I need.”