Page 66 of All The Pretty Little Lies

Zaire's grip on the steering wheel tightens if that was even possible. "It's not a triangle, Alex," he growls, his voice low and rough.

I can't help but chuckle, despite the gravity of our mission. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is it more of a straight line? Or wait, given Vesper's involvement, maybe it's a V-shape?"

Zaire shoots me a glare that could have melted steel, but I catch the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're an ass, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm," I quip, turning down the music slightly.

“You and your computer are practically married with three kids, asshole. How did you figure it out?”

"Come on, Z. I'm not blind. The way you two look at her, the tension when you're all in the same room. It's like watching a soap opera but with more guns and tattoos. Plus, she did walk out of her room wearing one of Oscar’s shirts then she beelined it to your room after our meeting this morning. Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming."

A muscle in Zaire's jaw twitches, and I knew I'd hit a nerve. "It's complicated," he finally says, his voice low.

"Complicated?" I echo, raising an eyebrow. "That's the understatement of the century. You're in love with the same woman as your twin brother, who happens to be formerly engaged to your cousin. It's like a Russian nesting doll of drama. Apparently, Petrovs have the same taste in women. Well, one woman.”

Zaire's grip on the steering wheel tightens again, and for a moment, I think he might actually punch me. But then, unexpectedly, he lets out a short, bitter laugh.

“You’re not wrong.”

“So, how is this going to work? Are you guys like taking certain days? Is there a schedule? You get her every other day, weekends, and holidays?”

"Oh, shut up," Zaire groans, but I can see the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "It's not like that. We're figuring it out."

"Figuring it out?" I can't help but snort. "What's there to figure out? You're both sleeping with her, right? Or is it more of a 'look but don't touch' situation with one of you?"

Zaire's knuckles go white on the steering wheel again. "Alex, I swear to God..."

"Okay, okay," I hold up my hands in mock surrender. "I'm just trying to understand the logistics here. I mean, do you guys have some sort of time-share agreement? Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for you, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for Oz? Or is it more of a spontaneous thing?"

"Oh! I know! You guys probably have one of those fancy color-coded Google calendars, right? 'Vesper Time' in red for you, blue for Oz..."

"For fuck's sake, Alex," Zaire growls, but I catch the underlying hint of amusement in his voice. "It's not a goddamn timeshare. We're all adults here, and we're making it work."

"Making it work, huh?" I muse, tapping my chin thoughtfully. "Wait a minute. Is Talon mixed up in this too? I mean, he's been hanging around a lot lately, and he's got that whole 'golden retriever with a dark side' thing going on."

Zaire's reaction is immediate and visceral. His face contorts into a mix of surprise, anger, and is that a hint of jealousy? "What? No! Talon's not. I mean, he's not." He trails off, looking uncomfortable.

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued by this new development. "Oh? You seem awfully flustered by that idea, Z. Something you're not telling me?"

Zaire takes a deep breath, his jaw clenching. "Look, it's Vesper's choice, alright? Who she lets into her bed, I mean. We don't control her. She's her own person."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I hold up my hands, genuinely surprised. "Are you saying there's actually a possibility that Talon's involved? I was just joking, but is he?”

“No,” he immediately fires back. “I think it’s just Oz and I.”

I can't help but burst into laughter, the sound filling the car and drowning out the music. "Holy shit, Z. You're telling me that not only are you and Oz sharing Vesper but there's a chance Talon's in on this too? This isn't a love triangle anymore, it's a whole damn love...square?"

Zaire's knuckles are practically glowing white on the steering wheel now. "It's not like that, Alex.”

“Seriously, Z. How do you deal with it? Knowing that the woman you love is also with your brother? And potentially Talon? I mean, that's got to be rough."

“It’s not about me. It’s about her. Plain and simple.”

“But Vesper,” he starts.

Zaire cuts me off abruptly, his voice sharp. "Enough, Alex. We're not here to discuss my love life."

“You mean your love square.”

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