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I pushed my sunglasses down. “I’m upright.”
Caden was sitting stony-faced, his eyes fixed on his book. I bent to look at the cover. The Art of War.
“Where’s Clara?” Yale asked.
“Sleeping.”
Caden flicked his gaze up and set his book aside, shifting back so he could prop his crossed legs up on the table. He folded his arms over his chest.
“So you’re just openly admitting you’re sleeping with her now?”
Irritation flickered through me, but I kept my face impassive.
“Who I sleep with is my business,” I said crisply.
Caden’s jaw worked, but he kept silent. Yale had a stupid smirk on his face. There was a long silence as I had a plate of egg whites and several espressos. Once I felt human again, I stood and put my sunglasses back on.
“Hey,” Caden drawled.
“Yes?”
His jawline worked again and he turned, looking out over the water.
“For what it’s worth, I think you should marry her,” he said. “You think everyone will judge you for marrying her…I disagree.”
I kept quiet, listening. Caden was my advisor when it came to the underground side of the organization. I respected his thoughts.
“If they’re not judging us, what will they think then?” I asked.
“It’s a powerful move,” he said. “Edwin was easily the best soldier in the organization in decades, second to you. The men still hold him up as an example. Marrying his daughter is a good strategic move for you.”
“I won’t use her,” I said.
“You don’t have to,” Caden said, rising smoothly. “Think of it as a happy, but accidental, side effect of marrying the woman you’re tripping over your own feet for.”
“I’m not,” I said.
Yale laughed aloud, his head falling back. “She’s had you by the balls for a while now.”
“Watch your tone,” I said, annoyed.
“Come on then,” Caden said. “I see your expense reports, I know what you spend on her. Let me guess…the house was so you could take her into the mountains and fuck her without being found out.”
He had me there. I cleared my throat, lifting a hand. “Enough.”
Yale laughed again. “What about the car? Fucking hundred grand.”
Caden nodded. “Or the renovation you did on her room.”
“Do you know how much sending someone bi-weekly flowers adds up to?” Yale said. “A fucking lot, that’s what. Oh, and can’t forget about the diamonds either.”
I picked up my jacket. “I highly recommend you both go fuck yourselves.”
“Merrick,” said Caden, his voice going serious. “If you want her, I will find another way to fund the expansion into Wyoming.”
I gave him a hard stare. “How?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll figure it out.”
