Tynan sat in a restaurant in Pe City. 

He wasn’t shocked to get a response from the mystery investor. He was shocked that the person wasn’t willing to fly to S Country. Meeting in the capital, Lor City, would only have benefits and no detriments. 

If Zach knew what this big boss was thinking, he would hang his head in shame. He had planned to go to S Country. However, when he was preparing to reply, he remembered that he didn’t have a passport.

It was his first time applying for a passport. It would take a while for him to get it. Rushing the process wouldn’t change anything. 

Then he needed a visa. He could only hang his head and request the big boss to come to him. 

Zach walked into the restaurant and gave his name to the maître d'. He followed behind a server to a private room.

“Mr. Blackburn. The other member of your party is here.” The server kept looking over his shoulder at Zach. 

The curious and suspicious gaze of the server was irritating but not surprising. Zach was only nineteen, and he looked his age. 

Achievements would negate the stigma surrounding his age to an extent. However, there would be people that refused to work with him. It was hard to inspire confidence when you just grew out of your baby fat.

“Let him in,” a voice called from inside.

The server opened the door, and Zach walked in.  

He wanted to work with Blackburn, but it wasn’t his only option. He was in charge of this negotiation. He entered the room with that confidence and momentum. 

Tynan’s eyes widened before he controlled his expression. A boy entered the room. There wasn’t a better way to describe it. 

He would be lucky if this boy was in his twenties. Yet, he didn’t doubt for a moment that this was the person he was here to see. 

“Zach Mallory.” He introduced himself, extending his hand.

“Tynan Blackburn.” He stood and shook the outstretched hand. 

“Do you need him for something?” Zach signaled over his shoulder. The server loitered at the door. 

Tynan glanced at the other teenager in the room. The server’s behavior contrasted and highlighted how exceptional the young man in front of him was.

“Leave.” Tynan was not polite. He didn’t expect the service to be this sloppy. 

The boy chuckled and shook his head before taking his seat. It was clear he didn’t feel uncomfortable or pressured by the situation. Tynan noticed but didn’t comment on the larger envelope that was placed on the table.

“Send someone else to take our order in ten minutes.” Zach wasn’t polite either. He understood why the server was staring, but that didn’t mean he had to be understanding.

He’d worked in the service industry. The golden rule was to keep your head down and mind your own business. Gawking and pestering guests would get you fired.

Zach shot the server another assessing glance before realizing what was happening. “I don’t know if I should be offended. It turns out you are my patron,” he spoke after the server left. He calmly looked through the menu.

Tynan also realized the waiter was trying to appeal to him and get his attention. When Zach came, the server decided to push his luck. “I don’t think I can afford to keep you.” 

“Depends. Are you already a billionaire?” Zach couldn’t decide between fish and lamb. 

“Personal assets? I am not quite there yet.” Tynan didn’t blink at the question. He was captivated by the sly smile that creased the lips of the young man opposite him.

“Then, no. You can’t afford to keep me.” Zach knew he was flirting. He couldn’t help himself. When he entered the room, he realized that he’d always wanted this man to look at him. Having Tynan’s full attention on him was thrilling.

“Then how about you keep me?” When he said the words, Tynan realized he was serious. He didn’t think he was looking for a relationship, but he wanted Zach.

Throwing his head back, he laughed. “I would love to, but I don’t think we are a good fit.” Zach was a realist. Tynan might seem older than him with a ten-year age gap, but Zach always thought of himself as a fifty-year-old geezer. 

He would say that he was too young for Tynan, but in his mind, he was too old. He didn’t want the hustle and bustle. 

Zach was already looking for someone to manage his company instead of doing it himself. He was getting ready for retirement. Tynan would be a lot of work.

“I disagree.” Tynan wouldn’t allow it. That cheeky smile. The careful disinterest. He wanted it all. He knew Zach was interested in him, but he also knew the man had dismissed him as too much trouble. He’d never hated his relatives more. 

“You would.”

“Do you want to share a bottle of wine?” Tynan asked, ignoring Zach’s comment.

Zach was laughing a lot. He forgot how freeing it was to be around an interesting partner. “If you want to know my age, you can just ask.”

“Fine. How old are you?” Tynan set his menu to the side. Resting his elbows on the table, he leaned closer to Zach.

Zach shivered at the way Tynan was looking at him. He was prey, and this man was hunting him. His common sense was left somewhere else. He leaned in before whispering, “too young to drink, but old enough to fuck.” 

Tynan drew in a sharp breath. 

If Zach thought this man would be satisfied with a one-night stand, they would already be on their way to his apartment. If he didn’t put business before pleasure, he would have climbed on this table to see if it could hold his weight.

“I am going to have you,” Tynan practically growled the words. He wanted to see that arrogant expression melt into one of pleasure. 

“Good luck with that,” Zach said. He took a sip of water. The tension between them was palpable. They needed to cool off. 

The waiter came before Tynan could say anything. He glared at the man. 

The waiter blanched before stutteringly taking their order.

“How old are you?”

Zach didn’t play around this time. “Nineteen.”

Tynan scrubbed a hand over his face. “Hell. You’re still a teenager.” He was ten years older than this boy. So, why did he feel like he was being led around by his nose?

Zach bit his lip before he gave another sexual innuendo for an answer. “Too young. Too dumb?” 

Tynan heard the question and the statement. “You’re young, age wise at least, but there is nothing dumb about you.”

“What were we here to discuss again?”

“Who the fuck knows.”

They both shared a grin. 

A tacit understanding passed between them. 

They wouldn’t talk about business during the meal. 

“What do your parents do?” Tynan thought that was a safe topic. One that wouldn’t make his dick hard.

Zach took pity on the man opposite him. “I won the lottery. I didn’t come from money, and my mother used to make minimum wage.”

Tynan did a double-take. “Really?”

“Is it that shocking?” Zach asked. Tynan’s reaction was typical. He couldn’t and didn’t want to hide his personality. He came across as mature. His momentum would be similar to the young masters raised in wealthy homes.

Yes. That is very shocking. Tynan didn’t say that out loud. Zach had the temperament of a young master from the capital. No, that wasn’t true. He felt like a sly, senior businessman.

“Who advised you to invest in Pe City?” Tynan couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“No one. That was my decision. I had a good feeling about the area.” The bullshit rolled off his tongue. He would never tell anyone about his rebirth. Though, it was unlikely anyone would believe him. 

“Have any more feelings?”

“A few.” Zach didn’t elaborate.

The feeling that he was missing something coursed through Tynan again. He fully believed that Zach had credible information or a hunch about other ventures. 

The trick would be getting him to share. His instincts told him they would all be profitable.

“Are you from Pe City?” Tynan tried to lighten the conversation again.

Zach thought his efforts were adorable. “No, I grew up in Eve City.” This information was going to be used to investigate him. He knew but had nothing to hide. His past included hard work, a few shitty friends, and a girlfriend. 

“Lover?” Tynan slid in.

“No. I’m single.” Would it be a lie if he said he was a virgin? Since coming back, he didn’t experience anal sex as yet. He’d had sex with women so far. It was technically true, but he decided not to mention it. 

Things would get awkward if he sucked like a pro after claiming he’d never done it before. Not that he planned to. He was definitely turning Tynan down. 

Good. Tynan wouldn’t have to clean up any stray flies. Zach was charismatic. A lot of people would be vying for his attention.

“What about you?” Zach asked.

“There is no one.” Tynan lied.

“Really?” Zach didn’t push. He wasn’t sure, but he swore there was a scandal with a young actor during this period. 

“Do you know something I don’t? There are plenty of people who want to occupy the position. However, there hasn’t been anyone in my life for a while.” Tynan lied without batting an eyelid. He would have Morris clean up and silence that third-tier actor he was keeping.

They must not have gotten together yet. Zach didn’t think about it deeply.

He enjoyed delicious food and stimulating conversation. They both dragged it on longer than they needed to. 

What was supposed to be a short business lunch lasted until the afternoon.

They started discussing business when they couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Why did you choose me?” Tynan knew that several businesses wanted to bid for the contract to develop the land in Pe City.

“I wanted a connection to S country, and more specifically, the capital, Lor city.” There was no reason to lie.

“Why didn’t you come to the capital then?” Tynan was shocked when Zach choked on his drink. He was surprised to see the young man blushing.

Zach’s eyes danced around the room wildly. He didn’t want to answer this question, but his odd behavior already gave away the fact that there was a story here. 

He bit the bullet. “I forgot that I didn’t have a passport,” he mumbled under his breath. So embarrassing.

“What was that?” He thought he misheard. 

“I forgot that I didn’t have a passport.” He got it out between clenched teeth. 

Tyan broke into laughter. He laughed so hard that the back of his head was hurting. This was the first time Tynan saw Zach act his age. It was refreshing. It was easy to forget how young he was.

“Are you done?” Zach’s face was blank. 

“Christ. I want you.” Tynan leaned back in his chair and eyed Zach.

Zach did a slow blink. “How did we end up back here? Those two things do not go together.”

Zach had no clue how appealing he was. Tynan was content to be the only person to know. “When you get your passport, you should visit me in the capital.”

It was a simple invitation, but it sounded like the devil tempting him. Or at least, a trap. “We will talk about it when I get my passport.”

Tynan smiled at the none answer. It didn’t matter. If Zach refused to come to him, he had no problem going to Zach.

Zach pushed the file he’d put on the table at the start of the meal towards Tynan. “Clean up your house first. Get someone to call my lawyer to discuss the partnership.” 

Curious, Tynan picked it up. His heart stopped. Engrossed in the information, he didn’t stop Zach when he left the room.

When he came back to his senses he was alone.

Tynan couldn’t get the smile off his face.