Tynan wanted to take the day off, but Zach kicked him out of the house, saying that Tuesday was too early in the week to skip work. He didn’t agree. What was the point of being the boss if he couldn’t take one or two days off?

The first thing that greeted him when he got to work was the security team scanning the room for listening devices. It was a relief to have them removed. It was hard to work while pretending he didn’t know he was being recorded. 

Diane, his secretary, wore something twice as inappropriate as the last time he saw her. She tittered precariously on her heels. He wondered how long it would take for it to reach her that he was gay. Chances are she already knew. That information wasn’t always enough to deter some people.

His trip abroad had reaped many benefits. The team, aided by Zach's improved schematic, had no issue in raiding his uncle’s hideout and stealing the millions he’d saved as a slush fund. His uncle had been visibly distressed the whole conference, opting to leave early instead of continuing to hinder Tynan.

Tynan almost told Julius, thank you. He would be sure to use the funds well. They would be more than enough for him to keep his family housed and fed. Zach hadn’t been as amused by that, but they both agreed that funds should go to something important. 

Theo was handling the team of thieves. They didn’t know who they were working for and were unlikely to cause problems. Zach had provided a burn book on each of them. It would be enough to keep them restrained should any of them get too greedy. 

His heat was light and joyful. Tynan’s life was going in the right direction.  His mood was too good. Maybe that is why trouble invited itself to his door.

The intercom buzzed. “Mr. Blackburn, there is a Brad Maxwell to see you. He said that you would want to speak to him despite him not having an appointment.” 

Tynan froze. His eyes flashed with a dangerous light. He’d read the information that Zach had sent Morris. It wouldn’t do to underestimate this man, but he wasn’t so weak that he needed to cower.

“Let him in.”  

He indicated that the workmen should leave. Tynan pulled his face into a blank mask. At the last minute, he had the team leave the listening device on his desk. If Brad was here to test him, then it was only fair that he reciprocated. 

It wasn’t long before the door opened, and his secretary showed Brad Maxwell in. Thankfully, she managed to find her professionalism and wasn’t overly friendly or flirty.

Tynan took a moment to evaluate Brad. He was surprised by the delicate impression the man gave off. If someone wasn’t careful, they could become relaxed in his unassuming presence and end up in problems. The only feature that hinted at the man’s dangerous nature was his eyes. These were hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses. 

Brad was about the same height as Tynan, but he wasn’t as muscular. His hair was brown and slicked back. He gave the feel of a scholar or librarian.

Tynan had seen the evidence of what this man had done, and he found it hard to believe that such atrocities were done by this green-eyed man. 

Standing, he rounded his desk and extended his hand. “I’m surprised to meet you.”

Brad’s eye froze on the listening devices on his desk before looking away. He extended his hand. “I am surprised. I didn’t know I was well known in S Country.” Brad gave a strong handshake. The force seemed greater than his body could produce. 

“Haha.” Tynan gestured to the sofas. They sat opposite each other. “I do my best to keep up with interesting news.”

“Is that so?” Brad leaned back in his chair. The mild persona he adopted started to melt away, giving him a sharp feel. The soft smile he had on his face disappeared. “I take it your friend sold me out.”

Tynan raised an eyebrow. He didn’t expect the other party to admit things openly. “Something like that.” It was Tynan’s turn to put on an obfuscating smile. 

“Aren’t you interested in what I want?” 

“Not particularly. I don’t think it has much to do with me. Since Rain is out of the picture, I don’t think you are interested in me.” There was a knock on the door before the secretary came in with refreshments. 

The conversation stopped, but they eyed each other. The silence held even after Diane left the room.

“My research didn’t indicate that you were this interesting.” 

“It’s hard to make an accurate judgment without meeting someone in person.” Tynan took a sip of his coffee. It would be a pity when Diane left. Out of all his secretaries so far, she was the best at making coffee.

“I can usually make an accurate assessment without meeting the other party.” He smoothed a hand down his pant leg but didn’t touch his drink.

Tynan only smiled. If it wasn’t for Zach, he would have known he was being targeted. The possible repercussions were staggering. He would be bombarded by attacks on multiple fronts and not even know that he was set up. 

He was convinced that he would have overcome the challenges, but he didn’t think he could do it without experiencing great personal sacrifice. 

“I didn’t think this meeting would go this way.” 

“What did you think would happen?” Tynan put down his cup. There was a sharp clink of porcelain against porcelain. 

Brad smiles, pulling out a folder from his portfolio. He handed it over.

Tynan scanned the document. It was a business proposal. It took all his control not to react. It was the kind of development proposal that he wouldn’t have turned down. If Brad had come three months earlier, they would have been in a partnership. 

Rain would have been acting in the background, and Brad would have legitimate access to his company.

“Is this offer still on the table?” If this was a legitimate offer, Tynan wouldn’t pass on it.

“Yes. Much more interesting in person. It is a legitimate offer. I never planned to ruin your company. That actor had delusions of grandeur. When you were in a desperate situation, he would win your love by offering help.”

Those words clued Tynan in. Brad never expected Rain’s plan to succeed. He couldn’t help but ask. “What exactly did you want him to do for you?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Forget I asked.” He put the document on the table and texted Morris. He was still going to use Morris as the liaison to Brad. “I assume you want him back?”

“Not particularly. If he got caught, he won’t be as useful as I first assumed.” Brad adjusted his glasses. If Tynan wasn’t paying attention, he might have missed the glint in those green eyes after being distracted by the movement.

Maxwell had other pawns he was grooming for whatever job he’d recruited Rain. “That works out better for me.” 

“I was under the impression that you two were close friends.” 

“Were being the operative word. He crossed the line, and I am not a forgiving man.” Tynan made sure to keep his voice light. 

“A trait that runs in your family.” 

It was Tynan’s turn to hide the glint in his eyes. The unpleasant memories of his uncle were brought to the forefront. He inherited the grudge his uncle had against his father and in the end, it was Tynan’s mother who paid the price. 

Brad crossed his legs at the knee and rested his folded hands on top. “I am curious as to how you discovered my little game.”

“It was by chance.” Tynan mirrored his pose. It was hard to tell what either of them was truly feeling.

Brad gave a dry laugh. “I doubt it.”

Tynan would never expose Zach or the role he played in unraveling this entire plot. “Rain was a poor piece to use as a pawn.” He didn’t hesitate to throw his former friend under the bus. 

“He didn’t seem like the type to lose control of his emotions, and he was a superb actor.” Brad pushed the issue but never asked for the answer he wanted.

“His artistic talents were excellent, but he hadn’t quite mastered how to control his emotions in real-life situations.” That was close to the truth. It was Zach’s presence that destabilized Rain’s carefully crafted persona. 

“Really? He never had that problem when he met me.”

Tynan was tempted to scoff. Maxwell was the most unassuming person he’d ever met. The man was careful to only portray a harmless persona. In his arrogance, Rain probably didn’t see him as a threat.

“You have that effect on people.” Tynan glanced at his phone when the chime went off. Morris was heading over. “My lawyer will be here shortly, and we can discuss the contract then.” Tynan messaged Morris but also used the opportunity to let Zach know what was happening. 

It would be good if his lover could use this time to dig out the intricacies of the deal. It would assure him that this was a good investment. Cain would have been the person he would have turned to, but he doubted the other man was in the right frame of mind to handle the job.

He heard from Zach that Cain was hyper-focused on the games that they were developing for their company. It hadn’t reached an unhealthy level, but that was with Theo watching him. It was hard to say how things would go if he was left by himself.

“I know about Morris. Rain was very disparaging when he spoke about him.”

Tynan was curious about how much information Rain had handed over and what was included, but he wouldn’t ask. It would put him in a passive position. Since Brad didn’t expect to have Rain back, he would instruct Theo to increase the intensity of his line of questioning. 

Rain should have been prepared to experience this much when he decided to betray them. “Morris is a consummate professional. It is best to draw your own conclusion after working with him for a while.”

“Yes. That would be best. Your actor friend did seem a bit delusional.” Brad stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. “This is a beautiful view.”

Tynan followed. He couldn’t say he spent that much time gazing out the window. Zach was the one who enjoyed it. His young lover had a problem with enclosed spaces and loved rooms with big windows and open spaces.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Tynan said.

“People who get used to suffering and sorrow tend to crave open spaces.”  

The words had such an effect on him that he couldn’t hide his reaction. Even when he saw Brad’s raised eyebrow and curious expression, he couldn’t get control of himself.

He had just drawn a parallel to Zach, so those words hit him hard. He wasn’t able to get much information, but he had investigated Zach. At only nineteen, he didn’t have that many bad experiences. What did his lover experience and when did it happen? He felt sick when he thought of the possibility that it might have been something he experienced in childhood.

It took a moment, but he got himself under control. He would keep an open mind and let Zach share his secrets at his own pace.

“I wonder what could elicit that reaction?”

Tynan gave a small smile. “Don’t you already know?” If Brad said he didn’t know about Zach, Tynan would call him out for being a liar. 

“Zach, was it?” Brad turned his gaze back to the city out the window. “He seemed like an ordinary boy. A bit young for you, but nothing special.”

Tynan didn’t react. “He might be ordinary to other people, but he is perfect for me.”