radical thought. The insane religious cult doesn’t care too much about facts or truth,” Oscar said.
Luca nodded once. “I must admit I am curious about the ménage relationships within your society. These are assigned, correct?”
Oscar decided to let Selene take the lead on this, as his association with the cult—oh, fuck it—the secret society was relatively new. Selene had grown up in the Trinity Masters, so she was a better authority to speak on the subject, as well as knowing what they should tell a nonmember, and what they shouldn’t.
Then he chuckled to himself, aware the brilliant woman was probably better suited to speak on most matters. Oscar had dedicated his life to three things: data mining, his family, and Faith. And look where that had gotten him.
Trapped in a blizzard with these two.
Suddenly, his outlook changed as he realized this was probably one of the best times he’d had in years…if he didn’t take into account the city-killer bomb they were trying to keep from the not-too-bright, well-armed Serbian mobsters and the crazed religious zealots in Europe who were looking for it.
“The arranged trinity marriages are assigned by…our leader, yes.”
“And is there a reason behind the assignments?” Luca asked.
“The…” Selene cleared her throat, speaking slowly and precisely. “The society was formed in order to form lasting, complex bonds that provide hidden security to societal structures.”
“A cord of three strands,” Luca said softly.
“Exactly. And this also means that scientists and scholars, artists and inventors, people who might otherwise give up on their passions, are protected by their spouses.”
“Patronage.”
“Yes. And sometimes specific trinities—that’s what we call them, or triads—are created because our leader thinks that together, those three people might, given intimacy and time, create something, invent something…that will change the world in some way.”
“What do you mean?” Luca sat forward, clearly interested.
Dude had a thing for cults. Oscar covered his mouth with his hand so neither of them would ask why he was smiling.
“The man I called earlier, Preston, is a chemist. His wife owns a video game company and his husband is a mathematician for the U.S. government.”
“Chemistry, mathematics, and…computer programming? Business development?”
Oscar knew where this was going. He had a voice mail from Carly Kenan, founder and owner of Nexus Six, saying she wanted to talk to him. He’d geeked out about that until he figured out she was a member of the Trinity Masters and was probably just going to try to recruit him.
“Computer programming. They created TideForm.”
“The environmental monitoring software?” Luca asked, clearly impressed.
Selene nodded. “TideForm is the tech infrastructure of Carly’s gaming company, plus Preston’s chemistry knowledge to create the analysis component inside the bots. Their husband’s military contacts got the devices aboard U.S. military ships, who dropped them in the oceans. They came up with the idea one night while watching a documentary about oceanic climate change.”
Oscar pictured it—sitting around in pajamas, Selene beside him, their husband or wife on the other side of her, as they heckled the TV. How fucking awesome would that be? A casual moment at home with his spouses that could turn into something that might change the world.
“I see. And these marriages…” Luca paused for a moment, and Oscar knew by the slight flush of his cheeks where this conversation was headed.
Sex.
It was one of the primary things Oscar had been interested in—and given his brother the most shit about—when Langston joined the Trinity Masters.
And while Sylvia had joined the Masters’ Admiralty and been placed in a trinity marriage first, Oscar refused to think about his kid sister shacking up with two men. He didn’t give a shit if Hugo and Lancelot were pretty cool.
“The marriages are consummated by all three members?”
Selene smiled and nodded. “They are.”
Luca leaned back as he processed that information. “Are the two of you in a trinity?”
Oscar shook his head. “Nope.”
“Yet you are lovers.”
“We are,” Selene answered.
“Just the two of you?” The second the question flew from his lips, Luca raised his hands, waving them, as if he could erase the words. “I apologize. That is a personal question and none of my concern. I’m just…confused about how these relationships are formed. It’s clear the two of you have a bond, yet you do not know if you will be placed in a marriage together, yes?”
Selene nodded, then leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “That’s correct. Many members of the society…practice.”
Oscar snorted. “I’m supposed to start practicing ménages? Jesus.” He hadn’t meant to blurt that out, and he internally kicked himself