property damage and call it therapy.”
“My family are great believers in smashing shit.” Oscar thrust the chair at him. “Break it.”
Luca’s air of resignation and hurt faded a little as he stood and took the chair, but then carefully set it down. “I know you might not believe me, but I’m a pacifist. I don’t believe violence solves anything.”
Oscar clearly didn’t agree, but he didn’t say anything more.
“If you’re a member,” Selene said softly, “then you need to really understand that you cannot disobey an order from the Grand Master. Even if your heart wants to.”
Luca looked at her, his posture straightening. “Your heart.”
“Yeah, yeah, we fucked until we all caught feelings because this is the shit that happens when you join a cult.” Oscar sat in the chair. “I still think you should smash something.”
Selene resisted the urge to smack Oscar upside the head. Actually… “You could spank Oscar,” Selene suggested. “I’ll watch.”
“Are we…uh. Can we still have sex?” Luca asked, the last of his bad feelings fading away.
Selene smiled. “Yes, and now that you’re a member, it’s practically your moral obligation to practice ménages for when you get married.”
“Married.” Luca dropped into a chair. “I hadn’t…I mean. Wait, do people have children together?”
Oscar snorted. “When a man and a woman and a man love each other very much—”
“Maybe just slap him around a little,” Selene suggested.
The door opened. “I’ll help if we’re talking about smacking around one of the Haydens,” Sebastian said as he entered, Franco behind him. “You two go wait in the changing rooms or in the great hall. We have to finish onboarding the Italian.”
“Wait, before they go, I had an idea.” Franco dug in his pocket, then walked over to Luca. “Congrats!” He threw a handful of confetti into the air. It rained down on Luca.
“Jesus Christ,” Sebastian muttered.
Franco took another handful of confetti and threw it on Oscar. “Here’s some belated confetti for you too.”
The look of her guys, the stupefied expressions on their faces with confetti in their hair and dusting their shoulders, was one Selene would treasure for a long time.
Chapter Thirteen
A massive round wooden table had been set up in the grand entrance hallway of the underground headquarters. There were eight chairs, seven of which were occupied by members of the Trinity Masters, including their newest member. Besides Luca, there was, of course, the Grand Master, her face hidden beneath the deep hood of her dark gray knitted shawl, as well as her advisors, Franco and Sebastian, Oscar and herself.
The seventh person was Owen Fraser, whom Selene recognized from one of the all-society galas, though it had been years since that particular event.
She glanced at Owen, who returned her smile before quickly shifting his attention back to Luca.
She and Oscar had taken seats on either side of Luca, who was quiet, though she wasn’t sure if it was from shock at his new status or prudence. She had to suppress the urge to reach over and pluck an errant bit of confetti from the back of his hair.
The last, unknown attendee was a rather stoic man, sitting ramrod straight. He had thick curls that just brushed his collar. His hair and his sharp, penetrating eyes were almost the exact same shades of medium brown with flashes of gold. He was broad and stocky, in a muscular way, not a fat way. He’d been introduced as Percival Knight, and he was the Masters’ Admiralty’s representative.
“Mr. Knight,” the Grand Master said. “You speak for the Masters’ Admiralty at this…gathering?”
“War council,” Sebastian said quietly.
That statement echoed slightly against the arched ceiling above, grand columns, and stone floor.
“I do, within limits.” Percival looked around. “I may need to be above ground to contact my fleet admiral if there are matters I cannot make statements on without confirming with her.”
“That can be arranged,” Sebastian said. “Do you each know why you’re here?”
“Yes,” Selene said.
“Of course,” Owen murmured.
Luca and Percival nodded.
“No. Can I leave?” Oscar grumped.
“Pinch him,” Selene whispered to Luca. “He’s being a dick.”
“Ouch, fuck,” Oscar yelped. “Also, I heard that.” He sat forward slightly to glare at her.
“You are here, Mr. Hayden—”
“Apparently as comic relief,” Sebastian muttered.
“—because you were instrumental in the first part of this investigation.” The Grand Master had raised her voice slightly. “Also, you are standing in as a proxy for your brother Langston, whom I believe we will need to call on sooner rather than later.”
“Still on his honeymoon,” Oscar said shortly. However, his nod told her he would accept