Page 30 of Grand Romantic Delusions and the Madness of Mirth, Part Two

I’m not certain if I want an invitation to watch, or to participate — or if I just wish Bolan hadn’t felt the need to cart Mirth away.

“Dibs,” Sully mutters, running a hand through his hair so that it sticks up at all sorts of adorable angles. Then he pivots and flings himself into the chair across from my desk, clearly defining the parameters of our conversation. “Plus, you know, he’s not as much of an asshole as he seems.”

I step around my desk, sitting down in my chair. “He is just as much of an asshole. But … he’s our asshole.”

Sully flicks his gray eyes up to meet mine. Then he nods, almost curtly. “Yeah.”

“Tell me about Rian.”

Sully looks away, over my shoulder and out the windows. “I might have overreacted.”

“I doubt it.”

He blinks, surprised.

“Why did you decide to go to Dublin? Shouldn’t Rian be overseeing the transport of Perseus to London?

There’s a major qualifying race on Thursday.

” Perseus, Armin’s ridiculously expensive prize stallion, was a late addition to the schedule at Regal Park Racecourse.

“I believe this race is one of the last chances to qualify for this season. Unless Mirth wants to race Perseus overseas.”

Sully shifts in his chair. He’s rumpling his suit, but I already know he doesn’t care. “Rian’s mother is in Dublin.”

I nod, already knowing this part. The connection between Bolan and Rian was annoyingly shocking news, but I’ve done my due diligence since hearing it.

“I thought Rian might need support. I thought that was … something I should do. You know, as Lord Savoy.” He clears his throat, still not looking directly at me. “Bolan went home as well. For a chat with Adeline.”

Ah. “How did that go?”

“Ask Bolan.” Sully sighs, softening his tone. “Not well, I surmise. But I was being a close-mouthed, pissy asshole about my own shit, so I didn’t really ask why.”

“Is Rian … reluctant?”

Sully swallows harshly, then whispers throatily, “Not about Mirth.”

I settle back in my chair, disappointment making me pause.

“Yeah,” Sully says. “That. Maybe it’s just me that he —”

“I doubt it,” I snap, halting that train of thought.

“No. You’re right. He doesn’t want to share.”

“He’s young. But he won’t risk losing Mirth.”

Sully nods, obviously running the conversation with Rian over in his head. Then he says quietly, “What if …”

“Mirth isn’t leaving you. Or Bolan.”

“She might … try to keep Rian, like, on the side …”

A dull sensation settles in my stomach. “If he’s part of the bond group —”

“He is.”

“You felt it?”

Sully nods. “It’s not as solid as it is between Bolan and me, or even … you and me … but it’s there. A friendship, at least. I … wouldn’t have gone to him, right? I fucking traveled commercial on the way there.”

“That is a commitment,” I say wryly, even as I completely understand what he’s saying.

The mage attempts to murder me with just a look.

I offer him a twisted smile, then I lean forward and extract Rian’s copy of the contract from the pile on my desk. I gaze at it for a moment, then say, “We’ll court him.”

“Court him? He’s already scared as fuck that one or more of us are going to want to suck his dick.”

I snort, tapping the contract on my desk. “That’s for him and Mirth to sort out. You don’t have a problem with boundaries, do you, Sully?”

“Well, I don’t need to have a contract written up just to have sex with someone,” he snaps back caustically.

I raise an eyebrow at him and just wait. I’ve done as much research on Salvatore as he’s done on me. Likely more. He’s had very specific tastes for the last couple of years.

Though for both of us, the need to be with Mirth — our crux — is going to play havoc on the boundaries we’ve erected for ourselves.

“Fine,” he says. “Of course I don’t have a problem with it. Maybe I’ll never suck another dick again.”

I laugh quietly, turning my attention to Rian’s contract. “We’ll see. Now … maybe we need to make a welcoming gesture. Horses … not under the Savoy name, but as a gift to Rian, specifically. He wants independence.”

“How do you know?”

“He doesn’t have a problem with sucking dick, Sully. That’s easily solved in a single conversation. He has a problem with losing Mirth. To us. And he has a problem with not being enough. No title, lands, money …”

“Bolan doesn’t have titles or lands.”

“He’s a rock god. And to Rian, he’s also suddenly the big brother who had a father … for the first nine years of his life, at least. Plus a stable home and siblings.”

“Fuck,” Sully groans. “Rian got emancipated when he was just a kid.”

“That’s generally when emancipation occurs.”

“Fuck you.”

“Not right now, Sully.”

Oh, yes. I’m in my element now. This is something I can fix. I pick up my phone to start making lists.

Sully snorts, then sighs. “Being the youngest in a bond group filled with powerful people isn’t remotely independent.” He eyes my phone. “Spending more of my money?”

I shrug. “What were you going to do with it?”

“Well, order lunch first …” He tilts his head toward the closed door of the bathroom. “Mirth is going to be hungry.”

It takes me a moment, but the muted sounds of Mirth’s cries of pleasure eventually filter through the thick wooden door. I flush. My cock instantly hardens, compressing almost uncomfortably against the zipper of my pants.

Sully smirks at me. “Wait until she comes. I hope you have another suit on hand.”

I blink at him, phone forgotten in my hand. “The bond?”

He laughs, letting his head fall back. “Yeah, the bond is pretty hard to resist. Though why would you want to?”