Chapter 35 #2
“Sure, come on in.” Lincoln gestured at the seats across from him. Zeus stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. He definitely didn’t want anyone walking by and hearing this.
Lincoln’s eyebrows went up, but he didn’t comment. Normally, his door was open unless something extremely sensitive was being discussed. At the moment, Zeus wasn’t working on anything extremely sensitive, and Lincoln knew it.
Striding to the chair, Zeus sat down. Chin up. Hands resting between his spread thighs. He looked Lincoln right in the eye.
“Yasmine Jafari is at my house right now,” he said bluntly. “We’ve been sleeping together.”
Lincoln blinked. It was the first time Zeus had ever managed to successfully shock the man.
“I, ah, presume this happened after her and Mason’s engagement ended?” There was a bit of both hope and worry in his voice, as if he thought there was the possibility of some overlap.
“Definitely after. It’s been…” Zeus’ voice trailed off.
“Not long. And I didn’t know she was Mason’s ex when we first met.
I didn’t know she knew anyone on the team at all, although I did find out she knew Naomi, but I thought their only connection was through the shelter and a passing acquaintance at The Outlands. ”
Lincoln opened his mouth. Closed it. Shook his head.
“A passing acquaintance?” He sounded like he was choking on disbelief and possibly a touch of laughter.
“Yes.” Zeus’ hand itched to spank her, but he could only do that if he and Yasmine were still together in some manner. It wouldn’t be right to spank her, then sever their connection afterward. “I wasn’t aware they were friends.”
Because Yasmine hadn’t told him.
“Mmm.” Lincoln pressed his lips together, as if he was holding back laughter. At least someone was enjoying this. Lincoln’s dark eyes sparkled. Yeah. He definitely found the situation amusing, which was a relief.
Some of the tension in Zeus’ chest relaxed when it was clear Lincoln wasn’t going to blow up at him. Or fire him. Or jump across the table and plow his fist into Zeus’ face.
“Did Yasmine know where you work?”
“She did.” Zeus’ worked his jaw.
“I hope you’re going to spank her ass for that,” Lincoln said, shaking his head.
“If this doesn’t end things between us, yes.” It felt oddly vulnerable to admit that there was a chance it might not end things. Was he stupid for still wanting to try for something with her? He’d felt like they were moving forward well, but…
“Understandable. I take it she’s at your house because of what happened with Pete James last night?”
“Yes. Which is also how I found out that she knows everyone.” He waved his hand back toward the door and the rest of the office. “Claudia showed up because she heard the alert on the police scanner.”
Lincoln groaned, shaking his head. “That woman needs to find a better hobby. I assumed Yasmine had called her.”
Since Zeus didn’t disagree with Lincoln’s hobby comment, but he also didn’t really care what Claudia did with her free time, he just shrugged.
Mostly, he was just relieved. He hadn’t realized how anxious having to talk to Lincoln about this had made him, trying to anticipate Lincoln’s reactions, until this moment when it felt like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders and chest.
“I just wanted you to be aware of the situation.”
“I take it no one on the team other than Claudia knows right now?” Lincoln tilted his head to the side.
“Correct.” Zeus hesitated, then rolled his shoulders.
He wasn’t really the type to talk about things, but he had been to therapy in his early twenties.
It had helped him get through everything he’d dealt with after his parents.
This was one of those moments where his therapist would tell him he needed to take a chance and open up, let someone in.
“I want to decide whether I’m going to move forward with Yasmine before the whole team finds out. Which was also what Claudia suggested.”
“That’s entirely valid.” Lincoln’s firm agreement made him feel better, too. “I don’t really know Yasmine well, other than she’s friendly with my wife and what I picked up while she was engaged to Mason. If you wouldn’t mind a bit of advice, though?”
“Please.” It felt painful to admit it, yet freeing, too.
“You should go for what you want.”
Zeus stared at him. That was it?
“How do I figure out what I want?”
“It’s the thing you feel in your gut. If you think about breaking things off with Yasmine and you feel relief, well, that’s that.
But if the idea of ending things is more painful than the idea of working through this with her, then you do your best to work things through with her. Whatever that looks like.”
He made it sound so simple.
Yet…
He’d let Yas stay at his house this morning. Had actually been relieved when she’d made the request. Hadn’t wanted her to leave.
He kept thinking about how to talk to her, not about how to cut her loose.
The idea of ending things with her brought no relief at all.
Which, according to Lincoln, was his answer.
The feeling of rightness settled into his gut. Did he know exactly how they were going to move forward? No. But if Yas was still interested, so was he.
“What if it causes more problems with the team?” He braced himself for Lincoln’s answer, but his boss just shrugged.
“Then you figure that out, too. Or let Claudia handle it.”
“But you’re okay with it?” He hated the uncertainty that leaked into his voice. Didn’t even know why he wanted Lincoln’s approval so badly; he just knew he wouldn’t feel right without it.
A slow smile spread across Lincoln’s lips.
“Son, my wife is almost the same age as my daughter, and I met her because the two of them were best friends. And then my daughter married her father, and I met Ashley at their wedding. I’m the last person to judge you for who you fall in love with.” He shook his head.
“I still judge my daughter a bit, but only because Ashley’s dad is a terrible human being, and Rebecca married him, anyway. But the divorce is going through now, and Ashley and I are happy, so that’s really all that matters in the end. Just… go be happy, Zeus. The team will sort itself out.”
Go be happy. He wasn’t entirely sure he knew how to do that, but he was willing to give it a try.