3. Tristan
CHAPTER 3
TRISTAN
I hate liars.
Especially the ones with cold eyes who look me straight in the face and lie through their teeth without a flicker of hesitation. People like that can never be trusted. But then again, if I were in his shoes, I probably would have done the same thing.
He brought a friend, trying to prove he trusts me—trusts this partnership. But then he lied about his friend’s name. Did Aaron really think I wouldn’t be watching from the moment the limo picked them up? I have eyes everywhere.
I nod toward the empty seat in front of the grand fireplace, surrounded by fake books. “Take a seat. We don’t have a lot of time.”
I don’t offer Aaron a drink. I already know he enjoys aged whiskey, so I pour two glasses, settle into my seat across from him, and take a sip. We stare at each other in silence, the tension thick between us, both waiting for the other to speak.
It won’t be me. I’m expecting an apology.
“How much do you know?” Aaron finally asks.
“Everything.”
He exhales, a barely audible release of tension. “Well played”
I swirl the liquid in my glass, watching the light from the fire flicker against the edges of the crystal. “I could say the same about you, Mr. Jackson.”
“Call me Aaron.”
I glance up at him. “Are you going to apologize for lying to me about your friend’s name?”
“You know why I did it,” he replies, his tone sharp.
I grin. “Yes, but you should’ve been better prepared before showing up.”
Aaron sets his glass down and leans forward. “I am.”
I raise a brow, finishing my drink in one smooth motion before setting the glass aside. “Is that so? Tell me.”
“Not until you show me the paperwork.”
Aaron’s eyes flicker with interest as he takes the folder, but he doesn’t open it right away. Instead, he looks back at me, the tension between us growing by the second.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” he says quietly.
“So are you,” I reply, my voice steady. “But that's why we're here, isn’t it? High stakes, high rewards.”
Aaron opens the folder, scanning through the documents. I watch him closely, reading the subtle shifts in his expression. He’s good at hiding his thoughts, but I can see the wheels turning. I’ve been doing this long enough to know how to read people in seconds.
Give me a computer and a few hours, and I’ll know everything about you—and how to easily ruin you.
The thought sends a rush through me.
I pour myself another drink, sitting back as Aaron closes the folder, his eyes narrowing as they meet mine.
“This is risky,” he says.
I lean in, smirking. “Everything worth doing is.”
He takes a deep breath, and I know he's contemplating an exit. I don’t need another phone call tonight, so I have to choose my next words carefully.
“And I’ll tell you something else, because you seem like someone I could actually respect. There’s no walking away from this. Once you sign and commit to these people, you’re in for life. Make sure you have what it takes.”
Aaron watches me, deliberate, then glances down, letting out a heavy sigh. “I’ve considered it. Every angle, even the ones that will likely never happen. I’ve made my decision.”
I get it—the hunger for success is in his blood, just like mine. Aaron and I are more alike than he realizes, only I know a lot more than he does.
If he could peek behind the door, he would run.
“And this place… it’s more than just entertainment, isn’t it?” He looks around the nearly empty room. “There’s a lot more business behind these walls.”
“Yes,” I answer, waiting for him to show any sign of panic or second-guessing. But he doesn’t and won’t, because I believe he’s already exhausted every other option before walking through my door.
“We mostly have fun here. One of the perks, if you will,” I say, trying to ease the tension.
He doesn’t crack a smile. “But this new venture—it’s tied to you and me.”
“Yes, as you know, I’m leading this project and need someone who’s well-versed in real estate.” Someone with a sharp eye, plenty of experience, but not so well-known that they attract unwanted attention should things go south.
“And you’ve chosen the best.” His voice is confident, but there's an edge to it. Is that fear I smell?
Not a good start.
“But if either of us screws up, they're coming for both of us.”
I nod, leaning forward, elbows pressing into my thighs. “They will. The Mortelle family doesn’t care who you are, who you know, or how much money you’ve got. There’s no buying your way out. Nexus will erase us, our families—everyone we’ve ever touched—if we break one of their rules. So, it’s simple: you and I are in this together. No lies, no mistakes, no loose ends.”
Aaron gives nothing away, hiding any fear or regret that might be lurking beneath the surface.
“Total honesty,” he says, his voice cutting through the silence.
“Yes.”
He hesitates. “I need more than words and a legal contract to trust you. I need something real. Something that shows you’re as committed as I am.”
He’s right—words won’t be enough. I knew he’d ask for something more. That’s exactly what I’d do. Which is why I’ve got something prepared.
I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a small silver flash drive. “This contains everything Nexus knows about you—and everything they don’t. Things I’ve kept hidden from them. It’s a risk just holding it, but it’s proof that I’m all in. One slip-up, and we’re both finished. But if we play it right, if we keep this between us, I can protect us from the Mortelle family. You’ll finally control your own fate.”
Aaron takes the flash drive, turning it over in his hands. There's a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. I’ll know when he decides to look at the drive.
He’s here because he’s chasing something he can never truly have—control.
“Alright,” he says slowly. “But remember this: if you betray me, I won’t hesitate.”
I smile. Aaron’s never hurt anyone in his life. But I have. Plenty of times.
“Neither have I.”
The weight of my words hangs between us, the silence thick with unspoken threats and promises of unimaginable rewards. Money and power—the kind he’s only dreamt of. We both know the stakes: one false move and we lose everything. But if we succeed, we’ll be untouchable.
Aaron raises his glass, and we silently toast. The clink of glass sounds like a promise. We both take a sip, and I welcome the burn—the reminder that I’m sinking deeper into this life, losing yet another piece of myself to this world.
“If that’s everything, I’ll sign and let you enjoy your evening.”
I lean back in my chair, considering his words. “Since I’ve given you something, I’d like you to do the same.”
“I thought I already did, with all of this.”
“No, this is just paperwork. I’m talking about a celebration. Something to mark the beginning of our very long partnership.”
Aaron pauses. “What do you have in mind?”
I smile, shrugging casually. “Something memorable, maybe even a little dangerous. Sets the tone for what’s to come.”
Aaron raises an eyebrow. “I’m sure the next few years will be dangerous enough. What are we celebrating? The chaos we’re about to create? Or how rich we’re going to become?”
“Both,” I reply, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. “I want to see you without all your guards up.” I reach into my briefcase and slide a pen across the table toward him.
He’s in this for money. But I’m in it for something bigger. It used to be simple for me, but those days are long gone.
He takes the pen without hesitation. “Is there something specific you want?”
I’m tempted to say more, to push him further. I want to see how he reacts when he’s out of control—when I can take him to places that make him lose his focus.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
“Sign first.” The fire crackles behind me, adding an eerie warmth to the atmosphere as I watch Aaron. I feel a pang of envy. He’s still untouched by the weight of it all.
He’s still free.
Sometimes, I’m haunted by who I used to be—the man I was before all of this. But that man is long gone. I wouldn’t recognize him now.
Aaron takes a deep breath, flips the folder open, and signs his name. The pen scratches against the paper, filling me with a rush of anticipation.
The deal is set.
This night might turn out better than I expected.
But I wonder if Aaron—or his friend—has any idea what they’re getting into.
I’ve done my homework on Dominik Lewis. I know his history, the kind of things he likes to get involved in. I wonder if Aaron knows how his best friend chased his sister through the woods and fucked her senseless in Boston.
Something tells me he doesn’t.
“Fantastic,” I say into my glass before setting it down and finishing up a few details. “Expect a package within the next two days. It’ll contain an untraceable phone and laptop assigned to you. Your projects will be outlined in detail. I’ll be in touch regularly through that phone. You need to have it with you at all times. Sleep with it. Eat with it. Shower with it. Even fuck with it, if that’s what you’re doing. I don’t give a shit what you’re doing, when I call, you answer. When I text, you respond. Got it?”
“Got it,” he says through gritted teeth. He hates being spoken to this way and I fucking get off on it.
I’m going to have a great time breaking you, buddy.
“Good.” I drop the serious tone as I stand, trying to lighten the mood. “Now, let’s celebrate.”
He smiles, a predatory glint in his eyes. Something about this partnership feels promising, different from the ones before. There’s a spark here—a sense that we’re about to step into something big. Something that will change everything.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this world, it’s that change is inevitable. I’ve embraced it, used it to work for me rather than against me.