Aiden laughed again. "You know I�m right."

Of course he was right. Aiden knew almost everything about him. After the massacre at West Sussex, when the dust had finally settled and Dorian�s father decided they�d move to New York, Aiden�s accompaniment wasn�t even up for debate. As far as Aiden and Dorian were concerned, they were brothers, blood or not.

First as humans, then as vampires.

Aiden traveled with them to New York. Made a good life for himself here, learning the ropes of a new country and new customs right alongside Dorian. And later, when Dorian�s actual brothers had turned their backs on him, Aiden�s loyalty had never wavered.

Fifteen years ago, ready for new challenges, the pair started a new business venture together. From humble beginnings in a Chelsea storefront shoehorned between a highly questionable Indian restaurant and an even more questionable no-name drug store, they�d built FierceConnect, now a multi-billion-dollar company that had given Dorian more focus, purpose, and joy than he�d ever thought possible.

He owed the man his life. And he�d never be able to repay him�not if they had a hundred immortal lifetimes together.

"And how was your reunion with the little princelings?" Aiden asked now. "I trust they�re all settled in at Ravenswood?"

Aiden had never been close with Dorian�s brothers. They�d always treated him as a lowly outsider, even after he�d been turned right alongside them. It was a slight Aiden had never quite forgiven, and neither had Dorian.

He�d texted Aiden last night with a bare sketch of the situation with his brothers, including the news about Duchanes and the Chernikov demons, but now he filled him in on the rest.

"All in all, it was a right celebration," he finished up, "just as you�d expect from a family who spent the last half-century pretending one another were dead. Wait, did I say pretending? I meant wishing."

"It�s good you told them about the acquisition. Perhaps they�ll ease up about the alliance."

Dorian nodded, though he didn�t share Aiden�s optimism.

"And your father�s death?" Aiden asked carefully.

"They didn�t inquire."

"Dorian�"

He held up a hand, silencing Aiden�s warnings. The truth would reveal itself eventually�either by Dorian�s confession, or an enemy�s ill-timed discovery. Dorian would do his best to ensure it was the former, but until then, he didn�t wish to discuss it.

Taking his cue, Aiden switched tacks. "Sounds like quite an adventurous evening for a brooding recluse who hates socializing. Does this mean we�re still not talking about the woman?"

Dorian shot him a warning glare.

"Keep your secrets, then. But here�s something else that�ll put your cock on ice." Aiden tossed a folder across the desk. "Armitage�s sons are involved now, and they want more face-time and more intel."

"What? Why?" Dorian flipped through the file, a series of legal briefs outlining the types of information the Armitage mages wanted: SEC filings, P&L statements, trademark and patent filings, interviews of key staff, and the worst part�a bunch of informal meetings and get-to-know-you dinners.

Investigations were standard procedure during mergers and acquisitions for supernatural-owned and human companies alike, all to ensure the deal was aboveboard and the companies were a good match. But this felt downright invasive. Meetings? Dinners?

"Where is all this coming from?" Dorian asked. "I thought we were through the dog-and-pony phase. The fundraiser was supposed to be the last big hurrah."

Aiden passed him another sheet of paper. "Apparently they�re fielding another bid, and you�ll never guess who�s offering."

Dorian scanned the text, his blood turning to ice. "House Duchanes? You�ve got to be shitting me. What could those overgrown fraternity boys possibly want with Armitage Holdings?"

"Leverage." JrNovels.com