TRISTAN'S POV
"Pardon me then." Maleek went on. "It seems as if you're…well, I don't know how else to say this without looking daft, but I must. You're in love."
"Take that back!"
"Cocky Tristan is in love." Maleek repeated, this time with a tease.
Tristan shushed him. "Stop shouting. You're drawing unnecessary attention."
Maleek sniggered. "You self conscious? What's wrong with loving someone?"
"That's weak and vulnerable." He argued.
"And so? What's wrong about that?"
"You tell me!" Tristan shot back. "You have children everywhere but no single woman to call your own. How many is it now? Five? Six?"
"Nine."
"Nine children but no significant other." Tristan frowned. "Wait, nine? Last I checked they were five. That was last year."
Maleek took a long swig of his drink. "My last entanglement chose to bear four at once. Now I have to employ nannies to keep the constant crying down."
"And their mother?" Tristan prodded.
