AHH!!
Ciel made a sound like a balloon deflating. His shoulders dropped, his lower lip didn't quite protrude, but it came close enough. It made several people in the room look away to hide their smiles.
"Oh, for—" he quickly spun toward Thiago. "Then, I'm the only active officer who wants to play? That's—that's mean!"
Thiago rubbed the back of his neck. This situation was really embarrassing to say the least.
Out of every actively serving public official in the room, only Ciel—the youngest, the most impulsive, and arguably the most recognizable given his family name—had zero reservations about sitting down at a gambling table.
"Tell you what," Thiago said. "You play. I'll fund you. That way, there's no paper trail. No transactions under your name."
Ciel's entire demeanor changed. His eyes went wide and liquid, his mouth curved into a trembling smile of exaggerated gratitude.
"Really?" Ciel whispered.
"Oh my god, stop that," Thiago muttered.
