closed the door. “It’s too soon. Emmett is talented, really talented, but he’s not ready for the Feldman job. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been doing well since you sat him down and had that come-to-Jesus moment with him, but it’s obvious he still resents Sil for getting picked to work with us.”
Jack sat back with a sigh. “I’ll talk to him. Maybe I’ll get Sil to sit in, and we can hash this all out.”
“Sounds good.” With a little salute, he was gone, and Jack was left to finish his breakfast. He tried not to let the matter over Sil worry him too much. Maury was right. Jack had all kinds of fail-safe systems in place, many of which included security clearance only he, Joker, and the Kings had access to. Sil might be damned good, but Jack was better, and if he couldn’t get it done for some reason, he had Leo.
An hour later, the office came to life with staff starting their workday. Although HQ was manned by security twenty-four hours a day and the Kings, Jack, and Joker worked all hours, the office staff worked nine to five like any other office. The morning went by relatively quiet, since the Kings were all out on jobs. Jack checked in with his team throughout the day and inspected the security systems they had installed.
Lately he’d been wondering more and more what the guys were getting up to while Jack was at his desk. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy what he did, or that he wasn’t excited by his work, but he found himself wishing for a different kind of excitement. He had no idea where this was coming from, and he hoped he wasn’t having some kind of midlife crises. When he’d started working cybersecurity at Four Kings as head of the department, he’d been relieved to have a desk job. He’d told himself he’d had enough excitement during his years of service. Several years later and he’d developed an itch he was having trouble scratching.
Joker strolled into Jack’s office late afternoon with Chip on his heels. Chip went straight to Jack’s side. He sat patiently next to Jack’s chair, tail wagging, while his person dropped onto the couch with far less grace. “How much sleep have you gotten?”
“I took a nap a couple of hours ago. I’m good.” Jack paused what he was doing long enough to turn and greet Chip. Once Chip was satisfied he’d received a sufficient amount of attention, he trotted over to the couch and lay on the floor near Joker’s head, ignoring Joker tossing his ball up in the air and catching it.
“For fuck’s sake, you have to stop doing this. You’re not in your twenties anymore.”
“Thanks for reminding me I’m old,” Jack muttered, returning his attention to his screen.
“Fuck off, you’re not old. Mostly because we’re the same age and that would mean I’m old.” Joker sat up and tossed the ball back and forth from one hand to another. “So, do you know what you’re going to say to Fitz when you see him at the auction on Saturday?”
Jack’s head shot up, his heart pounding in his ears at the mention of Fitz. Man, he was such a sap. “What?”
“Fitz. He’s going to the auction.”
“He is?”
“Yep. Colton got him an invite. So… what are you going to say to him?”
That was a great question. What was he going to say to Fitz? It wasn’t likely they’d be able to avoid each other. He supposed Fitz could avoid him if he really wanted, but he hoped Fitz accepting the invite meant he would speak to Jack this time.
“I have no idea,” Jack replied truthfully. “I’d rather not think about it, because the more I think about it, the more nervous I get, and I have enough to worry about with the whole auction part of the evening. How are you not fighting this?”
Joker’s grin was wicked. “Are you kidding me? Some rich guy is going to pay major bank to take me out on a date. Dude, free dinner.”
“Your life is free dinners. You literally eat for free every day.”
“Okay, but free fancy dinner.”
Jack shook his head in amusement at his friend. “Means you’re going to have to wear something nice.”
“Or if I play my cards right, nothing at all.” Joker waggled his eyebrows.
“The auction is for a date, not whatever deviancy you have planned.”
“And that’s why you never get laid, my friend.”
Jack rolled his eyes, and King appeared