EIGHT

  “I’m fine,” Jack growled, smacking Sacha’s hand away.

  “Yeah, because everyone’s fine after getting T-boned by two cars. You’re lucky you accelerated before they hit. Stop moving, you fucking asshole.”

  Jack’s head pounded, and his entire body screamed in pain, like he’d gone several rounds on the mats and lost. He still wanted out of this damned hospital bed.

  “Constantino.”

  The low, calm warning stilled Jack, and he sighed. “I’m fine, King.”

  King sat in the chair by the window of the small room, arms folded over his chest and a deep frown on his face. “When were you going to tell me?”

  Jack’s thoughts were fuzzy. “Tell you what? About Fitz?”

  “No. That was a foregone conclusion.”

  Was it? That was news to him.

  “Everyone knew you two would eventually gravitate toward each other. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m referring to your stalker.”

  “I don’t have a stalker.” Jack turned his narrowed gaze to Sacha. “Did you tell him?”

  Joker paced at the foot of the bed, his entire body visibly thrumming, like a firecracker ready to go off. “Yes, I fucking told him that, because that’s what this is, Jack. Photos is one thing, murder is another.”

  “Murder?” Jack tried to scramble out of the bed, but King loomed over him, his blue eyes clouded over and a hand to Jack’s chest. “Lie your ass back down.”

  “Fitz. I have to—”

  “Like I said when you first woke up and asked about him—Fitz is going to be okay. Red and Laz are with him in his room a few doors down. He’s bruised and on pain meds, but he’s going to be okay. You two were damned lucky the cars that hit you had just made turns and were going under the speed limit. What happened?”

  Jack reluctantly settled back and closed his eyes to stop the room from spinning. “I was driving Fitz home. We were talking; the light was green.”

  “Are you sure?” King asked gently.

  “Yes, I’m positive. He was saying something, and I heard screeching tires. I should have caught it sooner, but… I don’t know why; I just didn’t realize until it was too late. Anyway, I hit the gas on instinct to get us away from whatever was coming toward us, but a second later everything went to hell. I knew we’d been hit but passed out before I could make sense of anything.”

  “The police are going to want to take your statement as soon as you’re ready,” King said. “Ace and Lucky are with Mason, who’s talking to the officers who arrived on the scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles were thankfully wearing their seatbelts. They’ll be making full recoveries as well.”

  “Could we have a minute?” Joker asked, turning to King.

  “Sure. I’ll be outside.”

  Joker waited until King left and closed the door behind him, then whirled on Jack. “You’re an asshole.”

  “I know.”

  “Don’t you ever fucking scare me like that again. Do you hear me?”

  “I do,” Jack said softly as Sacha paced again, his eyes glassy.

  “When they called me and said you were in the hospital after being in a car accident, I—” Sacha closed his eyes, his hands balled into fists at his sides, his chin lifted toward the ceiling as he tried to get ahold of his emotions, which was never an issue for him unless it involved Jack or their family.

  “I’m okay, Sacha.”

  “Don’t call me that,” Sacha snapped.

  Jack held his palm out.

  “Don’t you fucking dare,” Joker said, eyes welling. “I will fucking punch you.”

  “A car already did that.”

  A surprised laugh came from Joker, and he shook his head. He sniffed and wiped his eyes before clearing his throat. “Fucker.”

  “Come here.”

  Joker let out a put-upon sigh as he stopped next to Jack’s bed. He took Jack’s hand and squeezed it, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “All I kept thinking was that we’d survived all that shit in Syria for me to lose you to a car accident in fucking Florida. Florida, Jack. You’re not dying in fucking Florida.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “We’re going to find this fuck, and they’re going to wish they never set eyes on you.”

  “Oh, Sacha. I love you, but I’m not in love with you.”

  “I will seriously beat your ass. Conveniently, you’re already in a hospital, so I won’t have to drive you here.”

  Jack laughed, then groaned when pain shot through him. He smiled at Sacha, who moved the chair King had vacated closer to the bed and dropped into it with a sigh.

  “This is bullshit. Who would want to hurt you? Hurt Fitz?”

  “I don’t know. I spend more time dealing with computers than people. Whoever it is, something must have set them off when Fitz came back into my life. That’s when all this started. First the photos.”

  “Which meant they’d been watching Fitz. They tried to get you to distrust him.”

  “Then they drugged Fitz in the hopes I’d see him with another guy and end things between us. Now this. Where’s my phone?”

  “Use mine. King’s got yours.” Joker handed him his phone.

  “I need to call Maury and confirm something.” Jack tapped away at Joker’s phone, the phone numbers of all his team members stored in his head. Maury answered groggily on the third ring, and Jack winced. He’d forgotten how late it was.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, I’m sorry to wake you.”

  “It’s no problem,” Maury said with a yawn. “What’s up?”

  “I need you to access the traffic camera footage at the intersection of the address I’m texting you.”

  Silent pause.

  “Far be it from me to question you, Jack, but this breaks company policy, not to mention the law.”

  Jack smiled at Maury’s response, despite his frustration. The one thing he’d drilled into his team was that just because they possessed the talent to infiltrate any computer system, didn’t mean they should. Jack, Joker, and the Kings did their best not to break the rules… on company time. That didn’t mean they didn’t bend the rules. Ace was the king of loopholes and rule-bending, and he’d passed that knowledge on to the rest of them. If it meant saving someone’s life, they’d do whatever they could.

  “Maury, I’m calling you from the hospital after a traffic accident that I’m certain was anything but.”

  “Shit! Are you okay?” Maury was alert now, the sound of rustling sheets and shifting mattress denoting he was getting up.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Fitz is too.”

  “He was in the car with you? Jesus.”

  “Yeah. I know our light was green. I need you to confirm it and make a backup copy of that footage.”

  “Yeah, of course. Shit. Hold on.”

  Jack waited, and a few minutes later, Maury was back. “This is bad.”

  “What is it?”

  “The traffic lights on either side of you turned green just before you reached the intersection. They weren’t due to turn green for another thirty-five seconds. Someone overrode the system and turned them green.”

  “Shit.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’ll tell you about it later. I have to go.”

  “Okay. Call me if you need anything, and watch your back.”

  “Thanks, Maury.” Jack hung up and closed his eyes. “Someone turned the lights green thirty-five seconds before they were supposed to switch.”

  “Fuck.” Joker was up again and pacing.

  A knock sounded, and a gray-haired woman in a white doctor’s coat walked in. Her smile was wide, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Mr. Constantino, I’m Dr. Hill. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I got hit by two cars.”

  She blinked at him, then nodded. “Well, that’s an accurate assessment.” Her expression was no-nonsense, and he got the feeling he wouldn’t like what she was going to say next. “Mr. Constantino, did you take any illegal substances during your evening?”

  Jack stared at her. The words made sense, but the question didn’t. “What? No. Of course not.”

  She studied him before moving her gaze to the chart in her hands. “The reason I ask is because your toxicology report shows traces of MDMA.”

  Joker gaped at her. “Molly? Someone drugged him?”

  “My drink.” A cold chill swept through Jack. “I ordered soda because I was driving, but I didn’t drink much of it because it tasted too sweet.”

  The doctor seemed to consider this. “Everyone’s taste receptors react differently to drugs. You consumed enough to impair your reaction time. Did you feel strange at any point after drinking your soda?”

  That would explain why Jack hadn’t noticed the oncoming cars in time. “I got dizzy a couple of times and a little winded, but I, um, I thought that was down to what I was doing at the time.”

  “Which was?” she asked as she made notes.

  “Um, sex. I was having sex with my boyfriend.”

  Her pen stilled before she started writing again. She nodded, her frown deep. “I see.” The disapproval in her tone rubbed Jack the wrong way, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

  “Is there a problem?”

  She didn’t move her gaze from the chart. “I’m simply trying to understand what happened.”

  “What happened is someone drugged me. The same person who drugged my boyfriend over a month ago.”

  “Have you filed a police report?”

  “Yes, but as you might expect, the person wasn’t found, and I’m sure when we review tonight’s footage, we won’t find anything either.” Though Jack had a working theory.

  “We?”

  “The club owner is a personal friend of mine, and the security company I co-own, a company whose reputation I wouldn’t risk by doing something so stupid as to take drugs and drive.”

  She cleared her throat and nodded. “I’ll see about getting you and Mr. Harlow released.”

  “Thank you.”

  With a nod, she turned and left. Ignoring his growing anger, he moved his gaze to Sacha, who was suspiciously quiet.

  “The only way someone could have gotten to your drink was either by the server leaving it unattended, which goes against Frank’s rules, or…”

  “The server was the one who put the drugs in the drinks,” Jack said, glad to see his best friend had come to the same conclusion. “Frank is going to lose his fucking shit.”

  The door opened and King walked in.

  Joker turned to King with a growl. “That doctor needs to do something about her bedside manner.”

  “Not the friendliest,” Jack muttered.

  King sighed. “She didn’t want to attend to Fitz.”

  “What?” Jack and Joker exclaimed at the same time.

  “It’s been dealt with,” King said, holding a hand up. “Red overheard her arguing with the chief physician over treating Fitz. She seemed personally offended by his lip gloss. Anyway, Red took care of it.”

  Red was the sweetest, gentlest, biggest ball of fluffy fluff Jack had ever met. Until he wasn’t. And nothing, nothing, pissed Red off like someone refusing medical treatment. As a former medical sergeant who’d seen more death than anyone should, Red gave no fucks when faced with a medical professional who refused to help a person because of their prejudice.

  “I’m guessing he tore her a new one?” Joker asked, taking a seat and looking far too happy about it for his own good. He brought his right foot up to rest on his left knee and retied the laces of his beat-up Vans sneaker.

  King took a seat next to Joker. “Let’s just say Dr. Hill is questioning her life choices right now.”

  “That’s why Red is in his room,” Jack said, understanding dawning on him. He’d assumed Red was in there because of Laz and his friendship with Fitz. The idea that someone would refuse to treat Fitz boiled Jack’s blood, and he had to quickly push it down. Instead, he turned his attention to King. “We think one of Frank’s waitstaff did the drugging.”

  King cursed under his breath. “I’ll go talk to Frank. We’ll review the footage. It’s best I do the talking where the staff is concerned. God knows Frank will just scare the shit out of them. The idea that one of his staff betrayed his trust, it’s gonna hit him hard. Have any of them shown any interest in you? Do you think they could be your stalker?”

  Jack shook his head. “None of them have treated me any different to how they treat you guys or the rest of the clients. I mean, some of them flirt, but then they turn around and do the same to the next guy. It’s always small talk, nothing personal. None of them hung around longer than they should or asked for my number. Getting involved with clients is against Frank’s rules.” Frank had a lot of strict rules, but it was the reason Sapphire Sands was as prestigious as it was, and why it had been thriving for years.

  “Okay.” King stood. “They’re releasing you both soon. I need to talk to Frank.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Jack said.

  “The hell you are. You’re going home to get some rest.”

  “King—”

  King folded his thick arms over his broad chest. “You really want to argue with me on this?”

  Fucking King.

  “No.”

  “Good. Red and Laz will take you and Fitz home. On Monday we’ll see about your car.”

  Jack nodded and slumped in the bed. He waited for King to leave before grumbling at Sacha. “I can’t believe he’s making me go home.” He yawned wide, and Joker chuckled.

  “Yeah, what a dick. Doesn’t he know you’re indestructible?”

  Jack flipped him off.

  “Have you told him?”

  “Told who what? There’s a lot of hims in our lives; you gotta be more specific.”

  Joker rolled his eyes. “Fitz, asshole. Have you told Fitz you’re in love with him?”

  “Oh, um. No.” Jack picked at his hospital wristband. “I’ve been waiting for the right time.”

  Joker motioned around them. “There is no right time in life, Jack.”

  “And I suppose when you fall for someone, you’re just going to shout it from the tallest building.”

  Joker snorted. “Please. I’m never falling in love.” He sat back and placed his laced fingers behind his head. “No offense, but love is for suckers.”

  “How is that not offensive? I’m very offended. I’m a sucker? Are you saying King is a sucker? Also, you can’t force yourself to not fall in love, dumbass.”

  “Pretty sure I can.”

  “Yeah, okay.” Jack laid his head back against the bed. He supposed he could use some sleep. It was damned late, and he was struggling to stay awake as it was. More importantly, he wanted Fitz in his arms. He needed to see for himself that Fitz was going to be okay. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I mean, there’s always that newness in the beginning, the excitement, the need, but with Fitz, it’s just so different. There’s all that, but there’s also a feeling of familiarity. Like we’ve known each other so much longer.”

  “Technically we’ve known him as long as we’ve known Laz. We’ve just not spent as much time around him as we have Laz.”

  “He’s so easy to be with, to talk to.”

  “I’m happy for you.”

  Jack smiled because it was true. Sacha really was happy for him. “Thanks. So, you gonna tell me about what happened with Gio? You two go on your date yet? It’s been over a month since the bachelor auction.”

  “There is no date.”

  Jack opened his eyes and frowned at his friend. “What do you mean there’s no date?”

  “Did the accident knock out your hearing?”

  “Fuck you,” Jack grumbled.

  “There is no date. He let me out of it.”

  Jack peered at him. “You don’t sound thrilled about it.”

  “Who the fuck pays that much money for a date, then backs out? An asshole, that’s who.”

  With Sacha, reading between the lines wasn’t just necessary, it was a skill Jack had perfected over the years.

  “Maybe he’s just being a nice guy and letting you out of it because he knows how you feel about him.”

  Joker narrowed his eyes. “And how do I feel about him, Mr. Smarty-Pants?”

  “You despise the guy. I mean, Gio’s a smart man. I’m sure your hostility toward him has been duly noted.”

  “I don’t despise him,” Joker grumbled as he picked at a piece of distressed fabric on his Vans.

  “Shame about the money. The charity could have used it.”

  Joker snorted. “Please. He’s still donating it. Asshole.”

  Jack wasn’t surprised. Gio was a philanthropist. Helping people was what he did. Jack just wanted to get to the bottom of Sacha’s issue with a man who everyone seemed to love and admire. “Wait, so he let you out of the date, but is still donating the money?”

  Joker nodded.

  “Wow.”

  “Don’t. Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?” Jack asked innocently.

  “Be in awe of him like every other asshole. He’s not a saint!”

  “Don’t think anyone said he was.”

  “He certainly acts like it. Like he’s so fucking good and selfless. No one who’s a billionaire is that fucking good. In fact, I’m going on that damned date, and I’m going to find out once and for all what he’s hiding.”

  Jack nodded, his expression serious. “Good idea. You should do that.”

  “Right? He’s hiding something. I know it.” Joker removed his phone from his pocket and tapped at his screen.

  “You texting him?”

  “Yep.”

  Joker had Gio’s number. Interesting.

  “Whatever you’re thinking, you can fuck off. I have his number because of the whole date thing. That’s it.”

  “No, right. Of course.”

  Joker peered at him before turning his attention back to his phone. With a self-satisfied grin, he put it away. “It’s on. Asshole won’t know what hit him.”

  Somehow, Jack had a feeling Joker’s date wasn’t going to go as planned. Stubborn, thy name was Sacha.

  Once Jack was released, he hurried down the hall to Fitz’s room while Joker went to find the others. Jack had just stepped through the door when Fitz threw his arms around him, squeezing hard.