Page 7 of Redemption

I leaned back in my chair. “Let me get this straight. You want to pay me to spend two months sailing the Caribbean with a client.”

“Yes.”

I’d had some cool assignments—some really shitty ones too. But this had to be one of the best ones I’d been offered. Even so, I was hesitant.

“It’s close quarters. What if we don’t get along?”

“Make sure you do.”

I scoffed. We both knew that was easier said than done. Some of our clients could be a real pain in the ass. Not the Crawfords, of course. But others. They could be demanding, condescending. Didn’t listen. Didn’t heed our advice or warnings.

“And after?” I asked, assuming the client and I didn’t kill each other.

“New York.”

“New York,” I repeated, as if to confirm it.

“We’ve been watching you—Maverick, the leadership. You’re smart. Hardworking. You play your cards right with this assignment, and the New York office is yours.”

Say what? I blinked a few times, positive I’d misheard him.

After everything I’d been through—being discharged from the SEALs, working as a bouncer, finding my way to Hudson—this felt like a redemption of sorts.

“What about Wyatt?” I asked.

We’d all heard that Clay, the director of the New York office, was retiring. But surely Wyatt, his second-in-command, would take over.

“Wyatt’s going to open our new office in London.”

Well, shit. I sank back against my chair, resting my ankle on my knee. This would be a huge promotion—and a dream come true.

“New York,” I said again.

I rubbed the back of my neck. I hadn’t been to New York, apart from a few work trips with a client, in nearly a decade. My thoughts went to Sloan, as they often did. I couldn’t think about New York without thinking of her.

I hadn’t seen or spoken to her in years—at least, not until our paths had crossed in Abu Dhabi a few months ago. She’d visited Nate a few times in the past year, but I’d always been on vacation. Or I’d let my team handle it.

Her Abu Dhabi visit had been unexpected, and her sudden appearance had stirred unwelcome feelings. Reminding me of a past I couldn’t change and a future that would never be.

“Jackson?” Vaughn asked, tearing me away from thoughts of Sloan.

The way her skirt had wrapped around her hips—more generous than they’d been in the past. Her hair had been different too. As had the way she’d looked at me—with shock that had quickly turned into a mask of cold indifference.

“Hm?” I met his gaze.

He assessed me with a quizzical expression. “I thought you’d be more excited.”

I cleared my throat and straightened, trying to mask my shock. “Yes. Yes, of course I am. I just…” I dragged a hand over my head, the short strands bristling against my palm. “Surprised, that’s all. I mean…head of the New York office. That’s one hell of a promotion.”

It’s what I’d been working toward, wanting, for years. The chance to lead not just a team but an entire office. After how everything had gone down with the SEALs, I didn’t know if anyone would ever trust me to lead a unit again. Maverick’s, and especially Vaughn’s, faith in me was humbling and gratifying. He’d been my mentor for over a decade, and I knew he was just as invested in my success as I was.

“You’d be damn good at it.”

I was still in shock but somehow had the presence of mind to say, “Thank you.”

I couldn’t believe it. He was offering me the chance to take on a leadership role at the highest levels of the company. The chance to honor my father and finally live up to his legacy. Not to mention the fact that I’d be closer to my sister and her family, as well as my mom. Considering my mom’s recent stroke, this couldn’t have come at a better time. She was going to be so happy when I told her.

“Is this your subtle way of telling me I’m getting too old for field work?” I teased, though Vaughn had been determined to see me advance in the company.

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