Page 36 of Fool’s Gold

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

Jack managedto catch a flight to Denver almost immediately, or at least one that left as soon as he could get through security. He’d never been one for waiting around, especially once the job was done. The less time he had to spend in his own head the better, at least as far as he was concerned.

Except he had plenty of time now to stew in his own juices. Everyone on the plane was there for business, not a tourist or a small child in sight. He thought about using headphones and trying to watch the in-flight movie, but it was some dumb romance, and even worse, it was a Hollywood romance about a bodyguard and the person he was supposed to be guarding.

A client who, coincidentally, wasn’t in the hospital with multiple injuries caused by Jack’s inability to force him to take the goddamn passenger seat.

He knew it wasn’t actually his fault. If Jack had been driving, the would-be assassin would have succeeded. Jack wouldn’t have been able to get to his gun, and Matt (along with Norah and Samaira and the randoms by the side of the road) would have been shot. Logic and reason did nothing to chase the lump of guilt from the middle of his gut where it sat like a round piece of hot tar.

It would pass soon, like a kidney stone. Maybe. Jack had no experience with this feeling. Maybe it would just sit there until it burned through his skin, his dress shirt, the ugly airplane seat belt. Maybe it would burn through the plane itself, the first time an airplane had been brought down by a lovesick bodyguard’s useless grief.

He’d lost clients before. He’d lost comrades too. He’d just never cared about a partner enough to mourn the end of their time together. He didn’t think he wanted to repeat the experience. He’d enjoyed his time with Matt, in Matt’s heart and in Matt’s bed. He’d loved Matt, and he probably loved Matt still.

None of it was worth this, especially if it wound up causing a completely embarrassing plane crash.

The plane made it to Denver in one place though, and none of the other passengers seemed to have the first clue just how much danger they’d been in. Jack grabbed a room at the first hotel that didn’t seem to have visible fleas and locked himself in for the night. He’d debrief with Levi first thing in the morning.

It wasn’t as if Jack had anyplace else to be.

He resisted the urge to call Matt. It was probably pretty late back in Atlanta, and he was pretty sure Matt didn’t want to hear from him anyway. He hadn’t even wanted to look at Jack when Jack said he wouldn’t forget him. Like he hadn’t believed him.

He stripped down and stepped into the shower, trying to wash Atlanta and his apparently superfluous identity away. He should be upset that Matt hadn’t believed him. He wasn’t in the habit of letting people call him a liar, even if he did spend a bunch of time pretending to be someone else in the course of his job. He couldn’t get mad at Matt though.

Matt hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true. Jack hadn’t planned to stick around. He’d just stayed to make sure Matt was okay. He could have relied on Irvine and Kingston to fill him in, and that would have been the smart thing. It would have resulted in less drama, not that anyone would have said there was drama in their final parting.

This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.Matt had been stoic about the whole thing, while still managing to make Jack feel like a heel. He had a gift.

If Jack hadn’t stuck around to say goodbye, to get some kind of stupid closure, he’d have been better off. He’d have been well on his way to his next assignment by now, mind already on the job. He’d miss Matt, yeah, but he wouldn’t be showering in the dark and licking his wounds. And Matt would be better off too, although he didn’t know it. He’d just remember Jack as a vaguely good lay and move on to the next guy, instead of thinking of him with the sour note on which they’d parted.

Better for everyone.

Okay, even he didn’t believe that. But he was trying.

He sent a text to Morales. If anyone knew what was going on with Matt, it would be the FBI agent in charge of his case.How’s the patient?

Morales responded right away.It’s two a.m. here. Go the fuck to sleep.

Jack rolled his eyes. Weren’t the Feds supposed to be always on or something?

Tell me how he’s doing and I’ll be happy to oblige.

Morales called instead of texting, and Jack didn’t need to see his face to know he was pissed.

“On what goddamn planet do you have the pull to go waking up federal agents from two time zones away to be checking up on your ex, huh? I am an actual law enforcement agent. I am not your personal stalking proxy. You walked out, asshole. You don’t get to do that and then turn around and roust people from a nice andvery warmbed just because you’ve got seller’s remorse.”

Jack almost dropped the phone. “What the hell? I was just checking in.”

“You’ve never checked in on a former client in your life. Especially not the same day. Great. You woke up my guest.”

Jack grimaced. It had never occurred to him that Morales might be busy. “I’m sorry, man. I’ll send him a fruit basket. Send me his info.”

“He tends bar at Hammer. Name’s Mike, you can send it there.” Morales groaned. “Look. If you need a therapist or something call my colleague in Boston. During business hours, he’s even nastier when he gets rudely awakened for BS reasons than I am. I’ll send you his contact info on a delay, as a favor to both of you.

“Matt’s medical status is unchanged. He’ll probably leave the hospital in a week or so. He could go home and come back, but they don’t want to risk him getting an infection with his spleen the way it is. Might as well just keep him in until they’re done with the surgeries for a while.” He let out a loud yawn. “Sorry. He didn’t have much to say after you left, and I shouldn’t be telling you even that much, but it’s clear you won’t stop until you know.”

“It’s true.” Jack managed to smile. “Thanks, Morales. And I’m sorry I interrupted your night.”

Morales grunted. “It’s not like I haven’t worked with you before. I know this is... unusual for you. Don’t make a habit of it, and we’re good.”

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