Page 41 of Fire and Ice

"Me too."

Jack got a bottle of Don Julio Anejo tequila and opened the sliding-glass doors that led to the balcony. It had an ocean view with some lounge furnitures. Maia stepped out and lowered a tray of shot glasses on a small round table between two chairs. She threw on a lightweight sweater as she inhaled the crisp ocean breeze.

"Weather is really getting chillier," Maia observed as she flounced down on the lounge chair and stretched her legs.

Jack unfolded his long lean body on the other chair and poured two shots of tequila.

"Are we going to talk about the weather?" he teased.

Maia ignored him and continued looking at the waves rushing to the shore.

"Relax," Jack said as he handed her a glass.

"Believe me, I am relaxed. Cheers!" Maia nodded to him and tossed back her drink.

They sat in companionable silence for a while. The sun had started setting and cast a majestic orange glow on the horizon. Jack loved it here; it was one of the properties he came to most often. He glanced over at Maia and noticed that she had stiffened when she felt his gaze on her. Jack frowned. Her guard was up. The bottle of wine from dinner had not loosened her up. He poured more tequila shots for both of them.

"So, you grew up in foster care?" Jack asked.

Maia hesitated. "Yes. I'm uncomfortable talking about my personal stuff."

He pressed on. "So you and Viktor go a long way back?"

"Jack ..." Maia said in warning.

"It's a simple question unless there's something to hide," he said casually.

"Eighteen years. Viktor and my foster parents are very good friends," Maia said.

Jack handed her the shot glass.

"You and Viktor seem close ..." he said as a lead in.

"We are tight. He can be a manipulative bastard," Maia said and then she laughed as if recalling something before tossing back the tequila.

"He can be a dick," she continued fondly. "But I know he cares about me. Tough love. He trained me, you know."

"Cares about you enough to use you as bait," Jack bit out. The more he heard about Viktor Baran, the more he loathed the guy.

Maia looked at him. "Viktor and I are complicated. It may appear that he puts me in danger but everything with AGS is a calculated risk. All the Guardians know this. He's put himself on the line for me so many times. It's about trust and we do trust each other. Implicitly."

Jack felt compelled to push her on the subject of Viktor, but all the questions he wanted to ask made him sound like a jealous lover.

"So how are you and Brett so different?" Maia asked.

"I have no idea," Jack admitted. "Sometimes he acts like he's adopted. He's always been the rebellious kid. Gave my parents so much grief. We were never close, eight-year age difference between us, by the time he was a teenager, I was away with the SEALs."

"I'm surprised you joined the Navy SEALs," she said. "Your dad is a real estate developer, thought you'd go that route."

Jack smiled as he poured two more shots of tequila.

"I guess I wanted the challenge physically and mentally," he replied. "I was also fascinated by guns and explosives. Which was why, when I got out, I started MDI: I get to be involved with the DoD and help our guys out by providing them better weapons."

He watched Maia put away the tequila. She was beginning to look flushed.

Thirty minutes later, and another round of tequila.

"So, babe, what's up with the Russian?" Jack asked softly.

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