Page 27 of Played

He didn’t? Part of me assumed King would be married with a wife and a couple of kids by now. Trying his best to prove to the world that he’s a straight dude-bro capable of procreation. “Did you ever see him with a guy?”

He sips his Scotch, considering my question. “Also no.”

“So why assume he’s gay?” I ask, incredulous.

Maddox looks me dead in the eye. “Why do you assume he’s not?”

Fuck. He’s got me there. “Yeah, well, straight, gay, bi, or pan, he’s not my type.”

Elijah arches an eyebrow. “Am I going to have to separate you two when you’re in the office?”

I take a gulp of my drink. “Don’t be ridiculous. Just because I didn’t think about fucking him”—that’s a dirty rotten lie—“doesn’t mean I can’t be around him.”

Elijah smiles. “Good to know, because I really want to take Amber to this spa place I found in the Seychelles next week.”

“The Seychelles? Dude, you got back from Spain a few months ago.”

He winces. “I know. But it’s super exclusive, and they do this hot salt therapy she loves, and they emailed me earlier to tell me they had an opening. I cleared my schedule and will do what work I need to remotely. I know we have this leak, but we have you and King on it. Nathan and Drake can step in if we need to take any legal action. I’m sorry if it puts you in a bind, but I didn’t take a single vacation with my wife for ten years.”

“Yeah, on account of him always looking after us,” Nathan reminds me.

It’s true that Elijah put his life and his marriage on hold for our family and the company. He helped build Jamestech into the behemoth it is today, and I can’t in good conscience denyhim the opportunity to take his foot off the gas a little now just because I’m uncomfortable with our newest contractor, can I?

“It’s only five days, Mason,” he says.

“Fine. Go get some salt rubbed over your ass in the Seychelles then. I’ll hold down the fort.”

“You’re sure?” he asks, but the dude is already picturing his wife on a beach in a string bikini, I know it.

In spite of my shitty day and the horrible memories it dredged up, I truly am happy for him and Amber. “I’m sure,” I promise.

“I’ll tell King to report to you then,” he says, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

I sink the last drop of my Scotch. Fuck my goddamn life.

Chapter

Thirteen

MASON

Istare out my office window, admiring the incredible view of the Hudson. It’s the kind you could get used to when you see it almost every day, but when you really pay attention and look at it, it will take your breath away. I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world, but there’s nowhere quite like New York.

There’s a knock at my open door, and my secretary says, “Mr. Blackthorn is here to see you, sir.” Deborah only calls me sir when I have an unfamiliar visitor. Outside of that, we’re very informal.

“Show him in.”

I brace myself and turn around. True to his word, he’s wearing a suit and tie. I expected him to look out of place, maybe a little uncomfortable given how well he rocked the laid-back vibe yesterday, but he looks just as good in a suit. Damn him.

He glances around the room like he’s expecting an ambush. “I thought I was reporting to Elijah?”

“Elijah has taken a last-minute trip, so you’ll be dealing with me. You think you can handle that?”

He arches an eyebrow. “Do you think you can?”

Looks like he’s still the same cocky fuck who humiliated me eighteen years ago. The fact that he has the nerve to walk in herelike nothing happened was proof enough of that. I sit at my desk and he takes that as a cue to sit opposite me.

“So what’s your strategy?” I ask.