“Nothing happened.”
“I hate to tell you, brother, but the entire office is buzzing about the incident at Grannie’s,” Jay said, sounding genuinely sympathetic. “You won’t be able to avoid talking about it for long.”
I’d figured as much. “Copy that.”
“Would you rather talk about how you got that scar?”
“Christ, Sheppard, are you always like this?” My fingers tapped on my leg, counting to keep me present.
He laughed. “It’s part of my charm.”
“Are you sure about that?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood and change the subject.
“Abso-fucking-lutely. Just ask Cate.” He glanced my way. “So, about that scar?”
“You know, your brothers weren’t half as nosy.”
His slight flinch as he tightened his hands on the steering wheel told me I’d hit a nerve.
“You’ll see soon enough; I’m nothing like my brothers.” His tone held little to no humor.
I nodded. Definitely a sore subject. “Like I said, a knife fight,” I answered, wanting to talk about my scar less than I wanted to talk about Ashley. Circumstances had fused the two in my mind forever. I couldn’t think about Ashley without flashing back to the warehouse. Or remembering the knife fight that resulted in a facial scar that wasn’t easily ignored.
“Okay. I won’t push anymore, but I’m here if you want to talk.” He wasn’t so different from his brothers after all. “I recognize the haunted look in your eyes.” He paused, his forearms flexing as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. His voice was gritty when he said, “I’ve been there.”
“Thanks, man. But I’m not ready yet.”
“Fair enough.”
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked.
“Shoot.”
“Did your father say anything about my background check?”
Standard background checks included basic information, like employment and criminal histories. Private investigation agencies ran deeper background checks, though not government or law enforcement deep.
Hawken’s ran an extensive check because of the work we did with government agencies. SSI wouldn’t have looked that deep, but they may have done extra research.
“Not to me. I’m a son, but not one of ‘the sons’”, he made air quotes, “so I’m on a need-to-know basis.” He shrugged. “I didn’t need to know.”
I nodded before trying a different tactic. “Brother to brother, what do you know?”
He looked at me, sizing me up, before answering. “I know some shit went south in Vegas during your last op for Hawken’s. If they know more, they haven’t told me. Obviously, what they learned didn’t prevent them from hiring you.”
My three interviews had been extensive. The first one was a pre-interview via video chat with John. He didn’t push for details, and I didn’t offer them. The second was a longer, in-person interview with John, Jamie, and Jack. They asked for more details, and I told them what I could. They seemed to understand I couldn’t divulge details about ongoing government operations.
The Perpura brothers were dead, but their cartel was still operating. The FBI was still investigating, but I didn’t know if Hawken’s had sent someone new in to finish the job.
My final interview with the team felt more like meeting a friend’s family than an interview. In hindsight, it made sense. SSI was a family business; they’d make sure I was a good fit professionally and personally.
“Fair enough.” During my last interview, I fell back into the easy banter that happens between military brothers and had looked forward to working with a team again.
“So why the SEALs?” he asked, changing the subject. A hint of challenge in his voice.
I laughed. “Why the Raiders?” My challenge matched his.
“Didn’t want to serve on a boat.”
