Chapter 3
Jack
After watching my wife exit, Slate and Grayson cross their arms, eyes dark and faces grim.
I sit up straighter. “How the fuck is it my fault Dianna kissed me in my sleep?”
Grayson takes a step toward the foot of the bed. “You knew she had a crush on you. You should’ve squashed it before it got out of hand.”
“Seriously? Have you met her? That spoiled brat doesn’t understand the meaning of no. I’ve explained a million times how I’m wild about my lovely wife and I’m about to become a dad. When she didn’t stop coming onto me, I first told the senator and even his wife. Her parents seem to think there’s no harm in her sick infatuation. I swear to God, I’m ready to start a harassment suit.”
“That does put a different spin on things.” Slate chuckles while my boss stifles a grin but it’s not fucking amusing, especially how the girl’s actions made Blake cry. She’s too pale and the dark circles under her eyes tell me she isn’t sleeping well. This late-night trip couldn’t be good for the baby.
I shoot them both a glare. “I thought we agreed mypregnantwife would stay in New York.”
“It was either fly her on Gray’s jet or she would’ve driven. Your wife doesn’t listen worth shit.” Slate raises his brows and I shoot back.
“As if Lilac is any better?”
“Yeah, she drives me fucking nuts but what’s that got to do with the price of tea in China?”
Grayson laughs under his breath until he checks his watch. “This is real fun gents but me and Slate have to get back to New York. And Jack? We need to get you up to speed.”
“About fucking time.”Enough with the inquisition.
Slate paces the length of the small room in front of the beds and stops in front of the window with a view of the parking lot. Then, he smooths out a wrinkle in the empty bed beside me and says, “The last assassin has lawyered up, trying to make a deal with the Feds.”
“Deal? What kind of deal?” I just don’t get shit like this.
My head throbs like a mother-fucker but in a way, it’s good. It proves I’m still alive, gray matter active, and ready to kick ass.
Sitting in the folding chair beside my bed, Grayson rubs his eyes, then rasps a palm over his chin, “My inside sources say they think things got out of hand. The guys who ran you off the road weren’t supposed to kill him, just shake him up a bit.”
“I suppose. What better way to scare someone than to kill off his bodyguard. Do we know who foot the bill for this? Was it the Chinese?”
“Either them or Big Pharma.” Slate turns on a heel, returns to my bedside, and studies my almost empty IV bag.
“But it doesn’t make sense. Profits from the vaccine must be peanuts to both of them.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose, deep in thought. “Maybe it’s the precedence the bill sets… Neither Big Pharm nor the Chinese would like the message McAlister is sending.”
“What message is that?”
Slate steps back and waits for the male nurse in blue scrubs to finish changing my IV, take my temp, and check my blood pressure before continuing our conversation.
“If congress and the senate pass the bill, they’re officially stating overseas manufacturing of pharmaceuticals isn’t safe.” Gray stands, an indication the briefing is about over while I think on those kids who died in California. We have to find out who caused a simple flu vaccination to turn deadly.
And, who the fuck tried to kill me.
“Just for the record, I’m one hundred percent behind McAlister’s stance on the issue. This is a good thing.”
Grayson shrugs, staring out into the hall where nurses laugh at their station. “Just like anything, it depends on who’s running the show.”
“Two children died. Sure as fuck, someone dropped the ball.” I’m not sure what he’s getting at.
“Agreed. I’m just saying McAlister has plenty of reasons to make the situation sound worse than it was. His state will get a real boost when the manufacturing returns to the states.”
“It’s time for me to get back to work.” I tug on the bandage holding the needle into my arm but Slate grabs my wrist.
