Kannon stood and followed him out of the room. "You're a liar. If I know anything about you, I know you will sacrifice yourself to accomplish your mission. It's what you do."
"It's what we all do," Zane acknowledged.
"No. It's what we are trained to do, but not everyone embraces the tenants."
"Like Ski?" Zane paused at the junction of the corridor. The traitor Kowalski was a sore subject for all of them.
"Ski and others. Just promise me that if push comes to shove you will try to take care of yourself."
"If I can. But she will always come first." Zane headed down the hallway that would take him back to C3 and his primary. He glanced at his watch. It was dinner time. Ten bucks said the woman had an extra cheese, meat-lovers pizza on her workstation. He palmed his phone and dialed the deli down the block. Ordering two salads took seconds. He'd make sure the woman had decent food. Hell, who was he fooling? He couldn't eat the shit Jewell ate and function. His order was self-preservation.
Chapter Eight
Jewell waited inside the car as Zane had directed. She saw the Guardian vehicle across the street. They weren't trying to cover their presence. Jewell understood protective details and Zane was making a statement.
A yawn snuck up on her. She reached into her purse and grabbed an energy drink. She popped the top and tipped it back.Ahh… the nectar of the gods. Chronic fatigue was a by-product of her job. The work never stopped. Her section had grown by almost thirty people in the last four years. She'd been able to hire some of the best in the world to work with Guardian, but with the expansion of the business under Jason's leadership, she needed at least fifteen more to fill the gaps, and she needed them like yesterday. The vetting process for any applicant took over six months, but the mandatory scrub was essential considering the new hires would have access to most of Guardian's systems.
Jewell lifted the can and downed three large gulps of caffeinated heaven. The line grew outside the Gaming Den as she waited for Zane. The energy drink finished, she put the empty can back in her purse. She needed the boost to stay awake all night. She'd worked from five this morning until three this afternoon and the rigors of the day still streamed through her mind. Rarely were the demands of her day muted. She snorted at the thought. She almost never went home. Her clothes were sent to the laundry and delivered back to Guardian. She ate at her desk, showered in the gym and almost never went to the apartment. The quiet was too loud there. Anyone who hadn't lived alone wouldn't understand that sentiment, but she did. Her brothers and sisters were amazing people, but she'd never equal their caliber of accomplishments. She didn't know how to deal with people. Her dad had told her once if she brought food to a meeting it would always go better. She'd followed that advice. It was impossible to quantify the reality of the suggestion, but her father had been correct. It worked well when she was six to make a few friends in the Brownies, and even now she found favor with her brothers and other senior players in Guardian when she brought their favorite treats. But that was the only trick she had when working with people. They were so unpredictable. She knew how computers would react because the programming told her what it would do. People were more difficult to understand. Except for Zane. He said what he meant and meant what he said. He never lost his temper around her, and even when he confronted her about Vista in her office three days ago, he didn't yell or shout. Zane was a constant. The programmer in her appreciated consistency.
She watched three cars drive by the Range Rover she sat in. They stopped closer to the front of the club, letting people out. The line was now out the door and was weaving around the block. Maybe she should have called ahead. The Gaming Den was one of ten clubs in the US that was hosting the tournament. The MMORPG community had grown a hundredfold in the last four years. That was in part due to websites like Twitch that allowed gamers to stream live and get paid to play. Jewell caught Zane's profile as he exited the club. He leaned over and talked to the huge man that was keeping the club-goers outside. Zane's build rivaled the bulk of the hired muscle. The man nodded and shook Zane's hand. The Guardian operative who'd been waiting in the shadows near the Land Rover acknowledged Zane as he approached and then vanished into the dark. Zane tapped on her tinted window. Jewell opened the door, and he escorted her into the club without stopping, much to the dismay of the people waiting in line.
Jewell let her eyes adjust to the darkened interior. She glanced at the status board that glowed at the back of the entryway. She nodded toward the sign-up table and Zane followed.
A pimple-faced young man glanced up at her and then did a double take. His mouth dropped open, and he stared at her. Jewell got it, she wasn't the typical gamer.
"Hey, dude, chill out." The man's partner at the table elbowed him bringing the kid out of his stupor.
"Oh, sorry. Did you want to sign up for the tournament?" Pimple face's voice cracked at the end of his question.
Jewell smiled at him and motioned toward Zane. "Yes, we're a team."
"Okay, put your names and information plus your handle here and your level here. Entrance fees are $250.00 per person."
Jewell reached into her jacket and withdrew five crisp one hundred dollar bills. She put the money down and picked up the clipboard. She wrote her gaming handle down and gave the sign-up form to Zane who scribbled his information and handed it back.
Zane picked up the money and pushed the bills back in her pocket. He peeled off five hundred dollars from a roll of bills in his hand. "You picked the place, so I pay the tab."
Jewell frowned at the money on the table. She didn't understand why Zane would do that. She wanted to play in the tournament. She'd asked Zane. Shouldn't she be responsible for the cost of admission?
Jewell opened her mouth to ask that question when the man next to the teenager spoke to her. "You're in theater three, station five of six. There are elimination rounds in each theater. Once the theater winners are determined, there will be a four-team, single elimination bracket. Matches are pulled out of a hat. The winner is the team that remains in power after the final battle is called."
Jewell nodded her understanding. At least the kid's partner had his spiel down.
Zane's large hand found its way to her back as he guided her through the crush of people toward the theater they were assigned. "Do you want anything before we hook up our controllers?" Zane patted the bulge in his leather jacket. Over the course of his protection detail, he'd rarely dressed down. Slacks and button down shirts were the norm unless he was working out. Tonight he had on a pair of dark wash jeans, a black polo, and a black leather jacket.
Her recent acceptance of her attraction to the man was probably to blame for the shiver that ran down her spine when he slipped his arm around her waist and maneuvered her through the crowd. His subtle aftershave skittered across her senses. His strong arm tucked her close to his body when a group of people spilled out of the spectator area of the theater. She felt the hard press of his chest and thighs against her. It may have been wishful thinking, but she thought Zane may have kept her held against him longer than necessary, but there was no way she was going to complain. The man did things to her that no one else had ever done.
"You didn't answer my question." Zane's voice rumbled near her ear as he loosened his hold.
Jewell blinked up at him. He'd asked a question?
"Do you want any snacks or drinks before we set up?"
"Oh, no. I read they provide all that for the players as a part of the registration fee."
Zane stepped away and nodded toward the participant's area. "Then, your tournament awaits, milady."
Zane signed into his account and joined Jewell's character, Scorn, with his character, Harbinger. He scanned the theater noting the exits and then started his assessment of the people in the player area. He knew Quinn's people would be watching the spectators. The characters names started fl
ashing up on the middle screen along with the skill levels. When Jewell and Zane's characters flashed up, the crowd's cheer elevated. They were elite and had the competition beat. It was only a matter of time before they progressed to the winner's bracket.
Time passed with each win. He watched the gaming geek beside him blossom. Her laughter and smiles were well worth the time, energy and money it took to protect her tonight. She deserved to have a fun evening. They won easily and headed out of the smaller room to the main theater where the championship would be held. Zane made sure the Echo Team members entered the area before they did. He escorted Jewell to the ladies' room to give them time to set up in the theater and sweep the audience. He didn't believe the hacker would be here tonight, nor did he think the man would be so bold as to attack Jewell in public, but he wasn't betting her life on it.
The tournament finalists were corralled before they could enter the theater. The event organizer explained it was to make a grand entrance. Zane examined the other three teams of players.
"Hey, I'm Prospect. This is Backdoor." The man who spoke was dressed in all black. His hair, lips, eyeliner and fingernails all matched his clothing. His partner dressed like a skateboarder, including the backward facing hat.
Jewell smiled and extended her hand. "I'm Scorn, and this is Harbinger." She motioned toward Zane.
"Oh man, you two were kicking ass over in Theater Three. We heard about it after we finished in One." That came from a waif thin man who had at least twenty piercings placed in his ears, eyebrows, nose and lips. "I'm Spiral, and this is Tool."
"That's okay. You eliminated the dregs just like we did. You and your boyfriend better bring your A game, because I plan on killing you both."
The gamer's choice of words triggered alarm bells. Zane turned to look at the man who spoke. He committed the gamer's appearance to memory. Mid-twenties, shaggy brown hair, scraggly beard, brown eyes, thin lips and fucking thin as a rail. The man's clothes were two sizes too big, as if he'd lost a lot of weight recently. His cocky attitude grated against Zane's nerves on just about every level.
Jewell laughed and wrapped her arm around Zane's waist. "Don't worry, we will."
The cocky guy and his partner turned and headed into the main theater. Prospect shook his head. "Don't mind Sweeper. He's had a bad week."
"Really? How's that?" Zane put his arm around Jewell and escorted her forward following the other two teams.
"Rumor has it the dude fucked up bad at work, and his employers fired him," Prospect spoke as they moved toward the theater.
Zane and Jewell exchanged looks. "Shame. Do you know where he worked?" Jewell asked the question before Zane could.
Spiral turned back to look at them. "He works from home. He's a great programmer if you believe his own press."
The others laughed at the joke. Zane didn't. Simple coincidences made his skin crawl. Vista had access to Guardian's systems. Could he have found out about Jewell's gaming preferences? Zane shook his head. That would be a long shot. He was probably grasping at straws, but he'd check Sweeper out anyway.
Jewell stopped before they entered the theater. She turned to him with a brilliant smile on her face. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For this. I know I wasn't the easiest person to work for. I hated having my life dictated by my brothers. But you still came back even after I treated you like shit. You set this up tonight. For all of that and for being a kick-ass player, thank you." Jewell raised up on her toes and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. It was over in a split second, and she was heading toward their consoles before his brain registered what had happened.
Quinn walked past him and bumped his shoulder. "Nice." The comment brought Zane out of his stupor. Damn it, the merest taste of the woman made his dick hard and broke his fucking brain. Zane glared at Quinn's back and headed after Jewell. He had a tournament to win.
Chapter Nine
"We're the Champions! This deserves a celebration!" Jewell lifted the trophy onto the kitchen island. The piece of onyx-colored plastic had the tournament name and date on it along with an etched plate containing their handles. They didn't even face the dickwad with the attitude in the finals. Prospect and Backdoor sent them packing in the first elimination round. The last battle had been epic, but Jewell had an ace up her sleeve, or rather a weapon that no one else had uncovered. Zane had battled Backdoor, and they'd both lost too much power to continue without regenerating. Prospect was on the offensive and had Jewell in a corner until she unleashed some bad ass deliverance called the Chalice of Doom. It wiped out Prospect as if he was a first level newb.
"It does call for a celebration, but it's almost 4:00 in the morning. Unless you want to go out and find a twenty-four-hour diner we should postpone celebrating our awesomeness until tonight." Zane set the apartment alarm once they were inside and did a walk-through of the apartment, clearing it even though the old-school countermeasures he'd put in place hadn't been disturbed.
Jewell trailed after him. "What if we celebrate now and then go out to dinner tonight?"
Zane stopped and looked back at her. She cocked her head at him waiting for a response. "I'd ask what type of celebration you're talking about."
Jewell walked up to his back and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I think you know."
Every muscle in Zane's body tightened at once.Holy fuck was she coming on to him? He slowly turned around and lifted her head so he could look in her eyes.
"Exactly what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that we are both consenting adults." Her gaze moved from his eyes to his lips and back up again.
"I'm not going to lie to you. The thought of celebrating with you has crossed my mind. More than once and before tonight." Zane studied her face as his words registered.
Her brow scrunched together. She stepped back a fraction. "I sense a 'but' coming."
Zane ran his hands through her thick black hair. It was as soft as he'd imagined. He cupped her cheek and studied her. "But, I don't just want a single night of celebration. I won't deny that I've had feelings for you for months. I know what I want, but I don't think you do."
Jewell stepped away from him. "I'm damn well past the age of consent. I know what I want, and I want it with you." She launched from serene to snide, pissed off and prickly in about a nanosecond.
"But only for the night?" Zane sat down on a barstool. He was breaking a rule of protective security details. Do not fall for the client, but this wasn't just another detail. He'd gladly find another job if he got fired for wanting more with her. He had enough money to last three lifetimes.
Jewell stepped closer so that his knees braced on either side of her legs. She drew a deep breath and released it before she answered, "I honestly don't know. I am intrigued by you. You made yourself matter to me when I didn't think anyone could. Besides, you of all people should know I'm not good with the one-on-one interaction thing. As far as a relationship? I'll be honest. I don't know if I'm relationship material." By the time she'd finished talking, she was looking at where his knee touched her right leg.
Zane put his hands on her hips and waited until she peered up at him. "You are better with people than you think. Are you strict, and do you expect your people to work as hard as you do? Yes. But each and every one of those people in your section respects the hell out of you."
Jewell shrugged and looked up at the ceiling avoiding his gaze. He knew a talk of a relationship or anything personal was probably weirding her out. He searched his mind for a way to put what he wanted her to understand in her language. "Let's try an experiment."
Her eyes popped to his. "An experiment?"
"Yep. Tell me how you build a program."
"A program?" Jewell parroted his words.
"Yes. When you built Godzilla, how did you do it?"
"Well, we used some of the coding that Vista had
embedded in our system. It was really unique and intriguing. Then we determined what we wanted it to do and built layers of code that defined the parameters of the program's desired outcome. We did checks on it throughout the process and strengthened the weak lines, abandoned the things that were complicating the outcome or changed them to meet our purpose. Then we ran tests to work out the bugs. Why?"
Zane moved her a little closer. "Consider this. What's between us is a program. Right now, it is unique and intriguing. We need to determine what we want, and then we will build layers of experiences—"
"Like coding?" Jewell interrupted.
"Yes, but outside of your office the world calls it dating."
She smacked his arm and laughed at his taunt.
"We figure out what we both like, and we build on it, strengthen it." Zane waited as Jewell processed the information. He'd learned the woman mentally examined damn near every word in a conversation before she responded."
"So we would be doing a build-up and test on the relationship." Jewell nodded her head and smiled at him. "But I have a question." She leaned into him and cautiously lifted her hands to his chest. The light, soft touch sent what remaining blood he had in his body south and stiffened his already hard cock. "When do we get to celebrate?"
Jewell moved forward slowly, holding his eyes with hers. The desire that thrummed through his veins exploded when her lips touched his. Zane snaked his hand up her back, under her hair and trapped her against his chest. He tilted her head and took over the kiss, licking at her lips, and growled his approval when she opened her mouth for him. Fuck, the taste of her lit him up. She was cool, pure water and his thirst became unquenchable with a single sip.
Her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him closer. He crushed her body into his and stood up. One hand grabbed her perfect ass lifting her. Jewell climbed his body. He cupped her ass with both hands boosting her higher. Her sexy legs wrapped around his waist, and he walked on autopilot to his bedroom. He kicked the door open. The bedroom door slammed against the wall and whipped back catching him on the arm. He hiked her up his body again and pushed the door out of the way with his elbow.
Jewell (The Kings of Guardian Book 8) Page 6
