Page 117 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

No, there was no reason for Sutton to have a grudge against Corbin. If anything, Sutton should be glad that Corbin had tried to avenge Doug’s death the day of the ambush. Of course, everything went terribly wrong. But that was beside the point. Corbin, more than anyone except Sutton, had felt the agonyof Doug’s death. And with that pain came the guilt of what happened afterward.

The door opened, and Sutton stepped through. He strode over and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the table. Even though Sutton was dressed impeccably in an expensive tux, he was all grit and muscle, his movements as nimble as a panther. The type of guy you didn’t want to cross. His blue eyes flickered over Corbin. “I’m glad to see the tux was sent to you as instructed.” After decades in the US, Sutton still had a slight British accent.

Corbin glanced down at the stains. “I hope you included dry cleaning in the package.” He noticed that Sutton had left the door open. Maybe that was a good sign that he’d let Corbin out of here soon.

A slight smile touched Sutton’s lips in acknowledgement of Corbin’s poor attempt at humor, then vanished almost as quickly as it had come. “It’s been a while. How’ve you been?”

Seriously? The guy wanted to make conversation. “I’d be a lot better if I weren’t handcuffed.” He gave Sutton a hard look. “Why’re you keeping me here?”

“I had hoped to have this conversation on friendlier terms. But I didn’t expect you to get into a fight the minute you stepped in the door.” His voice held a note of irony.

Corbin’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t start it. It was that meathead bodyguard?—”

Amusement flickered in Sutton’s eyes. “I know what happened. I saw the security feed.” His eyebrows shot up, wrinkling his forehead. “You handled yourself pretty well.” He shrugged. “At least until the end, when you were put down.”

He didn’t appreciate the assessment, nor the jab. “Four on one’s hardly fair.” It was no surprise that Sutton had cameras everywhere. This conversation was probably being recordedright now. He glanced around, seeing no evidence of a camera. But that didn’t mean one wasn’t hidden somewhere.

Sutton chuckled. “I’d think by now you would’ve learned that life is anything but fair.”

Somehow Corbin knew Sutton was talking about Doug. It got him like a punch in the gut. He caught a blip of Sutton’s hurt mirroring his own. He swallowed the ball in his throat. He looked Sutton in the eye. “Why did you pay for me to come here?”

“I have a proposition for you.”

“Something other than being handcuffed and thrown in a cell?” He shot Sutton an accusing look.

“You brought that on yourself, lad.”

Corbin was getting fed up with dancing around the topic. “What do you want from me?”

“I’m holding a meeting.” He glanced at his watch. “It starts in five minutes. I’d like for you to attend, and I’ll explain everything.”

He pinned Sutton with a look. “You’ll tell me now. I’m tired of playing games. I wore the tux, came to your stupid party, got mauled by your security guards, and thrown into some holding cell. Enough is enough.”

Sutton quirked a half smile. “You have a couple of options here.”

“I’m listening.”

“In a couple of minutes, someone’s going to come in and remove your handcuffs.” He reached in his jacket and retrieved an envelope. “Here’s the money you were promised.” He placed it on the table. “You can take it and go your merry way, or you can stick around for the meeting—hear about a unique opportunity that could be yours, if you have enough sense to recognize it.”

“I don’t need anything from you,” Corbin growled. “I’m doing just fine on my own.”

“Obviously, with your bar bouncer job and part-time security gig at the movie theater.”

Corbin flinched. “You’ve had me checked out.” He didn’t need to have it pointed out that he’d reached a low point in his life. “Why?”

Sutton let out a long sigh. “Look, I know what happened right after Doug died.”

The words came at Corbin like a sledgehammer as he gasped, shame burning over him. “H—how?” he sputtered. Those records were sealed. Then again there were probably very few things in this world a man like Sutton Smith couldn’t access.

A fierce light came into Sutton’s eyes as he continued. “I know the anger that fuels you. I’ve felt it myself.” He paused. “In fact, it almost destroyed me,” he said softly. He clutched his fist. “Here’s the bottom line, I’m offering you a chance to do something meaningful with your life. And I’ll pay you handsomely in the process.”

“Why do you give a crap about me?” Corbin rattled off reflexively.

Sutton straightened his shoulders, not taking his eyes off Corbin’s. “Because my son gave a crap about you, that’s why.”

Moisture rose in Corbin’s eyes as he blinked. “Doug was the best friend I ever had.” He coughed to hide his emotion, looking down at the table.

“He loved you like a brother. For what’s it’s worth, thank you.”

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