When Jack got into the office the next morning, his assistant's chair was empty, and the head of his public relations department had made himself comfortable on Jack's couch. The muscles in the back of Jack's neck stiffened. Jack paid the man to ward off bad news, and he did his job well, but Wolf rarely brought good news.

"Bit early for a threat assessment, isn't it?" Jack strode to his desk and tapped on his laptop awake. "Usually you bring scotch."

Wolf unfurled his long legs and leaned forward. "Need your signature on this one."

He met the other man's hard gaze. Payoffs above fifty thousand needed his approval. "Who is it this time?"

Wolf nodded in the direction of the vacant desk outside of Jack's office. "She went to HR on Friday."

Disappointment settled in the pit of his stomach. He'd had sex with his latest assistant twice, once for fun, the other time out of desperation. There wasn't time to go to Cloud Nine between meetings and he had to vent pent up adrenaline between deals. Since then, she'd been too attentive, and he'd ignored her as much as possible. "We're offering a year of salary for her... silence."

"Did she sign the papers?" After one of his uncle's conquests tattled to a gossip outlet about their affair, James had everyone leaving Blackhorne & Caldwell sign non-disclosure agreements forbidding them from discussing their experiences while working for the company. Most of these related to research discoveries or intellectual property, but they also covered bruised egos or hearts when Jack lost interest in his conquests. Which always happened.

"Of course. It's all there in the email." Wolf stood and pointed to the folder on Jack's desk. "There are also the financial reports you asked for on that other property. Are we buying a restaurant?"

While his official job was public relations, Wolf Marsden also managed all Jack's intelligence needs. The two areas often went hand in hand. "No. Just... looking out for a friend."

In a rare expression of shock, Wolf's bushy eyebrows lifted and merged with his wiry hair. "Ok. Well, let me know if you need anything else."

"Apparently, I could use a new assistant."

"HR's on it. At the risk of sounding sexist, I suggested a man this time." Wolf turned to leave. "Maybe save the company some money."

"Piss off, you bastard."

Over his shoulder, Wolf gave him the finger.

Jack settled into his desk, checking the markets for the second time, and scrolling through his emails. He found the one from Wolf, scanned the NDA, and approved the transaction. In his pocket, his phone dinged like the tiny device had the hiccups. Turning to his desk, he went for the folder Wolf had referenced when he saw a small stack of papers. His assistant often wrote him physical messages as a way to convey important information. He rifled through them until a short, cryptic note caught his eye.

We need to talk about Solana.

Meet me at The Sunset Street Diner

2pm

Bram.

Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Jack had expected some retaliation from Solana's friend over his ultimatum to stay away. In fact, he was looking forward to a fight. But he didn't expect Abraham to attack the problem head on. Perhaps he'd underestimated the man. Jack chuckled to himself. Not likely.

Usually, he didn't respond to command performances and, under any other circumstances, he would insist any discussions concerning his affairs happen on his own turf. Better to control the situation that way and the power dynamics swung in his favour. Yet this note had Jack curious and today curiosity won over caution. Plus, Abraham had expected him yesterday, so he'd have the element of surprise on his side.

Traffic was light and Jack's limo pulled up in front of the family-style restaurant with five minutes to spare. The Please Wait To Be Seated sign at the front door mocked him as he surveyed the empty booths covered in forest green plastic, the dark wooden tables gleaming in the afternoon sun. Jack Blackhorne didn't wait, he was waited upon.

Across the room, a door swung open, and Abraham strolled in like he was walking along the beach at sunset. Not a care in the world. "Mr. Blackhorne. Thanks for coming."

So, this was how it was going to be. Gone was the sneering at Jack this or grumpy at Jack that from the limo ride or at Ximena's house. No resentment over showing up unannounced on the wrong day. Seems Abraham knew who he was. Jack would bet the watch on his wrist the other man had a power play in mind and this was the reason for his congenial attitude. The afternoon just got more interesting, and Jack decided to have some fun, let Abraham think he had the upper hand.

"You said this was about Solana." Jack didn't miss the flash of anger Abraham tried to hide at the mention of the woman they were both interested in. Solana had said he wasn't her boyfriend, but he gathered Abraham wished it were different. The look confirmed his suspicions, and Jack wanted to dig the knife in a little deeper. "Our friend."

Abraham's face hardened, and Jack felt warm and tingly inside. The trip down here was worth it, after all.

A young girl dressed in an ill-fitting uniform sporting the bright yellow of the Sunset Street Diner logo crashed through the door, snagged her eye on Abraham, then Jack, then turned to retreat into the anonymity of the back room.

"Cam, bring Mr. Blackhorne and I coffee." Abraham gestured toward a table in the middle of the restaurant. The girl beelined to a station in the corner, plucked a pot full of a dark liquid off the top shelf and poured it into two cups. Jack dragged out a chair across from Abraham and eased himself into it. Abraham spun his chair around and straddled it, his white T-shirt bulging at the arms as he crossed them on the chair's back.

Cam dropped two mugs on the table and fled.

Jack glanced at Abraham's running shoes. At least the man wasn't wearing flip-flops in his establishment. "How is our girl?" The memory of a dishevelled but adorable looking Solana in the hospital made Jack's leg bounce. "She seemed a tad flustered yesterday."

"Getting settled in. She's working for me now, so that should help." Working for him. More like working for his parents. None of the documents Jack reviewed this morning had Abraham listed as owner. The restaurant turned a small profit. The catering side of the business had recently started and was still in the red, yet it had potential. Jack's instincts told him they had a chance at success. "This diminuto fiesta of yours convinced her to take the job."

Tension coiled in Jack's shoulders for the second time that day. He certainly hadn't meant his offer to cater his party to drive Solana into Abraham's arms. Quite the opposite. "Hope you're better than her last boss."

"She's more like family. Did she tell you we grew up together?" Jack didn't bother to respond; he wasn't telling Abraham about his lack of knowledge or anything that might give him an advantage. To fill the silence, Jack pulled a napkin for the metal dispenser on the table and wiped off a water spot on the spoon before him.

"No one knows her like I do." Abraham poured sugar into his coffee. "Over the years, I've had to bail her out of a number of bad situations."

Fingers wrapped around the plain white mug, Jack squeezed the cheap porcelain instead of Abraham's neck. He was out of practice at this faking being intimidated thing. Still, he tried to infuse his tone with concern. "Am I to assume I'm one of these situations?"

"I'm glad you understand." A grin spilt across Abraham's hair encrusted face.

Jack despised a man who didn't shave every day. "Not sure I do. Perhaps you could explain."

The grin widened, and Abraham leaned back in satisfaction. This guy was so easy to manipulate. "She's... let's call it fiercely independent. Owing you money—"

"She doesn't owe me anything." He glared at Abraham.

"You don't know, Solana. She stayed in Vegas for two years and gave every spare cent to the creditors that scum of a partner left her with until she paid the debt off. Refused to declare bankruptcy and come home." The failed club was in the report Jack had read, but this was new information. "The ambulance ride, the stay in the hospital. They will weigh her down until she can pay you back."

A sour taste hit the back of Jack's mouth as he assessed the man before him. If he was such a good friend, why was he exposing her weakness to a stranger? If a more despicable man than he (and Jack knew more despicable men personally) had these facts, they'd exploit Solana. He could use this knowledge to take advantage of her. But he didn't have to manipulate women to sleep with him. Just provide them with the correct set of circumstances to encourage them to make the right decision.

"I don't see what this has to do with me. I'm not interested in taking her money."

"But she's going to insist on giving it to you." Jack considered his words, imagined Solana popping by his office once a week to drop off an envelope of cash. Wolf could hire the male assistant because he'd have something to look forward to. Or more specifically, someone.

They could have fun in his office. A long term, mutually beneficial arrangement. She eases her conscious; he eases his... Jack shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? That was like her paying him for sex. Or vice versa. He wasn't sure. Why did money have to complicate everything? "She can't be that stubborn."

"Well, she'd never admit it." Abraham scratched his chin. "Doesn't know what's good for her sometimes."

Jack folded his hands on the table to keep from punching the arrogant ass. Solana didn't seem like the type who'd do well with people interfering with her choices. "But you do."

"Like I said, I've been looking out for her since we were five. Our grandmothers are like sisters. Solana is family."

Not having any family himself, Jack couldn't prove his theory, but he was pretty sure he'd never be interested in getting into his sister's pants. Abraham, on the other hand, reeked of desire for the woman he claimed as practically a sibling. The possessive way his hands had been all over Solana that day at the house. This probably meant he'd never acted on his obsession, or she refused him. Either one was good for Jack—as long as it stayed that way.

Abraham slurped his coffee. "I'd do whatever it takes to help her. And Mrs. Monero."

Now this was something of interest to Jack. Abraham probably didn't realize he was handing Jack the very information he needed to exploit the man. Maybe not today, depending on what the man wanted, but Abraham's need to be seen as the saviour to Ximena and Solana could be used to manipulate him.

"Big of you. What are you suggesting?"

"I have a way Solana can pay back her debt to you without getting into financial trouble again."

Jack leaned forward. He couldn't wait to hear Abraham's solution.

The other man beamed. "Give me the money."