A/N: It's been a while - I'm sure most people have forgotten that this fic existed, but more than anything I want to have a complete story. Plus my favourite chapter happens to be the second last one. In any case, please do bear with me and I hope you enjoy the update.
XII. One Suit Short
Hadrian was a man who didn't enjoy keeping people waiting. He firmly believed that being punctual was of the asset to set a lasting impression; being tardy was simply inexcusable. For me, I preferred to be dead on time and often caused a fair bit of grief to Joker in the process.
When I knocked the door to my father's study and entered, it wasn't a complete surprise that his growing frown was that of discontent.
"Jack, take a seat."
I recalled that being his first sentence to me, and although I was initially scared back then, I had grown used to how my father behaved towards me. What Liam had said about me also applied to him. Not only did he talk the same language as if we were still talking business, but he was also undeniably distant.
I obeyed, drawing the chair out and settling to get as comfortable as I could. Joker stood a little behind me, leaning against the back of the chair somewhat. "Are you after the figures?"
He brushed his papers aside in an attempt to clear the place up. "No, it's about you."
"Me?" I was curious why my father had the need to meet me before our awkward dinner together, but I knew almost as soon as I asked. Apparently it was fairly easy for me to fall short of his expectations, and there were only a few things that I failed to do this time. This time though, it wasn't work related.
"I realise that I taught you that communication with the customers is a valuable way to get loyalty. I can only hope that your emotions have clouded your judgment."
I crossed one leg over the other nonchalantly. "Liam is simply a client I feel has the qualities not many other people possess. He has the attitude of someone expecting more than his capabilities, and instead of being hindered by that fact, he insists on coming back."
"Is that partly because of you?" Hadrian snapped, and I noticed the creases that started to emerge between his eyebrows. Although he didn't lose his temper often, it was a situation I would rather avoid. My inkling was that the paperwork on his desk had set him off to a bad start, and he was close to taking it out on me. "Does he keep coming back because you manipulated him to do that?"
I shook my head. "That's an absurd assumption to make. In most occasions, I'm the one approaching him. Liam doesn't think much of me at all, which leads me to the point that we have a strictly professional approach."
Joker snickered, which was enough to shake the shaky foundation between me and Hadrian.
"Professionals don't have such a cavalier lifestyle. It would be my pleasure to report everything I saw during your friendly game of chess." In normal terms, that would have sounded like the typical grass. But I had come to realise (often the hard way) that Joker had the knack to summarise a single five minutes in as much detail imaginable and have several accurate tangents.
In short, he was planning to set out the whole issue on the table and it would do nothing to remedy the situation at hand.
"Joker, your contribution won't be necessary," I said firmly, not even bothering to give him a pointed look. "I am fully aware of the risks that I have taken to get to the position I have, and I request to be responsible for my poor judgment if all fails."
Hadrian closed his eyes thoughtfully. "Jack, you've already failed. The regular clients have noticed your closeness with Mister Salvato, and they're disappointed in your actions." He opened his eyes a fraction. "They've grown suspicious of your change of character, and that you've become too involved with him."
I smiled a little. "I won't deny that my actions have been overboard, and I will apologise to them immediately."
"That's not the issue, Jack." Hadrian's eyes were stern, and I detested having the same eyes as him. They were so bright and menacing the ferocity was quite possibly more comparable to a wild animal. "There has been the hushed assumption that you've been showing mild favouritism to Mister Salvato, and that you've been sneaking money under the table." He arched an eyebrow. "Would you care to elaborate why they would think that?"
I shook my head, afraid of what would come next.
A small sigh escaped Hadrian, and he took a sheet of paper from his right. "Mister Salvato first started coming here a few months, and it wasn't long after that that you picked him out. What I want to know is why."
Lost for words, I shook my head again. I was entirely guilty in the matter, and it was moments like this a gentleman should accept the blame. Normally with an apology, but I didn't see why I should. I had acted beyond both our imagination, however I didn't think it was worthy for me to admit my past actions as the wrong thing to do.
"Not only that, but a few days later he started gambling on the loose machine. I have tried to think of many excuses to explain why you didn't give him the hint, but it was a lot harder than it sounded." He didn't even have to say that he was disappointed of my behaviour. He just talked flatly, and that was enough to show that he couldn't understand how my five years of learning the ropes had resulted to something as nonsensical as this. It was all there in his expression, the hardened look that I had taken years to muster myself. The look of a businessman who would do anything to get what he wanted.
"I thought it appropriate to offer him some assistance," I explained. "I noticed immediately that Liam wasn't the sort of person who would let his guard drop around a stranger, so I had to say something to get him to trust me. It is unethical, but bribery can get a long way."
"Agreed," Hadrian mused. "So if you feel obliged to be responsible for your actions, what have you learnt from them?"
I grinned broadly. With the right words, the matter could be put behind us. "Outsiders are one suit short. They don't have the financial support to wear clothes that aren't different. They lack the cunning of the Spades, yet Liam takes interest in what I have to say and never criticises it. He babbles about nonsense and considers it average. Altogether, they don't have the full packet of cards in their pockets."
Hadrian nodded grimly. "If I was to adopt your theory, I would come to the conclusion that all clients who walk through those doors have their Spades suit on. They bear arms against us, under the false impression that they can outwit us."
"That's what makes Liam different to what you assume, Sir." I got up from my seat and circled the table. "He's an honest man with an incredible thirst for adventure. He told me of other worlds besides our own, how he thinks this casino is his way forwards. He doesn't see the casino as something to challenge, but some place that would ultimately make his life better."
He stared at me, and I stared back. Any outsider would have thought that we were nearly identical, minus the fact I had chosen to have a goatee as a status symbol whilst my father had a full-grown beard. But in fact, if one was to look at our personalities, it was hard to believe that we were related at all.
"Jack, the very concept of other worlds is incredibly naïve. As the heir of the Silver Lynx, you shouldn't fall for such a ridiculous idea. The press can go a long way, and there are people who would go all the way and actually think they were involved." He looked away from me as he brought the sheet of paper closer to his eyes. "I hope you're not one who is a suit short."
I laughed nervously. I had made up the fantasy of the suits and their attributes to further understand everything human. Spades were calculating, Hearts were compassionate, Clubs were knowledgeable and Diamonds were the ones that maintained order.
Of course, it was clear that Hadrian was referring to the Diamonds. Thinking of other worlds brought chaos in my mind, and it didn't do me well to put a great deal of thought into it.
"I'm not," I reassured him.
"Good." He leaned forwards in his seat to read the papers already on the desk. "I strongly advise that you keep your distance from Mister Salvato in the future. It would put you at a big disadvantage to lose a suit after coming so far."
It wasn't a statement, but a prompt. I had my doubts, but his orders were first and foremost what I should be obeying. Even though I had just discovered Liam's association with the family I had grown up with, all that had to be pushed to the side. I had so many questions to ask him, and being restricted from seeing him would put a dent into everything I had in mind.
As my father said, I couldn't afford to lose the Diamonds, not now. I wouldn't be surprised if Hadrian had made this statement so that his sentence was unbearably impeccable in timing. He had chosen the right moment to break the news, so that he could monitor whether I was faithful to him or my other family.
Liam had made me lose my way. Being friendly with him gave me no future, and knowledge of the family who had no reason to think about me didn't matter in the slightest. With my father's opinion and therefore this casino as a whole, there was meaning for my life.
I nodded and made my exit, feeling considerably worse than when I had entered.
