The sound of their bodies smacking together was wonderfully obscene, and Gio gritted his teeth to keep back the words that wanted to tumble out. He wanted to stake his claim, declare Sacha his and no one else’s. The more he thought of someone else with their dick inside him or his dick in them, their arms around him, their mouths on him, the harder he fucked Sacha. He lost his rhythm, his orgasm barreling through him.

  “Come for me,” Gio demanded, and a heartbeat later, Sacha’s hoarse shout filled the room, sending Gio over the edge. He snapped his hips as he emptied himself in the condom and growled Sacha’s name. His movements slowed as the sensation became too great, and then he stopped as they caught their breaths, his chest pressed to Sacha’s back. Wrapping his arms around Sacha, he peppered soft kisses over Sacha’s hair, his cheek, his jawline, his heart all but ready to burst when Sacha leaned into the kisses, one arm coming to rest over Gio’s.

  Gio wished this would last forever. Having Sacha pliant in his arms, soft and submissive, was a heady thing, and he warned himself not to get used to it or even hope it might happen again. Sacha allowed Gio to hold his weight, his fingers absently caressing Gio’s forearm. His eyes were closed, and his kiss-swollen lips were slightly parted, his expression one of pure sated bliss. But as Gio expected, the moment soon ended. Sacha dropped his arm away from Gio as Gio slipped out from inside him. He removed the condom and tossed it in the trash. With a kiss to Sacha’s temple, Gio climbed off the couch and fixed his clothes while Sacha did the same.

  Things became awkward with Sacha standing there, his face flushed and with a slight frown as he gazed off to the side. Gio couldn’t have this. It had taken too long for Sacha to finally feel at ease around him for Gio to lose him now. He stepped in front of Sacha and slipped his arms around his waist. Sacha lifted his questioning blue-gray eyes to Gio’s.

  “Come home with me?” Gio asked softly. He brushed his lips over Sacha’s.

  Sacha shook his head and let out a shaky breath. “I can’t.”

  Gio nodded his understanding and made to step back, but Sacha caught his arm, his brows drawn together.

  “I can’t go because of Chip. I can’t leave him alone that long.”

  The weight lifted off Gio’s chest, and he smiled. “Oh, of course. I understand.”

  Sacha worried his bottom lip. “Maybe… maybe you can come home with me?”

  Gio blinked at him.

  “I mean, my apartment’s no mansion, but—”

  Gio brought their lips together and kissed the beautiful man in his arms soundly. When he pulled back, Sacha looked dazed, making Gio chuckle. “As long as you and Chip are there, that’s all I need.”

  Sacha’s smile lit up his face, and it struck Gio, the actual danger he was in. He didn’t just want Sacha, he was falling in love with him.

  “You okay?” Sacha asked worriedly. “You don’t have to—”

  “No,” Gio said quickly, his smile wide. “There’s nothing I want more. Shall we?”

  Sacha nodded and opened the door, music blaring and cutting through the faint sounds of men getting up to all kinds of things. Gio followed Sacha out into the corridor, where Saint joined them, following silently.

  “You drove here, right?” Sacha asked Saint, who nodded. “Great. We’re going to my apartment.” They headed out onto the club floor, past the bar. He removed his phone and quickly tapped away at the screen before returning it to his pocket.

  “Heads-up, the guys are all going to know we left together. I always text Jack to let him know when I’m leaving.”

  “Is that okay with you?” Gio asked. They both knew this was going to start a fire of gossip within their lovable crew of mischief-makers.

  Sacha shrugged. “Ace is going to be a pain in the ass, but what else is new. It’s fine.”

  They left the club and walked out into the parking lot behind the building, where Saint had parked the SUV. Excitement coursed through Gio. He had no idea what this night would hold, but just having Sacha invite him back to his place was more than he could have hoped for.

  The hairs on the back of Gio’s neck stood on end when Sacha abruptly stopped walking, his hand going to Gio’s chest. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but Gio knew better than to question Sacha’s instincts. Something was wrong.

  The world seemed to move in slow motion despite everything happening so fast. Tires screeched, and a black van careened forward. The side doors slid open as Sacha shouted to Saint, who shoved Gio out of the way just as a man lunged for him. Sacha spun and brought his fist with him, punching the masked man across the face as Saint grabbed Gio and hauled him to his feet.

  “Go back to the club,” Sacha snapped. Gio didn’t hesitate. He did precisely as Sacha told him and took off toward the club while Sacha ducked under a fist and came up with his palm, striking the man under his chin and sending him reeling back. A shot fired somewhere, and Gio skidded to a halt, whirling to see Sacha on the ground kicking the knee of one of the attackers.

  “Sacha!”

  “Saint, get him inside!”

  “You have to help him,” Gio shouted at Saint, who hauled Gio toward the club.

  “My job is to get you to safety. Joker will be fine.”

  “They have guns!” Gio was shaking now. He turned and tried to run back, only to have Saint throw his arms around him and pick him up off his feet like he didn’t weigh a thing. “Goddamn it, Saint! He needs us. He needs me! He—”

  “Needs you safe,” Saint growled, throwing Gio over his shoulder and hurrying inside. “He can take care of himself.”

  But those men were armed! How could Saint leave his friend out there to fend for himself? Yes, Sacha had been a Green Beret, but he’d been outnumbered, facing who knew how many armed men. What if they shot him? What if Gio lost him…

  Gio shook his head, shouting for Sacha, not caring about the commotion they were causing as Saint carried him through the packed club. Ace, Lucky, Mason, and Jack reached them just as Saint put Gio on his feet. Gio grabbed Ace.

  “You have to help him!”

  Jack stiffened. “Where’s Joker?”

  “A van showed up in the parking lot, filled with armed assailants. He was fending them off while I got Gio to safety,” Saint said quickly. “Possible kidnappers.”

  “Where’s Red?” Gio asked. If Sacha was hurt, they’d need Red there. At least that’s what he thought until he saw Jack’s stricken expression.

  “He and Laz went home.”

  Ace turned to his brothers-in-arms. “Let’s go. Saint, take Gio to our table. Stay with him and the others.” They took off, and Saint led Gio back to the tables where Fitz and Colton sat, looking worried. The moment they saw him, they jumped out of the booth and ran to him.

  “Oh my God, Gio, are you okay? What’s going on?” Colton asked, putting an arm around Gio’s waist and helping him sit. “We heard the alarms.”

  “Alarms?” Gio frowned as dizziness set in.

  “Yeah,” Fitz replied softly. “The guys have these special alarms. If one of them is in trouble, they have this little button on their phones that sends a notice to whoever’s the closest. Since Ace, Lucky, and Jack were here, it went off.”

  This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Gio’s whole body shook. Breathe. Remember to breathe.

  “Gio,” Colton said, his hand on Gio’s cheek. “Gio, what’s wrong? Shit, Fitz, call 9-1-1.”

  Gio breathed deep through his nose, held the breath for several seconds, then released it slowly through his mouth. He repeated the technique several times in the hopes of steadying his heart rate. Darkness encroached his vision, and he shook his head. No. Not until he knew Sacha was safe.

  “Please,” Gio said to no one in particular. “Sacha.” It was the last word out of his mouth before the darkness swallowed him whole.

  What was that beeping sound?

  Gio stirred with a groan. Why was his head so fuzzy? He slowly opened his eyes, frowning at the dim lighting and white ceiling. Where was he?

  “Hey.”

  Gio turned his head, and everything came back to him. “Sacha,” he croaked and made to sit up, but Sacha jumped from the chair he’d been sitting in at Gio’s bedside and put a hand to Gio’s chest.

  “Easy there, handsome. Slow your roll.”

  “You’re okay?”

  A bruise marred Sacha’s cheek, but otherwise he looked unharmed.

  “Of course I am. Can’t say the same for the other guys.” He shrugged, his expression dark. “Their first mistake was to think they could put their hands on you. Their second was to put their hands on me.”

  “I was so scared they’d hurt you,” Gio murmured, covering the hand Sacha still had on Gio’s chest with his own.

  “Nah. I’ve faced worse.”

  “Where’s Chip?”

  Sacha blinked at him before letting out a soft laugh, tiny creases forming at the corners of his eyes. “This guy. He’s lying in a hospital bed, and he’s asking about my dog.” His expression softened. “He’s fine. He’s over at Jack’s with Fitz.”

  “Good.”

  “Jack has his team going through the club’s surveillance to see what they can find out about the men who tried to kidnap you. The van was stolen and had no plates, but King’s on it, so we should hopefully know something soon. Until then, did you know about this?”

  No need for Sacha to specify what “this” meant. The idea of lying occurred to Gio for a split second, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie to Sacha, so he nodded instead.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “It’s not a big deal,” Gio muttered.

  Sacha stared at him, stunned. His expression darkened, and Gio realized too late he’d answered wrong.

  “Not a big deal?” Sacha pulled his hand out from under Gio’s, and Gio immediately missed his touch. “Jesus Christ, Gio! You’ve been diagnosed with a health condition that could be fatal! You’re supposed to be on medication, and instead, you’re walking around like nothing’s going on?”

  Gio eyed him. “What exactly did the doctor tell you?”

  The blush that came onto Sacha’s cheeks was incredibly endearing. He cleared his throat, his gaze moving to his hands, and he shrugged. “I might have told the doctor I was, uh, your boyfriend. Not that I am,” Sacha said quickly. “It was the only way they’d let me stay and tell me what the hell was going on.” He moved his gaze back to Gio, his expression a mixture of anger and what almost looked like heartache. “Autonomic neuropathy?”

  “Mild autonomic neuropathy.”

  Sacha was not impressed. “Right. Which includes fainting. Which stressful situations can trigger. For fuck’s sake, Gio. The doctor says you’re not supposed to be alone after a fainting event. You can’t drive, swim alone… You’re not even supposed to have a fucking bath or shower without someone being near or within earshot. Why aren’t you on medication? And why don’t you have a medical alert bracelet? How did this even happen?”

  “I don’t need medication,” Gio grumbled. “I take care of myself.”

  “Bullshit,” Sacha spat, startling Gio.

  No one ever spoke to him the way Sacha did, nor did anyone call him out on anything. Not even his brother.

  “Have you forgotten that I’ve been around for months since you got back? That I’ve been working around you for weeks? You take shit care of yourself. You’re supposed to be hydrating, keeping cool—in fucking Florida no less—being mindful of how quickly you get up, avoiding alcohol, eating regular meals—”

  “Yes, I know,” Gio growled.

  “Then why aren’t you fucking doing it?”

  “Because I prefer to ignore it. I won’t let some condition dictate my life.”

  Sacha cursed under his breath. He wiped a hand over his face and shook his head, then crossed his arms over his chest. “Giovanni. You are not a stupid man, despite what your last statement suggests. Explain yourself.”

  Gio was going to say he didn’t have to explain himself to anyone, but Sacha narrowed his eyes, challenging him to try it. If there was anyone who wouldn’t let him get away with any bullshit, it was Sacha. Gio let out a heavy sigh.

  “It was a viral infection. One that almost killed me. I was found by villagers in the middle of the jungle, hurt and dying. They took me to their village, where, by some miracle, a small group of volunteer doctors was working out of a tent they’d converted into a makeshift hospital. I was there for months. No one knew. They wouldn’t have been able to get to me anyway. Not where I was. In the end, those doctors saved my life.”

  “How did you end up in the middle of a jungle?”

  Gio swallowed hard. He met Sacha’s gaze. “I was kidnapped.”

  “What?” Joker slowly sank into the chair. “How? Who?”

  “I don’t know who. Not exactly. I was in a tiny village in Sri Lanka. Few people knew I was there. It was me, a translator, an assistant, and four bodyguards I’d hired through an agency. I always hired local security, and before then, I never thought twice about it. One night while I slept, I was grabbed. A black hood was thrown over my head, and I was bound and gagged. I tried to fight them and was knocked out.” Gio closed his eyes, but that only made the sickness swirling in his stomach feel worse. He opened his eyes and focused on Sacha, his sweet lips, beautiful face, and expressive eyes.

  “When I woke up, I was tied to a chair. I could hear quiet talking and recognized the voice of one of the men. He’d been one of my bodyguards.”

  “Jesus.” Sacha ran a hand through his hair; his lips pressed together in a thin line. “Go on.”

  “I had no idea where I was or what they were going to do with me. I’d always been cautious when traveling, never fully disclosing who I was. The people I went to help would have never heard of me. I was careful. Anyway, there were always men in the room with me. I could hear them murmuring to each other. Whoever was holding me captive made sure I was given food and water, taken to relieve myself. One night I told them I had to go to the bathroom. It was the only time my hands were untied and the black hood was temporarily removed.

  “While I was outside, I made my move. The guy turned away, and I barreled into him and slammed him into a tree. We struggled, and I used everything I had to win. If I didn’t, I was dead. I used his knife to cut myself loose and managed to escape, found myself completely lost in a jungle, nothing to aid me. Quite frankly, I’m surprised I lasted as long as I did.”

  “I’m not. You’re stronger than you think, Gio.”

  Hearing those words from Sacha meant more to Gio than Sacha could know.

  “Did the authorities find the kidnappers?”

  Gio shook his head. “They disappeared. I think we both know what the chances are of them being found.”

  Sacha let out a heavy sigh. “Right.” He was quiet for a heartbeat. “Is that why you came back?”

  “To be honest, I’d been thinking about it for a while. I’d been away for so long; I was missing so much of Laz’s life. My work used to be fulfilling, and it still is, but traveling as much as I had been, I realized how much I missed having a home, a family.” Not that he would tell Sacha, but Gio had spent many a night dreaming of him, wondering what it might be like to kiss him, hold him, make love to him, to wake up every morning with Sacha in his arms.

  “I don’t suppose you’re talking to anyone about your PTSD?”

  The question caught Gio off guard. “What? I don’t have PTSD.” He frowned at Sacha, whose expression turned gentle.

  Sacha took hold of Gio’s hand and squeezed it, his words quiet. “Baby, you have PTSD.”

  Tears pooled in Gio’s eyes, and he shook his head. “That’s not… No. I mean, everything turned out okay. Sure, it was incredibly stressful at the time—okay, terrifying, but it’s over. I survived. I’m fine.”

  “Gio—”

  “I’m fine,” Gio insisted.

  “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t mean you’re weak.” Sacha took hold of Gio’s chin and turned his face so their eyes could meet. “It doesn’t mean you’re broken or less than. Let me help you.”

  “I don’t…” Gio’s bottom lip trembled, and he shook his head as he did his best not to give in to his tears. He was just exhausted, that was all. Was it possible? Could he have been suffering from PTSD all this time and not have known? First his diagnosis, the knowledge he’d have to take medication, and now this? What the hell was happening to his life? Sacha stroked his hair, and for the first time since his father’s death, Gio couldn’t hold back his emotions, and he realized he didn’t want to. Not this time.

  The dam broke and the tears came. Sacha didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his arms around Gio, pulling him close against him. Gio buried his face against Sacha’s chest and cried. He held on tight, allowing Sacha to see him as no one in his life had ever seen him, not even Laz.

  After the kidnapping, when he’d mostly recovered, Gio hadn’t given in to his emotions then, determined to be strong and push through it. When he was back to full strength, he continued with his life as if nothing had happened. When the nightmares started, he brushed it off as a normal side effect of his stressful experience. He figured they’d go away in their own time.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Sacha promised, kissing the top of Gio’s head. “We’re going to get you through this. I swear.”

  Gio nodded as he clung to Sacha. He’d never felt as vulnerable as he did at that moment, but for the first time, he didn’t feel as if he had to be the strongest person in the room, because he wasn’t, and that was okay. Sacha was strong enough for both of them. As if sensing his thoughts, Sacha spoke up.

  “Listen, I know you’re used to being the tough guy, but there can only be one tough guy in this relationship, and you’re looking at him.”

  Gio surprised himself by laughing. “Is that so?” He pulled back, smiling as Sacha wiped Gio’s cheeks with the blanket.

  “Yep. One of us has to be the embarrassing guy with the grandpa moves and dad jokes, and I think we both know who that is.” Sacha whistled nonchalantly and wiggled a finger at Gio, making him laugh again.