Bryan made a show of holding out his hand, as if he expected Ace to kiss it. Colton had to give it to Ace, the man was an expert at schooling his expression. His smile didn’t falter, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He took hold of Bryan’s hand and gave it a squeeze before letting go.

  “Good to meet you, Bryan.”

  “So, you’re here to personally protect Colton. Does that mean you go wherever he goes?”

  “Correct.”

  “That must get so boring,” Bryan said with a pout.

  Colton barely refrained from rolling his eyes. It wasn’t the first time Bryan had proclaimed Colton to be stuffy and boring.

  “Not really,” Ace said, hands clasped in front of him.

  Bryan stepped up to Ace and squeezed his bicep with a giggle. “My God, you’re so big.”

  Laz’s eyes went slightly wide, and his lips pressed together in a thin line, but he didn’t speak. Colton had seen this act before, and whereas it usually got Bryan the attention he was after, Ace wasn’t having any of it. He politely removed Bryan from his person.

  “I’m going to have to ask you to keep your distance, Bryan.” He smiled then, and Bryan melted under his gaze. “I’m currently on the job and can’t afford to be distracted.”

  The stroke to Bryan’s ego did the trick, and Bryan let out a little gasp. “Oh, of course. I’m so sorry.” He took a step back and batted his lashes. “I know you’re personally assigned to protect Colton, but let’s say someone else at the party was in need of your… services. Would you step in to assist?”

  “It depends on the situation, but don’t worry, my team is here to provide support.”

  Bryan nodded before someone called him, and he excused himself. Laz stayed behind.

  “Everything okay?” Colton asked him.

  Laz looked uncertain, and Colton motioned toward the bar outside since everyone was busy having fun in the pool or chatting around it in the lounge chairs. “Have a drink with me.”

  It was a beautiful day in the high eighties with enough sea breeze to battle the heat and humidity. The event company Nadine hired did a wonderful job with the décor, the tropical theme subtle with its use of color, most of it found in the gorgeous flower arrangements expertly laid out. Bryan and his friends preened, flirted, and flaunted for the crowd as if everyone had come to see them. The group was made up of about a dozen models—young men and women who were beautiful on the outside, but not so much on the inside. The rest of the guests consisted of fashion industry professionals. Colton made sure to greet them on the way to the bar, making polite but short conversation. Many were good people, and Colton enjoyed talking with them, but he was more concerned about Laz right now.

  When they reached the bar, they took a seat on the stools and put in their orders with the bartender. Ace stood close to Colton, and Colton was taken aback by how at ease it made him feel. He’d never felt unease in his own home, and with the exception of having to put up with Bryan and the model hoard for a few hours, he didn’t feel uneasy now, but having Ace beside him was soothing.

  Bryan’s friends gathered around the pool, sipping cocktails and cackling loudly, many of them giggling at the various members of the Kings security team surveilling the property, several of whom had been assigned to the pool area. As expected with so many beefy men and women in uniform around, the horny vultures circled, batting their lashes and pouting their lips.

  “Are they going to be okay?” Laz asked worriedly.

  Ace smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, your friends are in safe hands.”

  “No, I meant your team,” Laz said, his frown deep. “Those guys don’t know the meaning of personal boundaries.”

  Ace blinked at him, then smiled. “They’ll be fine. They’re trained for all kinds of threats, no matter the package they come in.”

  Laz nodded and thanked the bartender for his cocktail before turning to Colton, his expression a mixture of sadness and anger. He checked to make sure Bryan wasn’t within hearing distance before murmuring to Colton.

  “He cheated on me.”

  “What?” Colton’s temper flared. That no-good little bastard! “Why haven’t you kicked him out on his ass?”

  Laz let out a heavy sigh and leaned in, speaking quietly. “He threatened to kill himself if I left him.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Colton took a moment to think about Bryan and everything he’d seen and heard from associates in the fashion industry. Although he wasn’t one to listen to gossip and rumors, certainly not enough to form an opinion of someone, he’d been around Bryan enough to know the man. “Can I offer some advice?”

  “Of course.”

  “Bryan is a manipulative, selfish man. He loves his life and his lifestyle, lives on the attention. He knows you’re a good man and that you’d never do anything to hurt someone, much less him. He’s using that against you. The next time he threatens to harm himself, tell him you’re concerned and you’re going to make sure to get him the help he needs. His reaction will tell you everything you need to know.”

  “Thank you, Colton.”

  “Ace?”

  They looked up, and Colton smiled warmly at Red.

  “Hey, Red.”

  “Hi, Colton.” Red smiled, a dimple forming on his cheeks and confirming the charm Ace had spoken of. It was hard not to let your guard down around him. The man was taller than Ace by at least a couple of inches, and certainly had more muscle, but he had that boy-next-door kind of face, and despite his build, he gave off a friendly, approachable vibe. He was the guy who helped you change a flat tire and helped old ladies carry their groceries to their car.

  “Red,” Ace said, patting Red’s shoulder, “this is Laz, a good friend of Colton’s. Laz, this is Red. He’s one of the Kings and basically one of my brothers.”

  “Hi,” Laz said softly, taking Red’s outstretched hand. His cheeks flushed, and Colton did a double take. He held back a smile as Red covered Laz’s hand with his own.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Laz,” Red replied, his smile warm.

  Colton and Ace exchanged glances before turning their attention to the two men who were still holding hands. As if sensing he’d held on a little longer than necessary, Red pulled away with a timid apology.

  “It’s okay,” Laz said before he started nibbling on his bottom lip, which was adorable, and Colton knew it meant Laz was feeling a little flustered by the rugged king of hearts.

  “Everything okay?” Ace asked Red, who turned his attention back to Ace.

  “Yeah, um….” He shook his head as if clearing it. “I wanted to let you know that King’s arranged a meeting with Frank on Thursday.”

  Ace nodded. “Thanks, buddy.”

  “Frank?” Colton asked, curious. He’d spoken to Frank not long after the club incident to apologize for his behavior in the man’s club and for not keeping him informed. Frank had been upset with Colton for not confiding in him, but they’d talked things out. It made Colton realize that although he’d seen the threats to himself as nothing to be concerned about, it was wrong of him to believe those who loved him wouldn’t be worried for him.

  “We’re going to have a meeting with him and his team to discuss security during the masquerade,” Ace explained. “Everyone on the guest list is being vetted by King, and Jack’s running a risk assessment on the club. Don’t worry, we’ll have everything covered by the time you walk through the door.”

  Laz almost choked on his cocktail. He wiped his mouth and turned worriedly to him. “Colton, that doesn’t sound like nothing to me. The Sapphire Sands Charity Masquerade has crazy security as it is, yet an entire plan has to be put in place because you’re attending?”

  Colton sighed. “Laz, some nut’s been sending me hate mail. It’s nothing new. It’s possible the Kings scared this guy away. I haven’t received any threats since my father signed the contract with them. It’s a precaution. Okay, this is a party. Laz, you hungry?”

  “Oh God, I’m starving.”

  Colton motioned over one of the waiters and asked him to load up a couple of plates from the buffet table and a third plate with finger foods for Ace and Red to pick at if they wanted to while they stood around surveilling. The waiter promptly returned, and they all dug in. Ace grabbed one of the small appetizers and stuffed the whole thing in his mouth, letting out a moan and making Colton laugh. The man really loved his food.

  “Jesus, Ace. You can at least pretend to have some manners,” Red teased.

  “Whatever,” Ace said with a grin, picking up an appetizer in each hand. “These bruschetta and prosciutto canapés are amazing.”

  “Have you tried the mini salmon tartes?” Colton asked. Ace shook his head, and Colton took one from his plate. He held it up for Ace, and Ace bent over and wrapped a hand around his wrist to steady it before biting off half, his eyes practically rolling to the back of his head as he let out a decadent moan.

  “Oh my God.”

  “I know, right?” Colton popped the other half in his mouth before turning to Laz, who was giving him a funny look. “What?”

  Laz shrugged, and Colton could tell his friend was trying very hard not to laugh.

  “What? Do I have something on my face?” Colton wiped his mouth with his napkin just in case. He had no idea what had Laz giving him such a strange look.

  “What?” Ace asked, and Colton looked up to see Red’s bemused expression.

  Colton was about to question Red, when Bryan appeared.

  “Wow, really, Laz? Stuffing your face? You’re supposed to be slimming down for Paris.”

  Laz swallowed and put the other half of his sandwich down, his cheeks flushed with obvious embarrassment.

  “Colton, I can’t believe all the carbs and sugar you have out here.” Bryan huffed, his hands on his hips. His tiny white bathing suit was practically transparent, and Colton did his best to not comment.

  Don’t be catty. Don’t be catty. Fuck it. “There are guests here who do eat, Bryan.”

  Bryan waved a hand in dismissal. “Whatever. Laz, stop shoveling all those calories into your mouth. No one wants a bloated photographer at Fashion Week, and you still have all that fat to lose.”

  “Fat?” Red visibly bristled. Oh, he did not look happy. “He’s practically skin and bones.”

  Ace coughed into his hand. “Red.”

  “What? It’s true. He’s a gorgeous guy, but he’s too skinny for his height and build. He should be gaining some healthy weight, not losing it.”

  Laz’s cheeks flushed, and a little smile tugged at his lips. He looked shyly at Red. “You think I’m gorgeous?”

  Bryan scoffed. “Clearly the sun’s in his eyes and he’s not seeing right. With those dark circles around your eyes and all those carbs you’ve been scarfing, you look like a stuffed raccoon right now.”

  Laz glared at him. “And whose fault is that? You kept me up all night whining about your schedule and how they have you on back-to-back shoots, but then if they give it to someone else, you bitch about how they’re trying to replace you. Jesus, Bryan. Do you ever think about anyone but yourself? I need to get away from you right now.” Laz stood, but with the pathway congested with partygoers, he went around, edging close to the pool as he made his way toward the house.

  “Who the hell do you think you are? You don’t get to walk away from me!” Bryan stormed after Laz and grabbed his arm. Everything moved at lightning speed. Colton barely had time to register what the hell was happening when Ace and Red took off. Laz jerked his arm out of Bryan’s grip, and Bryan pushed him hard, causing Laz to slip on the wet floor. Colton called out to Laz, horrified when Laz hit his head on the tiles before falling into the deep end of the pool. Screams filled the air, and before anyone could make a move, Red was diving in after Laz.

  “Laz!” Colton pushed people out of his way to get to the pool when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, stopping him.

  “Colton, wait,” Ace said into his ear. “Red’s got him. The floor’s slippery. I don’t want you falling too. Come on.” He carefully led Colton to the pool as Red surfaced with Laz in his arms. Ace and Colton reached the edge at the same time as Red, and together they lifted Laz out of the pool and laid him on the floor as Red climbed out. Ace rolled Laz onto his side, and Colton breathed a sigh of relief when Laz immediately hacked up water.

  “Oh my God.” Bryan tried to crowd Laz, but Ace stopped him.

  “I’m going to need you to stand back and give him room.” Ace motioned for one of his team members to approach. An unspoken exchange happened between him and the tall, elegant Hispanic woman with dark eyes, high ponytail, and no-nonsense expression. She nodded and gently maneuvered Bryan away, all the while murmuring something at him. Bryan didn’t look happy, but he did as she instructed. Bryan was smarter than to try and get around the woman. She could probably bench press him without breaking a sweat.

  Laz shivered, and when Red kneeled beside him, Laz held on to his wrist and didn’t let go.

  “Are you okay?” Colton asked gently as Red inspected the cut on Laz’s temple with his free hand.

  Laz nodded, and Red turned to take the large thick towel Lucky handed him. He gave it to Ace, who wrapped it around Laz, while Lucky draped another towel around Red’s shoulders.

  “We should get him inside,” Red said.

  “Don’t go,” Laz told Red, sounding almost panicked.

  Red ran a hand tenderly over Laz’s head. “I’m not going anywhere,” he replied softly. “I promise.”

  Laz nodded, and Red helped him to his feet and put an arm around him. Holding Laz against him and using his own towel to cover Laz’s head, Red shielded him from the gathering onlookers. The five of them headed inside as Bryan hurried over.

  “Laz, baby, wait. I’m coming with you.”

  Colton spun and threw a hand out to stop Bryan. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  Bryan’s icy-blue eyes bore into Colton, and his lips curled into a snarl until he remembered they weren’t alone. Colton, however, couldn’t care less. This was his home, and Laz was his responsibility. With a performance worthy of an Oscar nomination, Bryan’s bottom lip trembled, and his eyes filled with tears. He put a hand to his chest, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “Please, Colton. It was an accident. You know how much I love him. He needs me.”

  Colton leaned in, his voice menacing. “You’re the last thing he needs right now. Either stay here, or I’ll have you and your friends escorted from the property.”

  Bryan’s friends crowded him, patting his shoulder, hugging him, fussing over him, and glaring at Colton. One of them called Colton a bitch, but Colton really didn’t give a shit. He turned and hurried inside where everyone was waiting for him.

  “Upstairs.” Colton rushed up the stairs and down the hall to one of the empty guest rooms. “There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom,” Colton said.

  “Okay. I’ll take care of him,” Red said, his arm still around Laz, who clung to him as he shivered.

  Ace patted Red’s arm. “You do that. I’ll go grab you some clothes.”

  “Thanks.” Red helped Laz into the bathroom, and Ace turned to Lucky.

  “Can you check on the guests? Let them know everything’s okay. I want you and Grace keeping an eye on Bryan especially. I don’t trust that guy.”

  Lucky nodded. “Got it.”

  “I’m going to get him some dry clothes.” Colton went to his room, grabbed a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, along with a pair of warm socks. With Laz’s current weight, Colton’s clothes were going to make him look like he was playing dress-up, but he’d send someone out to buy Laz some clothes in the morning. He knew Bryan was a bad influence on Laz. He’d had no idea how bad it really was. No way was he letting Laz out of his sight, especially with Gio in Tokyo on a business trip. It was bad enough Laz had been hurt under his roof.

  When Colton returned to the bedroom, Ace arrived with some clothes for Red, who was helping Laz to the bathroom.

  Red handed Laz the clothes Colton passed off before gently inspecting Laz’s brow. “It’s not deep. Let me know when you’re done, and I’ll get it cleaned up and bandaged, okay?”

  Laz nodded and closed the door to change. When Red started undressing, Colton turned to give him some privacy. The man was damned quick. When Laz opened the bathroom door, Red took the wet clothes from him and handed that to Ace along with his own wet clothes. He followed Laz into the bathroom, then checked beneath the sink where he found the first aid kit. Once it was on the sink and open, he went to work.

  “I’ll drop these off in the laundry room.” Ace motioned to the clothes in his hands.

  “Thank you,” Colton said, turning to watch Red and Laz.

  “No problem.” Ace hurried out, and by the time he returned, Red had cleaned Laz’s wound, and applied a small bandage. He helped Laz get into bed before he took a seat on the mattress beside him. Was Laz aware he’d scooted over to snuggle Red? The big guy didn’t think twice. He wrapped an arm around Laz and held him tight against him. Ace reappeared and took a seat on the edge of the bed to look Laz over. Colton had never been more grateful for Ace’s presence, and that of his brothers. They gave off a sense of calm and confidence. Like nothing could touch Colton or Laz because they were there, and Colton was certain that was exactly the case. Knowing the Kings were trained for all manner of scenarios helped set Colton’s mind at ease.

  “No stitches needed?” Ace asked, carefully looking Laz over.

  “It wasn’t as bad as it looked,” Red replied. “I cleaned it up and dressed it, so it should heal with minimal scarring.”

  “Thanks, guys,” Laz said, sounding exhausted.

  “Laz,” Colton said gently. “When’s the last time you had a good full night’s sleep?”

  “Um….”

  The fact it took Laz that long to come up with an answer didn’t bode well.

  “Right, well, you’re going to stay here tonight and get some rest. I—”

  “Shit,” Ace muttered, looking down at his phone. “Lucky’s just texted. He says Bryan is throwing one hell of a fit downstairs about seeing Laz.”