“You can take your time and think about it,” Kendra said. “Cookie’s not going anywhere just yet.”

  Gio thought about it. He’d wanted to cut back on his events and travel for a while. Spend more time at home with his family. But taking on a service dog also meant admitting to the world that he needed help. That there was something wrong with his health, something severe enough to warrant a service dog. He’d barely accepted that his life had changed, and the next step would likely be therapy for the PTSD. Maybe it was time he faced the truth and took control of his own life rather than letting aspects of his life control him.

  “I want him,” Gio said, determined. It was time for a change. For too long, he’d felt like he was losing his grip on his own life, and he’d had enough.

  “Wonderful!” Kendra motioned toward the house. “If you’ll both just follow me to my office, I’ll get the adoption paperwork ready and work out a training schedule.”

  “Training schedule?” Gio asked.

  “Before you can take Cookie home, we need you to come in for some time with him, show you how he’s been trained, the commands he’s familiar with, what he’ll be looking out for with your condition, and how you can help him better serve you. I’ll also give you some paperwork and a training video we did with Cookie.”

  Cookie and Chip followed them inside, the two making Gio’s heart swell when they cuddled up together on the giant dog bed in the office.

  It took a couple of hours to go through everything, and although Gio was nervous, by the end, he knew he’d made the right decision. When they were done, he said goodbye to Cookie and promised they’d see each other real soon. He was scheduled to come in over the weekend to spend some time with Cookie and go over his training.

  Inside the car, Gio could barely contain his smile. “I can’t believe you got me a service dog.”

  Sacha shrugged, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. “The way you are with Chip, and with everything going on, it made sense. I know they can be a lot of work, but it’s worth it.”

  Chip poked his nose into Sacha’s cheek, making him chuckle.

  “Even when they’re a furry pain in the ass. But I can give you some tips.”

  “Thank you. What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

  “I’ve got the day off so…”

  Gio held back a smile at the way Sacha left the rest of the sentence hanging. “Spend the day with me? We can swim in the pool or go to the beach.”

  “Wait, are you saying you’re going to…” Sacha gasped dramatically, making Chip tilt his head. “Take the day off?”

  Gio rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m going to take the day off.”

  “Who are you, and what have you done with Gio?” Sacha demanded.

  “Ass.” Gio shook his head, loving Sacha’s amused smile. He seemed to smile easier these days, and Gio loved it. He lived to hear Sacha laugh, to see the little wrinkles appear at the corners of his sparkling blue-gray eyes when he laughed.

  They got home and climbed out of the car, Saint scanning the half-circle driveway and the greenery around them. They headed up to the house, and Gio unlocked the door, then stepped quickly to one side so Saint could disarm the alarm. He scrolled through the security feed like he always did after they came home from somewhere, a quick browse, and then he’d get on his laptop and check through the footage.

  “Pool or beach?” Gio asked.

  “Let’s go with the pool,” Sacha replied.

  They headed upstairs to Gio’s bedroom and both changed into swim trunks, then slathered each other with sunscreen. Gio made sure to stop by the kitchen and grab them some bottled water. Outside, Saint took a seat in one of the shaded lounge chairs, and Chip lay on the concrete floor in the shade as close to the pool as he could get so he could keep an eye on his people, a bone Sacha had given him between his paws.

  The water was the perfect temperature, not too warm but not cold, thanks to the sun. Gio took the stairs into the pool while Sacha jumped into the deep end, water splashing everywhere. Chip had been smart to lay toward the shallow end. He lifted his head from his bone, tail wagging as he waited for Sacha to resurface. Once he did, Chip went back to gnawing on his bone.

  With a relaxed sigh, Gio swam to Sacha and pulled him into his arms. He worried Sacha might not be comfortable showing affection in front of one of his coworkers, but to his relief, Sacha didn’t seem to care at all. Then again, he’d been fully aware of Saint standing outside the back room in Sapphire Sands, knowing they were having sex.

  “This is nice,” Gio said, brushing his lips over Sacha’s. “I should take time off more often.”

  Sacha hummed. “Quite the incentive, huh?” He kissed Gio, the two of them wading together, enjoying the feel of each other, in no hurry to be anywhere or do anything.

  “I could get used to this,” Gio murmured against Sacha’s lips, their hardening cocks pressed together. Sex in the pool was out of the question at the moment, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t get intimate. A thought occurred to him, and he laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I have a Cookie, and you have a Chip.”

  Sacha blinked at him. “What?”

  “Our dogs.”

  “You’re such a dork,” Sacha said, shaking his head at Gio, his eyes alight with amusement.

  “Imagine if Cookie’s name had been Salsa. Then we’d have had Salsa and Chip.”

  Sacha didn’t look impressed. “That was an Ace-level joke right there.”

  “Or Banana. Banana Chip.”

  “No one in their right mind would name their dog banana.”

  “What about Potato?”

  Sacha arched an eyebrow at him. “I’m done with you now. We’re done.” He made to get away from Gio, who only held on tighter.

  “Wait, don’t go! I’m very serious about our relation-Chip.”

  “Nope. There’s a line, Gio, and you just crossed it.”

  Gio threw his head back and laughed. Oh, having Sacha for a boyfriend was going to be even better than he expected.

  NINE

  The moment Joker stepped outside, he knew he should have declined the invite. What the hell had made him think he could play this part? Already his collar and bow tie were too tight, but he refrained from tugging at it. Thank God the weather was still cool enough in the evenings where wearing a tuxedo outdoors wasn’t a recipe for heatstroke, especially since he was already sweating, and not because of the heat.

  A live orchestra played some kind of jazzy music beneath the huge white canopy decorated in twinkling white lights, while people dressed in expensive designer tuxedoes and gowns laughed and chatted with champagne glasses in their hands.

  When Gio had asked him to be his date, Joker had been reluctant, but he hadn’t wanted to let Gio down. Everything with them was still so new, and he cared about Gio. A lot. He wanted to show his support, so he’d agreed to the date. Fancy parties were nothing new to Joker, but most of the time, he was at an event as part of the security, not as a guest. His job was to keep people secure, not make conversation with them. Usually, they had no idea he was there.

  “Ready?” Gio asked, holding his arm out to Joker, who took it.

  “Yep.”

  Nope. So much nope. A big fat nope. But he’d do this. Maybe if he thought about the week they’d had before this, he’d keep in mind what things were like for them outside these events.

  This past week had been fun, and Joker couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so much. Gio and Chip were a hoot together, and as much as Joker pretended their antics were ridiculous, he couldn’t help how stupidly happy it made him.

  Gio had taken time off, and even on the days he worked, he finished what he was doing to spend time together. He’d asked Joker to stay with him, and Joker had packed a bag and stayed pretty much every night over at Gio’s with Chip. At first he worried they’d get on Gio’s nerves, but the guy genuinely wanted to hang out with him and his dog. It seemed like the more time he spent with Joker, the more he wanted him around.

  Somehow Joker wasn’t surprised Gio was a bit of a homebody. He enjoyed spending time with their friends, but he seemed to enjoy lounging around the house watching movies, streaming TV shows, swimming in the pool, or going down to the beach just as much.

  They’d gone to two training sessions with Cookie where Gio took to working with the happy golden retriever as if they’d been together for years. Cookie would be coming home with Gio tomorrow, and after half an hour at this shindig, Joker knew he’d made the right choice. Gio needed Cookie. As much as Joker cared about Gio, the chances of their relationship working out was pretty slim. Love had never been in the cards for Joker, and he didn’t see that changing anytime soon. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy their time together while he could. Joker ignored the pain in his heart but accepted it for what it was. If Joker wasn’t around, he’d feel better knowing Gio had Cookie to take care of him.

  “Are you okay?” Gio asked quietly as they made their way through the crowd, Saint trailing close behind in his tuxedo so he wouldn’t stand out as much. Blending in at these events could be challenging when you were over six feet tall and built like a brick wall. Tonight’s party required security to be discreet, so most of the bodyguards Joker had spotted wore tuxedos with clear earpieces in their ears.

  “Yeah, I’m good. Don’t worry. You just do your thing.”

  Gio nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. To his credit, he did his best to include Joker, introducing him as his boyfriend. He never volunteered information about Joker, letting Joker decide what he wanted to share. Everyone wanted to know what he did. It was usually the first question out of their mouth. “Nice to meet you. And what do you do?”

  “I’m a silent partner for Four Kings Security,” Joker said in response to the man’s question. He was the owner of some country club Gio was a member of but never seemed to visit. The guy was interested in having Gio donate to a project he was putting together. Joker had already forgotten the name of the club because he didn’t give a shit. There was a reason Gio had his polite and tolerant smile on for the man, and that was all Joker needed to know.

  “And what does that entail?”

  “I work security for entertainment and events. Sometimes we do military contracts. I have a K9 I work with.”

  Someone called Gio’s name, and he excused himself, promising he’d be back in just a moment before turning to greet a woman Joker recognized. She’d been at one of his previous events. A gorgeous woman with dark skin and a dazzling smile. The way they talked made it clear they’d known each other for a while.

  “Security. That’s… interesting,” Mr. Country Club said. What the fuck did he say his name was? Joker should have been paying more attention. In his defense, he couldn’t give two fucks about Mr. Country Club.

  No one ever expects security. Those who’d heard of Four Kings Security tended to offer praise and share their positive experience with the Kings. Some nodded politely, then changed the subject to something more interesting, and some people looked at him like this asshole.

  “What did you do before that?”

  “I was a Green Beret. Special Forces.”

  “The military. I see.”

  Joker didn’t like the way the guy’s mouth twisted with distaste when he said the words. Don’t ask. For fuck’s sake, don’t ask. “What do you see?” Fuck, he asked.

  “I suppose you feel that the government owes people like you.”

  Joker’s hackles went up, but he told himself to chill. “People like me? Soldiers? Military veterans? What exactly do I feel the government owes me?” Go on, Mr. Country Club. Why don’t you tell me how I feel.

  The guy shrugged and waved a hand. “Financial support for the rest of your life. Paid medical bills, rent, free education for your kids.”

  Wow. Joker blinked at him. He opened his mouth, but Country Club cut him off.

  “I mean, you all knew what you were getting into. You signed up for that.”

  Joker balled his right hand into a fist and quickly shoved it into his pocket. Punching the douchenozzle in the middle of a high-society party and getting arrested was not a good idea. “I didn’t sign up to have half my unit—good men—blown up in front of me. Their families didn’t sign up for that.” The people around them whispered nervously to one another. One guy even tugged discreetly at his friend’s sleeve, as if trying to get him to shut up, but Country Club was just getting comfortable on his high horse.

  “That’s the risk.”

  “Risk is involved,” Joker agreed.

  “But you believe you should be compensated for the rest of your life for the few years you voluntarily served. The government provided you with training, room and board, food, and medical treatment.”

  Joker let out a humorless laugh. “Are you kidding me? How about I send you into the middle of a warzone in some godforsaken place where everyone wants to kill you, make you stay awake for days on end, with no food, minimal water, a seventy-pound dog strapped to you, and we’ll see how you do.”

  “My point is, you signed up for it. You shouldn’t expect to be supported the rest of your life for it.”

  “I don’t expect shit from our government. Would I like for them to treat those who fight for our country with the respect and care they deserve? Yes, I would. If you think a soldier who’s wounded in service to his country doesn’t deserve to be taken care of by said country, then I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing at a charity event. I got news for you, pal. If you think Gio is going to give you money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Excuse me.”

  Fuck that guy. He had no idea what he was talking about, but then again, there were many people like that asshole. Usually he didn’t let that sort of thing get to him. What bugged him was that the guy was here at a charity event, pretending he gave a shit and wanting Gio to give him money for his project. Un-fucking-believable.

  Joker went to the bar and ordered a whiskey. He downed the expensive liquid in one gulp as Gio appeared next to him.

  “I’m so sorry I left you alone with Lawrence. I’d promised Ada I’d have lunch with her and had to cancel, so I wanted to apologize to her and let her know I’d make it up to her.” Gio studied him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” Sacha growled. “It’s fine.”

  “Yes, clearly. That was obviously a happy growl.”

  “The guy’s an asshole. Not a big deal.”

  “Sacha—”

  Joker turned to Gio and sighed. He reined in his temper. This was exactly what he’d been afraid of. The last thing he wanted was to ruin Gio’s good time or his reputation. Everyone loved and respected Gio. Joker didn’t want to fuck up any more than he had.

  “Please, it’s fine,” Joker assured him, kissing his cheek. “Go on and mingle. Please.”

  “Okay. Let me introduce you to Ada. She’s been dying to meet you.”

  Joker arched an eyebrow but didn’t ask. He joined Gio, following him back to the woman Gio had been talking to earlier.

  “Ada, this is Sacha. Sacha, this is Ada, a good friend.”

  Joker took Ada’s hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ada.”

  Ada’s hazel eyes glinted with delight. “Oh, you’re a keeper.”

  Joker chuckled. “I certainly hope so.”

  “Definitely a keeper,” Gio replied, winking at Joker.

  Talking with Ada was the highlight of his evening. Joker liked her, and he was glad Gio had a friend like that in a world where so many people wanted a piece of him. From the few people Joker had been around, it was sickening how many were only interested in Gio because of his wealth. Several didn’t even attempt to hide that all they cared about was getting Gio to donate funds. Joker had never heard so many elevator pitches for projects and charities in his life. Everyone wanted something from Gio, whether it was his money, attention, connections, or time. There wasn’t one person Gio spoke to who didn’t have an agenda. Actually, there had been one. Ada.

  Joker had no idea how Gio did this over and over again. He listened to everyone, asked questions, or politely referred them to other people who he thought would be a better fit for them. He handed out his business cards to those he was genuinely interested in hearing from, and those like Country Club Guy got a polite “call my office” type answer.

  Gio tried hard to include Joker in conversations, but there wasn’t much for Joker to say. Not many people here were interested in talking about private security, dogs, or the military, and he doubted they’d be interested in learning anything about explosions, weapons, or office pranks. He got into a couple of conversations about football, but that didn’t last long. These people had about as much in common with him as Chip did with Satan’s cat.

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t have an adult conversation; he just didn’t know the first thing about hedge funds, portfolios, brokers, vintage wine, or European chalets. He had no idea who was who or what they did, couldn’t care less about any scandals, and didn’t have opinions on foreign policies he knew nothing about. He wasn’t one to talk out of his ass. If he didn’t know something, he wasn’t going to pretend he did. His job was security. That’s what he knew. Even now, he found himself watching the exits and scanning the crowd for anything out of the ordinary. He made sure Gio stayed hydrated and ate, because when Gio was mingling, he tended to forget silly things like his health. They were going to have another serious conversation about that soon.

  A couple of excruciating hours later, Gio pulled him discreetly to one side. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You don’t sound okay.”

  Joker averted his gaze and tried to play it cool. “How long do these things usually go on for?”

  “Ready to go?”

  “No, no. You do your thing.”

  “I never knew you were such a terrible liar,” Gio said, amused. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

  “Gio, you don’t have to.”

  “I want to,” Gio promised.