“Thanks.” Colton went about making his morning latte, grateful the Kings were as serious about coffee as he was. Every morning a fresh, piping-hot pot of gourmet coffee waited for him. Soon as he finished, he carried his mug over to the counter and took a seat beside Laz. “How did you sleep?”

  “I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night like that.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  Red placed a plate loaded with scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, and toast in front of Laz. “There you go.”

  Laz beamed up at him. “Thanks, Red.”

  “You’re welcome. Now eat up. You promised you’d take better care of yourself.” Red turned back to the stove, and Laz’s smile couldn’t get any wider.

  “I know. And I will.”

  Colton was glad someone had finally gotten through to Laz. Funny that it turned out to be Red. Then again, Red had a way about him. He was a very handsome man whose muscles had muscles, yet despite his size and obvious strength, he had a kind face, a trusting face. He was the quieter of the Kings, but by no means the least fierce. He’d been part of Ace’s unit. As a medical sergeant, Colton could only imagine how much blood and horror the man had dealt with. Had he ever had to patch Ace, or one of his brothers up? Colton had noticed several scars around Ace’s body but didn’t feel it was his place to ask.

  Red set a plate in front of Colton, and he beamed up at Red. “Don’t tell, Ace, but you’re my new favorite.”

  “I heard that.” Ace walked into the kitchen, eyebrow arched at Colton, making Red chuckle.

  “That’s what you get for skulking around corners,” Colton said, moving his eyes back to his coffee and not to Ace, who’d showered and changed into running shorts and a T-shirt. He probably smelled amazing. Colton found himself stifling a groan at the thought of Ace naked in the shower, water running over every curve and dip. Really? At breakfast? Because now was a perfectly appropriate time to get an erection.

  “Who’s skulking? I wasn’t skulking. I happen to have impeccable timing.”

  “Oh, sorry, you’re right. Lucky’s the one who’s skulking.”

  Lucky rounded the corner and peered at Colton. “How did you know I was there?”

  “The house was too quiet,” Colton teased.

  Lucky stared at him, and his fellow Kings burst into laughter. “Screw you guys,” Lucky grumbled before studying Colton. “No, really. How did you know?”

  “It was a lucky guess.”

  Lucky rolled his eyes and went to grab a cup of coffee, ignoring the snickers and snorts from Ace and Red. Ace took a seat at the counter next to Colton, and while everyone was focused on Lucky and his grumping, Ace slipped his hand over Colton’s thigh and gave it a squeeze. Colton almost choked on his coffee.

  “You okay, Colton?” Ace asked, patting him on the back.

  Colton coughed into his fist, his glare aimed at Ace. “Fine.”

  As Ace, Lucky, and Red teased each other, Colton ate his breakfast. Ever since the Kings had arrived, his house had been filled with laughter. They were very serious about what they did, but they approached each contract based on the client’s needs. Since Colton’s contract required around-the-clock protection with several members of Four Kings Security staying on his property, it allowed the Kings to conduct themselves in a more casual manner when inside Colton’s home. Because of this, the original feeling of having his personal space invaded by strangers had turned into a feeling of comfort. The Kings were approachable and easy to talk to. They were charismatic, charming, and genuinely good men with an insurmountable expanse of knowledge and experience beneath their belts, making it easy for Colton to put his trust in them.

  Lucky’s boisterous laughter filled the kitchen while Ace recounted a story about Joker accidently setting fire to King’s baseball cap while he was wearing it. Red joined in the laughter, and Laz was in tears. It struck Colton how much he’d miss this. He’d never expected to care for any of these men, and now all he could think about was how quiet his home would be once they were gone.

  The laughter ebbed once Ace started eating, and Lucky turned to teasing his cousin about the amount of food he consumed. Ace shrugged, stating, around a mouthful of bacon and scrambled eggs, that he loved food. Red told Lucky he needed to eat more fiber, and the conversation turned to something Colton did not want to know about. He turned his attention to Laz.

  “What are your plans?”

  Laz shrugged and twisted the napkin in his hands. “I don’t know. I was supposed to be on a plane to Milan with Bryan to watch him bitch at people for not treating him like the god he thinks he is.” He grimaced, then let out a heavy sigh. “My next job isn’t until next month, and Gio won’t be back from his trip until the week after.”

  “Why don’t you hang around here for a while?”

  Laz blinked at him. “Really?”

  Colton nodded. He loved having Laz around. It had been too long since they’d spent any significant time together. “Hey, Dad’s retirement party is tomorrow night in South Beach. It’s going to be huge, and the venue is stunning. We hired a photographer to document the event, but we want some artistic shots to get printed for the meeting rooms. Would you be interested in working the event and approaching it from a design angle? The lighting is going to be spectacular.”

  Laz’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head, and he jumped from his chair. “Oh my God, for real?”

  “Of course. Send the bill to Nadine. She’ll take care of it.”

  Laz shook his head. “Oh, I couldn’t charge you, Colton.”

  “I’m not asking you for a favor, Laz. I’m hiring you for a job.”

  Laz’s smile couldn’t get any wider. “Thank you.”

  “We’re going to be there until Sunday morning, so I’ll have Nadine book you a suite.” Colton held up his hand to stop Laz’s protest before removing his phone from his pocket. “It’s a work expense, so it’s taken care of. You can ride with us to the hotel.”

  Laz nodded. “I’ll need to run home to pack.”

  “Take Red with you.” Ace’s eyes darted to Colton, and they were filled with something Colton couldn’t make out before he turned his attention to Red, who nodded.

  “I don’t want to inconvenience anyone,” Laz said bashfully.

  “You’re not.” Ace walked by Colton, his fingers discreetly brushing Colton’s neck, and sending a shiver through him. Did Ace really believe he could torture Colton and not face the consequences?

  “I should probably go pack,” Colton said. “How are we getting to the hotel? Please don’t say anything that flies.”

  “We have a specially equipped limo that’s also been designed with luxury in mind for clients who want to show up to an event in something a little more stylish than an SUV. Jack will be driving us. Your father asked King to provide some additional security, since the firm hired was before we became involved. Red will stay close to Laz in an unofficial capacity, I’ll be with you, and Lucky will oversee the team we’re bringing in. King will be there to offer support.” Ace went pensive for a moment, and Colton could tell he was hesitant to voice the rest.

  “What is it?”

  “King always does his own risk assessment. He doesn’t care who’s already been hired. If his client and team are going to be onsite, he does his own. He wasn’t satisfied with the outcome. Now keep in mind that the results meet with most companies’ standards, but Four Kings is not most companies.”

  “Do you think Colton’s at risk?” Laz asked worriedly.

  “I think King plans to have certain areas covered, and we may have to limit which of those areas you go to,” Ace told Colton.

  “Whatever you think is best.”

  “Ace, I’ll meet you by the pool. I’m going to check in with Jack before we go for our run,” Lucky said. “I think he said Joker was going to be in the area. If he’s not in the middle of something, he should join us.”

  “See you there.”

  Laz slipped off his chair and joined Red by the sink. “I’ll help you clean up before we go.”

  Red nodded, and they both got to work cleaning.

  Colton headed for his bedroom, with Ace quietly trailing behind him. Was he thinking about the party or something else? Colton dared to peek over his shoulder and held back a laugh at Ace’s lack of subtlety. The man was focused on Colton’s ass, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

  “Enjoying the view?” Colton asked, laughing when Ace’s gaze shot up, his face flushed. He looked around, and finding the coast clear, he closed the distance between them, wrapped an arm around Colton’s chest, his free hand going to Colton’s asscheek and giving it a squeeze.

  “Baby, I’m doing more than viewing. I’m thinking about all the ways I can take you.”

  Colton groaned, his erection straining against his pants. He turned and pushed Ace away from him.

  “You’re a terrible influence,” Colton teased.

  Ace waggled his eyebrows, and Colton made a dash for his room knowing Ace was right behind him. Inside, he closed and locked the bedroom door. When he turned, he was pushed up against it, Ace’s lips all over his, his knee shoved between Colton’s legs, pressing up into his painfully hard cock, and their fingers laced together. Colton groaned, thrusting his hips against Ace’s as Ace pinned Colton with his hard body. Gasping for air, Colton let his head fall back against the door, rubbing himself shamelessly against Ace, needing more and more friction.

  Grabbing Colton’s thighs, Ace lifted Colton off his feet.

  “Oh fuck!” Colton wrapped his legs around Ace’s waist, muffling Ace’s laugh with his mouth. He loved kissing Ace, loved the softness of his lips, and the taste of him. Every touch, every caress left him wanting more.

  Ace carried Colton over to the bed and dropped him down onto it, then climbed up over him, his lips once again on Colton.

  “Fuck, I want inside you so bad, Colton.”

  Colton whimpered, his body trembling with need. He slipped his hands between them to rub at the hard bulge in Ace’s pants. “Yes, please. Please, fuck me.” A knock startled him.

  “Colton, is Ace in there?”

  Although he knew Lucky would never enter without permission unless he believed Colton to be in danger, he panicked, and pushed Ace harder than he meant. He cringed when Ace flailed, and fell off the bed with a hard thud, followed by an onslaught of curses in several languages. Colton scrambled off the bed, smoothed out the comforter, and darted into his walk-in closet, hearing Ace behind him.

  “What do you want?”

  “Why are you snarling at me, bro? I texted you, but you didn’t answer. You were supposed to meet me by the pool, remember?”

  “Shit, sorry. I was, um, helping Colton try to find his luggage and didn’t hear it. Slipped my mind.”

  Silence.

  Colton quickly fixed his clothes and hair, before grabbing his suitcase from the top shelf. “Found it,” he said, walking out into the bedroom with the suitcase in hand. He smiled at Lucky. “Oh, hey. Everything okay?”

  Lucky narrowed his eyes at Ace before smiling sweetly at Colton. “Buenisimo. Great. I need to borrow him for a minute. News from King. Nothing to worry about.”

  Colton nodded. “Sure. I’m going to get started on my packing.” He placed the suitcase on his bed, aware of the cousins staring each other down before Lucky sighed heavily and motioned toward the door. Ace marched out, and Lucky followed and closed the door behind him, but not completely. Colton considered not eavesdropping, but that lasted about as long as it took him to get over to the door. He inched silently behind it, wondering if Lucky was aware he’d left the door cracked open.

  “¿Crees que soy un idiota?”

  “No, I don’t think you’re an idiot. Lucky—”

  “No. When King said get close to him, to make him trust you and find out what the hell happened between him and his grandfather, this is not what he meant.”

  Colton straightened. What the hell was Lucky talking about? Ace had been instructed to get close to him? To earn his trust? What the hell did his grandfather have to do with them? No. Colton backed away from the door, the quiet argument no longer within hearing range. Had Ace been using him? His heart squeezed in his chest, and he shook his head, feeling breathless. No. This couldn’t be happening to him, not again.

  The door opened, and Colton spun away needing to get himself together.

  “Colton?”

  Ace’s concerned tone sent anger flaring through him, and he turned, marched up to Ace, and growled at him. “Get the fuck out of my room!”

  “What?” Ace stared at him. He snapped himself out of it and put his hands up. “Colton, sweetheart—”

  “Don’t you dare,” Colton hissed. “You don’t get to call me that. How could you?”

  “How could I what? Goddamn it, Colton, talk to me. Why the hell are you so angry?”

  Tears welled in his eyes, and he couldn’t believe what a sucker he’d been, falling for it twice now. He couldn’t even stand to look at Ace. He turned and ran for the stairs, then took them up to his second floor.

  “Leave, Ace,” Colton snapped as he jerked open his balcony door and rushed out in the fresh breeze. He inhaled deep and closed his eyes against the tears. When he spoke, his voice sounded small and broken. “Please leave.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong. What’s changed?”

  Colton rounded on him, angrier at himself than anything. “I trusted you. That’s what’s wrong.”

  “I don’t—” Realization seemed to dawn, and he cursed under his breath. “You heard us.”

  “Yes. I heard. Heard Lucky tell you how you were supposed to earn my trust, get close to me. Did that include fucking me, Ace? Pretending to give a shit about me?” He let out a humorless laugh. “God, I’m such a fucking idiot.”

  “You are an idiot.”

  Colton spun to face Ace, ready to tell him to go to hell when the hurt and anger in his eyes made him pause. Before he could utter a word, Ace spoke up.

  “Did you bother to hear the rest of it? Or were you too busy jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst of me?”

  Colton opened his mouth, but when no words were forthcoming, he quickly closed it.

  “I didn’t think so. Yes, King asked me to get close to you, to earn your trust in the hopes you would cooperate with us. It’s the same with every client. Without trust, how can we do what needs to be done? At the time, I didn’t know about what your grandfather had done, only that it seemed to be the reason you were so against cooperating. When King asked me to find out what it was, I told him I’d do what I could but that I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what trust you had in me.”

  Ace stepped closer, and Colton forced himself to remain still, especially when Ace cupped his face.

  “All King wanted was a way to help you. When you confided in me about what happened, I kept it to myself. That’s what Lucky was pissed off about. King brought Mick in for questioning, and the guy spilled everything. When King asked me if I’d known, I wasn’t going to lie. I told him I knew, but that submitting that information would have been a breach of trust, and I wouldn’t do that to you. King understood. Lucky came to confront me about it. He’s afraid I’m getting in too deep. What he doesn’t know is that it’s too late.”

  Colton dropped his gaze, mortified and ashamed for judging Ace so quickly, and so harshly. Instead of giving Ace the benefit of the doubt, he’d allowed his fear to get the better of him. What had gotten into him? He wasn’t usually so impulsive. Hotheaded at times, perhaps, but not reckless, certainly not with his sentiments. “I’m so sorry.” The reality of what he’d done hit him hard, and he inhaled sharply. “Oh God, Ace. I’m sorry. I was stupid, rash, and—”

  “Easy now. Breathe. I know Mick really hurt you, Colt. But I’m not him. If you ever doubt how much I care, please, talk to me. I will always be honest with you.”

  “You’re right.” Colton wrapped his hands around Ace’s wrists, sighing when Ace brought their heads together. “I loved Mick, and when he betrayed me, it broke my heart, but the thought of you betraying me…. I can’t, Ace. I don’t think I could survive it.”

  “So dramatic,” Ace teased softly, brushing his lips over Colton’s. “That’s what I love most about you. Your passion. That fire inside you.” He caressed Colton’s cheek with his thumb.

  “I’m so sorry I hurt you, Ace.”

  “I understand why you thought what you did, but if this is going to work between us, there needs to be trust.”

  Colton nodded, feeling like an idiot. “I do trust you. Please forgive me.” He smiled when Ace kissed the tip of his nose.

  “You’re forgiven. Now come on. We should get inside before someone sees us.” Ace took Colton’s hand and led him inside, then stopped by the banister at the top of the stairs to kiss Colton who melted in Ace’s embrace.

  “What is it about you that makes me feel so turned around that I don’t know which way is up anymore?”

  “I could say the same about you,” Ace replied, his voice low and husky as he slipped his fingers beneath Colton’s shirt to caress his skin.

  “Don’t forget, I’ve arranged for early check-in tomorrow, and I don’t have to be anywhere until dinner.” Colton nipped at Ace’s jaw, loving the groan Ace released. “Make sure you pack appropriately.”

  “Good idea. I should go. Now.”

  “Oh?”

  “Because if I don’t, you’re going to end up bent over this banister, and ‘broken during a good hard fuck’ is not an expense King will appreciate.”

  “Understood.” Colton reluctantly left Ace and headed downstairs into his bedroom, his heart swelling when Ace darted over to plant a big sloppy kiss on his lips. Colton laughed at the man’s goofiness.

  “Miss me,” Ace instructed, pointing at him as he walked backward toward the door.

  Colton saluted. “Yes, sir.” His stomach flipped when Ace winked at him. Then the man was gone. Jeez, what the hell was wrong with him? Like he’d never been with an attractive man before. Yet when he thought about tomorrow, being with Ace alone for a few hours in a luxury hotel room where they could spend time together, uninterrupted, sexing each other up, holding each other, ordering room service, and bathing together in the private pool, Colton found himself almost giddy with excitement. He was in so much trouble.