Well, that answered that question.

  Ace’s voice came through the line, and he sounded breathy. He was running. “I’m almost in position.”

  Joker didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. His steady aim remained on William. He didn’t have a clear shot, and the last thing he wanted was to shoot the hostage, even if it would be a flesh wound. The poor woman was going to have enough nightmares as it was. Whatever happened, William wasn’t getting away from him. This man hadn’t just threatened Gio, he’d had him kidnapped, was responsible for Gio almost dying all alone in the middle of some jungle, of giving him nightmares and PTSD. Yeah, William was going away for the foreseeable future. Joker would make sure of it.

  “Please,” the woman whimpered, her big brown eyes on Joker.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Joker promised. He just needed to buy Ace a little time. “William, think about what you’re doing.”

  “Oh, I am. Do you think you can keep him safe from me? I already got him once; I’ll get him again.”

  Joker’s heart slammed in his chest. Knowing William had been behind the kidnapping then was one thing, having him confirm it was another. “Sri Lanka. That was you.”

  “If those idiots hadn’t underestimated him, none of this would have happened.”

  “And Gio would be six feet under in some remote jungle somewhere.”

  William shrugged. “No loose ends.”

  Joker gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw so tight he was in danger of hurting something. Fucking asshole. “It’s. Over,” he said between his teeth.

  “I don’t think so. My men probably have Gio in custody right now, so if you ever want to see him again, alive, you’ll let me go.”

  “You think so, huh?” Joker tapped his PTT button. “Sitrep?”

  “All targets in custody,” King replied. “I’m on my way.”

  “I’m in position,” Ace murmured. “Take a step to the right.”

  “Copy that.” Joker smiled at William. “Well, what do you know? It looks like your friends are going for a little ride with the local law enforcement.” He widened his stance, discreetly taking a step to the right. “You’re going to be joining them soon.”

  William’s grin was smug. “You might as well put the gun down, Wilder. You don’t have a clean shot, and you’re not going to risk hurting the hostage.” He started edging closer to the end of the pier. They were only a couple of yards away.

  “You’re right. I don’t have a clean shot, but I don’t need to have one.” He barked out a command, and Chip lunged forward, barking and snarling, startling William, who thrust the knife out in Chip’s direction. What followed happened in the blink of an eye.

  A shot exploded through the air, the bullet from Ace’s sniper rifle hitting William in the shoulder and flinging him back. The woman in his grasp screamed, dropping to the wooden boards and covering her head just as Joker tackled William to the ground, knocking the knife out of his hand. He rolled William onto his stomach and pulled his arms behind his back, ignoring his growl of pain.

  William turned to look at him over his shoulder, eyes huge. “You don’t understand! I owe some very dangerous people a lot of money, and if I don’t come up with the cash, I’m a dead man. There’s nowhere they won’t be able to get to me, not even prison.”

  “Should have thought about that before you made a deal you couldn’t deliver on.” Joker removed a couple of zip ties from his pocket and secured them around William’s wrists. He gave the command to Chip to stand down, then dragged William to his feet just as King arrived and rushed over to help the woman. King wrapped an arm around her and gently steered her away.

  “You son of a bitch!”

  Joker turned in time to watch Gio punch William in the face.

  Gio hadn’t wanted to believe it.

  When Jack told him William had been behind everything, Gio had hoped he was wrong, even if deep down inside he knew it to be true. Despite the Kings advising against it, Gio had insisted on seeing for himself, and they’d reluctantly given in, but only if their small army of bodyguards escorted him, and only after King had personally confirmed William had been restrained.

  As much of an asshole as William had been at the end of their relationship, Gio never thought him capable of kidnapping. Three years. They’d been together for three years—dating, traveling, sleeping together, and all that time, William had only been after one thing.

  “How could you?” Gio demanded as he faced William. “Do you have any idea the hell you’ve put me through?”

  William clenched his jaw but said nothing.

  “You don’t care, do you? You never did.” Gio swallowed hard. “You only ever wanted my money.” He thought about everything William had done and what it resulted in. The nightmares, his PTSD, his medical condition, the medication… His head was ready to explode, but his heart reminded him of what he’d also gained. Coming home, his family, Cookie, Sacha. Gio moved his gaze to the man he loved. Sacha stood watching him, heartache written all over his face for Gio. If it hadn’t been for William, would Gio have found his way home to Sacha?

  With a small smile, Gio moved his attention back to William. “You took so much from me, William, but you also gave me more than I could have imagined. Because of you, I came home. Maybe my life isn’t perfect or how I expected it to be.” He moved his eyes back to Sacha, his heart full at seeing the love in those beautiful blue-gray eyes. “But that’s fine. I’m happy now. Truly happy, and I know I’ll be okay.”

  The police arrived, and Sacha handed William over, informing the officers how William confessed to kidnapping Gio over a year ago, and now his attempted kidnapping and hiring of kidnappers. Gio briefly explained his experience and agreed to come down to the station to give his full statement. King left the young woman William had taken hostage in the care of a medic and a pair of female officers, then stepped forward to put a hand on Gio’s shoulder.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I will be,” Gio replied. He might have just acquired something else to discuss with his therapist, but he felt the truth in his words. He’d face these challenges the same way he faced everything else in his life, head-on. Only this time, he wouldn’t be too stubborn to ask for help.

  King nodded and turned to Sacha. “Well done.”

  “Thanks,” Sacha said, and it was clear from his posture that the compliment on a job well done from King made him proud. Old habits died hard. The Kings might not be serving as part of a unit anymore, but Gio had no doubt certain feelings were still there. The camaraderie, the hierarchy. From what Gio knew of King, the man didn’t hand out praise easily. Like with all things King, it had to be earned.

  While the guys talked to the police, Sacha pulled Gio to one side. The day was beautiful, the ocean sparkling like diamonds beneath the bright sky.

  “Talk to me,” Sacha said quietly, his hand on Gio’s waist.

  “It’s a lot to take in,” Gio admitted. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact I spent three years of my life with a man as ruthless as William. He left me to die.” The backs of his eyes stung, and he wrinkled his nose. “And for what? Money? The time we spent together meant nothing to him. My life meant nothing to him.”

  Sacha brought Gio into his arms and kissed his cheek. “I’m so sorry that bastard hurt you the way he did, but he’s going to be paying for his crimes for a very long time. He won’t ever hurt you or anyone else again. I’m here for you. Every step of the way.”

  “Thank you,” Gio murmured, wrapping his arms around Sacha. “And thank you for loving me.” Unlike William, Sacha was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Whatever emotion he was feeling, you’d know it. No hidden agendas, no games, no lies. Sacha wasn’t just an amazing man, he was a safe place for Gio, and Gio had a feeling his heart had known that before he had.

  Ace approached them with a huge grin on his face, and Sacha took a step back, rolling his eyes, making Gio chuckle. These two.

  “Still got it,” Ace said, making a gun with his fingers and blowing on it.

  “You got something all right,” Sacha teased. “Thanks for having my back.”

  “Always,” Ace replied, winking at him before walking off. A loud whine met Gio’s ears, and he lifted his gaze to find Saint holding on to Cookie and Chip’s leashes. The two were prancing excitedly around Saint’s feet. The big man just shook his head in amusement.

  “You better go to them before their butts fall off,” Sacha said.

  Gio didn’t have to be told twice. He hurried over to his favorite furry boys and dropped down to one knee, laughing as the two lavished him with doggie kisses. Some of the police officers came over to greet Chip. The Kings seemed to be familiar with all the officers from St. Augustine PD. King said it was in everyone’s best interest to get along. It made their jobs easier. Chip got some love, and once the scene was clear, Sacha knelt to love on his best boy too for doing such a good job.

  As Gio watched Sacha with Chip, he acknowledged that his life had changed in drastic ways. Yes, he had a lot to work through, but he was surrounded by people who loved him, by family. Because family wasn’t just bound by blood, but by love, and Gio was never going to take that for granted again.

  TWELVE

  What a day, and his shift wasn’t even over.

  Joker headed back to the festivities with Gio and the dogs. Everything was back underway, despite the disturbances caused by their team apprehending William’s crew. Thankfully, the pier had been far enough away that guests had no idea what had gone down until the police arrived on scene. None of them had expected a hostage situation, and it wasn’t the type of thing they usually had to deal with, but they managed it. For all the crazy they’d experienced over the last few years, most jobs tended to go pretty smoothly. They were good at what they did.

  Gio gave his speech, and Joker’s heart swelled with love as he watched Gio up on that stage, thanking everyone for coming. The man was adorable, and he was all Joker’s. Had someone told him a year ago that he’d end up falling for Gio, he’d have told them to fuck off. In fact, he’d done that on several occasions to his matchmaking friends. Or rather Ace.

  Gio finished his speech, and everyone cheered. He waved at the crowd and left the stage, Cookie trotting alongside him. When he searched the crowd and caught sight of Joker, his smile stole Joker’s breath away. Gio headed toward him, shaking hands with a few people along the way. For the first time in a long time, he looked rested, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” Gio stopped in front of Joker and brought him into his arms. He kissed him, a brief but passionate kiss, and Joker melted against him.

  “Hey, baby.” Joker led Gio to the other side of one of the tents so they could have a little privacy, the dogs at their sides. He stepped behind a large tree and brought Gio against him, kissing him, letting all his love and desire for this amazing man come through in his kiss. He loved the way Gio hummed in pleasure, how he soaked in everything Joker had to give.

  When they were forced to get some air, Gio brushed his lips over Joker’s temple. “You’re off the clock in an hour. How about I buy you some funnel cake?”

  “Ooh, now we’re talking. I might even let you buy me a soda too.”

  Gio threw his head back and laughed. “Big spender.”

  The rest of the day went quickly. There were a few incidents, but nothing out of the ordinary for this kind of event. A couple of kids got separated from their parents and were promptly found and returned. Some teenagers got a little too rowdy and had to be given a talking-to—that sort of thing. Joker changed out of his uniform when his shift ended, and he locked it away in the trunk of his car, along with Chip’s vest, before returning to the fair to enjoy the day with his boyfriend.

  Gio bought Joker a funnel cake bigger than his head and a soda. There was a stall that sold organic treats for dogs. It stunk to high heaven, but Chip and Cookie gobbled those things up so fast, Joker wondered if they’d even bothered to chew.

  Then Gio stopped by a water gun game and gasped, then turned to Joker.

  “There’s a stuffed dog toy that looks like Cookie.” Gio’s eyes widened innocently. “If only I had someone who was a great marksman who might procure said adorable stuffed toy.”

  Joker pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. His boyfriend was ridiculous. “Would you like me to win you that toy?”

  “I would very much like that. Yes.”

  “Okay.” Joker popped a kiss on Gio’s lips. He removed five bucks from his wallet and handed it over. “I remember when these things used to cost a quarter.” The teen behind the booth blinked at him.

  “Was that, like, in the 1940s or something?”

  Joker peered at him. “What? No, it wasn’t in the forties. How old do you think I am?”

  The kid opened his mouth, and Joker waved the water gun at him.

  “Never mind. Step aside, freckles.” Joker positioned himself, closed one eye, and aimed. He hit every target that tried to dart past him, a satisfying ding going off with each shot until a siren sounded and a red light flashed. Joker twirled the water gun and returned it to the plastic holster. “And that’s how you do it.” He arched an eyebrow at the kid and pointed to the stuffed dog. Rolling his eyes, the kid grabbed the dog and handed it over. “1940s, my ass.” He turned to Gio, who had the happiest, sappiest expression on his face. “Your prize.”

  “Aw, you do love me,” Gio teased, taking the toy from Joker. Never mind that the guy could buy out the contents of every toy store in the city several times over; he was thrilled about this one.

  Joker shook his head at his boyfriend. Jesus, would he ever get used to that? As he strolled through the fairgrounds, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d done anything like this. Probably because he never dated. He was more interested in hookups and sex than getting to know anyone or spending any alone time together. It was nice. Despite everything that happened earlier, it was a great day. So this was what life with Gio would be like.

  “Oh my God.” Gio stopped abruptly and threw a hand out across Joker’s chest. Instantly, Joker went into high alert mode, and he scanned the area for threats.

  “What? What is it?”

  “Fried snack cakes.”

  Joker slowly turned his head to stare at Gio. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Fried snack cakes,” Gio said excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to try it.” His dark eyes glittered with pure joy, and Joker couldn’t even be mad.

  “Come on,” Joker grumbled. “I’ll get you a fried snack cake.” Was there anything he wouldn’t do for Gio? Probably not. Well, the okra was still not happening, but everything else was fair game. After he bought Gio his fried Twinkie, they sat together beneath one of the large trees, the dogs settling into the grass beside them. “This is nice.”

  Gio hummed in agreement. He held a finger out to Joker, talking around a mouthful of deep-fried cake. “Want to lick my cream?”

  Joker barked out a laugh. When he sobered up, he took hold of Gio’s finger, their eyes meeting. “I always want your cream,” Joker said, his voice low and husky. Thankfully Gio had swallowed his food by then because he broke into laughter. He started laughing so hard he was in tears.

  “Okay, that was bad,” Gio said with a snicker.

  “Really? And ‘want to lick my cream’ wasn’t?” He popped Gio’s finger into his mouth and sucked it clean. Gio’s eyes went dark, and he licked his lips.

  “I didn’t think this through, did I?” Gio grumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

  “Nope,” Joker said, popping the p.

  “Maybe we should go home and—”

  Joker covered Gio’s mouth. “The next words out of your mouth better not be an innuendo or bad pun involving the word cream.”

  The laugh that reverberated behind Joker’s hand was infectious, but Joker remained firm. He could not let Gio believe that sort of humor was acceptable. These kinds of boundaries had to be set early on in a relationship or he could end up like poor Colton, doomed to a life of terrible puns. Eyes narrowed at Gio, he slowly moved his hand away.

  “What I was going to say was that we should go home.” He leaned in to nibble on Joker’s ear before whispering, “I want to get you sticky.”

  Heat flared through Joker, and he got to his feet so quick he startled Chip. His dog scrambled to his paws and barked at Joker.

  “I’m sorry,” Joker said through a laugh. “But a guy’s got needs.”

  Chip let his displeasure be known until Joker promised to give him a piece of bacon when they got home.

  Home.

  Joker liked the sound of that.

  As he walked hand in hand with Gio out of the park, their furry companions at their sides, Joker couldn’t remember the last time he felt so at peace. The man next to him loved him. Yes, his brothers-in-arms loved him, but it was a different love. Gio wanted him, loved him, every surly inch of him. He didn’t want to change Joker, didn’t expect him to be someone he wasn’t. Arguments were sure to happen, but Joker was confident if they talked it out, they could get through anything because there was no one he wanted to try for more than Gio.

  Joker had been wrong about Gio. Well, sort of.

  Gio might not be perfect, but in Joker’s eyes, he was as close to it as someone could get. Nothing else explained the absolute goodness of the man’s heart. The two of them shouldn’t have worked, but the more Joker got to know Gio, the more he realized no other man would have been good enough. There had been a time when he’d believed he wasn’t meant for love. He’d spent years doing everything to avoid it, only to have a bunch of troublemakers worm their way into his heart. Then he’d let few more people in. Bibi, Nash, their sweet daughter, Lily. Colton, Mason, Leo, Fitz, and Laz. Every year, someone new seemed to join their family, and for a while, it had scared the shit out of him. Especially when his brothers started falling in love. He’d braced himself for the day he’d be left out in the cold, just him and Chip, but that day never came, and whatever happened with Gio, Joker knew that day would never come, because of love.