“Yeah, that would have been the painkillers,” Ace explained to Laz. “I was recovering from a nasty fall I received while working a case, so I was a little out of it when we met. He mistook that for boring.”

  “Behaving like an adult does not translate to boring,” Mason grumbled.

  Leaving his friends to tease poor Mason, Red gently pulled Laz to one side. He ignored the butterflies in his stomach or the insecurities threatening to get the better of him. “I thought maybe we could grab a coffee or something when you’re done here, if you’re not busy?” Laz’s smile was stunning, and Red’s breath hitched. He was so beautiful. Red fought down the urge to brush his fingers down Laz’s jaw, to feel the faint stubble, and run his thumb over Laz’s bottom lip. It was pink and plump, and Red wanted so desperately to nibble at it. He quickly pulled himself together.

  “I’d like that. Actually, I’m about to wrap up here, if you don’t mind hanging around for about a half hour? The wind’s not cooperating, which means water and sand getting everywhere.”

  Red couldn’t contain his smile. “I can wait. Did you get the photos you needed?”

  “I always take a few extra shots, so it’ll be fine, plus I have shots I took last week at a different location. I’m just going to let everyone know we’re done for the day and they can go. Then I’ll pack up my equipment, and I’m done.”

  Laz was about to leave when Red heard it. Or rather didn’t hear it.

  The Kings had gone silent.

  “What’s wrong?” Mason asked, looking from Ace to Lucky and back.

  Red’s heart pounded in his ears, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end before he steadied his breathing, his senses on high alert. The air around him changed, and instinct took over. He grabbed Laz and pulled him against his body, a hole appearing in one of the large screens in the sand where Laz had just been. King sprang into action, and the rest of them followed, moving before the words were out of King’s mouth.

  “Shooter! Everybody, move! Take cover!”

  Red kept Laz close to him as he took off toward the parked cars, King shouting behind them. “Get behind the cars! Move, move, move! Mason!”

  “I’m on it,” Mason replied, calling for backup on his radio as he helped the Kings get everyone to safety behind the cars.

  “Lucky, Ace!” King motioned toward the hotel under construction to their left, and the cousins took off, using the cars to shield themselves as they headed for the side entrance.

  Red headed for Ace’s car, Laz in tow, when a bullet whizzed past him. Shit. They weren’t going to make it. He had to get Laz off the beach. They were sitting ducks out here. The closest thing to cover they had was several feet away.

  “The pier,” Red told Laz, pulling him to his left side and keeping himself between Laz and the hotel on the right. With the tide out, they could take cover beneath the pier. They made a run for the concrete walkway that stretched beneath the end of the pier, its wall providing some protection. It wasn’t high enough for them to take cover behind, but the shooter missed twice, so they had a chance. Chunks of concrete burst from the wall beside his head, confirming his fears concerning who the target was. He was grateful it wasn’t a weekend, or the beach would have been filled with panicking beachgoers. But even with it being a weekday morning, there were families and kids in the water park, on the dock, the gazebo, and scattered around the beach. If he or Laz were drawing fire, he had to do everything in his power to avoid those places yet keep Laz safe.

  Sirens filled the air in the distance, and Red hoped it would be enough to spook the shooter, though he’d much prefer it if Ace and Lucky got to the bastard first. They sped toward the pier, sand kicking up behind them, the resounding echo of gunfire splintering the air. Red jerked Laz with him behind one of the pier’s large wooden support beams, then pushed Laz up against it. He shielded Laz with his body, using his larger frame to envelop Laz’s smaller one, his arms cradling Laz’s head.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God. I don’t want to die.” Laz dug his fingers into Red’s sides as he clung to him, his entire body shaking uncontrollably. Everyone handled danger differently, and unsurprisingly, Laz was inexperienced when it came to life-and-death situations. Most folks were. It was easy to think a person would react a certain way when faced with danger. Movies and TV made it look easy. That common sense or rationality would prevail, but the truth was that unless someone was trained to make split-second decisions, the human brain reacted on instinct, and for most people it meant self-preservation, whether it was fighting back or running from the danger, the latter tending to be the most common. In some cases, the person simply froze up from the terror of not knowing what to do.

  “You’re not going to die,” Red assured Laz, soothing him. “I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Why is someone shooting at us?”

  “Breathe,” Red instructed calmly, pulling back enough to put his hands to Laz’s shoulders. “Look at me.”

  Laz’s eyes were shut tight, and he shook his head, his lips pressed together. He was pale, trembling, and his brow beaded with sweat. If Red didn’t keep Laz calm, he was going to shut down, and he couldn’t let that happen.

  “Laz, look at me.” Red cupped Laz’s face, smiling when Laz finally opened his brilliant blue eyes. “There you are. Just do what I do, okay?” Red demonstrated how he wanted Laz to breathe, and thankfully, Laz followed along. “That’s it. Breathe just like that. You’re doing great. You’re not alone. I’m here with you, and I’m trained for this, remember?”

  Laz nodded fervently. “Why is this happening?”

  “I don’t know, but I promise you we’re going to find out.” Red swept Laz’s hair away from his brow. He kept his hands on Laz in the hopes it offered some comfort. “We’re just going to stay here until it’s safe to go back out there.” As much as he wanted to be out there backing up his brothers, Laz was the intended target, and Red would do everything in his power to keep him safe.

  “Fitz!” Laz tried to wriggle out from Red’s hold, but Red didn’t budge. “Red, please. He’s my friend. What if he’s hurt? What if he’s—”

  “He’s fine. King and Mason got everyone to safety. As soon as I get the all clear, we’ll go find him.”

  “I can’t—I need to make sure he’s okay. Please.”

  “Laz, you can’t go out there.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re the target.”

  Laz froze. He stared up at Red, his eyes wide. “What?” The word came out as a whisper. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m sorry, but they weren’t shooting at us. They were shooting at you.” It had become clear from the first shot. Whether the shooter was a crappy marksman, or they were purposely missing, the fact remained that Laz was the target.

  Something felt off, and Red stilled. “Shit.” The shooter was on the move. “We can’t stay here.”

  “What? How do you know?”

  “A feeling.” Red dropped into a crouch, bringing Laz with him as a gunshot exploded through the air, the bullet piercing the beam, splintering the wood.

  “I thought we were safe here!”

  “I thought so too. We need to go.” Red quickly scanned the area before moving his eyes back to Laz. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. When I give the signal, we’re going to run as fast as we can to the end of the pier and climb out onto the street. We’ll use the cars in the parking lot for cover, if you can safely get behind where the engine is, you do that. There’s a small fire station to the left at the end of the lot. Stick close to me, go around the station. There’s a back entrance, and the garage is usually open. Fire and Rescue have probably been called out, but someone would have stayed behind. Ready?”

  Laz nodded. “I trust you.”

  “Good.” Red took a deep breath and said a little prayer. “Now!” He bolted from behind the pillar, Laz to his side. He made sure to cover Laz as they sped for the end of the pier. When they reached the concrete wall, Red climbed up first, knowing he was quicker. He was up and over in seconds, then reached down to grab Laz and haul him up, making sure to keep himself between Laz and the hotel as they took off into the parking lot. They had to stay clear of the water park. Using the cars for cover, they quickly but carefully made their way through the lot. A bullet pinged a lamppost to his right, and they ducked behind an SUV.

  “Just two more rows to go,” Red said, checking on Laz. “You doing okay?”

  Laz nodded.

  “We’re going to briefly be out in the open when we hit the sidewalk, but if we head straight to the front of the garage, we’ll be completely exposed. Going around is our best bet.” Red took off his baseball cap and put it on Laz.

  “What are you doing?”

  “When we run out, it’ll take the shooter a moment to realize the guy in the baseball cap is you and not me. Every second counts. Ready?”

  “No, but what choice do I have?” Laz blew out an unsteady breath, then nodded.

  “Now!” Red grabbed Laz’s wrist, and they bolted out from behind the truck, weaving their way through the remaining two rows and out onto the sidewalk, around the side of the station. As he’d suspected, the first bullet hit a car to Red’s right before the second shot was fired at Laz, hitting the flagpole outside the station. Red threw open the station’s back door, and ushered Laz through. A paramedic and firefighter sat at a small table inside, both jumping to their feet when Red and Laz sped inside.

  “We need help,” Red told them, knowing they would have been apprised of the situation the moment the first emergency call went through. From the looks of the place, their guys were already onsite. “My friend’s the shooter’s target. We need to keep him safe.”

  “Shit. I’ll tell the captain,” the firefighter said, darting off. The paramedic was about to follow when he abruptly changed direction and hurried over to them.

  “Your friend is hurt.”

  Laz put his fingers to the side of his head, and his eyes went huge. “Oh God, Red, I’m bleeding.”

  “Let me see.” Red removed the baseball cap, the rim stained with blood. He turned Laz’s face and cursed under his breath. “I need a medical kit.”

  “You know what you’re doing?” the paramedic asked as he walked backward toward the doorway that most likely led to the lockers and equipment.

  “Yeah, I was a Special Forces medical sergeant.”

  The guy nodded before taking off to fetch the medical kit. At the end of the room was a long comfortable-looking couch. Red hauled Laz over and sat him down.

  “I’ve been shot,” Laz said quietly.

  “It’s okay. You’re okay. Focus on me.”

  Laz’s eyes fluttered, and he swayed. He was on the verge of passing out.

  “Laz, stay with me. Breathe, just like I taught you.” Red thanked the paramedic, and quickly went to work checking Laz’s wound. “It’s just a scratch. You won’t even need stitches.”

  “Then why is it bleeding so much?”

  “Head wounds bleed a lot, no matter how small. Your brain needs huge amounts of oxygen, which means lots of blood vessels, and your scalp has all these tiny arteries and veins close to the skin, so even a small laceration can result in a large amount of bleeding. I’m going to clean you up, okay?”

  Laz nodded.

  “Is there something I can help with?” The paramedic stood to one side of the window, and peered out through the blinds.

  “What’s your name?” Red asked as he pulled on a pair of gloves from the medical kit.

  “Jerome.”

  “Jerome, I’m Red from Four Kings Security. This is Laz. Can you keep a lookout for me? It’s unlikely whoever’s after Laz here will show up, but I don’t want to take any chances. Unless it’s one of my guys, your guys, or law enforcement, no one else is cleared to come in. Make sure everyone stays away from the windows.”

  “You got it,” Jerome replied. “I’ve heard of you guys. Thank you for your service.”

  Red smiled at Jerome, nodding a “thanks” before getting to work cleaning Laz’s wound.

  “Seems like you’re always looking out for me,” Laz said softly, his blue eyes glassy. He’d been through a real ordeal, and it was only going to get more complicated, but that was a conversation for later.

  “I don’t mind. I’d rather you not be bleeding when you end up in my arms, but if you are, I’ll take care of you.”

  Laz chuckled. “Thanks. Man, I’m beat.”

  “You’re crashing. It happens after an adrenaline rush like the one you just experienced.” Red clicked on the small flashlight. “Look straight ahead.” Laz did as asked, and Red checked his pupils. “Follow the light with your eyes. Good. That’s good.” He clicked off the flashlight and went back to tenderly wiping the blood out of Laz’s hair. “Do you feel dizzy?”

  “A little. My head hurts.”

  “I’ll give you some Tylenol.”

  Jerome handed him a bottle of water.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  Red handed the water bottle to Laz, then popped the cap off a small bottle of Tylenol. He tapped a couple of pills out onto Laz’s palm. “Take those.” He finished patching Laz up and had just tossed his gloves in the bin when his phone rang. Relief flooded through him. “Hey.”

  “Are you both okay?” King asked worriedly.

  “Yeah, Laz has a minor flesh wound, but he’s fine. Is everyone safe?”

  “They’re shaken up, but safe. Where are you?”

  “The fire station.”

  “Good. Mason’s heading over to pick you guys up and take you to the precinct. I’m sending Lucky with him in case you need backup. Ace and I will meet you there. Roadblocks have been set up, SWAT is all over the hotel, and the police are canvasing the area, but my guess is the shooter’s long gone by now. Everyone on Laz’s photoshoot is currently being questioned.”

  “You think it could have been one of them?”

  “I doubt it, but the police need to look into everyone. Laz was clearly the target. See you in a few minutes.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Red hung up and put away his phone. “That was King. No one was hurt. It’s likely the shooter’s gone, but just in case, Mason’s coming to pick us up. He’ll drive us to the precinct.”

  Laz blinked at him. “The precinct? You mean the police precinct?”

  “Yeah. They’re going to need to take your statement and ask you some questions.”

  “I… I can’t believe this is happening.” Laz’s eyes went huge, and he looked like he was on the verge of panicking. “Please come with me. I need… I need you to stay with me.”

  “Of course.” Red brushed his fingers down Laz’s cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

  Laz nodded. He was still pale and a little shaky, so Red held on to him. Thankfully, Mason arrived within minutes, Lucky behind him as they came in through the back door.

  “You two okay?” Lucky asked, checking Laz over. He took hold of Laz’s chin and turned his face. “What happened?”

  “Bullet grazed him.”

  “I’m okay,” Laz promised.

  Mason motioned toward the door. “We should go.”

  “Right.” Red turned to Jerome. “Thank you so much for your help.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Lucky held his hand out to Jerome, his smile wide. “Thank you for taking such good care of my friends.”

  Jerome smiled, his gaze dropping to Lucky’s mouth. “You’re welcome, Mr.…?”

  “You can call me Lucky.”

  Jerome’s laugh was husky. “That your name or a pick-up line?”

  Lucky opened his mouth to reply, when Mason grabbed Lucky’s arm, jerking him to his side. “Thanks for your help, Jerome, but we gotta go.”

  Jerome nodded, bemused by Mason’s gruff reaction.

  Mason dragged Lucky with him as they made their way to the car.

  “Why are you manhandling me?”

  “Because we’re in the middle of a very serious situation and you’re thinking about your dick,” Mason growled.

  “¿Qué?”

  “Just get in the goddamn car, Edward.”

  Lucky stared at him. “The fuck did you just call me?”

  “I called you by your name.”

  “No, because then you would have said Eduardo,” Lucky spat out, poking Mason’s shoulder. “Do I look like a fucking Edward to you?”

  “Fine. Get in the car, Eduardo.”

  “You have anger issues, my man.”

  “No, I have you issues.” Mason jerked open the passenger door and shoved Lucky into the seat before turning to Red. “What?”

  Red threw his hands up in surrender. “Nothing.”

  “Let’s go.” Mason stomped over to the driver’s side, threw the door open, and then slid in behind the wheel.

  What the hell was that about?

  “Maybe he’s stressed out,” Laz said quietly.

  “Yeah, well, Lucky’ll do that to you.” Red opened the back door for Laz, and as soon as Laz was in, Red slid in next to him, then closed the door. He placed a hand on Laz’s forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We’re going to get through this. I promise.”

  “Thank you.”

  Red made to move his hand away, but Laz covered it with his own.

  The ride to the police station was awkward. At least in the front half of the car. Lucky was uncharacteristically quiet. Mason wasn’t usually a big talker, but the man’s jaw was clenched so tight Red was afraid he was going to break something. They stopped at a red light, and Mason let out a heavy sigh, his voice low when he spoke.

  “I’m sorry I called you Edward. It wasn’t a slight against your heritage or nothin’. I’m just kinda self-conscious about how I sound when I speak Spanish, so I took the easy way out.”

  “It’s fine,” Lucky grumbled, leaning against the door, his gaze out the window.

  “No, it’s not. I clearly upset you, and I apologize.”

  “I accept your apology, but it’s not completely your fault. It’s a touchy subject for me.”

  “You, uh, wanna talk about it?”

  Lucky shook his head. “Otro día.”