They only want what’s best for you.

  He promptly told the little voice in his head to shut up. Yes, his parents loved him, and he never forgot how fortunate he was to have such accepting parents or how privileged he was. He had no doubt everything they did was because they wanted what was best for him. The problem was, no one ever asked him what he thought was best for him. If he wanted something that didn’t fit within the constructs of what was expected of him, he had to fight for it. His mother thought him “headstrong,” his father “difficult,” but the truth was, he only wanted to be himself, not the version of him everyone else wanted him to be. It had taken a long time to figure himself out and get his life in order, but when he had, he’d been as happy as the next guy. Then some sick bastard figured he’d try and take control of Colton’s life. If that wasn’t bad enough, his father kept insisting he hire a private security company. Not happening.

  Colton leaned against the bar and smiled widely at Seth when he had the man’s attention. The large mountain of a bartender with rippling muscles sauntered over. He wiped the bar’s surface in front of Colton before leaning his arms on it.

  “What can I get you, Mr. Connolly?”

  “Good evening, Seth. Tequila, please. Something nice.”

  “You got it.” Seth winked at him before turning and reaching for a bottle of Don Julio 1942 Anejo Tequila—a very nice choice indeed. He poured the golden liquid into a Himalayan salt tequila glass, returned the bottle to the shelf, and placed the drink in front of Colton, with a wedge of lime on a black napkin. “Here you go, beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” Colton returned Seth’s smile before throwing back the tequila and following through with the lime wedge, aware of Seth dropping his eyes to Colton’s lips. Seth had made his interest known quite some time ago, and although Colton didn’t mind the flirting, he had no intention of getting involved with anyone he did business with. Seth was a stunning man—all chiseled jaw, rich olive skin, and soft brown curls—but he was employed by Frank Ramirez, the owner of Sapphire Sands and a good man Colton considered a dear friend, one who trusted Connolly Maritime with the import of the club’s alcohol.

  A couple of shots later—and a little more flirting—Colton was feeling better. The club was packed tonight, but then it was always packed. Colton had been coming here since he’d turned twenty-one. It was familiar. Safe. All the employees knew who he was, and—with the exception of a couple of flirts like Seth—he was treated as if he were family. Every year on the club’s anniversary, Colton hosted the Sapphire Sands Charity Masquerade Ball. The ticket price for the event was outrageous, but none of the guests who attended minded the hefty price since the profits all went to an LGBT charity. It was a night of elaborate costumes, with an exquisite meal prepared by a celebrity chef, and incredible entertainment that went on into the wee hours of the morning. Colton looked forward to it every year, and as the benefactor, he hadn’t missed one since its inception.

  “Is Frank in?” Colton asked Seth.

  “Yeah, he’s in the office. Want me to call him for you?”

  Colton shook his head. “I’ll drop by the office and say hello. Thanks, Seth.”

  “Anytime, Mr. Connolly.”

  Colton had every intention of getting drunk off his ass, dancing, and forgetting his troubles for a while, but first he’d see Frank. His friend would be pissed if he found Colton was in the club and no one had told him. Thirteen years ago, the guy had appointed himself Colton’s unofficial big brother, despite Colton’s attempts at the time to get into Frank’s pants. At twenty-one, Colton had found the thirty-one-year-old former firefighter turned club owner a walking wet dream. It had been very annoying, not to mention sexually frustrating, at the time. While his brain had been focused on getting laid by the stud with pitch-black hair and honey-colored eyes, Frank had been building a friendship between them without Colton even realizing, a friendship Colton was eternally grateful for now that he was wiser and older.

  Deciding to stop by the men’s room first, Colton walked in to the elegant black marble washroom to the sound of sniffing. A young man paced one end of the bathroom. He was a little overdressed for a night at the club. It was possible he’d come to meet friends after work, but something told Colton that wasn’t the case. He was young, late twenties at most, with fair hair he’d clearly been running his fingers through—as it was now sticking up at odd angles—and blue-green eyes. Pretty.

  Colton had finished his business and washed his hands, when the sniffling turned into tears.

  “Hey, do you need help?” Colton asked gently, making his way over. The young man gave a start. He’d clearly been so lost in thought he hadn’t even been aware Colton was there.

  “Oh God, I’m sorry. Crying in the bathroom. This is so cliché and embarrassing. I should go home, but I forgot my wallet, and that asshole was supposed to have been my ride home, but then he probably wasn’t even going to take me home. Man, even that sounds cliché. I’m a walking cliché. I can’t believe this is happening to me. No, of course it’s happening to me. It’s exactly the kind of thing that would happen to me.” The more he paced, the more distraught he seemed to be getting.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Joshua.” He wiped at his eyes and pressed his lips together, most likely to hold back more tears.

  “Joshua, why don’t you start from the beginning.”

  “It’s pathetic. I’m pathetic. I really thought….” He shook his head, fresh tears welling in his eyes.

  “You’re not pathetic. You’re upset. Tell me what happened.”

  “Long story short? I got a new job as an assistant for a big law firm downtown, and I thought I’d been hired because I am damned good at what I do. Turns out I was hired because I was a ‘hot piece of ass.’ My boss’s exact words.” Joshua took the tissue Colton handed him. “Thank you. He brought me along tonight to meet an important new client. Asshole wanted to fuck me in the back rooms. When I said no, he kept trying until I pushed him. He got pissed and told me not to bother coming to the office tomorrow, how I was nothing but a hot piece of ass.”

  “He fired you because you wouldn’t let him fuck you?”

  Joshua nodded. “I even moved because he asked me to. He said I needed to be closer to the office in case he needed me, and he’d make sure the firm reimbursed me. I had to dip into my savings, but with my new salary, it would be okay. I could pay that back in and finally start paying off my student loans, and now I don’t even know how I’m going to pay my rent next month or my car payment. I won’t even be able to afford health insurance.” His bottom lip quivered before he broke off into a sob. “Oh God. What am I going to do?”

  Colton gently laid a hand on Joshua’s shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to thank your lucky stars you’re no longer working for that bastard. It’s going to be okay, Joshua. I promise.” He pulled out his wallet and one of his business cards, which he handed to Joshua. “Call that number tomorrow morning and speak with Nadine, my executive assistant. She’ll be waiting for your call. One of our other executive assistants is leaving for a job in New York in a couple of months. In the meantime, he can train you on his duties. The pay and perks are very generous, and the company offers full health insurance coverage. We would love to have you at Connolly Maritime if you’re interested.”

  Joshua’s jaw dropped, and his blue eyes went huge. He moved his gaze to the card in his hand, then up to Colton. “You…. Did you just offer me a job?”

  Colton nodded. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “If you’re interested.” Joshua’s gaze turned wary, and Colton chuckled. “Google me. I can wait. Two n’s, two l’s in Connolly.”

  Joshua worried his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes back on the card in his hands.

  “Go ahead. I won’t be offended. I like that you’re not taking my word for it.”

  With a nod and a small smile, Joshua pulled out his phone and tapped away at his screen. Colton knew what he’d find. He’d been featured in Forbes Magazine more than once, along with a host of other magazines and websites connected to the business world. There were pictures of him at charity events, parties, tournaments, races. The more Joshua scrolled through the information on his phone, the wider his eyes became.

  “Oh my God.” His head shot up, and he gaped at Colton. “You really are Colton Connolly. My boss has talked about you.”

  Colton scrunched up his nose. “I don’t think I want to know.”

  “He was hoping to get himself invited to the White Party on Fisher Island.”

  “What’s your boss’s name?”

  “Ted Booker.”

  “Yeah, Ted Booker is never getting an invite. The White Party on Fisher Island is hosted by an old family friend and current business associate. Booker will be lucky if he’s allowed on the island.” Most people had no idea how much power and sway Connolly Maritime had in the state of Florida. Colton wasn’t one to throw his weight around, but if it was to teach a man like Ted Booker a lesson, then he’d happily do it.

  “You could have your pick of anyone you wanted for this job. Why would you help me? You don’t even know me.”

  “Intuition. I have a good feeling about you, Joshua. You’re not going to let me down, are you?”

  Joshua shook his head emphatically. “No, sir.” Tears welled in his eyes again, and he threw his arms around Colton. “Thank you so much, Mr. Connolly! I swear I won’t let you down.”

  Colton chuckled and patted Joshua’s back. “I know you won’t. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “Oh, so you won’t let me fuck you, but you’ll let this guy all over you?”

  Joshua spun around with a gasp, then took a quick step behind Colton.

  Colton assumed the tall handsome man with an ugly sneer was Joshua’s ex-boss, Ted Booker.

  He squinted at Colton. “Do I know you?”

  Colton smiled wide. “Colton Connolly, of Connolly Maritime.” He enjoyed the way Ted’s face drained of color. “And I would appreciate you showing my employee a little respect.”

  Ted stared at him. “What?”

  “Joshua is the newest member of Connolly Maritime. It would seem his previous employer couldn’t see his value. Oh, and the White Party? Not going to happen.”

  Ted took a step forward, and Colton blocked his path. The man was red with embarrassment and indignation, his fury aimed at Joshua.

  “What did you do, you little slut? Did you get on your knees for him and suck his dick to get a job?”

  Colton put a hand out to stop Ted from advancing. “You need to walk away, Ted. Now.”

  “Or what?” Ted snarled.

  “You’ve already lost face. If you don’t walk away and leave Joshua alone, I’ll make sure you lose more than that.”

  Ted reeled back as if he’d been struck. “Are you threatening me? Over that—”

  “Careful,” Colton warned. “I won’t ask twice.”

  “What the hell is going on in here?” Frank stormed in along with two of his security personnel, his dark brows drawn together as he looked from Ted to Colton.

  Ted spun to face Frank and thrust a finger in Joshua’s direction. “I want that little shit thrown out on his ass! He’s been spreading lies about me and putting my business at risk because he didn’t get what he wanted from me.”

  Frank glanced over at Colton, who discreetly shook his head. With a sigh, Frank stepped closer to Joshua, his tone gentle when he spoke. “Sweetheart, talk to me.”

  Joshua melted under Frank’s gaze, and Colton held back a smile. He knew that look well. It was hard not to go weak in the knees when Frank Ramirez looked at you with those soulful eyes. Like nothing in the world could hurt you while he was there. Frank opened one arm for him, and Joshua walked into his embrace, settling against Frank with a small sigh. He lifted his face so he could meet Frank’s gaze, and when he spoke, his voice never wavered.

  “You can check the security cameras. Mr. Booker brought me here under false pretenses. When he pulled me into one of the back rooms, I made it very clear I wasn’t interested, and even after clearly saying no, I had to push him away for him to get the hint. Then he fired me. Mr. Connolly was here while I panicked, and when he found out what happened to me, he offered me a job at his company.”

  When Frank lifted his gaze to Ted, Colton almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost.

  “Mr. Booker, are you not familiar with the word no?”

  “He’s lying,” Ted insisted.

  “If I check my security feed, I’m not going to see you pulling this young man into the back, then?”

  “He went willingly,” Ted spat out. “He wanted it.”

  Colton cringed, and he saw the exact moment Ted grasped how screwed he was. He’d put his foot in it. If he hadn’t, Frank’s murderous glare would have made it obvious. As someone who’d spent his adult life trying to save people, Frank did not take kindly to Ted’s words. He addressed his security personnel, his narrowed eyes still on Ted.

  “Get this piece of shit out of my club.” Frank thrust a finger in Ted’s direction. “If you ever try to set foot in here again, I will personally beat the shit out of you, and if you so much as come near—” His expression softened when he looked down at the young man tucked against him. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  “Joshua.”

  Frank turned his attention back to Ted, his face once again transformed into a mask of disdain and anger. “If you go anywhere near, Joshua, you’ll be dealing with me.”

  “And me,” Colton added. He didn’t know much about Joshua, but something told him the young man could use a little care and support. Something about him brought out a protective streak in Colton, and if the way Frank was holding on to Joshua was anything to go by, Frank felt the same. It was incredible, how quickly people could form a connection. One minute they were strangers, the next they were friends.

  Ted begged and sputtered apologies as he was dragged out of the bathroom.

  “Dick,” Frank muttered. He turned to Joshua and held him out at arm’s length, looking him over. “Are you okay?”

  Joshua nodded. “Thank you… um….”

  “Frank Ramirez. I own Sapphire Sands.”

  “You own the club?”

  Frank chuckled at Joshua’s wide eyes. “Yes. Now, what would you like to do next? Do you want me to call you a car to take you home?”

  Joshua seemed to think about it. He opened his mouth to reply, but Frank cleared his throat.

  “Or, you could hang out with me for a while in my office. There’s a comfortable couch if you’re feeling tired. Are you hungry?”

  Joshua nodded, his cheeks flushed.

  “Okay, how about you wait for me in my office, and I’ll stop by the kitchen, have them make you something special. Seth will make you whatever you want to drink. On the house. For having to deal with that prick. I don’t allow that kind of behavior in my club.”

  Joshua looked stunned. He looked from Frank to Colton, who nodded, then back to Frank before dropping his gaze to his fingers.

  “You really don’t have to, Mr. Ramirez. You’ve done so much for me already.”

  Frank placed his fingers to Joshua’s chin and lifted his face so their eyes could meet. “Please, let me take care of you for a little while, Joshua.”

  Joshua nodded, and Frank smiled warmly. He used the radio clipped to his belt to call one of his men, who happily escorted Joshua from the bathroom.

  “Don’t forget to call the office,” Colton called out to Joshua.

  “I will! Thank you so much, Mr. Connolly.”

  When they left, Colton leaned against the wall, his arms folded over his chest, and his wide smile aimed at Frank. “You’re adorable.”

  Frank narrowed his eyes at Colton before walking out of the bathroom, Colton on his heels.

  “Where do you think you’re going so fast, Mr. Ramirez?”

  “Shut up.” The noise of the club exploded around them, and Colton followed Frank into the kitchen.

  “You were very sweet with him.”

  Frank spun on his heels and squinted at him. “What are you doing?”

  “Me?” Colton blinked innocently. “He’s clearly smitten with you. I remember the feeling. It’s your arms.” Colton playfully squeezed Frank’s biceps, which were straining against the black suit jacket. He looked incredible as always in his tailored black suit with a black button-down shirt and black tie. Colton dropped his arms and laughed at Frank’s glower. “You make people feel safe, Frank, and Joshua clearly needs that.”

  “He’s too young,” Frank muttered.

  “You’re not an old man. For Christ’s sake, you’re forty-three.”

  Frank scoffed. “Which makes me ancient to most of these guys.”

  “Ridiculous. Look, it’s obvious Joshua’s not had it easy. I think he dodged a bullet with that asshole Booker.” Frank opened his mouth to argue his case some more, but Colton held a hand up to stop him. “Think about it. Now I’m going to go get stinking drunk in your club. Go take care of that sweet young man, and if he happens to want to take care of you, maybe consider it, huh?”

  Frank’s frown was deep. “Why are you going to get stinking drunk?”

  The man never missed a beat. “That’s a conversation for another night,” Colton said, patting Frank’s cheek. He turned and headed for the doors leading out to the club before Frank could stop him. “I promise I’ll tell you all my secrets then.”

  Frank scoffed at that. “I already know all your secrets.”

  “Then you can tell me some of yours,” Colton called out as he opened one of the doors.

  “Yeah, yeah. Let someone know when you’re ready to go and they’ll call you a car.”

  “Love you, Frank!”

  Frank waved him off, and Colton laughed as he headed back to the bar. Time to have some fun and forget the Teds of the world.

  Chapter 3

  “We should have called. We owe it to Frank.”

  As always, Red was the voice of reason, and normally Ace would have agreed, but this time they had a slight conflict of interest.