“Yeah, um, okay.” Sacha turned to Laz. “He staying with you guys tonight?”

  Gio frowned. “That’s not—” The warning look he received from Sacha had Gio holding back a smile.

  “Yeah, it is.”

  “Of course,” Laz said, scowling at his brother.

  “Good. I’ll discuss it with King, and we’ll have someone assigned as your executive protection first thing in the morning.”

  Executive protection? “I really don’t think—”

  “Well, I think it is. Now, how about you go home with Laz and stay out of trouble.” With that, Sacha stormed off.

  Laz continued to fuss over him, and Gio sighed. “Laz, I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

  His brother’s glare told him he disagreed. Feeling a little dizzy, Gio didn’t have the energy to argue, so he simply nodded, even if the only thing he wanted to do right now was take a nice hot shower and get into his own bed, though it was probably best he not be alone. Twice in one day. He needed this kind of excitement not to become a habit.

  Colton appeared and gently placed a hand on Gio’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come home with us,” Colton said, then moved his gaze to Laz. “We’ll look after him.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” Gio replied, perking up. “Then I’ll already be there for the barbecue.”

  Colton blinked at him. “You don’t want to reschedule it?”

  “Are you kidding? No. I’ve been looking forward to it. Starting next week, I have a full schedule of events.” Now that his move back was official and his affairs were all in order at home and the office, it was time to get back to it.

  “Are you sure?” Laz asked, uncertain.

  “Positive.” Gio hugged his brother once more. “Give Red a hug from me and tell him not to worry.”

  “You call me if you need anything, you understand?” Laz demanded, and Gio promised he would. When had his little brother become so forceful? It was good to see. At one point, Laz seemed to have lost all his self-confidence. Or more likely, it had been slowly stripped away by his bastard ex-boyfriend.

  Once Gio hugged Laz and promised him for the hundredth time that he’d rest and call if he needed anything, Laz went off with the guys, and Gio climbed into the back seat of Ace’s car. The two lovebirds murmured from the front seats, holding hands. Gio was so happy for Colton. Never in a million years would he have predicted his best friend would end up married to a man like Ace, but after spending only a few minutes in their presence, Gio understood.

  Colton laughed softly at something his husband said, and Gio smiled. Once upon a time, Colton had been so serious, devoting himself to nothing but work, afraid to risk his heart after the utter betrayal from his previous relationship. He’d been cold and detached. He laughed and smiled easily these days, his eyes filled with life and love, even when Ace drove him mad. All Ace had to do was pull Colton into his arms and murmur a few soft words and Colton dissolved; his anger evaporated much like the rain on a hot and humid Florida day.

  An image of bright blue-gray eyes came to mind, and Gio found himself smiling again. Sacha put on a formidable front of dislike for Gio, but the truth was Sacha did care. Why he seemed so against showing it had Gio stumped. He recalled the night of the auction, replaying the memory for what had to be the thousandth time.

  After the kiss to Sacha’s cheek, Sacha had stormed off backstage, and Gio had quickly followed him to a darkened corner away from the busyness of the stage area. Sacha whirled on Gio, hissing at him like a bristled wild cat with sharp fangs and sharper claws.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  The way his eyes shone, even in the dim lighting… Good God, he was beautiful. “You’re stunning.”

  Sacha stared at him before seeming to shake himself out of it. “What the fuck, Gio? You’re supposed to be halfway around the world.”

  “And miss taking you out on a date?” Gio shook his head. “Never. Besides…” He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I’m home. For good.”

  That seemed to shock Sacha more than Gio’s sudden presence. “You… You’re staying?”

  Gio stepped closer to Sacha, and with a warm smile, tentatively reached out to move a lock of Sacha’s hair away from his brow. “Yes, I am. Consider this my homecoming.” A host of emotions crossed Sacha’s face, none of them decipherable.

  “Holy fuck! You just paid a hundred thousand dollars for a date.”

  “With you.”

  Sacha didn’t appear impressed. Not that it had been Gio’s intention. Quite the opposite. Sacha’s reaction had him even more captivated, but then Gio shouldn’t be surprised. A man like Sacha had little interest in pompous gestures. He’d been aware of Gio’s wealth from the beginning and couldn’t have cared less. He seemed more suspicious of it than anything.

  “The truth is, I spent a hundred thousand dollars on a very worthy cause.”

  Sacha regarded him with narrowed eyes. So suspicious. “Why?”

  “You and your family saved my little brother’s life. More than once, in fact. The more I’ve gotten to know Red, and through him your family, the more I want to help where I can. Tonight provided me with the perfect opportunity. A date with you is simply a lovely bonus.”

  Sacha glared at him and thrust a finger at him. “Whatever your game is, I’m not playing; you got that?”

  Gio moved closer, and Sacha quickly retreated a step, unaware he had nowhere to go until his back hit the wall behind him. His eyes widened.

  “I never play games,” Gio whispered, cupping Sacha’s face. He ran a thumb over Sacha’s bottom lip, his pulse racing when those gorgeous eyes fluttered shut and Sacha leaned into Gio’s touch. His lips parted ever so softly, and Gio lowered his head to brush his lips along the side of Sacha’s mouth. Heat flared through him at the sound of Sacha’s sharp intake of breath. A barely-there moan escaped from between those sweet lips. “Let me give you what you need.”

  Sacha shivered beneath his touch. Then his eyes popped open, and he glared at Gio. “I don’t need anything from anyone, especially you. Get the hell out of my way.”

  Gio held up his hands in front of him and stepped aside. After that, Gio had canceled the date. Of course, he’d still donated the money, but he wasn’t going to force Sacha into doing something he didn’t want to do. To his absolute bewilderment, Sacha texted him several days later, informing him the date was back on. Gio had no idea what had prompted the change of heart, but he’d been thrilled. The heat and tension between them had almost killed him, but spending that time alone with Sacha had been worth every second.

  “Home sweet home.”

  Ace’s voice interrupted Gio’s thoughts, and he climbed out of the parked car. He followed the two into the house from the garage, thanking Ace for everything. Colton led Gio to one of the many guest rooms and went to find him some clothes he could change into, along with something to wrap his arm in so he could shower.

  “Thanks, Colt.”

  “You let me know if you need anything, okay? And don’t worry if your bandage needs changing. Ace can do that for you.” He smiled brightly. “Having a former Green Beret for a husband is pretty handy.” His eyes widened. “Just don’t ask him to fix anything.”

  Gio frowned. “I would have thought he’d be good at fixing things.”

  “Oh, he is. The problem is that when he goes to fix something, like oh, let’s say the bottom board on the steps of the walkway leading from the deck to the beach, upon further inspection, he discovers how uneven the rest of it is and ends up tearing the whole thing up.” Colton looked slightly traumatized. “Our house might get swept away by a hurricane, but the military-grade walkway will survive. Also, he fixed the Roomba, so unless you want to get sucked into another dimension, stay away from it.”

  Laughter bubbled out of Gio so hard, he had tears in his eyes, and Colton was right there with him. They were so loud, Ace appeared, a bemused smile on his handsome face.

  “You two are adorable. By the way,” Ace told Colton, “the showerhead broke in our bathroom, but don’t worry, I fixed it.”

  Colton and Gio exchanged glances before they started laughing again. Gio could barely breathe.

  “What?” Ace said. “What’s so funny?”

  Colton wiped a tear from his eye and wrapped his arms around Ace’s waist. “Nothing, baby. Let’s go to bed. Goodnight, Gio.”

  “Goodnight, you two.” Gio shook his head and closed the door behind his friends. It was so good to be home.

  As much as Gio would have loved to take a long hot shower, it wasn’t a good idea after the night he’d had, so he made it quick, mindful of the bandage on his arm, and then changed into the pajamas Colton had brought him. He was a little lightheaded but okay. Knowing he wouldn’t be getting much sleep despite his exhaustion, he stepped outside onto the balcony that ran along the back of the house facing the beach.

  The March weather was perfect. Still early enough in the year for a cool evening breeze, but late enough for the winter chill to have gone. He’d forgotten how peaceful it was to be on the beach.

  When he’d returned home, he’d stayed with Colton and Ace while his broker found him the perfect house. Laz had been hurt at first that Gio hadn’t stayed with him, but Gio gently reminded his brother that moving back to the States meant his life was going to be chaotic before it settled, and the last thing he wanted was to interrupt Red’s routine.

  As someone who lived with PTSD, Red needed to keep to his routines as much as possible. He also required quiet time, and the constant phone calls coming through Gio’s phone to the video conferences and meetings were anything but quiet. Red was a good man, and he’d done so much for Laz, Gio refused to do anything that would cause him any setbacks.

  After just a few days of watching the sunset from his bedroom balcony, Gio informed his broker to find him something on the beach. He’d also insisted on being near his brother. His broker had come through for him, finding him a gorgeous five-bedroom house on the beach smack in the middle between Colton and Ace’s Ponte Vedra mansion and Laz and Red’s condo in St. Augustine Beach.

  Gio closed his eyes as he listened to the lulling sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The night sky was cloudless, with twinkling stars scattered here and there. When sleep crept up on him, he dragged himself inside. He locked the balcony doors behind him, then dropped onto the comfortable recliner, his feet propped up. He drifted off soon after and managed to get about four hours of sleep.

  By the time he’d dressed and wandered downstairs, Ace was in the kitchen serving Colton breakfast.

  “Good morning,” Gio chirped. “Thank you again for letting me stay last night.”

  Colton waved a hand in dismissal. “As if there was any question. Did you sleep well?”

  “I did,” Gio lied. His best friend didn’t need to know he rarely slept, or when he did, the nightmares were so terrible they left him shaken and even more tired in the morning.

  “How’s your arm?” Ace asked.

  “Sore, but on the mend.” Gio slid into the chair at the counter next to Colton and thanked Ace for the plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast placed in front of him. He still marveled at his new family. At one point, it had just been him, Laz, and Colton. Now his days were filled with the boisterous sound of laughter and hijinks, thanks to the rowdy and lovable mischief-makers who’d embraced Gio upon his return without hesitation. It’s what Gio hadn’t even realized he’d been missing for so long.

  After breakfast, Ace kissed Colton. “Okay, I’m heading out to get the new showerhead and the, uh, the stuff to replace the tile. Let me know if you need anything while I’m out.”

  Gio opened his mouth to ask, but Colton gave a slight shake of his head, his smile barely suppressed.

  “I will,” Colton replied. He waited until Ace had left before turning to Gio. “Fancy a morning run?”

  “Sure. What happened to the showerhead? I thought he fixed it last night?”

  “He did,” Colton said, standing. “He also fixed the water pressure. The showerhead is now embedded in the tile. Thankfully, he hasn’t lost his killer reflexes, or the showerhead would have knocked him out when it shot off the wall.”

  If Gio hadn’t known Ace, he would have thought Colton was exaggerating. The two of them laughed on their way upstairs to change for their run. One thing was for sure—his best friend would never be bored.

  Once changed, they headed down to the beach and the wet sand by the shore. The day was beautiful, and although still hot even at this time of the morning, a nice cool breeze was coming off the ocean. They jogged up the beach, greeting fellow joggers and several dogs. Gio stopped to pet each dog, because how could he not? He loved dogs, had always wanted one, but his busy schedule didn’t leave room for a furry friend. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them, especially with all the traveling.

  “And here I thought you’d slowed down,” Colton teased.

  How he’d missed Colton. “Are you saying I’m getting old?” He wiped the sweat from his brow and slowed to a walk.

  “Never. Especially since we’re the same age.”

  “Ah, of course.” Gio smiled warmly at him. “Though I have to admit, some days I can certainly feel myself aging.”

  Colton’s smile turned sympathetic. “When was the last time you took some time off? And I mean real time off. You haven’t stopped since you got back, and I can only imagine what kind of schedule you kept while you were abroad.”

  “What are you talking about? I’ve traveled the world for years, met all kinds of amazing people. I’m incredibly lucky.”

  “And you’ve made such a difference in people’s lives. You’re an inspiration, Gio. I mean, look at Nia. You helped her make her dream come true.”

  Gio waved a hand. “I’m just a guy with a shit ton of money.”

  Colton didn’t appear impressed, but then no one knew Gio like Colton. “Right. Tell me, which other billionaires were out there with you, living in unholy conditions, almost dying while transforming people’s lives?”

  “Thank you, by the way, for not telling my brother about my brush with death.” Gio hated lying to his brother, but Laz had spent so much time worrying about Gio while he was away, the last thing he needed was to know Gio had been in some makeshift hospital somewhere fighting for his life. What good would it have done?

  Gio never discussed the dangers he faced while abroad with Laz. His brother wouldn’t have understood why Gio had to be the one to go out there, spend time with the people he was trying to help, live in the conditions they did, get to know the challenges they faced. Some problems couldn’t be solved by throwing money at them. What he did was more than charity. He helped people set up and maintain a new, better life, one they’d been too afraid to dream of. After that, he made sure they had the support they needed every step of the way to continue operating in their new life, checking in with them and offering support.

  “I only did it because you promised me you’d tell him eventually.” Colton stared off at the ocean. “I felt like such a bastard, telling him you had no phone signal when we had no idea where the hell you were. If I had known you were in some godforsaken hospital hanging on by a thread, I would have gone out there and dragged you home myself.”

  Gio smiled and patted Colton’s arm. His best friend didn’t even know the half of it. “I know you would have.” Colton would have at least tried. Lord knew, there would have been nowhere for any kind of plane or helicopter to land. Hell, the tent they’d set up as a hospital for the tiny village would have been nearly impossible for anyone to find. Would Sacha have found him? Gio was pretty sure Sacha could do whatever he put his mind to.

  “You’re thinking of him again.”

  Gio lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “Yep. You get this look of deep concentration on your face whenever you think about him.”

  “You know me too well.” Gio wiped his brow again. The humidity was intense, and it was still early in the morning.

  “Yep. Which is why, as your best friend who knows you so very well, I’m going to say this with nothing but love. Please be careful. Joker isn’t like anyone you’ve ever dealt with.”

  “Oh, I know.” The mention of him had Gio’s entire body buzzing.

  “I’m not saying he’s not a good guy, because he is. If you’re in trouble, in danger, hell, if someone so much as looks at you funny, he’ll probably launch a counterstrike.”

  The thought warmed Gio all over. “You think so?”

  “You’re family, so yes. You’ve seen the way Ace and the guys are. Family is everything, whether through blood or bond. Joker might act like a jerk at times, but he’ll never let you down.”

  “An admirable quality in a partner, don’t you think?”

  “Yes.” Colton’s brows furrowed, his expression one of confusion. “He’s… so unlike anyone you’ve ever dated, Gio.”

  “And you and Ace are alike?”

  “We both know that’s not what I’m saying. Joker is… intense. He’s got a lot of baggage, and he doesn’t open up the way the rest of the guys do.”

  “Who doesn’t have a lot of baggage?” Gio had plenty, that was for damned sure. Between his father, his brother, what happened before he ended up almost dying, and the ramifications of it? He had his own airport terminal’s worth of baggage.

  “He’s also the most volatile. The guy has one hell of a temper.”

  “He’s… expressive.”

  Colton laughed. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

  “Do you think he’s dangerous?”

  “Do I think he’s dangerous to you physically? No. Of that, I’m certain. Do I think he’s a danger to your heart? Absolutely. Gio, he doesn’t date. And believe me, we’ve tried.”

  Gio narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses. “Are you still setting him up with people?”

  “Um, no. Joker’s been too busy with work lately. Or so he says.”

  “That so?” Interesting. Gio’s heart did a little flip. “I’ve been around him long enough to know that everything you’re saying is true, and I appreciate your concern, but there’s something about him that calls to me. I think he needs me.”