“Do you know why you’re here, Mr. Vicente?”

  Paolo shrugged. “Because clearly you are offended by a man with good taste in fashion?”

  “Mouthing off is not going to win you any favors.”

  The warning in Mason’s tone was not lost on Paolo, and he let out a resigned sigh. Good to know the man had some kind of common sense.

  “Speeding ticket? How should I know. Can we make this quick? I am meeting someone.”

  “Would that someone be the man you’re cheating on your wife with?”

  Paolo’s face drained of color. He fidgeted in his seat and swallowed hard. “What, um, what are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about your lover, Bryan Burch. The man you were having sex with in Madrid while your wife was in Paris. Now tell me, did you and Mr. Burch plot together to have Mr. Lazarus Galanos killed, or was the idea solely yours?”

  Paolo choked on air. “What?” His eyes bugged out of his head, and he started flailing. “Dio. What? Attempted… attempted murder?”

  “You expect me to believe you don’t know anything about the attempt on Mr. Galanos’s life, when you clearly know about the photographs he has of you and Mr. Burch?”

  The penny dropped, and Paolo leapt from his chair. “What? You think I tried to kill Laz because of some photos?”

  “Not just some photos, Mr. Vicente. Photos that could mean the end of your pampered lifestyle and Mr. Burch’s career. If your wife were to find out about your affair, it would be very bad for you, wouldn’t it? You signed a prenup when you married Elena Vicente. If she kicks you to the curb, you’re left with nothing. Not even the name Vicente is yours. You’re a man accustomed to the finer things. Wearing the best designer clothes, dining at the most expensive restaurants, staying in luxury accommodations during trips around the world, all expenses paid. I bet the thought of losing all that makes you pretty angry.”

  “No. No, no, no. Look, I might hate Lazarus, don’t get me wrong, but I would never try to kill him.”

  “That so. Sit down, please.”

  “I will stand.”

  “Sit. Down,” Mason growled.

  Paolo promptly plopped back down onto his chair.

  Mason sat back and folded his arms over his broad chest. “And what about Mr. Burch?”

  Paolo’s head shot up. “What about him?”

  “Has he mentioned harming Mr. Galanos in any way?”

  “No.” Paolo shook his head emphatically. “Bryan would never hurt anyone.”

  “Oh? And when Bryan pushed Mr. Galanos, causing him to slip on wet tile, injuring himself and almost drowning? What would you call that?”

  “An accident,” Paolo replied through his teeth.

  “Or maybe a hint of things to come?” Mason shrugged nonchalantly.

  Paolo shot to his feet again. “I want to speak to my lawyer.”

  “You mean your wife’s lawyer,” Mason said, pulling out his cell phone. “Would you like me to call him for you? Or would you like to finish answering some questions? It’s up to you.”

  Paolo thought about it. A smug look came across his face. “Are you charging me with something, Officer…?”

  “Detective Mason Cooper.”

  “Are you charging me with something, Detective Cooper?”

  “No.”

  “Am I under arrest, Detective?”

  Mason narrowed his eyes. “No, you are not under arrest, Mr. Vicente.”

  “Then I am free to leave?”

  “Yes.”

  Laz dropped into the chair behind the desk, exhausted from the exchange. He watched on the monitor as Mason escorted a smug-looking Paolo from the interview room.

  “So that’s it, then?” Laz asked to no one in particular. What had he been expecting? If Paolo was guilty, did he think he was just going to confess? The man had everything to lose. He’d probably covered all his tracks.

  “Let’s see what Mason says.”

  Red’s tone pretty much confirmed Laz was right. They had nothing.

  A few minutes later, Mason entered the room, his expression saying it all. “I’m sorry, Laz, but we don’t have any evidence that points to him hiring someone to kill you. I can’t look into his finances or search his property without warrants, and to get those, we need probable cause. So far we haven’t been able to find anything that leads us to believe the man is a threat to your safety. The photos on their own aren’t enough, as the shots where they’re being intimate have Paolo mostly turned away. We know it’s him, especially with the photos you took of him just before and after, but Paolo can argue that it’s not actually him in bed with Bryan, and that’s enough for reasonable doubt.”

  While Red and Mason discussed the case, Laz’s phone pinged. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw he’d received a new email. Slowly he got to his feet.

  “Um, Mason?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Would an email from Paolo’s email account saying, ‘I’m going to make you pay for what you’ve done’ be enough to get you a warrant?” Laz handed Mason his phone, and Mason’s lips curled into a grin.

  “How’s about you print that out for me on that computer there.”

  Laz logged into his email account and did as Mason asked. He wasn’t sure whether Paolo was just cocky or stupid. The man had been brought in for questioning regarding an attempted murder, and he was emailing threats the moment he walked out of the police station? Whatever the hell was going on, Laz hoped it was all over soon. All he wanted was to put Bryan and Paolo behind him so he could move on with his life, a life that included watching the sunrise with a fiery redhead wrapped around him.

  Chapter 10

  Five days.

  It had been five days since Paolo had been brought in for questioning, and four days since Mason had informed Laz he’d submitted his affidavit to a judge in the hopes of getting search warrants for Paolo’s personal account, business account, and condo on the beach. There was a lot of law and police jargon involved, which confused Laz. When his head started to hurt, he’d thanked Mason and told him he was putting Red on the phone. Half an hour later, Red broke it down for Laz, and what it boiled down to was more waiting and hoping—hoping the judge agreed with Mason that there was reason to search Paolo’s accounts and property, and hoping they found enough evidence to bring charges against him and arrest him. Laz still had no idea whether Paolo was guilty. What he did know was that he was done with all this. For now, he’d take comfort in the man he loved.

  Laz’s eyes shot open, and he sucked in a shaky breath as he stared at the ceiling.

  Love? Love?

  No way. He couldn’t be in love, could he? It was too soon. Sure, he’d known Red for months, but they’d only just started dating. Then again, he’d felt a deep connection to Red from the beginning and had come to see him as someone important to him far longer than the short period they’d been together. Laz warned himself of the dangers of falling for someone so quickly, but what could he do? His heart had gone ahead and made the decision on its own. He’d had no say in the matter. And yet, he found he didn’t care. He was ridiculously happy.

  He was in love with Russell McKinley.

  “Should I be jealous of whatever’s got you smiling like that?” Red climbed back under the covers next to Laz, and they turned so they were facing each other.

  “Only if you want to be jealous of yourself,” Laz admitted. Could his dorky smile get any bigger? Red’s expression was soft, and he leaned in to kiss Laz.

  “I love that the thought of me makes you smile like that,” Red murmured against Laz’s lips. He rolled Laz onto his back, and Laz relished in the tender kisses Red trailed across his skin, from his jaw down to his neck. Laz closed his eyes and hummed at the pleasure of feeling Red’s mouth on him. He drew in a sharp breath when Red sucked at one of his nipples, then teased and licked it before moving on to the next one.

  Laz gave himself completely, spreading his legs so Red could lie between them as he continued his sweet torture. It was as if Red had familiarized himself with every inch of Laz’s body, knowing exactly where to touch, where to kiss, or caress. Like he had a map in his head of all of Laz’s sweet spots, all of which he exploited without mercy. Laz begged for more, shameless in his desire for the gorgeous man feasting on his flesh. With the flick of his tongue, he had Laz coming apart, and with a tender word, he rendered Laz breathless.

  Red moved toward the drawer when Laz threw his hand out to stop him.

  “Wait.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I, um… I was thinking maybe we could ditch the condoms? I got tested a few months ago and have the results on my phone. They came back negative.” Laz had no idea he’d been holding his breath until a brilliant smile spread across Red’s face, a dimple appearing, because of course, the man had dimples. Sweet Jesus.

  “I’m negative too. Everyone at Four Kings gets tested quarterly. I have my results from this quarter on my phone.”

  “So, is that okay?” The thought of having Red inside him with nothing between them had Laz achingly hard. He wanted to feel all of Red.

  “It’s more than okay.” Red reached for his phone, but Laz stopped him.

  “I trust you.”

  “That means a great deal to me, sweetheart. Thank you for putting your trust in me.” Red pressed his lips to Laz’s, kissing him sweetly before he let his head rest against Laz’s.

  Laz was placing more than his trust in Red’s hands. He was placing his heart. Instead of saying so, he wrapped his arms around Red and thrust his hips up. “I need you inside me, Red.” He felt the shudder go through Red, and Laz couldn’t help the moan that escaped him. “Please.”

  Red pulled away long enough to grab the lube, and pour a generous amount into his hand. He stroked his hard length, his beautiful skin flushed, his lips slightly parted, and his hazel-green eyes burning with heat as he caressed every inch of Laz’s body with his gaze. As if unable to help himself, Red shifted down the bed, took hold of Laz’s foot, and placed a kiss to it.

  Laz groaned, his cock hard against his stomach, the tip leaking precome as Red placed feathery kisses along Laz’s leg. When he reached Laz’s thigh, he licked at the crease where Laz’s groin met his leg. Laz was going to lose his mind if Red continued his sensual torture. He needed to be filled by Red.

  As if sensing his thoughts, Red took pity on him and lined the head of his thick shaft up with Laz’s hole. He lifted Laz’s legs to make the breach a little easier, and Laz hissed at the sharp pain.

  “You okay?”

  Laz nodded. “Please, don’t stop.”

  The pain soon gave way to the most delicious pleasure, and Laz arched his back as Red sank into him inch by glorious inch. When his groin was seated against Laz’s ass, Laz wrapped his legs around Red, and then Red started to move ever so gingerly. They kissed leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world. Laz could kiss Red forever. His soft lips, talented tongue, and heavenly taste had Laz panting before long.

  “Oh God, Red.”

  Laz bit down on his bottom lip, afraid the words swirling around in his head would tumble out of him if he didn’t. They were still so new. The last thing he wanted was to scare Red, or have him believe it was the circumstances they were in making him say the words, when the truth was he felt them down to his soul.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Red whispered, almost reverently, and a part of Laz wondered if maybe Red didn’t already know.

  Red laced their fingers together and moved their hands up and above Laz’s head as he undulated his hips, his thrusts slow but deep. A gasp caught in Laz’s throat when Red changed his angle and punched his hips.

  “Oh fuck! Red!” Laz shook, his body ready to come apart as Red pegged his gland over and over. His mouth opened in a silent cry as Red started to move faster, his thrusts short, deep, and hard. Red buried his fingers in Laz’s hair, holding on to fistfuls of it, and Laz scraped his nails down Red’s back, his orgasm exploding through him, his come hot and sticky between their joined bodies.

  “Laz,” Red groaned, his hips losing all rhythm. Sweat beaded his brow, his breath coming out labored, and his muscles tightening as he met Laz’s gaze. “I’m so fucking happy that you’re mine.”

  “Yes. I’m yours, Red. For as long as you want me,” Laz promised.

  “Always. I’ll always want you,” Red whispered before he let out a strangled cry and his release roared out of him, his come filling Laz’s channel. His entire body shook, and Laz held on to him as he continued to pound into Laz until every last drop had been released inside Laz. When his flesh was too sensitive, Red carefully pulled out with a hiss before collapsing on Laz, his face buried in the crook of Laz’s neck.

  Laz didn’t mind Red’s heavier weight on him, in fact he loved it. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay that way for long, but he’d enjoy every moment while he could. He wrapped one arm around Red’s expansive back, brushing his fingers over the defined muscles, while he stroked Red’s hair. He inhaled Red’s scent, a heady mix of sweaty man, sex, and lavender. With a smile, he closed his eyes, and drifted off until a familiar voice stirred him from sleep. How long had he been out for? God, his body ached so damned good. His heart skipped a beat at the memory of him and Red making love. There was no doubt in his mind that’s exactly what they’d done. All he could think about was doing it all over again.

  “I’m sorry to call you on this number, but it couldn’t wait. I really need to see you.”

  Laz’s heart dropped to his stomach, and a lump formed in his throat. Red was on the phone with someone. Maybe he was talking to King, and he was whispering because he didn’t want to wake up Laz. Whatever it was, it wasn’t what his silly brain was trying to convince him of. He wasn’t about to start jumping to conclusions, and he certainly wasn’t going to start doubting Red.

  “I’m so sorry, but it can’t wait. How about later today? Now? I can’t. I’m… with a friend.”

  The back of Laz’s eyes stung, and he quickly squashed his rising panic. Whatever it was, it was not what he thought. It couldn’t be. They’d just spent the night making love. Red had told him he was Laz’s. What the hell was wrong with him? He needed to stop. Now. He couldn’t let himself go down this path. This was Red, not Bryan. Laz wasn’t going to let that asshole ruin this for him. Red was an amazing man, and he’d never been anything but upfront with Laz. He’d never given Laz any reason to doubt him. If he wanted Laz to know what his conversation was about, he’d say so.

  “Great. Thank you. I better go. Sorry? No, um, he’s just a friend. Really.”

  Laz rolled onto his side, his eyes closed as the bed dipped and Red curled around him. Fuck, why couldn’t he get the stupid idea out of his head? Why did his brain conjure up images of Red and some gorgeous woman? Not even another guy, but a woman. Was he that insecure? Stop being an asshole.

  Red nuzzled the curls at the back of Laz’s head, and Laz swallowed down the hurt. Maybe he should just ask? But what was he supposed to say? Hey, I couldn’t help but overhear your obviously private phone conversation, and it sounded like maybe you might be seeing someone else besides me. Red wouldn’t do that. Right, because he’s perfect? You know who else was perfect? Bryan. Perfect Bryan who’d said he loved Laz and then slept his way across the globe behind Laz’s back. No. Stop. Just stop.

  Laz swallowed hard and forced himself to sound like his heart wasn’t shattering in a million pieces. “We should get up and dressed. Colton and Ace will be here soon.”

  “Right. Shit. I forgot.” Red placed a kiss to Laz’s shoulder and brushed his fingers down his arm. “Want to join me in the shower?”

  “Why don’t you shower while I make us breakfast? I have a couple of invoices I need to check on this morning.”

  “Oh, okay.” The disappointment in Red’s voice was clear as day, but thankfully he seemed to recover quickly. “Thank you for your offer to make breakfast. I’ll see you downstairs.” With one final kiss to Laz’s shoulder, the bed dipped and Red headed for the bathroom. As soon as he was gone, Laz jumped out of bed, grabbed some clothes, his phone, and ran to the end of the hall, where he ducked into Colton’s bathroom to use his shower. He broke records with how fast he washed. Once he was dressed, he hurried downstairs and got to making them breakfast bagels, though the thought of eating anything made him feel sick to his stomach. Tears burned the back of his eyes, but he refused to give in. They were tears of anger more than anything, because he hated this familiar feeling. Hated that he was doubting Red, that after everything Laz had suffered he was once again doubting himself.

  Laz didn’t want to distrust Red, but the seed had been planted, and Richard’s words echoed in his head as if to justify his shitty feelings. What makes you think you’re good enough for him? He’s just going to use you like every other guy until something better comes along, because you’re the in-between guy.

  Fuck Richard, and fuck this. He was not the in-between guy.

  “You okay?”

  Laz was so startled he dropped the glass of orange juice he’d been holding. It shattered into tiny pieces, juice going everywhere. “Fuck!”

  “Don’t move,” Red instructed gently. “Your feet are bare. I don’t want you to cut yourself. Let me get the dustpan and broom.”

  Laz did as asked, and Red was back a heartbeat later, brushing the shards onto the dustpan.

  “I’m such a fucking idiot.”

  “No, you’re not. It was an accident. I’m sorry I scared you.” Red finished cleaning up, and it took everything Laz had not to demand Red tell him what the hell was going on. Why did he have to be so fucking insecure? What if he was wrong, and Red realized he’d made a big mistake with Laz, that he had his own baggage without taking on Laz’s. He’d said there had to be trust between them, but then why hide the phone call? Laz mentally shook himself out of it. He had to give Red a chance. Like you gave Bryan a chance? Over and over.