Colton’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that so?”

  Gio nodded. “He simply doesn’t know it yet.”

  “And you need him?”

  “I think I might,” Gio replied softly, his gaze off toward the house as they approached.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I’ll let you know once I’ve figured it out myself. In the meantime, please, trust me.”

  “Always have. Please be careful. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m rather experienced when it comes to broken hearts.”

  “Gio…”

  “It’s okay. Thank you.” Dating when he’d had nothing had been a challenge. Between working several jobs, taking care of his little brother, and going to school, Gio had barely had time to sleep, much less date.

  Dating once his investments paid off and made him rich had been a more significant challenge. Suddenly people who’d never given him a second look were calling him, messaging him, flirting with him. On the few occasions he’d taken a chance, he’d ended up with a broken heart. One guy had even tried suing him, stating Gio breaking up with him had caused him such deep anguish he couldn’t work—but not enough anguish to keep him from going clubbing and fucking some stranger in the back room. Suffice to say, the guy hadn’t gotten a penny.

  They returned to the house in companionable silence and spent the morning and afternoon hanging out. Gio managed to doze for a couple of hours while Colton watched a movie and Ace fixed the showerhead, water pressure, and tile. Soon the house was filled with rowdy conversation and laughter as the guys started to show up. Colton and Ace’s house was a home away from home for everyone, and it showed.

  Outside on the pool deck, Mason stood at the barbecue with Red, chatting and drinking his beer, while Laz sat with Ace, Lucky, and Colton, laughing so hard he was in tears. Gio made his way down the private walkway that led to the beach and stopped at the end, where King sat on the steps, smiling contently as he watched Leo running and laughing with Fitz and his black poodle, Duchess. A Frisbee whizzed by, chased by Chip, who leaped and caught it before darting back to Sacha and Jack.

  Gio was mesmerized by Chip’s skills. The speed at which he took off after the Frisbee, the way he tracked it as it soared through the air, knowing precisely when to leap and chomp down to catch it, landing gracefully on his paws. He then trotted proudly over to Sacha and dropped it at his feet, tail wagging. The second Sacha picked up the red disc, Chip took off in anticipation.

  “How’s the arm?” King asked in his deep rumbling voice, his gaze still on his boyfriend. He moved over, and Gio took the hint, sitting beside him.

  “Sore, but healing.” The sharp pain had lessened to an annoying throb, but in a couple of days he wouldn’t even need a bandage.

  “Glad to be back?”

  “I should have returned sooner,” Gio admitted. “I owe you and your brothers a debt.”

  King shook his head. “You owe us nothing. Laz is family, as are you. We take care of family.”

  “Thank you.” Gio’s words were quiet. No matter what King said, Gio would forever be grateful to King for what he’d done. The man had flown across an ocean and hunted down the bastard who’d hurt Laz. He’d brought the monster back to the United States and handed him over to the FBI, where the guy faced a lifetime in prison for the dozens of young men like Laz that he’d preyed on.

  Despite King’s words, should he or his brothers need anything, Gio would make it happen. He might not have the skills the Kings had to pull off a manhunt across the globe, but being rich had its perks, and if he couldn’t use his wealth to help those he cared about, what good was it?

  “I approved Joker’s security proposal. Frankly, you should have had a security detail the moment you landed back on US soil.”

  Gio could feel King’s gaze on him, which was impressive, considering the man wore sunglasses.

  “Google is a thing,” King grumbled. “All it takes is for the wrong people to look you up and realize you don’t have security. What were you thinking?”

  “That I’d settle in and have somewhat of a normal life before I was back to having suits standing outside the bathroom door while I took a piss.”

  “I hate to break it to you, buddy, but you gave up normal a long time ago. Hard to remain anonymous after all the press you’ve had.”

  Gio sighed. King wasn’t wrong. He’d appeared on the cover of Forbes magazine more than once and even been featured in People magazine, as well as several other high-profile editorials. He’d lost count of how many interviews he’d done over the years, how many charity events he’d attended or photos he’d posed for.

  “Now that I’m home, I’m thinking of pulling back a bit. Enjoy time with my family.” Chip barked, getting his attention. He smiled at Sacha playing tag with his best boy.

  “You strike me as the kind of guy who doesn’t shy away from a challenge,” King said, surprising Gio.

  “You’d be right.”

  King seemed to think about something, then nodded. “Good. He’s worth it.”

  “I know,” Gio replied quietly, his stomach doing somersaults. There was something special between him and Sacha. He just needed to figure out why Sacha was so afraid to let Gio in, give them a chance.

  They sat in companionable silence, watching the guys play with their furry friends until Mason called out that dinner was ready. Standing, King laughed softly when Leo ran to him and jumped on him. He wrapped himself around King’s back, arms around his neck as King carried him down the walkway, asking him if he’d had fun.

  The two were incredibly sweet. Individually, no one would believe they worked as a couple. Still, the adoration on Leo’s face when he gazed at King and the very gentle and obvious way King cherished Leo removed even the tiniest shred of doubt that they were meant for each other.

  “Hey, Gio,” Jack greeted cheerfully as he walked by, his hand in Fitz’s. They laughed as Duchess pranced past them, her fluffy tail wagging happily.

  A familiar bark had Gio turning around, and he dropped to one knee, arms wide for Chip, who bounded over excitedly, tail going at full speed, tongue lolling out as he howled and barked, telling Gio of his adventures.

  “Is that so? Oh my goodness! Well, you’ve certainly had a busy day.”

  Sacha snorted, and Gio stood.

  “Hungry?” Gio asked.

  “Starving. If he had it his way, we’d be playing day and night,” Sacha replied, playfully smacking Chip’s doggy butt. Chip spun in a circle with a series of happy barks before darting off, making them laugh.

  “He must have been quite a handful when he was a puppy.”

  “Training is brutal when the dog you’re training is as smart as you are, not to mention just as stubborn, but with any shepherd breed, it’s essential. They’re going to push you, try to take charge. Chip had to learn I was the boss, not him. He accepted it, but he reserves the right to bitch about it, and he does. Often.”

  Gio laughed. “He’s very vocal, isn’t he?”

  “Oh yeah. He’s also a master of the side-eye. No one gives attitude like my boy.”

  They reached the pool area and joined the guys as they served themselves from the buffet. He’d never seen so much food, but then at the rate Ace and his brothers-in-arms put away food, Gio understood the need for quantity, and thanks to Ace, Lucky, and especially Red’s culinary skills, they were also gifted by quality. The guys liked their good food.

  “Here.”

  Gio lifted his gaze, surprised to find Sacha standing beside his lounge chair, holding out a cold bottle of water.

  “What did I say about staying hydrated?”

  With a smile, Gio took the bottle from him. “Thank you.”

  “Not what I said.”

  Gio held up an empty bottle and waved it at him. “I’ve been a good boy.”

  Sacha’s pupils blew, and his nostrils flared, but he didn’t reply. Trying a different tactic, Gio held back a smile when Sacha sat in the lounge chair next to Gio’s. Chip hurried over and sniffed the air near Sacha’s plate.

  “Hey. Manners.”

  Chip whined and sat, his tail wagging and his gaze locked on the steak on Sacha’s plate.

  “How do you resist that face?” Gio asked.

  “Very skillfully.”

  “How do the rest of the guys resist that face?”

  “They all know not to feed him, but Ace is the biggest sucker.” Sacha shook his head. “He thinks he’s all sneaky when he slips Chip a piece of steak or b-a-c-o-n.”

  “I’m guessing there’s an excellent reason you spell that word.”

  “My boy will shank you for some b-a-c-o-n, so yes.”

  As if knowing Sacha was talking about him, Chip whined and lifted onto his haunches, his front paws up.

  “Don’t beg,” Sacha said, shaking his head in mock shame, his eyes filled with amusement. “That’s beneath you. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

  Chip barked, making Gio laugh. He was adorable. Sacha reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie and removed a treat that he tossed to Chip, who caught it in midair.

  “Now settle.”

  Chip did as he was told, lying down on the cool floor between their lounge chairs. The two of them ate, making small talk about how good the food was, the weather, how spoiled Duchess was, as evidenced by the way Fitz cooed at her and had her in his lap on the lounge chair like she didn’t weigh over fifty pounds.

  After a few heartbeats of silence, it was obvious Sacha wanted to say something. He’d open his mouth, then close it. Gio was going to ask, but Sacha finally spoke.

  “So, did you and Nia have a good time last night?”

  Gio managed to keep his expression neutral despite the urge to beam at Sacha. “We did. It was nice to catch up.”

  “I bet,” Sacha grumbled.

  “She’s a beautiful woman.”

  Sacha grunted.

  “And so talented.”

  Another grunt, then silence. Sacha shifted in his seat. “So, uh, what’s the deal with you and her? She seems comfortable around you.”

  “That’s because she is. We’re good friends. Stay in touch.”

  Sacha nodded, his gaze off in the distance.

  “But then I stay in touch with all the people I’ve helped.”

  “You do?” Sacha whipped his head around to stare at Gio. “Why?”

  “Despite what many people believe, I don’t simply show up somewhere and make it rain money. My charity invests in people who are unable to find help from the usual places. We spend time with them, work out business proposals, plans, schedules, and walk with them through every step of their new journey. We teach them to start and run their own business. Some of them are artists, some inventors, entrepreneurs, athletes, you name it.”

  “How’d you meet Nia?”

  “Every few years, I travel to Crete, where my mother was born. When I was little, she’d tell me about her home, how beautiful it was, her big family, and how much love surrounded her. It’s my way of remembering her. Anyway, I was at a cafe when I overheard a loud conversation regarding Greek singers, who were the best, that sort of thing, and one of the men said the best Greek singer he’d ever heard wasn’t famous. She was a young woman who lived in an impoverished, tiny village he’d visited the previous month. He talked about how tragic it was that the world would never hear her voice.”

  “So you rode in like a white knight and rescued her?”

  Gio laughed softly. “No. I gave her the tools so she could rescue herself. Nia was in a difficult position. Her family was very poor, her father ill and unable to get out of bed, much less work. She worked tirelessly to earn enough money for his medication and to put food on the table, and some days she went without so her father wouldn’t starve. When we met, she was understandably very wary of me.”

  “Of you?” Sacha cocked his head to one side as if he were studying Gio from behind his sunglasses. “Yeah, I can see how you might come across as shifty.” His tone was light and teasing.

  “Yes, well, I was used to it. Believe it or not, people distrust strange men showing up out of nowhere, offering money and help without wanting something in return. It took me a month to convince her I was telling her the truth, and that was only after I was finally able to bring in a full medical team to tend to her father. When she finally spoke to me, I’d just received the news that his transfer had been accepted. He was being moved to the best hospital in Athens. We spent days talking about her dreams, what she would do if money weren’t an issue. If her father was receiving the best care.”

  “Wait, had you heard her sing yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  “What if she’d been a horrible singer?”

  Gio shrugged. “We would have remained committed to helping her father. Depending on her skills, we might have hired her a voice coach. Lucky for me, she was even better than we imagined. I set up meetings with an agent and several people from the music industry who were thrilled and eager to work with Nia.”

  “And now she’s a very wealthy, award-winning pop star. No wonder she looks at you like you hang the stars.”

  “Like I said, I simply provided the opportunity and the means. I don’t have the power to make anyone a success. Like so many of the others my charity has helped, Nia’s forged her own path and worked hard for what she’s achieved.”

  Sacha nodded but didn’t respond. He stared off into the distance, and Gio would have given anything to know what he was thinking. Instead, he enjoyed Sacha’s company, loving the way they could sit together observing their friends and family without needing to fill the silence. It was such a change from a few months ago when Sacha didn’t even want to be in the same room as Gio. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so… relaxed.

  Jack and Fitz decided to stay in one of the guest rooms since both had been drinking, and wherever Jack stayed, Sacha was never far, so he and Chip took another guest room, the one next to Gio’s.

  After two hours of lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, it became painfully clear he wasn’t about to fall asleep. With a sigh, Gio got up and left his room. He went into the living room and lay on the long couch near the glass wall. It was unlikely he’d fall asleep, but at least he could still hear the waves crashing against the shore.

  Shadows moved around the room, and Gio startled awake, nothing but pitch-black surrounding him. He could have sworn he’d heard something. Probably just the wind or an animal outside. He’d been about to lie down again when a hand clamped over his mouth and several hands grabbed him. His heart thundered in his ears, and his breath caught.

  “Gio!”

  A familiar voice pierced the haze.

  “Gio, wake up. It’s me. It’s Sacha.”

  Gio’s eyes flew open, and he sprang forward, grabbing the man’s shoulders. Blinking through the wetness and fog, he stared into wide blue-gray eyes.

  “Sacha?” The word left his lips on a whisper.

  “Yeah, it’s okay. You’re okay.” Sacha cupped his face, his brows drawn together in concern. “What the hell aren’t you telling us?”

  Gio swallowed hard. He shook his head. “It was just a bad dream.”

  The expression that crossed Sacha’s face told Gio precisely what he thought about that bullshit. With a sniff, Gio pulled back and ran a hand through his hair.

  “I’m all right.”

  “That’s not what I asked you.”

  As much as he wished he could confide in Sacha, he was far too exhausted even to contemplate the conversation that would entail. “Please.”

  Sacha nodded, but he wasn’t happy about it. “How often do you have these dreams?”

  “More often than I’d like,” Gio admitted.

  “I know you don’t want to talk about it, and you don’t have to talk about it with me, but you need to talk to someone.”

  “I know.” Gio had hoped the nightmares would end with time, but after almost a year of them, nothing had changed.

  “When was the last time you had a full night’s sleep?”

  Gio couldn’t remember, so he didn’t reply.

  “Well, that’s just great,” Sacha grumbled. “There a reason you’re sleeping on the couch instead of the queen-size memory foam bed?”

  “It’s… easier to fall asleep. What about you?”

  Sacha motioned over his shoulder to Chip, who sat watching them. “Potty break.” He went thoughtful. “Okay.” Sacha straightened, then walked off.

  Gio sat confused. Had he said something wrong? Sacha was unpredictable at the best of times, but he never simply walked off without a few more words, at least. Before Gio hurt himself wondering what he’d done, Sacha returned with a couple of pillows and blankets. He tossed a set to Gio, then dropped his pillow onto the couch across from him.

  “What are you doing?”

  “What’s it look like?” Sacha lay down and covered himself with the blanket. “Go to sleep, Gio. Chip, time for night-night.”

  Chip padded over to Gio’s side, licked his hand, then curled up on the floor next to Gio’s couch.

  “There you go. If a frog so much as farts, Chip will hear it, so go to sleep.” Sacha rolled over and pulled his blanket over his shoulder, his back to Gio.

  Gio’s smile couldn’t get any wider or his heart any fuller as he lay down. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Knowing he was safe, Gio drifted off to sleep. For the first time in many months, he dreamed of being wrapped in the warm embrace of an untamable whirlwind with blue-gray eyes.

  THREE

  “I don’t get it.”

  “Get what?” Jack said through his earpiece.

  “This whole modern art bullshit,” Joker said discreetly, motioning around him at the vast gallery lined with wall-to-wall artwork. “Standing in front of a bunch of scribbles and paint splotches with a constipated expression, pretending you see something, then being all”—he put a hand to his chest and gasped—“it’s incredible. Just look at these lines, the colors. See how it represents our crumbling environment and the decimation of man brought on by our mutual propensity for self-destruction.”