King barked out a laugh at the thought of Ace seeing a giant red Swedish Fish at the door. The guys visibly jumped, and Ace took hold of Red’s arm before leaning in.

  “What’s happening right now? Red, I’m scared.”

  King rolled his eyes. “Ass.”

  Leo looked from King to Ace. “What?”

  Ace shrugged. “Nothing. Seeing King laugh is like winter in Florida. Blink and you miss it.”

  Leo frowned. “What do you mean? He laughs all the time.”

  Oh God. King groaned and put a hand to his face. He was never going to hear the end of this.

  Ace choked on air. “I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “What?”

  Leo shrugged. “Yeah. I’ve seen him laugh and smile a bunch of times.”

  Everyone’s head snapped to King.

  “What?” he growled. Thankfully, his friends were not stupid men, nor did they have a death wish, so they kept their mouths shut. King turned his attention to Leo. “Leo, these goofballs are my brothers, and I trust them with my life. I trust them with you. Do you know what that means?”

  Leo nodded. “You trust them. That’s all I need to know.” He waved cheerfully at the guys. “It’s so great to meet you. Thank you for your service.”

  The guys nodded their thanks, all of them clearly still reeling from that little truth bomb Leo had dropped on them. It wasn’t like King never smiled or laughed. He pursed his lips in thought. Maybe it wasn’t all the time, but he wasn’t always a miserable grump. Was he? It was different with them. They were like family. He didn’t have to pretend around them. Not that he pretended around Leo.

  Ace stepped forward, addressing King. “Can I talk to you in private?”

  Taking the hint, Jack jumped in, smiling widely at Leo. “Hey, you have a sweet setup. Mind showing me?” Jack followed Leo to his desk while King headed for the balcony. They stepped outside, and Ace slid the glass door closed behind him. It was a little chillier out here, what with it being almost three in the morning and the cool breeze coming in off the ocean.

  King knew what Ace was going to say before he said it, so he put a hand up to stop him before the words were out. “My job is to look out for him and help him in any way I can.”

  “I don’t even know where to start,” Ace muttered, still stupefied.

  “Don’t hurt yourself.”

  “Fuck off. This is serious.”

  King sighed. “Usually it is when the NSA and the military are involved.”

  “Tell me how this happened.” Ace took a seat in one of the comfortable-looking lounge chairs, and King dragged another chair closer to him.

  “When I returned from London, the General was waiting for me at the airport. We took a ride, and he told me about a top-secret op involving an asset that wasn’t cooperating. At first, he was asking me questions, seeking my advice on how to handle the situation, so I gave my input. That’s when I discovered the asset was his son.” King met his best friend’s eyes. “He’s scared for Leo, Ace. You know how these things go. Hell, we’ve lived it. The General needed to have someone on the inside looking out for Leo. None of these guys have his best interest at heart. Leo’s nothing but a human computer to them. How could I say no?” King sighed. “They’re forcing the General to retire.”

  “What?”

  “Leo said it was punishment for keeping him hidden from them.”

  Ace cursed under his breath and sat back. He rubbed a hand over his face. “Shit. Makes sense. One thing you could never doubt when he talked to us was how much he loved his kids.” He shook his head before meeting King’s gaze. “And this thing between you and Leo?”

  “There is no thing between me and Leo.”

  Ace tilted his head toward the glass doors. “Does he know that?”

  “All I’m doing is what the General asked. Leo is a sweet guy. He’s very smart but very vulnerable. He needs me.”

  “For how long?”

  “I have no idea how long this op will take.”

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Ace also knew King wasn’t going to discuss it, so he moved on to something else. It wasn’t what King expected to hear. “How could the General ask you to do this after what happened? I know you, King. This is going to eat away at you.”

  King’s heart felt heavy. “I’ll have to deal with it. Leo’s well-being is my priority.”

  “And if he finds out? What happens to his well-being then? What happens to your well-being?”

  “He won’t find out.” King wouldn’t let that happen.

  “Really? Because from what I remember, the kid’s a fucking genius. I mean, that’s why he’s in this mess, right?”

  “He has no reason to go poking around, and I have no intention of broaching the subject with him. He’s been through enough, and the last thing I want is to hurt him. Jesus, they came after him, Ace.” King leaned forward. “The black site that was supposed to be secure was breached. That means they have a traitor among them.”

  “Shit, what happened? Did you guys get hurt?”

  “No. I got him out of there.”

  Ace eyed him. “How?”

  “Took them out.”

  Ace blinked at him. “Holy shit. You care about him.”

  “Of course I do. He’s General de Loughrey’s son.”

  Ace pressed his lips together in a thin line, his expression unimpressed. “You’re really going to play this game with me?”

  Shit. If there was one person who could see right through him, it was Ace. King cleared his throat. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here to do a job, and when it’s done, Leo goes back to his life, and I go back to mine.” Ace opened his mouth, but King shook his head. “This conversation is over.”

  “Why, because you say it’s over?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s not how adult conversations work.”

  “And you’re suddenly the expert on adult conversations?”

  “First of all, fuck you. Second of all, that’s not how this brotherhood works. You don’t get to push us out. You’re always there for us, but you never let us be there for you.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You don’t have to be the fierce protector all the time, shouldering the weight of the world all on your own.”

  “Yes, I do.” King stood, feeling Ace’s heavy sigh deep down in his soul. He’d lost enough people in his life that he cared about. He wasn’t about to lose any more. Whatever it took to protect his family, he would do it, had done it. If that meant always being on his guard, keeping a certain distance, so be it. It was the price he paid for their safety.

  Ace stood, blocking King’s path to the door, his gold-green eyes filled with concern and heartache. His voice was quiet when he spoke, but the words hit King as if he’d shouted them. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “It was my decision.”

  “Our decision. We knew the risks, and we voted to do it anyway. You have to stop blaming yourself.”

  King pushed past Ace. They’d had this argument countless times, and in the end, it changed nothing. King had still failed, Red still had PTSD, and their brothers were still dead.

  “Ward.”

  King stilled. He closed his eyes when Ace’s hand came to rest on his shoulder.

  “You’re not alone. You have a family who loves you and wants nothing more than to see you happy. Please. You can’t keep living like this, filling your life with nothing but work and guilt.” Another heavy sigh before Ace dropped his hand, leaving King cold and empty. “Just… think about it.”

  The door opened, and Ace returned to the guys, all of whom stood around Jack and Leo as they argued over who was the bigger cyber nerd. The guys teased, laughed, and judged who “won that particular round of geek,” as Joker put it. Ace said something about Jack, earning him a playful punch from their friend and a boisterous laugh from Leo. As if sensing King, Leo searched the room for him before his eyes landed on King. His smile widened, and for the first time in his life, King was uncertain. Was that how he’d been living his life? Was Ace right? Had guilt been the only thing driving him since his return?

  It was true his time in the service had made him the man he was now, but outside of his demons, he had a good life. He was grateful for what he had and the people he shared his life with. It was probably all this talk about the General and his past that had him feeling so off-kilter. He’d just closed the door behind him when Leo appeared in front of him, his smile dazzling. He really was something special. Whoever ended up winning Leo’s heart would be one lucky guy. He hoped they’d take good care of him, make him happy. Leo deserved to be happy. To be loved, and fiercely.

  “Your friends are amazing. How do you guys get any work done?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They’re a freaking riot.”

  A riot. He supposed they were a screwy bunch. Certainly never a dull moment.

  “Listen, I’m going to go over the plan with the guys. It’s really late. Why don’t you get to bed? It’s been a long night. I can take the guys downstairs if you’re sleeping up here.”

  Leo nodded. He looked like he wanted to ask something, but glanced at the guys, who were all standing around waiting for King. “Sure. Feel free to take any of the spare bedrooms. Good night.”

  “Good night. If you need anything, you come get me.”

  Leo nodded before waving at the guys. “It was great meeting you. Have a good night.”

  The guys wished him good night, and Leo was about to leave when he spun back around and caught King’s arm, then pulled him to one side. King noticed Leo was using him to shield him from the others. Looking over his shoulders, he motioned for the fellas to head for the stairs.

  “Why don’t you guys head to the living room. I’ll meet you down there in a minute.” King waited for the guys to be out of the room before turning his attention back to Leo. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, um, could you thank the guys for me? They’re risking a lot being here, and I really appreciate it.”

  “Of course.”

  “Also, um….” Leo’s face went red, and he cleared his throat. “If, um, you don’t feel comfortable in any of the rooms downstairs, there’s, um, plenty of space up here.”

  King placed his hand on Leo’s shoulder. “We’ll keep you safe, Leo. I promise.”

  Leo nodded, his bottom lip between his teeth as he ruffled his hair. “I know. Thank you. For everything.” He shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other, and King tried to decipher what it was Leo needed. What had changed in the last few hours? He had a group of strange men in his apartment. Granted, they were King’s brothers, but that didn’t change the fact Leo didn’t know them and this was his safe place. King needed to reassure Leo he was safe.

  “You’re welcome.” King pulled Leo in for a hug, and the sigh Leo released made King smile. He knew he shouldn’t get used to this, shouldn’t encourage Leo, but the frightful truth was that King had no idea who was comforting whom here. Leo pulled back, and with a soft expression, he turned and headed over to his bag on the couch.

  King headed downstairs and found his friends all huddled together on the same couch, murmuring quietly, Chip on the floor by Joker’s feet gazing up as if he were part of the conversation. They looked like a bunch of mischievous schoolboys who were clearly up to no-good. Lucky for them the couch was big and wide enough for all five of them, including poor Red who was stuck in the middle.

  “What’s going on?” King asked, sitting in the loveseat opposite them.

  They all sat back at the same time, including Chip, and King slowly leaned away. “That had to be the single creepiest thing I have ever seen. Don’t ever do it again.”

  Ace snorted out a laugh, the rest of them joining him. Something was going on, but King decided what he usually did—that he wanted no part of whatever plot they were scheming.

  “Let’s get to it, shall we? Ace, you’re down here in this section of the apartment. The rest of you will be in the apartment just below. The entire building has been taken over by the NSA. Bowers is on the ground floor level with his men. Jack, bring in whatever equipment you need and get set up. Leo will get you into the security system. I also want you to review the footage from the attack at the bunker.”

  Lucky looked surprised. “Bowers is giving us access?”

  Ace snorted. “Please. That guy wouldn’t piss on us if we were on fire. Tony Stark up there is going to get us what we need.”

  “Peter Parker,” King corrected.

  Ace squinted at him. “I’m sorry, what?”

  King cleared his throat. “Peter Parker. He’s more like Peter Parker. Anyway, that’s his code name for unsecured communications. Actually, it’s, uh, Spider-Man.” He sighed. “The op is called Avengers.”

  “And what’s your code name?” Joker asked, a smile splitting his face.

  King cursed under his breath. Christ. Here we go. “Captain America.”

  The roars of laughter that filled the room could have woken the dead, and King pierced them all with a glare.

  “Would you ass-hats shut up? Leo’s trying to sleep.”

  They sobered up in a heartbeat.

  “Did you just use the word ass-hat?” Red murmured, eyes wide.

  The silence didn’t last.

  With a heavy sigh, King sat back, arms crossed over his chest. “Get it out of your systems. Assholes. How’s that? Like that better?”

  “I can see why he’d go with Captain America,” Ace said thoughtfully, “but that’s more Red. You’re a bit too scary to be the Cap. I’m guessing he picked your code name before he actually got to know you.”

  “I’ll show you scary,” King warned, and Ace threw up his hands in surrender.

  “Dios mío. I know this op is all serious and shit,” Lucky said, wiping a tear from his eye, “but this is fucking amazing.”

  King lifted a brow. “Are you done now? May we proceed, or do you all need another moment?”

  “You may proceed,” Ace replied, his lips twitching.

  “Thank you,” King said dryly. “That’s real kind of you.”

  “We’re magnanimous that way.”

  “Still trying to impress your billionaire boyfriend with your word of the day app?”

  Ace flipped him off.

  “Anyway,” King said, sitting forward again, “like I was saying before you all decided to be dicks, or what is otherwise known as every other day of the week.” Ace opened his mouth, and King narrowed his eyes. “If the next words out of your mouth aren’t something helpful, you’re going to be rooming with Bowers.”

  Ace promptly shut his trap.

  A snicker reached King’s ear, and he let his head hang. “Leo, you’re supposed to be sleeping.”

  Leo rounded the corner in his pajamas, looking all soft and comfortable, his feet bare. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear. Okay, maybe I was a little, but I can’t sleep.”

  “Did you even try? I’ve been gone for, like, two minutes.”

  Leo’s expression said he was not impressed. “I did try, Mr. I’m a Tough Green Beret Therefore I’m Always Right.”

  Someone snickered to his left, and King cast them a sideways glance. Whoever it was, they were about to be dead.

  “Besides, if you’re discussing my protection, I should be a part of this conversation, don’t you think?”

  King was about to say no, no he didn’t think, but Leo was already dropping down onto the couch cushion next to him. He pulled his legs up, laced his fingers over one drawn-up knee, and propped his chin on his hand, his eyes on King and his smile wide.

  “Go on.”

  What was happening to his life right now? Looking at the faces around the room, King resigned himself to the fact he was outnumbered. His backup wasn’t backing him up, so he’d just have to get on with it.

  “Fine,” he grunted.

  By the time they’d finished going over everything, the sun was rising, so everyone ended up crashing in Leo’s apartment, with the guys taking the bedrooms downstairs, Leo sleeping on the futon upstairs, and King on the long couch beside him. Despite the late hour, King wasn’t one to sleep in. He didn’t get up at his usual time of five thirty, but he was up by seven, which he supposed was sleeping in for him. Careful not to wake Leo, King stood silently and stretched. The couch was actually very comfortable, the cushions extremely plush. He glanced over at Leo, who was curled up on his side, hair a mess, no glasses, lips parted softly in sleep. King resisted the urge to run his fingers through Leo’s hair, but only because he didn’t want to wake him.

  Going downstairs, he noticed the bedroom doors were all closed, so the guys were still asleep. None of them really slept in much, so they’d be up any minute. In the meantime, he’d make them all breakfast. He should have thought of checking the fridge first, considering how long Leo had been away from his apartment.

  When he opened the pantry, King found the usual kitchen essentials, like trash bags, sandwich bags, Tupperware, and so on. As for food—if it could be called food—the shelves were packed with huge boxes of Goldfish crackers and boxes of Starbucks coffee pods.

  Nothing else.

  Hopefully the refrigerator would yield better results. King opened the huge double doors and came face-to-face with an empty freezer and an entire fridge full of peppermint mocha creamer. And nothing else. It would have made sense, what with Leo spending all his time upstairs, except the kitchen upstairs was empty. He turned and bumped into Leo.

  “Shit, I’m sorry.” King grabbed Leo’s shoulders, bringing him close to steady him.

  “My fault,” Leo murmured, his cheeks slashed with red and his fingers curled around King’s arms. As if noticing, he dropped his eyes to King’s right bicep and gave it a squeeze. “How does that even happen? I mean….” He poked King’s pec with a finger. “It’s like a wall of muscle. You must work out a lot. That’s dumb, of course you do.” He moved his finger around, gently prodding King’s chest. “I bet you can probably bench-press me like I’m nothing. I almost pulled my back moving the couch when I dropped the remote under it.” At King’s snicker, Leo’s eyes widened, and he snapped his gaze up. “I’m totally feeling you up right now. Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did that. Like, who does that? Because what comes out of my mouth isn’t weird enough, now I’m randomly feeling you up? Though technically, not really feeling you up, I mean, I’m not trying to touch your, um, I mean….”