“Whoa. Where do you think you’re going?”
“I have to get back out there.” With a warm smile, he patted Joker’s hand. “I’m okay. I promise.”
“You need to eat,” Red said. “Skipping meals is never a good idea.”
With Joker’s help, Gio stood. “I’ll grab a few hors d’oeuvres. The exhibit will be over in an hour, and then I’ll have dinner.”
Red eyed him with suspicion, and Gio laughed.
“I promise.”
“Good,” Joker said. “Because my shift will be over by then, so I can make sure of it.”
Gio’s eyebrows shot up, and Joker gave him a pointed look that dared him to refuse. The guy was exhausted. He was like the saddest panda that ever sadded, so how could Joker not make sure he ate and didn’t fucking pass out again? Gio was a smart man. This was hardly the guy’s first event. Something was going on. Clearly, Red had no clue, which meant neither did Laz.
“Great,” Red said cheerfully. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Red,” Gio called out, his smile apologetic. “Would you mind not telling Laz about this? He’ll worry for nothing.”
Red appeared conflicted, and rightfully so. In the end, he let out a heavy sigh. “Don’t skip any more meals.”
Gio held up a hand. “I promise.”
“Okay then.”
Joker turned to Saint. “Would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I need to have a word in private with Gio.”
Saint nodded and did as Joker instructed. As soon as the door was closed behind him, Joker rounded on Gio. “What the fuck is going on? And don’t give me that bullshit about not hydrating.”
“Wasn’t it you who told me dehydration was very dangerous?”
“Your heart rate and blood pressure dropped, and it wasn’t from dehydration. What’s going on with your health, Gio? Why aren’t you wearing a medical alert bracelet, and why won’t you tell your brother?”
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Gio snapped, surprising Joker.
“Gio—”
“I apologize. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just a little tired, but I promise you, I’m fine. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have guests to attend to.”
And Jack called him stubborn. Did Gio think Joker was oblivious? Was he simply hoping no one would figure out something was very wrong? Between the dizzy spells, the “dehydration” issues, and Gio’s nightmare the night of the barbecue, it was clear something had happened while Gio was out there traveling the globe. How long did he think he could keep this up? More importantly, how long did he think he could keep his secret from his brother?
Following Gio outside, Joker murmured to Saint, who stood by the door. “Keep a close eye on him.”
Saint nodded, and they escorted Gio back out to the party. Saint stayed close, as did Joker and Chip. When it looked like Gio was losing himself in conversation, Joker pulled him to one side and shoved a small plate of hors d’oeuvres at him.
For a moment, Joker thought Gio would argue with him, but instead, he smiled warmly and thanked him. Joker grunted and got back to his rounds. He kept an eye on Gio the entire evening, reminding him every so often to hydrate. To his credit, Gio never got annoyed at Joker’s interruptions. He seemed thankful. It should have pissed Joker off, but for some reason that he couldn’t fathom, it didn’t.
Once the exhibit was over, true to his word, Joker was there right beside Gio, waiting. Not that Gio seemed surprised by this, as if he’d trusted Joker to keep his word. He’d appeared so sure of it, Joker overheard him decline several dinner invitations. Why the hell he’d rather have dinner with Joker than his fancy friends was beyond Joker. The rest of the security team packed up and headed back to the hotel, except for Saint and Joker.
“What would you like to eat?” Gio asked Joker.
Joker blinked up at him. “Me?”
“Saint informed me he’s already eaten.”
Saint nodded his confirmation. “An hour ago, when Ace took over for me.”
“And I’m certainly not going to have dinner while you sit there watching me. I know you haven’t eaten. You must be starving. Where’s Chip?”
How did Gio know he hadn’t eaten? Had Gio been keeping an eye on him? “Chip is with Jack. I didn’t know what you’d be doing for dinner, and not all restaurants welcome dogs—service or otherwise.”
Gio frowned at that. “Well, a restaurant that doesn’t welcome Chip is a restaurant I don’t want to eat at.”
The guy was a nut. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“You’d give up eating at one of your fancy restaurants because Chip wouldn’t be allowed in?” No one had ever said anything like that to him. True, he’d never spent enough time with any of his one-night stands for them to make that kind of offer. Still, on the very few occasions where he’d met up with potential dates after work and had Chip with him, the cute-dog factor wore off as soon as they realized their choices were limited thanks to Joker’s furry companion. They were always so surprised when he picked his dog over them. As if there was any question.
“Of course. Besides, I only go to fancy restaurants for business. I like good food, and you can find that without spending a fortune. So, what are you in the mood for? There are several options close by, or I can ask Saint to take us somewhere.”
Since Gio didn’t drive and Saint provided round-the-clock executive protection, he’d been assigned one of Four Kings Security’s specialized SUVs to drive Gio around in. Typically, Gio had a chauffeur, but the guy had been given some time off until Gio decided what to do about his security on a more permanent basis.
Gio removed his phone from his pocket and stifled a yawn. “Excuse me.” He looked exhausted. Sometime in the last couple of hours, the circles under his eyes had darkened.
“Or,” Joker prompted, “we can order room service.”
Gio clearly hadn’t expected the suggestion. “Room service?”
“It’s been a long-ass, eventful day. How about you treat me to some expensive hotel food and a beer since…” He checked his watch. “I’m officially off the clock.”
The smile that split Gio’s face could have lit up the entire Florida power grid, as if Joker had given him some fantastic gift and not the suggestion of room service. Not a big deal.
“That sounds perfect.” Gio turned to Saint. “Do you mind driving us back to the hotel?”
Saint shook his head in amusement. “You don’t need to ask me. It’s my job, remember?”
“I know, I know,” Gio said, waving a hand. “But you’re my bodyguard, not my chauffeur. I’m still getting used to it.”
“Okay. Come on. Let’s get the car from valet.”
In less than twenty minutes, the three of them were back at the hotel. The place was expensive, with all marble floors and pillars, sparkling chandeliers, and gold accents. They took the elevator up to the top floor, where Gio had booked the penthouse suite.
Two of their security agents stood at attention outside the double doors, and they nodded a greeting as they approached. Since Gio’s suite was the only room on the top floor, along with a hospitality suite and conference room—both of which they’d made sure weren’t booked during Gio’s stay—Gio agreed to let Saint stay in the second bedroom attached to his huge suite. The agents outside the door would rotate throughout the night, so there were always two agents posted outside Gio’s room, while Saint remained close to Gio.