“Hey, baby. Miss me— What? Are you okay? Are you safe? Hang tight. I’m on my way.”
Joker jolted awake. “What happened?”
Ace hung up and shot to his feet. “I gotta go. Colton went to meet Gio at Nia’s tour bus when someone shot at Nia and Gio.”
“What?”
Chip rolled off Joker as Joker jumped to his feet, his heart pounding in his ears.
“Security thinks they meant to hit Nia and Gio got in the way. Either that or the guy, lucky for us, had shit aim. They tackled him and restrained him. The police are on their way.”
Joker grabbed Ace’s arm. “Is Gio okay?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?” Joker asked, incredulous. He was going to kick Ace’s ass.
“Colton said he looked okay.”
“Jesus Christ! He looked okay? I’m going with you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll be busy with Colton and Red’s in the middle of a job over an hour away. Plus, he’ll have his hands full with Laz. The moment Laz finds out about Gio, he’ll freak out.”
Ace pursed his lips. “Your argument is sound.”
“Shut up and let’s go.” Of course his argument was sound. He quickly made sure Chip had water in his bowl and some dry kibble, just in case. With a scratch on the head, he told Chip to stay, then quickly left the room.
As soon as Laz discovered someone had shot his brother, he’d lose his shit. “Have you told Red?”
“Unless Colton called him, he doesn’t know. Laz was with Fitz, waiting for Leo and the others.”
Which meant Laz didn’t know. They had some time.
“Colton won’t call Red or Laz,” Joker assured him.
“How do you know?” Ace asked as they hurried to the elevator. Joker did his best not to think of worst-case scenarios. If Colton said Gio looked okay, then it was probably nothing. That’s twice in one day Gio had put himself in harm’s way. For fuck’s sake. The guy was a trouble magnet.
“Gio won’t let him. He’s a stubborn shit.”
“Yeah, I mean, trying to protect his little brother.” Ace shook his head, his lips quirked in amusement. “What an asshole.”
“Shut up.”
With the concert let out, traffic was a nightmare. They’d had to park blocks away and run to the arena. Joker made no apologies to the assholes who didn’t heed his warning and get out of his fucking way. They were still dressed in their uniforms, so flashing their credentials meant they were allowed past the barriers and security behind the arena, where Nia’s ginormous tour bus was parked.
“Where the fuck is he?” Joker demanded of no one in particular. The crowd parted and people got the hell out of his way as he thundered toward the ambulance and the tall figure with broad shoulders he’d recognize anywhere, much to his annoyance. From the looks of it, Gio was alive and well. How dare the bastard cause him concern!
A growl rose up in Joker’s throat. “What the fuck did you—” He stilled at the sight of the bloodied shirtsleeve. He swallowed hard as Gio turned to face him, the left side of his torso bare, his shirt hanging off one shoulder to reveal the white bandage around his arm. It was a stark contrast against his tanned skin.
“Sacha,” Gio said, warmth filling his tone, a warmth that reflected in his dark eyes.
Joker snapped himself out of whatever stupid trance he’d been in and narrowed his eyes at Gio. “Don’t call me that.”
“What are you doing here?” Gio asked softly.
“I’m here because you got yourself shot, asshole.” Why the hell did the guy look so amused? He’d just been shot. Fucking Gio.
“Why do you say that so accusatory?”
“What happened?” Joker demanded.
Gio cocked his head to one side, his lips quirked up in the corner. “Someone shot at me.”
Sweet Jesus, give me strength. “And someone’s about to shoot at you again,” Joker hissed. “What the fuck happened?”
A weary sigh escaped Gio, and Joker’s anger subsided despite his better judgment. It was only then that Joker noticed the dark circles and harsh lines. Gio was exhausted. No. Nope. You are not going to feel bad for him. He’s an asshole, remember?
“The truth is, I don’t know what happened. One minute Nia and I were leaving the bus, the next minute someone screamed and I saw the gun. I pulled Nia behind me and felt my arm burn. By then the man had been tackled to the ground. I’ve never seen him before in my life, and believe me, I have an excellent memory when it comes to people.” The heat in his eyes told Joker exactly which memories he was revisiting. Not that Joker thought about that night backstage. Nope. Not ever.
Don’t meet his gaze. Don’t look him in the eye. It’s a trap, and you know it.
Joker’s jaw muscles tightened. Fuck that. He was no coward. Defiantly, he lifted his chin and met Gio’s gaze. A slow, wicked smile spread across those full lips, and Gio took a step closer. He stood looming over Joker and leaned in, his lips next to Joker’s ear. His breath was hot, his words a low, sultry purr.
“I was hoping you’d come for me.”
Fuck.
Two
Sacha was worried.
Gio didn’t dare smile at the thought. Not when faced with the explosive whirlwind and contradictory force of nature that was Sacha Wilder. The man captivated him. From Sacha’s first growl, he’d been struck. Why? At first, he hadn’t been certain, but the more Gio interacted with Sacha, the more he wanted to know him, talk to him, be around him. Gio had never met anyone so… passionate, so expressive, so damned honest.
When Laz had told Gio about the Kings’ charity bachelor auction, Gio had asked his brother if Sacha would be one of the bachelors. At Laz’s confirmation that he would be, Gio spent an obscene amount of money to not only make sure he was there that night, but that he’d have the winning bid. No way was he losing out on an opportunity with Sacha Wilder. It was the first time they’d met face-to-face, and oh! What a face. Gio had been swept away.
The man’s online photos didn’t do him justice. Mainly because there wasn’t one photo where Sacha wasn’t growling, scowling, or glaring. The intensity in his eyes, his intimidating stance, and the set of his jaw screamed, “Danger! Approach with caution!” Yet Gio couldn’t seem to keep away.
That night at the auction, in a moment of shock when Sacha had stared up at Gio, every stunning feature had been on display. Bright, sharp blue-gray eyes, the most expressive eyebrows Gio had ever seen, a heart-shaped face, cupid-bow lips, stubble, and tousled honey-colored hair. His personality made him larger than life, but physically, he was petite and slender, with a body that appeared better suited to a dancer than a soldier. He was absolutely beautiful.
Sacha’s lips had parted ever so slightly, revealing a minor imperfection Gio found charming. His two top front teeth were ever so slightly longer than the rest. With Sacha’s defenses momentarily down, Gio had said hello, placed his fingers under Sacha’s chin, and kissed his flushed cheek. His sharp intake of breath, his blown pupils, and more importantly, the slip of vulnerability had sealed the deal for Gio. In that heartbeat, he’d made his decision.