Sleight of Hand by Charlie Cochet

Ten

This couldn’t be happening.

Gio sat on his couch with Cookie, his head on Gio’s lap as he stared up at Gio with big brown eyes.

“I’m a fucking idiot,” Gio said to no one in particular. A glass of water appeared before him, and Gio blinked up at Saint. He’d forgotten Saint was there. Good God, he’d witnessed the whole awful ordeal. Taking the glass from Saint, he thanked him and took several sips. His phone rang, and his pulse sped up. He answered without checking the ID.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” Colton said cheerfully.

“Oh, hi.”

“Um, okay. I’m sorry to disappoint you. Clearly, you were hoping it was someone else.”

“I’m sorry,” Gio replied with a sigh. “You know I’m always happy to hear from you.”

“Right. I was calling to see if you and Joker wanted to join me and Ace for lunch, but it sounds like you’ve got something else going on.”

The back of Gio’s eyes stung, and he cleared his throat. He petted the soft fur on Cookie’s head. “Sacha’s not here. He… um, likely won’t be coming back.”

There was a long silence before Colton spoke up. “We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Colt—”

“We’ll be there in ten minutes,” Colton repeated.

“Okay.” Gio hung up and slumped back against the couch. He took another couple of sips before placing the glass on the coffee table next to him. “Colton and Ace are dropping by,” he told Saint, who merely nodded.

When the doorbell rang exactly ten minutes later, Saint went to open the door. He greeted Colton and Ace. The three of them entered the living room, and Cookie lifted his head, his tail wagging happily at their guests.

“Oh my goodness, who is this?” Colton asked excitedly.

“This is Cookie. He’s my new best boy.”

Colton’s eyes all but sparkled. “Can I pet him?”

“Go ahead.”

Ace’s smile for his husband as he cooed and loved all over Cookie squeezed at Gio’s heart. The love between those two was palpable, and it reminded Gio of what he might have just possibly lost. How could he have been so foolish?

“You got a dog?” Ace asked, taking a seat on the couch next to Saint and playfully smacking his leg in greeting.

“Sort of. Sacha got him for me. He’s a service dog.”

Ace’s mouth dropped open. “Joker got you a dog?”

Why was that such a surprise? “Yes. He thought with my condition I could use someone to look after me.”

Ace promptly shut his mouth and didn’t say another word, which was very unlike him. Instead, he glanced around the room. “Where’s Joker?”

“We had an argument,” Gio said, his voice coming out rough. “He left. For good.”

Colton and Ace exchanged glances before Colton took a seat on the couch next to Gio. “What happened?”

“Everything was going great, and then that stupid party happened. I know that’s what started all this.” He ran his fingers through his hair. The signs had been there. Why hadn’t he pressed Sacha to open up and talk to him? Something had clearly been bothering him, and Gio knew it, no matter how much Sacha denied it. Something had happened. Fuck, it was probably Lawrence. Gio shouldn’t have left Sacha alone with him. What had he been thinking?

“What party?”

Colton’s words brought Gio out of his thoughts.

“I asked him to go with me to a charity gala as my date. He agreed.”

Ace held up a hand. “Wait. Joker wore a tux and went to one of your charity galas with you, as your date?”

“Yes. Isn’t that what I said?” It wasn’t like Sacha had never worn a suit or tuxedo before. Sometimes his job required it based on the assignment, so it couldn’t have been that much of a big deal.

“You do realize I can count on one hand the number of times that man has worn a tuxedo for something that wasn’t a work requirement.”

“Then why agree? If he was going to be so damned miserable, why say yes?”

Ace arched an eyebrow at him like he was indeed the biggest dork on the planet. “Really? You don’t know why he would put himself through that? Why he’d get dressed up in fancy clothes that make him uncomfortable, attend a huge glitzy party filled with rich strangers, and force himself to have awkward conversations?”

“I would have never asked him if I thought he’d be uncomfortable. I’d never want to make him feel uncomfortable. I thought maybe he might be upset if I never asked him. Like maybe I didn’t want him there or something.”

“Did you tell him that?” Colton asked gently.

“No, but he could have just told me he’d rather not do that again, that he was uncomfortable, and I would have happily accepted. Then my updated schedule was sent to him, and he lost his shit over that. Granted, I might have packed in a little more than I should, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. He threw my health issues in my face and accused me of not really wanting him. How can he think I never wanted him when he’s all I’ve wanted from the moment I heard his voice? But how can I give up my events? That’s part of what I do. I love my job; I love helping people. I won’t give that up for anyone, and I can’t believe he expects that of me.”

Ace peered at him. “Joker told you he wanted you to give up your charity work?”

“Well, not in so many words, no. He demanded to know why I had to go to so many events.”

“So he didn’t say, ‘I want you to give up your charity events’?”

“No.”

“How many charity events have you had in the last month? How many meals with clients and colleagues, how many meetings, video conferences, phone calls?” Ace gave him a pointed look. “Here’s an easier question. How much free time have you had in the last month, and with everything new you’ve added, how much free time do you have coming up?”

Gio swallowed hard. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Really? Because you were in the hospital, Gio. You have a service dog because of your condition. Things aren’t the same as they’ve always been.”

“I know that,” Gio muttered, picking at some invisible lint on his pants.

“Weren’t you the one who said you were going to slow down?” Colton asked. “Weren’t you also the one who promised to take better care of himself?”

Gio frowned but didn’t reply. That was pretty much what Sacha had asked him.

Colton folded his arms over his chest. “So what you’re saying is, you planned to keep going, working yourself to death, expecting Joker to just stand by and watch as someone he clearly cares a lot about ends up in a hospital or worse.”

Gio opened his mouth, then closed it, his best friend’s words taking hold of something inside him. If the roles were reversed, would Gio have stood by while Sacha needlessly put himself in danger, risking his health and his life?

“He came to me for advice, you know,” Ace said.

Gio met Ace’s gaze, his heart skipping a beat. “He did?”

“Yeah. He wanted to ask me how I did it. How I navigated Colton’s world. Why do you think he wanted to know that? My guess is he thought you wanted him to be for you what I am for Colton.”

“I never asked him to be that. I don’t need him to be that for me. In fact, he distracts me when he’s there because I’d rather be with him than working.”

“Did you tell him that?” Colton asked.

Gio stared at him. “No.” He’d never asked Sacha to be anything he wasn’t, and he never would.

With a heavy sigh, Ace motioned to Cookie. “Gio, the guy got you a dog. Not just any dog, a service dog trained for your condition. None of us got a dog from him. I didn’t get a dog. Red didn’t get a dog. Shit, not even Jack got a dog. Do you have any idea what that means? For him to share that part of himself with you after what happened with Echo?”

The name was familiar. “Echo. That was his dog back in Special Forces, right?”

“Yep. Echo was his best girl. When she wasn’t strapped to him or he wasn’t carrying her on his shoulders, she was at his feet. She was his pillow, his confidant, his best friend. Facing the shit we faced, having each other made all the difference, but having that dog…” Ace shook his head. “She didn’t just keep us safe; she kept us sane.”

“What happened to her? Sacha doesn’t talk about her.”

“When we were ambushed and half our unit was killed, Echo…” Ace swallowed hard and blinked back the wetness in his eyes. “They never found the body. To this day, Joker’s haunted by the fact he couldn’t bring her body back home, but the most heartbreaking part? That’s the narrative he’s chosen to believe because the truth is too painful for him to accept.”

“What truth?”

Ace met his gaze, his eyes glassy. “She took the brunt of the explosion. There wasn’t enough of her to bring back.”

“Jesus.” Gio put a hand to his chest over his heart and rubbed the spot, tears welling in his eyes. He couldn’t begin to imagine the pain Sacha must have felt. Losing his brothers-in-arms and Echo.

“Yeah. It took him a long time to heal, and when he was ready, Chip helped with the rest. So you see, him gifting you Cookie, someone to love you, look after you, and enrich your life… That right there is Sacha Wilder proclaiming his love to you, and let me tell you, that guy has never, ever given such a gift to anyone in his life.”

Gio closed his eyes and let his head drop into his hands. “I fucked up.”

“I think you both did. Do you know why Colton and I work? Because we don’t assume, we talk. I don’t pretend to know what he’s thinking. If I’m not sure, I ask. He does the same. Do we still have arguments? Of course. But it doesn’t break us. Are we different? Fuck yeah, but like I said, we talk, work through things.” He took Colton’s hand in his, adoration in his eyes as he gazed at his husband. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”

“Thank you,” Gio told his friends. He didn’t know what he would have done without them. “You’re right.” He picked up his phone.

“What are you going to do?” Colton asked, getting up.

“Talk to him,” Gio replied, sending Sacha a text. He knew exactly what to say. Three little words were all he sent.

“I need you.”

Colton and Ace said their goodbyes, and Gio promised to call Colton later to let him know how things went. That was, if Sacha showed up. Gio never knew what the man was going to do. He was unpredictable at the best of times. It was one of the many things Gio loved about him.

As Gio sat there stroking Cookie’s soft fur, he thought about everything Colton and Ace had said, what Sacha had said to him. They were right. Gio kept going on about how he’d do better, take better care, and it had been bullshit. At the very first opportunity to prove he meant to keep his promises, he hadn’t even tried.

For fuck’s sake, he had a service dog. His life had changed. When was he going to face the truth? He had to make changes. Sacha had every right to expect better of him. God, he hoped it wasn’t too late.

The wait was excruciating. Gio’s phone showed that Sacha had read the text, but he hadn’t replied. He looked up at Saint, sitting serenely on the couch across from him.

“Have you ever been in love?” he asked Saint.

Saint scrunched up his nose. “Yeah.”

“Didn’t go well?”

“At first it did. Married my high school sweetheart. Everything was great until I joined the Navy. She knew I’d always wanted to join. We’re a military family. My dad and brothers all served. Uncles, cousins, and so on. Anyway, knowing I was going to serve and experiencing it were two different things. She hated picking up and leaving everything behind to start over again somewhere else. In the end, it was too much for her. By the time I came home for good, she’d fallen for someone else. I started at Four Kings Security, and we got divorced.”

“I’m sorry.”

Saint shrugged. “We’ve been divorced three years now and were separated for two, so it’s been a while.”

“And there hasn’t been anyone since? No special person?”

The flush that spread across Saint’s cheek was absolutely charming on the big man and said all Gio needed to know. Saint shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “No, there’s been no one. No special woman.” He cleared his throat. “I’m not gay.”

Gio pressed his lips together to keep himself from smiling. Interesting, considering he hadn’t asked Saint about his sexuality. Frankly, it was none of Gio’s business. He nodded his understanding, though he couldn’t help but note the way Saint kept avoiding his gaze.

“Not that it would matter if I was, just, if I were gay, bi, pan, whatever, I’d know that about myself, wouldn’t? I sure as hell would have known a long time ago, right?” Saint frowned as he gazed out the sliding glass doors toward the beach.

“Not necessarily,” Gio replied gently. “Everyone’s experience is different. Some people know from early on in their lives, while others might not discover that part about themselves until much later in life. As humans, we’re always evolving, changing, learning, adapting.”

Saint cocked his head to one side. “That’s true.” He smiled shyly at Gio. “You’ve given me something to think about. Thank you.”

“Of course. And if you need to talk, I’m always here.”

“Thanks.”

Gio needed to take his own advice and accept that he was a different person now than he had been before the kidnapping in Sri Lanka. He also had to accept that it was okay. His life had changed, and he’d been fighting it, whether consciously or not. Everything Sacha had said to him had been the truth, which was why it had hurt so much to hear. He kept telling Sacha he was changing, but he hadn’t actually planned to until Sacha once again called him out on his bullshit. He’d promised Sacha he’d call Red’s therapist, then put it off. He’d told Sacha, King, Colton, Laz, all his friends that he planned to cut back on his schedule and yet continued to add to it. Why? Because he couldn’t accept things had changed? And what had his broken promises cost him? The man he loved.

Gio dropped his head into his hands with a groan.

“What’s wrong?” Saint asked worriedly.

Gio lifted his head. “I love him. I love him, and I let him go.”

Saint’s expression softened. “For all his blustering, Joker’s a smart guy. I have a feeling he’ll be back.”

“God, I hope you’re right.” If he didn’t hear back from Sacha soon, he’d call Jack and find out where he was. He needed to fix this, to tell Sacha how he felt and apologize for being such an asshole.

The doorbell rang, and Gio’s heart leaped into his throat. He jumped to his feet, and Saint held out a hand to stop him from going to the door. Gio was practically vibrating. Cookie whined, so Gio gave him a reassuring scratch behind his ears.

“It’s okay.”

Gio waited with bated breath, his heart doing a flip when Sacha came into view, his hands shoved into his pockets. His eyes were a little red, and Gio wanted nothing more than to gather him up in his arms and kiss the hell out of him.

“You said you needed me,” Sacha said, his voice low and rough.

“Always.” The word was almost a whisper. “Can we talk?”

Sacha nodded, and Gio turned to Saint. “Do you mind if Cookie stays here with you for a bit?”

“Of course not.”

Gio told Cookie to stay, then headed for his bedroom, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Sacha was following him. Once they were in the room, he closed the door behind them. He couldn’t believe he’d fucked things up with this beautiful man.

“I’m so sorry.” Gio stepped up to him and brushed his hair away from his brow. “I can’t believe how shortsighted I was. You are incredible, Sacha, and my life is better with you in it. I promise I’ll try harder at communicating properly. You were right about everything, about calling me out on my bullshit. I promised you I’d take care of myself, and I wasn’t even making the effort to keep that promise. I also never want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. I don’t expect you to be Ace. Quite frankly, having you there is kind of distracting because all I can think about is you and wanting to be with you. Sacha, I love you just the way you are.”

Sacha stared up at him. “Say that again.”

“Which part?”

“You know which part.”

Gio wrapped his arms around Sacha’s waist, a thrill going through him when Sacha leaned into him. He met Sacha’s gaze. “I love you. All of you. And I don’t ever want to be without you.”

“You… love me?”

Gio smiled warmly. He placed a kiss on Sacha’s cheek. “Yes. You. Every inch of you.”

“I love you too.”

Gio froze. He moved his gaze back to Sacha, whose blue-gray eyes were filled with uncertainty and something else, something big. The words sank in, and Gio could barely contain his smile, his heart swelling in his chest. “You do?”

“Yeah. I don’t know when it happened, but I know that leaving you, being without you, was fucking shit.”

Gio chuckled at Sacha’s glower, because Sacha wasn’t glowering at Gio, but at himself.

“It sucked. It fucking hurt like nothing has hurt in a long time, and I didn’t like it.” Sacha wrapped his arms around Gio. “I don’t want either of us to do that again. No walking away. I know I’m kinda shit at talking about my feelings and what I’m thinking, but I promise you I’ll try harder too. I won’t assume. Maybe we can help each other out with that, huh?”

“It’s a deal,” Gio promised. “You’re stuck with me now, Sacha Wilder. I’m going to hug you, kiss you, love on you, and when you and Chip are ready, I want you to move in with me.”

Sacha looked around him. “You mean that?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”

“What if I were ready sooner than you thought? Like, this week ready.”

The joy that filled Gio threatened to overflow. “Really?”

Sacha shrugged. “I’m all in, Gio. Why would I want to stay in my shitty little apartment where you aren’t when I can stay with you in your very salmon-pink house?”

Gio threw his head back and laughed. “You have a deal. How about we seal it with a kiss?”

“Baby, whatever you want, it’s yours.” Sacha wrapped his arms around Gio’s neck and lifted up to bring their lips together. The moment he had his mouth on Sacha, Gio was a goner. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for this man. His man. Sacha Wilder had no idea what an absolute gem he was. He might be grumpy and curse like a sailor, but no one had a bigger heart.

Sacha drew back suddenly and glared at him. “I got your gift, or should I say Chip got your gift.”

It took Gio a second to realize what Sacha was talking about. “Oh! Did he like it?”

“We’re going to have to set some expense boundaries, aren’t we?”

Gio hummed and nibbled on Sacha’s ear. “But do we really?”

“Yes, we do, because certain individuals are suckers and don’t seem to have any kind of self-control where the furry ones are concerned.”

“But they’re so cute.”

“You know what’s not cute?” Sacha said as Gio pulled him toward the bed. “Your whining.”

“I call bullshit. You love everything about me, including my whining.”

“Fine, but we’re still setting limits.”

“For the dogs.” Gio sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Sacha in between his spread knees.

Sacha eyed him. “Yes?”

“Why do you look so suspicious?” Gio asked with a laugh.

“Because you’re trying to put one over on me, and it’s not going to work. You’re not spending a fortune on me.”

“What if I want to sweep you away to some private beach on a tropical island where we can make love all day and night?”

Sacha ran his hands up Gio’s thighs. “I might be willing to negotiate on certain things.”

“Done. I think we need a little something more than a kiss to seal this deal.”

“I like how you think, Giovanni.” Sacha tugged Gio’s shirt out of his waistband and kissed him. He pulled back suddenly, his eyes filled with concern. “Are you sure about this, Gio? About me? I’m not the easiest guy to get along with. I’m messy, loud, curse a lot, and I’ve been told I can drive a nun to drink.”

Gio ran his fingers through Sacha’s hair. “I wouldn’t change a thing. Neither of us is perfect, and I wouldn’t want that. I love your fiery spirit, that no one can impose their will on you. You’re so damned strong. It’s why I feel so safe around you. Like I don’t have to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

“And you don’t,” Sacha said, brushing his fingers down Gio’s jaw. “You’ve got me, and I can take some of that weight. I can take care of you.”

“I never knew how much I needed that until you,” Gio admitted. For all his capable ways, for all his life experiences, Gio needed someone to care for him, love him, look out for him. And in return, he had so much love to give, love he wanted to give to Sacha.

With a sweet smile, Sacha leaned in, slowly undoing the buttons on Gio’s shirt as their tongues tangled. A moan escaped Gio as Sacha brushed his fingers down Gio’s chest, stopping over his nipples to give them a tweak. How could he have been so foolish to let this man go, even if they’d only been apart a short time? The thought of not having Sacha was too painful to think about. Despite everything that had happened between them, the words that they’d thrown at each other, when Gio had texted Sacha that he needed him, Sacha showed up, for Gio.

“I want to go to bed every night with you in my arms,” Gio said, breathless. “And wake up to you every morning.”

Sacha’s eyes filled with affection. “I want that too.”

They undressed each other, hurriedly removing their clothes. But once they were naked, they slowed their pace. Gio wanted to show Sacha that he meant every word, that he planned to cherish him and love him for as long as Sacha would let him. He climbed onto the bed, arranging the pillows so he could sit back against the headboard, his eyes never leaving Sacha’s. With a wicked smile, Sacha got onto the bed and crawled over to him. He sat back on his heels, and Gio drank in the glorious sight of Sacha’s tight, sinful body.

“Tell me,” Sacha said.

Gio ran his tongue over his bottom lip. He knew exactly what Sacha wanted. From the moment he’d heard Sacha speak, something about him had given Gio the crazy idea that Sacha was desperate to submit, but only in the bedroom, and to the right person.

Gio leaned over to the nightstand and pulled the drawer open. Removing the lube and condoms, he stilled when Sacha spoke up.

“I’m good to leave off the condoms if you are. I get tested for work every few months, and I’m negative.”

“Me too.” Gio tossed the condom back into the drawer, his body thrumming with need. The thought of being inside Sacha without a condom was almost too much, and he was forced to calm himself. He held the lube out to Sacha. “Get yourself ready.”

Sacha’s eyes were dark, leaving only a sliver of blue-gray. He flipped the cap open and poured a generous amount on his fingers, then closed the bottle and tossed it to one side on the bed. Positioning himself between Gio’s spread legs, Sacha turned, then lowered himself onto one arm, his ass in the air within Gio’s reach. He spread his knees, opening himself and making Gio groan. Sacha started with one finger, giving Gio one hell of a show as he fucked himself, then added another. Gio sat up and placed a hand on Sacha’s ass cheek. He couldn’t help it. Rubbing the smooth globe, he bit down on his bottom lip as he delivered a light smack. Sacha arched his back, a deep moan filling the room.

“You like that?”

“Yes,” Sacha replied, breathless. He added another finger to his hole, his movement a little quicker now. Another curse escaped him when Gio smacked his ass cheek again, making sure to rub the pink spot. He added his finger to Sacha’s, joining him in stretching him.

“You’re so beautiful,” Gio murmured, loving the way Sacha shivered.

“Gio. Please.”

“Come here.” Gio sat back against the headboard again. “Ride me.”

Sacha straddled Gio’s lap, and Gio groaned as Sacha took hold of Gio’s rock-hard cock and pressed the tip to his entrance. Carefully he pushed back, and Gio’s eyes all but rolled into the back of his head as he breached Sacha’s hole. The tightness was heavenly, and not having anything between them filled Gio with an overwhelming need to bring Sacha into his arms and never let him go. He placed his hands on Sacha’s hips as Sacha lowered himself until he was seated against Gio.

“You feel so good,” Gio said, his toes curling when Sacha started to move, rolling his hips.

“I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want you, and I want you all the damn time.” Sacha slid his hands up Gio’s chest, his movements picking up speed when Gio palmed his leaking erection. He matched his strokes to Sacha’s movements. They’d started out slow but were quickly picking up speed as Sacha fucked himself on Gio’s cock.

Sweat beaded Gio’s brow as he pumped Sacha’s dick, a gorgeous flush spreading up Sacha’s neck to his face, his hair sticking up wildly. How had Gio gotten so lucky? Unable to help himself, he shot forward and grabbed hold of Sacha’s ass cheeks, spreading them so he could take control, thrusting into him over and over.

“Fuck, Gio, that feels so good.” Sacha slipped his fingers into Gio’s hair, grabbing fistfuls of it.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Let me take care of you.” Gio pumped himself into Sacha, deep, hard thrusts. The sound of their bodies smacking into each other filled the room in wonderfully obscene fashion, soon joined by their panting breaths and sinful moans. Gio’s muscles tensed as he pounded Sacha’s ass. “Jerk yourself,” Gio growled.

Sacha took himself in hand, his strokes matching Gio’s now frantic pace. Never again would he take the man in his arms for granted. Sacha was a gift, and Gio would do well to remember that. His orgasm swept through him like a tsunami, and he crushed his mouth to Sacha’s as he came undone, his heart and soul laid bare. He shouted Sacha’s name as he came, filling Sacha with liquid heat, leaving his mark. A heartbeat later, Sacha cried out, his hot come hitting Gio’s chest.

“Holy fuck,” Sacha said through a gasp, collapsing against Gio. “What were you saying about that tropical island?”

Gio laughed softly as he lay back against the pillows, holding Sacha against him. He ran his fingers down Sacha’s spine, caressing his soft skin. “Anytime you want. I know you don’t want me to spend a lot of money on you, but…” He turned Sacha’s face so he could gaze into his eyes. “What’s the point of having all that money if I can’t use it to take care of the people I love?”

Sacha seemed to think about it. “I asked Ace about that once. About why he’s okay to let Colton buy him an expensive sports car or fly him to Europe for a weekend. All the money Colton spends on him. He said it was how Colton showed his love.”

“Because Ace knows it’s not about the money. It’s about the thought behind it, the physical expression of his love.”

“That makes sense. So is it the same for you?”

Gio thought about it. “I think it’s a little different for me. I much prefer to show my love by doing something for someone. I think that’s how you show love as well.”

Sacha blinked at him. “Me?”

“Yes. You’re always doing things for others, whether you realize it or not. Think about it. You make sure I eat, stay hydrated, got me a service dog.”

“I never thought about it that way.”

“I think it’s the same for all your brothers-in-arms. It’s why you opened Four Kings Security. With your military background, it makes sense. You all show you care through acts of service.”

Sacha delivered a kiss to Gio’s jaw. “You’re a pretty smart guy, ain’tcha?”

Gio laughed at that. “Sometimes. We should probably get up and shower before we get stuck together, huh?”

Sacha’s grunt made Gio laugh. Reluctantly they got up and went to shower, which led to more kissing and touching, which was certainly not regrettable. Gio loved that they could laugh together, and no one made him laugh like Sacha. Knowing Sacha and Chip would be moving into his house had Gio almost giddy with happiness. He’d never expected Sacha to be ready so quickly, but then again it didn’t surprise him. Sacha was the kind of guy who knew what he wanted, and he didn’t see the point in wasting time.

They finished their shower and got dressed, then headed downstairs, Sacha’s hand in Gio’s. He kissed the back of Sacha’s hand, enjoying the subtle blush that came onto Sacha’s cheeks. One thing for certain, his life with Sacha would be anything but mundane and predictable, and he couldn’t wait. The first thing Gio was going to do was look at his schedule and make some calls. As much as he loved what he did, his family had grown, and though there would be times he let Sacha or Laz down, it wouldn’t be because he was putting his job before them. His family meant the world to him; it was time he proved it.