“Do you think that could happen this time?” Gio asked.
Jack shrugged. “To be honest, I have no idea. We’ve all come a long way, but we haven’t been in a situation like this since we returned. Maybe he’ll be okay. I just wanted to let you know, in case you need to get the guys. I won’t be able to restrain him on my own, and I don’t want you getting caught up in it.”
“I understand.” Gio appreciated Jack’s companionship. No one knew Sacha better than Jack. The two had been lifelong friends, and their bond had deepened into a brotherhood. It hadn’t crossed Gio’s mind that this might reopen old wounds for the Kings and Jack.
Less than an hour later, Colton and Ace arrived. For a heartbeat, Gio didn’t recognize Ace. His eyes were red, with dark circles, his hair was a mess, and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in days, but it was Colton’s expression that had Gio crossing the room to his best friend.
“Come get a coffee with me,” Gio said, putting a hand on Colton’s shoulder.
Colton turned to Ace, who stood at Sacha’s bedside, looking down at him. “I’m fine,” Ace growled.
Jack muttered a curse under his breath, and Colton pressed his lips together, likely to stop himself from saying something he might regret, given his darkened expression. Turning around, he headed for the door. Ace closed his eyes and shook his head. Gio left him with Jack, closing the door behind him before he caught up with Colton.
“His brother is in a coma, and he almost beat the shit out of his cousin, but yeah, he’s fine,” Colton snapped.
“You know he’s angry at himself, right? Not at you. He knows he hurt Lucky, hurt you, scaredyou. He’s probably beating himself up over it.”
“Good. He should be after what he did.”
“You don’t mean that,” Gio said softly.
Colton sighed and deflated. “You’re right. I don’t.”
“Come on. Let’s get some coffee.” Gio walked with Colton to the café, asking Colton to get them a table at the far end in the corner so they could talk. Returning with a coffee in each hand, Gio placed one in front of Colton, then sat.
Colton gazed out the glass wall at the garden on the other side. “I have known that man for seven years and I’ve been married to him for five, and I have never, not once, seen him lose his temper like that. I know it’s because of what’s happened with Joker and everything they went through. I understand that.” He frowned and turned, fidgeting with the coffee cup sleeve before he spoke up again.
“Butbecauseof his past,our number one rule has always been communication, because this is what happens when he internalizes his pain, bottling everything up, thinking that if he pushes it down deep enough, he won’t feel it. King is really upset with him. They all worked so hard to escape the darkness that haunted them when they returned, learned to share the burden with their brothers, their family…and Ace…” Colton swallowed hard. “I never expected my husband to fall back into that darkness.”
“We’ll get through this,” Gio promised. “We’re all in this together.”
Colton met Gio’s gaze. “I was so scared. For both of them.”
“I know.” Gio listened to his dearest friend get what he needed to off his chest. The best Gio could do for Colton right now was listen. A little while later, they headed back to the room, but as they approached, Gio heard shouting. He quickly opened the door, his heart pounding in his ears at the sight of Ace and Lucky fighting, cursing each other in Spanish, with Jack in the middle trying to keep them apart.
Oh hell no.Not today.
“That’s enough,” Gio bellowed.
Ace and Lucky quickly moved away from one another, both turning to stare at him in stunned silence.
“Now you two listen to me very carefully because I’m only going to say this once.” Gio pointed to Sacha. “Your brother is fighting for his life, and you two are in his hospital room fighting? If either of you says even one harsh word to the other, I will kick your asses out of here so fast you won’t know what hit you. Do you understand me?”
The two just blinked at him.
Gio took a step forward and met Lucky’s gaze. “Do you understand me, Eduardo?”
Lucky nodded.
“Good.” Gio turned to Ace. “Anston?”
Ace narrowed his eyes, and Gio folded his arms over his chest and squared his shoulders. “The man I love is on a ventilator. Don’t you test me, Anston.”
Ace flinched. He looked at Sacha, then at Lucky, then at Colton, his eyes going glassy. “I…I’m sorry,” he said, his words quiet. Something in him seemed to switch off, and he turned to Lucky.
“Lo siento, hermano. Perdóname.”
Lucky sighed and brought Ace into his arms. He placed a hand on the back of Ace’s head and pulled him close to whisper something. Ace nodded and returned Lucky’s embrace. When he pulled back, Lucky smiled softly and patted his cheek.
