When I left the shop, I headed to the firehouse to see if I could catch up with Otto. Out of all my siblings, Otto was the one I was closest to besides MJ. We’d joined the navy together and even lived together in Dallas for a time after getting out. Now Otto was married to Hobie’s sheriff, and I needed to see if I could pull some strings to get inside information about Augie’s break-in or find out if there was suddenly an uptick in home invasions in Hobie.

Once inside the main bay door, I spotted Chief Paige talking to a young recruit. The woman was looking up at the chief as if he was some kind of superhero, which I guess around these parts he was. When the chief spotted me, he grinned. “Hey, Saint. Looking for your brother?”

“Yep. Was hoping to steal him away from you for a coffee break if that’s okay.”

Chief Paige nodded. “Sure thing. It’s been slow around here today. Just bring me back a coffee if you head to Sugar Britches.”

“What kind do you take?” I asked as I spotted Otto coming out of a door in the back.

Chief Paige’s entire face softened into a lovesick smile. “Just tell Stevie it’s for me. He knows what I like.”

Since Stevie Devore and Evan Paige had been dating hot and heavy for almost six months, I couldn’t skip the opportunity he’d just handed me on a silver platter.

“Oh, I’ll just bet he knows what you like, Chief. But I wondered about the coffee.”

Otto snorted as he approached us, and the woman standing with the chief looked back and forth between us all with a confused expression. Chief Paige looked down at her. “Stevie’s my boyfriend,” he said. I couldn’t help but notice him stand up straighter and puff out his chest a bit. “He’s the manager of Sugar Britches bakery on the square.”

The woman’s eyes just about bugged out of her head at the news her beloved fire chief had a male lover.

“O-oh. Well… oh!” she stammered and looked to Otto for help. “I didn’t… that’s… great?”

The chief’s nostrils flared in irritation, but his smile remained plastered on. “Better than great. I’m the luckiest man in Hobie. I’m sure if you stick around, you’ll see lots of Stevie at the firehouse.”

“Yes, sir. That’s… I mean, I look forward to meeting him,” she said quickly before looking down at her feet.

I kind of felt sorry for the young woman, but it was better she get over her surprise quickly since Chief Paige wasn’t the only person on her team who wasn’t straight. I winked at my brother. “Let’s go grab a coffee.”

After making our way out of the station and heading toward the town square, Otto turned to me. “What’s up?”

“Can you see if Seth can join us?” I asked.

Otto’s brows furrowed, but he pulled out his phone and dialed Seth’s number. “Hey, babe, you have time to meet me and Saint at Sugar Britches right now?”

He gave the sheriff a chance to answer before grunting and ending the call. “He’ll meet us there in a few. Now spill. What do you want to see Seth for?”

I sighed. “You remember Augie from last night. It turns out his house was broken into, and the perp or perps took some portable antiques that a regular burglar wouldn’t have known were particularly valuable. The man comes from serious money. I want to ask Seth what he found out after the break-in.”

As we continued to walk the couple blocks to the square, Otto asked more about how I’d come to be giving the guy self-defense classes. I explained everything to him, including Augie’s reluctance to consider personal security which really pissed me off.

Otto stopped walking and stared at me. “Seriously?”

“What?” I asked. “Clearly there’s something serious going on.” For some reason I sounded defensive even to my own ears.

“Saint, the man’s house was broken into. It’s hardly the making of a dangerous conspiracy.”

“He needs someone to watch his back,” I insisted.

“He needs a can of mace and an alarm system,” Otto rebutted. “Why are you turning this into… oh shit.” His grin widened as much as his eyes did. “You like the kid.”

“What? No.”

“You do. You like him. Can’t blame you. He’s goddamned adorable.”

My teeth ground together. “You already have a partner.”

I didn’t know it was possible for Otto’s eyes to get any wider. “I called the guy cute. I didn’t say I wanted to fuck him.”

Just the word out of my brother’s mouth made me want to punch him. “Don’t talk about him like that.” My heart was pounding harder than normal in my chest. “Plus, as far as the world knows, he’s straight. Has a girlfriend and everything.” I might have done some more internet research about that late last night for the sake of… whatever. The photos and gossip columns were quite convincing. Katrina Duvall was a news anchor for one of the big stations in Dallas. She was stunning and elegant, the exact type of woman I was sure his family would love to see on his arm.

“He didn’t look at you the way a straight man does, brother.” Otto laughed. “You really fucking like this guy. Admit it.”

“No I don’t. He’s a client.”

“He may be a client, but he’s pushing all your protection buttons for damned sure.”

“Can we change the subject, please?” I asked.

“Your entire purpose for bringing me to the bakery was to talk about this.”

Fuck.

As we turned the corner to head to the small storefront, Seth Walker approached in all his uniformed glory. I wolf whistled at him just to pay Otto back for being a prick.

Otto ignored me and jogged the last couple steps to take Seth into a big bear hug. “Fuck. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Seth kissed him while chuckling. “I saw you this morning at the breakfast table.”

Otto pressed his face into Seth’s neck and inhaled. Something about the gesture made my stomach hurt, and I quickly looked away.

The last person I’d even come close to having an intimate relationship with had fucked right off and slept with my cousin Web when he’d come to visit me in San Diego the first year I was in the navy. I hated the feelings of anger, betrayal, and resentment I’d felt toward both of them. No relationship had been worth fucking with my family.

After that, I’d decided I didn’t have the time nor the inclination for relationships with feelings. I was a navy man. A SEAL for fuck’s sake. It was A-okay for me to fuck, but love? Pfft. No need for that nonsense. I had a world to see and people to save.

After that, quick fucks before the next mission were my specialty. And when I’d come out of the navy almost two years ago, I’d embraced my reputation as a playboy even more. It wasn’t until I began seeing my brothers fall in love that I wondered how long I could continue to fool myself into thinking casual sex would meet all my needs.

I heard Seth smack a kiss on Otto’s lips, and I tried to shake off my moment of envy.

“I only have about fifteen minutes, and don’t let me forget to order something for Luanne or she’ll kick my ass,” Seth said before pulling out of Otto’s embrace and opening the door to the bakery for us.

We chatted with Stevie for a few minutes while ordering drinks and pastries. Once everything was ready, we found a spot in a quiet corner to talk. I explained that I was concerned for Augie’s safety after what had happened.

“When we walked out of the pub last night, his car door was open. Someone had been through all his shit.”

“You think he was specifically targeted?” Seth asked.

I shrugged. “He’s a member of one of the wealthiest families in this part of Texas. It’s not a stretch to think so. Did you know that the Stiel Foundation just pledged half a million dollars to the Second Amendment Foundation and 1.2 million dollars to Texas Right to Life? That’s some serious money for two organizations involved in volatile media campaigns right now, not to mention the money they regularly contribute to other conservative groups. Lots of people are, excuse the phrase, gunning for the Stiels right now in this state. No matter what side of these issues you fall on, you have to admit, it’s big money and big emotions tied together. That’s dangerous.”

Seth glanced quickly at Otto before looking back at me. “Has Landen Safekeeping been hired to look into this?”

“No.”

“Then what’s your interest here?”

I stared at him. “My interest is in keeping the man safe. Clearly, he’s terrified, but he doesn’t want anyone to know how much.”

Now Otto and Seth both glanced at each other with one of those silent spousal messages. I grunted and looked down at my cookie, annoyed as hell at their stubborn personalities.

Seth’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Have you asked him about it? Because the last I knew, he thought it was a standard residential burglary. We don’t have evidence of it being anything else.”

“How many other houses out that way have been burglarized lately?” I asked.

Seth paused for a beat. “None.”

“See? Jesus. This isn’t normal for Hobie. Can’t you at least consider that there’s something else going on here?”

“Saint, I get your frustration, but the standard items were missing from Augie’s house as would be missing in any break-in. Small electronics, keys, wallet, a couple of portable antiques. Whoever did this had no specific knowledge of the safe hidden on the property or the high value of a small painting on the wall. They were smash-and-grab types looking for an easy fix probably. I mean, thank god his great-aunt wasn’t still living there. Can you imagine if they’d found her alone and tried to ask her where the valuables were?”

It hadn’t occurred to me the burglars might have confronted Augie. My stomach twisted painfully. “Did they approach Augie?” I asked. “Did they come into his bedroom?” I felt light-headed at the very idea of little August Stiel being awoken by thugs in his own room.

“No, they didn’t approach him, but they did ransack his bedroom. He heard them break in and was able to hide in his closet I think.”

I felt like I was going to be sick. Everything in me was screaming to go to him and make sure he was okay even though I’d only seen him an hour before. No wonder he was scared to death. He’d had to hide for his own damned safety while criminals were in his house going through his stuff. And how had they ransacked his bedroom without finding him in the closet?

“I have to go,” I said, standing up and reaching for my wallet. I handed Otto some cash. “Don’t forget to grab Evan something.” They both stared at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t wait around long enough to even apologize for acting weird.

I went straight back to Augie’s Antiques.