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Robbie towered over everyone sitting at the table, glowering as only Robbie could do.

He was six-five, two-fifty, and his long dark hair and full beard made him look even bigger.

He shook his head, and his hair whipped around his face.

“No way. You’ll try to set me up with Alice, and it is not happening. ”

Alice Chambers was Robbie’s high school girlfriend. Chase hadn’t heard his friend so much as mutter her name in years. Lots of years. Interesting he’d jump right to that conclusion. Did Brandon know something Chase didn’t?

Alice was an angelic beauty who any of them would’ve given their left kidney up to date. She’d only ever loved Robbie. Even Chase had no idea what had come between them. He suspected it was Robbie choosing the military, but Robbie had never confirmed that.

“Robbie, Robbie, Robbie.” Brandon shook his head. “You don’t know who I’m setting you up with. Madelyne is helping me find the perfect women for each of you. Maybe I’m planning to set Emmett up with Alice.”

“Try it and see which of you loses their index finger first,” Robbie growled, looking threateningly from Brandon to Emmett.

“Hey now.” Emmett held his large, perfect hands up.

“It was his idea. I never looked twice at Alice.” He pulled a face.

“Okay, that’s a lie. Maybe two or three times, but never four, out of respect for you.

” He smiled easily. “You know none of us ever made a play for her, and my coach insists I need all of my fingers to catch balls.”

Robbie gave Emmett a partial smile. “I’m not threatening you. I’m threatening him.” He pointed at Brandon.

“Please, Robbie. Sit down, my friend. You know I only have your best interests at heart.”

“Right,” Robbie drawled. He spread his stance and folded his thick arms across his chest. Chase wasn’t threatened by anyone with his experience and skill set, but if he didn’t know Robbie’s good heart, he could see how his friend could intimidate most people.

Brandon leaned back in his chair, smiling up at Robbie. He didn’t appear offended, threatened, or put off by his bad attitude. “So no one is allowed to be set up with Alice, including you? Would you like that logged into the preferences?”

Robbie rolled his eyes and didn’t sit back down.

“What’s the catch?” Nelson asked. “Why are you setting us up?”

“Look at all of you.” Brandon gestured around the table. “A bunch of handsome, successful dudes with no incredible woman by your side, no baby on the way. I want you all happily in love before I pass away. I have to know that Squadron 7 will live on.”

Robbie shook his head.

“No pressure,” Parker joked.

Brandon winked at Parker. “I only have your best interests at heart.”

Chase didn’t know if he believed that. He looked to Rock. Their solid and steady friend didn’t give anything away. His expression was neutral, his eyes guarded.

“We all love you, Brandon,” Nelson said. “But we also know you too well. You wouldn’t set this all up without a twist or some level of drama.”

“I’m glad you asked.” Brandon’s eyes twinkled. “But it’s not a level of drama on my end.”

“That’d be a first,” Emmett teased.

Shrugging easily, Brandon actually looked serious for once. “There’s something else I need to tell each of you about your two-week vacation and the women you’ll be paired with …” He leaned forward again and gestured to Robbie’s seat.

Robbie didn’t move.

“Come on, Rob,” Parker said. “A beautiful woman and Europe. It’s go time!”

Emmett and Brandon both smiled. Nobody else did.

“Let’s hear him out,” Nelson said, reasonable and level-headed as usual.

Robbie harrumphed but sank into the cushioned chair, staying back away from the table, an obvious indicator he wasn’t all in but wouldn’t leave the conversation completely.

That was probably only because Brandon was dying.

The dying card was a good angle to play.

It would persuade most of them to bow to Brandon’s off-the-wall final wishes.

Brandon steepled his fingers. His eyes slowly perused the room, locking with each man for a moment before moving on. There was a seriousness in that blue gaze that was rare for the philandering billionaire. “Each of the women we’ve selected …” Brandon drew it out.

Chase shifted, uncomfortable in his seat. Two weeks in Europe and a million dollars both sounded great. Getting set up on a two-week blind date and hoping that woman fell in love with him? Not so much.

“Spit out the bubble gum,” Nelson muttered.

Brandon nodded to him. “Each woman is in imminent danger and needs a place to escape with a man who can protect?—”

“Alice is in danger?” Robbie roared, rising halfway out of his seat again. He ripped his phone out. “I’m calling Aiden. We’ll keep her safe. Where is she now?”

“Robbie, Robbie.” Brandon held both hands up. “Friend. You need to take it down a notch.” He looked to Chase. “Is he always like this? I recall the intensity, but not to this level.”

Chase shook his head, amazed at Robbie’s intensity as well. He’d been single-minded and resolute when they were on a mission, but for the most part he was a friendly, laid-back guy. Obviously his feelings for Alice were still over the top.

“That is wonderful to hear,” Brandon said even though Chase had done nothing more than shake his head. “So the colossal Robbie Perrine does still love the saintly Alice Marshall. Get her to proclaim her everlasting love for you and I’ll gift you a million dollars.”

Robbie’s blue eyes reminded Chase of the ‘thunder’ in Thor’s eyes in Thor: Ragnarok .

Somebody was going to get thumped, and soon.

“Love has nothing to do with this, and you can take your million dollars and shove it.” Robbie glowered even more deeply.

“Tell me where she is and what kind of danger she’s in. Now!”

Brandon didn’t look afraid. Though he should.

“I’ve got men I trust who will escort each of the women to the various European locations,” Rock said, drawing everyone’s attention. “My hand-picked teams will provide security at the rental homes and watch over you and your ladies when you travel for day excursions.”

The tension at the table settled, and even Robbie looked somewhat mollified.

“You’re in on this too?” Emmett asked.

“Of course.” Rock gave a rare half-smile. “Madelyne and I had to deal with the logistics of another of his crazy ideas.”

Crazy idea indeed, and how close were Madelyne and Rock? Chase found that very intriguing.

“What kind of danger is Alice in?” Robbie asked again, this time focusing on Rock.

“Each of you will be given all the information on your location, a schedule of your day trips, and the particulars and severity of danger each of the ladies is experiencing as you travel to your location,” Brandon answered.

“You’ll have a first-class suite to yourself, but I apologize that all of my jets are being used by your lovely ladies. ”

“We’ll survive … somehow,” Parker joked.

“How soon do we leave?” Robbie demanded, visibly anxious to go protect Alice.

Chase’s own gut was churning, wondering if this was a good idea.

Robbie was committed because of Alice and their past relationship.

Chase wasn’t certain he wanted to spend two weeks with some unknown lady.

He pushed that aside, wishing he could chat with Robbie about Alice.

If Chase’s calculations were correct, it had been over fifteen years since he’d last seen Alice. Did he still have feelings for her?

“You’re all in?” Brandon asked, looking immensely pleased with himself.

Chase had seen that look before. Brandon was planning on pulling some kind of prank or conducting a social experiment on all of them.

What was it and how would it affect these men Chase cared about?

What about the women in danger Brandon had somehow found and pulled into his odd ‘gift vacation’ for his lifelong buddies?

Were the women truly in danger, innocent pawns, or part of an elaborate ruse? You never knew with Brandon.

“I’m in,” Robbie said shortly, his eyes still looking like a darkening summer storm, with thunder and lightning imminent.

“Sign me up, Scotty.” Parker appeared to think this was all some big game, like the video games he designed.

“As you requested, I do have the next two weeks free.” Emmett looked uncertain. “Maybe you and Madelyne have miraculously picked out a woman who will actually love me for me and not be enraptured by all my fame and fortune.”

Everyone chuckled, but Emmett appeared somewhat serious. Chase didn’t know what being pursued for fame and fortune would be like, but he didn’t want to try it.

He wasn’t certain he wanted to try Brandon’s scheme.

The million dollars should be a motivator, but he doubted he’d win it.

What about the adventure? Though he enjoyed the quiet pace of Jade Valley, it was a lot quieter than he was used to, even with some unusual crime for the valley the past year.

It would be a nice change of pace to explore whatever corner of Europe Madelyne and Brandon had picked out for him.

He would be willing to protect this unknown lady for two weeks, but he didn’t hold out much hope that she was his ideal match like Brandon claimed.

He wanted to find a lady like one of the Gem family in Jade Valley—genuine, fun, and naturally beautiful.

Unfortunately, all the formerly single Gem ladies were now in relationships.

“I don’t know much about security,” Nelson said, appearing as unsure as Chase felt.

Chase wasn’t uncertain about the security details, but about spending time with a stranger. The idea of her falling in love and him winning a million dollars felt too out there to really consider.

“I’m the same,” Emmett admitted.

“I’ll wing it,” Parker joked.