Hell & High Water (THIRDS 1)

He pulled up to a space across from his apartment building, smiling. There was also a strange fluttering in his stomach at the thought of getting to spend the night with Dex in bed. He knew he shouldn’t get used to it, but if Dex was willing—and offering—to fool around without the strings attached or drama, why should Sloane refuse? Especially knowing how much he wanted it, how good it felt to be with someone who made him feel happy again. As he crossed the street, he wondered how Dex felt about the whole thing. There had been plenty of instances that could have been awkward, where everything could have turned into a disaster, but Dex had diffused any possible explosive situation with a warm smile and a tender understanding that always left Sloane breathless.

“Hey.”

Sloane stopped cold at the familiar voice. “Isaac?”

Isaac stood from where he’d been seated on the ledge beside Sloane’s apartment building’s steps, an apologetic smile on his face. “I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“You didn’t have to wait out here. You could have called.”

“I thought after everything, you might tell me to get lost, and I wouldn’t blame you. I’ve been a real prick. I brought you a peace offering.” Isaac waved a brown and pink paper bag at him.

“Is that…?”

“Roasted plantain empanadas from Dos Caminos.”

“Wow.” Sloane took the bag from Isaac, his mouth watering at the thought. It had been ages since he’d had these. In fact, he hadn’t been to the restaurant since he’d last been there with Gabe and Isaac, in one of Gabe’s many kindhearted attempts to get them to tolerate each other.

“Didn’t think I remembered?”

More like he didn’t believe the guy cared enough to pay attention. “Thanks.” He wasn’t sure what to make of Isaac and his peace offering. There was no lost love between them, but this case had Sloane feeling upside down and inside out.

Isaac pointed up to the High Line. “How about a walk? You eat, I’ll talk. There’s a can of Coke in there too.”

“Okay.” Sloane led the way to the glass elevator, pressing the floor for the High Line. At this time of night in November, there weren’t a lot of people strolling about. He made sure to stay alert as he followed Isaac and dug into the first empanada. He loved empanadas. They were a guilty pleasure of his. “I forgot how good these were,” he moaned. Roasted plantains, black beans, peppers, cheese, and spices. He still couldn’t get over the fact Isaac was here. Whatever the reason, Sloane was sure it had something to do with Gabe so he should at least hear the guy out.

They walked down the High Line, the vegetation and trees bare and dry now that it was nearly winter, but still oddly beautiful in a melancholic way. “I’m sorry I can’t stay long, I’m supposed to be meeting someone,” Sloane said, finishing off his last empanada.

“Dex?”

Sloane swallowed and cleared his throat. “Yeah. We were going to hang out a while. Unwind.”

Isaac headed to the rail’s edge overlooking West Fourteenth Street. “He’s the reason I’m here, to be honest.”

Sloane came to stand beside Isaac, the chilly breeze blowing Sloane’s hair into his face. He brushed it behind his ears, reminding himself he needed a cut before Maddock started his routine threat of taking a pair of scissors to it. “How’s that?”

“Dex is a really good guy. We didn’t get to talk much at the Sixth while he was there, but then I didn’t talk much at all at the time. But I’d seen the way he was with everyone, the way they loved him. Well, until the mess with his partner. He cares, where most would tell you to get on with it. He’s a little weird,” Isaac said with a chuckle, “but in a good way.”

Sloane found himself smiling again. “Yeah.”

“Anyway, when you guys came by today, I had a chat with him, and he really got me thinking.” Isaac turned to him, his expression sympathetic. “This whole feud between us…. What’s the point? We hurt Gabe a lot while he was alive and if he’s up there somewhere….” Isaac turned his face up to the night sky. “He’d be royally pissed with me.”

Sloane didn’t say anything, mostly because he didn’t know what to say. Was it too little too late? Isaac seemed sincere. Maybe he really did want to put the past behind him. Sloane leaned against the rail, frowning.

“You okay?” Isaac’s hand went to Sloane’s shoulder. “You’re looking a little pale.”

“Hm? Yeah, sorry. It’s been a long day.” Long week, long month, long year, long life….

“Want to sit down?”

Sloane’s vision got blurry, and he grabbed onto the railings to steady himself as a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him. What the hell? He was sweating, a cold chill running through his body.

“I came because I was worried about Dex. Talking to him today, I could see it happening.”

“I’m sorry?” Sloane blinked and tried to shake himself out of whatever the hell was happening. Was he coming down with something? It was that time of year, and there were a few agents in their department who’d come down with the flu, but he’d never had blurry vision because of it. He leaned heavier on the rail.

“He likes you. Defends you. I tried to warn him about you, but you’ve worked that Brodie magic on him.” Isaac stepped up to him, a hand patting Sloane’s cheek, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis. Sloane’s legs gave out from under him, and he slid down against the rail, his blood running cold. His limbs felt heavy, his movements sluggish. Oh, God.

“What did you do to me?”