Rise & Fall (THIRDS 4)

“Damn it. I can’t believe he dragged you into this.” So that’s where Dex had been hiding himself. He remembered Dex’s text stating he’d stayed over at Cael’s last night. It wasn’t bad enough he was lying to Sloane, now he was getting everyone else to lie for him.

“Wait, you know?”

Sloane let out a sigh. “Yeah.”

“Why haven’t you told him?”

“I’m sure he knows.”

“But you haven’t discussed it?”

“I’ve been wondering how long he’s going to keep on lying to me. After everything he’s said and done, he comes home, and he lies to me, Lou.” Had Lou and Dex’s relationship fallen apart because they’d not been right for each other? Or had this been the reason? Lou said he couldn’t watch Dex do this to himself again. So it wasn’t the first time. Dex was stubborn, no doubt about it, but he was also reasonable. Was this a side of his partner he hadn’t known existed? Sloane had seen how dogged Dex could be when he was working a case, and he admired his partner’s determination. But what if this was something different altogether?

“He loves you, Sloane. I don’t know how you feel about him, but I’m guessing you really care about him. Don’t let your pride come between you.”

“His lying is what’s coming between us,” Sloane replied angrily. Part of his anger stemmed from Dex lying, but it wasn’t what bothered him most. It was Dex putting the job before them, his family, and everything else after how fiercely he’d defended the point following the whole mess with the Therian Youth Center bombing. How the job could be replaced but not someone he loved. And then he turns around and does this?

“So your solution is to act like everything’s okay? To meet his lie with yet another lie? Dios mío, I want to smack you both upside the head.” Lou let out a frustrated growl, stunning Sloane. Damn, he didn’t even know Lou could get that pissed. Sloane heard the rumble of Dex’s

Challenger coming up the street.

“I have to go. He’s almost home. Thank you for calling.”

“Sloane. You two have found something special. Don’t throw it away. I could never get through to him. Maybe you can. For both your sakes.”

“Thanks, Lou.” Sloane hung up and put away his phone. He sat on the couch and waited. By the time Sloane heard the keys jingling outside the door, he’d worked himself up. Lou was right. Meeting Dex’s lie with another lie would get them nowhere, and it wasn’t how he wanted their relationship to go. This had to stop before it got any more out of hand.

The door opened, and Sloane waited with his jaw clenched so tight he might break something. Dex appeared in the doorway to the living room, hair needing a cut, scruffy beard growing in, his clothes disheveled, dirty, and he was pretty sure there was some kind of fungus stuck to his jeans. He was also carrying a bouquet of roses in one hand.

Sloane blinked dumbly. What the hell?

“Hi.” Dex lingered in the doorway. He rubbed his free hand over his hair before shoving it into his pocket. “I’m sorry I missed dinner. And lunch. And um, breakfast.”

Sloane’s gaze went to the flowers. “Are those for me?”

“Yeah. I know it’s kind of cheesy, but….” Dex shrugged, looking embarrassed.

“It’s not cheesy. It’s sweet. Come here,” Sloane said softly, holding his arms out. God, if this was any indication of how their relationship was going to progress, Sloane was screwed. He’d talk to Dex, straighten this mess out, but right now, his partner was clearly in need of some care. Dex looked like he was ready to collapse.

His partner put the flowers on the coffee table, kicked off his sneakers, and climbed up on the couch to curl himself up against him, his arms wrapping around Sloane’s waist. Sloane returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around Dex and holding him.

Dex sucked in a sharp breath and winced. “Shit.”

“Dex?” Sloane pulled his arms back and looked down at him. “Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing.”

“We’ll see.” Sloane reached for the hem of Dex’s T-shirt.

“Babe—”

Anger flared through Sloane. “Oh, fuck no.”

“What?” Dex sat back, his eyes wide.

“This is the first time you’ve called me that, and you use it to get yourself out of trouble?” To his credit, Dex looked offended.

“I didn’t say it to get out of trouble. It just came out.” He shrugged, his cheeks going pink. “It felt right.”