Chapter 1
SLOANE WAS overreacting. At least that's what he kept telling himself. The situation wasn't as dire as he was making it out to be. Plus, he had a whole support team in place, the majority of whom were highly trained agents. One was a TIN operative, for crying out loud. They all had his back. They knew what was at stake. How much trouble could one man get into?
"I think I should wear my work boots. They're flame resistant."
Oh dear God.
Sloane had to sit down. He sank into the armchair beside the closet while Dex tried to decide between his black designer boots and his THIRDS-issued military-grade combat boots.
"Babe?" Dex turned and chuckled. "Would you stop freaking out? It's going to be fine."
"Then why do you need the work boots?" How could Sloane not freak out when Dex was going to be out there without him? It wasn't so much that he worried about Dex. Despite his mate being marked, Dex could handle himself. Sloane was confident in Dex's skills. In fact, Sloane was proud of him. Proud of how far he'd come since his rookie days at the THIRDS. Dex had escaped Wolf, for heaven's sake. No, he wasn't worried about Dex. He was worried about everyone else. Their city was in danger of being thrust into chaos the likes of which it had never seen. Sloane wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for his half-Therian mate to be out there without him.
Dex straddled Sloane's lap, which made Sloane feel marginally better. A sweet kiss to his cheek, then the other, certainly helped. He closed his eyes as Dex brushed his lips against his temple, a feathery touch before Dex slipped his fingers into Sloane's hair. The tension in Sloane's shoulders eased, and he inhaled deeply through his nose, his mate's scent like a soothing balm.
"It's just a bachelor party," Dex assured him.
"Your bachelor party," Sloane murmured, enjoying Dex's fingers in his hair. He'd have to cut it soon before Tony ended up doing it for him. He shuddered at the thought.
"You just thought about my dad cutting your hair again, didn't you?"
Sloane opened his eyes to meet Dex's sparkling blue gaze. He frowned. "He didn't cut it. He butchered it. It was a traumatizing experience." The snip of scissors still made him flinch.
"I know it was. It's okay. No one's going to lay a finger on your precious locks while I'm around." Dex brushed his lips over Sloane's. "Just think, in less than six months, you're going to be Mr. Sloane Daley."
Sloane couldn't help his dopey grin or the way his heart soared at the thought. A part of him still couldn't believe it was happening. He was getting married. Him. After Gabe's death he'd resigned himself to a life without love, believing he was too broken to ever find someone who would want to keep him. Dex had challenged him in every way and proven to him how wrong Sloane was about himself, life, everything. Sloane couldn't imagine his life without Dex. Smiling wide, Sloane slid his hands up Dex's thighs to his waist, then wrapped his arms around his beautiful man. How had he gotten so lucky?
Glowing amber surged from Dex's pupils, spreading through the brilliant blue. It stole Sloane's breath every time. He put his hand to Dex's cheek, mesmerized by the change. Everything about Dex enthralled him.
"You're so beautiful."
Dex's sultry smile went right to Sloane's groin. "Aw, you're so smitten with me. I kinda like you too."
"Yeah?" Sloane laughed softly. He took Dex's hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
"Just a little," Dex teased, wrapping his arms around Sloane's neck.
Sloane hummed. "That so?" He slipped his hands down to Dex's ass and gave his cheeks a squeeze before bringing Dex against him and his growing erection, making Dex moan. "Guess I'm going to have to try harder to change that."
"Speaking of hard...." Dex ground his hips against Sloane's, his breath hitching. "You trying to seduce me, Agent Brodie?"
"Trying?" Sloane stood with Dex in his arms, loving the quiet gasp Dex let out. He carried Dex over to the bed, then dropped him onto the mattress before swooping down to capture that pouting smile. God, he loved Dex's mouth. Loved kissing his lips until they were pink and swollen. Sloane fumbled with Dex's belt buckle as he growled against Dex's mouth, "Maybe you need a little something to remember me tonight."
Dex arched his back, his reply a gasp. "Yes."