The Shepherd (The Game 6)

“Shut up,” he grumbled. “When’re we home?”

“Five, ten minutes.”

He yawned and scrubbed a hand over his face. “You drive slow.”

“Your brain’s slow.”

He chuckled silently. When I glanced over at him, he had his eyes closed, and he wore a sleepy little smile.

I’d missed him this week.

“I hate fighting with you, Sloan.”

That wiped away his mirth. “Me too. I—fuck.” He swallowed audibly and made a face. “Do you have anything to drink? My mouth is drier than your chicken Alfredo.”

Harsh.

But valid.

“Check the glovebox.”

I side-eyed him, wanting to see if he reacted…

He blinked sleepily and opened the compartment. “What the hell is all this?”

My beautiful, fucking amazing slave. He’d surprised me with it this morning. Individually wrapped, homemade snack bars, a couple of those small eight-ounce water bottles, and two fun-size bags of homemade potato chips.

Archie did not mess around.

“That would be the work of my boy,” I said. “There was a lot more earlier today.”

Sloan didn’t reply. He grabbed one of the water bottles and closed the glovebox again.

“Aren’t you happy for me?” I prodded.

“I’m thrilled.” He uncapped the bottle and glanced out the window, into the pitch-black darkness, and it must’ve clued him in. We were a long way from the city lights of Arlington and all the other towns around DC. “I told you to take me home, Greer.”

“That’s what I’m doing. You’ll be living with me now.”

He chuckled darkly. “That’d be a sight. You with your boyfriend, and me on the couch.”

After tonight, I was more likely to make sure Sloan was in the same bed as Archie and me.

Shit. I swallowed and gripped the wheel tighter. First time I’d allowed my mind to wander that far.

“You’ve never spent the night on my couch, so I don’t know why you’d start now,” I retorted.

The fucker had the small bedroom slash office next to mine.

He sighed and rubbed his temples. “We can have this fight tomorrow. How long was I out for? Did I call you earlier?”

“You passed out before we were out of Arlington. And you texted me. Very eloquently, I might add.” I turned onto my private road and realized I hadn’t checked my phone in a long time. Not since Archie had messaged me back to say he understood I had to go get Sloan.

He’d finished with a wink emoji.

Sloan groaned and cursed as he checked his messages, presumably to refresh his memory.

Maybe that meant he didn’t remember what he’d told me in person in front of Kingsley and Tate.

I’d be happy to remind him tomorrow.

“You’re actually with that guy,” he stated as I pulled into the carport. “That’s the Archie who made you swear off men under thirty-five. The one who was with Angelo when he met you.”

“The one and only.” I killed the engine and glanced over at him. “I can explain everything tomorrow, but he’s…” I blew out a breath. At this point, I was so tired that I didn’t know what to do with myself. And only my front yard and two doors stood between me and Archie. “It’s in the past, Sloan. We’ve forgiven each other—and frankly, I didn’t stand a goddamn chance.” I gave his leg a squeeze before I opened the door and jumped out. “Let’s get some sleep, ya lush. I’ll introduce y’all tomorrow.”

Or in a few hours, I guessed.

Sloan followed me and muttered, “Then you’re taking me home.”

Nah.

Buddy or Beast barked as I climbed up the porch steps, but a well-placed growl from Rex was all it took for barking to turn into excited huffing and rumble-like chatting. I opened the screen door, unlocked the regular door, and stepped in to greet my boys.

“Daddy didn’t mean to wake y’all.” I rubbed Buddy behind the ears as I bent down and kissed the top of Rex’s head. Odin butted his nose to my cheek before he returned to his spot. “Have you been good boys for Archie and Lady Kyla?”

Of course they had. They were always good.

Sloan excused himself to take a shower and “brush his teeth till they bleed,” and I watched him disappear down the hall.

Mission somewhat accomplished. I had him out here now. Tomorrow, I’d be honest with him. I’d find the balls to confront all the unsaid things between us. A thought that frazzled my brain and sent me to the dimly lit kitchen rather than my bedroom where Archie waited—asleep, I prayed.

Was the grass always greener on the other side? Because I’d been waiting for something to happen with my lack of love life for years, and now it was all falling in my lap in one giant heap. And it made me long for simpler times. Although…not without those two men. It was more a matter of wanting to jump ahead to a more structured lifestyle. I needed shit settled with us.

I opened the fridge, and my stare fell on the delicious-looking cake that took up the better part of an entire shelf. Peering closer, I took a whiff and eyed the creation. Strawberry cheesecake. Fuck me. It looked good enough to be sold in a bakery. The top tier was see-through and red, some shiny gelatin with strawberry slices embedded.