Having them all under the same roof was terrifying. Dex had never witnessed Ash so well-behaved. It had scared the ever-living crap out of Dex, and Sloane couldn’t stop from snickering every time Vivian was near Ash. If she wasn’t fixing the collar of his shirt, she was brushing something off his shoulder or picking a stray hair off his sleeve. She’d gushed over him, about how proud she was, and what a good boy he was. Dex and Sloane were all but ready to grab some popcorn and just follow the two around, it was so entertaining. Taylor, and especially Angel, thought it was the most hilarious thing ever.
“I wish you could visit more often,” Dex said, saddened that he didn’t get to see his aunt as often as he used to when he and Cael were kids, but she had moved to Philly several years ago to take care of her and Tony’s mom, who needed looking after. Dex had met his adoptive grandmother once, but it had been brief. Tony had tried to include her in their lives, but the woman could hold a grudge something fierce. She’d never forgiven Tony for joining the THIRDS or for adopting a Therian son. Not after her husband had been killed on the job by a Therian.
“I know, baby. I miss my boys.” She let her head rest against his arm as they walked in companionable silence. His aunt had been a constant in his life when he’d been little. She would babysit him and Cael, and took care of them when they were sick and Tony had to work. She’d fed them, bathed them, read them stories, and taught them how to be kind and compassionate yet stand their ground. At fifty-two years old, Danelle Maddock was a tall, slender, stunning woman with flawless dark skin and striking hazel eyes. She was the sweetest, gentlest woman Dex had ever known, but if someone made the mistake of messing with her boys, well, hell hath no fury like a pissed-off Danelle.
After walking through the gardens with his aunt, it was time for dinner inside the beautifully decorated formal dining room with its soft yellow walls and ornate white crown molding. Music played softly in the background while they ate and chatted.
“Okay, everyone, settle down,” Ash said as he stood, tapping the side of his glass. “When I was asked to make a best man speech, I knew exactly what I was going to say. And then I remembered my mom was going to be in the room.”
Everyone laughed, and Vivian waved cheerfully.
“So I had to rethink things, especially when it came to my initial thoughts on Dex after his grand entrance his first day on the job.”
Dex pointed to himself and blinked innocently. Ash shook his head at him.
“Yeah, nice try. No one here is fooled by that face.” Ash turned back to address the room. “Let’s just say that when I fi
rst met Dex, I wasn’t a fan. At the time, the team wasn’t in a good place. I was angry and mean.”
Dex put up a finger and opened his mouth, only to have Sloane clamp a hand over his mouth.
“Thanks.” Ash smiled brightly and winked at Sloane. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. Sloane has always had my back. He’s like a brother to me. Before I got my mom back, he was the only family I had. No one knew me like Sloane. Back when Dex joined our team, we had this missing piece, one we not only couldn’t find a fit for, but didn’t want to. Dex didn’t leave us a choice. He did what he does best, and he got under everyone’s skin. Whether you liked him, loved him, or wanted to push him off the Brooklyn Bridge, he was there with that dopey smile of his, ready to go to war for you. We might not have always gotten along, but I learned pretty quickly that if you needed someone in your corner, Dex was your guy. He’s fearless, relentless, and I’ve never seen anyone with a greater sense of justice than the guy with the same middle name.”
Ash swallowed hard and turned to meet Sloane’s gaze. “Sloane, I didn’t understand what you saw in Dex, but as I watched your relationship with him grow, I started to see it. He was everything you needed and everything you deserved. He didn’t just bring you back to us, he helped you heal and proved to you that you weren’t broken but instead, worthy of every bit of love he offered. Seeing you two gave me hope.” He reached down and Cael took his hand. “Because of you both, I found the courage to give my heart away, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you.”
Sloane rose and stepped up to Ash. They hugged tight, and Dex blinked back his tears. Everyone stood and clapped. Dex joined them, and when Sloane stepped away from Ash, Dex held his arms out.
“Bring it here, big guy.”
Ash shook his head at him, but his amber eyes were filled with amusement. As he hugged Ash, Dex murmured quietly, “Thank you for taking such good care of him. I promise I won’t let you down.”
Ash squeezed him before releasing him and sitting. As everyone enjoyed their meal, Dex and Sloane visited each table, spending time with their friends and family, knowing the next couple of days would be a whirlwind of activity. With two hundred guests attending the wedding, they wouldn’t be able to spend as much time at each table as they would have liked, which was why this evening was for family and close friends before the other guests arrived.
After dinner, Lou grabbed Dex, Sloane, Tony, and the rest of their wedding party to begin the rehearsal, showing them what rooms they’d be waiting in. They ran through the music and Dex’s cue for joining Sloane in the sitting room. From there everyone would exit out to the gardens, where the ceremony would take place. Lou lined everyone up in the order they’d be walking down the aisle, made sure everyone remembered how much space to leave, how they should walk at a normal pace.
Dex stood in the doorway next to Sloane, staring out at the garden, which on Saturday would be decorated, filled with two hundred guests, and at the end have an altar where they’d be married.
“Oh my God,” Dex said. He turned to Sloane, eyes wide. “We’re getting married the day after tomorrow.”
Sloane smiled warmly, his eyes filled with love. He cupped Dex’s cheek and brushed his lips over Dex’s. “And I couldn’t be happier.”
Dex leaned into Sloane and hummed. “I think getting married must be an aphrodisiac, because all I can think about is jumping your bones.”
Sloane opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he’d wanted to say had to wait because Lou showed up. They ran through the whole thing a couple of times to give Lou peace of mind. By the time they were done, they were all desperate to get to the dining room for a few drinks.
On the way back, Sloane took Dex’s hand, and when no one was looking, kept walking instead of going into the dining room.
“Where are we going?” Dex asked, hurrying along as Sloane led him down the hall and through the door that led to the grand staircase. They went down the stairs, and the butterflies in Dex’s stomach went wild. He felt kind of giddy, and he loved Sloane’s sudden bout of spontaneity. It was dark outside, but the estate was glowing with warm lighting. They crossed the courtyard to an alcove at the far end that was shrouded in shadows.
Sloane pulled Dex inside, and before Dex had a chance to speak, Sloane had him up against the wall, kissing him and stealing the breath from him. Dex moaned against Sloane’s lips, his fingers curling around the sleeves of Sloane’s black dress shirt. Dex had all but melted when Sloane had finished dressing earlier today. He’d decided on a black button-down long-sleeved shirt and black dress pants. He looked sexy as hell, huge, and imposing, the most gorgeous man to walk these halls, and he was Dex’s. His hair was neatly combed to one side in a retro style, and he had a jaw full of rough stubble. Dex could come just from looking at him.
A shiver ran through Dex, and he groaned when Sloane cupped him through his trousers. “Sloane,” he breathed. They couldn’t be out here for very long before someone would come looking for them. After all, they were sneaking away from their own rehearsal dinner. As if reading Dex’s thoughts, Sloane quickly got to work unbuckling Dex’s belt and shoving Dex’s trousers, along with his boxer briefs, down to his thighs. He turned Dex to face the wall, and Dex spread his legs as far as he could, his hands braced on the smooth stone. He heard the tear of a lube packet and then felt the cold of Sloane’s lubed finger penetrating him.
Dex groaned, and Sloane pressed his chest to Dex’s back. He nipped at Dex’s jaws while his fingers stretched Dex, first one, then two. Dex writhed beneath Sloane, and he pushed his ass back against Sloane’s fingers, fucking himself on Sloane’s long, slicked-up digits.
“Fuck, you’re so goddamn hot,” Sloane growled. He smacked Dex’s asscheeks, and Dex almost came right then.
“I need you inside me.”