Smoke and Mirrors Part 10

"I'm working on it," Dex admitted. Calvin, like the rest of Destructive Delta, was up to speed on Dex's recent encounter with the not-so-charming Mr. Wolf. According to Sparks, the team had been called in by Ash after Sloane woke up to find Dex gone. A lump formed in Dex's throat when he thought about how everyone had dropped everything to support him and Sloane. TIN had escorted most of the team home after Dex had been found, but Sloane insisted they be kept in the loop. There was no telling what might come next, and their friends deserved to know the truth. Especially if there was a chance they might get sucked into the danger.

Calvin gave him a nod. A smile appeared on his face, and he removed his sketchbook from his messenger bag. "I've got something for you."

Excitement rolled through Dex, and he quickly joined Calvin on the couch. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Yep." Calvin opened his sketchbook, flipping through pages filled with incredible artwork. Some were just rough lines, while others were exceptionally detailed. Dex reached out to stop him from flipping away from one particular page.

"Holy s.h.i.+t, Cal. That's f.u.c.king amazing."

Calvin's face flushed, and he gave a shy smile. "Thanks. I could probably draw him in my sleep now."

Dex was blown away by the detailed sketch of Hobbs. He was lounging on the couch, propped up against a mult.i.tude of throw pillows, one long leg bent at the knee, and a book in his hand. He was clearly absorbed in whatever he was reading. The details in his face, hands, and the folds of his clothes were incredible. Dex could see the sparkle in his bright green eyes.

Calvin flipped the page, and Dex gasped. "Is that.... That's it, isn't it?"

"What do you think?" Calvin held the book out to him, and Dex took it, his eyes on the gorgeous design. "We can change anything you like or even sc.r.a.p it and start from scratch."

Dex shook his head. He was finding it a bit tough to speak past the lump in his throat.

"No, it's s.h.i.+t? Or no, don't sc.r.a.p it?"

Dex swallowed hard. "It's perfect."

"Really?" Calvin's smile went wide. "You sure?"

Dex placed the book on the couch beside him, and turned to face Calvin. "I'm going to hug you now. Sorry, I've been doing that a lot to people lately."

"Um, okay." Calvin clearly didn't know what to make of the situation, but he let Dex hug him, even patted his back. He laughed softly as Dex pulled away. "Better?"

"Much. Can I take a picture of it? I'm going to need to stare at it some more. A lot more."

"It's going to be on you for the foreseeable future, but go for it."

Dex removed his smartphone from his pocket and snapped a really good picture. He was so excited he was practically bouncing. The design was gorgeous and exactly what he wanted. He hoped Sloane liked it.

After Dex fanboyed over Calvin some more, they talked a bit more about art, tattoos, and even spoke to Bradley about booking a consultation with the guy who did all his ink. Bradley was almost as excited about the tattoo as Dex was, and cheerfully volunteered to accompany him. Apparently Dekatria could survive one day without him. A couple of hours later, Dex thanked Calvin for coming over. They'd spent most of the day together, talking and laughing. Dex had a great time hanging out with Cal. Maybe the next couple of days wouldn't be so bad. He had Sloane and his friends to keep him from going stir-crazy.

Feeling better about being indoors and excited about the tattoo he'd be getting on his marked arm, the remaining couple of days went by much quicker. Dex was riled and ready to go. Just one more evening until he was back at work. He'd never been more relieved to be back on the job. But first....

Dex tackle hugged Sloane at the kitchen sink while his partner finished was.h.i.+ng up the last of the dinner dishes. "Tomorrow I'm back at work. How about we celebrate tonight? A few drinks out with Ash and Cael."

"You sure?" Sloane turned in his arms, pulling him in close for a kiss.

"Just a couple of drinks. Cael's getting antsy. So am I." Dex never went this long without seeing his little brother or his dad. Come to think of it, Dex was surprised his father hadn't shown up since the first night Dex had gotten home after the incident. He'd called to check in but seemed to be working late a lot this week. He wasn't exactly the most patient guy when he was waiting on answers, especially if it concerned Dex or Cael. His dad seemed to be kind of preoccupied lately. Then again his dad was always buried in his work. Maybe he'd mention it to Cael tonight, see what he thought. "Besides, I need to get outside the house for a while. Get my groove on."

Sloane chuckled. "Okay. Sounds good. You text Cael. I'll call Ash."

"They're probably at Ash's sucking face anyway," Dex said with a grimace. He did not need that image in his head. With a spring in his step, Dex grabbed his phone on the way to the bathroom. It was time to resume his regularly scheduled program of bugging his little brother, tormenting Ash, and loving up Sloane. Bring it.

Chapter 5.

MAYBE THIS hadn't been such a good idea.

Dex was his cheerful, playful, energetic self, or that's what he wanted everyone to believe. Sloane knew better. It was obvious to him that Dex was far from all right. It showed in his subtle reactions. The barely there flinches when a door slammed or gla.s.s shattered. The stiff shoulders when someone other than Sloane touched him. When they'd arrived at the bar, Dex hesitated in the doorway, snapping himself out of it when Cael asked if he was okay. Dex's smile had been wide, but it didn't reach his bright blue eyes. After Dex walked in, Cael glanced at Sloane, his concern evident. Sloane wasn't the only one who'd noticed something was wrong.

There was also the glaring fact that Dex had yet to bring up anything about what happened with Wolf. Not just what happened to him physically but what Wolf had revealed. When Sloane had been hurt by Hogan, Dex had run himself ragged, risked his life, his career, everything, all in the name of justice. Now he'd discovered his parents had been killed, murdered, and the reason behind it was in the wind. Sloane had expected Dex to launch a one-man military operation to get to the truth, to find this file and seek justice for his parents. He'd expected Dex to be chomping at the bit, pacing a hole in the floor as he waited to hear back from Sparks about speaking to Shultzon. Nothing. Dex hadn't even brought it up.

They followed Dex through the busy Sat.u.r.day-evening crowd, finding a table across the bar, not far from the dance floor. Dex had suggested somewhere other than Dekatria, and after what happened at the last bar they'd gone to where Sloane had almost gone feral after some Therians tried to mess with Dex, Sloane didn't question the decision.

They took a seat, and Ash picked up the first round. For all of Sloane's concerns, once he was sitting beside Dex, his arm around his shoulders, he relaxed. It felt good to be out. Sloane hated being cooped up. He couldn't blame Dex for getting a little stir-crazy after a week indoors. Sloane wouldn't have lasted that long. Though these days it was easier with Dex at his side. He didn't feel as restless, and if he felt the urge to leave the house, he asked Dex to come with him. He never wanted time away from Dex. He just needed fresh air, even if it meant going for a jog or a walk around the block.

Ash returned with their drinks, and Sloane thanked him. It was nice to hang out with his family. Family. Sloane was caught off guard by his thoughts. Destructive Delta was also his family, but Dex, Cael, Ash, even Maddock, they were his family.

"What are you all smiley about?" Dex asked, leaning in to give his jaw a kiss.

Sloane shrugged, the smile not leaving his face. He gave Dex a squeeze. "Nothing. Just happy to be here."

Ash shook his head sadly at him. "What's happening to you, man? Now you're smiling for no reason?" He narrowed his eyes at Dex. "I blame you."

"Me?" Dex folded his arms over his chest and lounged against Sloane. "How do you figure?"

"You're turning him into a sap." Ash turned his attention back to Sloane. "That's sad, bro. Really. Next thing you know you're picking out color swatches and redoing the kitchen."

Sloane chuckled. He didn't have to reply, because he saw the mischievous look Dex got in his pale blue eyes. Sloane braced himself. Dex was moving in for the kill. He looked like a cat waiting to pounce. Dex leaned his elbow on the table and smiled sweetly at Ash.

"How was your trip to Bed Bath and Beyond last week?"

Sloane let out a bark of laughter. "Oh s.h.i.+t. What?"

The more Sloane thought about it, the harder he laughed. Ash had never set foot in one of those places. In fact, Sloane could recall Ash saying something about how he'd rather shave his mane off than be caught shopping anywhere that sold scented candles and potpourri. Ash's face turned crimson, and he gaped at Cael, who was having trouble meeting his gaze. He innocently sipped his beer, his cheeks pink.

"You told him?"

Cael's eyes went wide. Sloane knew this trick. He'd seen the brothers pull it off plenty of times. His bottom lip jutted out a fraction, and his voice softened.

"We were talking about bathroom rugs, and it slipped out."

Ash's expression softened before he seemed to realize what Cael had said. "Bathroom rugs?" He looked from Cael to Dex and back. "Who the h.e.l.l talks about bathroom rugs?"

Dex let out a snort. "Normal people."

Ash jabbed a finger at Dex. "You have no place talking about normal people. You are as not-normal as they come."

Dex laughed, and Sloane couldn't help but join him. If Sloane was a sap, Ash wasn't far behind. Of course, Sloane couldn't care less about shopping for curtains or bathroom rugs. It was kind of nice. For Ash, it used to be the equivalent of being neutered. His best friend had certainly changed his tune on that front.

"Whatever," Ash grumbled, throwing an arm around the back of Cael's chair, all very macho. "I don't have to justify s.h.i.+t."

Dex nodded sternly. "Of course not. I'm sure you ended up with something very manly. Like bacon-scented air freshener or gunpowder-scented aftershave, for that 'just survived an explosion' fresh feeling."

The table burst into laughter, and Ash flipped them all off. Dex wiped the tears from his eyes, and Sloane was glad they'd come out. This was just what Dex needed. Ash finished his beer and nominated Dex for the next round. With a salute, Dex jumped to his feet. He motioned for Cael to come with him.

"I need to ask you something about Dad."

"Sure."

The two walked off, and Sloane admired Dex's body as he walked away. When he'd stepped out of the bathroom dressed the way he was, Sloane had almost changed his mind about going out. Dex's choice in outfit had a very rockabilly vibe to it, from the cuffed dark blue jeans and brown belt to the pale blue b.u.t.ton-down short-sleeved dress s.h.i.+rt. He'd let his beard grow out over the last few days, and he was keeping his hair trimmed on the sides and long enough on top that he could style it to one side. He was muscular but lean. The way he moved was almost... predatory.

"Hey, lover boy, snap out of it."

Sloane blinked and turned to Ash, a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry."

"Jesus, it's not like you don't live with the guy."

"So? What difference does that make?" Sloane settled back, curious at his friend's somber expression. "What's up, Ash?"

Ash rubbed his hand over his stubbly jaw before he leaned his elbows on the table, his voice quiet. Sloane sat forward.

"Did you worry about moving in? That maybe it would change things between you?"

Sloane was taken aback by Ash's question. Was he thinking about moving in with Cael? It had been a big step for Sloane, but saying it would be a big step for Ash was an understatement.

"Of course I was worried. It's natural to be. It was a big change for both of us, but not as big as we thought. Before I moved in I was spending more time at his place than I was at mine. When I was with him, at his, I never thought about going home. I wanted to stay. I think that was the first indicator that I was ready. It's scary. I won't lie about that."

"What's it like?"

"Living together?" Sloane shrugged, yet he couldn't help the dopey smile that came onto his face. "It's great, actually. We found a morning routine that works for us, and we divide up the ch.o.r.es. Dex likes cleaning but hates taking out the trash. I like cooking but hate was.h.i.+ng dishes. He doesn't mind doing laundry. I'd rather vacuum."

Ash arched an eyebrow at him. "I want to shoot myself already."

"Right, because you don't do any of those things?"

Ash seemed to consider this. "But it's different. I do it because I gotta. When I'm with Cael, it's about us."

"It's all the fun stuff," Sloane agreed. "You went shopping with him."

"Yeah, but it was on the way home from the movies. His showerhead broke."

Ash's face flushed, and Sloane held back a laugh.

"I might have broken it," Ash confessed. "By accident. During s.e.x."

"Sounds intense."

Ash's grin made Sloane happy. "You have no f.u.c.king idea."

Sloane glanced over at the bar where Dex was putting in their order. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do."

"No, you really don't." Ash leaned closer, his voice hushed. "Cael looks all innocent, but he's got one h.e.l.l of a kinky streak. I mean, I didn't know half the s.h.i.+t he's shown me. Dude, he's handcuffed me to the bed I don't know how many times."

Sloane's brows shot up. "Really?" He would have never expected that from Cael. Then again, it's always the quiet ones.

"There's all these toys, and if it hadn't been him, I would have been all 'what the f.u.c.k,' but I have never, and I mean never, had s.e.x like this."

"Well, you've never had s.e.x with a guy before this, so there's that."

Ash gave him the finger, and Sloane chuckled.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I get it. So the s.e.x is good, but what about the rest? How's your relations.h.i.+p?"

"It's good. He's teaching me to talk and s.h.i.+t. It was exhausting at first, but I got used to it. It's different with him. I actually care what he has to say."

"As opposed to the rest of us?"

"You don't count. You know that. d.i.c.k."

Ash narrowed his eyes at someone in the distance, and Sloane followed his gaze to a large Therian chatting to Cael. He laughed at something Cael said and put his hand on Cael's shoulder. Ash was already out of his seat.

"Easy there, tough guy. Sit down. Cael's not going anywhere."

"That a.s.shole's touching him," Ash growled, but he resumed his seat, his eyes boring into the man as if he could set him on fire just by glaring at him.

"It happens. Welcome to boyfriendhood. You need to get used to it."

Ash shook his head. "f.u.c.king nerve. Since when can you just put your hands on whoever the f.u.c.k you want without their permission? Why doesn't Cael ever tell them to f.u.c.k off?"

"Cael and Dex are affectionate, touchy-feely guys, so they don't realize that when someone does the same to them they might have less than wholesome intentions at heart."

"Because they're f.u.c.king oblivious," Ash huffed. "Jesus, what's taking the bartender so long? He brewing that s.h.i.+t himself or something?"

"I'm sure they'll be back in a minute."

"So if some dude puts his hands all over Dex, you're cool with that?"

Sloane arched an eyebrow at him. "If some guy shakes Dex's hand or puts a hand on his shoulder, I'm not going to kick the guy's a.s.s. Dex and Cael can look after themselves."

"Bulls.h.i.+t." Ash let out a snort. "If some guy lays a hand on Dex in a way you don't like, you'd be over there so quick it'd give the guy whiplash."

"That's different." Sloane shook his head, his feral half stirring inside him.