Smoke & Mirrors

by Charlie Cochet

  Maddock exploded. “Are you fucking joking? Look at you!” He began to pace, his hands going to his head. “Someone did this to you, and all you have to say is trust me?” He shook his head. “No. Abso-fucking-lutely not, Dexter. From day one, you’ve asked me repeatedly to stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch you as you get beat up, shot, kidnapped, and who the hell knows what else. And I have, because I trust you. But now? You’re asking too much of me.” He flexed his fingers as he paced, his lips pursed. The longer he paced, the angrier he seemed to get. He stopped and faced Dex. “I am not going to fucking stand here doing fuck all while you sit in front of me after having God knows what done to you. Enough is enough.”

  “Dad, please.”

  “Dex, you tell me right fucking now what the hell is going on. I don’t give a shit about the parties involved.” Maddock resumed his seat on the coffee table across from Dex. He gently took hold of Dex’s wrists, but his eyes were hard. “You are my son. I don’t give a shit how old you get, how tough, how trained. Someone hurt you, and I sure as shit deserve to know the truth. This isn’t about me trusting you. This is about you trusting me, and you haven’t trusted me in a long time.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Dex spat out. “How can you say I don’t trust you?”

  Maddock pulled away, his hand going to his knees as he leaned in with a growl. “Then why are you constantly keeping me in the goddamn dark!”

  “Because I have to!”

  Sloane watched the shouting match with growing unease. The two had fought before, but this time it was different. Whatever was going on with Maddock, it was clear it had been bubbling up for a while now. Sloane hated to admit it, but Maddock was right. How long had Dex expected to keep his dad in the dark? He’d been doing it since he’d joined the THIRDS. Their sergeant had always been a patient man, but everyone had their limit. It looked like Maddock had reached his.

  “Now who’s bullshitting? Talk to me, Dexter,” Maddock pleaded.

  “No,” Dex replied through his teeth.

  “Why the fuck not?”

  Dex held his ground. “Because I won’t lose you too.”

  That seemed to ebb Maddock’s bluster. He stared at Dex, his jaw muscles working. Dex reached out and put his hand on his father’s arm.

  “I swear, it’s not because I don’t trust you or don’t want to tell you, but right now, I’m barely holding it together, and I can’t—” His voice broke, and he took a deep breath. “I can’t be worried about you right now. I know that’s a shitty thing to say, to do, but I really need you to do this for me. Just for now.”

  Maddock let out a heavy sigh. He nodded before hesitantly putting his hand to Dex’s cheek. “Are you okay? I mean, despite the obvious?”

  Dex swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

  Maddock didn’t look too convinced, but he accepted Dex’s assurances for now. “Promise me you’ll do what you can to stay safe.”

  “I promise.”

  Dex gave his dad a wobbly smile as Maddock kissed the top of his head. He looked as if he wanted to say more but instead headed for the door, glancing at Sloane on his way there. Sloane followed, bracing himself when Maddock turned to face him, his voice quiet.

  “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m disappointed in you. You promised me you’d keep him safe.”

  Guilt bubbled up inside Sloane, and he found it difficult to meet Maddock’s gaze. “I’m sorry. I let you down. I let him down. I should have protected him.”

  Maddock studied him. “Was there anything you could have done different?”

  “It was out of my hands.” It was the truth. Sloane had been out. Whether it had been Wolf himself or someone else, they’d been skilled. Sloane hadn’t heard a thing.

  “In his defense,” Sloane added, “he never went out looking for this. It found him.”

  Maddock seemed to think about that for a moment before walking out the door. Sloane watched him go, waiting until he climbed into his car and drove off before closing the door. He found Dex staring down at the floor, a frown on his face.

  “Hey.” Sloane stopped in front of him and held his hand out. “How about we go to bed?”

  Dex smiled at him but didn’t reply. He took Sloane’s hand and followed him upstairs. Tomorrow Sloane would call Sparks and find out what the situation was at work. Right now Dex needed him, and that mattered more to Sloane than anything else.

  Chapter 3

  DEX FELT numb.

  He kept spacing out, getting lost in what had happened. His brain kept replaying snippets of his conversation with Wolf. If his head wasn’t torturing him with his kidnapping, it was thinking back to his parents, trying his hardest to remember the last time he saw them. He’d been in the small backyard playing with his dad. He remembered his Doc Brown visor, remembered showing Tony the toy DeLorean his dad had gotten him. They’d gone to see the movie recently, and Dex had loved it. At the time he hadn’t understood a lot of what was happening, but the music, Doc’s funny hair, the time machine, the action all had Dex enthralled.

  Dex prided himself on his memory, even if at times it could be selective. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall any conversations that last day he’d seen his parents. He remembered his mom looking upset. She’d hugged him when she got home from work, her worry melting into a big beautiful smile for him.

  “Dex?”

  Dex gave a start. He lifted his head, his eyes meeting bright amber ones filled with love and concern.

  “Sorry.”

  “There’s no reason to apologize. What were you thinking about?” Sloane took a seat on the edge of the bed beside him and reached out. He wiped his thumb over Dex’s cheek, and Dex realized his face was wet.

  “My mom. I was thinking about the last day I saw her and my dad. Tony had come over to babysit. They were going on their date night.” Dex shook his head. “I can’t get my brain to stop. I keep thinking about my parents, what happened with Wolf, why this is all happening now. I just want it to stop for a while.”

  Sloane stood and crouched down in front of him, his hands on Dex’s thighs. Dex instinctively straightened.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “Sorry, it’s just… uh, it’s stupid.” He closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. No. He wasn’t doing this. He was not going to let that son of a bitch take Sloane’s touch from him. Dex wouldn’t let him. He placed his hands on Sloane’s and met his gaze.

  “Talk to me.”

  “Wolf did that. When he was trying to get me to talk.”

  Sloane didn’t reply, but Dex could see Sloane’s inner Felid stir behind those bright amber eyes. He could see its fury, the way Sloane fought to maintain a firm grip on his feral half.

  “We’ll work through this together, all right? Just keep talking to me. Don’t shut me out. Please.”

  Dex nodded. “He kissed me.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. He told me he liked me.” Dex stared down at his bruised fingers. “He pushed needles under my fingernails.” Why was he telling Sloane something he already knew? Maybe Dex just needed to hear himself say it out loud.

  Sloane’s anger appeared to melt away, and he brushed his lips over Dex’s fingers. He discreetly made to move his hands off Dex’s thighs, but Dex held them there. Telling Sloane what happened might help, but he didn’t know where to start. What if Sloane didn’t want to hear it? What if it was too painful for him?

  “Sparks said you broke through the zip ties,” Sloane prompted gently, and Dex was relieved. It was as if he knew.

  “Yeah. Maybe it was whatever Wolf injected me with, or maybe he just messed up. I don’t know. It all happened pretty fast,” Dex muttered, pulling Sloane back up so he could sit beside Dex. He turned to face the man he loved, drawing from his love and support, knowing that whatever happened Sloane was there with him. It would be okay.

  “Hmm.”

  Dex cocked his head to on
e side, studying Sloane’s thoughtful expression. “What?”

  “Sparks seems pretty sure Wolf isn’t the kind to make mistakes. Apparently he’s hot shit.”

  “He’s different. That’s for sure.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Dex took hold of Sloane’s hand. He needed to touch him, to feel his warm skin. “He’s not some hired thug. The guy’s sharp, patient, and he knew a hell of a lot about me.” Dex swallowed hard. “And about you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah. About your time at the First Gen Research Facility, about what you went through.”

  Sloane seemed to think about it for a moment. “Sparks says the guy’s a freelancer. Works for government agencies. It would explain how he knows so much about us. He did his research. Can you tell me what happened?”

  Dex nodded. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his mouth. “Can we do it in bed?”

  “Of course.” Sloane got up and pulled the comforter down. He waited for Dex to climb in under the covers before turning off the light in the room and joining him. Sloane snuggled close, spooning Dex from behind, their fingers laced together. The moonlight filtered in through the curtain, and Dex was grateful for it. With Sloane holding him, Dex recounted everything he remembered about his encounter with Wolf, leaving no detail out, not even the dream he’d had of Sloane.

  “It’s what kept me going,” Dex confessed. “Seeing you again. Holding you. Kissing you.”

  Sloane planted a kiss behind Dex’s ear, and Dex shivered like he always did. It felt good, like it always did, and a fiery desire burned through him. He longed for Sloane’s touch, for the taste of him, the feel of him inside. Sloane was safe. His home.

  “Sloane,” Dex breathed, pushing his ass back against Sloane’s groin.

  There was no need for Sloane to ask if it was what he really wanted. These days they were so in sync it was almost scary.

  Sloane slipped his hand under Dex’s T-shirt. He caressed his skin, his fingers brushing over Dex’s nipple and making him shiver in Sloane’s arms. Gently, he rolled Dex onto his back, planting kisses over his face, down his jaw and neck before moving his mouth onto Dex’s. Feeling loved by Sloane, safe, protected, knowing Sloane was there to catch him if he fell was all he could think about and feel. His thoughts were occupied with sweet, languid kisses, Sloane’s tongue tangling with Dex’s, tasting and savoring every inch of him. He caressed Dex’s cheek, his skin burning. Dex slipped his fingers into Sloane’s hair and hungrily returned his kisses, moaning against him when Sloane rolled over him, knowing how much Dex loved to feel Sloane’s weight on him.

  Sloane used his knee to spread Dex’s legs, and he lay in between them, a low moan escaping him when he cupped Dex through the cotton of his pajama bottoms. Dex whimpered, pressing his leaking cock into Sloane’s hand. Sloane broke their kiss only to shower Dex with more kisses across his flushed skin. Sloane’s moan melted into Dex’s name, and it was the most erotic thing Dex had ever heard. He ground his hard erection against Sloane, his mouth eager to accept anything and everything Sloane offered him.

  “Sloane…. Please.”

  Sloane tugged Dex’s pants down his thighs, palming his hard cock. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

  Dex arched his back, grabbing fistfuls of the sheets. His eyes opened, and he fell into those fiery pools of molten amber, just as he always did.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Sloane murmured, his gaze never leaving Dex’s face.

  “Sloane, I need to feel you inside me.”

  Sloane didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand drawer, tossed it onto the bed, and finished removing Dex’s clothes before he swiftly undressed himself. Sloane’s urgency spoke volumes. He wanted this as much as Dex, yet he was incredibly gentle, taking great care. Normally Dex would have insisted Sloane have his way with him, as rough as he wanted, as fast and dirty, but this time Dex welcomed the tenderness, craved it. Sloane very carefully sank into Dex, lowering himself onto his elbows, his lips brushing over Dex’s ever so softly. Dex parted his lips, inviting Sloane’s tongue inside his mouth. He held Sloane close to him, groaning at the sweet burn of Sloane gingerly pushing himself in down to the root, then slowly pulling almost all the way out. It was a sweet agony. Soon the pain gave way to pleasure, and Dex was lost in Sloane’s hands, in his mouth, and the pumping of his cock inside him.

  “We’re in this together,” Sloane murmured against Dex’s hair as he quickened his pace.

  Dex was perfectly aware of what he was referring to. Sloane didn’t want Dex retreating into himself the way he had when he’d been hunting down Hogan. Dex’s need to protect Sloane, to get justice, had driven Dex down a disturbing path. He’d lied to Sloane, set up a base in his ex-boyfriend’s basement, barely ate, barely slept, and had come home on more than one occasion battered and bruised. Sloane couldn’t—wouldn’t, let that happen again.

  “Don’t push me away. I’m here. Whatever you need, I’m here.”

  Dex nodded, tears pooling in his eyes.

  “Dex….”

  “You’re right. For now, could you…. Could you make me forget? All I want to feel is you.” Dex dug his fingers into Sloane’s shoulders, wincing at the pain it caused. “Fuck me, love me, fill me with nothing but you, Sloane.”

  Sloane pulled out and drove himself deep inside Dex, hitting his prostate and making him cry out. It was glorious. Dex begged Sloane to do it again. He arched his back and held on tight, refusing to let Sloane off him. He rubbed his cheek against Sloane’s before wrapping his arms around Sloane’s neck and kissing him as if the answers Dex longed for could be found in Sloane’s lips.

  Lifting up just enough to push his hand between them, Sloane took hold of Dex’s cock, and all it took was a couple of strokes. Dex’s orgasm barreled through him, and he clung to Sloane for dear life, his toes curling, his mouth open in a silent gasp. Sloane quickly followed, his soft gasp cut off by Dex’s kiss. He bit down on Sloane’s bottom lip as Sloane rode his release, his body shivering as he came. He pumped himself inside Dex a few more times before pulling out with a hiss and then collapsing beside Dex, his fingers stroking Dex’s hair, making him smile. These days Sloane was always touching a part of him, and Dex loved it. Loved to feel that intimacy between them no matter where they were.

  The bed moved as Sloane got up and reached over to his nightstand to get some wet wipes from the drawer. He cleaned Dex up before tossing the little white sheets into the small trash bin Dex had placed beside the nightstand. He wasn’t a fan of having body fluids on the carpet, even if it was their own. Sloane was always teasing him about his obsession with cleanliness.

  Sloane pulled Dex closer, and Dex turned in his arms, kissing him before snuggling close, his body aching but in a good way this time. He felt heavy, and as Sloane trailed little kisses along Dex’s face, exhaustion settled in and Dex drifted off into a deep sleep, or so he believed.

  A low buzz wrenched Dex from his dreamless sleep, and his heart pounded in his chest. It was so dark. Where the hell was he? He very carefully sat up, relieved to find he was at home, in bed. He glanced down at Sloane asleep beside him. What was that noise? He turned and spotted his smartphone on the nightstand buzzing quietly, the screen flickering to life. He picked it up, frowning at the faceless little avatar on the display indicating someone he didn’t have in his address book was calling. After some hesitation, he swiped the screen and held the phone to his ear.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s so very sweet how much he loves you.”

  Dex froze, his blood turning to ice at the sound of Wolf’s voice. He gripped the phone until his fingers hurt. “You son of a bitch. This isn’t over. When I find you—”

  “The suit.”

  “What?”

  “Would you like to know why the suit?” Wolf asked pleasantly, as if he were calling for a friendly chat.

  “Sure,” Dex ground out through his teeth.

  “It’
s just like the one John was buried in.”

  Dex fisted a handful of the bedsheet. “If you’re trying to intimidate me—”

  “I’m trying to warn you. Consider your next move very carefully, Dex. Those who hired me won’t hesitate to put you in the ground, just like they did with your father. Actually, that was the plan. Hence the suit. I was ordered to bury you after retrieving the information. Between you and me, I’m rather pleased with the outcome.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” Dex glanced over at Sloane, surprised he hadn’t woken up. Sloane was such a light sleeper, especially when he was worried about something.

  “You escaped. No one has ever escaped me before. I have great respect for you, Dex. Though I’m still very curious as to how you managed to break through the restraints.”

  Dex shakily put his fingers to Sloane’s neck. Please, God….

  “He’s fine. I gave him a little something to calm him. He’ll wake up feeling like a million dollars.”

  Dex swallowed hard. He slowly got off the bed and turned on the lamp. The room looked empty, but that didn’t mean it was.

  “Oh, Dex, I left quite some time ago. You’re a very lucky man. You should have seen him. He was wrapped around you, so protective.”

  “You could have killed us,” Dex said, feeling his knees go weak, forcing him to sit back down on the edge of the bed. Wolf had been in their house. Again. He’d stuck a needle in Sloane. Again. And neither had heard a thing. Who the fuck was this guy?

  “Why would I kill you? No. My contract is void. My employer—or should I say former employer—has failed in their assessment of you. I was led to believe you were an ordinary man.”

  “I am an ordinary man.”

  Wolf chuckled. “You are many things, Dexter, but most certainly not ordinary. I am no longer associated with my former employer. I detest incompetence. Do try not to die, Dex. I’m quite fond of you.”

  There was a pause before Wolf spoke again, and Dex could hear the smile in his voice.

  “Oh, and do let Sonya know she still owes me for Budapest.”