Tried & True

by Charlie Cochet

  Tony came to stand next to Dex, who turned and hugged him tight. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “You’re welcome, kiddo. Your unit wanted to give you a proper send-off, so here they are.”

  Dex wrinkled his nose and gave a sniff before turning to announce boisterously, “Let’s get this party started!”

  Everyone cheered, and Sloane laughed when eighties music started playing. He kissed Dex’s cheek, smiling at the light in Dex’s bright blue eyes. His partner was clearly touched by all the love they were being shown. Their colleagues took turns approaching them and congratulating them on their upcoming wedding and their promotions, teasing Dex about all the different PR stunts he was likely to be involved in. Most everyone seemed to agree that although it would be a shame Sloane would no longer be out in the field, the knowledge and experience he’d accumulated over the years would be of great value to Team Leaders in training. Better trained Team Leaders would mean stronger teams, all of whom would help move THIRDS HQ toward a better future. With the resources they had, they could make a big difference, not only in the lives of agents from all over the world, but also in the lives of the people they helped.

  Their team came over once everyone had finished, and Ash gave Sloane’s shoulder a squeeze. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. He knew Ash was touched, same as Sloane was. They really had one hell of a unit here. Sloane grinned at Ash. “So which one of you made sure no one came looking for us?”

  Ash coughed into his hand, and Dex laughed.

  “Aw, Ash. You big softie.”

  Ash rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He so wasn’t fooling anyone.

  As Sloane and Dex chatted with their friends and colleagues, they heard cheering. They looked up, and Sloane laughed at the giant, six-tiered donut wedding cake several fellow agents wheeled in to them. Dex gasped, and Herrera winked at him.

  “We know you guys have your own fancy cake, but seeing as how Dex has been going on about a donut wedding cake for months, we figured this would be the perfect time to get him one.”

  Dex wiped a tear from his eye. “It’s so beautiful and looks so delicious.” He pointed to the top of it. “I especially like the cake topper.” It was two gummy bears, an orange one and a blue one, and between them they held a red gummy heart. Dex clasped his hands together. “Okay, everyone, dig in!”

  Plates were handed out, and everyone laughed when Dex didn’t bother with a plate. He just took the top two tiers filled with donuts off the cake. He blinked up at Sloane, innocently.

  “What? It’s technically two pieces.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so.” There were enough donuts on those two tiers to feed their team. Or at least Hobbs. The last thing they needed was Dex on a sugar high, bouncing off the walls while Lou was trying to maintain some semblance of order. The poor guy had enough on his plate with the wedding and reception. Sloane had no idea how Lou managed it all.

  Hudson and Seb joined them, with Nina and Rafe not far behind. Dex offered them donuts. “Take some. Mr. Scrooge McDonut over here won’t let me stuff my face.”

  Nina laughed as she plucked a pink frosted donut with shredded coconut from the top tier. “Well, you do have a tux to fit into. Lou will murder you if you need to get it adjusted. Again.”

  “That wasn’t my fault,” Dex complained. “It’s all the training I’ve been doing.”

  “And all the cake you’ve been eating,” Letty teased, taking a blue frosted donut with white swirls.

  “You said cake, but what I think you meant to say was bench pressing.” Dex narrowed his eyes at Hobbs, who took six donuts, three around each index finger. Dex turned to Sloane, his bottom lip jutting out. “How come Hobbs gets to stuff his face?”

  “Because Hobbs isn’t the one getting married on Saturday,” Sloane said, kissing Dex’s temple. “After the ceremony, you can stuff your face with all the wedding cake you want.”

  Dex waved a finger at everyone. “You all heard him. None of you are getting wedding cake. It’s all mine.”

  Everyone laughed and continued to pilfer Dex’s donuts until there was only one left, the one with the gummy bear grooms. Dex peered at Sloane, who had yet to take a donut.

  “Don’t even think about it, Brodie.”

  Sloane leaned in to kiss Dex, and while he had his partner distracted, swiped the donut. Dex’s scandalized expression made Sloane laugh.

  “You’re adorable.” He took Dex’s hand in his and placed the donut on his palm. “And I love you.”

  Everyone awwwed, and Dex plucked the gummy heart from atop the donut. He handed it to Sloane. “I love you too, holder of my precious squishy heart.”

  Sloane opened his mouth, and Dex popped it in.

  “You two are making my teeth hurt,” Ash declared. “I need something to drink. Preferably with vodka or something.” Ash walked off, and Cael cheerfully followed.

  Sloane was touched by the effort everyone made to put together the surprise party. Zach came over with a big smile.

  “Thank you for inviting me and my siblings to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding,” Zach said. “They’re very excited.” He pointed over to his three bear Therian sisters and six giant bear Therian brothers, all chatting and laughing with members of Unit Alpha.

  Dex patted Zach’s bulging bicep. “Of course. How could we not? You’re part of the gang, and you sort of played an important role in mine and Sloane’s relationship.”

  Zach arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh? How so?”

  “You made sure my first impression was a memorable one,” Dex said, winking at him.

  Zach chuckled. “I’m glad I could help.”

  They spent the next couple of hours talking to their colleagues and answering questions about their new promotions and the wedding. Everyone wanted to know when they’d be hearing the pitter-patter of Sloaneses or Dexes. The thought didn’t terrify Sloane like it once had. It was still too soon, but it was no longer out of the question.

  While everyone enjoyed the party, Dex and Sloane stood to one side, leaning against the wall and observing their friends and family. Several members of Unit Alpha hovered around Tony, and Sloane caught more than one of his colleagues scanning the room for Tony, as if making sure he was there and safe. Sloane had a feeling Tony had just earned himself a protective detail whether he liked it or not.

  “Hello, fellas.” Hudson smiled brightly as he approached, Seb at his side. “A donut cake? You’d think you were at the office.”

  Dex let out a snort. “Where else am I going to get my sugar high?” As if realizing what he’d said, Dex blinked up at Sloane and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. “What I meant to say was, where else am I going to get all my healthy snacks? Yum, so many delicious veggie sticks, and… nutritious rice cakey things.”

  Sloane shook his head, amused. “I love how you think I don’t know about your afternoon donut run or that every fifth trip to the bathroom is actually a trip to the canteen.”

  Dex gasped, a hand flying dramatically to his chest. “Why, I have no idea what you’re speaking about, sir.”

  “Right,” Sloane said, “just like Hudson has no idea how all those boxes of cookies got into his locker.”

  Seb turned to Hudson and arched an eyebrow at him. “I thought you said you were going to cut down?”

  Hudson shoved his hands into his pockets and suddenly found his shoes of great interest. “And I will.”

  Seb folded his arms over his chest. “You said that three weeks ago, remember?”

  Sloane held back a smile as Hudson lifted his chin high with a sniff.

  “I can quit anytime. I simply don’t want to.”

  Dex and Sloane laughed. Poor Seb, as if he could ever deny his husband anything. He was worse than Sloane. At least Sloane had managed to get Dex to eat vegetables. Hudson never had that problem, but his cookie addiction was as bad as Dex’s sugar one.

  Dr. Winters approached, smiling warmly at them. “I just wanted to thank you both again for invit
ing me. It means so much. I don’t normally accept invitations for events outside of work, but I feel I had to make an exception for you two.” He extended his hand to Dex, who shook it, smiling wide. Then held his hand out for Sloane. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” Sloane said, shaking the doctor’s hand. “Saturday.”

  “I’m so very happy for you both.”

  Dex looked at Winters’s empty hands. “You don’t have a drink. Let me get you one.”

  “Thank you,” Winters replied, and Dex headed to the bar.

  No one liked having to go see Dr. Winters, because usually that meant something was seriously wrong. It wasn’t because he wasn’t a nice enough guy or compassionate or understanding, but he was the guy they saw when they were in pain. Sloane had spent months in Dr. Winters’s office talking to him about Gabe, and it had been agony, having to constantly pick at the scab of his wounds before they were even properly healed. It was the process. Talking to Winters was supposed to help him, but he hadn’t been ready to talk to anyone, much less a THIRDS-appointed doctor. Everyone on his team had spent time with Winters, some more than others, but in the end, the man had helped them in many ways.

  After Ash had infiltrated the Coalition and then been shot, he’d seen Winters. Calvin had seen the doctor on several occasions due to his position as sniper on Destructive Delta. Cael had several sessions after being kidnapped by Hogan, after his encounter with Fuller, when Dex had been taken by Pearce, and then Dex’s “ambush.” Dex had been in to see Winters almost as much as Sloane. The list was long.

  As if sensing his thoughts, Winters placed a hand on Sloane’s shoulder. “You two have been through so much, you deserve to be happy.”

  “Thank you, and thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and for Dex.”

  Winters chuckled. “He’s a strong one, that one.”

  Hudson nodded his agreement. “Resilient little bugger.”

  Sloane stiffened. Those were words he never wanted to hear from Hudson, not after he’d heard them come from Hudson’s brother the day Dex had died.

  “HERE YOU go.” Dex returned with a drink for Winters, who thanked him with a wink and laughed softly at something Hudson said.

  “That he is, Dr. Colbourn. You know, you remind me of an old colleague I worked with a long time ago.”

  “Oh?” Hudson asked.

  “Yes. I should probably get in touch with him soon. It’s been far too long.”

  Dex had no idea who they were talking about, but before he could ask, Tony called Winters over, and the doctor excused himself.

  The lights dimmed before the blue-and-purple club-style lighting turned on as the music kicked into high gear. The tables were moved to one side, exposing the dance floor, and it was open bar. Lou had arranged for cars to pick up their colleagues after the party and take them wherever they needed to go, so Dex had a feeling they were all going to be celebrating late into the night. The parental folk all said their good-nights as it got later in the evening, and everyone kicked up their heels, shots in hand.

  Dex had been in the middle of impressing his husband-to-be with his Running Man skills when Seb rushed over. He stopped in front of Dex. “I think you might want to see this.” The look on his face sent a chill through Dex, and he took off after Seb. Now what? If someone else tried to mess with his wedding, he was gonna cut a bitch.

  Outside in the foyer, Seb came to a halt. “Everyone be quiet for a second.” The foyer fell silent. “You hear that noise?”

  “What?” Sloane asked.

  “Listen?”

  The rumbling, whirring sound got louder. Ash ran to the window and looked around. “Seb’s right. There’s something in the sky…. What the hell is that?”

  Letty joined him, her eyes going wide. “That’s a helicopter.”

  “Shit, someone order a chopper?”

  “Ash, Seb, come with us,” Dex said. “Everyone else stay here. We’ll be right back.”

  Dex dashed off with Sloane right beside him. They hurried down the grand staircase that led out to the entrance courtyard, where a black helicopter landed, its bright white and red lights a sharp contrast to the warm atmospheric lighting of the courtyard.

  Dex couldn’t believe it. “It can’t be.”

  “Tell me I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing,” Sloane said.

  Dex wished he could, but they were all seeing the same thing.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Ash growled, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

  The chopper’s propellers slowed as the beast of a bird powered down. The door opened and out hopped Wolf in a pristine, expensive, designer three-piece suit. He removed the pilot’s helmet and tossed it onto the pilot’s seat before buttoning his suit jacket and sauntering over to them. He stopped in front of Dex, flashing a wide grin filled with perfect white teeth that Dex wanted to punch him in.

  “Hello, Dexter.”

  “You’ve got some fucking nerve showing up here,” Sloane growled, and Dex readied himself in case he had to keep Sloane and Wolf apart. One of these days Sloane was going to decide enough was enough, and Dex was not looking forward to that day. It didn’t help that Wolf gave no fucks what Sloane thought and continued to pop up in places where Dex was, flirting like he always did.

  “What are you doing here?” Dex asked.

  “I’ve brought you a wedding present.” Wolf leaned in with a wink. “Though it’s not too late to change your mind. You can still ditch that stick-in-the-mud and travel the world with me. Oh, the mischief we could cause together.”

  “I’m going to fucking kill you,” Sloane growled, and Wolf held up a hand to stop him.

  “Easy there, mate. You have some uninvited guests heading your way.”

  Dex groaned. “Are you kidding me? What now?”

  “There’s an army heading this way.”

  Dex froze. “What?”

  “The Makhai,” Wolf said, motioning around them. “It would seem the Chairman is making one last go of it rather than retreating. I imagine he’s grown quite tired of losing. His army will be surrounding the estate at any moment. Which is why I brought you a little present.”

  Wolf tipped his head toward the helicopter, and Dex followed him, Sloane not leaving his side. Ash and Seb weren’t far behind, and Dex was grateful for their support. Wolf was still too unpredictable. There was no telling what he had in store for them, or why he was here. Not that Dex didn’t appreciate the warnings. Wolf was far more connected than the rest of them, but that didn’t mean his intel was reliable or that he was even telling the truth.

  Wolf motioned to a huge black crate inside the chopper before looking at Ash and Seb. “Hop to it, fellas. You’re going to need all those muscles to get that out of there.”

  Ash let out a low growl but joined Seb and Sloane in grabbing the crate and pulling it out.

  “I can’t believe we’re taking orders from this asshole,” Ash grumbled.

  “Said arsehole can hear you, Agent Keeler. I’ve killed men for far less.”

  Dex frowned at Wolf. “You killed someone for calling you an asshole?”

  “Sounds awful, doesn’t it?” Wolf shook his head in amusement. “Of course not. Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours. Merely entertaining myself with your delightful friends.”

  Dex rolled his eyes, and Wolf chuckled.

  The guys grunted as they lowered the crate, and as soon as it was on the ground, Sloane punched Wolf across the face.

  Holy shit.

  Wolf stumbled back, and Sloane glared at him as he shook his hand out. “You’ve had that coming for months,” Sloane snarled.

  A low growl escaped Wolf, and he narrowed his eyes as he took a step toward Sloane. Dex quickly moved in front of Sloane, putting himself between the two. With his hands up in front of him, Dex met Wolf’s gaze and quirked a smile.

  “You can’t say you didn’t deserve that.”

  Wolf arched an eyebrow at Dex befor
e letting out a chuckle. “Fair enough.” His eyes turned hard as he moved them to Sloane. “You get one shot. Try that again, and not even your sweetheart will be able to save you from me.”

  Ash and Seb moved behind Sloane, and Dex quickly spoke up. “Okay, everyone. Let’s just chill before the testosterone chokes us all to death.” He motioned to the crate. “You want to tell us what’s in that thing?”

  Wolf pressed his hand to the digital display. The locks clicked, and he opened the lid. They all stood around the crate, staring at it.

  “Oh my God.” Dex looked up at Wolf. “You brought an entire arsenal.” He gasped and threw up an arm. “I call dibs on the rocket launcher!”

  Wolf laughed. “A man after my own heart. That should even the odds a bit, don’t you think?”

  “Why are you helping us?” Sloane asked, peering at Wolf.

  “For one, I’m not helping you. I’m helping your delectable fiancé. Two, the Makhai tried to kill me, then tried to kidnap my little brother in order to use me to kill for them. Consider me offended.”

  “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Dex said.

  “Something like that,” Wolf replied, grinning wide. “Though I have tried to convince you to venture beyond acquaintance, but you’re frustratingly loyal.”

  “So you’re just giving this to us?” Dex eyed him.

  “I will take a thank-you kiss.” Wolf tapped his lips.

  Dex narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

  “It was worth a try.” Wolf winked at him, then gave him a one-fingered salute before turning on his heels and heading for the pilot’s seat.

  Dex turned to Seb. “I need you to round up anyone who isn’t a civilian.” With Seb running off to do as asked, Dex quickly turned back to Wolf. “Wait, you’re just going to leave?”

  Wolf’s smile was sinful. “Why? Do you need me, Dexter?”

  “If we don’t stop these guys, they’re going to keep coming after us.”