“Where is he?” Sloane demanded.

  “I’ll take you to him, but first…” Austen turned his attention to Ash and Cael. “I need you two to wait in that room there while I talk to Sloane.”

  “Screw that,” Cael snapped, his face flushed. “Where’s my brother, Austen? I want to see him.”

  “And you will. I promise. I just need to talk to Sloane first. Please, trust me on this.”

  “I’m his brother,” Cael growled, the fear and frustration radiating off him. It was hard to see, but if Austen didn’t want Cael going in just yet, there had to be a reason. Sloane put his hand on Cael’s shoulder.

  “Please, Cael. I promise, the moment I can get you in there, I will. You know I’d never keep him from you.”

  “I know,” Cael sighed, averting his gaze. “I just hate this not knowing. Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” Cael looked up at him, his big gray eyes filled with pain. “He’s my brother, and no one will tell me anything. I’m just supposed to sit here fearing the worst until someone decides it’s time for me to know. How would that make you feel, Sloane?”

  It would drive him, and his feral half, out of his mind. What the hell was he supposed to say to Cael? As it was, more people knew about who Dex and Sloane would be working for than was permitted. Most operatives led double lives. They didn’t disclose their TIN identities to anyone, not even their spouses. TIN had made an exception for Dex and Sloane because Destructive Delta had become TIN Associates and were being brought in as their assets. They’d made an exception for the others because they were THIRDS—they still hadn’t been happy about it, but they’d accepted.

  “Just go,” Cael said with a heavy sigh, turning to lean into Ash, seeking comfort. Ash wrapped his arms around Cael and brought him in tight against him, laying his cheek against Cael’s head as he rubbed his back.

  Sloane turned and followed Austen through another set of doors, surprised when Austen stopped halfway down the corridor. “What’s going on? Where is he?”

  Austen motioned toward the door at the end. Sloane made to go, but then Austen took hold of his arm. “There’s something you need to know before you go in there.”

  “Oh God.” Sloane put a hand to his mouth as he tried to get ahold of his emotions. “Please, Austen, just fucking tell me.”

  “He’s going to be okay. Physically, anyway. He’s banged up, but thanks to his new Therian DNA, his body has already started to heal. There was a nasty pileup, and he was thrown from the roof of a speeding van. He got lucky and landed on the roof of a car.”

  Sloane didn’t even know where to begin processing everything Austen had just told him. Thrown from the roof of a moving van? “Jesus Christ. What the…? How…? Wait, what do you mean he’s going to be okay physically? For Christ’s sake, Austen, spit it out.”

  “The reason he was on the roof of a van was because he was chasing it.” Austen ran a hand through his hair before meeting Sloane’s gaze. “They took Maddock.”

  Sloane stared at him. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper. “What?” No. That couldn’t be right. He’d heard wrong.

  “After the tux fitting, Maddock was going back to THIRDS HQ, and Dex was heading to the park. We don’t have all the details, but I managed to get hold of some security footage. Dex was roughly a block away when a man walks past Maddock, turns, and shoots his neck with an injector. Maddock screams, Dex turns, and a black commercial van pulls up to the curb. Two masked men get out. They take Maddock…”

  “And Dex goes after them.” Sloane felt his knees go weak, and Austen was at his side, an arm wrapped around his waist. That explained everything. What he’d felt back at the restaurant. Oh God. It had been happening while Sloane was in the bathroom trying to call Dex. He blinked back his tears and closed his eyes to get ahold of himself. “Tell me you have something,” Sloane said hoarsely, his heart feeling as though it was going to beat out of him. “Austen, tell me TIN has something.” He opened his eyes to look at Austen.

  Austen shook his head sadly. “These guys were professionals. We’ve got nothing.”

  Sloane leaned against the wall and slipped his fingers into his hair. Oh God, this wasn’t happening. It had to have been the worst moment of Dex’s life, and Sloane hadn’t been there. No, he wasn’t going to go down that route. Shit.

  “They had it all planned out, where and when to strike.”

  “I’m not following,” Austen said.

  “They knew I wouldn’t be with Dex for the tux fitting. I wasn’t supposed to be there. And they knew we’d be vulnerable after our shifts, which is why they waited until just after to try and take Hudson.”

  “Shit. They tried to take the doc? When was this?”

  “Just before you called. In Central Park, in front of the Boathouse. They didn’t succeed. Wolf intercepted the message and showed up.”

  “Okay, I gotta get this intel in. You should go.” Austen motioned to the end of the hall, and Sloane flinched. Dex…

  Sloane pushed away from the wall and tore off down the corridor, ignoring Austen calling out for him. He ran into the room and came to a halt. Dex sat up on the side of the cot, the only sounds in the room coming from the machines monitoring Dex’s vitals. Sloane blinked against the tears welling in his eyes as he took in Dex’s bloodied and bruised state. They’d obviously tried cleaning him up, but the white bandages stood out against his stained skin. He was covered in scratches, cuts, and bruises. His eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed, and he was missing a sneaker. He stared down at the floor, unmoving.

  “Dex…” Sloane wanted to go to him, but Dex’s stillness gave him pause. He recognized this. It was the calm before the storm.

  “I lost him.”

  Sloane swallowed hard. He remained where he stood. For the first time in his life, he didn’t go to Dex, no matter how fiercely his feral half, and his heart, screamed at him to. He couldn’t. Sloane could always read Dex, could gauge what his partner needed. Dex had always been good at giving signals—his body language, his vibe, or in this case, nothing but stillness.

  “We’ll find him,” Sloane said softly.

  Dex looked down at his hands. “I had him. I could have…”

  Sloane took a step forward, and Dex slipped off the cot. Sloane braced himself. He knew what was coming. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and his inner Felid wailed at the agony he could feel radiating from his mate.

  The roar that tore from Dex’s lips startled the hell out of Sloane, and he instinctively took a step back. It was an inhuman cry; the cry of a wounded animal.

  Dex’s skin flushed red as he screamed, and Sloane’s heart shattered when Dex tore at the tubes and pads attached to his skin. He grabbed the heart monitor and swung it into the concrete-block wall, shattering it into several pieces. The next machine met the same fate, snatched up and smashed against the floor. Dex stomped down on it repeatedly with his sneakered foot, grabbing cables and wires, jerking and tearing. He cursed and yelled as he destroyed the equipment, using a steel tube like a baseball bat to beat the remaining machinery to pieces. Chunks of plastic and wiring sprayed in different directions. Dex punched, pounded, and kicked at anything that wasn’t already shattered into dozens of pieces before he tossed the rod and turned to flip over the cot.

  The door opened behind Sloane, and Sloane quickly pushed it closed, shaking his head at the operatives through the window on the other side. No way in hell Sloane was letting them in here. It was for their own safety. The room once again plunged into silence, and Sloane turned to find Dex standing in the middle of the room, which now resembled some kind of equipment landfill. Sweat dripped from his face, his chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, the shattered remains of his grief surrounding him on all sides.

  Dex collapsed onto the floor, and Sloane ran to him. He dropped down and gathered Dex in his arms, running a hand over his head, and closed his eyes against the tears that fell for his suffering mate, his heart breaking at Dex’s sobs. His entire body shivered violently as he clung to Sloane, his fingers digging into Sloane’s arms as he screamed and cried himself hoarse. Sloane pressed his head to Dex’s, rocking him gently in the hopes of offering some kind of comfort.

  Being so close to Tony, unable to help him, was undoubtedly tearing Dex apart. Sloane knew Dex too well. This was happening shortly after the evening when Dex had shut himself in the bathroom because thinking about his parents not being at his wedding had hit him harder than expected. Dex would be thinking about his parents, how he’d been just a little boy, helpless to do anything. And now as an adult, he’d been unable to help Tony. God only knew where Tony was and what they were doing to him.

  Sloane held Dex close, rubbing his cheek against Dex’s hair. All he could do was be there for Dex and make sure Dex didn’t burn down the city trying to get Tony back, because there was no doubt in Sloane’s mind that was exactly what Dex would do.

  Dex was about to unleash hell on earth to save his father, and Sloane would be there to make sure the man he loved came back to him when it was done. Dex looked exhausted, as expected after what he’d just been through. Everything inside Sloane screamed in agony. His body, his mind, his heart. Yet somehow, he was still numb. Like his brain couldn’t quite grasp the truth of what had happened. Like it was a horrible nightmare he had trouble waking up from. Tony always seemed untouchable.

  They were supposed to be getting married in a few days. It was meant to be the happiest day of their lives. They’d be surrounded by family and friends. They’d dance, eat cake, and laugh. Tony was supposed to make a toast on their wedding day. Dex had teased him, and Tony surprised them both by admitting he was nervous about it, saying he was just going to talk from his heart because index cards never worked for him and what happened to plain white index cards? Who the hell needed them to be pink, purple, or blue? And what genius created neon index cards? Were they trying to blind him? Sloane shut his eyes tight at the memory. Fucking index cards. It was just another quirk that reminded Sloane of Dex. Tony and Dex shared more quirks than either admitted.

  Sloane kissed the side of Dex’s head, and Dex opened his eyes.

  “Cael?”

  “Oh, baby. He doesn’t know. I only just found out.”

  Dex nodded. “Is he here?”

  “Yeah, he’s with Ash in one of the other rooms.”

  “Could you…?” Dex didn’t finish his sentence, but he didn’t have to.

  “Of course.”

  Dex didn’t move from where he was; he just leaned away, as if he didn’t have the strength to do anything. Sloane made to get up, but Dex’s soft voice stopped him. He was staring at the floor, and Sloane wondered if Dex was talking to Sloane or himself.

  “Everything’s hazy and foggy, a blur of colors and emotions, so jumbled that nothing makes sense. Like I’m drowning. I can feel the fire inside me fading, and I know I need to do something about it, but all I can feel is pain. What if I can’t do anything? What if I don’t get to Dad in time? What if instead of a wedding, I’m arranging a funeral? I can’t lose Tony. What the hell am I supposed to do without him?”

  Sloane cupped Dex’s face and turned his head so Sloane could meet his gaze. “We’re going to find him, sweetheart, but you need to be strong. Cael’s going to need you to be strong.”

  “Cael.” Dex nodded, but the words didn’t seem to sink in.

  “I’ll be right back.” He kissed Dex’s brow and got up. Thankfully, he didn’t have to go far. When he walked out, Austen, Cael, and Ash were standing at the end of the hall. When Cael spotted Sloane, Sloane motioned for him to come over. Cael took off at top speed and was at his side in a heartbeat. Sloane didn’t say a word. He walked in after Cael and closed the door behind him. Normally he would have left the brothers alone, but not this time. Not when they might need him.

  “Dex?”

  All at once, Dex jolted. He sucked in a sharp breath and blinked, as if he were blinking away the haze. He met Cael’s tear-filled eyes, and Dex wiped away his own tears, his voice breaking when he spoke.

  “I’m so sorry, Chirpy.”

  Cael kneeled in front of Dex. He looked around the room before turning his attention back to his brother. “It’s okay. I’m sure TIN won’t care about a little equipment…”

  Sloane braced himself. His heart broke for them, and he stood by the door, quiet and still, watching as Dex swallowed hard and met Cael’s gaze.

  “Not about that,” Dex said. “They took him, Cael. They took Dad.”

  Cael stared at him. “What… what do you mean they took him? Who took him?”

  “The Makhai.”

  Cael opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

  “After the tux fitting. They got the drop on him. I heard him scream, and when I turned around, they were putting him in a van. I chased after them, but I couldn’t…”

  Cael looked around the room again, really looking this time. Sloane had no idea what was going on in Cael’s head, but he could imagine Cael putting it all together, why the room was in pieces. Cael turned back to Dex, a tear rolling down his cheek before he threw his arms around his brother and squeezed him tight. Dex wrapped his arms around Cael, his eyes closed and his lips pressed together, most likely in an attempt not to lose it. Dex would do anything for his little brother, and Sloane could see how desperate Dex was to keep it together. Cael needed him, and Dex would push aside his own grief and despair for Cael. Sloane had watched him do it before.

  “We’re going to get him back,” Cael said, his voice quiet and uncertain.

  “We are,” Dex promised, running a hand over Cael’s head. “And then I’m going to make those sons of bitches pay.”

  The promise of retribution in Dex’s voice sent an icy chill through Sloane. Most people who looked at Dex saw a cheeky, happy-go-lucky guy. The life of the party, the sweet guy who helped old ladies cross the street. They saw the jokester, the sexy guy with the million-watt smile. Few got to see the darkness lurking beneath the surface. It was a side Sloane knew existed because he’d seen glimpses of it over the years. There would be nowhere the kidnappers could hide from Dex.

  They’d taken Tony for a reason, and Sloane was certain they’d be hearing from the Makhai soon. Dex stood, pulling Cael along with him. He placed his hands on Cael’s shoulders and met his gaze, determination burning through his bright blue eyes. “I swear I am going to do everything in my power to bring him home. You with me?”

  Cael nodded, and Dex patted his brother’s cheek.

  “Good.” Dex headed for the door, ignoring the fact he only had on one shoe. Sloane and Cael followed him outside, where a team of TIN medical staff and operatives were gathered. Dex turned to face them. “Tell Sparks I’m going to be at THIRDS HQ. I’ll see her there.” He turned to go, then paused. “Any of you guys wear size eleven shoes?”

  The operatives exchanged glances before one hesitantly held up a finger.

  “I need your shoes,” Dex said.

  The wolf Therian was about Dex’s height and weight. He dropped his gaze to Dex’s feet, then let out a heavy sigh. With perfect balance, he bent one leg, took off his black shoe, then repeated the action to take off the other. He handed them to Dex in exchange for Dex’s beat-up Chuck.

  “Thanks. Make sure your boss reimburses you.”

  Oddly enough, Dex took the shoes but didn’t put them on.

  “HQ?” Sloane asked as they headed toward Ash, who was talking to Austen. The second they saw him, they hurried over. Dex stopped and looked up at Sloane.

  “We’re not TIN yet. Get everyone suited up and ready to roll out the moment you give the word. I need you to lead Destructive Delta one more time.”

  The words filled Sloane with pride. Not just because he’d be leading his team again, but because Dex was doing what he’d promised Sloane long ago. No more lone gunman. They were doing this together. Sloane nodded and removed his phone from his pocket as Dex turned to Austen.

  “You too. You’re still part of Destructive Delta. I want you to give Cael access to all the camera footage you have of the abduction.” He turned to Ash. “That van is going to be smashed to shit. I want it found.”

  “You got it.”

  Sloane put in a quick call to HQ and was put through to Calvin.

  “Hey, Sloane.”

  “I need everyone suited up and ready to go by the time we get there.”

  “Will do,” Calvin said, no questions asked, no hesitation.

  Sloane thanked him and hung up before turning back to Dex. “Done.”

  “Good.” They headed for the garage where a black SUV waited for them. Dex told the driver where they were going and got in. He put on his newly acquired shoes as Sloane leaned in to talk to him. It was probably time for him to tell Dex about what had happened at the Boathouse.

  “The Makhai tried to kidnap Hudson.”

  “What?” Dex stared at him.

  “We went to eat at the Boathouse and were ambushed. They managed to get the drop on us and tranqed Hudson. They sent a whole army of mercenaries for him. They must have been watching us, all of us. They knew we hadn’t recovered from post-shift.”

  “What happened?”

  “Wolf showed up, driving the BearCat. Our BearCat.”

  Dex opened his mouth to reply, closed it, and paused before speaking. “I don’t even know how to respond to that. I wish I could say I’m surprised, but lately I find that where Wolf is concerned, there’s just no telling what you’re going to find yourself dealing with. Wait, how did Wolf know?”

  “Apparently he’s been monitoring the Makhai’s chatter—whatever that means—and managed to decipher one of their encrypted messages.”

  “I’m guessing he didn’t take the news well.”

  Sloane shook his head somberly. “He killed as many of them as he could before they retreated. He disappeared after them.”