It was fine. Dex was fine. Why wouldn’t he be? Dex loved him. Loved him more than Sloane could have ever dreamed. Dex was the most amazing man he’d ever met. Beautiful, funny, brave, kind, generous, with a heart so big there was no question why he was so loved. It was like before Dex, Sloane had been living an incomplete life. He hadn’t known he was capable of the kind of love he felt, that he could be as happy as he was. Before Dex, he was afraid to hope. He’d been broken, the pieces all put back together precariously with glue that never seemed to dry or fill the cracks properly. Then Dex came into his life, and one tiny piece at a time he took Sloane apart and pieced him together, healing the cracks and setting fire to his soul, waking up something inside Sloane.

  Sloane closed his eyes, thinking of everything they’d been through together. They’d faced and survived bullets, explosions, kidnapping, torture, and ghosts from their pasts. They might have stumbled along the way, but they always picked each other up and their relationship was all the stronger for it—and that was before they were bonded.

  “Sloane.”

  Sloane blinked up at Seb. “Hey.”

  Seb put a hand on his shoulder. “Stop worrying. Dex is crazy about you. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do, or hasn’t done, for you.”

  Sloane smiled and nodded. Seb was right. He hugged Seb. “Thank you.” He pulled back and found Rosa smiling, tears in her eyes. She smoothed down his tuxedo jacket and fixed the turquoise rosebud in his lapel. “Rosita Bonita, you look beautiful.”

  “You don’t look so bad yourself,” she replied with a sniff.

  Sloane chuckled. “Thanks.” He winked at Calvin, who stepped up to him, all glassy eyes and bashful. “Come ’ere.” Sloane pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for being such a good friend.”

  Calvin pulled back and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

  “All right, enough crying.” Ash stepped in front of Sloane, frowning at him. “This is Daley we’re talking about. The guy’s not just nuts, but he’s nuts about you. Has been since the beginning. There’s no one out there more committed to you and your happiness than he is.”

  Sloane swallowed past the lump in his throat. He pressed his lips together, and Ash gave him a pointed look.

  “No. Nope. You suck that tear back in.”

  Sloane laughed, his eyes welling. Ash’s bottom lip trembled, and he shook his head, refusing to give in. At least until Sloane found his voice.

  “My mom might not be here, but having you with me makes it okay.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Ash crumpled and brought Sloane in for a fierce bear hug. “I fucking love you. Don’t ever, ever forget that. I might not have Arlo, but I have you. You’re my brother.”

  Sloane closed his eyes against the falling tears and squeezed Ash tight. “Brothers,” Sloane agreed. No matter what, Ash would always be his family, and having him here meant the world to Sloane.

  The music started, and Sloane pulled away, thanking Rosa for the tissues. Ash took a couple with a grumble. Since Ash was his best man, he had Dex’s wedding ring in his pocket. Sloane and Dex had picked out their rings together. A matching set that represented him and Dex. Two black ceramic Tiffany bands, each with a yellow gold inlay set with twenty-one black diamonds. The gleaming black band was Sloane, and the sparkling gold center inlay was his heart, Dex. But the part he loved most was the engraving inside each band.

  Forever yours. Faithfully.

  “It’s time,” Ash announced, stepping up to the doorway, with Calvin standing behind him, then Seb and Rosa. The door to the sitting room opened, and in walked Cael, Hobbs, Hudson, and Letty. They took turns hugging Sloane, telling him how good he looked and how happy they were for him. Ash kissed Cael’s cheek, his smile wide.

  “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

  Cael’s smile was dazzling as he took the arm Ash held out to him. “Thank you. You look amazing.”

  Ash winked at him, and they faced forward. Everyone paired up and got in line. Sloane squared his shoulders and stood behind Rosa. He tugged on his shirt cuffs and blew out a breath to steady himself. It was finally happening. Fuck. He’d never been more terrified. Not because he was getting married but because soon he would be a husband. He was committing himself to being everything Dex deserved.

  The door to the sitting room opened, and he turned, his breath catching at the sight of Dex in his double-breasted tuxedo, looking more beautiful than ever. There was a sparkle in his stunning blue eyes, an adoration reserved only for him. Sloane swallowed past the lump in his throat as Dex stepped up to him.

  “Hi,” Dex said quietly.

  “Hi,” Sloane replied, his voice rough with emotion. “How is it you always manage to steal my breath away?”

  “It’s only fair since you stole my heart.” A tear rolled down Dex’s cheek, and Sloane wiped it away with his thumb. He held his hand out to Dex, and Dex placed his hand in Sloane’s. They laced their fingers together, and the double doors were opened for them. The music changed, and they walked out into the garden, down the white carpet that stretched to the altar, where their family and friends stood to each side of Tony.

  As they walked hand in hand past their friends, everyone snapping pictures, in tears, or smiling brightly, Sloane tightened his grip on Dex’s hand. Their friends and family were here for them, to see them off on this new adventure. They reached the altar, where Tony stood dressed sharply in a black suit and black tie, a microphone pinned to his lapel. He smiled wide at them, his eyes watery. Clearing his throat, he squared his shoulders.

  As Tony began the ceremony, Sloane and Dex faced each other, Dex’s hands in his. Dex’s flushed cheeks and beautiful smile had Sloane grinning like an idiot. God, he was so in love with this man. Tony thanked their guests for being here with them to witness their union on this beautiful day. He talked of celebration and love and how everyone here played an integral part in their lives.

  “Love is truly a gift. As the inspirational Maya Angelou once said, ‘Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.’ In the time that Dexter and Sloane have spent together, they’ve built the sturdy foundation for a lifelong relationship.” Tony continued, speaking of love forever binding them together and how they’ll spend each day nurturing their love.

  “The love you share must be guarded and cherished. It is your most valuable treasure. Dexter and Sloane, I invite you to declare your vows. Dexter, you may begin.”

  Dex took a deep breath and nodded. Sloane had never seen Dex this nervous before. It spoke volumes about what this meant to him. Very little rattled his sweet, fearless man. Dex met Sloane’s gaze, and Sloane winked at him. With a soft laugh, Dex nodded again, as if finding his courage. He lifted his chin and spoke confidently.

  “I, Dexter, take you, Sloane, for my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.”

  Tony looked to Sloane. “Sloane, you may now make your promise.”

  Sloane smiled at Dex and brought Dex’s hands to his lips for a kiss before he started. “I, Sloane, take you, Dexter, for my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.”

  “Dexter, do you take Sloane to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise him love, faith, and tenderness? Do you promise to cherish him, put your trust in him, and comfort him in difficulty, so long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.”

  “Sloane, do you take Dexter to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise him love, faith, and tenderness? Do you promise to cherish him, put your trust in him, and comfort him in difficulty, so long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.”

  “You may now exchange rings. Let these rings remind you always of that love, and of the promises you have made here on this day.”

  Dex turned and gently took Sloane’s ring from Cael, and then Sloane turned to take Dex’s ring from Ash, winking at his red-eyed friend. Ash shook his head at him as he stepped back behind Sloane.

  “Will each of you please repeat after me as you place the ring on your loved one’s hand? I, Dexter, give you, Sloane, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed.”

  Dex lifted Sloane’s left hand and slid the black band down Sloane’s ring finger. “I, Dexter, give you, Sloane, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed.” A tear rolled down Dex’s cheek, but his smile was breathtaking. All Sloane wanted to do was grab him and kiss him senseless.

  “Repeat after me,” Tony instructed, making sure Sloane didn’t get ahead of himself. “I, Sloane, give you, Dexter, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed.”

  Sloane lifted Dex’s left hand and slipped the black band onto his finger. “I, Sloane, give you, Dexter, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed.”

  “By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I pronounce you married. You may now kiss.”

  Everyone erupted into cheers as Sloane moved in to kiss Dex, laughing when Dex grabbed him, turned, and dipped him. Dex waggled his eyebrows before kissing Sloane. He brought Sloane back up with him, and Sloane couldn’t help it. Before Dex could turn away, Sloane cupped his face and brought their lips together. Dex melted against him, the crowd cheering and catcalling as Dex grasped the lapels of Sloane’s tuxedo. They wrapped their arms around each other, lost in the kiss, the world disappearing, leaving only the two of them. When they were breathless, they came up for air, and they rested their heads together as Tony declared loudly.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to present to you Dexter and Sloane Daley!”

  They faced the crowd, their fingers laced together as they headed back down the aisle, waving at their friends and family, and everyone threw handfuls of rose petals. As they walked through the shower of colorful petals, Dex beamed up at him, his eyes glowing amber.

  They kissed again, cameras going off, smartphones snapping away, and Dex let out a dreamy sigh that made Sloane chuckle. They posed for more pictures before heading inside with their wedding party and family for photos on the grand staircase. They took countless pictures with just the two of them posing, being sweet and being silly. They took photos with their friends and with family. They kissed, made funny faces, and laughed. Everyone flashed their tangerine and turquoise socks. Soon it was time for them to go to the terrace room for the reception, including Sloane and his husband. Husband. No matter what job they did, what name or title they’d end up going by, husband was the most important one, and it would never change.

  Dex sat beside Sloane at the long, elegant table set up for them and their wedding party. Cael sat to Dex’s right, with Ash next to him, then Rosa and Letty. Seb sat to Sloane’s left side with Hudson, then Calvin and Hobbs. They faced the huge terrace room filled with guests, the twinkling lights around the room and the dazzling sparkle from the crystal chandeliers giving everything a magical, fairy-tale glow, and that was almost what it felt like, as if he were in a fairy tale. A round table to their left had the exquisite wedding cake. It wasn’t six tiers; it was better. It was white with tangerine and turquoise accents. It was also nine cakes.

  Six individual cakes made the base, each with a turquoise edible ribbon along the bottom and an edible tangerine rose in the center. They held a large tier stylishly decorated in white and turquoise stripes, the next tier white with a tufted design and tiny turquoise pearls, and the top tier white with swirls, the first letters of their names lovingly scripted on the side. The topper was an arrangement of edible tangerine roses. Each cake was a different flavor because there was no way Dex could pick just one, so he’d asked each member of Destructive Delta to pick their favorite flavor.

  As the salads and appetizers came, Tony stood and tapped a spoon to his glass to get everyone’s attention. There were whistles and catcalls. He shook his head at them as if they were too much, but his eyes shone with amusement.

  “Yeah, all right. Enough of that now. I want to welcome you all to tonight’s celebration.”

  Everyone clapped and cheered. Tony put his hand up, and the room immediately fell silent. Dex winked at Sloane, whose brows shot up. No one could command a room like Anthony Maddock.

  “Although they’re not with us today, I know John and Gina Daley are here in spirit.” He lifted a glass toward the small round table near the door that contained beautifully framed photographs of Daley-Maddock family members who couldn’t be with them but who Dex had wanted to honor. There were framed photos of Dex’s parents, of Tony’s father, and two cheetah figurines exquisitely carved from wood painted in gold and black, since no photos of Cael’s parents had ever been found. Sloane had placed a vase of pink peonies, his mother’s favorite, and together they lit several white candles. It had been an emotional moment for the two of them, but it had also been cathartic in a way.

  “John and Gina were my family, and when I lost them, my world shattered. I found myself lost and terrified, not just because I’d lost two of the most important people in my life, but because they’d left me their most precious gift.” Tony turned to smile at Dex, tears in his eyes. “Their little boy.”

  Dex wiped at his cheek and let out a shaky breath. He’d resigned himself to the fact he was going to be bawling his eyes out for most of today. Sloane wrapped his arm around Dex and brought him in close, kissing the side of his head, soothing.

  “I was young, scared, and up to that point had never given much thought to being a father, and suddenly, I had this tiny person looking up to me and relying on me. My actions from that point forward wouldn’t just reflect the kind of man I was but the kind of man Dex would become. I prayed every night that I would do right by John and Gina and their little boy. Now when I look at the man Dex has become, I see parts of John and parts of Gina.” Tony held his glass up again. “Most importantly, I see a man they would have been proud of, and as our son heads off on this new adventure with the man he loves, I can be at peace knowing I did all right.”

  Everyone clapped, and Dex stood. He ran around the table to where Tony was and threw his arms around him, hugging him close, both of them sniffing and laughing.

  “I love you so much, Dad.”

  Tony cradled Dex’s head against his shoulder. “I love you too, kiddo.”

  With a wobbly smile, Dex headed back to the table. He resumed his seat next to Sloane and buried his head against Sloane’s neck to a collective aww. Dex waved his hand at them, his voice muffled but loud as he did his best Linda Richman impression.

  “Talk amongst yourselves.”

  Everyone laughed, and Sloane rubbed his back. “Okay, sweetheart?”

  Dex wiped at his eyes, then blew out a shaky breath. “I’m good.” He turned back, and everyone cheered.

  “Yeah, yeah. Eat your salads.” That got him more laughs, and soon the staff was serving dinner. As they ate and chatted, instrumental music played in the background. Dex couldn’t wait to get his jacket off. The photographer was going around snapping photos of all the guests at their tables and recording messages from everyone to Dex and Sloane. He couldn’t wait to watch them later. After the reception, a car would be waiting to take them to a snazzy hotel closer to the airport, their packed bags in the trunk and everything ready for their flight out tomorrow afternoon.

  Cael stood, facing the crowded room, and Dex braced himself. At least he’d managed to eat something so he wasn’t weeping on an empty stomach. The room went quiet, all eyes on Cael, who looked nervous, but then that was just Cael. Ash placed his hand to Cael’s lower back, and the transformation was instant. Cael relaxed and smiled brightly. He turned his attention to Dex.

  “Dex, I don’t know that I can find the right words to describe you.”

  Ash opened his mouth, and Cael put a finger to his lips without even having to look at him, making everyone laugh.

  “Not those words.”

  Dex laughed along with everyone else and winked at Ash. Did Ash know just how full his hands would be now that Cael was moving in? Dex couldn’t wait to see what that looked like.

  “But then, that’s always been you. Larger than life, standing out from the crowd. Like a supernova whose star never dies but whose light is explosive, lighting up everyone’s life.”

  Dex sniffed and wiped away his tears as Cael tried to fight his back. His bottom lip shook, and Dex stood to bring his baby brother into his arms.

  “I love you, Dex.”

  “I love you too, Chirpy.”

  Cael pulled back and let out a slow breath. “When I first found out about you and Sloane, I admit, I was worried. The two of you were so different, and both of you were working through some pretty tough changes. It was bumpy at first, but I don’t need to tell you that.”

  Dex sat and Cael looked over at Sloane, his expression softening.

  “Sloane, the more I saw you with Dex, the more I saw that you two were meant to be. No one made my brother light up the way you did. He has this smile that’s just for you, and no one can mistake the look in his eyes. It’s there for everyone to see. He adores you. The reason I knew you were meant for him was because no one, and I mean no one, has ever gotten Dex to just be. My brother never stopped moving. He was always the constant blur of activity, a whirlwind of restless energy that needed to be unleashed. Then he fell in love with you, and with one touch, Dex slowed to a stop. I had never seen anyone have that effect on him. Which is why I believe that long before you were mates, you were already bonded. Welcome to the family, Sloane. I’m proud and honored to be your brother.”