Page 35 of King

“After a layover and sitting on a plane for four hours, neither am I,” came a voice he instantly recognized.

Sloan froze, his hands still gripping the edge of the fax machine. For a moment, he wondered if he’d finally lost his damn mindand was just hearing things. Slowly, he turned, and there she was. Becky stood in the doorway of his office, her travel bag slung over one shoulder and an exhausted but determined look on her face.

The stack of papers in his hand hit the desk with a dull thud as he crossed the room in long, purposeful strides. He didn’t say a word as he reached her...he didn’t need to. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, and his mouth came down on hers in a kiss that was equal parts relief and hunger.

Becky’s arms slid around his neck, holding him tightly as she matched his intensity. The kiss deepened, and for a moment, nothing else mattered, not the fax machine, not the early hour, not even the fact that his office door was wide open. All that mattered was that she was in his arms, where she belonged.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily. Sloan rested his forehead against hers, his hands still gripping her waist like he was afraid she might disappear again.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, his voice low and rough with emotion.

She cupped his face as she looked up at him. “I’ve missed you also.” She kissed his chin, then glanced at the fax machine. “Looks like I got here just in time to save you from committing fax machine murder.”

“Fuck that thing,” Sloan hissed, taking her lips once again.

“Whoa, my bad,” Sid said, backing out of the office and shutting the door.

“He just saved his own life,” Sloan said against her lips, making her smile. Now that the surprise of her being here wore off, hefrowned. “Wait a minute. You weren’t supposed to fly in until tomorrow night.”

“Disappointed?” She teased with a fake pout.

“You know better than that,” Sloan warned her, his eyes narrowing. “I was supposed to pick you up. How did you get here?”

“Uber,” Becky replied with a shrug, her tone light. “I was ready to come home. Plus, I think I was cramping Frankie’s bachelor life.”

Sloan chuckled despite himself. “How’s Frankie doing?”

“He’s great,” Becky said as Sloan grabbed her bag and set it beside his desk. Her smile wavered slightly as she sighed, shrugging again. “I don’t think he’s coming back, though. He talked a lot about finding a more permanent place once he graduates. He’s got plans... big ones.”

Sloan caught the brief flicker of sadness in her expression and felt a pang of helplessness. He knew how deeply Becky loved her son, and while he couldn’t fix this, he could at least offer her comfort. Watching a child grow into adulthood was a bittersweet experience, and he understood how proud yet heartbroken she felt.

“I’m so damn proud of him, but it also breaks my heart,” Becky admitted softly, swiping a tear from her cheek. “My little boy isn’t so little anymore. He doesn’t need his mom like he used to.”

“Becky,” Sloan murmured, stepping closer and tilting her face to his. “He will always need you. Maybe not in the same way as when he was a kid, but you’re still his mom, and that’ll never change.”

Her lips trembled into a faint smile, but Sloan’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the signs of exhaustion etched on her face, the dark circles under her eyes, nor the slight hollowness in her cheeks. His frown deepened. He knew her inside and out, every detail of her being, and when something felt off, he noticed it immediately.

“I know,” Becky said, exhaling a shaky breath before forcing a laugh. “I’m just being silly. Maybe this is my midlife crisis kicking in.”

“Have you been feeling okay?” Sloan asked, his voice tinged with concern as he studied her closely. His worry as a vampire often multiplied tenfold when it came to Becky. Her humanity meant she wasn’t invulnerable like he was, and the thought of her being unwell terrified him more than anything else.

Becky’s gaze flickered away, a small but telling gesture that sent his stomach sinking. “I think I had a little virus or something,” she said, brushing it off with a wave of her hand. “But I feel better now.”

A knock on the door interrupted the moment, but Sloan wasn’t letting it slide. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick, Becky?” he demanded, his tone sharp with a mix of frustration and worry.

“I’m fine now. And really, what were you going to do, Sloan?” She chuckled lightly, trying to downplay it, but he could see there was more she wasn’t saying. “Come hundreds of miles to?—”

“Yes,” he interrupted firmly, not giving her the chance to finish.

Her head tilted as she regarded him with soft amusement, and a smile tugged at her lips. “I love you,” she murmured, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. Before he could respond, she turned and grabbed the papers he’d tossed on his desk earlier. “Now,answer the door before whoever it is breaks it down. I’ll take care of the fax for you.”

Sloan hesitated, his jaw tightening as he glanced toward the door. “This conversation isn’t over,” he muttered, his tone low and serious.

“Sure it isn’t,” Becky teased, shooting him a knowing look as she made her way to the fax machine. She turned back to add with a wink, “Now go be the intimidating boss you are.”

Sloan couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. Even when she was clearly keeping something from him, Becky still managed to disarm him in ways no one else could. He would get to the bottom of whatever she wasn’t telling him because he would move heaven and earth to ensure she was okay.

“Come in,” Sloan yelled, then frowned when he heard the fax machine. Becky was already sending faxes. “You have got to be kidding me.”

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