Page 46 of Sloth
“Maybe I’ve got some uppers,” Tony murmured, reopening his sack and tipping it upside down. Supplies and contents spilled everywhere. “I’m sure I put something in there.”
Drugs?
Shit.
Max caught Sloan’s worried stare.
“You don’t have any, because I emptied your bag before we left.” Parker folded his arms.
“What?” Tony gasped. “You had no right to do that.”
“Excuse me?” Parker replied. “I’m the leader of this Godforsaken group. It’s my responsibility to ensure you’re not wired off your nuts while we’re on a mission. So, yeah. It is my right.”
“Well, now look at me. If I don’t stop to puke on the way there, it will be your lucky day. I hope you’re happy.”
“I’ll be happy when you’re checked into rehab.” Parker crouched and began packing Tony’s belongings back into his bag. “I swear to God, I’m the only one out of you lot who has their shit together.”
Tony laughed at this. “Are you for real? You can’t take a dump unless it’s on a gold plated rim, bro. That you’re so uptight about not being the first of us to find their mate is laughable.”
The dark scowl Parker shot his brother could have stripped leaves from the shrubs surrounding them. “Fuck you, Tony. Pick up your own goddamned mess.” Then Parker straightened, smoothed his shirt and strode off. Tony threw his hands in the air and jogged after his brooding brother. “Aw, come on, Parks. Don’t be like that.”
Tony’s rucksack was left upended on the desert ground.
“Um,” Max said. “Should I?” Yeah, he should. He dropped his sack and collected the man’s belongings, shaking sand from each item.
On a sigh, Sloan did the same. “Sorry, Max.”
He paused, hand in the bag. “It’s fine. Things like this happen with intense situations. If you all haven’t been working as a unit, it’s even more likely to happen.”
“I meant, I’m sorry about everything. The way we ended. All this crap. The goddamned state of the world. Gale.” She covered his hand with hers. “This probably isn’t what you imagined when you accepted the job, huh?”
“No. It wasn’t.” He resumed packing, gathering fallen bottles. But, then again, he’d only accepted the job because he wanted to see her again. “Jesus. There’s six hip flasks in here. All empty.”
“Yeah, Tony’s got a habit. I shouldn’t have baited him.”
Gluttony.
Max frowned. “And this is what can be eased when he finds a mate?”
She nodded, standing up with the last of the items. “Except, where he’s concerned, I’m not sure if the addictions will switch off, just like that.”
She paused, opened her mouth to speak more, but shut it again, then scratched the back of her neck.
“What is it?” Max took the last items from her and closed Tony’s pack. “Spit it out.”
“I just want you to know, that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want. You don’t have to accept this mating business.”
The wind whipped around them for a few seconds while they stared at each other. Stars glittered in her eyes, and he was struck, once again with how attracted he was to her. Even after all this time, across years, oceans and cyberspace, she was better in real life and he found his lungs struggling to draw breath.
He didn’t have to accept the mating bond, so what did he want?
Someone else to be mated to her?
Hell, no.Shocked at the vehement response, he blinked. The very thought of Sloan with someone else made him sick to the stomach.
He took a deep breath, tasted her scent in the air and closed his eyes to savor the sensation. Despite everything, he couldn’t deny how she made him feel.
“Maybe I’m okay with it,” he murmured, tension in his shoulders releasing.
