Page 37

One month later…

Summer came rolling into Nevada, bringing the heat with it, but Real didn’t mind after the cool weather of Colorado.

He and Azrael had traveled there and stayed a week, checking out the new facility, and while it had everything that the Nevada ranch had, they both agreed that it wasn’t home.

“I like our cabin,” Azrael had pouted as they stood on the porch of the ranch house in Colorado, watching the pouring rain come down.

“Me too. Let’s go home,” Real said.

And that had been that.

They had settled into their life at the ranch in Nevada. While they only worked on two short jobs together over the past month, they still managed to spend every evening in each other’s arms.

And he would take having Azrael in his arms over anything on earth.

“Take these two trays out to Patrick, will you?” Azrael said, bringing his attention back to their cabin kitchen, pointing at the two trays filled with deviled eggs

“Will do,” Real said, and plucked up the plates and dutifully walked over to the back patio door.

Boston jumped up and opened the screen door for him.

“For you,” Real told Patrick, who came hurrying over to take the plates. “Azrael said you know where they go.”

“I do.” Patrick nodded, and with Boston’s help, took the eggs from him.

It was amazing to see the changes in Patrick. The young man had landed on the ranch some two weeks ago along with the Genesis soldier Real had assigned to protect him.

To the men and women on the ranch, it was plain to see that Patrick was head over heels in love with the soldier. Jerome Clayton, Army medic, was just as gaga over Patrick. The good news was that Patrick’s ex would never draw another breath. It was a happy ending for Patrick.

Azrael had surprised Real and welcomed Patrick and Jerome into their home. Patrick had shown up with a pizza, minus mushrooms and green pepper, and the two men had become fast friends.

Laughter from the foosball table traveled around the area and the thump of rock music swept through the air, piped in from the back porch speakers.

Seth and Jordan were hanging out with the members of YA. Seth at thirty-three and Jordan at twenty-seven seemed to speak the younger generation’s language—it had to be their status as hackers.

“You good?” Stone asked, coming out of the screen door behind him.

“Yeah.” He turned, glancing over at the other man. “What about you?”

Stone worked his shoulder around a bit and pressed it with one hand.

“I’m good, better than I could have been if a bit lower. Still stiff, though.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Real’s cell phone buzzed, and Stone wandered away, and Real answered it.

“Real?”

“Yes? Who’s this?” he asked.

“Owen.”

“Hey, man, I haven’t talked to you in ages. How you doin’?” Real smiled.

He’d met Owen shortly after joining Genesis and had hit it off with the Pegasus operative as well as Owen’s brother, Ace. The two men played a mean hand of poker.

“I’m good, you?” Owen asked.

Real’s eyes searched and found Azrael. “I’m doing great.”

Owen chuckled. “Is Jordan around?”

“Yeah, he’s here.”

“Can you hand him the phone?” Owen asked.

“You don’t have his number?” Real snorted.

“He’s pissed at me and won’t answer my calls,” Owen muttered.

Real chuckled. “Yeah, hold on.”

Real walked over and handed a surprised Jordan the phone, and then turned away. He didn’t want to overhear that conversation; he didn’t care why they were arguing.

His life was perfect and filled with happiness, and he wanted nothing to interfere with that.

“Coming through,” Azrael said, coming toward him carrying a heavy serving of food, and Real caught the tray from the man’s hands.

“Lead on,” Real said, jerking his head with a smile.

Azrael smiled and pointed to the far table where the food trays were stacking up.

The party was for no apparent reason that Real could tell, other than just to have a good time. When Azrael told him he was having a party on Saturday, Real thought it was going to be just a few of the guys.

What it turned out to be was anything but…and they were pretty much out of chairs.

No one but their closest friends were invited. He saw Crow with Rebel, Wrath with Rogue, Fisher with Justice, and Ice with Echo.

Stone and Dave sat off to one side, and Real had to wonder why Dave had made the trip back from Colorado to be here for just a party.

Lately, if Dave wasn’t at his Santa Barbara home, then he was in Colorado.

Real knew the man had plans to retire. Perhaps Dave preferred the warmer weather here? God knows he did.

Viper couldn’t make it to the party because he was on a mission for the Vice President, along with several active Genesis, but he sent over a keg of beer.

Before Azrael could dart away, Real reached out and caught the slender man around the waist. Azrael turned and wrapped his arms around his neck, lifting his face.

Real leaned down and kissed the younger man on the lips. He had yet to hear words of love from Azrael, but he knew without a doubt that the assassin loved him, it was written all over his face.

And that was, in Real’s opinion, priceless.

Azrael gazed up into the face of the man he loved more than anything in the world.

He tightened his arms around Real’s neck and returned the hot brush of lips and nibbling kisses.

“The food’s all out here, just relax,” Real said gruffly.

“I will,” he promised, but in truth, he was nervous.

This man right here was his world, and he loved him body and soul. They may be opposites and have a generational gap, but their goals were the same.

They had worked jobs only two times over the past month, but each time they moved in sync, and that was because they knew each other. They knew the other one was there and would have their back. Working with someone he knew intimately was completely different than he’d imagined.

And he wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

Apollo was here along with Cash. The pair was inseparable and were still at Dave’s house until they both felt ready to go back to college. His brother, who was recovering quickly, waved at him across the distance, and Azrael smiled.

He took a deep breath.

There was only one thing he had left to do.

Azrael linked his fingers with Real’s and drew him through the crowd of men gathered at four picnic tables with long benches. He had had the tables borrowed from the mess hall for the afternoon, and the men gladly carried them over.

Rebel and Boston had blown up and fastened gold and blue balloons overhead to make the area look festive.

With the food piled high, it was a feast, but everyone waited.

They were waiting for him.

In front of the crowd of people, Azrael withdrew the ring box from his pocket with a sweaty hand.

He dropped to one knee in front of Real and lifted the box. He popped open the lid to reveal two Damascus steel rings with a solid platinum sleeve.

To say Real was shocked would have been an understatement. The man’s eyes were a stormier gray in this light, and his mouth had opened into a small circle.

Azrael had had a whole speech planned, but he couldn’t remember a word at that very moment, so he spoke from the heart.

“During one of the lowest parts of my life, you were there. You were there to sweep me off my feet, literally.”

Chuckles ran through the men gathered, and Azrael continued with a smile.

“It wasn’t then that I fell in love with you, it was later when you took the time to follow me out onto Dave’s roof. It was during the numerous roof time talks that I knew nobody else would do for me. You hold my heart, and it will only ever be yours.”

Azrael took a deep breath and stood up.

“Will you marry me, Real?”

Real’s eyes were glittering in the light, and for a split second, Azrael thought he had misjudged, but then Real spoke.

“I will.”

Plucking the box from Azreal’s hand, Real pulled out one of the rings, decided it was the smaller of the two, and slid it onto the ring finger of Azrael’s left hand.

With shaking hands, Azrael did the same with the matching band.

Real snatching him close, swung him around and around, and then kissed him as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

Whoops and hollering filled the air along with congratulations, and Azrael felt lightheaded.

A feeling so indescribable swept through him. The happiness and joy were incomparable.

He was engaged to the man who owned him completely.

His other half.

And for the first time in a long time…

Azrael could breathe.

THE END