Scar took a final look around the room.
It appeared everything he’d asked for had been executed, yet he couldn’t stop worrying Gage wouldn’t like it.
It was late spring, so he’d chosen to have the ceremony on the atrium’s garden deck. It was a half-enclosed courtyard built on the back side of the headquarters—a place Gage often used to meditate.
Gage’s assistant, Rose, said his favorite time to be out there was at twilight. He’d said the air was cooler, and the scents from the garden were stronger, making it smell more alive.
The wide deck had mahogany floors and a sandstone path cutting through a vertical garden wall overflowing with flowers, herbs, and foliage.
Water trickled through the entire yard from the waterfall fountain, while lanterns lit with citrus and lavender oils, lined the edges.
It was a wonderland of textures and fragrance, for a man who navigated his environment with his other senses.
Scar checked his watch. It was four minutes after seven.
“He should be here by now,” Scar said. “What’s happening? Where is he?”
“Maybe he hit traffic,” Ex grinned behind his fist. “The west end elevators can get backed up around this time.”
Scar glared. Motherfucker.
Even Grace broke and released a startled laugh before he quickly cut it off.
Scar didn’t know how or when his and Ex’s relationship turned into big brother tormenting little brother, but it had. Screwing with him seemed to be the highlight of Ex’s existence.
He had a loaded arsenal of nicknames for Scar’s white hair, from Targaryen, to The Witcher. He couldn’t resist popping him in the back of the head when he walked by. Sometimes he’d just flat-out block his path. He’d grab him from behind when he was talking to someone, put him in a sleeper hold, and leave him lying there. Ex’s favorite, however, was poking him in the ribs with a blade during debriefings, making him yell out in front ofeveryone and interrupt Jo. The most annoying one? Stealing his plate of food and running off with it.
He could go on with examples all night because it never stopped.
“Ex, you can fuck. All. The. Way. Off.”
“Don’t make me slap your ass again,” Meridian said casually. “He’s coming. Just shut up, stand here, and wait.”
A throat cleared to his left. “Let’s try to stay civil, gentlemen.”
“Sorry, Rev,” Ex said, still laughing.
Meridian had gotten Reverend Miller from Gage’s church to agree to officiate the ceremony.
Scar didn’t want to know how he’d convinced a man of God to marry two men who didn’t exist, but Meridian wasn’t told no, by anyone, ever.
Scar glanced around again. “Do you think he’ll like the room?”
“Yes,” Meridian sighed.
“Is it too over the top?”
“Yes,” he sighed louder.
“Are the smells too strong?”
“Yes.”
Scar kept going, despite Meridian’s low growl.
“Do you think there’s too many lanterns?”
“Yes.”
