Full Domain (Nice Guys 3)

For a second, Kreed stared after Aaron, realizing the kid might actually be incapable of answering a direct question. Kreed placed the gear shift in park, and his gaze followed Aaron as he shut the door and moved to the front of the SUV. A smile slowly spread across Kreed’s face as he turned the ignition off. A more interesting thought occurred. Aaron was no more intimidated by Kreed than his own parents were. That never happened. His size mixed with all his ink usually got some sort of fear factor going before he ever said a word, but not from Aaron Stuart. With his inability to figure Aaron out, he’d missed they were playing a very strategic game of cat and mouse, and Aaron was the clear victor so far. Damn.

Game on, kid.

Aaron would give him a run for his money; no question there. Hell, the chase was already on. Kreed laughed as he slid out of the vehicle and shut the door behind him.

“You know, this whole I’m-irritable-all-the-time thing you do? It’s kind of hot. I like to be put in my place,” Kreed called out, taking long strides to catch up as Aaron took the front porch steps.

“I’m certainly not trying to attract you,” Aaron retorted, not even bothering to look back as he reached for the doorbell.

“That makes it even better. I like a challenge,” Kreed drawled, tucking his hands inside his jacket pockets. “We’re in Texas. How the hell’s it so cold?”

The front door opened, and Jace stood there, holding a napkin in his hand with a big smile on his face. “You guys made it just in time. Come in.”

Though Kreed had seen Jace’s picture over and over throughout the entire length of the original investigation, nothing prepared him for the nice-looking man who stood in front of him now. And that smile and demeanor exuded a warm-hearted personality too.

“Jace?” Kreed asked, because he didn’t know what else to say.

“I am. You must be Kreed, and this must be Aaron. Please, come in.” Jace moved back, holding the door wider as Kreed let Aaron enter first. The door shut behind them as he stepped inside to see a beautiful, open home with a winding staircase right up front. Kreed stuck out a hand, shaking Jace’s. “Mitch talks so much about all the effort you two put in to getting this case closed.”

“I can’t imagine Knox saying too many nice things about anything,” Kreed said, and Jace’s smile turned into a laugh, changing his face…making it more handsome, if that were possible.

“Let me have your coats. I hope you’re hungry and you like meat; Colt insisted you did. I think my cholesterol spiked just breathing the air with all the sizzling beef being served at our dinner table.” Jace took Aaron’s coat and hung it on the coatrack by the door. Kreed shrugged his off and did the same.

The noise of conversation drew Kreed’s attention to the dining room right off the entryway. The first thing Kreed noticed wasn’t his best friend standing or Cody wearing a big grin. It was the table filled with steaks, hamburgers, and grilled chicken, all wrapped in bacon. He’d heard the story about the big bacon meltdown the last time Mitch had visited. He guessed, for Colt, having Mitch and the team over meant they could pull out the big guns—a ten-pound slab of bacon.

“Hey, man!” Mitch eased around the table to extend his hand to Kreed. He took it, but got pulled into the brotherly hug they always shared when they were apart for any real length of time. Mitch was family to him, more so than anyone else on this planet.

“Your boy looks good,” Kreed said, looking at Cody from over Mitch’s shoulder.

“He’s doing good. Won’t listen to doctor’s orders, though.”

Kreed separated from Mitch and walked around the table to shake Cody’s hand.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Kreed said, grinning at Cody. He’d gone with Mitch the day he bought the ring, not too long after Cody had come home from the hospital. Really, the length of time it took Mitch to ask Cody for his hand surprised him most.

“Yeah, that was pretty big.” Cody’s smile was as broad as Texas. The happiness reflected there warmed his heart. More than anything, he was really happy for his partner and Cody. They fit well together.

“And who the hell are you?” Mitch’s voice boomed from across the room, turning both Kreed and Cody toward the uproar. “I don’t even recognize you.”

Mitch had moved toward Aaron, who was in the process of meeting Colt. “This was Sinacola’s doing. Per him, I look more like a church boy.”

“I didn’t even know you owned a brush. I thought nonchalant-mess was your signature style. Clean-cut looks good on you,” Mitch said, shaking Aaron’s hand. “Good to see you outside of a monitor.”

“Yeah, we need to talk about that. Helping a friend out’s way different than going full-scale undercover. I mean, seriously, what do I know about anything other than killing zombies?” Aaron remarked. A smile split Aaron’s lips as he spoke, so different than the irritable guy Kreed had spent the last couple of days with. Aaron’s comment had Mitch barking out a real laugh.

As Kreed watched their exchange, another complicating consideration occurred. What if he brought out the worst in Aaron? For some reason, every step forward Kreed made in figuring Aaron out seemed to follow with two steps back and a slap of reality that the kid genuinely didn’t like him.

“Yeah, you got Sinacola looking out for you. I think you’ll do fine.” Mitch gave a good-natured slap on Aaron’s shoulder before going back around the table toward his chair.

“Have a seat everybody,” Colt suggested from one end of the table. Kreed made his way to the table to officially meet Colt, then turned back to Jace. The stress of the last few months melted away. For the first time, Kreed experienced the driving force in Mitch’s determination to solve this case. Instinctively, Kreed felt at ease in their home.