Full Domain (Nice Guys 3)

“Fuck that and fuck them!” he growled out into the universe. There was no little to it. The agony in his leg had just started to ease when he noticed Aaron.

“Why are you out of the car?” Kreed barked. He didn’t mean to take his discomfort out on the kid, but fuck, that pain had hit so unexpectedly. As the intensity ebbed, Kreed relaxed a little

“Why are you freaking out and blowing our cover?” Aaron yelled back, now all up in his face.

Could the kid not see the pain he’d endured? For the first time since dumping himself from the vehicle, Kreed registered the cars zooming past. They were on the Dallas North Tollway during a holiday party night, with heavy traffic and cars flying past them at high rates of speed. He was pretty certain even a tail would have had to pass them with how fast traffic was moving. On the tip of his tongue was a quick retort about the kid’s driving skill and the obvious fact they should have been there by now, whereby he wouldn’t have been cramped up in the back for so long, but a loud honk drowned out his answer.

“Get in the car,” Kreed finally commanded. They both headed toward the driver’s side. “Hell no, Romeo, I’m driving.” Kreed kept moving forward, ignoring Aaron’s glare as he rolled his neck and shoulders, not wanting a repeat cramp anywhere else. Kreed was behind the wheel, sealed in, before Aaron even rounded the trunk.

Based on the slamming of the door, Aaron was a little peeved. “What happened to you?”

“You drive like my grandma,” Kreed huffed, putting the car in gear.

“So you scream and throw a fit in the backseat?” Aaron asked incredulously.

“What? No! I fuckin’ had a cramp,” he said, turning on his blinker. He checked his mirror for a safe entry point and picked up speed as he eased into traffic.

“I told you to lower the damn seat.” Aaron sat back, tucking his arms over his chest. He was definitely an add-insult-to-injury kind of guy.

“Yeah, and I thought you were fucking with me,” he said, still irritated as hell. They were silent several long minutes, so long that Kreed was taking his exit before rational thought filtered back inside his brain. It took two more streetlights and a turn into Colt and Jace’s neighborhood before he finally said, “I’m sorry. I’m frustrated with me, not you. I didn’t mean to yell at you back there.”

“Whatever,” Aaron said, staring out the passenger side window.

Great. The cool, irritable prick was back. Damn. He’d liked the peace they’d finally created between them. After another turn of the vehicle, Kreed decided to try again. He had to make this better. He’d gained too much ground with the kid to lose it because a stupid, fucking cramp that hurt like a motherfucker.

“I shouldn’t’ve gone off like that and I should’ve listened to you. I was wrong,” Kreed admitted, taking a turn onto Colt’s street. Aaron stayed quiet, his head turned away, and he didn’t acknowledge Kreed in any way. The only thing Kreed got from church boy was a deep sigh. Damn it! He’d royally fucked up, but in his defense, he’d been in massive pain at the time. Still, that was no excuse. Right?

Kreed lifted his brow at his internal question. With the degree of agony he’d endured, surely Aaron could find it in his heart to forgive his little outburst.

The sheer volume of vehicles parked one behind the other all the way down the road drew Kreed’s attention. It looked like several parties were going on. They drove past Colt’s house, with an already-packed driveway, going several houses down before he found a place to park. Kreed pulled over, made sure he wasn’t blocking any driveways, and placed the gearshift in park.

“I’ll be more careful in the future,” he said into the quiet car. Aaron opened the door, got out, and slammed it in his wake. Kreed sighed loudly in the now-empty vehicle then reached for his door handle. Aaron was at least a car’s length away by the time Kreed stepped out, shut the door, and hit the lock button. He trailed behind, watching Aaron cut across a lawn toward Colt’s house. He could stop him, ask him what the hell he was doing walking away like that in the middle of an active investigation, but he didn’t. Instead he felt like a heel for how he’d so completely upset Aaron. He needed to log in his memory how easy it was to hurt the guy’s feelings.

Kreed took the steps up to the front porch and joined Aaron, who already stood close to the door. Kreed tucked his fingers in his pockets as Aaron reached for the doorbell. “Don’t let me ruin your night.”

“Dude, seriously, let it go,” Aaron said, but he wouldn’t look in Kreed’s direction. The front door swung open and Mitch stood there with a huge grin spreading across his face. “Do y’all buy your T-shirts at the same damn store?” Aaron quipped. Mitch was in his usual attire, blue jeans and a T-shirt, but this one read “Ass, The Other Vagina.”

“What? This is my special party all night shirt. Get in here, man!” Mitch moved back, barely allowing them inside before he stuck out his hand to Aaron then pulled him into a solid, brotherly hug. “You’re a badass, my man.”

Kreed watched the tension in Aaron’s face fade away as he settled into the hug and gave Mitch one back. Cody was close by, holding two beers, one a Coors Light and the other a Bud Light. Probably one for Mitch. He placed both on the entryway table and shook Aaron’s hand as Mitch turned his attention to Kreed.

“You clean up pretty well for a thug,” Mitch said teasingly.

“Yeah, I figured I’d be pretty for you tonight,” he said jokingly. He’d actually done a little more than that. He’d taken time dressing for tonight’s party, styled his thick dark hair, and strapped on every bit of jewelry he owned, which consisted of a few leather straps and a necklace with his brother’s dog tags.