Full Domain (Nice Guys 3)

“He looks like a kid. Stuart looks real young. That’s all I’m saying. He’s not a kid, and he’s vested in this case just like I am. It took us a few days to get things right. He’s not overly social. He doesn’t do well with all this, but I think he trusts me now. It’d drag out this case if we brought someone else in.” When Skinner didn’t respond, Kreed changed his tactic. “I truly believed this was small potatoes. I thought at best we’d find someone here that knew what Agent Langley was doing and tie this case up. It’s bigger than that. I want to see this through for Knox. Don’t take it away from me.”

Silence continued until Skinner finally spoke. “All right. Watch your back. I’ll be in touch. If this goes down like I’m thinking, we’ll have minutes to get Stuart out of there. Tell him the procedure if we storm in. I don’t want him hurt.”

“I will. Stay in touch.” Kreed ended the call. His nerves were getting to him. He looked down at the floor, unable to escape the frustration building inside him. He was so unbelievably angry at himself. Why in the world had he crossed the line? Ignored his rules? Just missing Skinner’s call yesterday spoke volumes to his state of mind. All he could think about was Aaron Stuart, and that could get them both killed.

Rage boiled below the surface at the stupidity of his choices. He fisted his hand, trying to hold off the burst of anger that usually followed. Aaron wouldn’t understand if he went out there and laid into him for no reason. It wasn’t Aaron’s fault Kreed had broken his own rules. Even now, as mad at himself as he was, he still wanted the kid on a level he’d never experienced before.

Apprehension settled in. Kreed was working in uncharted territory. He sat on the edge of the sofa and hung his head. Minutes passed before he was able to move his thoughts from something ugly and destructive to finding a common ground in this new turn of events. So what was the bottom line? Kreed lifted a hand to tick off the points with his fingers.

Aaron meant something to him. That was a fact.

He didn’t want to leave this case. That was a fact.

But why didn’t he want to leave this case? Was it a sound reason? That took a little longer to answer. He didn’t want to leave the case because he didn’t want Aaron’s welfare left to anyone else.

Decision made.

He stood at the same moment Aaron knocked on his door and pushed it open to stick his head inside. They were now officially past the private boundary stage if the kid was comfortable enough with Kreed to open the door regardless of what he might be doing.

“What’s wrong?” Aaron asked, and Kreed furrowed his brow at the question. Aaron shoved the door open all the way and stepped inside with a wet head and wearing his khakis and a white undershirt. “What happened?”

“What’d you want when you came in here?” Kreed asked, trying to skirt around Aaron’s question.

“You go first.” Aaron stood in front of him with his hands on his hips. Kreed liked Aaron’s height, but resisted the urge to lean in and kiss those upturned lips. He wasn’t sure where to draw the line now, especially after determining he really liked Aaron, but he needed to figure that all out before he made too many more moves forward.

“I’ll tell you over breakfast. I need some coffee.” Kreed extended his hand and began to step forward, but Aaron didn’t move. That concern on his beautiful face twisted Kreed’s stomach. Kreed bent forward, almost as if compelled, and kissed those pouty lips he couldn’t resist. The worry in Aaron’s eyes had been too overpowering. Kreed only wanted to comfort him. Out of all the players in this game, Aaron needed to be the one with the least concern as he went back inside that church today. Kreed reached out, wrapped an arm around Aaron’s shoulder, and began turning him toward the door. “We’re good. The case’s moving forward. It’s gonna be fine. I promise.”

Aaron stayed rooted in his spot, clearly not believing him. Kreed went for the door before turning back, forcing all the emotion from his face and voice. “Food’s in the kitchen. You’ve gotta be starving; it’s been at least eight hours since your last feeding.” He smirked at Aaron before turning and leaving the room on that joke. Hopefully that would reduce Aaron’s unease with whatever expression he’d seen on Kreed’s face when he’d barged in the room. Eventually, he heard Aaron following behind him. Now, he just needed to decide how much to say.

~~~

Aaron sat across the kitchen table, watching Kreed push his breakfast around his plate. Before the last thirty-six or so hours, he would have said that might be usual for the man. Back then, Aaron’s sole focus had been on finding ways to remain aloof and unengaged, but now he knew there were too many sides to Kreed. One telltale sign things weren’t right had to be when Kreed took the seat across the table from him. They’d been eating every meal together side by side since yesterday morning.

Beyond that, Kreed’s face was way too passive, as though he was controlling his movements and his words. The lack of sarcasm and snarky remarks leaving his lips should be enough to concern anyone who’d been in Kreed’s presence more than a few hours. Honestly, it was kind of freaking Aaron out a little bit. At first, he thought the new, aloof attitude was Kreed’s attempt at creating distance. That was fine. Kreed could try, but Aaron wasn’t entirely certain of the reason behind his actions, meaning something may have changed from the time Kreed left the bedroom until Aaron followed. That couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes at the most.

Looking down at his watch, Aaron estimated he had about an hour before he had to be across the street, reporting in for work. That didn’t give them much time, which meant Kreed needed to start talking.