Wary at Aidan’s sudden shift in tone, his frustration seemingly redirected at him, Nic debated whether to take the offered seat.Had Aidan realized Nic and Cam were flirting with being more-than-friends?Hell, more than just flirting with the notion.Any judge would laugh him out of the courtroom if he tried to argue otherwise.Did Aidan have a problem with it?Was he going to shut Nic out of this case because of it?Determined to make sure that didn’t happen, because no way would he go blind with Cam out there, Nic sat, unbuttoning his coat.
Aidan grabbed a file folder from his briefcase and tossed it on the desk in front of Nic, some of its contents spilling out.On top, a black-and-white crime scene photo showed the sniper’s nest from the raid a week ago.“You didn’t tell me he was shooting at you.”
Nic schooled his features, staying silent.
Aidan pushed the file forward the rest of the way off the desk and into his lap.“What’s going on, Price?”
“Not your problem, Talley.”
“Beg to differ when my agents are caught in the crossfire.”
Nic started to argue—the shooter was only aiming at him, the car only struck him—but then he recalled Lauren in the van that day, recalled the other agents on the scene at South Park, and bit back his retort.
“And I beg to differ,” Aidan said, tone softening, “when my friend is being shot at.”Nic glanced up, meeting Aidan’s sincere, concerned gaze.Aidan wouldn’t let this go if Nic didn’t give him something.And Nic needed him to let it go before it got back to Cam.
“My father made some poor business decisions,” Nic hedged, maintaining walls, professional and otherwise.“His lenders want to be sure they recoup their investment.”
“That’s lawyer-speak for he’s in hock up to his eyeballs.”Standing, Aidan walked around the desk and dropped into the chair beside him.“Are you tangled up in any of it?”
“No,” Nic answered.“I’ve been estranged from Curtis twenty-seven years.I haven’t taken a cent of his money, and they can have it all, for all I care.”
“Look, you never mentioned your father, so none of us said anything, and you probably don’t need or want this, but I’m sorry.”He reached out a hand, laying it on Nic’s forearm.“And I don’t mean that you’re estranged.If you made that decision, I trust that it was for a good reason.I’m sorry he made you feel alone then and is doing so again now.And that whatever this is, is blowing back on you.That’s not fair.”
Aidan was right.Nic didn’t want sympathy for having cut ties with his father.There’d been no other choice if he wanted to be who he was and make a stand for everything his father wasn’t.Sympathy, or regret for that matter, were wasted emotions.But what Aidan was offering was more than he ever thought he deserved.He swallowed hard, forcing out a “Thank you.”
Aidan withdrew his hand and slid back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other.“Do you need protection?”
Nic snorted, and Aidan raised his hands, a smirk turning up one corner of his mouth.“They’re just threats,” Nic said and ignored Aidan’s eyebrow racing north.“No one’s actually trying to kill me.I don’t think.That wouldn’t serve their purpose.And I’ve got help handling it, in addition to Lauren.”
“Cam?”
“No,” he snapped too quickly.“I don’t want him involved in this.”
Aidan’s other brow raced after its companion.
“He’s got enough on his plate,” Nic said.“So do you.I’ve got this.”
“Tell me who’s helping you, and I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Cruz.”
That seemed to appease him.“Fine, but if it gets out of hand, you tell me.”
“Thank you,” Nic said as he pushed to his feet.“Now, don’t you have calls to make?”
Aidan rose as well, raking a hand through his auburn hair.“Yes, God forbid San Franciscans be deprived of their luxury cars for a day.”
“Says the man who drives an Aston Martin.”Chuckling, Nic headed for the door, only to be stopped by Aidan’s hand around his biceps.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.You’re family, Dominic.And we take care of family.”
All the moisture in his mouth evaporated, worried he’d never be able to live up to that gift.“One day, maybe, I’ll tell you all just how much that means to me, but right now, Cam’s the family member in danger.He needs to be our primary concern.”
“Agreed.”Aidan released his arm.“So go to court and do your thing.Buy him and us some time.”
That he could do, for his family.
Face buried in the crook of Nic’s neck, Cam lapped up the salt and sweat, the hint of beer, and inhaled musk, hops, and man, the heady mixture making him groan with need.
