Page 49 of Doubling Down

Ezra finished restocking the counter before he leaned against Dom’s side. “I’m really sorry that you got mixed up in that.”

“Not your fault.” Dom winked as he flicked his lip ring.

Ezra wasn’t sure. Joey had been looking for him, after all.

“I mean it,” Dom said. “I would rather it be me than you. And the doctor checked me out. I’m fine. I can work.”

“That’s not what the top cop said,” Lake stated. He was frowning at Dom.

Dom scowled.

“What top cop?” Ezra demanded.

“The one that went total Daddy on Dom and carried his ass to the doctor,” Lake tattled.

“Lake!” Dom growled.

Lake grinned. His big dark eyes shining with laughter. “I thought he was going to put you over his knee! It was so cute.”

“Cute?” Dom repeated. “That man is unsufferable.”

“Then why were you sporting a hard-on?” Lake asked.

“I’m going to tape your mouth shut,” Dom threatened.

“That isn’t the type of oral fixation that Lake has,” Ezra quipped.

“Oh my God!” Dom exclaimed.

Lake laughed even as he flushed.

“Why am I friends with you two?” Dom asked.

“It’s really your fault. You forced me into this friendship,” Ezra told him. “Insisted that you were adopting me.”

“Same!” Lake wiggled his fingers.

“Yeah.” Dom sounded like he regretted that now.

“I might have something to tell you,” Ezra said shyly. “If you want to hear.”

Dom perked up. “You have a juicy secret?”

“I want to know!” Lake said. “I brought you a sandwich for lunch.”

“You did.” Ezra beamed at Lake. “Okay, you get to hear but I don’t know about Dom. He’s cranky.”

“I’m not cranky,” Dom argued.

Ezra and Lake both stared at him.

Dom sighed. “Fine. The cop might have gotten to me. He was bossing me around and acted like he cared whether or not I was hurt.”

Ezra knew that Dom had relied on people in the past due to his chronic condition and had been let down before.

“You really have something to share?”

“I do.” Ezra licked his lips. “But I won’t tell you unless you spill. I want to hear more about this cop.”

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