Page 128 of Cross & Crown

Because he’s compromised as hell and I haven’t been in a

firefight in over a year.”

Nick slid his hand up Kelly’s arm, his expression softening.

“I’d take a rusty you over anyone to have my back.”

Kelly tried not to smile, but he couldn’t help himself. He

swiped his finger through the drying shaving cream on Nick’s

cheek. “You should have left it scruffy. I like it like that.”

Nick smirked and then pursed his lips as he nodded. “I’ll

remember that. But tonight, we have to dress to the nines.

Did you bring a suit?”

“Yeah, I’ve got one. Why?”

“Because the man we’re going to see won’t speak to scruffy

cops in jeans and leather jackets.”

A flutter of nerves went through Kelly’s stomach, though

he wasn’t sure why. They’d faced dangerous men before.

Something about the tension in Nick was bleeding into him.

“But hey,” Nick said, putting on that bright-side mask

he’d always worn in the Corps. He smiled, and somehow he

forced the warmth to reach his eyes. Kelly’d always wondered

how in the hell Nick did that. “At least we’ll get that romantic night we were planning, right?”

Kelly snorted. “Whackadoo.”

The door from the salon opened and Julian stepped out,

still fussing with the shaving cream on his shirt.

129

“For Christ’s sake, it’s a cotton T-shirt!” Nick said. “I’ll let you borrow one of mine!”

Julian huffed at him.

“What’d they say?” Kelly asked.

“Cameron is still safe. He swore he was unharmed, and

I tend to believe him, though it was obvious someone was

closely monitoring his words. He chose them with great care.

---