“I’m so sorry, honey. Please forgive me for letting you down. I don’t deserve you in my life.”
The tears fell, as he remained on his side of the bed, praying for the pain to stop.
Emma couldn’t let him hurt. Crawling back towards him, she stared down at his face, wiping the tears with her thumb.
“I love you and always will. You’re the only reason I survived. I’m here because you’re my husband, and I wanted to be at your side more than dying.”
He didn't know what to say to her. The ache was pushing towards the surface. “Save me, Emma. I’m drowning and can’t get back to you.”
She didn't think twice. Moving her lips towards his, she offered him everything in her at that moment. Tonight, she needed to be the strong one.
The second their mouths met, the heat exploded around them. Someone moaned, hands tenderly stroked and offered pleasure and peace. The scent of lavender filled the air, bringing them both back to the surface.
Emma ran her palm down his body, caressing muscle and flesh lovingly. “I missed you, Grey,” she whispered, allowing her lips to follow the trail of fingers lower down his body.
“Emma,” he murmured, as she stroked him through his boxers.
She knew that love would heal not only him, but her too. This was the only way to connect them back together, assuring them both that they would survive what happened and what was yet to come.
“There’s no reason to forgive you, Grey,” she whispered, “You didn't do anything wrong. You found me,” she said, again. Emma would keep saying it, until he believed it.
He swallowed as she came to her knees above him. He wanted to feel so desperately, that he would offer anything he had just to have that warmth back in their lives.
Pulling the shirt from her body, she stripped out of her clothes. “I love you more than anything in life,” Emma added, leaving a trail of kisses across his chest. “I’m home because of you. You kept looking for me and did what you promised. You once told me that wherever I went, you would follow. You kept your word, because you didn't give up.”
Greyson shook under her fingertips. The anger was breaking up, being replaced by something that was more powerful and stronger.
Love was winning.
Their union was building back up from the ashes and destruction to join them back together and make them whole once more.
“I love you, Emma,” he finally said, slipping his hands into her hair as she pulled her mouth back down to him. He plundered, seeking peace and forgiveness in the only woman who he would ever love. Today, he’d nearly lost it all, and now he’d find it again.
“Greyson,” she whispered, breaking the kiss. “Make love to me,” she begged, knowing if she could get him to touch her again, they would be more than all right. They’d be themselves again.
He listened to the words and allowed them to sink into the cold recesses of his soul. The heat began spreading as life started blossoming again. With Emma, there would always be love.
Rolling with his wife, he placed her protectively beneath him. When he stared into her green eyes, he memorized the moment to hold it in his heart forever.
“Tell me if I hurt you,” he said softly, as his lips began touching every scrape, cut, and bruise. Offering tenderness to the woman beneath him, he worked on healing them both.
“Greyson,” she whispered, as his mouth left warm kisses across her flesh.
Sliding lower, he wanted nothing more than to taste his Emma. It felt like years since he explored her body. Greyson slid lower and lower down her torso. When her hands found his hair, and she buried them in it, there was a sense of peace.
“I missed you, Emma,” he stated, before diving into his woman. With his mouth, he began plundering, teasing and tormenting her. Tonight, he’d celebrate their reunion. When he nipped her lightly, she shivered and shattered apart.
The pleasure tore through her, as he continued, even as she was begging and pleading. Emma knew that he would quickly build her back up, only to watch her fall all over again.
Croft enjoyed the way his wife moaned his name and it reminded him that she was his. Always and forever, she’d be part of him. When she shook again, he waited for her to shatter before he started kissing his way up her body. Stopping at her bruised hip, he covered it with the gentle caress of his lips.
His tenderness touched her, as he finally stopped at her throat, and then gazed down into her eyes. In their silvery depths, she saw so much love and regret. It made her want to clear the stormy clouds of doubt away.
Pulling his mouth down to hers, she rolled with him, coming to sit astride his body. When she broke the kiss, she was staring down at him and smiling.
“I’m the luckiest woman in the world. I have my own knight in shining armor.”
Before he could speak, she slid him home. It was amazing to watch the action steal his breath and take away the doubts.
They’d come together again, building back what was torn apart. They’d be fine, but those who tried to destroy them were in for a surprise. Emma and Greyson were going to be stronger and even harder to break.
Her words undid him, as she didn't move above him. The tears filled Emma’s eyes as she pulled him up to meet her lips.
His arms wrapped around her body, as she finally began the ride. It was slow and steady, as were the tears that rolled down her cheeks. When the kiss was broken, her palms took his face in her hands and she gazed at the man who owned her heart and soul. “I’ll never leave your side again, Greyson,” she promised, taking the vow.
The heat built in him, as he shook beneath her. Her words undid the pain that tied up his heart. Tears mixed as the explosion rocked them both.
“Emma my love,” he whispered into the bliss as he tumbled, pulling her with him.
She murmured words of adoration as the colors exploded around her too. Emma allowed him to pull her back to the bed and cradled her gently in his arms.
Moments passed.
Neither spoke.
Finally, it was Emma who took the chance and offered up the question on both their minds.
“Grey, will we survive this, or has whoever did this ruined our happiness forever?”
He looked down at his wife, resting on his chest and offered her a reassuring smile.
“We’re golden, Emma,” he promised.
It’s what she needed to hear, and this time she believed everything he had said.
“Go to sleep, Emma. I’ll keep you safe.” This time he meant it.
“Yes, Grey,” she whispered, yawning.
Greyson Croft waited for his wife to slip into sleep, much like last time, only he didn't leave her when she was at peace. He was ready to follow her again, and this time he’d guard her with his life.
Chapter Four
Thursday Morning
They’d only been asleep about four hours, when the ringing of his phone woke them both up. Emma groaned, knowing what the wakeup call meant.
There were more bodies.
She fully expected her husband to leap out of bed and race to the closet and when he didn't, she stared at him curiously.
This was new…
“Director Croft,” he answered, sleepily.
“Sir, I’m sorry to wake you,” stated Special Agent Tessa Brass. “We just got tagged. There’s another pair of victims. We didn't know if you wanted to join us at the scene or not.”
He had already decided that today, he wasn’t leaving Emma’s side. “No, Tessa. You and Paris can head there and keep me informed while you’re running it. I’m working from home today. After you clear it, send me a text and I’ll get you my address. If possible, can you both come here to brief me?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“I appreciate it,” he answered, looking over at Emma. She was watching him cautiously. “Message me when you need the address. We’ll be expecting you.”
The phone call was disconnected.
After he placed his phone back down,
Greyson pulled his wife back against his side as he laughed at the look on her face. “What?”
“You’re not going to the crime scene to manage it to death?” she asked surprised.
“Nope.”
“I figured you’d banish me to the tower, while you were out chasing the bad guys.”
Greyson had contemplated it, but instead he decided to stick close to home.
“Why?” Emma asked as she waited for an answer.
Croft decided to be honest. “I’m not ready to leave you alone yet. I still feel like if I walk out that door, you’ll be gone when I return.”
She stroked his cheek lovingly. “I’ll be safe. If you want to leave, you can, babe.”
He shook his head and pulled the blankets up over them both. “I think I’d rather stay in bed and cuddle with my wife.”
Emma giggled, as he started tickling her.
“That sounds really good to me, Director Croft.”
He stared into her eyes. “I think today I’d rather just be plain old, Greyson, if you don’t mind.”
She dropped a kiss to his lips. “I like that even better.”
* * *
Special Agent Paris Archer couldn’t believe it. It seemed so out of character, and he didn't know what to say. When his partner told him about the boss, he was stunned.
“Seriously?” he asked, looking over the rims of his eyeglasses at his partner. “He isn’t joining us here?”
Tessa Brass shook her head. “Really. He told us to run it, and then later today swing by his place to update him.”
It just seemed odd.
Tessa had it all figured out. “The boss is worried about his wife. Once the dust settles, he’ll be back in control of everything and making us all nuts.”
He hoped so. “I have the profile done,” he said, glancing over at her. Where his partner’s severe, bobbed haircut should make her look hard, it only added to the allure. It probably had to do with the really green eyes and the red lips. Paris had to force himself to stop thinking about it.
“Can I read it?” she asked grinning.
“Hell no! The boss gets it first, just in case I’ve humiliated myself. I don’t need everyone else knowing that I’ve screwed it up.”
Tessa doubted that was even a possibility. Reaching over, she rested a manicured hand on his arm. “Paris, that’s going to be the best damn profile our boss has ever seen in his entire life,” she reassured. Tessa hated seeing him be so hard on himself. On their team, he was the brains, and she was the one with the gut instinct.
Everyone always wondered why they worked so well together, and that was it. Archer and Brass were like ying and yang.
“I hope so,” he replied, trying not to notice the way her palm was sending warmth all through his body. Damn, it was hard not to react.
“Uh oh,” muttered Tessa, removing her hand and pointing up ahead. “We have about half a zillion media people hanging out. Be prepared to put your cranky agent face on, Paris,” she teased, laughing.
“I’m always the mean one,” he replied jokingly.
In all actuality, he was the more pleasant of the two. It took her about three months to get him to stop being so damn nice. It made it hard to scare the criminals.
He laughed at her easy natured teasing and appreciated that she was trying to take his mind off the profile and his fears. “I’ll try and work on that, Tessa.”
Pulling the vehicle to a stop, they dropped their badges over their necks and headed for the crime scene tape. Already, the field was flooded with techs and agents trying to block the stares of the media.
This time, the killer had left them two women in a mobile home community. Talk about random.
“Agents!” came the shouts as the media blocked them from trying to approach the scene.
“Where’s Director Croft? Is his wife alive? Have you seen her? What’s going on with them?”
It wasn’t what they expected. Both agents assumed that the throngs of reporters would be more interested in the dead women, but then again, this was Vegas. What you expected wasn’t always what you got.
“He didn't leave his condo yet today, is the detective well?” shouted another reporter, vying to get a scoop.
Archer and Brass knew better than to say a word. The director was a private person, and no one wanted to deal with his wrath if they spoke off the record. When he wanted the media hounds to know, Croft would tell them.
Finally reaching the tape, both ducked under to escape the continual shouting of questions. Once on the scene, they got their first glimpse of the victims. Propped beside an abandoned trailer were the two women. One had ‘naughty’ carved into her and the other ‘nice’. Well, it was good to see that the killer wasn’t deviating from his twisted plan.
Paris knelt beside the ME and studied the victims. He began his assessment by gathering information and comparing it to the profile that he had just written for the director. So far, everything was in line with his report.
“Well?” Tessa asked, snapping on a pair of gloves and handing him the spare.
“It all looks the same.”
The ME glanced over. Doctor Steele Bentley was taking the second woman’s body temperature to measure time of death. “They’ve been dead at least eight hours.”
Tessa began adding notes to her tablet. “Can you tell me how?” she asked, waiting for the man to answer.
He moved the one’s head, showing her the neck bruising. “It matches our first two. The ‘nice’ victim has one set of ligature prints around her throat, and our ‘naughty’ one has multiple. Officially, I can’t give you COD until I open them up, but let’s go with strangulation and I’ll confirm later today.”
Both agents nodded. “When is autopsy? Director Croft is going to need the report as soon as possible.”
Steele Bentley took off his glasses and lowered his voice. “How’s Emma doing?” he asked, genuinely concerned. He enjoyed working with her, and hoped that she was surviving her ordeal.
Tessa shrugged. “No idea, Doctor. She’s sequestered in their home. We’re going there later to brief our boss; want us to give her a message from you?”
He nodded. “Tell her that if she needs anything to give me a call.”
Both agents nodded.
“I’m taking the women back to the morgue. You’ll be able to get more information once I open them both up. I’ll email you the report as soon as I can.”
“Is there any way you can bump the autopsies up and get them done ASAP?” Paris inquired, knowing his boss would want it tagged priority, especially if the nutjob had tried to take his wife.
Bentley thought about who was in the cooler. “I think I can do that for you. I’ll start working on them as soon as I get them back.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
He stood and motioned to his two techs to begin bagging them up for transport. “Don’t thank me. Emma’s my friend, and I’m doing this one for her.”
The agents watched the ME walk away. “Now, we need to canvas,” stated Tessa. “You want the left or right row of trailers?” she asked, getting ready for the hardest part of the job.
They had to search for a witness and hope for a miracle.
“I’ll take right. There’s fewer,” he said grinning.
“Hey!” Tessa objected.
Paris started walking away. “Next time you should anticipate my next move a little better. You walked right into that one.”
She started laughing. Working with Paris Archer was never boring.
* * *
Curtis Briggs rolled over in bed, only to find it empty. He could hear Brynn’s shower running, and he had that uneasy feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach.
Lately, there’d been issues.
Every couple had fights, but the last few weeks it had been rocky to say the least. He would say one thing, and she’d jump down his throat. God forbid he suggested something for her safety and Brynn would lose her mind.
It was maki
ng their relationship very uncomfortable.
He didn't know what was happening exactly, but it was making him more and more uneasy. When he first brought her home, they had a week of amazing sex as they connected almost instantaneously. Then the sex became ‘comfortable’, and he knew it shouldn’t be like that yet, unless there was a problem.
When he watched his boss and Emma, they were newlyweds and still enthralled with each other. If they saw each other across the room, both of them lit up and took center stage. With him and Brynn, when he came to visit her at work, she barely glanced up from her paperwork, as if he was boring the hell out of her.
In fact, every time he arrived there, he got more of a greeting from Emma than the woman he was involved with.
If that didn't scream big problem, he didn't know what did.
Maybe, they should have paced themselves. Moving in together seemed like a really good idea. Neither would be alone, they could split the bills...
Okay, he really wanted to have sex with her and that’s why he did it, but they still had a strong foundation.
Didn't they?
When the water shut off, he laid there, waiting for her to come out and face him. When she did, they were going to have to talk this out.
At one point, he’d be in the shower with her.
They would wake up, make love, and then take one together. Now he was being left alone to sleep in bed. Yeah, last night they both fell into a deep slumber together. Brynn’s head had been on his shoulder, but sometime during the night she had moved away, and he had to slide across the bed to find her again.
He was worried and beginning to feel the little whispers of panic and paranoia.
Maybe, he had inadvertently done something.
When the door opened, she stepped out fully dressed, and the inkling of worry turned into a full blaze of fear. Yeah, this was just one more clue that something bad was on the horizon.
“Hey, you’re up early,” he said, trying to stay calm and smile despite what he was suspecting.
Christmas is Killing (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 3) Page 10