“I’m good, Nat.”
The woman said nothing else.
What was there to say?
Kat had sworn there was nothing going on between Emma and Chris, but she was afraid. She didn’t want to lose him. A part of her wanted to ask Emma, but the family was growing closer, and she didn’t want to damage that.
They all heard the men coming.
When Greyson walked in, his arm was over Chris and Dimitri’s shoulders.
Emma lit up when she saw her husband.
Chris did the same when he saw Natasha. He went to her, and gave her a big kiss.
“God! I missed you,” he said, as she went into his arms. “I don’t want another night away from you.”
Immediately, she felt better. All the worries were gone, and she felt silly. It was clear that Chris cared about her.
“Tonight, want to cuddle in bed?” he whispered in her ear. “By cuddle, I mean sex. Just to be clear.”
She giggled.
Dimitri made gagging sounds. “Jesus, it never ends. I have to watch my sisters being mauled.”
Greyson gave his wife a huge kiss, just to egg the man on for his stunt the previous night.
Dimitri pointed at him.
“Et tu, Brutus?”
That made Croft laugh. “I’m more Caesar, and you know it,” he teased.
Before he could say anything, Sam came running in, and he headed right for Dimitri. “Hey, Dad!” he said, giving him a big hug. Then he tried to pick his pocket.
“Hands off my wallet, or I’m going to take away your video games,” Dimitri stated.
“AW! Come on! I’m practicing, Dad!”
Over the last few weeks, Sam was really bonding with all of them, but especially Dimitri. It was clear to see that the man was good with kids, and the kid…he wanted to be part of the man.
Dimitri smiled at him. “Yes, I will be soon, won’t I?” he asked.
Sam grinned.
“When you get your cast off, you’ll be better at pick pocketing,” Dimitri said, “but that was a good try. You get a B plus.”
That made him happy.
The boy grabbed a donut.
Emma grabbed it back. “Not happening, kiddo. He may not tell you no, but if I don’t let Greyson eat crap, I’m not letting a growing boy eat it,” she said. “Fruit, yogurt, or oatmeal.”
Greyson laughed.
At least he wasn’t alone in that shit fest.
“I feel for you Sam,” he offered.
“Babe, you’re cramping my style,” he said, grinning at her. “What if I promised to have fruit for a snack?” he asked. “You know, maybe you and I can get together and negotiate.”
She found him endearing and amusing.
Emma sighed and handed him the donut. “There had better be a glass of milk to go with that fruit snack, Sam!”
“I swear.”
She believed him. Sam was fitting in with the family, and he hadn’t tried to run away again, especially after the coyote fiasco.
“School!” Dimitri said.
“I’m on it. I am heading to my tutoring, but I promise there will be chocolate milk and a banana split later!” he said, racing out of the room.
Then he was gone.
“Dimitri!”
He laughed. “He likes to rile you up. I know for a fact that he eats better during the day when you’re not hovering because I’m hovering.”
Greyson snorted.
She pointed at him. “I will make you eat kale.”
He shut up and changed the topic of discussion. “Where are you two heading?” he asked Curtis and Kat.
“We are going to pick out baby furniture, and then we have Lamaze class later this morning. Kat wants to do natural childbirth, and I want to support her in any way I can.”
Emma gave him a kiss on the top of his head. “You always were my favorite.”
Dante snorted. “Yeah, yeah, no fair. I can’t make you a baby, but I’m giving you Steele. Shouldn’t that count?” he asked, grinning like a fool.
She laughed. “Well, I do love me some Steele,” she said, kissing them both on the cheek. “He actually is my favorite. Who am I kidding?”
Curtis sputtered. “Seriously. You get your token gay, and I’m out. That hurts.”
Greyson smacked him in the head before continuing, “Natasha was supposed to follow Delilah today to court, but I think she’ll be okay,” Greyson offered. “Instead, she’s going to be following you,” he said. “We have some shit coming, and I don’t like it,” he stated.
Anyone in the family might be in trouble once they started digging. Since Delilah was still alive, and Thomas Christ’s plans had been thwarted, she would be safer at work.
The detective too.
“What’s going on?” Curtis asked. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”
Oh, you could say that.
Greyson told everyone what was going on.
As he did, the patio door opened and Delilah strolled in with the detective behind her. It was clear why he was behind her. Someone was checking out her ass.
Curtis whistled. “The FBI still hasn’t closed it down?” he asked.
“No, so we’re going to do it. We think that Marissa Pierce’s sister was a victim of it, and if we’re right, we’re trudging into a storm.”
No one like the sound of that.
Emma noticed their guests.
“Hello, Riley and Delilah,” she said.
“Morning! It’s a wonderful day,” the woman said, hugging Emma.
“Who broke our man hating attorney?” Emma asked, looking at the detective. “She was freaking perfect, and now she’s smiling and looks like Snow White!”
He laughed. “She broke me. Why is it always the man’s fault?” he asked.
Curtis was slapped by Emma in the back of the head before he could even say it.
“Come on!”
Delilah poured both herself and the detective a mug of coffee. It was obvious that she was attached to him. When he sat, she dropped herself in his lap.
Someone was staking her claim.
“Do you have anything to work with?” Delilah asked, discussing what they had been talking about before they had walked in on them.
“Very little,” Greyson admitted.
Riley could help. “I can ask around.”
Delilah looked worried. “Be careful, Riley.”
Croft agreed. “Do it on the DL. We don’t need this blowing up and sucking you two into it too.”
Riley would be careful. As long as Delilah was safe, he could do his job and watch his back.
“Anyway, back to today,” Greyson said, “Emma found some leads while she and Chris were out at the strip club.”
Dante laughed. “Chris found some lips,” he teased.
“Son, don’t be a hater. The ladies love me.”
Natasha lifted a brow.
Emma stared at him.
Chris swallowed his coffee. “Apparently, less and less each day.”
Dante laughed.
“As I was saying, we have to head out today to handle this case that I took on. In hind sight, it was a bad idea,” Greyson said, telling them about the sex trafficking and Marissa being back.
“Do you need my help?” Curtis asked.
“Later, after you get back, you’re on tech searches. Paris and Tessa are heading here shortly, and I’m going to have them help if they aren’t busy.”
“Works for me,” Curtis said, getting up. “We have to be at the boutique for our appointment,” Curtis offered. “You have to make appointments to view baby things. How weird is that?”
Emma stopped Kat. “You buy whatever you want for my grandchild. It’s on me. I want you to have everything you need.”
Kat kissed her. “Thanks, Mom. If you’re free, before the wedding, can we have lunch? I want to show you some ideas for the baby’s room.”
Greyson laughed. “Thank God this place has as many bedrooms as it does. We’re going to fill it up
fast.”
“We can get our own place,” Kat said.
Dimitri shut that down. There was no way in hell that was a good idea. The family needed to be kept in one location where they could be watched. They were already down one person with Katerina being with child.
“You have two choices, Katerina,” he said. “You can stay at Sky Villa, in my place, or here. If we poke this sex ring, we are in danger. I will not have my sister hurt because of a case.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “Yes, Dimitri,” she said. “We can stay here. Now that the pool is far enough away, Curtis won’t worry about the baby being safe.”
“We have to baby proof the house,” Curtis said. “No cigars, no alcohol, no weapons. Oh, and Chris, no porn,” he teased.
“HA. HA. HA. You’re funny. Let’s see how you feel when you’re wearing baby vomit and poop. I’ll be lurking with the camera.”
Emma laughed. “Go shopping.”
Natasha gave Chris a kiss. “Later,” she said.
He wiggled his eyebrows lecherously. “Oh, you had better believe it, gorgeous.”
He watched her leave. When he turned around, Dimitri was right there.
He jumped.
“Jesus.”
Dimitri laughed. While he really liked Chris, that was still his sister. He wasn’t letting him get away with anything. That wouldn’t be responsible of him.
He still had to watch over her.
“What are you two doing today?” Greyson asked his brother.
“We have to meet with the officiant for the wedding, we have to do our final fittings for our suits, and I have to get me some kinkery for the honeymoon.”
Steele didn’t say anything.
It was mildly uncomfortable for everyone who knew what Steele was overcoming.
“I was kidding on the last part,” Dante said, feeling the tension. They were both worried about the wedding night.
The whole sex issue was looming, and Dante might need to call in backup on this one. He hoped his big brother was ready—since he was also the best man.
Steele continued for his fiancé, “We have to pick up the marriage license,” he offered. “That’s really important.”
Dante agreed, giving his fiancé a kiss. He could feel the tension in him, and he didn’t know how to handle it. Sex had never been a problem until after his abduction.
Now it was the core of their issues.
For Steele.
For him.
“Well, take the limo,” Greyson offered. “I don’t want you out wandering around either. This city is on the verge of blowing up, and we can’t risk anyone.”
They understood that.
AND…
Dante had already had to deal with Steele being hurt once. He didn’t want to go there again.
Ever.
“We’re going to do all that stuff, and Steele is going to head to the office with me. Is there anything you need done?” he asked his brother.
“Yeah, contact that judge. I want Sam’s adoption pushed through. Pay him off, but the kid is going to be Dimitri’s by the day you leave for your honeymoon.”
That worked for him.
“I can grease some palms at the courthouse. I’ll be there. I’ll take care of it.”
“If you’re heading there, can you give me a lift?” Delilah asked.
Riley touched her arm. “I’ll take you.”
“Then you’ll be seen with me.”
“So?” he asked.
She didn’t know what to say, but staring into his blue eyes, she couldn’t say no.
“Okay, Detective. You can give me a ride to work any day.”
Dante laughed at the innuendo behind that one. No one had ever seen their attorney attached to anyone, but especially a cop?
Yeah, that was new.
Emma pointed at him in warning.
It shut him up.
“Come on, Steele. Emma is cranky. Someone had better take better care of his wife’s needs. She needs to get laid.”
They all laughed.
No one there doubted that Greyson was definitely taking care of her sexual needs. Last night, he’d been pissed, and today, he was smiling.
That meant one thing.
As far as they were concerned, she was the ONLY one who could soothe the savage Croft beast.
“Get out of here,” Greyson said, growling.
When he was gone, Emma kissed him. “Your kitten is just fine,” she said, leaning against him.
Dimitri heard the beep for the gate, and reset the alarm as soon as Katerina and Curtis were gone.
“I need to check on ‘Aquarius’ today,” he admitted. “With Marissa back, I want to make sure she’s acclimating well. Plus, you have the stripper coming in for a start on a new life.”
Chris snickered, and then sipped his coffee as he tried to hide his amusement. He heard it in the man’s voice. There was definitely something Dimitri wanted to check out, and he was sure it wasn’t the business or a new employee.
Emma faced him. “You’re not busting his ass, are you?” she asked.
“Hell no. Why would I ever do that?”
“I didn’t think so, Christopher. That would make me want to bust your ass, and you won’t like that.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “You win.”
Dimitri winked at her. “Thank you, Emma. It seems I might be your favorite.”
Chris whipped an apple at him.
Hard.
Still, he caught it.
“Thank you. Breakfast. I’m in a hurry to shower and get ready for our trip to the strip. You should do the same, Captain.”
Emma tossed him an apple too.
“Thanks, Mom,” he said, as he finished his coffee. “Can I have a donut too since your husband kicked my ass this morning?”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have that donut since he could,” she teased, but handed him one anyway.
Greyson heard the alarm on the gate and he checked the monitor. The vehicle was familiar, so he hit the code to unlock it for them.
“That’s going to be Paris and Tessa,” he said. Then he’d realized what he’d forgotten. “I probably should have told you, but I called and had Delilah draw up legal papers for them,” he said.
Emma knew why.
“Are you suing them?” Chris teased.
“No. They want to have a baby, and I’m donating.”
Emma didn’t flinch. She figured as much.
Chris opened his mouth and just stared.
“Say it,” Emma stated. She trusted his opinion, and the family would put two and two together once Tessa showed up pregnant.
“Jesus Holy Christ,” he said.
“What?” Greyson asked, lifting a brow.
“That’s your plan to take over the world, isn’t it? You’re going to make an army of little Crofts.”
“The baby won’t be a Croft,” Greyson said, watching his wife. He could see the tension, but she was holding up. Greyson wished there was an easier way of doing this.
Only, there wasn’t.
“Technically,” Chris began.
“Chris, drop it,” Greyson ordered, and this time, there was no humor in his voice.
Chris glanced over at the man, and then at Emma. It didn’t take him long to get it.
She was struggling with it.
“I think it’s a beautiful, selfless gift,” he said.
Emma simply drank her coffee, and Greyson had to wonder.
Was this a huge mistake?
Chapter Fourteen
W hen Paris and Tessa rolled in, she was in his lap, and she was smiling. Greyson couldn’t help but notice that they seemed to have worked through some of their issues. It helped him decide that donating was a good thing to do.
Only, he had stipulations.
If they agreed, he was good to go.
When Tessa saw Emma, she went right to her. She hugged her, and began crying.
“Thank you for this. I know had I been i
n your place, I wouldn’t have been so kind. I will never be able to thank you.”
Emma wasn’t thrilled, but she also knew that Greyson was carrying the horrible burden of Paris’s injuries on his shoulders. By doing this, he was going to help take away some of the pain.
Hopefully.
“It’s okay, Tessa. You need this, and we’re a family.”
Paris pushed out of his chair and slowly approached Emma. “I hear you’re having a baby. Maybe our children can be best friends, and they’ll always have each other.”
She saw the hope.
The fear.
The pain.
The anguish.
They were expecting her to stop it. She could tell that they really believed she’d tell her husband not to do it, but she couldn’t. No one told Greyson what to do, and she also felt horrible for them.
“I think that would be an amazing thing. I can’t wait to throw you a baby shower,” she said with no animosity in her voice.
How could she have any?
They would love this child, and technically, it would be her child’s half-sibling.
“Before we start planning anything,” Delilah said, pulling out her papers. “We have to talk the legality of it.”
That surprised both Paris and Tessa.
Greyson sat, and Emma moved into his lap so her husband would understand that she supported his decision.
“I hope you understand,” Greyson said, “but I want to make sure that all of this is handled now.”
Paris and Tessa sat.
“Okay,” Paris said, watching them with wariness.
Delilah began. “As the legal representation for my client, I’ve been asked to draw up a contract. Here’s the gist of it. You, the receiving party of Greyson’s donation, will have only one legal obligation.”
Paris could feel his heart thump.
“And that would be?”
“That if anything were to happen to you or Tessa, the child would then be offered for legal guardianship to Greyson and Emma.”
They were surprised.
“Oh,” Paris said.
“It’s technically my child,” Greyson stated. “I would need to know that he or she was okay, say if you were to leave us, or move across the country.”
Paris got it.
“I agree to that. Tessa?” he asked.
“I’m good with that. I don’t have any family other than you guys,” Tessa said.
Paid Justice (Croft Family Mob Series Book 3) Page 29