Okay, that was total BS, but it might protect the man. If he could keep his family safe, he’d fall on his own sword.
With that, Dimitri slid out of the booth, walked through the bar, and headed out.
Babylon pulled out his phone.
He made a call.
“He was here.”
“Thank you, Babylon. You’ll get your money as soon as I get my brother. What did you discuss?”
He told him everything.
“Well, I’m not shocked. I know he’s got something for Emma Croft. The word is everywhere. I’ll handle it. Thank you.”
Babylon hung up.
The man sat back, and grinned.
Yeah, War was coming.
Vegas was about to go bad.
Again.
It was time to choose sides.
* * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *
He hung up the phone and wiped off his dick. He’d just finished using her, and all of the sudden, he wanted more.
Not just the sex.
He wanted her to bleed.
Heading back into his bedroom, she was tied to his bed as she whimpered in pain. Her body was covered in welts, bruises, and cuts.
He’d had fun, but not nearly enough.
It was time to end this one.
He wanted to send a message.
He pulled out his knife, and she looked up at him in fear. After the knife, he pulled out a syringe.
It was filled with drugs.
He first tied off his own arm, shooting some into his vein. As the euphoria came, his dick got harder.
She whimpered when he straddled her body.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Here you go. Time to feel better. Then…I’m going to really make you feel good.”
He injected it into her body, and her head rolled back, her eyes closed, and he felt her pulse.
She was barely alive.
Good.
He untied her because he was going to fuck her. He was going to use her up, and then leave her. They already told him no more girls. They were going under.
That wouldn’t do. He was going to make sure they paid too. He needed his fix, and he would handle them.
This wasn’t over.
Not by a long shot.
The Crofts were hiding a criminal.
They were hiding a murderer.
So, he’d turn them against him.
Like the world.
Then, he’d put a bullet in his head.
Until then…he had a girl to rape, and he was going to take his time.
* * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *
Terrace Glen
Once home, they dragged her inside. The entire time, she fought, making their lives miserable.
Emma was over this bullshit.
Just as she was coming in, so was Dimitri. He lifted his brow as Chris was manhandling Marissa.
“Is she our hostage?” he asked. “Why is she dressed like that?” he inquired.
“She was out trying to work this on her own.”
He laughed.
Only, it wasn’t an amused laugh.
Dimitri was tired. He’d been to Hell, and he’d bargained with the devil.
“Marissa, what were you thinking?”
She saw her escape.
“She punched me in the face,” she said, going to hide behind Dimitri. “They forced me here. I was scared.”
“Yeah, I’m bad,” Emma said. “She deserved it. Trust me, and if she starts her shit, I’ll do it again.”
“EMMA!” Dimitri said.
“They won’t let me go. Please help me.”
They all stared at her.
Was she seriously twisting this to get Dimitri on her side?
“Why don’t you go wait for me in the living room?” he asked.
Marissa stared at Emma.
They shared a look.
It was a challenge—the woman fucking Dimitri versus the woman he could never have.
“You put your hands on her?” he asked. “Really?”
She opened her mouth.
He cut her off. “Her sister is dead. She’s scared, and you made it worse! I can’t believe this!”
Greyson opened his mouth. “You’re missing…”
She stopped him.
It was fine.
She’d take it for her family.
For him.
Something wasn’t right. She’d heard how he bailed on Curtis and Kat on the ride home in the ambulance, and now he looked weary.
That was not Dimitri.
“Is it because of what her sister was doing?” he asked. “Is that why you’re being cruel?”
That stung.
It stung that he didn’t know her better.
It stung that he would believe her without trusting them. Without trust, there could be no family.
They all knew it.
Again, Emma let it go. She wasn’t going to deal with it. She was too damn tired herself. The last three days felt like fifty, she was pregnant, and she was afraid.
Their family was coming apart at the seams.
“I’m going to go start watching the discs in my office,” she said, grabbing them.
Greyson stared at the man.
He wanted to tell him off.
Only, he’d let this play out. Dimitri was off his balance. He was screwed up, and they couldn’t fix him.
He could only fix himself.
“Chris, will you check on Curtis? I’m going to go deal with Emma and the videos.”
He nodded.
As he walked past Dimitri, Chris muttered under his breath.
“Douchebag.”
Dimitri glared at him too. He was so angry at what he’d done. He was so pissed that he’d gone back to that club and caved to find the man.
He wanted some calm in the storm.
Croft shook his head. “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but you’re not the man you were.”
THAT was EXACTLY what happened to him.
You couldn’t be something you weren’t.
“Whatever,” he said, heading out of the room. Maybe it was better if they all hated him. When it came down to it, that was what was coming.
That hideous feeling was bubbling up in his gut, and he was helpless to stop it. What he wanted was someone to tell him it was going to be all right.
He wanted someone to lie to him.
Only, he wasn’t going to get it.
As Greyson headed up the stairs, he glanced back at Dimitri.
He couldn’t save the man.
Only he could save himself.
Upstairs in her office, he found her getting set up to begin the hours of torture that lay ahead.
Literally.
They were going to watch young girls being abused. How did one’s soul come back from that?
The answer?
It couldn’t.
When he closed her door, he saw the anguish. Emma was upset. She was on the verge of breaking. That basement torture chamber, the discs, and now Dimitri.
It was going to shatter her soul.
He could see it.
“Emma.”
She stopped him.
“We’re losing him. She’s changed him, and not for the better. You saw her face. She was amused that he was at odds with us. She’s going to suck him under.”
He was aware.
“Then I talked to Curtis,” Emma said, not even looking over. She told him what Dimitri asked Curtis in the ambulance.
“Jesus! He’s on a suicide mission.”
“I have to let him go. I have to protect the people I can. He’s made his choice. I told Dimitri in the chapel that we’d accept his decisions. I told him we’d follow, but we can’t. He’s already lost to us.”
“Emma, honey, you can’t give up on him.”
“She’s bad for him. Dimitri is looking for salvation from his demons in another sinner. How do I tell him that? If I try, he’ll hate me.”
&nb
sp; Oh, he was aware.
“Give him time. He’s smart. He’ll come around. Just don’t lose faith in him. He needs you.”
Did he?
Maybe he needed more than she could ever give, and that was the problem.
“Ready?” she asked.
He sighed. “Yeah. Let’s get this done.”
Emma put the disc in, and she hit play.
Then she kissed her soul goodbye.
* * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *
He found her in the living room, and she was shivering. Immediately, he took off his suit jacket and tucked it around her shoulders.
“Better?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I don’t like her.”
“Emma is a good person.”
Marissa stared into his eyes. “She punched me. Is my nose broken?”
He kissed it. “No.”
She cuddled against him.
Immediately, his body came awake.
“Can we get out of here?” she asked. “Let’s go back to my sister’s place. I won’t stay here.”
He had to rationalize with her.
“It’s not safe, Marissa. You’re not safe there. That’s why they brought you here.”
“I don’t like her,” she said again. “I think she’s jealous of us.”
Dimitri knew that wasn’t true. Emma was a good person inside and out.
“I think she’s under a lot of stress and pregnant. She’s carrying a lot on her shoulders. They are doing their best.”
She didn’t care.
“I can’t be near her.”
This was going to be a problem.
“Did you find out anything about my sister’s killer?” she asked, leaning against him.
He hesitated.
“Dimitri?” she asked, pulling his mouth down to hers.
He fell into the kiss, and it actually chased some of the chill away.
Maybe, when this was over, he would leave with her. Then Kat and Natasha would be safe. Maybe he could have that house with a porch and peace.
When she pulled away, Marissa stared up into his eyes.
“We know who it is. We just have to find him. I’ll give it to Greyson. We’ll find him.”
She hugged him.
“That makes me so happy! I can’t believe it. You’re my hero!”
She jumped up, and wrapped her legs around his body. Then she kissed him hard. “Let’s go celebrate!”
He knew he had to tell her the truth.
He couldn’t plan his future without telling her the truth.
“Marissa, you need to know something.”
“What?”
“He’s dangerous. He’s a killer, and he’s Russian, like me,” he offered.
“Okay, and?”
Here was the ugly part.
“Viktor Marchenko is the man who hurt and killed Julie, and he’s my brother.”
She stared at him, trying to figure out what he was saying. Then she registered it.
She set him free and backed away from him.
“What? What did you just say? Your brother killed my sister?”
He nodded. “I’m sorry, Marissa, but yes. He’s…”
She stopped him. “Your brother? Your blood? He tortured and killed my sister?”
“I’m sorry, but yes.” She couldn’t even bear to look at him with anything less than disgust.
She backed further away from him.
“Marissa, I’m not him. I won’t hurt you.”
He saw it in her eyes. It was over.
“How long have you known?”
“A day.”
“Before we slept together?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Call me a cab. I need to get out of here.”
“Marissa…”
“Tomorrow, I’m claiming my sister’s body, and I’m getting her out of here. I can’t be here. Vegas is evil. You’re evil! You knew, and still, you slept with me?”
And here was what he expected to happen all along.
“I’m not him, Marissa. I wouldn’t hurt you. I’m not the same man as he is.”
She didn’t care.
“You knew the whole time? Why would you do this?”
“I wanted to build something with you. I wanted you to see I’m not him. I hoped…”
“What?” she asked, dropping his suit jacket next. “What did you hope?”
“That you might love me.”
He put it out there even though he knew it was going to risk his heart. Dimitri wanted to feel more than anything. With Marissa, he’d felt something.
“I can’t love you! Your brother killed my sister. What kind of family of monsters are you from?”
That one arrow hit its bull’s-eye. In that moment, Dimitri gave up. He was lost.
“Where will you go?” he asked, changing the subject as he picked up his suit jacket.
“I’ll go South. Anywhere but here. I have to get far away from Vegas. Nothing good ever happens here.”
“I’m here.”
She took a step back.
“Exactly,” she said. “I’ll always know that truth. Your blood killed mine. I can’t even look at you. You might as well be him!”
His heart broke into a million pieces.
“Then let me call your cab.”
Dimitri pulled out his phone and did exactly what she’d asked. He had to let her go.
It didn’t matter.
He was dead inside.
In one hour, he’d become the man he swore he wouldn’t be, he’d ostracized Emma, Greyson, and his family, and he’d offered his heart to a woman who hated him, and he had no reason to go on.
Yeah, it was a bad night.
He wanted to die.
“I need to get out of here,” she said, moving away from him. “I knew you were a killer, but…I can’t.”
He got it.
She didn’t need to say anything more. Marissa only saw what she wanted to see. The real him was invisible to her.
“Your cab will be outside. Please close the gate on your way out,” he said, trying to hold it together.
He walked out the door, and with that, Dimitri let her go, and along with her, any chance with love.
What choice did he have?
No one would ever want him.
No one.
* * * G r e y s o n C r o f t * * *
In her office, they watched the videos. Greyson was horrified by them all. As he sat there, watching innocence be destroyed, he wanted to protect his wife.
“Maybe Chris and I can handle this,” he offered.
Emma knew what he was doing.
“He’s off for the night. He’s been on duty all day. I told him to go cuddle with Nat. I’m fine, Greyson.”
He wished he could get her to stop. Only, he knew his wife. She was at her snapping point. The next person who poked her was going to get the full extent of her wrath.
He was a husband.
He knew the signs.
“Curtis looks better,” he said, trying to get her to stop thinking about the poor girl chained to the bed in the video.
“I’m glad. I was worried about him.”
“Dante, Steele, and Sam are keeping him entertained. There’s a nurse in there, and she’s wearing this low-cut set of scrubs. The boy didn’t even look. He’s ogling his wife. I trained him right.”
She nodded.
Her silence said it all.
Emma wasn’t even in the mood to talk to him, and that meant bad things were coming.
“Emma.”
“I’m fine,” she said once more.
He tried a different approach.
“Okay, how much shit is he in?”
Greyson asked.
“Who?” She pretended she didn’t know.
“Santa. He was in the cookies again. Emma, you know who!” She looked over and there were tears in her eyes, but she was holding them back.
Emma stopped the video.
&n
bsp; His wife was the strongest woman he knew.
“He hurt me.”
He got it.
“Do you want me to kick his ass? For you, I will.”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll kick it if I have to do it. If he wants me to be the enemy, so he can have the girl, I’ll carry it for him.”
“That’s not fair, Emma. You deserve better than that. This shouldn’t be about her or you. He can have both.”
She was aware, but clearly, that wasn’t the case and they both knew it. Marissa was playing a game.
“I’ll carry it. In fact, I’ll make it easy for him,” she said. “He can hate me all he wants.”
“Honey.”
Emma hit play.
They sat there, and they watched the videos. There was only one word for it.
Disgusting.
In fact, they were horrifying. Just watching them tore their guts to shreds.
It ate away at them as those girls were trained to be nothing more than animals.
He locked them in cages.
He tortured them with cattle prods.
He made sure they were degraded every second by men abusing them.
It made her want to cry.
“I hate this city,” she said, as she watched Julie being tied down to be raped. They watched her struggle at first.
Then she gave up.
She was broken.
“I would have used drugs too,” Emma admitted. “I would have begged for them.”
“We have to shut these animals down. This is not happening in MY Vegas,” Greyson stated. There was no freaking way he was allowing this in his city.
Hell.
NO.
Just as the next atrocity began, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Emma stated.
It was Dimitri.
He said nothing. Instead, he just watched in horror as the girls on the discs begged for help. It made him feel helpless and even more broken inside.
They were monsters.
He was a monster too.
“How can you watch that and not feel dirty?” he asked offhandedly, trying to fill the silence with something other than the sounds and screams from the videos.
His comment made her snap.
Paid Justice (Croft Family Mob Series Book 3) Page 45