Abby laughed.
Gee.
Was it that obvious?
“Who hurt you?” Chris asked.
“Well, I trusted my husband, and then he ran off with some skirt who would give him, and anyone else, blowjobs on a city street.”
Then she realized what she’d said.
“I’m sorry. That was unladylike of me.”
Greyson laughed.
“We’re adults. I’m married. I know what a blowjob is, Abby.”
Chris opened his mouth.
“Don’t or I’ll let Emma deal with you,” Greyson warned.
Chris roared with laughter.
This man knew him too well.
Greyson focused on Abby.
“Please. Continue.”
She shrugged.
What was there to say?
“He ran off, he left me with two boys, and he took everything in our accounts. So, no, I don’t trust men. Last month, he was supposed to pick my son up to take him for his braces. He never showed. Braces are important!”
Greyson smiled, showing her his teeth.
“I happen to agree. I had them.”
Chris smiled too.
“Ditto.”
She nodded.
“See? People judge you by first impressions! I want to give my sons every advantage that I can!”
Greyson didn’t bring up the fact that she’d judged them before getting to know them.
He got it.
He was scary.
That had been his plan all along.
Abby wasn’t done.
“All my ex cares about is his new younger woman. All I care about is taking care of my children. Before him, I had a job and a career. I was working in Vegas, and now I’m at home with the kids. I’ve been out of the workforce so long, I can’t get back into my field. I want to be able to take care of my kids without him. I want to flip him off and say fuck you! I’m fine.”
Her eyes teared up.
Chris patted her on the back.
They had both heard that story more times than not. They sympathized with her.
“Go on,” Greyson stated.
Clearly, she needed to vent.
They had the time, and the compassion to listen. If he could help her, he would.
“On top of that, I lost Libby. She was my best friend. She would have punched my husband in the balls. I’m not like her. I wish I was.”
“What did you do in Vegas?” Greyson asked as he handed her the ketchup, so she’d try and eat something.
She’d gone from pale to red.
This woman was pissed.
“I worked for Randall Mason in his costume art department. I was a seamstress sixteen years ago when I actually had a job. I made pretty things like Elizabeth Blackhawk wears. Now I just worry. I worry nonstop.”
She wiped her eyes with the napkin.
Well, if that were the case, Greyson could definitely help the woman out. This was an easy one.
“I may have a solution.”
“Pardon?” she asked.
Chris knew that look from Greyson. He was going to save this woman too.
He was glad.
She seemed like a lovely woman who needed to see that not all men would run and take everything. Not every man would betray a woman for another piece of ass.
Cheaters sucked.
“Well, I might be able to help you.”
That had her attention.
“You’ll hunt him down and punch him in the balls?” she asked only half joking.
She’d give him her last twenty bucks to see it happen.
“Chris, put that on my calendar for next week,” Greyson teased.
She laughed.
Then she finally ate a french fry.
It was damn good.
Salty.
Crispy.
Hot.
It was the french fry trifecta of perfection.
“This is good,” she admitted.
Greyson agreed.
“My boys would love this place. They love fries. I can’t take them places. It’s the mortgage or fancy places like this—thanks to my ex. It’s just not my life.”
Marie carried in the shakes and placed them down in front of them.
“Marie, package up six more burgers and fries for Abby when she leaves. I also need one of Dimitri’s special gift cards if you don’t mind.”
She smiled and headed away.
“You don’t have to do that, Mr. Croft. I didn’t say it so you’d give me something.”
He was aware.
While his son wouldn’t struggle financially, Greyson knew that there were plenty of kids out there who needed some help, and he could give it.
He would give it.
“I do have to do it. You’re going to help me find Libby, and the least I can do is help you. I also need to make one more call.”
“Are you calling the president?” she teased.
“No way. He’s an asshole.”
She stared at him.
Chris laughed. It had taken him a while to adjust to the people Greyson could dial up. He had connections.
That was life.
Greyson dialed up Dante and his face popped onto the screen of his phone.
“Hey, Dante.”
“Yo, bro. If those are french fries, your wife is going to kick your ass,” he said, pointing at the plate in front of him.
Greyson was well aware.
He laughed.
“Yeah, you saw nothing.”
“Exactly.”
Dante spoke to his personal assistant and then focused on his brother.
“Sorry, we’re crazy today. Payroll is due. What do you need?” he asked.
“I have a very nice lady here. Can you pull up an old employment file?” he asked. “She worked for Randall.”
Abby looked surprised.
Was he checking to make sure she didn’t lie?
He gave his brother her information.
“I have it right here. She was a seamstress in his main division,” he said, as he clicked on a few keys. “What specifically about her?”
“I want to hire her back.”
She nearly dropped her shake.
Her eyes went huge.
“Okay. Salary?” Dante asked, typing in a few things to send the file to the printer so HR could have it for when she came in to see them.
This was nothing new.
Greyson hired people all the time.
Currently, they didn’t really need help, so that meant this was someone he felt compelled to help.
Dante was good with that.
“I want you to double it. Also, you know that housing program we have for employees?”
Dante had NO idea what he was talking about, but he knew his brother.
So, he played along.
“Yeah, that special one?” he asked, hoping his brother would give him more or text him with additional information.
On cue, his phone chimed from Chris.
‘He wants it paid off. He’s helping someone who needs it badly.’
He read it.
Dante had been spot on. His brother was playing fairy godmother to someone.
It was this woman’s lucky day.
“She’s eligible. She’s a single parent. Get it taken care of for her,” Greyson stated.
He made a note to contact her bank and pay it off. It wouldn't be the first time he’d done it.
“Consider it done.”
Greyson was glad. Abby was struggling with her mortgage, and Jeffrey Raye had threatened her. He’d at least help her sleep at night.
“Thank you. Do you need to speak to her?” he asked.
“Yeah, I do.”
Greyson turned the phone around. This was his brother’s thing, not his.
Dante focused on her.
“Do you want a job?”
“Yes, yes, I do.”
He smiled.
“You’re hired. The special program will pa
y off your mortgage, and you’ll be free and clear. Welcome to Croft Enterprises. You’re a new employee, and you get a fresh start.”
That was all she had to hear.
She started crying.
“Are you serious?” she asked.
Greyson took a bite of his burger.
“Yes.”
There were more tears.
Dante gave her a minute. When she began slowing down, he knew it was time.
“Abby, you know where my office is, right?” he asked.
“In the really fancy hotel?”
Dante smiled.
“Yes. I’ll see you there on Monday next week. I’ll have HR have your paperwork ready, and you’re back to work. We have three new musicals coming up, and I hope you can work your magic. I’m drowning in feathers.”
She laughed and wiped her eyes again.
“I can help you, Mr. Croft. I promise I won’t let you down and thank you. Thank you so very much.”
Dante had nothing to do with this.
“You can thank my brother. This is his and Emma’s company. I’m just a paid worker.”
And that wasn’t the truth either, but Dante wanted his brother to get the credit. The man took the shit from the media, people, and rumors.
He deserved it.
“See you then, Ms. McCoy.”
Greyson hung up and then smiled at her.
“So, we have braces for the kiddos, you’re back to work for your old employer, sort of, and we’re going to find your sister. Oh, and you can flip off the ex because you don’t need him anymore. Let his hussy worry about him. Your boys are good now.”
This was a freaking miracle.
When she came here, this was NOT how she saw it playing out. This day couldn’t get better.
No.
Freaking.
Way.
“I can’t believe this day.”
He smiled as Marie walked into the room with the card. He took it and handed it to her.
“This is a gift card for this place. Bring the kids in for dinner. I know that it’s a bar, but Marie, if she is here, will bring you back, and you can eat without all the alcohol.”
“They’d love to try this place.”
“Well, it’s a bottomless gift card from our family to yours. You work for me now, and Dimitri is my best friend. We take care of the people who help us. You’re going to get a bad man off the streets. That’s what matters most.”
“Bottomless? In Vegas, that’s a whole other picture,” she teased. “I don’t know what that means.”
Marie took over.
She’d given a few of these cards out. They pulled up a message in the system. Mostly, Dimitri gave them out to working girls, homeless people, and those he couldn’t save.
You couldn’t save the unwilling, but you could make sure they had food in their bellies.
“Basically, hon, you show that card, and you eat on the house. Mr. Gideon has special patrons he treats like kings, or in your case, a queen.”
She didn’t know what to say.
“Thank you.”
“Shall we start? We’ve had some food, you know I’m not going to kill you, and you even have your career back. Can I be trusted?” he teased.
Could he be trusted?
Hell!
He could have her kidney. This man just saved her and her boys. She’d be loyal to her dying day.
Greyson Croft was a saint.
NOT a sinner.
Today was the miracle she’d been waiting and praying for the last few years.
She nodded.
“I’m ready. Help me find my sister.”
He smiled.
“And that is exactly what I had hoped you’d say.”
With that, Greyson listened, she told him everything, and he made notes. Tomorrow, they’d begin their search for Libby McCoy-Raye.
And they’d take down one hell of an asshole in the process.
To him…that was a damn good day.
Chapter Three
Cemetery
W hen he got there, it didn’t take him long to find Samson Fleur’s grave. His girlfriend had talked about it before, and he’d made a mental note of the details for just such an occasion.
Riley knew that this place was special to her. It was a place where the rest of her family was placed when they each passed away. Delilah, like him, was alone in the world.
Until now.
She had him.
He had her.
Since they might be pregnant, Riley wanted to do this the right way. The way that would reach Delilah’s heart and show her that he was the one.
He loved her so much he’d do this.
While he’d told her that his last relationship lasted four years, and he’d proposed, he’d never gone out of his way to make it like this.
He liked his last girlfriend.
He even could say he loved her, but he didn’t have an iota of feelings like he did with Delilah.
She was the one.
He was sure of it.
So, it was time to do it right. It was time to make that commitment to the one woman he loved. It was time to make that commitment BEFORE they found out if they were having a baby.
Riley wanted this prior to finding out about being a father.
He wanted it all.
With Delilah, he wanted the whole kit and caboodle, and nothing less than that.
Marriage.
Fatherhood.
Her.
Walking up to the mausoleum, he pulled out his phone. While he wasn’t trying to make it showy, he needed Delilah to be part of this. He wanted her to hear what she meant to him. It was going to be the first part of how he convinced her to be his. With her, she was a thinker.
She might hesitate, and he didn’t want that.
Hitting record, he began.
It didn’t take long.
Riley poured his heart out as he pleaded his case to a dead man and her family.
NOTHING was left unsaid.
Everything he spoke was the absolute truth.
He knew that he would never be accused of not speaking from his heart. This was how he felt, and he couldn’t wait for Delilah to watch this video.
It excited him.
Riley was giving her his heart and soul.
When he’d finished asking her family for her hand in marriage, he turned off the recording.
His job there was done.
Everything else was finished.
Roses.
Ring.
Family.
Now, he needed to finish prepping for his big evening with her. It was time to blow Delilah Fleur away with his love.
She deserved it.
Delilah was the love of his life.
Riley took a deep breath and headed back to his truck. It was time to make her dinner, set the scene, and get ready. If she said yes, he’d be the happiest man in the world.
If she said no…
Riley wasn’t kidding.
He was tossing her over his shoulder.
Delilah was going to be his wife.
* * * G R E Y S O N C R O F T * * *
Airport
Las Vegas
The plane touched down, and Ethan sent Greyson Croft a text message to alert him of his arrival. It didn’t take long for him to reply that they were on their way back to Sky Villa and that they’d meet him there.
They were expecting the special delivery. It looked like he was no longer Eagle One, his security code name, but Stork One, and it fit.
This was a far better delivery than the shit he normally had to deal with in Vegas.
So, he woke the little girl and tried to explain what was going to happen from here on out.
Using the app, he entered some information, so she wouldn’t be scared.
She listened.
“We’re going to meet some people,” it translated.
She looked petrified.
He smiled at her and continued typing.
/> “They are your new family. Your brother will be there, and so will your sister. I promise you will be safe. No one will ever hurt you again. They will make sure you have everything you need.”
She still looked scared.
Ethan wished he could make this easier for her.
Only, he couldn’t.
Once she got past this, she would be fine. He knew she would be.
The pilot opened the door and the little girl actually jumped in her seat.
He soothed her by holding her hand.
She clung to him.
“Director, there’s an agent on the tarmac waiting for you,” he said.
“Yes, I need what he has.”
The pilot opened the door, and it wasn’t a he. It was a she.
The woman entered the plane carrying two big bags of things. He’d seen her before. Ethan was pretty sure she worked out of DC when he was an agent all those years ago.
She was a seasoned agent, working out of Vegas now. He struggled to remember her name.
Angela?
Amy?
Adrianna…?
“Director, DC called, and they forwarded a list of things you’d need for the child. I believe it was your wife. She was specific with what I was to bring here.”
Thank God for his wife.
“I appreciate it, Agent. Honestly, she’s skittish. Not my wife, but the little girl.”
She laughed.
“I’ve worked with Elizabeth on cases. I’m well aware who you meant.”
He grinned.
Most people did.
“She’s not good with people, but can you stay. She needs to get changed.”
“Sir, I can do that.”
Ethan began typing.
He hit play.
“We have some pretty things for you. Want to take a look inside the bags?”
She stared at him.
“Presents?” she asked.
Great!
She knew that English word too.
“Yes, presents,” he said.
She slowly nodded.
Ethan took the bags from the agent and began pulling things out of them. Inside, Elizabeth had picked out pretty things that would make any girl feel better. They were bright, sunny, and spoke of her new life here in Vegas.
Or so he hoped.
She watched him.
The little girl pointed at a sundress in pretty hues of blue and green. It was kind of the same colors of her eyes, and it would be perfect.
Mob Justice Page 9