Mob Justice

by Morgan Kelley

  “Thank you so much.”

  “Question two? You and Dimitri don’t have some kinky secret sex thing going on, do you?”

  She laughed outrageously.

  “No. He’s my brother. Besides, Greyson would kill him if he even thought that. Why do you ask?”

  “Because I’m going to rock his world. I wanted to make sure he was available.”

  “He’s very single.”

  “Third question? Black dress, so what color lipstick?” she asked. “I don’t girl much. Now guns…I got that down.”

  Emma was aware.

  She’d been that way before they landed in a shit ton of money, and she’d been forced to play dress up.

  “In the top drawer, on the left side of the bathroom vanity, you’ll find a sexy shade of red that will go with that dress. It’s one I use. I think with your skin tone, it’ll work. Go with minimal. He likes you for you.”

  Her heart skipped.

  Oh, she only wished.

  “I’m not an idiot, right? He’s not going to be down there in jeans while I show up in a dress, is he?”

  Oh, Emma helped him pick out the perfect attire. While Dimitri was suave enough to do it on his own, he was nervous. They all knew this ‘date’ mattered to him.

  “I just saw him. He left in a suit and a tie.”

  She giggled.

  Then she gasped in horror.

  “Shit! I have no idea where that came from.”

  Emma laughed.

  “I do. I’m married to a sexy man. Be yourself, Poppy. He is fascinated with you. You have nothing to worry about with our incomparable Mr. Gideon.”

  Poppy didn’t know what to say. This was one hell of an amazing stroke of luck. She felt like she’d won the lottery on this one.

  “Emma, Thank you.”

  “I need a favor.”

  Uh oh.

  “What? You’re not going to ask some kinky thing like watching, are you?”

  She snorted.

  “No. Just listen to him, keep an open mind, and remember that he’s really trying hard for you. Judge him on his present, and not his past.”

  That melted that fear.

  “He’s really trying hard?” She didn’t get that. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and she was…just another woman.

  “Really.”

  She wanted to dance around.

  “Hair up or down?” Poppy asked while she had someone there to help her. Why not take all the free help she could get? She’d seen Emma on the TV and she always looked stunning. Poppy needed assistance.

  “You should wear it down. You have gorgeous black hair, and it’s like raven’s wings. There’s a kiss of blue in it. It’s gorgeous. If I could change the color of my hair, that would be it.”

  Poppy never thought it was attractive. It was simple, and it was black.

  “My ass…”

  “He’s an ass man. You’re good.”

  She’d have to trust her.

  Poppy put on the lipstick and looked at herself in the mirror. She still looked like Poppy.

  “Are you sure I don’t need makeup gunked all over?” she asked.

  “Trust me. I know him. If he had a lineup of women, he’s going to pick the natural beauty each and every time. I’ve seen a ton of women throw themselves at him, and he’s never noticed them. He’s noticed you. Now go and have fun.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Anytime.”

  The phone clicked, and Poppy hung up. Grabbing her phone, she stopped at the couch and grabbed the box of chocolates. Poppy really hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.

  Deep down, she knew that Dimitri Gideon was out of her freaking league, but she couldn’t help herself. It was those cheekbones, his gorgeous aqua eyes, and what she knew was beneath his clothes.

  God!

  She wanted him.

  Heading for the elevator, she hit both codes and then got inside.

  Then she prayed.

  For a freaking miracle.

  * * * G R E Y S O N C R O F T * * *

  Riley Henderson’s

  Home

  When Delilah arrived at Riley’s place, she was beaten down from one hell of a long day. It was an extensive day of litigation, and she wanted to get some wine, slide into a tub of bubbles, and call it a day.

  If she was really lucky, Riley had dinner ready, and he’d help her fall into bed. All day, she was trying not to think about the pregnancy test, and each time she did, she wanted to puke.

  If this was all day sickness, she was screwed.

  Once in the door, she knew her hopes of a foot rub and wine weren’t going to happen.

  Yeah, no such luck.

  He was nowhere to be found.

  “Riley! I’m home!”

  Nothing.

  “Riley?”

  She headed in, trying to find him, and instead, his place was dark. It looked like she beat him home.

  Until she walked into the living room to find what he’d set up, clearly, for her. There was a checkered tablecloth over the coffee table, candles, some roses, and his phone.

  “Riley?” she called again.

  Nothing.

  As she got closer to his phone, she saw a note.

  ‘Watch the video. It’s important.’

  She didn’t know what the hell was going on, but she’d do what he asked. Riley was a really sweet guy who often left her roses, some sweet note, or a cute drawing.

  He was a really good guy.

  Sitting down on the couch, to rest her back and get off those four-inch heels, she hit play.

  His face came onto the screen.

  ‘Hey, Delilah, I’m taking a little road trip. I had some time today, so I figured I’d get some things handled. Our first stop is the dry cleaners.’

  Was she going to get a play-by-play of his day?

  What a goofball.

  She loved him.

  Delilah laughed as Riley carried the phone into the dry cleaners and dropped off her laundry to be washed and pressed. He actually had the guy wave at her. Then he began talking to the guy.

  ‘My girl might be pregnant, so no harsh chemicals on those clothes. Natural things only!’

  That caught her off guard.

  What was he thinking?

  She couldn’t believe he told the guy behind the counter that. What the hell was he doing?

  Then he headed out.

  Delilah watched as he headed toward his truck, whistling a tune. As he was driving toward his next stop, he was talking directly to her as his phone recorded everything.

  He got a coffee, he bought some flowers from a street vendor, and then he arrived at her place.

  ‘Delilah, you need me to get your things. I can’t believe I get to rifle through your panty drawer. This is every guy’s fantasy. If I could talk to my seventeen-year-old self…he wouldn’t believe this shit. He totally would call me a freaking liar.’

  She laughed.

  “Riley, you’re insane,” she said, watching him unlock her door, head up the stairs, and into her closet. He kept talking to her the entire time.

  It was sweet.

  She liked how he was sharing his day.

  He would have hated hers. She’d ridden more cop ass in five hours than she had all year.

  ‘I like when you wear blue. It sets off the green in your eyes. It makes me think of swimming in the Caribbean. One day, I hope you and I can go there and drink beer on the beach. Naked.’

  She laughed even more.

  “That sounds good to me, Riley. Name the time and place, and we are there,” she said, talking back to him.

  Then she watched him.

  The whole time, he was gently pulling suits out of the closet, and resting them on the bed as if they were precious and mattered to him.

  Riley was always so careful when it came to her. He treated her like she was glass.

  And precious.

  Until they were naked, and he was a freaking wild man. She loved that part best.
/>   When he stared into the camera, she focused on him again.

  ‘Now for the fun part of this little expedition. Cover me. I’m going into the girl’s secret inner sanctum. The panty drawer. What unmentionables will I find there? We shall see. Oh, look at these!’

  Delilah laughed as a pair of racy red ones hung off his finger, and then they were joined by a few more pairs.

  ‘Well, I’ll save these for later.’

  She laughed as he shoved panties into his pockets. This was exactly what she needed after today. Riley was making the tension ebb away—especially when he was digging out bras next. When he was finished, he put everything in her travel bag.

  ‘We need to get out of here. I have the most important appointment for today up next. We are going somewhere special, and of all my errands, this is going to be my priority. Delilah, there’s tissues right there.’

  She looked over at the box.

  What was he planning?

  Delilah watched as he drove her, and him, through town. He pointed out a few places where they’d had dinner, or seen a play. Then he parked the truck.

  When he got out, she didn’t immediately recognize the place. It took a second.

  She sat up on the couch.

  “Jesus! What are you doing, Riley?” she asked, holding the phone in her hands.

  They were shaking.

  “Why are you at the cemetery?”

  His face came back on the screen.

  ‘By now, you know where I am. The reason this is so important is I’ve never met your family. I’ve heard about them, but I’ve never been formally introduced. I’m old fashioned, as you know. So, I thought this should be today.’

  She didn’t get it.

  Delilah hoped this wasn’t some joke. She didn’t think she could emotionally handle it.

  She was scared as it was.

  Then he began talking as the camera was pointed at the crypt.

  ‘Mr. Fleur, I’m Riley Henderson. I’m dating your daughter. She’s a really amazing woman. When I first met her, she scared the hell out of me. Now, not having her in my life scares me. I know she misses both you and your wife, so this felt important to me. I was a cop, sir. I think I was a good cop. Now, I’m a little lost. I’m trying to find my way. I know that Delilah is the only light on that path. She’s the only thing that keeps me from stumbling. I wanted to come here to say that I love her, and I want her to be my wife. She’s going to see this, and she’s going to freak out.’

  That was an understatement.

  She grabbed a tissue and buckled up for one hell of an emotional ride.

  “Oh, I already am, Riley. I’m ready to really freak out,” Delilah stated.

  He laughed on the camera.

  ‘She’s going to give me a million arguments on why we shouldn’t get married. Loving a lawyer is one hell of an adventure.’

  Delilah didn’t know what to say. She was frozen in that spot, and she didn’t know what Riley was trying to do. He was talking about marriage.

  What the hell?

  ‘Mr. and Mrs. Fleur, I need her in my life. That’s the most important reason. She’s become my everything. Now, I want to be her everything. I know she’d be fine without me. She’s so strong. I want to be that strong one day.’

  Tears filled her eyes.

  Delilah was anything but strong. When she’d been scared, who did she run to?

  Riley.

  He was already the strongest person she knew.

  Then she gasped.

  Riley took that moment to pull a ring out of his pocket and hold it so the camera on his phone would pick it up.

  “Jesus!”

  It was big, shiny, and something she would have picked out for herself.

  Delilah couldn’t breathe.

  He was getting her family’s blessing.

  ‘I’m asking if I can marry your daughter. I want to be with her for the rest of my life. Since no one is saying no, I’ll continue. Samson, I’m Riley. From everything Delilah has told me about you, I know I would have liked you. In fact, I know we would have been friends. I want to thank you for serving our country. I know you felt lost when you came home, and had I met Delilah beforehand, I would have saved you. I wouldn’t have shot you. I would have stood in front of you for your sacrifice, and for her. I lost my brother. I’m a triplet. I know how Delilah feels without you. It’s hard to lose your brother. I mourn mine every day.’

  The tears fell.

  The man knew her.

  Riley had managed to sneak under her wall, again, and he found that part of her heart that she protected. He’d invaded twice, and twice, she’d succumbed to it.

  ‘I’m going to be honest. Delilah might be having our child. Yes, I may have knocked your sister up. I’m sorry about that…okay, no, I’m really not. I want a family with her. She’s going to think that the reason I’m proposing is because of that and that alone. It’s not. The reason I’m proposing to her is because never in my life has anything felt this perfect. When you know, you know. I’m so happy with her in my life. I can’t imagine a day without waking up and seeing her. If we are pregnant, and if we’re having a son, I hope he’s a little you, brave, strong, courageous, and a little like Miles, compassionate, honorable, and tenacious. If I can get that, and your sister to marry me, I will have everything I need in life.’

  She watched the video as he tucked the ring back into the box.

  ‘So, any objections?’

  What the hell was she supposed to say to anything he’d said to her parents or Samson? He’d caught her totally off guard. She’d been thinking pregnancy test, and he’d knocked her off her feet with the prospect of a wedding.

  On the video, there was the caw of a bird.

  ‘Shut up, bird. I’ll shoot you.’

  He waited for a few second, panning the area. When no one said anything, since they were dead, and no act of God happened, he continued.

  Delilah didn’t know what to do.

  “Riley…”

  ‘Well, since no one has said NO, I’m going to do this. Wish me luck. I’m scared shitless that she’ll say no. Then again, if she does, I’m tossing her over my shoulder and dragging her ass to a chapel anyway. She’s supposed to be my wife. I know it in my heart, and I’m not going to let her get away.’

  Delilah didn’t move from that spot on the couch. She was glued to that phone and what he was going to do next.

  Riley turned the phone around and stared into the camera, and she held her breath.

  ‘Delilah, my love, before we find out if we’re pregnant, marry me. I don’t want to do it because we may have created a child. I want you to marry me because we have something so amazing that we can’t let it go. Marry me, Delilah. Make me your husband. In my heart, you’re already my wife. I’ve known from the day you threatened to eat my heart for breakfast and kick my cop ass. Make us one.’

  She stared at the screen not sure what she was supposed to do. Did he want her to answer him in the video?

  Then she heard him clear his voice.

  Delilah spun and saw him.

  Riley was there, on his knee, and holding that little black box. The diamond sparkled.

  “Will you marry me?” he asked.

  Delilah came around the couch.

  “Why?”

  “Because I want you to be with me because you love me and want us. I don’t want to find out what that stick says and have it cloud your judgment. You don’t need a baby daddy, Delilah. You can raise a child alone. The question is, do you want me by your side if there is no child?”

  Tears filled her eyes.

  Did she want him?

  She never wanted anyone more than she wanted Riley. He was her other half.

  Before she could say anything, he continued.

  “I love you, and I’ll die loving you, Delilah. It took me four years to propose to my last girlfriend, and I didn’t do this for her. I never thought it was right in my heart. With you, it’s taken me three months to
know it is right. Marry me.”

  “Yes.”

  He stared at her.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes, Riley. I’ll marry you. You had me the second you were so worried about asking my father for my hand in marriage. You had me when you dug through my panty drawer.”

  He pulled a handful of panties out of his pocket and tossed them into the air like confetti.

  She laughed.

  “You have me forever,” she said. “I’ll marry you.”

  He took her hand and slipped that gorgeous rock onto her finger. It was flashy like Delilah, the attorney, and old-fashioned like Delilah, his girl.

  “God! That’s a sexy ring,” she said, grinning.

  “Do I get a kiss?” he asked.

  She pulled him up by his tie and to her mouth. She kissed him for all she was worth, practically climbing up his body.

  When she broke free, he was breathing heavily.

  “Pregnancy test?” he asked.

  She laughed.

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Uh…”

  “I want to celebrate with my fiancé. Take me to bed, Riley. Take me to bed.”

  He scooped her off her feet and took the steps two at a time, all the while, she was laughing and giggling.