She moved to straddle his hips in the water.
“You are not.”
“I want him dead. He shot Chris, and I want to give you his head on a silver platter.”
“But you won’t. I know you. You won’t do it.”
She didn't know him well enough, if that was the case. He was so close to breaking, he could taste it.
It was bitter resentment across the tip of his tongue. He wanted to do horrible things to the man to protect his family, and he knew it was very wrong.
“All I know is if I cross that line, I don’t deserve my badge. If I break the law, I become him and I can’t, in good conscience, run this city.”
“You won’t cross it. You’re in control. There’s nothing that will make you cross it, Grey.”
“If he hurts my family, I will. I’m old school—eye for an eye. I can’t help it, Emma. I will snap.”
“If you do, I’ll still love you. You won’t lose me, Greyson Thaddeus Croft. I promise. I’m not with you because of the badge on your hip. I’m with you because of the man beneath it. He loves me unconditionally. He’s my soul mate, and I have his back.”
Maybe that was the underlying reason why he was afraid. The one thing that would kill him was losing her. If Emma was afraid of him, or disgusted by what he’d become, he’d die inside.
She grounded him.
As long as she still saw that glimmer of good, then that meant it was still there. Vegas hadn’t devoured him quite yet.
His family was the foundation to his life. Only Dante was his blood, but the rest had fallen into his life one way or another.
Curtis was the son he never thought he’d have.
Chris Ford was a brother to him and Emma.
Even Dimitri brought something to the table.
“I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t.”
She kissed him. When her mouth sought his, she poured her heart into it. She gave him everything she had and then some. Greyson was a good man, despite this city.
He served his country.
He came back a hero.
He’d become a Fed.
He offered up his soul in the most corrupt city in the states.
She had his back.
“Emma,” he whispered, as her hands stroked and teased him beneath the water.
“I want to make you forget.”
That was his Emma.
She was suffering too, and she was more concerned about him.
God.
He loved her.
“Let’s make each other forget,” he replied, taking her mouth again.
Slowly, achingly slow, they slipped beneath the water. Their mouths never broke apart. For that minute, the water sloshed all over their bathroom floor, and he didn't care. Nothing mattered but Emma.
Him.
Their love.
When they surfaced, she began worshiping the man she loved with openmouthed kisses across his throat.
He moaned in pleasure.
There was nothing better.
As Emma reached his ear, she whispered words of love and adoration that would only belong to him. No matter what came, she’d always be by his side.
He was so damn glad.
Without her, there would be nothing worthwhile in the world. Screw his career.
Screw the money.
Yeah, and screw Emma.
Literally.
As she wiggled in his lap, he couldn’t help himself. He caught one of her nipples in his mouth, and he played with it. First, with his teeth, and then the tip of his tongue.
She moaned in pleasure.
“God! Don’t stop.”
So, he didn't.
Whatever Emma wanted, she’d have. There was no limit. His flame haired wife could take his heart right from his chest, if that’s what she needed.
It was hers.
Forever.
As was he.
As she was tormented by his mouth, Greyson’s fingers weren’t being left out of the fun. He stroked, slid, and buried themselves in his wife’s wetness.
Her head dropped back, and she rode his hand to release. With teeth and tongue tormenting her, and fingers driving her to madness, she was helpless to stop it.
She came.
Hard.
Greyson loved watching his wife lost in the pleasure. It was always heaven to see her body reacting to him, and only him. As the first orgasm crested over her, he needed more.
So, he pushed her toward the top again, despite her breathy begging for him to fill her.
God!
He wanted that.
Greyson wanted her body to accept his as they came together to create that magnificent intimate moment, but first…
He needed more.
She moaned as he teased her.
“Stand up,” he whispered, wanting to taste his wife. As she did, the vee of her legs was even with his mouth. Greyson Croft feasted, trying to wash away some of the pain he’d brought to her life.
Maybe this would atone.
If not, he didn't know what would.
“Oh, Grey,” she murmured, as her hands found his hair, and she held him to her body.
With his wicked tongue and lips, he pushed her closer to the edge.
Dining on his Emma always made him feel better.
It made him feel alive.
When she was close to the edge, he stopped. If she fell again, he wanted to go with her.
Lifting himself from the tub to sit on the edge, he pointed at his erection.
“I need you to ride me. Make me forget, Emma.”
Oh, she could do that.
She moved toward him, but instead of burying his rock hard erection in her body, she went to her knees.
And she took her turn devouring him.
Greyson moaned, leaning back until his head was resting against the wall.
His wife was working him hard, and he didn't know how long he’d last.
Like with Vegas, he’d hold out for as long as it took. Some things in life were worth it, and this was one of them.
As he moved closer and closer to the edge, he didn't want to explode in her mouth.
He wanted to cum in her body.
Greyson had to take action.
Pulling her away, he found the strength to fight the allure of the pleasure.
“Please ride me. I need you.”
She climbed on, not questioning it. She needed him too. Emma always would, and that was the beauty of it all.
As she slid down his erection, it filled her.
There was that peace of reconnecting with her other half.
Greyson was meant to be in her life, Fed or not, he was the key to her happiness.
As she began moving, Greyson was lost in the pleasure. Emma was slowly riding him, drawing it out, as she offered him the softer side of their love.
There was no haste.
There was no rush.
She was giving him her heart, and he was a lucky man to be offered such a gift. The pure love of a woman was so very hard to find.
He was lucky.
“Oh, Grey,” she whispered, refusing to look away from his eyes.
He did the same.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I’ll love you forever and a day.”
She knew it.
“I love you too.”
The tempo increased, and before they knew it, they were close to the edge.
Emma fell first, and the shock waves that coursed through her body took him over the edge.
Greyson exploded, burying himself deeply in his woman.
They moaned in release and stayed pressed together.
Finally, after a few minutes, Emma spoke, “Grey?”
“Hmm?” he asked, sliding them back into the water. Their bodies were cooling, and he didn't want his wife to get chilly.
Then he’d have to warm her up again.
“I don’t want secrets between us.”
He thought about it.
<
br /> “Me either.”
“About anything. It’ll destroy our marriage. Let’s take this moment to share whatever we’ve been holding back.”
“Okay. Dimitri uses prostitutes.”
She lifted her head to stare at him. “In our house?”
He started laughing. “That’s proof that you’re my soul mate. I said the exact same thing. He doesn’t want anyone to know, so…”
She kissed him.
“Your turn. Is there anything you want to tell me?”
She thought about it.
“I promised Chris that if he lived, I’d buy him the biggest redneck truck I could find. Do you think you can make that happen?”
He grinned. “I can. I think a black one with lots of chrome would be perfect. Only, we should make sure he has to drive it.”
“How?”
“His old beater truck goes missing.”
Emma laughed. “He’s going to be so pissed. You know money embarrasses him.”
He was well aware.
“We can’t stop there. We should be really funny and get him some sick, naked woman mud flaps.”
She laughed. “Perfect. That will horrify him for years to come.”
Then she remembered.
“Uh, he kissed me, and I hope that won’t be an issue. He thought he was dying.”
Greyson stared at her, his silver eyes never blinking. Yeah, he just may be dying yet.
“Define kissed you. On the head?”
She shook hers.
“Cheek?”
Again, that was a negative.
“On the mouth and with tongue?”
“Yeah, and for a dying man, he gave it his all. He should be impressed.”
“I’ll kill him.”
Then she told him why.
Greyson laughed.
He got it.
When he went, it had better be with Emma driving stick, and he didn't mean in his car.
“In that case, I can overlook it.”
“It wasn’t like kissing you. It was really like kissing a cousin or a brother. I did kiss him back because how shitty is it to be dying and the woman isn’t participating? Why ruin the moment, right?”
He stared at her. “Emma.”
“What? No secrets. Full disclosure.”
He kissed her so she’d know the difference. “Like that?”
“Uh, no way. That makes me wet.”
“We’re in a tub full of water.”
She laughed. “It makes me very wet then.”
Greyson cuddled his wife. Soon, they’d face reality, but for that moment, they needed this.
This was his foundation.
And it was stable.
For life.
* * * Croft & Croft * * *
Dimitri considered himself an excellent judge of character. You had to be when your life depended on it. Now, his gut was warning him.
When the Native man got up, excusing himself to make a phone call, he was worried.
So, he did what every good security guy would do.
He tailed him.
When Mace Bristol went into the main floor laundry room, Dimitri went to the security panel in the neighboring room. Pushing the button, he began recording the conversation.
It was odd that the man, in a room of friends, felt the need to have this conversation privately.
Now, if it was to his ex-wife, mother, or sister, he’d apologize. If it wasn’t, well then… he’d find out what was going on.
Listening, he was horrified.
The man had called Greyson’s boss. Not only that, but he was telling him that if Dominic Marianna went missing, he would have the suspect.
He was betraying the Crofts.
It pissed Dimitri off.
This was now his family, and they had a rat in their midst. That didn’t work for him. Snitches had to be handled.
Something had to be done.
It was his job to do it.
He kept it recording, and when Mace was done betraying Greyson Croft, he stopped it. The entire thing was sent to his phone.
Dimitri rushed out, and waited for him. When Mace came out, he looked flushed.
Yeah, betrayal would do that to someone.
Apparently.
He didn’t know personally, since he was loyal to a fault.
“Do you need something?” Dimitri asked. “That’s the laundry room.”
“Yeah, I called my ex. I wanted to check in.”
“Good idea.”
Oh, lying was almost as bad as snitching in his book. This man didn't know who he was screwing with on this one.
“I’ll go back now.”
“Also a good idea.”
Dimitri followed the man. If this came back to hurt the man he called friend, then someone would pay.
Dearly.
* * * Croft & Croft * * *
He met her upstairs in her room.
Curtis didn't know whether to hug Kat, kiss her, or shake her for the stunt she’d pulled today trying to save Emma.
She could have been hurt.
What if he never saw her again?
When he knocked on the door, and she opened it, she was still chilly toward him.
Curtis didn't know why.
He’d been loving, gentle, and didn't hurt her. He gave her all he had through the night. Surely, that wasn’t what had upset her.
So what was the issue?
What had he done wrong?
He had to get to the bottom of this, and soon.
When she let him in, she was nervous. What Katerina wanted to do was jump on him and kiss him, but she was scared.
They’d screwed up.
Now he was coming to see her, and she couldn’t lie to him. Curtis had a wife who did that, and it broke him. If she even went there, he’d never forgive her. Katerina didn’t want that to happen.
She loved him.
He just didn’t know it.
“Why are you angry with me?” he asked. “What did I do? Did I hurt you?”
She wanted so badly to touch him. Her fingers actually itched, needing the contact.
“Did I scare you?”
When he moved toward her, she took a step back.
“You don’t feel anything for me, do you? I was a way to get over what happened to you and nothing more. That’s all I can relate your behavior to after last night. Why, Katerina? Why?”
That hurt, but she deserved it.
From his point of view, she could see that being his conclusion.
“Talk to me, Kat! Tell me what I did! I deserve that much from you.”
He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into his body. She tensed, until she realized he just wanted to hold her.
“Please, baby, don’t make me hurt like this,” he said, burying his face in her neck as he held on for dear life. “Please. I’m fragile too.”
That broke her.
He was hurting, and this was how she repaid him when Curtis had given her nothing but love?
No, it was wrong.
It had to stop.
“I did something, and you’re going to hate me,” she said, knowing the end was coming. “I’m avoiding you until I figure out a way to tell you. That’s all.”
He pulled back to stare at her. “I won’t ever hate you. I can’t when it comes to you.”
She knew that wasn’t true.
Her mistake may have made his life a mess, but Curtis was a good man. He’d never loathe her.
“Kat.”
“We had sex.”
“I recall. I was there, and it was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. Is that what this is about? If so, we can stop for now. I told you that if you’re not ready, then I’ll wait for you.”
He was so sweet.
Kat knew he’d wait.
“I mean it. Sex is great, but I’m not with you to get off. I’m with you for you, Anfisa.”
When he said her name, his heart quivered in his chest. It felt right.
> She felt right.
Emma and Greyson always told him that when it was with the right person, he’d know it.
Well, he knew it.
There was no doubt in his mind that he had found the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. Age meant nothing. It was all about the heart.
If given the chance, he’d find a way to make her see that.
Only, he needed to move slowly.
“We didn't use protection.”
He stared at her.
Then, he got it.
“You’re not on birth control?” he asked, horrified. “You’re really not?”
She shook her head.
What had he done?
Katerina pulled away from him and found a spot on her wall. She slid down and tucked her forehead against her knees.
“I’m sorry. I know I screwed up. This was why I was worried. I knew you were going to be upset.”
He didn't know why she was apologizing. He had been the more experienced person in the room. He should have protected her.
Instead, he was only thinking about pleasure.
“Kat.”
“I don’t know what to do, Curtis.”
“Maybe you won’t be.”
She stared at him. “I did the math. This was the WORST time to have sex without protection. The odds aren’t in our favor. I’m sorry, Curtis. I did something horrible to you.”
He came and sat beside her.
“I’m a man. I’m generally clueless. Don’t get mad, but I have to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Are you mad you might get pregnant, mad it’s with me, or scared to tell your brother? I’m getting all three vibes here, and I don’t know what to focus on first.”
She sniffled and lifted her head. “I don’t want you to think I’m after you for money or anything like that. We have sex once, and I get knocked up—people will talk. You saw the media when the found out you weren’t a bachelor anymore. They looked at me like I was a gold digger. I didn’t do this on purpose. I get swept up in the romance with you, and I didn’t think.”
“We both know that you’re not a gold digger, and honestly, Katerina, you have to ignore them. They think Emma is jumping Chris Ford. How wrong is that?”
Justice is Dead (Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 7) Page 41