She’d seen the hurt in both men’s eyes as their own mother dumped her hate all over them.
That was her breaking point.
A mother didn’t do that to her children. A mother loved them. This was all wrong, and she knew it.
Greyson motioned toward the chef. “We’re ready. Please have the staff serve us, and thank you for keeping them in there.”
The man nodded.
For now, they’d pretend it was okay. Only, he knew the truth.
His wife was upset.
And that pissed him off.
His queen deserved calm.
And his own mother had ruined that.
The rest of dinner went as planned. The family ate the amazing food prepared by their personal French chef, as they tried to let go of what happened.
After they’d finished, Emma suggested the men head to the living room for some bourbon and cigars.
Greyson didn’t follow.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked. “Why aren’t you joining them?”
He pointed at her midsection.
Emma waited.
“I don’t enjoy it as much as before. I don’t have a cigar girl anymore. It ruins the fun of it. I feel more old and less Bugsy.”
She gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I think I could be your cigar girl if you made the men smoke out on the patio. Then I can stay downwind of the smoke.”
He lifted a brow. “Will you sit in my lap?” he asked.
“Uh huh.”
That was all he had to hear.
“Men, to the patio. My cigar babe is back!”
She snorted as all the men headed out.
Dimitri didn’t.
Greyson saw the misery when he stopped at the door. “You okay?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll share my cigar girl with you, too, if you’d like,” Greyson offered.
“That’s kind of you. I was just stuck on what your mother said,” he began. “Are we misfits?” he asked.
“Yes,” Greyson stated.
“I see.”
“No, you don’t. We are too. I never fit into her mold, and Dante either. I’d rather be misfits than what she wants. You’re our family and we all fit together perfectly.”
He smiled. “Thank you for that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Will your cigar girl sit on my lap too?” he teased. “I promise I won’t enjoy it.”
Greyson didn’t hesitate.
“Only if I’m dead, buried, and worm-ridden. Then ask again.”
Dimitri laughed.
“Well, at least there is hope.”
Emma grinned.
“I’ll have a cigar and take you up on your offer. A quick one, and then I’m on duty tonight. We still have to find him.”
He didn’t say his name, and Greyson got it.
Not all blood was good blood.
This was the proof.
Emma was glad he was going to join them. She had a little something for him too.
As they headed in, Curtis was opening the big glass windows that retracted from the patio. The men headed out, and there was soft music playing to set the mood.
Chris Ford, Curtis, and Paris were all sitting around the fire pit they’d lit.
Natasha joined them, carrying a beer for her boyfriend. When she sat in his lap, he was all smiles.
Tessa grabbed some wine for herself and Paris, and she, too, had a seat.
Curtis took the bourbon from his wife, and he tugged her down into his lap.
Emma immediately took the bourbon and handed him a soda.
“You’re on pain meds. Not happening.”
He stared at her. “Come on! I’m an adult.”
She stared at him.
“Yes, Mom.”
“Carry on.”
Katerina was all smiles as she sat in his lap. “At least you have this,” she offered.
Her in his lap was plenty.
“I won’t blow the smoke in your face. Sadie is safe. I won’t even light it.”
She nuzzled him.
He was sweet.
Ben was sitting beside his brother. “This is some place,” he offered. “Look at the stars.”
Yeah, it was gorgeous.
“We love it here,” Greyson stated, handing Dimitri a big glass of bourbon. Yeah, he was going to work, but he wanted the man to relax.
Emma returned from ditching Curtis’s drink, and she was carrying the Croft family humidor. She popped it open and offered cigars to all the men. This had become a family tradition.
Ben even took one. “It’s a freaking Cuban.”
“At Casa Croft, we tend to forget there are laws,” Greyson offered, as Steele showed him how to snip the tip and light it. Then he did his fiancé’s cigar too.
It earned him a kiss.
Chris picked his, and Natasha took care of it for him. She’d been watching Emma, and it seemed like something the men liked. It showed love.
And it clearly turned her boyfriend on. She could tell from where she was sitting.
Chris gave her a really big kiss. “Thank you, baby,” he said, nuzzling her cheek with his.
Emma stopped in front of Dimitri, and he made his choice. He wasn’t into Cubans, so he picked Greyson’s second favorite from Nicaragua.
Then Greyson chose.
Emma placed the humidor down and took the cigar from Dimitri. She clipped it, and then she held out his silver lighter as if by magic.
He stared at it.
“Uh, that was in my pocket.”
She grinned. “Natasha and Kat have been teaching me a few things. The family that commits felonies together, stays together.
He laughed. “Yes, you’re right.”
Dimitri cupped her hand as he lit his cigar. When he looked up, she was smiling at him.
“Spasibo.”
“You’re welcome.”
With a gentle pat to his cheek, she moved on.
It was time for her caveman. She handled Greyson’s cigar. He watched her the entire time, and then patted his lap.
“I can’t.”
He lifted a brow. “Why not? You said you’d sit here.”
“Oh, I will, but first I have to do something.”
“What?”
“I have a surprise for all of you. I wanted to give Dante and Steele my gift.”
Greyson didn’t know what she was talking about.
“It’s also for you, and Dimitri.”
Now he was clearly confused.
Emma whistled, and the housekeepers wheeled out the baby grand that had been not far from the windows.
“I wrote something for you for your wedding,” she said, heading toward the piano.
The music that was playing had stopped.
Dante held his fiancé’s hand. “Since you’ve never heard her play, you’re going to enjoy this,” he said to Steele’s brother, Ben.
Emma took a seat, and she cracked her knuckles. Then she looked back at Dante and Steele. “It’s called ‘The Wedding of my Dreams’,” she offered,
As she began playing, the whole family listened to her. The way she spoke through the piano touched them all. Steele’s eye filled with tears.
“It’s so beautiful,” he whispered to Dante.
He agreed.
It was sweet, loving, and gentle. Under the stars, as she serenaded them, Dante took it one step further, and pulled his fiancé up and into his arms.
They slowly danced as the family watched them. It was the perfect gift, and neither would ever forget it.
As she finished it up, they all began clapping.
“That’s for you both,” she said, curtseying for them. “But I’m not done. I have something for you, too, Dimitri.”
Emma took a seat and began playing something hauntingly sweet. It was gentle, and it was filled with emotion.
No one spoke.
It moved him.
She’d given him something no one ever had.
&n
bsp; As she was playing, a man with papers came out and took a seat beside her. He continued for her after she got up.
“May I have this dance, Dimitri?” she asked.
Natasha and Katerina both wiped their eyes. They were hurting for their brother.
They knew he was suffering, and clearly, Emma did too.
Greyson jerked his head toward his wife. “Don’t keep her waiting, or I’m going to steal this dance.”
Dimitri placed his cigar in the ashtray, and he headed toward her.
“It’s a beautiful song,” he said, as she moved into his arms.
Emma rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s called ‘Waltz with my Brother’. I didn’t write it, but I wanted you to have it.”
He held her, and they danced.
It helped his heart.
“I know I’m not her, and probably not enough, but I love you, Dimitri. You’re mine.”
He closed his eyes and let the music help him. He let Emma lead him as he silently said a prayer. He stopped believing in God a long time ago, but he believed in what they were offering him.
When he opened his eyes, his sisters were beside him, and they were all dancing with their men.
Dimitri glanced over at Greyson.
‘Thank you,’ he mouthed.
He smiled. ‘It’s my pleasure.’
Emma continued dancing with him. Then, she kissed him softly on the cheek. “Someone else wants to dance with you,” she said, stepping away from him.
Katerina moved away from Curtis and into her brother’s arms.
Dimitri had to hold on to his emotions. Tonight, he was overwhelmed with love. Emma had planned something so beautiful, she didn’t know how much it saved him.
The darkness was threatening him, but this little light—he’d hold onto it.
For his love for Emma.
Love for Katerina.
Love for Natasha.
As his sister leaned against him, he left a kiss on the top of her head.
She spoke to him in Russian.
His heart thumped.
“I love you too, Anfisa. You have always been my blessing,” he said, as they danced.
Curtis whispered in Emma’s ear as she danced with him. “You are so the mother of the misfits,” he offered. “You did something sweet. Kat is worried about him.”
She was aware.
“He’s ours, and we protect our own. No matter what happens, from here on out, we protect them as if they are the core. Am I clear?”
He got it.
They were rallying around Dimitri.
There was a change in the music, and they switched up partners again. Natasha took her place in her brother’s arms.
“Remember when you taught me to dance?” she asked.
His eyes filled with tears. “Yes, Anzehlina. I’ll never forget it. You were always a graceful swan.”
“I love you, Dimitri. I’m sorry your heart is broken. I would take it from you if I could.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “I’m going to be fine. I see that now. I’m going to be okay.”
She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’ll never forget this moment. I can’t wait to dance with you one day when I get married.”
He couldn’t wait either.
He had more hope.
Emma smiled from dancing with Chris.
When she looked at him, he kissed her on the mouth. “You are the sweetest and best person I know.”
She winked at him. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” she offered. “This song is for you too. I’m blessed to have you. When Gage was murdered…”
He knew how hard this was, especially after finding out she’d slept with the killer. Thomas Christ had killed him in cold blood.
“I never thought I’d have this feeling again. I know everyone thinks that Steele is my best friend, but that’s not the whole truth.”
Chris listened, as she rested against him.
“It isn’t?”
“You are, Christopher. You’ve always been my best friend, and you’re my brother. I love you too.”
He held her closer.
She could hear his heart thumping.
“I love you, too, Emma.”
Greyson watched them all. It was a beautiful sight. The demons chasing Dimitri were backing away.
Chris was happy.
Steele and Dante were laughing.
The family, it was intact—thanks to his wife. She did an amazing job of loving the family.
As the music stopped, Emma kissed Chris on the cheek and headed back to the piano.
“This is for my caveman,” she said, taking a seat at the piano bench.
Then, she began to play.
It was the song she’d played for him at the auction.
As they all sat and listened, they watched Greyson as he was focused on his wife.
There was a man in love.
As Emma played, he got up, and headed toward her to sit beside her.
As he did, she made room for him.
He listened, and he watched her fingers move across the piano keys.
Here was a precious gift.
As she reached the end, she looked up at him.
Greyson kissed her, and she kept playing. Then, as she finished, he held her in his arms.
He was a lucky man.
Misfit or not.
As he set her mouth free, she smiled at him. “Know what I want?” she asked.
He touched her cheek.
“Name it, and it’s yours.”
“Cake. Your child wants chocolate cake.”
He began laughing. “Then that’s what you’ll have,” he said, kissing her again.
“Everyone inside. We’re going to have cake.”
Greyson swept her up and into his arms, as he carried his wife inside.
Steele held Dante’s hand, and his brother’s, connecting one more piece to the puzzle.
Dimitri held his sisters’ hands as they headed in, and they were followed by Chris and Curtis, laughing and joking around. At one point, Chris swept Curtis into his arms and even Sam found it funny.
The family was whole.
It was at peace.
And tomorrow, it would welcome one more into the fold, and the Croft family would be even bigger.
And that was one hell of a blessing.
For all of them.
Chapter Five
Saturday Morning
I t was the day. The whole house was a buzz with the upcoming wedding. It was scheduled for that afternoon, and while it was going to be epic, it was also going to be nice that it was only family.
Today, they were going to have a few people there that weren’t ‘related’ by blood, marriage, or love.
Their lawyer, Delilah Fleur was also going to be on the guest list, simply because she’d bailed them out of sticky situations more times than not, and they trusted her.
She had their backs.
Delilah wasn’t the only one. After the last case, Detective Riley Henderson had once more proved that he was on their side, and he’d found his way into Delilah’s heart.
He was her plus one for the wedding.
Apparently, they were on their way to being a couple, and it was fun to watch a woman who loathed cops, falling for one. Then you had a cop, willing to bend to cozy up to a defense attorney.
It was amusing to the family, and once more, proof that love could happen anywhere.
Emma and Greyson weren’t sure who had it worse. Was it the detective who had it bad for the barracuda attorney or the lawyer who liked to roast cops in their own sweat on the stand?
This was going to be an adventure.
As they all gathered for breakfast to meet before the chaos of the day, Steele was missing.
“Uh, where’s the groom?” Emma asked, as everyone gorged on muffins, bacon, and creamy eggs.
“He said it’s bad luck to see the groom,” Chris teased. “I don’t know why Dante is here then
, since we have two,” he said, stealing the man’s muffin from his plate.
“HEY! That was the last blueberry one.”
“I know,” Chris said. “I want it before you get your Croft cooties all over it.”
It was like kids at a table.
It made Emma laugh. She really loved when they all came together and sat down to enjoy a meal as one.
This was the true heart of their home.
Greyson pointed at his brother before he could even think about poaching his baked good.
“If you touch my muffin, I’m going to break your fingers,” he threatened. “I get one fatty carb a day, and that’s it. I’ll have to sneak sugar later as I pretend I’m signing bills in my office.”
Emma laughed. “I took the cookies out of your drawer and the candy bars out of your file cabinet,” she said, feeding herself and their growing baby yogurt and fruit.
“Damn it, woman! Why do you hate me? Haven’t I been a good husband?” he teased.
She didn’t mention the closet safe, so he was going to keep his mouth shut on that last hiding place.
Emma gave him a kiss, and it was a lingering one.
“Never mind,” he said. “I’ll take that over a cookie any day. In fact, it rhymes with cookie…”
She poked him in the ribs.
“Seriously, where is he?” she asked. “Steele has to eat something too.”
Natasha walked in, and she was beaming. “Morning, family,” she offered, giving Chris a kiss.
Dante stole his muffin back and licked it while the man was distracted with the pretty Russian woman.
Chris stared at him in disgust. “Have you no limits to your depravity. I licked it right before you, so who’s laughing now?”
He looked at the muffin and shrugged.
Apparently, not.
“Where’s Dimitri?” Greyson asked.
“Steele had to leave, and Dimitri took him,” Natasha offered, as she grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge. She wasn’t pregnant or married. She needed to keep her man following her, so diet it was.
Greyson stopped eating. “They left the house?”
That didn’t sound good. Dimitri was a sitting duck, and Steele knew that. It had to be important, or so he was praying.
“Where did they go?” he asked.
“I don’t know. All I know is I was checking in with my brother, and Steele was heading out. Dimitri got his gear on, about four guns more than he normally carries, and he followed him.”
Wedding of Our Dreams: Dante & Steele (Croft Family Mob Series Book 0) Page 11