He nearly lost his mind when he saw her. While he knew things happened, he never expected that one of his people would be under arrest.
With the media outside, he was sure they got a good set of pictures on her being led inside.
“What the bloody hell, Agent Brass?” he blurted, so angry that he couldn’t even use her first name.
Before she could say anything, the arresting officer explained, “When we were called to the scene, she was standing there waiting for us. It seems that the male she assaulted called it in.”
He took her gun and badge and sat behind his desk. “I appreciate you bringing her in,” he stated. “I know you could have booked her.”
“Well, we listened to her story, and it was a he said, she said kind of deal. For now, we’d rather let you handle it. I work out of the same house as your wife. I know you’ll figure out what’s best for slugger here.”
Tessa cringed. She was in such deep shit. There was the chance she’d never dig herself out. From the look on her boss’s face, she was a dead woman.
The cop undid the cuffs, and she almost wanted to beg him to take her to jail.
“Thank you for not fighting me, Agent.”
Tessa nodded.
When the cop was gone, Croft stared at her. “What the hell happened?” he asked, trying to stay calm.
Tessa took a deep breath.
“Please tell me this didn't happen while in the casino on the strip!”
“I’m sorry, sir. I did hit him, and I know I shouldn’t have, but he crossed the line.”
He shook his head. “What the hell could he have done to make you hit him in the face? When the call came in, it said he was at the ER getting his nose set.”
“He put his hands on my person and in a sexual way.”
Croft stared at her, measuring her words.
When he sensed only the truth, he immediately calmed down. “I want the entire story, because we’re going on record here. In order to save your job, you need to tell me everything.”
He grabbed some paper and prepared to take notes.
“All day, since he met Paris, he’d been taking pot shots. He’d called him crippled. It pissed me off, but that wasn’t the breaking point.”
“Okay, what was the breaking point?”
“He told the man about the scalping, and it just escalated from there.”
Croft wasn’t happy.
She told him about the victim’s husband, and what he had admitted to about his wife cheating to be happy.
There was no doubt in Croft’s mind what the straw was that broke Tessa’s back.
When she finally got through it, her eyes were filled with tears.
“It’s okay, Tessa, get it out.”
“Then we were outside, and he asked me out to dinner. He came right up to my face, and told me that Paris was less than a man. He tried to tell me that my needs weren’t being met.”
Croft saw the entire picture since he knew there were issues between them. “Then, he grabbed my ass. I saw red, turned, and knocked him to the ground.”
Okay, well at least he’d touched her first.
Now, he’d have a way to fix it.
“Tessa, you can’t punch people. The Federal government frowns upon shit like that.”
“I was so frustrated,” she whispered, as the tears broke free. For months, she’d been carrying this burden of fear. It was eating away at her heart and soul.
It was too heavy to carry anymore.
Tessa Brass broke down, despite being in public. Her head dropped into her shaking hands and the tears overwhelmed her.
His heart hurt for his agent.
Crossing from behind his desk, he stood her up to hug her. What Tessa needed now was reassurance and compassion. While she’d done something stupid, he understood her limits being pushed. He’d just lived that same thing only days ago.
It ate away at his and Emma’s relationship, straining it to the breaking point.
“My life is falling apart,” she admitted. “I’m going to lose Paris, and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I try each day to reach him, but the more I try, the more he pushes me away. I want to give up. It’s getting harder and harder not to.”
He patted her on the shoulder, letting her cry into his suit jacket. When the storm of tears had passed, he sat her back down in the chair and handed her some tissues.
“You need to talk to Paris. The man is very smart, and he loves you. Chances are, if you tell him what you’re feeling, he may be experiencing the same thing.”
Croft knew there was a fine line. Everything Paris told him was between friends, and he wouldn’t betray a confidence. Not even if it helped them out.
“I’m so afraid he’s going to bail on me. If he walks away…” she began and then paused before continuing, “I mean, rolls away from me, I’m lost. My own mother didn't want me. What made me think a really sweet man would? I have to be flawed.”
He leaned against his desk and stared down at her. “You’re not, but here’s my advice. You need to stop seeing the wheelchair, Tessa. Paris is still a full blooded male, and you’re breaking him down by not seeing him as one.”
She stared at him. “I don’t try to see the chair. I just don’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“Well, you are. Did you ever notice his legs before he was shot?”
“Well…”
“Stop! I don’t want to hear about your hot Paris fantasies.”
It made her laugh.
“When he was walking around, you never once thought that he was different. This is still Paris. You just have to see the man not the mode of transportation.”
She could try.
It was going to be hard. There was so much guilt. She put him there.
“You’re doing the same thing that Joe Longfellow did. He saw him as broken too.”
It never occurred to her that she was doing that. The sadness on her face turned to horror. “I never realized,” she began.
“Well, stop. Try seeing the man you love instead. I’m willing to bet that if you do, things will ease up.”
Tessa was so grateful. “Thank you, Director.”
“I wouldn’t thank me yet. I still have to discipline you. There’s no way I can let this slide. Even if he touched your ass, there were better ways to handle this. You know that you should have reported it to me, and let HR handle it. Now, you have to pay too.”
She nodded. “Am I fired?”
If it was up to him, he would give her a slap on the wrist, but because her partner’s nose was broken, there was paperwork. “No, and Joe is in just as much shit as you are. We at the FBI take sexual harassment in the workplace very serious.”
“What’s my punishment?”
“You’re out of work three days and on desk duty. You’re not permitted out in the field, which works well, because I have to find you a new partner.”
“That’s not too bad.”
“And you have to go home and tell Paris what the hell happened. I suggest you leave out the cripple part and go with the ass grab. We don’t need his feelings being hurt any more than they already are.”
Tessa stood. “I appreciate you taking it easy on me.”
“Well, I would appreciate you not punching out any more agents. Although, off the record, I would have done the exact same thing, only it would have been hard to stop after the first strike.”
She laughed. “You’re the best boss ever.”
He pointed at the door. “You’re dismissed, Agent. Head out of here.”
Tessa left and Croft still had more mess to handle. He was going to head to the hospital, get the other man’s point of view, and go from there. If he admitted to grabbing Tessa’s ass, he was fired.
Sometimes, Greyson believed he should get paid extra for running an adult daycare.
Agents were just like kindergarteners, only armed and very dangerous.
On his way out in the car, his phone rang. From the number on the scree
n, Croft knew who it belonged to. “Hello, Randall. I was going to call you.”
“Were you, my boy?”
“I was wondering if there was any underground talk about the corruption issue.”
“It’s been eerily quiet.”
“Is that good or bad?”
Randall Mason had to think about it. “I don’t know. All I know is that Dominic Marianna has been putting the pressure on everyone in Vegas. He wants power, and you and I stand in his way.”
“Can he do anything?”
“He can be an annoyance, but unless he gets richer, he’s powerless. In this town, we all know that money talks. Now he’s simply a whisper while I’m a roar.”
That was good to know.
“If you hear anything, will you let me know?” Croft asked. “I need to be alert if I’m going to keep Emma safe.”
“Yes, you do. I’m looking forward to the concert this weekend.”
Yeah, he didn't doubt that.
“Remember, if you even think about putting your fingers on what’s mine, Randall, I’ll stop playing nice. You’ll never see or talk to Emma again.”
“You can relax, my boy. I’m only looking forward to my concert and dinner. I do believe that she can take me. I won’t even have anyone there but the chef. This is going to be a little private party.”
Croft hated that idea, but he trusted his wife.
“Since I have you on the phone, Emma just mentioned your other upcoming party.”
“Yes, I have it every year. When I kick off my summer show on the strip, I like to have the big wigs in the city come to my place. I think this is my last year though. It takes too damn long to clean up after.”
He didn't know what the man was talking about. “Well, Emma declined your invitation, but I’m calling to ask if we can still come, if it isn't too late.”
There was a shout of jubilation from the other end of the phone. “I was calling to beg you to join us! I really want Emma to have fun. I know you’re both stressed.”
That was the only reason he was going for it. Croft wanted his wife to enjoy her time.
“Emma asked if you could supply a costume.”
There was clapping. “I have just the one. Will you let me supply yours?” he asked, having an idea.
“I’m not going to be wearing bells and big ears, am I?” Croft asked, horrified at the notion.
Randall Mason found that amusing. “No, you won’t be. Don’t worry, Director. I promise that your costume will be befitting of your status in this city.”
Somehow, that made him nervous as hell.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
There was just laugher right before the line went completely dead.
“Well, shit,” Croft muttered.
This couldn’t be good.
* * *
As he watched her approach, he was overwhelmed. She was absolutely perfect.
He could see the sex now.
There was no way to hide the grin of satisfaction as she was escorted to his table. At first, there was a look of surprise. Then she waited.
“I know I don’t look like that picture anymore, but it’s the only one I had.”
She wanted to tell him that he didn't look anything like it, but that would be rude. Everything he’d told her had checked out, and she was in a public place.
What could happen?
Besides, he was still handsome.
“I’m glad to finally get to meet you,” she said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. “I’ve never done this before,” she admitted.
His laughter was warm and smooth. “Oh, don’t worry. First, we have a few drinks, some dinner, and then we have fun.”
She looked uneasy.
“You can go home after if you’re not comfortable with me by then.”
She looked around at the dimly lit restaurant and decided to go for it. Having dinner wasn’t a sin. After all, she was really excited.
“I guess we could talk about your plan.”
He grinned wickedly. “Let’s talk about something even better,” he offered, pouring her some wine. “Tell me about your dirtiest secret.”
She blushed.
“Then, if you let me, I’ll make it come true.”
* * *
Luxury Condos
Thursday Evening
Dinner had been tense. While Steele was trying to keep the mood light, he could tell that Dante was slipping through his fingers, like sand.
Most of the conversation ended with ‘uh huh’, and that wasn’t a good sign.
“Why don’t you just say what you’re thinking and get it over with?” he said, putting down his beer. Steele was tired of waiting for the inevitable. It was sometimes better to face it head on like a man.
At first, Dante didn't say anything. He simply stared up at his boyfriend with silvery eyes filled with so much emotion. The longer he didn't speak, the more the dam cracked, threatening to burst free.
“You’ve already decided, haven’t you?”
It was all it took. Dante pushed back from the large elegant table and crossed the room. Bracing his arms on the buffet, he couldn’t keep this bottled up anymore.
Steele had a right to know.
He deserved better than this.
“When you’re going to dump someone, you should at least have the decency to look them in the eyes,” Steele stated, placing his beer back on the table.
Here came the moment that he’d been dreading. This guy owned his heart, and now it was breaking apart.
Turning, Dante faced the man as he stared into his green eyes. “I’m sorry, Steele. I can’t do this anymore.”
Here it was.
The rejection.
The pain.
Oh, and the betrayal of his heart.
“I see. I’d like to say I didn't see this one coming, but I did. What are you planning on doing?” he asked, trying to remain as calm as possible. Yet, inside his heart was thundering in his chest. So, this was what losing your other half felt like. Now he grasped the magnitude of pain that Emma had been feeling.
How she functioned, he’d never know.
“I’m going to leave.”
Steele wanted to beg him to stay. In that moment, he wanted to throw himself at Dante, hold onto him, and offer him anything in the world not to go.
But he couldn’t.
He wouldn’t.
This had to be his choice. Then he realized that it sucked to allow someone this much power in your relationship. It gave them the weapon to kill your soul.
“Would it matter if I told you that you were making a horrible mistake?” Steele got out. He didn't know how, but he managed. Taking a sip of his beer, he needed to get liquid to his dust dry, parched throat.
Dante had to take that chance. “I love you, and I’ve never felt this for anyone before, but love shouldn’t hurt. I’m breaking apart every day over this.”
So, it was done.
The man he loved was making his choice, and Doctor Steele Bentley wasn’t it.
In the few short weeks they’d had, he’d been happy.
He’d found love.
Now it was being cruelly ripped away, not by the judgmental world who deemed them perverse, but the man he’d trusted with his secrets and heart.
He followed Dante into their bedroom. Whenever he came in here, he’d be forced to remember the moments they’d shared. “I’m sorry I wasn’t enough.”
The man paused, his hand stopping on the zipper of his bag. “You aren’t to blame for this. I hope that you don’t think this is your fault. It’s mine. I own this, Steele. I did this to us, and I hope one day you can forgive me.”
What was he supposed to do?
Rage around in anger?
While that lived in him, Steele couldn’t. That wasn’t his style. He was grace under pressure, and above all things, he’d handle himself with couth, even if his heart was bleeding over the wounds it had received.
“I’ll miss you. I
’ll never love anyone like I love you. You’re my soul mate, but I understand that I’m not yours.”
Dante felt a million times worse. “Steele.” God! His heart hurt. The man before him was his soul mate. He’d marry him and spend the rest of his life with him.
If he could.
“It’s okay, Dante. I get it. There comes a time in your life when you’re not surprised by the choices people make. I just never believed it would be the man I love who killed my heart. Take care of yourself,” he said, walking away.
Steele refused to watch him leave. Instead, he escaped into the night himself. Now, he’d lick his wounds, get shit faced drunk, and try to forget.
Dante Croft killed his heart.
This was a lesson he’d never forget.
Some people didn't deserve love.
Steele was the proof.
* * *
Paris beat her home.
While he had the place to himself, he decided to make himself something to eat and think about his situation. Since the day he’d woken up paralyzed, he’d always wondered if he should let her go.
After all, what did he have to offer?
The bubbling brew of anger filled him, making him edgy, short tempered, and ready to snap.
Rolling to the refrigerator, he stared inside. The bread stared back at him. While Tessa loathed grains, since his injury, she’d give up the fight, letting him eat them.
It should have made him happy.
Instead, it pissed him off.
The woman he loved was gone, and the replacement was making him insane. It was like some robot, programmed to try and please his every whim.
Instead, it was making him hate the world.
Rolling back over to the counter, he tried to reach the cabinet to get a plate. Normally, he’d leave one or two in the drying rack, in case he needed to get to them. Unfortunately, Tessa had put them away, trying to keep the place extra tidy.
Why?
So things weren’t in his way.
They never were before, so why the hell did it matter now? Oh, that’s right. He was broken.
More frustration grew.
As he struggled to lift himself up to reach the cabinet, she walked in, catching him off guard.
Heaven is Weeping (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 5) Page 13