When she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her lips, Greyson went willingly. There was nothing more alluring than kissing his Emma.
As he lifted her from her feet, until she was fully held against his body, Greyson dove into the lip lock.
Tongues tangled.
Mouths moved effortlessly.
Then she ran her fingers through his hair, and his body went haywire. If he had more time, there would be a sweaty romp on the couch.
Screw dinner.
He’d rather dine on his wife.
Just as she moaned, there was a knock at the door.
“Shit. We’ll finish this later,” he vowed, needing more of his wife.
“Yes, Grey,” she promised, before escaping to welcome their guests.
Croft watched her leave, his focus on her long legs and very short shorts. He took a deep breath and went back to chopping vegetables.
Life was really good.
At the sound of their voices, he glanced over to watch Paris wheeling himself into the kitchen with Tessa sitting on his lap.
Croft began laughing. “I think she got a pretty sweet deal. Now Tessa can ride everywhere. Women are so damn opportunistic.”
Paris grinned. “Well, I like to think of it as a workout.” Then, he realized what he said. “I didn't mean that you were heavy or…”
Tessa stared at him.
Emma snickered.
Croft stepped in to rescue him. “Son, stop now. If you continue, she’ll own your balls at some point.”
Tessa hopped up and dropped a kiss to his lips. “I know what you meant, handsome. It’s okay.”
Paris was relieved. That could have gotten ugly.
“Thank you for inviting us over,” stated Paris. “I love coming here. Everything is all open. I don’t have to think about running into anything.”
Croft didn't mind at all. Over the last few weeks, he’d learned a lot about the man, and he liked everything about him. While most saw him as a geek, or brain, he knew the truth. Paris was a genuinely good guy, who loved his fiancée.
“Yeah, I need space. I can’t stand feeling like I’m crammed into a small area,” he admitted.
Tessa was surprised. “You’re cooking. I thought we’d just get pizza.”
Emma spoke up, “I thought dinner would be nice. We can eat in the dining room,” she offered.
Paris was good with anything. He liked food, and using up as much energy as he had been, he needed to consume more calories.
Emma finished plating their dinner, and Paris offered to help carry it in.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
He laughed. “Yeah, I have a perfectly good lap.”
Emma handed him his plate, and off he went. She glanced over at Tessa. “How are you doing?”
She smiled. The tension that had previously been there days ago was finally gone. “For the first time in a long time, I’m really good. Paris is his old self, just in that chair. I thought I lost him, but he’s fighting to get back.”
The Crofts were glad. They wanted them to be happy. What happened to them was a tough thing, but love was resilient.
They’d learned that themselves.
Following Paris, they carried in the rest of the food and glasses. Sitting at the large table, they began eating.
“This is really good,” Paris said, enjoying dinner.
“I’m glad you like it,” Emma said. “I’m trying to cut back on cholesterol in Greyson’s food.”
He started laughing. Okay, so maybe his wife could multitask. She was thinking about the case, his arteries, and still didn't miss a beat.
“I’m not going to ask,” she said, staring at him.
“Yeah, it’s probably for the best. You know me, kitten. You never know what I’ll say.”
Tessa giggled.
Emma blushed.
Croft winked at Paris.
They talked for a little while, and finally, they fell into the topic of the upcoming wedding.
“I don’t know if this is a good time or not,” stated Paris, “but I need to ask you something, Greyson.”
“Sure thing, shoot.”
“I was wondering if on the day we get married, would you be my best man?”
It touched him. “I would love to, Paris. It would be my pleasure.” He stood and crossed to his profiler. Hugging him, he patted him on the shoulder. “That’s a huge honor, and nothing would give me more joy than to stand beside you on your big day.”
The man smiled. “Well, you’ll have two jobs.”
Croft lifted a brow. “I will?”
Paris nodded. “I’m going to try and stand there without the wheelchair. I may need you to catch me if I tip over.”
Tessa’s eyes filled with tears at his words. “I can’t wait to see you at the end of the aisle.”
He leaned over to kiss her, and then wipe the tears with the pad of his thumb. “Me either, baby.”
Emma sniffled. “This is going to be an amazing wedding. I can’t wait to see you both take your vows.”
Tessa focused on her. “I don’t have any family, and I was hoping that you’d be my matron of honor, Emma. I need someone strong to get me through the day. I’m going to be a sobbing, weeping mess.”
It was all it took. Emma let the tears fall. “Oh! Tessa! I would love to be part of your special day!” She rushed the woman, hugging her. “I can’t wait!”
When Tessa sat, Paris took her hand. “We want to thank you for the last few months. We couldn’t do this alone. Knowing that we had you both fighting in our corners for us made all the difference. Whenever I wanted to give up, you made me keep going, Greyson. I can’t tell you how important that was. You carried me when I was too emotionally drained to go on. I owe you so much.”
Croft stared over at him. “You owe me nothing, Paris. You and Tessa just needed a little help. You would have figured it out. I have faith in both of you.”
Emma leaned her head on his shoulder. “He’s right. You found love. When it’s real, it’s going to last. We’re both so happy for you. You’re now part of our family, and we can’t wait to see you take your vows.”
They were both emotional.
“Thank you, Greyson and Emma.”
Croft corrected him. “My family calls me Grey.”
Paris’s eyes filled with emotion.
“Just not at work,” he added, teasing the man.
He laughed. “Yes, sir.”
After finishing the celebration and dinner, they all cleared the dishes. Heading toward the elevator, which went to the pool on the roof, they were all relaxed.
There was nothing like swimming under the stars.
Greyson dove in, heading to the far side of the pool. He knew Emma would head his way, but for now, he wanted to watch her unveil his present.
Her body.
As she threw her towel down in the cabana, her eyes never left his. She was well aware that her sexy man was watching every move she made, and Emma couldn’t wait to climb up the front of him in the water.
It was going to be divine. She’d ogled him too, and now she was wild with need. There was nothing like watching the droplets of water bead off his shoulders as he lounged against the wall, waiting for her.
Emma wanted to lap them up like a thirsty cat.
When she shimmied out of her shorts, she noticed him motioning to her with a crooked finger.
Who was she to argue? Diving in, she came up not far from him.
“Yes, Grey?” she practically purred, going against his body. Yeah, he was just as excited as she was.
His body told the tale.
“You make me crazy,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to take you into that cabana, strip you bare, and bury myself in you until you scream my name over and over.”
The lust was evident in his voice. It thickened, sending wave after wave of lust through Emma.
“Yes, please,” she replied, stroking him through his swim trunks. “Take me in there and make me yours.”<
br />
A low growl came from deep within his chest. “Behave, kitten, or you’ll find yourself on your back. Our guests will know how naughty you really are.”
She giggled.
Some splashing caught their attention. Paris and Tessa were already in the pool, frolicking around like kids.
It made Greyson happy. As Paris began doing laps, he couldn’t help but watch, just in case the man needed him. He’d grown attached.
As Paris hit the wall beside them, he came up for air. “You’re lucky! I love swimming. I feel like myself, and almost like I can walk again.”
Then, he headed back toward Tessa.
“I wish I could give him this pool,” Croft admitted.
Emma knew he meant it. After the agent was shot, her husband had taken it personally. Paris was on his watch, and he’d let one of his people get hurt.
Greyson was predictable, if nothing.
“I wish we could too, but he can always come here to swim. You’ve already kind of given him a pool.”
Croft heard his wife, but knew it wasn’t the same thing.
There had to be a way to make his profiler’s life easier.
Now, he just had to find it.
He had a debt to pay.
* * *
Randall Mason put the finishing touches on ordering their dinner. He’d opted to go vegetarian for Emma, despite knowing she would eat meat.
He’d picked a few of her favorites and was looking forward to having a luxurious meal with her.
There was nothing more amazing than her company.
The more time he spent with her, the more he believed she was the incarnation of his dead wife, Aria.
She had to be.
He’d watched her mannerisms.
The way she behaved.
Dressed.
There was no doubt in his mind that she was a message to him. As he sat at his desk, he finalized all the papers. It was official. Tomorrow, when she arrived, he would be telling her what he’d done. Placing the last one on the fax, he sent it on its merry way to his attorney. Now, he could file it away and relax.
The deal was done.
He’d made his choice.
Randall had decided that after the Levi and Dominic situation, to allow Emma to inherit all of his estate. It would offer them protection against those wanting to harm them.
So, why wait until he was dead?
After Dominic Marianna threatened them, Randall took it personally. He’d declared them off limits, and he wasn’t going to screw around.
Granted, he’d become more complacent lately, because of the couple, but that was because he genuinely liked them.
They were family.
He trusted them.
So, he eased up, letting them into his life.
Now, he was going to give them more keys to the kingdom. Emma would be getting the trust fund that would have been left for one of his children, if they were still alive.
Then, one day, when he was no longer here, she would get it all. There were no charitable donations, or other people who he deemed worthy, because she was it. He was going to make sure that Emma Croft was untouchable.
He owed her that.
She’d opened her heart and life to a lonely old man, never giving up on him.
Even when the world saw him as evil, she never did.
That touched Randall, since Aria had been like that too. Her heart was bigger than he ever deserved, and the woman he was having to dinner with tomorrow was the same.
Buzzing his assistant, the man came rushing in.
“Yes, sir?”
“Mr. Lewis, did my attorney get all the other papers I sent? Not Mr. James. My OTHER attorney.”
The man nodded. “Yes, sir. He’s only waiting on that last one.”
“Yes, I just faxed it.”
“Then he has them all, sir.”
Randall was glad. Normally, he used Kenneth James for his questionable dealings, but didn't trust him with his plan to protect the Crofts. There was no doubt that the man would run right to Dominic Marianna.
That wasn’t going to happen.
“Oh, and Mr. Lewis, take tomorrow off. The chef will be here. I can manage.”
The man was surprised. “Are you sure, sir? I don’t mind coming in to keep you company,” he offered.
Randall smiled. “No, you take the day off. In fact, you pick out one of my shiny cars, and you take your wife for a picnic.”
This was definitely odd.
“Sir? Are you sure?”
“I have Emma coming tomorrow, and I’ll have plenty of company,” stated Mason.
The man grinned. “Thank you, sir! I’m sure Monica will be excited to have a picnic in the park.” With that, he escaped, before his boss changed his mind.
“What’s that, Aria? Oh, I know I’m turning into an old softie, but I just can’t help myself,” Randall said, talking to the painting on the wall. “Emma brings it out in me. She’s a blessing. Thank you for sending her to me.”
Then he recalled one more piece of business that needed his attention. Picking up his phone, he made the call. On the fourth ring, it was answered.
“Is it done?”
“Yes, sir. Levi Hammond won’t be bothering anyone anymore. He’s going to be very occupied.”
Randall was pleased.
“Your money should be arriving in a few seconds,” he said, using his cell phone to transfer the funds. Neither account was traceable. He’d made sure of that.
“It just arrived,” he stated.
“I may have more work for you. How are you at personal security?”
The man’s laughter came over the phone. “I’m really good at it, and so is my partner.”
Mason told him what he wanted next. He’d thought about this long and hard, and made sure not to leave a single detail out. It was a matter of life or death.
Emma’s.
“I have it, sir. It’ll be handled.”
“I know you will do me proud, son. You’ve never let me down before.”
With that, the call ended.
Randall leaned back in his chair, knowing what his wife would have said if she were alive.
“Business is business, Aria. You know that. I have to take care of what’s mine, since I made that fatal mistake once before.”
He may be old, but there was still a little bite left in him. This would be a prefect message for his adversary, Dominic Marianna.
Don’t screw with his people.
Or else…
* * *
Sunday Early Morning
Two A.M.
They were cops, and when the phone rang, they knew why. People didn't call in the middle of the night just to say hello. As soon as Emma’s phone began chiming away, they knew there was a body.
Jumping out of bed, she began pulling on a pair of jeans as she answered the phone.
“Detective Croft,” she stated.
Greyson began moving too. If his wife was heading out, so was he. When she paused, signaling him to wait, he was curious. Generally, they dressed and raced for the door.
“Are you sure?”
There was a pause.
“How did it happen?”
Again, she waited while the person on the other end of the phone spoke.
“We’ll be there. No, don’t wake my partner. I’ll handle this one alone,” she stated.
Hanging up, she stared at her husband. “We have another body.”
“Another woman?” he asked, zipping his fly, but watching her curiously.
“No, this time it’s a man.”
“Who?” he asked.
“You’re not going to believe this, but that was the county jail. It seems that an hour ago, Benji Johnston committed suicide in his cell.”
“Well, shit! I didn't see that one coming.”
“Yeah, neither did I.”
~ Chapter Twelve ~
Las Vegas County Jail
Early Sunday Morning
There was no hurry to get to the lockup. It wasn’t like they had a live prisoner anymore. While the ME was rushing there to begin his job, Emma and Greyson didn't have to worry about theirs quite yet.
They’d wait to see what happened, and then ask a lot of questions. The first being, how the hell did the man commit suicide when there was supposed to be fifteen minute walk-throughs?
Once there, they found Steele Bentley in the cell as his people began their part of the process. His nails were scraped, his shirt was gathered, and his bedding was taken too.
When Steele glanced up, he began the customary conversation, hitting all the high points.
“I’m temporarily calling this as death by manual strangulation. I do believe he committed suicide, but you’ll have to run the tapes and check for yourself. I’m not saying we have a cop who would do this, but I get paid to anticipate everything.”
Emma understood.
“I’m sorry, Detective,” came the voice of one of the cops behind her. “We really tried to resuscitate him. He was just gone.”
Pulling out her phone, she began making notes. “What can you tell me?”
He began rattling off the information, “We did the cell check around twelve, and then quarter past. He was alive both times. When the next officer did his walk-through, I heard him calling for help. The man was already blue and hanging there,” he stated, pointing at the corner of his bunk. “His cell mate was asleep and didn't hear anything,” he stated.
“I’m going to need to see the tapes,” she stated.
“I completely understand. We want to get this settled, and fast.” He rushed off to grab what she needed.
Now it was time to wrap up any loose ends.
Heading over to the other inmate, she began questioning him, “What did you see?”
“All I heard was shouting, our cell door being flung open, and then his body hanging by my head. It was petty horrifying.”
Emma wouldn’t be surprised if he did commit suicide. The man was hopped up on steroids, and that made anything possible. The emotional rollercoaster that they had witnessed, could only have been the beginning.
“What are you in for?” she asked.
“I didn't pay my child support. My ex had a warrant put out for me.”
Heaven is Weeping (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 5) Page 28