Paid Justice (Croft Family Mob Series Book 3) Read online

  He didn’t know what to say. That rattled him to his core, and he didn’t know what to say.

  “I’m fighting for him and all the other soldiers like him who have been killed.”

  He let that go.

  “So why do you hate cops? It’s hard not to notice that they are public enemy number one for you.”

  If he wanted to know, she would tell him.

  “My brother was about to take his life, and they didn’t save him. He called for help, he had a gun, and he was going to end it. When he came out of his house, he was holding that gun, and instead of saving him, the cops killed him.”

  “Suicide by cop,” he muttered in horror.

  “They were all carrying Tasers. They chose to shoot and instead of hearing him, they just kept screaming ‘put down your gun’! He was in the middle of a flashback. He thought he was back in the desert. They chose to shoot before protecting.”

  Riley heard the pain, and he understood it.

  God!

  He really did.

  She walked him to a picture on her mantle. “That was Samson.”

  He looked at her. “Seriously? His name was Samson and your name is Delilah?”

  “Yeah, my mother was jacked up. She was a bible junkie, but for all the wrong reasons. Don’t judge. We both had to live with her crazy all of our lives.”

  He wouldn’t.

  Then he remembered this wasn’t a social call. They had to get to Terrace Glen.

  “You should grab your things. We should get you somewhere safe.”

  She kicked off her heels and raced toward the stairs. “Look around. I’ll hurry.”

  He did just that. Riley was curious by nature, and he was definitely going to entertain himself while she was upstairs. This woman was definitely more than she seemed.

  She had awards out the wazoo. From the diploma’s, he could tell a few things.

  She’d graduated top of her class at Harvard Law.

  And Delilah was smart—wicked smart.

  No wonder she was able to chew through cops without batting an eyelash. She had a degree in law, and some forensic ones thrown in too.

  He looked at his watch as he began to get nervous and edgy.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, calling up the stairs.

  There was no answer.

  He called again, and he got worried when there was still no reply.

  What if someone grabbed her in her room?

  What if they moved the timeline up, and she was in danger?

  There was only one thing to do. Riley pulled his gun, and headed up the stairs, listening for anything. Riley didn’t even hear a peep.

  At the one door, he yanked it open.

  She was standing there, a tiny pair of panties, a bra that left nothing concealed, and garters.

  Holy fuck.

  She was wearing garters.

  “Um…”

  He immediately turned around. “I called to you twice. I got worried.”

  She was enamored by how he’d blushed and had the decency to turn around. She’d been right about him. This guy…he was different.

  Instead of freaking out, she let her guard down—as in all the way down.

  Moving toward him, she listened to him babble. It was amusing and sweet all at the same time.

  Riley Henderson was a gentleman to his core.

  “I am so sorry. That was NOT intentional. I didn’t see anything.”

  “So, what you’re saying is you didn’t notice my bra was blue.”

  He hesitated.

  “It was black with red trim.”

  She wanted to laugh. He couldn’t even lie. This was wholesome at its finest.

  It was…refreshing.

  “What color were the garters, Detective Henderson?” she asked.

  “Black. I didn’t know women wore them anymore, but they should.”

  She was suddenly very turned on. “I wear them all the time when I’m at work.”

  He swallowed.

  Moving to stand in front of him, she stared up at him. Barefoot, she was considerably shorter. He appealed to her on some feminine level.

  He was handsome.

  He was a hero.

  And he made her all hot and bothered.

  “Exactly how much time do we have here?” she asked, running her hand down his chest.

  She watched his carotid artery tick in response as his pulse jumped. It was one of the tricks she used in the courthouse as she was chasing down her prey.

  He didn’t look down.

  “Not much.”

  “Well, then I hope you can be fast,” she said, jumping up to wrap her arms and legs around him.

  It was clear she took him by surprise.

  Her lips found his, and there was this explosion of fire. It tore through them, nearly taking Riley to his knees.

  “Delilah!” he muttered, as she practically climbed into his body by way of his mouth. She was all over him, and he couldn’t think at all.

  He was holding her.

  Kissing her.

  “Hurry, Riley!” she responded, getting his shirt open.

  He couldn’t believe he was going to have sex with this woman. They were total opposites, but Jesus, did she make him insane.

  She began pulling his clothes off his body, tugging his blazer off, and then his shirt.

  When he was topless, they tumbled onto the bed. It was a battle to get him free of his things.

  Riley, somehow, managed to unclip his badge and gun and they were pulled to the floor in the tangle of his shirt.

  She bit him on the neck.

  He moaned.

  “I really want you naked, but I really want you wearing that,” he muttered, nibbling his way down her throat.

  “Then it stays,” she said, as he caged a nipple through the lace of her bra.

  Holy shit!

  She nearly came from that alone. His hands were everywhere, and the man knew how to work his way around a body.

  Maybe that should have alarmed her, but it only made her crazier. He looked like some sweet innocent guy, but this was hot.

  Hotter than anything she’d ever experienced before.

  His hand found his belt, and he tugged it off. Her fingers found the button on his dress pants, and she rubbed him through his pants.

  “Delilah,” he muttered, as she pulled him free.

  “We have to hurry. Your words, not mine.”

  She had a point.

  “Next time, I’ll go slow,” he promised, as he reached down, grabbed her panties, and ripped them off.

  She gasped as the fabric rendered. It was so shocking to see him do it. Delilah realized she’d found some sexy cop enigma that she really wanted to solve.

  Then he stroked her with his fingers, and she shivered at his touch.

  “Good. You’re wet.”

  He didn’t stop.

  His erection nudged her, and he slid home, burying himself to the base of his dick.

  Bare.

  She took all of him, and they couldn’t breathe. It was her moan that broke the silence and forced him to focus on her beneath him.

  “Do your worst, Detective,” she said, running her nails down his chest.

  His muscles rippled at her touch, and it turned her on. She couldn’t wait to see this man in action.

  Riley could barely think. There was a sexy woman beneath him, he was buried in her body, and the freaking bra and garters were making him insane.

  It was like jumping some sexy pin up girl.

  He was a sucker for it.

  “So tight,” he whispered, bracing himself above her. “You feel so perfect,” he said, and then he began moving.

  She’d never felt anything like this in her life. She was caged between him and the bed, and she couldn’t move. Delilah was his captive during this, and she was out of her mind with need.

  Who would have seen this coming?

  The detective’s hair was messed up from her hands, his eyes were sparkling wi
th wickedness, and his body was rippling with lust.

  He was driving her insane.

  Delilah held on, as the detective fucked her. He held nothing back as his body invaded hers. He didn’t pretend to want to be shy. He didn’t stop the assault on her body.

  Riley gave her as much pleasure as he was taking, and Delilah loved every second of it.

  Their moans were the only sound in the room, and then it was the hitch of their breathing as he took them on the climb.

  Riley shifted and lifted her, so his arms did all the work. He lifted her up, and then dropped her, so she was impaled on his rock-hard erection.

  She whimpered as he kept hitting that one spot over and over again. Delilah had never had sex quite like this. The detective could barge into her bedroom anytime.

  There would be an open invitation.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked, staring into her eyes as he fought to control his need.

  “No. I want more.”

  He dropped her onto the bed, and he stayed on his knees. “It’s got to be this,” he said, flicking a garter. “So fucking hot,” he said, grabbing her pale thighs and spreading her open as far as she could go.

  Then the assault continued.

  He drove himself into her, and she came riding his dick. It was the slow deliberate strokes that filled her and left room for nothing more.

  Riley didn’t stop even as her body tried to milk his to release.

  He couldn’t.

  This wicked witch put one hell of a spell on him. As she came, he wanted her more. As she shouted his name, Riley didn’t let up.

  He worked her hard, taking her back up that climb, and then to the edge. Then he slowed down. He slid in, and then out, watching her eyes dilate in pleasure.

  “Riley,” she begged. “Please.”

  All he was waiting for was to hear his name on her lips.

  He shifted, and hit that one spot with all of his might, throwing her off the edge.

  He gave her what she wanted.

  She exploded, and that orgasm took him for a ride too. He tumbled with her, collapsing onto her body.

  Neither spoke.

  When he lifted his head, she was watching him.

  “I did NOT expect that,” she admitted. Honestly, he looked wholesome, like some do-gooder.

  “Yeah, me either,” he said, resting his head against hers. He felt like he’d run a marathon. “Like I said, it had to be the garters. You don’t see those often.”

  Well, she was keeping them until the day she died.

  “I’ll help you get cleaned up. It’s the least I can do,” he offered.

  There was concern in his voice.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “We didn’t use protection. I’m sorry. I should have protected you.”

  Her heart skipped.

  God!

  She found the one good guy left in Vegas.

  “I’m on the pill.”

  His body relaxed. “Good, because I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

  For some reason, that one sentence speared right through her and made her go soft and mushy for this man. He’d found his way through her barriers.

  He was the first one ever. He was sweet and gentle, and that was something she appreciated.

  Then she thought about this frenetic fornication, how strong and dominant he’d been in bed, and what he’d risked for her.

  In that moment, she knew one thing.

  Detective Riley Henderson was one hell of a man.

  And she was intrigued.

  This was a first.

  Chapter Ten

  Terrace Glen

  W hen they arrived home, everyone came out to see them. Both cars pulled into the driveway at the same time, and there was that sense of relief that they were all safely behind the gates of their sanctuary.

  Immediately, Emma was out and heading for Curtis and Katerina. She’d missed them the last few weeks as they were on their honeymoon.

  He was smiling, and she was starting to waddle a little more. It was the sweetest thing they’d ever seen.

  Emma hugged Curtis, and then she went straight for Katerina to share her affection. The woman was glowing, and she looked amazing. Pregnancy was definitely working for her.

  “You’re home!” Greyson said, hugging Curtis. As he did that, Curtis whispered in his ear.

  “Does she know?”

  “No. Later.”

  He let it go.

  “MOM!” Curtis picked her up and swung her around. “I have something for you.”

  He reached into his bag, and pulled out his phone. On it, he clicked on his photos.

  It was a shitload of pictures of the place she’d run to find herself. He’d documented Celestia.

  Tears filled her eyes as he scrolled through them. This was the best gift ever. After all, that was the place that started it all.

  “It’s the same. It’s like it hasn’t changed at all.”

  They all looked over her shoulder as she narrated the pictures for the part of the family that hadn’t seen it.

  “That’s the cabin I lived in,” she said.

  “And the one I caught me a babe in,” Greyson offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

  She snorted. “Yeah, you were a sexy caveman back then too,” she added.

  Curtis wasn’t done.

  “There’s more. Here, Mom. Here’s a video just for you,” he said, grinning at her.

  Curtis pushed the button. A face came onto the screen, and her heart skipped.

  It was Reece.

  ‘Emma,

  We miss you. I hope one day you and that husband of yours can visit us. As you can see, time stopped. I’m good, and so are the kids. The wife says hello. But we wanted you to get a piece of home. I miss you and love you.’

  Curtis pulled a baseball cap out of his bag. “He sent this. He said you’d get it.”

  She held it in her hands, and it moved her. It took a lot to make Emma break, but that one token was all it took. The familiarity hit her, and it made her remember.

  The good.

  The bad.

  “An old hat?” Dimitri said.

  Oh, it was so much more than that.

  “It was my brother’s hat. He wore it in Vice when they were taking down criminals.”

  Tears filled her eyes.

  Turning it inside out, she found what she was looking for in the inside lining.

  There was a picture of him and her.

  It tumbled out into her hand.

  “When they were going into a building, or a raid, he’d wear this backward,” she said, staring down at the picture. “I was his good luck charm,” she said.

  The irony of that wasn’t lost on her. She wasn’t so lucky the day he was slaughtered in his own apartment.

  Emma was overwhelmed.

  She needed a minute.

  It still broke her.

  “I’m going to go make dinner,” she said, tucking the picture away, and then dropping his hat onto her head. “I’ll be back,” she offered, walking away.

  Greyson felt helpless.

  “Jesus. This is going to suck,” Curtis said.

  “I need you guys to find something to do,” Greyson said. “I need to tell Emma, and this is going to be brutal.” He took that moment to fill in everyone with what was going on. The family would be her support when she needed it most.

  They’d wrap around her and help her through this.

  It was all they had at the moment. A part of Greyson wished he’d never asked Curtis to find that file. This was on him, and he knew he wouldn’t be enough to make it better.

  He could only do so much.

  Croft was going to trust his family to help him heal their core.

  Dante took Steele’s hand in his. “We have wedding shit to handle. How about we head out for a couple hours so you guys can do this without an audience? Emma wouldn’t want to be a spectacle,” he admitted.

  He hugged his brother. “Thank you. Y
ou’re right.”

  Greyson appreciated that they got it.

  “When we get back, we’ll help her through it,” Steele said. “Emma is tough. She’ll digest it, and then we’ll take care of her.”

  Greyson prayed it went that easily. He felt off, and he knew what was likely going to happen.

  He loathed hurting his wife.

  Curtis patted Greyson’s shoulder. They would give them space too. “Kat and I are exhausted. I’ll order us a pizza, and we’ll head to our room.”

  Greyson hugged them both. “Thank you.”

  “If you need us,” Kat said, “just call us. We’ll come help with mom. I couldn’t imagine losing Dimitri. I can only hurt thinking about what she had to live through that night.”

  Yeah, he’d seen the crime scene photos, and he knew what Hell looked like. Emma had lived it.

  Chris figured they had this.

  “Nat and I can…,” he began, only to be cut off.

  He stopped him. “She’s going to need stability, and that means her brothers. She sees you and Dimitri as them now. It’s going to be hard, but we each bring something to the table on this one.”

  Chris got it. “I’m in. Natasha, do you mind?” he asked.

  She gently gave him a kiss on the lips. “How could I? Emma has healed all of us. I can’t do what you can for her, so I get it. Give her my love and hold her for me if she needs it.”

  Greyson appreciated all of their help.

  “Thank you. She’ll be okay, but the shock is going to be the bad part. This is going to blindside her.”

  Dimitri was in.

  After what she’d done for him, he’d do anything he could to help Emma. She was just as valuable and important to him as his sisters.

  She was loved.

  They’d carry her if she was too weak. That’s what family did, and she was their center. It was time to give that strength back.

  Before they could separate and go their own ways to give Greyson, Chris, and Dimitri space to talk to Emma, the gates—not far behind them—beeped.

  “It’s Riley, and he’s using the front gate,” Dimitri stated. “That can’t be good. He doesn’t come here this time of the day, and right through the reporters.”

  Well, so much for telling Emma. It looked like she was going to have some time yet before they broke her heart.