Wedding of our Dreams:

                         Steele and Dante 

                           By Morgan Kelley

Copyright © 2017 Morgan Kelley LLC

All rights reserved. Without limiting rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, introduced into a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including without limitation photocopying, recording, or other electronic or technical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

The scanning, uploading, and/or distribution of this document via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and is punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials. For permission requests, email author.m.kelley@gmail.com

Content Advisory: This book is intended for mature audiences and contains, explicit sexual activity between two men. This is a m/m erotica novel. If you are offended by gay sex between two men, you should stop reading now. If you have an open mind and believe that love is love, enjoy.

 ©Copyright 2017 cover by Celestia Abraham

WARNING: This book contains graphic sex and m/m sex. It’s erotica. Continue at your own risk. There is a gay sex scene at the end of the book.

Dear Reader,

Since my books crossover a great deal, I recommend reading them as they are written. I tend to mention characters in books they don’t generally occur in, and later in the series, there are full crossovers.

Some readers have contacted me for this list, and I figured I’d pass it on to the rest of you.

While you can read the books by series only, it only enhances the reading experience if you go in order of how I wrote them. I tend to give away secrets…

I’m sneaky like that.

On the next page, I’ve given you the list. 

MK

Here is the reading book order:

The Killing Times (FBI)
Sacred Burial Grounds (FBI)
True Love Lost (FBI)
Deep Dark Mire (FBI)
Fire Burns Hot (FBI)
Celestia is Falling (Croft & Croft)
Darkness of Truth (FBI)
Vegas is Dying (Croft)
Devil hath Come (FBI)
Christmas is Killing (Croft)
Blood Red Rage (Littlemoon)
Consumed by Wrath (FBI)
Sinner Repent (Carter trilogy 1)
Love is Bleeding (Croft)
Lost & Broken (Littlemoon)
Illegal Fantasies (Anthology 1)
Redemption is Here (FBI)
Sinner Realized.(Carter trilogy 2)
Romance Under Arrest (Anthology 2)
Heaven is Weeping (Croft)
Unthinkable Games (Littlemoon)
Dead Shall Speak (FBI)
Sinner Reborn (Carter trilogy 3)
Pledging to Die (FBI)
Hell is Burning (Croft)
Truth is Found (Littlemoon)
Slay Bells Ring (FBI)
Holiday Reinforcements (Trilogy 3)
Oracle Rising (Oracle)
Past will Haunt (FBI Flashback 1)
Choices will Destroy (FBI)
Justice is Dead (Final croft book)
Haven of Nightmares (Littlemoon)
Blood Shall Run (FBI)
Oracle Seeing (Oracle)
Dark Justice (New Croft Series)
Forbidden Secrets (Littlemoon)
Act of Blood (FBI)
Oracle Saving (Oracle)
Stalked by the Past (FBI flashback 2 )
Dying to Love (FBI)
Lost Justice (Croft)
Kiss of Souls ( Littlemoon) (FBI/Littlemoon crossover)
Oracle Haunting (Oracle)
Revenge has Come (FBI)
Paid Justice (Croft)
Lost Souls (Littlemoon)
Discarded by Fate (FBI)October 2017

Atonement (Hunter Trilogy 1) November 2017

It’s Good to be the Boss (Romance Anthology 1) November 2017

Harcourte books do not cross over and can be read anytime.

Dangerous Revelations
Dangerous Choices
Dangerous Misery
Dangerous Retaliation
Dangerous Influence
Dangerous Sacrifice
Dangerous Destruction Dec 2017

                    ~~~~       About the Author    ~~~~

Morgan Kelley lives in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with her husband and two children. After attending college at Penn State University and studying Criminal Justice, Morgan knew her only true passion in life would be murder and books.  She put them both together and began her career as a writer.  Other than books and writing, you can find Morgan hanging out in her garden and digging in the dirt.

Her other works include: The Junction, Serial Sins, The Blood Betrayal, The Killing Times (1), Sacred Burial Grounds (2), True Love Lost (3), Deep Dark Mire (4), Fire Burns Hot (5), Darkness of Truth (6), Devil Hath Come (7), Consumed by Wrath (8), Redemption is Here (9), Dead Shall Speak (10), Pledging to Die (11),  Slay Bells Ring (12), Past will Haunt (13), Choices will Destroy (14), Blood shall Run (15), Act of Blood (16), Stalked by the Past (17), Dying to Love (18), Revenge has Come (19), Blood Red Rage (1) Lost & Broken (2), Unthinkable Games (3), Truth is Found (4), Haven of Nightmares (5), Forbidden Secrets (6), Kiss of Souls (7), Celestia is Falling (1), Vegas is Dying (2), Christmas is Killing (3), Love is Bleeding (4), Heaven is Weeping (5), Hell is Burning (6), Justice is Dead (7),  Dark Justice (1), Lost Justice (2), Paid Justice (3),  Dangerous Revelations (1), Dangerous Choices (2), Dangerous Misery (3), Dangerous Retaliation (4), Dangerous Influence (5), Dangerous Sacrifice (6), Sinner Repent (1), Sinner Realized (2), Sinner Reborn (3), Oracle Rising (1), Oracle Seeing (2), Oracle Saving (3), Oracle Haunting, (4),Illegal Fantasies (Anthology 1), Romance Under Arrest (Anthology 2), and Holiday Reinforcements (Anthology 3)

Please feel free to visit Morgan at her website: www.morgankelley.com, email her author.m.kelley@gmail.com, or visit her blog at www.morgankelley.blogspot.com

Spin off series of ‘The Croft & Croft romance adventures’.

Celestia is Falling

Vegas is Dying

Christmas is Killing

Love is Bleeding

Heaven is Weeping

Hell is burning

Justice is Dead

Dark Justice

Lost Justice

Paid Justice

Wedding of our Dreams Novella

Dear Reader,

You’ve just finished Paid Justice, and it went out with one hell of an explosion. Right now, you’re wondering how the family could possibly celebrate a wedding with Natasha’s death.

How will Chris go on?

Will Dimitri go dark side on everyone?

Well, you’re going to find out, but not in this book. This story takes place after the case is solved but before the final scene with Chris asking Dimitri for his sister’s hand in marriage.

If you’re wondering why I didn’t make this one big book, including the novella into the storyline, the answer is simple. Some people are bothered by a gay sex scene. I’ve received comments by readers who didn’t like Dante and Steele kissing, so I opted to make this its own little story.

In this novella, you are going to get some Reggie, some family, and a whole lot of lovin’. There’s plenty of sex, some juicy tidbits about what is coming, and of course, the questions regarding the big elephant in the room.

Will Dante ever get Steele to the altar, and if he does, will we finally find out what happened to Steele during his abduction?

You will also meet a new character. Bentley Herron. The other readers, who didn’t want to take part in this book, will have to play catch-up, but the rest of you get the prize. You get to meet Steele’s brother by the woman his father had the long affair with in the previous series.

So, sit back, get some wine or coffee, and enjoy this book. There’s no mystery, no killing, but plenty of Croft-y goodness to go around.

The family is about to celebrate, and you’re cordially invited to partake in a Wedding of Our Dreams.

It’s by invitation only.

Your hostess,

Morgan.

I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss the groom…

My name is Greyson Croft…

The next few days for my family is huge. It’s been long awaited, and something the whole city has anticipated happening.

What is it?

A wedding.

We’re going to be celebrating the marriage between my brother and his fiancé, Doctor Steele Bentley. It’s been a long time coming, and there have been hurdles along the way.

Tears.

Anguish.

Pain.

Yet, through it all, their love has survived it.

It has overcome.

Theirs is a beautiful story.

They fell in love, and to those of us—me—who didn’t see it coming, it was a little shocking. For years, my brother pretended to be straight and the typical man.

He had everyone fooled.

Especially me.

Beneath the veneer of being a heterosexual ex-soldier, there was a man I never really knew. I took him for face value, and that had been a cold, hard slap of reality once the truth came out.

He lied to me.

That hurt the most in our relationship. It nearly caused a rift between us.

It devastated me—not the gay part—because I don’t give a shit about anyone’s sexuality—including my own blood.

I don’t judge a man, or woman, by who he or she sleeps with at night.

I don’t judge them by who they love.

I judge by character, and that he’d lie…it said a lot about him as a man.

What also hurt was how he felt that he had to hide the truth from me so I wouldn’t be ashamed or disappointed in him.

No one should have to live a fake life to please someone else, and Dante and Steele deserve just as much love as the rest of us.

I’ve seen a lot in my life.

Some of it has been good, and some of it has rocked me to my core. As an ex-soldier, myself, I know how hard it can be to be gay in the military.

I’ve seen what they live.

I’ve seen my brothers and sisters tortured because they wanted to be true to themselves.

I’ve seen them take countless hours of abuse over just being born that way.

The punishment was ugly and repercussions were countless.

Once saddled with being gay, they had a much harder time moving up the ladder. In fact, they often finished their tour and left.

Abuse is tough.

I get why he hid it.

I would have, too, but never with my family.

Then, life changed for Dante. He grew up, got a backbone, and took a stand.

When he came home, he finally felt safe enough to be himself after he found Steele. Dante found the courage to own his life, and stand up for what he wanted, and for what he believed in for himself.

That’s the best gift my brother could give himself.

One of the best moments in my life was when I got to see my brother be the man he was meant to be.

It changed everything for him, and for the rest of us—including me.

That’s been a huge lesson for me the last few months.

I wasn’t meant to be a cop all of my life. Vegas changed that for me. I was meant to run the Vegas mob and change this city—for the better.

Just like Dante, I wasn’t being true to myself the whole time. I was a soldier, a killer, and then a Fed, and none of it fit.

I didn’t fit.

Then I let fate take control. I found my wife, I found my family, and I let my instincts lead the way.

It brought me here to this moment in time.

I followed my brother’s lead, being true to myself. Maybe it was him, maybe it was my wife, or maybe it was Vegas itself, but I’m a different man.

I’m proud of my brother.

Steele flipped the switch in him, and he’s made him a better man.

Hell!

Doctor Steele Bentley has made a world of difference in our family, and that’s what matters to me.

He gave Dante love.

For that, I owe him.

Truth be told, I know a little about love. Theirs is something of fairytales and stories that give you that warm fuzzy feeling. It’s about two people from different worlds and different parts of the country. By chance, they meet. They fall in love, and the rest…it’s history.

Like myself and Emma.

That’s how I know this will last.

Besides, they deserve it.

When Steele was abducted and tortured to get information on my family, he didn’t break.

He didn’t cave.

Most importantly of all, he didn’t betray us to, Dominic, that scumbag. He took the torture and offered up his own life to make sure we were protected.

That’s love.

To me, that’s earned him a special place in the Croft family, and I’m honored to give him my name. I’m honored that he’ll finally be one of us.

To me, he’s always going to be a brother.

To my brother, he’s his soulmate.

To my wife, he’s a good friend—a brother of sorts.

We are all blessed to have him in our lives, and there will never be a day that we aren’t grateful that he’d fallen onto our path to become ours.

That’s what Steele is.

OURS.

In life, you shouldn’t judge anyone, let alone my brother’s love for Doctor Steele Bentley.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Love fully.

Love completely.

Put aside the gender of a person, and what you ‘think’ is right, and go with your heart.

If it were you, how would you feel?

How would you get up each day knowing the world hated you because you simply fell in love?

How would you handle the hate, the bigotry, and the angry words?

I hope you never find out. For you, and for them, I hope you all find love, laughter, and joy.

Aren’t we all deserving of that?

Most importantly, and above all else, I have one more wish for Dante, my blood, and Steele, my soon to be brother.

I also hope that the man can handle a caveman.

It seems to run in our DNA.

So, as you sit down to read the next part of their love story, I hope you do it with love, compassion, and understanding.

We are all worthy of someone, and if we do, indeed, get lucky and find that person, our lives are complete.

Now, sit back.

Relax.

And enjoy the final days of Dante and Steele’s bachelor life.

There will be some laughs.

Some tears.

And a whole lot of chaos.

When a Croft gets married, especially two gay men, there’s bound to be some fun along the way.

You know my family, and my mother.

I hope you all feel the love they share, and know that there is someone out there who will love each and every one of us no matter what.

Soulmates do exist.

Here is the proof.

Signed,

Greyson Croft 

Chapter One

Las Vegas

The Day before…

T o say that he was nervous would be an understatement. It was the day before his wedding, and Dante Croft was one hot mess. He was standing in his brother’s bedroom, the one Greyson shared with Emma, his wife, and he wanted to throw up or run for it.

He was freaked out.

Dante could hear the clock ticking, and he was nervously counting down the hours. Before long, he was going to be a married man.

Holy shit!

It was happening.

It seemed like just yesterday he was proposing to Steele on bended knee in the middle of a Las Vegas function. Now, he was about to do the deed.

The shit was getting real.

Dante Atticus Croft was going to be off the market for the rest of his life.

He was tying the knot.

Dante was trying desperately not to panic. It was hard. At that very moment, he was getting fitted for the suit he was going to wear to the nuptials.

Tomorrow.

There.

Jesus!

The whole thing was nerve wracking, including what to wear. They were going to go with tuxes at first, but they didn’t want to turn this into a formal affair.

It was already out of hand.

Emma was literally giving him and Steele anything they wanted for their wedding. When he jokingly said that he wanted to ride in on rainbow colored golf carts, she’d ordered two.

They had plates that said ‘groom’ and ‘groom’, plus, matching robes for the morning after the wedding.

It was out of control.

Emma was out of control.

It was to the point that fireworks came up, and Dante had to stop the crazy.

He got it.

She was excited.

Only, it was going a little nutty, and he wanted off the crazy train and back in control. That way, he could stay calm.

Besides, he and Steele wanted simple. The most lavish thing at a wedding should be the food, not everything else.

That she could go crazy over.

After all, men only went to weddings for three reasons.

An open bar.

Good food.

And to make their significant other, man or woman, happy.

Weddings, to sane, single men, were a nightmare, and right now, he was trapped in one.

Truth be told, Dante wanted to escape.

Maybe the last few months of running the family business was why he was feeling out of sorts. He knew how much money was being spent, and he also knew there were some obstacles he had to cross to get Steele to the altar.

Actually, a few might be an understatement. It had been an epic battle to get the job done.

Now he was freaked out.

“You look green,” Greyson said, helping his brother tie the colorful bowtie in the mirror. He stood behind him, tying it as if it were on his own neck.

His big brother was a pro at things like this, and Dante was glad he had him in his life.

“Do I?” he asked, trying to cover the freak-out that he felt coming. If these were pre-wedding jitters, he could understand why people bolted.

He was already measuring the distance between him and the door.

That was so damn wrong.

“Yeah, you do. Why do you look like you want to either punch someone or cry?”

Dante hated how his brother was so astute. Of course he was going to take one look at him and know.

He’d been a cop.

What Dante had wanted was to get this fitting over with, get shitfaced drunk to calm his nerves, and pray the hangover wasn’t a killer in the morning.

Yeah, he was scared.

Really, he’d been hoping to keep his mouth shut, say ‘I do’, and call it a day.

“I’m your brother, Dante. You can tell me anything. Don’t suffer in silence. If it were me, wouldn’t you want to know what was bothering me?”

Yeah, he would.

Then again, if it was Greyson, he’d carry it all in stride on his strong shoulders. While he wanted to be like his brother, Dante knew he couldn’t replace him.

Greyson was king of the family for a very good reason. He ran the place with everyone in mind.

“I’m afraid Steele will run, and that’s making me want to run first so I don’t get my heart handed to me.”

There.

He said it.

Now he waited for some sage advice from his big brother.

Greyson Croft got it.

This was normal.

Now it was time to talk some sense into his brother before he did something stupid.

Dante was known to screw things up with the best intentions. The day he’d met Emma, he’d nearly shot her. He’d also scared the hell out of her.

He was a good person with really bad timing. He got that from their mother—bless his soul.

“Listen to me,” he said, staring into his brother’s matching eyes in the mirror. “He’s not going to run. Right now, he’s in your bedroom getting a manicure with Emma. Trust me. If he’s a runaway groom, we’d already be chasing him all over Vegas.”

Dante didn’t look any less freaked out.

That told Greyson all he needed to know. There was definitely something more going on than that met the eye.

He knew his brother.

“What really has you freaking out, Dante? You can tell me. We’re brothers, right?” he asked.

Dante turned around and stared him in the eyes. He hoped he meant it.

“Am I doing the right thing, Greyson? Am I making a huge mistake?”

Greyson lifted a brow.

“About?”

“Getting married.”

Yeah, here was his sense of bad timing. Ironically, it had arrived on schedule.

“This is making me nervous, Dante. What do you mean are you doing the right thing? If you’re not ready to get married, say the words. If all of the sudden, you have decided you’re not gay, you have to speak up.”

He looked surprised. “Uh, I’m gay. This morning I was watching Dimitri shirtless as he worked out. That man…”

He stopped him. “Please don’t. I have to work with Dimitri. He’s my bodyguard. I know all I need to know from my perspective. If you say package, or ass, I’m leaving.”

He laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Son, spill it. I have you.”

This was hard for him. Dante didn’t want to sound like an asshole, but he was worried about one thing.

“I need your advice.”

Greyson took a seat and stared at his brother. He didn’t love another man more than this one.

He was his blood.

Dante always had his back, and he always made him feel like he was doing a good job as an older sibling. Now he wanted to make sure he gave his brother the best advice.

Dante deserved it.

Hell!

Steele deserved it.

His brother was part of their family, and he’d made them a shitload of money, and he always had his and Emma’s back.

In Vegas, that mattered.

“Shoot.”

“I did something.”

A million scenarios went through Greyson’s mind.

He cheated on Steele.

He wanted to be single.

They were breaking up.

“What?” Greyson finally asked, as he mentally prepared to help his brother any way he could.

“Remember when we found out that Steele had a brother?” he asked.

Uh oh.

This was that bad timing again.

He could see the fan turning on, and that pile of shit quivering as it was sucked into it.

Greyson braced for it.

“Well, I…”

“Dante, you didn’t do what I think you did, did you?” he asked.

He nodded. “Yes, I did.”

“Jesus. You are insane.”

“I was thinking about it. We know that Steele has a sibling. Every time I look at you, Grey, I’m reminded of what we’re keeping from him.”

Croft listened.

“I can’t get married carrying this secret, Grey. How do I promise to love, honor, and respect when I’m lying to him about something that would hurt him?”

“I do believe I stated that we should have told him the second we found out. Had you listened to me then, we wouldn’t be facing down this cannon the DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING!”

Greyson was right.

He had told him to tell Steele earlier.

Only, Dante had been worried about it. What if it pushed Steele over the edge?

That would be a bad thing.

He’d been abducted, and then he’d been nearly killed. How did one go about saying ‘Hey! By the way, you have a brother’?

SURPRISE!

Yeah, no.

There was no way to do it that didn’t end up on the shitty side of intention.

Dante ran his hands through his hair in frustration and dropped back onto the bed to stare at the ceiling.

“I’m fucked.”

Greyson knew he had to help his brother.

Somehow.

Someway.

“What did you do, exactly? Do you want to just tell Steele?”

“I invited Bentley Herron here for dinner tonight. Emma has that big family dinner planned to celebrate, and I wanted Steele to have someone stand up for him.”

Well, shit!

That was the worst thing to do.

Not only was he surprising the man with a brother he didn’t know about, but he was dropping the poor, unsuspecting man into the lion’s den at dinner time.

Did he hate him?

Reggie and Christopher Croft would be there, and if anything, their mother was unpredictable.

Hell!

She was a powder keg with a lit fuse.

What the hell?

“Oh, Jesus, Dante. I love you, but you certainly like to live on the wild side.”

He was aware.

“I was trying to be romantic.”

Greyson laughed.

It wasn’t an amused laugh. It was more like that of a person who saw a cataclysmic explosion about to happen.

Oh, there was going to be fallout.

There was no doubt about that.

“Next time, buy him some flowers and write a love note if you want to romance Steele. He’s like Emma. He loves that stuff. Don’t do shit like this, Dante. It’ll get you hurt.”

Yeah, now he told him.

Where was he last week when he got the idea to do this? Why didn’t someone stop him then?

“I want to puke.”

Greyson sat him up in case he did.

“And this complete stranger said what?” Greyson asked, trying to be patient.

“He knew about Steele. His mother, Vonda, told him about him when we worked that case. She assumed we would let the cat out of the bag, and she was doing damage control.”

Well, he wasn’t shocked.

He would have done the same thing.

“You couldn’t just invite his mother, Camille, so we could really have a fight, could you?” he teased.

“I did invite her.”

He stared at his brother.

“Uh oh.”

“What?” Dante asked.

“Oh, Dante, don’t tell me you invited her. Steele doesn’t like her.”

“I know but…”

“Are you out of your mind, son? Are you trying to sabotage your own wedding?”

Was he?

Shit!

That couldn’t be it, could it?

So, he explained.

“Well, we invited mom. Reggie will be here, so why not really add shit to the storm?” he asked. “Besides, Steele deserves to have people in his family at our wedding.”

He wasn’t doubting that.

He was simply saying that there was a time and a place. You didn’t invite Camille unless it was a trip to hell, and you didn’t invite his illegitimate brother the day of the wedding.

It was a really bad idea.

In Vegas, you played the odds.

Dante was playing all the odds on one hand of cards, and he was bound to lose.

“I really think you’re trying to sabotage yourself. When you invited our mother, I believed you were loopy, but now… you need a drink.”

He headed toward his suit jacket and tossed his brother a gift.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.”

Dante opened it.

When he had it out of the package, he held a beautiful flask in his hands. It was stainless steel with copper engraving, and he’d never seen anything like it before in his life.

He could tell it was special, and that it was from his brother…

That made it priceless to Dante.

When he flipped it over, he read the inscription that was on it.

‘To the only man who will ever be my blood brother. I love you more than you’ll ever know. I’m proud of you. Thank you for giving me another brother to call my own.’

Dante’s eyes filled with tears.

He loved his brother so much.

“Grey.”

“It’s filled with bourbon. Open it and drink. We’ll continue this after you had some.”

He did what his brother said, and then he passed it to him so they could share.

Greyson took a sip.

Together, on his bed, they shared the booze, and he actually leaned against his brother for strength.

He handed it back to Dante and told him to drink more. He was going to need it.

Not because he was worried about his brother’s upcoming marriage, but more or less so he could numb himself to what fallout was on its way.

Camille.

His mother.

“Okay, so,” Greyson said, after taking a sip. “What did Steele’s mother say when you invited her?”

“She told me she’d rather perform a blowjob on the devil himself in hell than be there to watch her gay, fag-son prance himself down the aisle.”

“So is she bringing her plus one?”

He laughed.

Dante needed it, and Greyson always knew what to say to lighten the mood. He could tell by the look in his brother’s eyes, he didn’t like that the woman used the ‘F’ word. To them, no one tolerated the use of ‘fag’.

He kissed his brother. “Thank you for that.”

“Well, for future reference, avoid Camille. She’s a wicked, old, mean hag who will die a frigid beast.”

Yeah, he got that right.

Greyson knew he had to ask him and hope for the best. “What did Steele’s brother say when you spoke to him?”

He crossed his fingers.

“He wants to meet his brother. He’s always wanted one, and he thinks it would be good for them to talk and get acquainted.”

“On your wedding eve, surrounded by strangers?”

“Do you think I’m sabotaging this because of some secret need to call off the wedding?” he asked.

“Are you?” he asked.

Dante took another sip. He wasn’t sure. At first, he thought he was trying to be a good partner, but his brother, generally, called it like he saw it.

“What aren’t you telling me, Dante? I can tell there’s more on your mind. Just say it.”

“I’m really horny.”

Greyson took the flask and chugged. This was something he didn’t want to talk about with a stranger, but his brother?

No.

He was as hetero as it came. He liked his kitten. He didn’t know what he could bring to the table by way of gay sex talk.

“Dante, I really don’t know if I can handle this.”

“Greyson. Please.”

Jesus.

The only time Greyson wanted to hear his name and dick in a sentence was when he was being called one.

While he didn’t judge his brother for being gay, it just wasn’t his thing. He liked soft, creamy skin with no hair. His idea of sex was always with the opposite sex.

That he was good at.

This…?

He had a kitten for a reason. She was everything he found attractive in the opposite sex.

“You’re uncomfortable,” Dante said, his feelings a little hurt.

“No, I’m freaked out. I’m about to hear about my brother’s sex life, and that’s…”

“I’m gay, not a leper, Grey.”

It wasn’t that.

“I’m the reason your fiancé is hurt, Dante. This isn’t about who you shove your man junk into. I feel like shit that I let Steele get taken, and now, he can’t…perform. Now, I have to face that fact in a very real conversation.”

It was hard to swallow.

Dante got it.

Well, at least it was out in the open.

Maybe his brother could talk him down from the ledge. “I need to be honest, and I don’t want to come across like a douchebag. You know me, and you won’t judge me.”

“Okay.”

“I know I said that sex didn’t matter,” Dante began.

He didn’t have to finish.

“Sex matters a whole lot, Dante. Any man who says it doesn’t is lying.”

Yeah, he knew that for a fact.

“I don’t want to push him, but I miss sex.”

“You’re not going to tell me you’ve cheated on Steele, are you?”

“WHAT?”

He stared at his brother.

“Why the hell would you even say that to me?” he asked.

“I traveled and had to give up boning my babe for a week. It was hell. You haven’t had sex in months.”

“Almost nine months, seven days, and fifteen hours, but who the hell is counting?”

That was definitely not a good sign if his brother was running a timer on the whole thing.

It was a very bad omen.

“I’ve had to jerk off so much I’m beginning to feel like a pervert.”

He laughed.

Dante didn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Greyson said, “but I couldn’t help it. That wasn’t what I thought you were going to say to me. I just found it amusing as hell.”

“Yeah, it’s funny because you get to cum on a regular basis. I have to pretend I’m not jerking off so I don’t hurt a man’s feelings. I’m having to creep around, checking out Russian men working out...”

And it just got worse.

“Okay, I get it. That picture is painted for me, and it’s clear. You’re not getting laid, you want to get laid, but you’re afraid to broach the topic with your husband-to-be.”

“Yes.”

Greyson patted him on the back.

“There’s only one way to handle this, Dante, and you know it. You need to talk to him.”

Shit!

That was not what he wanted to hear. He was hoping his brother was going to give him some sage advice that involved a miracle solution—like a bachelor party where it would get out of control, and he could ‘accidentally’ get off by some stripper in his lap.

“That’s your solution?”

“Yep.”

Dante had expected more. After all, he had run the FBI in Vegas, and he was the head of a mob family.

His big brother had to have the answer.

“I can’t just go up to him and say ‘are we going to do it or should I rent Pay Per View for our wedding night’?” he stated. “That’s a bad situation for everyone.”

Yeah, he agreed.

“Why do I want to cry?” he asked.

“Well, you have a few issues going on here. You have his brother showing up, and you have the no sex thing going on. You need to pick one and start there. For someone who wants no secrets between him and his fiancé, you have an awful lot of secrets going on.”

His brother had a point.

They could play Monopoly on their wedding night, and he’d forget about the sex.

It was a momentary lapse.

What he needed to do was get Steele to the altar.

That was his first priority.

“You’re right.”

“Mom and Dad are coming tonight. You really need to prepare Steele for what’s coming. You need to find that man and tell him he has a brother, and then give him some booze. Reggie is a pain in the ass.”

Oh, that was the plan.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Greyson saw the hopelessness in his brother’s eyes, and he opted to jump into the fray to help him out. That’s what a good big brother did.

“I will handle the other situation. You’ll have sex on your wedding night.”

He stared at his brother.

“You’re not my type. Now, if you get Dimitri really drunk and he’s willing…?”

Greyson smacked him in the back of the head for being a smartass. He knew for a fact that Dimitri was in no shape to be having sex with anyone.

He was an even bigger mess than his brother was at that point.

Only, Emma was handling that one.

Life used to be so damn easy.

“That you even went there shows how hard up you are, perv. I meant with your husband. You are NOT allowed to have sex with anyone we call brother. Clear?”

“You are no fun.”

Still…

He was curious.

“How are you going to pull that one off?” Dante asked. “You’re good, but you’re as big a pussy as me. You’re not going to walk up to my fiancé and ask him if he’s ever going to let me have sex with him again.”

He shook his head. “I’d rather eat my own arm then even practice that sentence in my head—let alone out loud. I’m going to pass this one off.”

“To who?” he asked.

Greyson smiled.

Oh, he had a plan all right, and if it went well, they’d have this fixed in no time.

He was going to give it to the only person who could handle a situation like this.

Emma.

He knew his wife.

She was perfect for the job.

                      * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

When he found his wife, she was in her office taking care of a few things. Hers and Steele’s manicure session was finally over. She was carefully trying to flip through invoices and not ruin her newly painted nails.

Greyson leaned against the doorframe, watching her. One of his favorite things was doing just that. There was something amazing about knowing that you had your soulmate, and she got you.

Emma Croft was his blessing.

Here she was, doing something so mundane, but it still stole his breath.

She had her red hair free, and she was wearing a sundress.

It reminded him of the days he was wooing her in Celestia. A barefoot Emma was a temptation he couldn’t resist.

She must have felt him staring because it didn’t take long for her to look up at him.

“What?” she asked, glancing up. “You have that pirate-y look on your face,” she said. “Are you here to shiver me timbers?” she teased.

He snorted. “Do I? More importantly, do you find yourself having these pirate fantasies all the time?”

It was her turn to laugh. “Yeah, I do. Do you need something?”

“Why do I need something to stare at my gorgeous wife?”

Call her paranoid, but her Croft caveman was up to something. She could tell.

Just because she wasn’t a cop, didn’t mean she’d lost her instincts. They’d just come off a shitastic case, and the whole family was practically reeling.

Emma and Greyson were playing healers, soothers, and big brother and sister to most of the people they loved. This wedding, or so she hoped, would heal a lot of the wounds that had been opened.

Mostly in Dimitri. On Monday, she and Greyson would be hopping a flight with Paris and Tessa to give them a sperm donation.

The family was growing.

As he watched her, she leaned back in her chair. “You’re either here to pillage me, or you did something bad. Were you in the bacon crab dip?”

He stared at her.

“We have bacon crab dip? Does that actually exist?”

She laughed. “Yeah, and it’s for the reception tomorrow. Don’t go looking for it, cholesterol boy. You didn’t eat a salad this whole week.”

He closed her office door.

“Maybe I wanted to see my pregnant wife, and maybe have a few sexy moments with her. You’ve been busy. We just came off that one case with the dead sex workers, and I feel a little neglected.”

She loved the twinkle in his eyes.

Her husband was quite possibly the sexiest man she’d ever met in her life. There was something so innately sexy about the way he moved. It was as if he were a big, sleek cat. She could write sonnets about his body in motion.

Granted, he was in his forties, and his hair was peppered with some gray, and when he smiled at her, his gray eyes made her wet. That was only some of his charm.

Yes, she was easy.

“All that talk about sex, and you didn’t get any, huh?”

He winked. “Oh, I got plenty. I can just use more. Are you busy?” he asked.

“I’m paying some venders. The flowers came, and the tents are here.”

He didn’t want to know.

Really.

This was not his thing. Men didn’t get excited about weddings unless it was theirs, and it wasn’t about the reception, but the honeymoon.

Speaking of which…

He had sex on the brain, and not his. Yeah, he came in here to talk about his brother’s sex life, but now he was thinking about his.

He was rock hard, and focused on her pretty pink toes.

“How was your manicure?” he asked.

“Want to check it out?” she asked, dropping her legs onto his desk. “I had a pedicure too.”

Oh, he was aware.

What also caught his attention was that his wife had just flashed him, and she wasn’t wearing anything beneath her sundress.

She had his focus, and it wasn’t on her toes.

“Maybe you can come over here and give me some of that sweetness,” he teased. “I’ve missed my sexy kitten today. You were up and out of bed before me this morning.”

She was aware.

Steele was a nervous wreck, and she was planning this whole shindig.

“I love you, Emma Croft, and not because you’re the most beautiful woman in the world or that you’re giving me a child. I love you because you’re the only woman who gets me.”

Her heart skipped.

She did get him.

Plus, Emma was madly in love with him and always would be. Some women didn’t dig bossy cavemen, but she did.

God!

She really did.

Emma did as he asked and crossed the room to stand before him. She loved the scent of his aftershave. It made her want to do crazy things with him.

Then again, she didn’t need it.

Greyson Croft made her insane with need, lust, and want. He had that power over her.

She moved closer.

Greyson couldn’t speak.

Instead, he ran his fingers through Emma’s hair, allowing the silky strands to run loosely through his fingers. The silky feel against his flesh made him giddy.

It called to him, as did her cute turned up nose. He wanted to spend all day worshiping this woman, and then all night doing it all over again.

“Mine.”

It was all he could manage.

“Yours,” she offered back, knowing how to get her husband all riled up. When you wanted to be dragged back to the cave to make fire, you only had to feed the masculine beast’s ego.

Besides, she definitely was his.

They’d had a rocky case where the outcome had nearly destroyed their tight knit family. Curtis was on the mend, his arm healing, and Dimitri was tied up in knots over a woman who didn’t care to stick around, after trying to kill him.

It was a hot freaking mess in their family.

“Kitten, if I don’t have you, I’m going to lose control,” he vowed.

Emma took that as her sign.

Well, if her king wanted his queen, who was she to say no. Emma knew exactly how to get him warmed up.

Pulling the dress from her body, she revealed that she wore nothing beneath.

He watched her, the silver of his eyes going molten in need.

“Jesus. I love my life.”

Yeah, she loved hers, too, because they’d built something amazing.

“I’m waiting, husband,” she offered.

Greyson wanted to touch her. He wanted to drop to his knees and worship the only woman in the world who ever truly accepted the man he was, inside and out.

No, he wanted more than that.

He was dying to feel himself buried in her body over and over until she screamed his name.

Only, it appeared his woman had other plans.

She reached for him first.

“Emma, don’t tease. My mother is coming here tonight and I have to write a speech.”

She wasn’t teasing.

This wasn’t about distracting him.

No.

This was about rocking his world, and hers too.

“I wouldn’t do that,” she promised, reaching for his shirt. With all her strength, she yanked, popping the buttons and tearing his shirt open.

“Touch me,” he whispered, watching his naked wife move toward him.

Oh, she was going to do that and so much more.

“I want your mouth on me.”

Well, if that’s what he wanted, who was she to deny it? Besides, she was pregnant, thinking about sex, and wetter than she’d ever been.

Emma made her move.

Kissing down his chest, she teased his pale nipples with tongue and teeth. When he moaned, trying not to have his legs buckle beneath him, she continued lower.

Her hands were on the button of his dress pants, and he was begging silently in his mind.

Greyson knew what he wanted.

Her mouth.

His dick.

Orgasms.

He was a simple man. His wife knew how to take him to that place where he could just be himself.

Wild.

Out of control.

Greyson Croft.

Emma knew that look, and she was giddy with the prospect of reaping the reward of all of his gym training with Chris.

They were both getting buff, and she had the need to crawl all over his body.

With eager fingers, she traced the lines and angles of his muscles.

“Teasing,” he warned.

She giggled in glee.

“Oh, this is me trying to figure out what to do next,” she said, dropping his fly.

His trousers fell around his ankles.

“I love a man in boxers,” she said, tugging them down. “Or out. I think I like out better.”

“You better not be thinking about any men but me, kitten, or I’m going to spank you.”

She grinned at him. “Oh, I only wish. You know how much I love when you get bossy in bed.”

Yeah, him too.

There was nothing as spectacular as his submissive wife beneath him and trapped. He could think of a million things he’d give up, just to have that one thing.

Emma dropped to her knees and stared up at him. Already, she could see how aroused and hard he was. His erection bobbed right by her face.

Yeah, her husband definitely was ready for some sex.

Someone wanted head—and in the worst way.

Greyson found her hair with his big hand, and pulled her closer. Yeah, he needed her mouth on him.

“Do it!” he hissed as she teased him with the tip of her tongue. “Blow me, Emma!”

She loved when he got all bossy.

Who was she to argue?

As she teased the tip with her tongue, she only played with him for a few more seconds before swallowing him whole. His entire body shook as she began making love to him with her mouth.

He watched as his erection slid between her lips, coming back out so slick that he wanted to explode.

It was one hell of a visual.

Thank God his wife was horny all the time from the pregnancy hormones. He loved her using his body as her own personal playground.

He focused on her red lips.

Croft was lost to that one visual.

The harder Emma worked him, the more vocal he became, begging, pleading, and offering the world if she promised to never stop.

That wasn’t happening.

They had so many years ahead of them. This was her husband, and they, like Steele and Dante were about to do tomorrow, had made a vow.

For richer or for poorer.

For better or for worse.

Until death do they part.

Those words meant something to everyone in their family. Marriage mattered.

To him.

To her.

The them.

Emma glanced up, and she knew he was close. His eyes had gone from their normal gray to the storm cloud color she loved. It meant he was close to losing control.

She loved a wild Greyson.

Half her time was spent fantasizing and coming up with ways to torment the hell out of him. The other half was about making those fantasies a reality.

When she set him free, he stared down at her. “I know you’re not done. I don’t believe my kitten made me cum.”

She had other plans.

Yes, she could push him over the edge, and he’d be ready to go again, but she wanted him wild, teetering on that edge. That was the beauty of her husband.

A wild Greyson was a storm she couldn’t get enough of in life, and she knew what she needed.

“Ask, kitten, and it shall be yours.”

Oh, he knew her so damn well.

“I want you to fuck me, Grey. Make me scream your name.”

That wasn’t as shocking as what was to come. That was what would catch him off guard.

He watched as his wife cleared her own desk with her arm, and then turned to hop onto it.

Holy shit!

His libido went berserk.

“Here. Now. Take me.”

Gone was that momentary surprise, and in its place were need and lust. The idea of taking his wife on her desk was just one more sexy fantasy he’d had stored away for a lazy day.

God knew he’d fantasized about this more than once.

Where didn’t he want to jump her?

“If my wife wants dick, she’s going to get it,” he said, hobbling toward her, with his pants still around his ankles, along with his boxers.

Emma giggled. “Come to momma!”

Oh, he could do that.

Grabbing his wife’s legs, he enjoyed the way she gasped when he yanked her to the edge of the desk.

“I’m going to enjoy every second of this, and for the record, I like having you naked beneath a dress. It makes me wild. Do it more often for me.”

His words sent shivers down her spine.

She didn’t get to speak.

Greyson drove his erection into her body, and she came from the force of it.

He held her down, her hands over her head.

Croft let her ride out the wave of pleasure as her body tried to lure his into the fall.

It wasn’t happening.

He wanted more than that. As soon as she was focused on him, he was going to start one hell of a ride.

“Greyson,” she murmured, her body awash in pleasure and goosebumps.

“Tell me what you want.”

“You. I want you, Grey.”

That was what he wanted to hear.

“Look at me!”

She did what he asked.

Her brilliant green eyes meeting his stormy gray ones were the window to both their souls.

“You’re mine,” she promised, as he began driving his erection in and out of her body.

“Emma, my sweet,” he whispered, keeping her pinned to the desk. His back was to the door, and he was furiously taking his wife. He was driving into her so hard that her desk was moving.

He couldn’t stop.

Emma couldn’t breathe.

As she was driven up, and back to the peak again, he leaned down to bite a nipple. They were so sensitive, she couldn’t hold on.

Emma came again.

Greyson pulled out, knowing he would lose it. What he wanted was more. He wanted her riding him and the visual of her bouncing above him.

That nearly made him cum.

God!

He loved his freaking life. It didn’t get any better than this moment, right now.

When she opened her eyes, he pulled her body from the desk, hopped on, and lifted her into his lap. She was on her knees on her desk, with his erection back in her body.

Now this was the view he wanted.

Greyson slapped her on her ass. “I need to cum, and you’re the only one who can make that happen. Hurry!”

Oh, she could do that.

She WOULD do that.

Emma took over. She rode him hard, letting the pleasure fill her. This was one of her favorite things to do in the world. She was riding her gangster.

It was his sexiness that got her off.

It was that scar on his cheek.

It was the way his big hands covered her hips, driving her down until she was impossibly full.

Emma knew how lucky she was in love and life. He was her reward for some good karma, and she was grateful.

“MORE!” he ordered.

That bossy tone sent electrical shocks through her body.

“Kitten!”

She kept riding.

It was moments like this that mattered. It was being able to come together as a couple and get off as one.

“So close,” Greyson admitted, as he watched her breasts bouncing. Her nipples were wet from where his mouth had tormented and teased her.

Greyson was focused on that.

It was mesmerizing.

“God!” she shouted, so close herself.

He left a slap on her one cheek, and it made her want to cum even more.

Croft leaned back, so he could get the full view. His rock-hard dick was sliding in and out of her body, and he could feel his balls tighten.

He was doomed.

Emma knew the way to push him over. He was going to explode. Only, he needed Emma to fall too. Greyson wanted her to feel exactly what he was feeling.

Pleasure.

Lust.

Love.

“Fall for me,” he whispered, knowing she was close. He didn't mind her using his body for all the pleasure he could offer. “Take more,” he begged.

She would give him what he wanted.

Emma wanted it too. The tingling had begun, and it was moving across her body. The orgasm rolled through her, pulling Emma under.

Somehow, she managed to stay on top of him, and the desk. It was a balancing act.

“Grey!” she shouted, as her body began breaking apart. She couldn’t hold on.

“Wait for me,” he hissed, his body so close to the edge. As her nails dug into his shoulders, that little kiss of pain was enough to make him lose focus.

It pushed him over.

With a guttural shout of her name, Greyson Croft came with his wife.

He came in her with one hell of an eruption.

They both tumbled into the pleasure, their bodies still connected as one.

She collapsed onto him, his erection twitching wickedly in her. He was breathing heavily.

So was she.

That had been….

AMAZING.

“Emma,” he muttered, oblivious to everything around him. His ears were ringing from the pleasure.

She nuzzled him as he wrapped his arms around her. They were both lost in that sexy afterglow that gave them that connection as a couple.

It was heavenly.

That’s when the unthinkable happened.

Greyson heard her, but it was too damn late to react. He cursed before she even opened the door.

“I don’t care what he’s doing! I’m his mother! I want to see my son, and you can’t stop me!”

Emma’s office door flew open with a crash, and there stood Reggie Croft in all her bossy glory.

Only, they were still naked and he was buried in his wife’s body, clearly visible from behind.

Emma, gasped.

Greyson got pissed.

It was going to be a damn long weekend with his mother around. It looked like a caveman was going to have to lock doors to keep from being barged in on.

Emma struggled to move, but there was nowhere to go. Greyson was still balls deep in her, Reggie was staring, and it got worse.

Reggie, that pain in her ass, wasn’t alone.

“Jesus! You have a bedroom!” Reggie said, closing her eyes. “You’d think you’d use it like a normal couple.”

Chris, who had tried to stop Reggie began laughing. He had so much he could say at that moment to bust Emma’s ass, but instead, he just snickered like a teenage boy getting a glimpse at some sexy porn.

“Christopher!” Emma said, glancing over her shoulder. “Get her out of here! Jesus! This is my freaking office!”

Greyson began laughing.

He couldn’t help it.

If this didn’t prove who owned Emma, nothing would. He didn’t care who saw him fucking his wife. If his mother was going to be rude, she’d have to deal with the consequences, and he would take Emma wherever he wanted.

Whenever.

However.

Honestly, his mother didn’t see anything horrible. He was still buried in Emma, and she was sitting in his lap. He was in the clear.

Chris and Reggie got to see her naked ass.

“OUT!” Emma stated.

Chris pulled the woman out, and he continued laughing as Reggie was mortified by what she’d seen.

When the door closed, Emma stared at her husband.

“What?” he asked, wiping his eyes.

“Is it wrong that I’m supremely happy that your mother caught us?” she asked. “She needs to learn this is my freaking castle,” Emma stated.

Oh, Greyson was beyond laughter.

He was NOT expecting that.

“Well, Chris saw you too,” he added.

“He’s not my issue right now. She is.”

Greyson was well aware.

Reggie was EVERYONE’s issue.

“She comes here and rearranges my furniture, criticizes Steele, and now this. If I want to ride my husband, on my desk, all day long, so be it!”

He wouldn’t stop her.

“That’s right, kitten. Teach her a lesson. Then teach me a few too,” he teased, his silver eyes glittering with amusement.

“I will! I can have sex in the kitchen.”

“Oh no, what will I do?” he asked.

“If you keep that tone, you’ll be the one watching,” she stated.

The laughter stopped.

“Well, then there will be a murder or two if I ever see that happening.”

She kissed him.

Greyson fell into the mating of mouths. While he wouldn’t mind another round, nor would his lower brain, company had arrived. Damn Dante for inviting their mother.

Speaking of his brother…

He’d had a mission, and like always, he’d gotten lost in the moment with his redheaded kitten. 

Greyson knew he had to get a hold of himself.

“Speaking of Steele.”

She stared at him. “Uh, we weren’t speaking of Steele. We were speaking of your mother. Plus, we’re naked, busted fornicating, and you’re thinking about a man? Back to my original question when you came in here. What do you want?”

Yeah, his wife knew him so well.

“Yeah, that’s why this is appropriate.”

She waited.

“Dante needs you to talk to Steele. He’s worried there won’t be any of this on his wedding night.”

She opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

Was her brother-in-law, by way of her sexy husband, asking her to talk sex with a gay man?

Really?

How was that appropriate?

Then again, these were the Crofts. Clearly, from Reggie’s entrance, they didn’t do appropriate.

Well, not often.

“So, when you get a chance, can you get the dirt and see if Dante has any chance of getting laid?”

Emma shook her head.

“When the hell did I lose control?” she asked.

Greyson kissed her on the nose.

“Right about when you said ‘I do’,” he offered.

Yeah, she figured as much.

“Greyson! I can’t ask Steele if he’s up to sex with your gay brother on their wedding night! That’s like him asking me what position you like best.”

And that was why he was passing the buck. While Emma was queen, he was still king.

He grinned. “Yeah, you can.”

“Why should I?” she asked.

Greyson knew why.

“If you handle that, I’ll handle my mother and keep her away from you. You know she’s going to lecture you about how you just molested me in your office. I didn’t stand a chance. I am her precious baby boy.”

She stared at him and lifted a brow.

“Please? You know you don’t want my mother up in your wedding-throwing plans.”

He had a point.

His offer was more than enough. Emma didn’t like Reggie and how she thought she owned Greyson. Plus, the woman didn’t know she was expecting.

That would be a free for all.

If he kept her away…

“Deal.”

He grinned. “I seem to still be horny. Apparently, my mother catching us turned me right on.”

She shook her head.

“Not happening, Greyson Croft.”

“Are you sure?”

She climbed off his lap, grabbed her dress, and pulled it on. “I’m pretty sure.”

“Wait!” he said, staring at her. “You’re not going to go talk to Steele like that,” he said, in horror.

And here was where she had her fun.

“Oh, yes, I am.”

“EMMA CROFT!”

“You also get to find Chris and beat him up. He saw my ass, and my breasts. He’s a self-proclaimed ass man. You have your work cut out for you. I’m sure he’ll be working on some sexy, inappropriate fantasies.”

Greyson sputtered like a teakettle.

Emma just smiled.

Who was laughing now?

Emma knew how to work her sexy cave-Croft, and she always would.

Chapter Two

W hen she found him, he was in his and Dante’s bedroom. He looked a little bit frazzled too. When Emma entered, he turned really fast.

“Is she here?” he asked, that look on his face. She recognized it, since everyone had it at one point when she crossed their paths.

Yeah, Emma knew who he meant. Everyone was dreading the mother-in-law-zilla. Reggie, while she meant best, was a pain in everyone’s ass.

She was bossy.

Pretentious.

And she could turn on you at a moment’s notice.

Emma knew that one personally. At first, Reggie liked her. Now…she was the bane of the woman’s existence. Apparently, Emma had brainwashed her oldest son.

Clearly, she didn’t know Greyson Croft.

“Yeah, Hurricane Reggie just blew into port, but I know what will make you laugh,” Emma said, closing the door and hopping up onto the bed.

“What?” Steele asked, putting on the eyepatch so he could avoid any comments about his appearance. He was pretty sure there would be a few.

There always were.

They’d start simple, and then she’d really turn them up and start shooting out the less obvious ones.

She was a mean woman.

Reggie reminded him of his mother, but a little less nasty. She was only an eight on the one to ten scale.

Camille was a raging twenty.

Steele was a nervous wreck about meeting Reggie again. The last time, he was a whole person. Now…

Not so much.

Steele felt broken.

Damaged.

And Reggie would go right at that. She’d do anything to talk her son out of marrying a man. She wasn’t exactly gay friendly.

“I was in the middle of fornicating profusely, on my office desk…”

“With Greyson?” he asked.

She stared at him.

“Uh, who else?” she asked.

He laughed. “Sorry. I’m distracted. I’ve got Reggie on the brain. What happened? You were getting your girl on…”

She continued, “When who barges in and sees the whole end of the sexy Croft rollercoaster?” she asked.

“NO!”

He covered his mouth.

“Yep. She caught us in flagrante delicto, and with my bare ass there for the world to see.”

He started laughing.

She was right.

Steele did feel better all of the sudden. “Did she flip out?” he asked, laughing with Emma.

“Uh huh. To make it worse, Greyson was still…sheathed.”

Steele snorted. “Now I’m getting overheated. I visualized that.”

Good.

If he was thinking sex, it was a possibility.

“So, not only does Reggie know what I look like riding her son, but now Chris knows what I look like naked too.”

He snorted. “You made his day. He’s going to save that one for some hand action later.”

Yeah, she was aware.

They may be brother and sister, but Emma knew Chris still had a little thing for her. She was a safe place in a turbulent life.

It was a crush.

“I would have died,” he admitted, still laughing.

It was time.

Emma was going to do the deed her husband dropped in her lap.

“Speaking of getting all sexed up, do we need to go shopping for the wedding night?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

He stopped laughing.

Well, shit!

She was going to kill her husband.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

Emma had to broach this carefully. Steele was still damaged, and she knew he might need a gentle hand to help him through all of this.

“Well, you either have sex stuff for the wedding night, or you don’t. So…do we need to go shopping?”

Steele needed a friend.

Emma had always treated him with kindness and respect, and that was before he was on the cusp of becoming family. He trusted her.

He had to.

“I am scared shitless, Em. God! I want to throw up just thinking about that.”

Emma took his hand in hers. His fingers still were angled from where Dominic had his goons smash them. The doctors had tried to fix them, but you couldn’t put screws in finger bones. They tended to have to heal on their own.

Thus, why, his career was over.

Well, that and he was buried alive. His fear of death was understandable.

“Why, Steele? What has you so freaked out? Talk to me, and maybe I can help.”

“I was damaged, Emma.”

She knew he’d been sodomized and hurt beyond any scope she could imagine, but she needed to help both men.

Sex mattered.

It kept a couple grounded.

It was a way to reconnect when the world got to be too much to bear.

“Okay, let me ask questions.”

He trusted her. Emma was always his rock.

“Okay.”

“Do you still get all hot and bothered by your soldier boy?” she asked, trying to make it a joke to keep it light. She knew Steele had PTSD from his abduction. She didn’t want him freaking out and canceling the wedding.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to get down and dirty with Dante? If you just don’t feel it anymore…?”

He stopped her.

“More than I can even tell you. I love him so much, and I miss that intimacy. I know he keeps telling me sex doesn’t matter, but I know it’s a lie. I know he’s…”

How did he put it?

“He’s servicing his own needs, and trying to do it so I don’t notice. That tells me it does matter, and now I’m afraid I can’t give him what he needs.”

That broke her heart.

It really did.

Emma wanted to weep for the man. She wished she could go back and save him from Dominic.

“Have you tried?”

“No.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because what if we try and I freak out? What if we try and I can’t…you know?”

“Want to do it?” she teased. “Want to take a different Croft for a spin?”

“Oh, is Greyson available?” he teased back. “Send him in. I’ll let him kiss my boo-boos any day.”

She snorted.

“Ouch. You got me. I’m chopped liver.”

Steele leaned back and closed his eyes. Emma joined him, resting her head on his shoulder. She’d done this a lot when he’d moved back into Terrace Glen.

She was the one who comforted him.

She’d been the one who stayed with him when he was afraid to be alone.

She’d been his stand-in mother, of sorts.

Emma played that role a lot.

Besides, he’d been brutalized, and he felt safe around her. She was a woman, and Steele knew she’d never expect anything from him.

“You know you’re not chopped liver. If you had a dick, you’d be my guy.”

She snorted.

“I just pictured that. It was all kinds of wrong.”

He laughed too. “Yeah, I pictured it, too, and now I feel really dirty.”

They took that moment to just be silent. Emma was giving Steele Bentley time to find his bearings.

“Thank you, Emma.”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“So, do you want to go get some kinkery for your wedding night?”

He was fidgeting.

“If you can’t do it, tell me to butt out.”

“Well, I would like to get something sexy. Dante has this one fantasy.”

Emma grinned. “Do tell.”

He told her all about it, and he was flushed at the time. There was no doubt in her mind that Steele still wanted his husband-to-be.

That made her mission easier.

“How about we sneak out, hit the porn shop, and get something for your soldier, and mine?” she asked, holding his hand in hers.

“Just us girls?” he teased.

Emma stared down his body. Steele had an erection, and she knew he was functioning.

“Uh, you say girls, but someone’s little soldier is saying something totally different.”

He burst out laughing. “I needed that, and yet, it’s a little embarrassing you just checked out my man parts.”

She snorted. “Well, a sexy man, is a sexy man.”

He needed that too.

That reaffirmation helped.

“Emma, I love you. I can’t wait for you to be my sister. You’ve…”

He couldn’t even express it.

She wiped the tear from his cheek.

“I have you, Steele.”

“You’ve helped me through so much. I owe you everything.”

“Molest your soldier on your wedding night for me. I need help taking those sexy Croft boys down a notch. If you can do that, I’ll be good.”

He laughed. “Deal.”

She tugged him up from the bed and to the door.

“I’ll make Chris come with me. You know, to be my bodyguard.”

“He’s going to bust your ass for seeing you naked.”

“Yeah, and I’m going to torture him in the sex shop. One good ass busting deserves another. Plus, we escape Reggie until dinner time.”

That was the best part of everything she’d said so far.

He was dreading that moment.

It was going to suck.

Big time.

Greyson found his mother downstairs having a glass of wine. Beside her, Christopher Croft, his father, was sitting.

He knew he was going to get read the riot act one way or another, so he was ready for it.

Besides, he’d made a deal with his wife, and for Emma, he’d take it.

“Hello, mother,” he said, heading straight for the wet bar to get a drink.

He had a feeling he was going to need it in the worst way. There was a reason everyone in their family was hiding. Normally, they’d all be in there.

Unfortunately, his mother was enough to scare them away.

“Dad, do you need a refill?” he asked.

“No. I’m good, son.”

Greyson poured a BIG glass of bourbon. It appeared it was time to get his drink on.

The fun was about to begin.

“Greyson?” she asked.

“Yes?” he still didn’t turn. He practically chugged a third of his pricey bourbon to prepare for the charade.  

She stared at him.

“There was a time when you’d greet me first,” she said, “or at least be standing at the door when we pulled up. You know…to show us how much you missed us?”

Yeah, he would have, but she’d ruined that by being bitchy, controlling, and starting her shit on Emma.

She was the queen here.

Not his mother.

While Reggie gave him life, Emma gave him everything else he needed to survive. She was his all.

“Well, Mom, had you not barged into Emma’s office while we were having sex, I would be happier to see you. That makes me angry despite who the person is.”

Christopher Croft began choking on his beer. “Reggie! You did not!”

“How was I supposed to know that she would be naked and on our son? They were having sex on a desk, Christopher. How undignified!”

And it began.

“Because she’s my wife, and that’s how I like her,” Greyson stated. “For your information, not that it should matter, but Emma was working. I accosted her. If you had been ten minutes earlier, you would have found our positions flipped and me on top.”

She made some disgruntled sound as if she were replaying it over in her mind.

“In my day…”

He stopped her.

“I once came home from school to find you naked and dad shouting, ‘make it count’!” he stated. “You weren’t playing basketball in your bedroom. Also, I recall him having to clean his handcuffs more than once, so, mother, stop and think about what you’re going to say to me next.”

She got red.

Christopher Croft laughed. “No, we weren’t, and I still have to...”

When she gave him a look, he patted her on the leg, but wisely, shut up.

Chris entered the room. “Uh, sorry to bother you,” he said, trying to keep a straight face.

“Yes?”

“I’m heading out,” he said, putting on his body armor. “Emma and Steele need to run out.”

Greyson tossed him the keys to Emma’s ride. “Make sure she’s safe,” he said, patting the man on the back.

“Will do. Natasha is going to be following. Dimitri is…busy.”

Yeah, that was code for being cranky.

Ever since the last case, he was as miserable as sin. It was starting to wear on everyone’s nerves. Before, he’d be silent but present. Now, the whole team was picking up the slack. Marissa Pierce did a number on him.

“Thanks.”

Chris threw his suit jacket over his body armor and grabbed Emma’s purse.

“Don’t bust her ass,” Greyson warned.

“But it was such a nice ass. Were those handprints on her cheek? Maybe we should dust her for fingerprints.”

He laughed.

They could swab her for DNA for all he cared. Emma was his wife, and a man had every right to get his girl messy.

“Tell her that. Let’s see what happens,” Greyson said, grinning at him.

If he did…?

The man was dead.

Emma was going to get even, and it was going to be epic. He almost wished he wasn’t stuck with his mother so he could see it happen.

“Where is she going?” he asked absently.

“The sex shop.”

It was Reggie who choked on her wine.

“She said something about buying Steele and Dante one hell of a wedding gift.”

Greyson knew the man was kidding, but he wasn’t fond of Reggie either. She kept asking him what it was like to be that big.

Chris was sensitive about his size. He was a brick wall, but no one liked that one thing you tried to ignore to be pointed out.

“Great. Tell her to get me something fun for when we’re in the kitchen. She’ll know what I mean.”

He saluted and tried not to laugh.

When Chris was gone, his mother opened her mouth to say something, and he shut her down.

“Don’t.”

She stared at her son.

“Why not?”

“I don’t need to hear you tell me I shouldn’t trust my wife with another man, or that sex toys are dirty. I’m the head of the mob here, Reggie. I get to be dirty. I was clean before, and it wasn’t as much fun.”

Okay, it was, but he’d never say shit to his mother about anything related to their mob life.

It wasn’t her business.

“I wasn’t going to discuss your sex life.”

Greyson stared at her.

“I was going to ask you why the whole world, including all of my friends, are calling me and asking why the hell you’re involved in this mob thing?”

He took a seat with his bourbon, and opened the humidor for his father as he considered what to say to that.

They both took a cigar.

Since Emma and Katerina weren’t there, he could smoke. He missed his kitten prepping his cigar, but they weren’t risking the baby and second hand smoke.

“They are probably telling you that, Mother, because I am the mob. It’s not some made up story on the news. It’s fact.”

She stared at her son as he flicked the lighter for his father. The man puffed away on the pricey cigar.

“Greyson Thaddeus Croft, I didn’t raise you to be some mob gangster. I raised you better than this. You were a cop. Can’t you go ask for your job back?”

Already, she was on his nerves.

His career weighed heavily on his shoulders. He’d lost his badge, Emma tossed hers, and he had to pretend he was a criminal.

Seriously.

His mother was pushing it.

“Mom, I love you, but stop. You’ve been here thirty minutes, the housekeeper has been crying, the chef has told me you’re not allowed in the kitchen, and Emma and I have been found fornicating. There’s not enough bourbon in this house to get me through the next two days if you keep it up. My liver will need to go to detox.”

Christopher Croft laughed.

His wife…not so much.

Dante took that moment to walk in, and then stop in the doorway when he realized who his brother was talking to in the living room.

Then he saw her.

“Shit!”

“Watch your mouth, Dante Atticus Croft! You know better than that. What the hell happened to you two? I raised you and then you went downhill when you came out here.”

Dante rolled his eyes.

He had news for her. He was gay the day he was born, and he’d been having sex, not with the neighbor’s daughters, but their sons.

If he told her that, she’d lose her mind.

Maybe…

On second thought…

“Hey, Mom. You’re here…EARLY,” Dante said, taking the glass of bourbon from his brother and kicking it back.

He headed to the bar to pour two more.

They would need it.

The family who got drunk together, didn’t embarrass each other at the reception dinner.

Right?

“You should pace yourself,” Reggie said, as he drank more. “You’re turning into an alcoholic like your brother. In fact, you’re just like him.”

Greyson spoke up, “I’m not gay. I like pussy.”

Dante snorted, nearly choking on the bourbon.

“Yeah, and I like dick. I know that can’t be confusing. I’m like you, he’s like dad.”

She pointed at him. “Watch your mouth! I’m just stating a fact. He drinks too much, and so do you.”

“I would cut back, Mom, but Greyson and I have a game. Each time you tell us what to do, we have to drink. I’m two fingers in, and feeling fine.”

Croft laughed and gave his brother a fist bump.

Reggie didn’t look nearly as amused.

“I don’t know why I bother coming here. You two gang up on me.”

Greyson took a drink.

Reggie stared at him, almost daring him.

“Mother, I’m almost forty-three years old. I think I can handle my own life. Tell your friends that I’m fine, and not to believe the news.”

“Are you killing people?” she asked.

He hesitated, but not for the reason she was thinking. He wanted to really freak her out, but Greyson knew Emma would get the shittiness.

“Nope.”

Okay, so he lied and she knew it.

Sue him.

Dante took a seat.

“Where are we having dinner?” Christopher Croft asked, as he tried to calm everyone down by changing the subject. That happened often. It was his unofficial job.  

“Here,” Greyson stated.

“Why?” Reggie asked.

“Well, Mother, it seems that when you play mob, people try to kill you. We’re not all carrying guns, sporting bodyguards, and wearing Kevlar for shits and giggles. I was afraid if we went out, you might get shot.”

“By me,” muttered Dante as he took another sip.

She closed her mouth.

“You should come home.”

Her silence was short lived.

“Since you married Emma, you’ve changed.”

He knew this was coming.

“Mom, do you know what I did in the military?” he asked, taking a sip of his bourbon.

“What?”

“I killed people. I was a sniper. I’d sit on a ledge, watching a person until I blew his brains out with one bullet. That was done for my country, and about forty times, so, this is actually better. Emma calmed me down. I don’t kill as easily.”

Reggie stared at him with her mouth open.

“When you were a cop,” she began.

“I killed ten people in my ten plus years with the FBI. So, again, I was killing. See the theme here?”

That’s when Dimitri walked in.

“Emma just left with Chris,” he said, staring down at his tablet.

When he looked up, he smiled at Greyson’s mother. “Hello, Mrs. Croft. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said.

She didn’t say anything.

It was clear what she thought of the man. He was Russian, and she was putting two and two together to get ten.

“When is dinner?” she asked.

“Seven,” Greyson offered.

“I think I’m going to go lie down,” she said, heading toward the stairs. “I have a headache, and a very large pain in my ass,” she stated.

Greyson put his hand over his brother’s mouth before he could say anything.

He knew Dante.

The man was likely the one to set Reggie off over anything. He just had that skill.

Or gift.

It was a tossup.

When Reggie was gone, Christopher Croft had to know.

“How bad is it, son?” he asked.

Greyson respected his father.

The man had taught him how to be a good cop, and he was pretty sure he was disappointed in him, but never once had he ever said it.

“We’re barely holding Vegas above water. I have a precinct of crooked cops, a commissioner who wants my wife dead, and the FBI is breathing down my neck even though we solved half of their biggest sex trafficking case. This place is a free for all.”

“You aren’t killing people, are you?” he asked.

Dimitri cleared his throat.

While Ethan Blackhawk had called off the Feds, there was still one suspicious van outside.

It was better to err on the side of caution in this case.

“Dad, let’s just say I have a better chance of turning up dead than anyone who crosses my path.”

He didn’t like that.

At all.

“Son.”

“Emma’s pregnant, Dad. We haven’t told everyone. We need to keep it quiet. If it gets out…”

His father got it.

“Don’t tell mom. Please. She’ll tell her friends, someone will sell the story to a tabloid, and she’ll be in danger.”

He got it.

“When I gave Curtis our name, he became a target. He is still recovering from that bullet wound. He’s finally able to move around. I don’t need to start buying stock in caskets. I have to live with what happened to him. If they find out that Emma is carrying a baby, she’ll be next.”

“I won’t tell your mother.”

That was exactly why he loved his father.

“I’m not a bad guy,” Greyson said. “We aren’t doing what we do to get notoriety, money, or fame.”

He patted his son’s leg. “Greyson, I know you. There is no reason why you have to tell me that. I can look into my boy’s eyes—both of my sons—and see the truth. It’s why I wasn’t shocked when your brother came out, and I wasn’t shocked when the media started calling you the Don Juan of Vegas.”

Dante snorted. “Emma hates that name. It implies you’re getting pussy all over town.”

Oh, he was aware. Go into two strip clubs while working a case, and you got a rep.

It sucked.

Still, he appreciated what the man was saying.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“Fight the good fight, son, and make sure you stay alive. I don’t buy into the media. I know the kind of man you are. I’m not embarrassed to say you’re my son. I’m proud of you.”

He looked at Dante.

“And you…”

Dante waited for it.

“I have never loved you more. You’re just like your brother. I knew you’d find your niche. I’m proud of you, too, Dante. For the record, and if my opinion counts, I happen to like Steele. He’s a good person. When I was a cop, the ME I always worked with was a kind, smart man. What he did…day after day, week after week—it takes a badass person to dig in guts all day. I’m good with calling him my son-in-law.”

Dante got up and went to his father.

“Thank you, Dad. I love you.”

Christopher Croft hugged him. “I love you too. Now, let’s go smoke these cigars down in the man cave. I want to play some pool, get liquored up, and hide from your mother.”

They knew where they got it from.

Him.

So, that’s exactly what they did.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Smut Hut

Las Vegas

They were getting their kink on, and it was going to be fun.

As Chris pulled up, he tried to do anything not to go inside with Emma.

There were excuses.

Lies.

Anything but handcuffing himself to the steering wheel. It was clear the man did not want to be seen inside.

It was a sex shop, and she was…

A woman.

On top of the fear of his bodily reaction to Emma perusing sex toys, there was his big one.

Steele was gay.

They looked like some wacked out threesome that was seven days past confused.

Despite his fighting, Emma won.

All she had to do was put her hand on her belly, and he caved. Of course he would. She was pregnant, and Chris needed to keep her safe.

It was a no win for him, and he knew it.

Inside the sex shop, they were met with stares. Everyone knew Emma. She was the head mob man’s babe, and she was in a sex shop but not with Greyson.

Yeah, this was going to be fun.

It was also going to be on the news by morning.

As she walked around, she found every inappropriate item she could find, just to torment him, and she made sure to hold it up, ask if it was his size, flavor, or personal favorite item.

IT WAS HORRIFYING.

When she tossed him a cock ring, he nearly had a stroke. The idea that she was thinking about his man junk, in that, made it all kinds of uncomfortable.

He swore he was going to get even.

“You should buy this for Natasha,” she said, grinning wickedly at him as she held it in her hand.

He stared at her. “It’s a collar.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Then she put it on.

Chris, while in a relationship, was still a man. Of course his mind was going to go there.

He saw her naked.

Now she was wearing a collar…

He turned red.

“Emma, knock it off.”

“What? You saw me naked, so you either have to let me see your birthday suit, or you have to tell me about your sex life.”

He sputtered.

WHO MADE THAT SHITTY RULE?

“Well?” she asked, waiting for him to answer.

Chris wasn’t playing this game.

It was awkward.

Before Natasha, he had it bad for Emma. It embarrassed the shit out of him, and she knew it.

“We have a very active sex life. There is no way in hell that you’re seeing me naked.”

She snorted, and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Christopher. I’m glad I have you as my brother.”

He held her hand—the one not holding a bottle of lube.

Despite it all, Chris knew he was the lucky one. Emma filled that hole.

“What are we doing here? You don’t need kink to get Greyson to jump you. He does that all the time.”

She pointed at Steele as he walked around the store.

Great.

What was worse than thinking about Emma doing it?

Thinking about Dante and Steele doing it. They were on an adventure in Gay-Land, and that made him all different shades of uncomfortable.

And now he was picturing it.

Jesus!

What the hell?

“He needs a pick me up. So, we are going to help him. He’s worried about…”

She pointed down.

He got it.

He’d seen the police report and what was done to the man. It broke his heart. Not only had he lost his eye, the use of fine motor skills in his hands, but he’d been sodomized with a baseball bat, and likely Dominic’s goons. They’d found traces of semen all over him.

For that alone, he and Greyson wanted blood.

Hell!

The whole family did.

“Okay, I’m in,” he said. “Let’s go make a gay man feel good.”

The woman behind them gasped.

Emma laughed so hard she nearly peed her pants.

Chris, not so much.

“I will get even for this,” he said, pointing at her. “One day, I’ll need a favor.”

She would be there for him too.

As they headed his way, Steele, picked out a few things that he could use for his wedding night.

“Try this one,” the woman who worked there said, heading their way with samples of lube.

Steele and Emma dipped their finger in and tasted it.

“I like it,” she said. “Greyson likes cinnamon. I want that one.”

Chris closed his eyes. “This is my worst freaking nightmare. The only way it gets worse is if my girlfriend walks in and starts tasting lube with you.”

“I can call her…”

Chris pointed at her. “I’ll kill you myself. Don’t pervert my girl. I like her as she is!”

She snorted. “Try this one,” she said, sticking her finger in the lube and holding it out.

“I am not licking lube off your finger, Em. I’m not doing it no matter what you do.”

She snorted. “Bock, bock, bock.”

She dipped her finger in two different ones. “Come on, Chris. Lighten up. Everyone left. No one likes to be around the mob boss’s wife. It’s just us.”

He rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. “I’m ready,” he said, with his tongue sticking out.

Emma let him taste it.

“Nope. That’s nasty. I wouldn’t lick that off anything—even you.”

Steele laughed.

Emma appreciated Chris taking one for the team to amuse Steele. She really did owe him one.

Emma held out her finger and he tried the second one.

“Fruity, like you two. Go with that one. Nothing says I’m gay like fruit flavored lube for the wedding night.”

Steele laughed.

He genuinely liked Chris. He was a good person beneath the tough exterior.

“So, banana it is.”

“This is all kinds of wrong,” Chris said, rolling his eyes.

“We’ll take three.”

Chris stared at Emma. “What the hell do you need three of them for? A drop will do you, Emma. Are you stocking up for the next century?”

Oh, she knew why.

“One for me, one for Steele, and one for you and Natasha.”

He turned red.

Then more red.

Finally, she thought he was going to blow, and not in the good way.

“Your husband needs to lock you away. You’re out of control.”

“Again, you saw me naked, and by the way, girls talk about sex with each other. Way to go, Mr. Stud. I know all about the heat you’re packing, Mr. Ex-Cop.”

He went white.

“What?”

She grinned and winked at him.

Chris still didn’t know if she was serious or kidding. With her, you couldn’t tell.

Now he had to ask his girlfriend not to tell Emma about their sex life.

It was…awkward.

Steele handed her a vibrator for the collection of things she was buying. “Natasha would like this.”

Chris closed his eyes and began praying.

Or counting.

They couldn’t tell if he was asking for divine intervention or patience.

While he tried to keep calm, they headed toward the sexy lingerie.

“Oh, you need this,” Emma said, grabbing the silk lounge pants. “Feel those,” she said, rubbing them against Steele’s arm. “They feel like Heaven. Picture them rubbing against bare, sexy skin.”

“They’d be perfect,” Steele admitted. Plus, they’d cover him up. That was his big fear. From where he stood, he looked almost normal. But he needed a second opinion.

But who?

That was his issue.

Chris was behind her. “I actually like those. This place may not be a total loss.”

She knew he was a good sport. “Picture yourself lying in bed, Nat with you, and you wearing these.”

She rubbed them on his arm next and it actually gave him goosebumps.

He grinned. “Sold.”

“Then again, commando would be best, Mr. Big.”

He yanked on her hair. “Brat.”

Steele grabbed a pair in sexy red. “It’s Dante’s favorite color.”

“I am learning way too much about all the people fornicating at Terrace Glen.”

Steele got quiet.

“What?” Chris asked.

Emma had tears in her eyes.

“What she’s not telling you is I’ve been too afraid to have sex after the abduction.”

“Oh,” he said. “I’m sorry, Steele. What can I do to help?” he asked.

Steele shrugged. “It’s all in my head, I guess. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

Chris touched his arm. When Steele turned around, he hugged the man. Chris knew sometimes you needed to feel safe—especially Steele.

He’d been a cop, and he knew what survivors of rape went through. Chris watched him hide behind Dante, or if he wasn’t around, Greyson or himself. The man simply wanted to feel protected, and technically, that was his job.

So, for him, and Emma, he’d hug a gay man in a sex shop.

It was the least he could do.

“You’ll be okay,” Chris said, rubbing his hand up and down Steele’s back. “It’s only sex. Just try not to stress it. I bet Dante is just as worried as you are.”

“He is,” said Emma. “He’s nervous too.”

That helped.

“It’s only sex, right?”

Chris grinned. “In those pants with that lube…you just need to lay back and let it all happen.”

Steele laughed. “You may be right.”

He headed across the store to find something else. As soon as he was gone, Emma went up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the lips.

“You’re a good man, Christopher. Natasha is a lucky lady. If I wasn’t married, I’d be chasing you down.”

He dropped his arm over her shoulder. “If you weren’t married, I would have stolen you away two years ago,” he teased.

She felt safe, too, and that mattered.

As Steele rushed back at them, he had something in his hand. “You have to taste this!”

“What is it?” Chris asked.

“Edible underwear.”

Chris shook his head. “And here is where I draw the line. I will suck lube off Emma’s fingers, I will shop for britches with a gay man, but I am not eating someone’s edible underwear, and you can’t make me.”

Emma knew Steele was still nervous. “I’m in,” she said, taking a bite. “Oh look! A candy G-string.”

She held it out to Chris.

He glared at her.

Then he opened his mouth, took a bite, and chewed. “Watermelon.”

She snorted.

“Okay, it’s not as bad as I thought. I would eat those off Natasha. There. I said it. I’m a panty eating perv.”

A woman stared.

“EMMA! You said we were alone,” he hissed.

“She’s short. I didn’t see her behind the chaps. Hey, do you need a pair of those?”

He pointed at her.

She got it. His ears were red, and he was one pair of edible panties away from having a stroke.

God!

She loved this town.

“I think you’ve had your fun,” he said to her.

And she had.

“I love you both,” Emma said, linking her arm through each of theirs to stay connected. “Let’s go check out. I think we’ve created enough of a spectacle.”

Chris agreed, but on his way past the display, he tossed a pair into Emma’s basket when she wasn’t looking.

He always did like watermelon.

Sue him.

He was a sucker for his family.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Terrace Glen

When they got back, all three of them were laughing. Emma was between the two men, and they were all holding hands. Even Chris was amused.

Greyson met them in the foyer with Dimitri at his side. It appeared that everything had gone well.

“Well, someone had fun,” he said.

“Yeah, we shopped,” Emma stated. “At the ‘Smut Hut’,” she offered, wiggling her eyebrows.

He loved that store.

“What did you buy?” he asked, rubbing his hands together, lecherously.

Emma handed him the bag, and he peeked inside. “I love my wife.”

Dimitri tried to look over his shoulder. “Come on! Share with a single guy.”

Greyson closed the bag. “Nope.”

“You’re mean.”

Chris pulled off his Kevlar and dropped it onto the foyer table. He was glad to get out of it.

“You didn’t miss much. Emma made me lick lube off her.”

Greyson stared at his wife. “I’m sorry, what did my wife have you do? I know I had to hear that wrong. It sounded like he said…”

She snorted, grabbed her bag, and pulled the edible underwear out.

It was time to even the score. No one riled up her cave-Croft.

NO ONE.

“Chris, these are yours. I think you got them for Natasha for later.”

He went red.

So did Dimitri.

“I’m not going there,” the Russian said, glaring at the man. “Put them away!”

“What? Sometimes, I need a snack.”

Steele began laughing.

As did Emma and Greyson.

Dimitri…

Yeah, no.

“Thank you all for this. I was nervous, but now I’m good. Where’s Dante?” he asked Greyson.

“Oh, about halfway through a bottle of Jack with my father. Reggie has struck again.”

“I’ll go save him,” he offered, giving Emma a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for today. You made it easier. I’m ready for tomorrow night.”

He headed off.

“Again, why were you licking lube off my wife?” Greyson asked.

Chris shrugged. “Steele needed comedic relief. Emma and I tend to be that when we’re together,” he admitted. “She’s bad when we’re out.”

Emma winked at him.

“It made his day easier. We all have days where we need a friend.”

Yeah, they all knew that.

In that case, Greyson was willing to take one for the team too.

“I’m going to go get ready for tonight,” Emma said. “Dinner is at seven, so everyone be ready for it,” she said, heading up the stairs.

Greyson was a smart man.

He followed.

Dimitri held out his hand.

Chris handed him the edible underwear.

“I meant the keys. I have to run into the city,” he said, shaking his head.

“Do you want company?”

He shook his head.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Dimitri,” he said, getting his attention. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. “If you want to talk, I’m here. What I said about Steele also meant you. If you need a friend…”

He didn’t want to talk.

He didn’t want a friend.

Dimitri wanted to be left alone.

He was miserable. When Marissa basically told him to fuck off, he’d had to give up on the hopes and dreams that he’d one day have what everyone else had.

He was on his own.

And it sucked.

“I need to do this alone.”

“Hooker?” Chris asked.

Dimitri stared at him. “And if I am?” he asked, waiting for the lecture to start.

It never came.

Chris patted him on the back. After nearly being killed by Marissa, he knew the man should be more careful, but that wasn’t his business.

“Just be careful. Your brother is gunning for you and us. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

He was surprised that was his comment.

Chris had come a long way. He’d given up the past, knowing that he was no longer a cop.

“I’ll be okay. I’m heading to the hotel, and then ‘Aquarius’. I’ll be back by dinner.”

Chris watched him leave.

“Where’s my brother going?” Natasha asked, stepping around the corner.

“He needs to be alone.”

He covered for him. It was part of their bro code. The men in that family had each other’s backs, and it mattered.

“Oh, I see.”

He knew Natasha was well aware what he was going off to do, but still, the man deserved some privacy and not having people watching him with suspicion.

It was time to distract.

“These are for you,” Chris said, handing her the edible underwear.

She blushed.

“Are these for sex?” Natasha asked.

There were days where he loved that he was the only man she’d ever been with. It made it one hell of an adventure.

“Yes, you can eat them, which is what I plan on doing, right before I dine on my favorite thing. You.”

She flushed.

“If you’re free, I am,” she said, going up on her toes to give him a kiss.

Was he free?

Hell yeah!

He definitely was available and horny.

Having a girlfriend was a pretty sweet deal, and Chris was going to make it count.

“Yeah, let’s go give them a try.”

Natasha took his hand, and they headed out to the pool house to be alone.

While they had a chance.

Chapter Three

Hotel

Saturday

Four P.M

H onestly, he didn’t give a shit what her name was, or what her story happened to be. Before, he would have cared, and he would have tried to save her. Well, that was the old him. As of late, Dimitri was just angry, bitter, and empty.

Screw the world.

That was his new motto.

The more he thought about Marissa Pierce, the more he wanted to hurt someone.

Himself.

Her.

Anyone who crossed his path.

She’d cozied up to him, used his body to get off, and then she’d walked away.

It had been brutal.

On top of that, she’d stabbed him in the fucking arm. Still, he’d given her a shot.

Why?

After watching everyone pair up and find happiness, he was the odd man out.

It sucked.

Yes, he had sworn he wouldn’t take the hooker route anymore, but he was so damn lonely.

His heart hurt, and he wanted to feel.

At this point, he’d do anything.

So, he was back to hookers and call girls.

After making the call, he got his customary room at the hotel. He made sure he had condoms, and time.

That was all he needed.

When she arrived, he’d have someone to take his mind off of everything.

That was what he wanted.

Dimitri needed to forget.

As he sat on the side of the bed, he stared at his phone. A part of him wanted him to reach out to her, and a part of him wanted to tell her off. He knew how to contact her, but he had to let it go. Finding her contact number, he stared down at it.

She was free.

She was burying her sister, and starting her life over. Now that Marissa’s mission was over, he had to let her go.

Dimitri hit the delete button.

Now he was starting over too.

Alone.

He couldn’t forgive her for leaving.

She came back, stabbed him, slept with him, and then left. It didn’t even bother her that he had feelings. He felt so used.

Granted, it was all understandable. His brother had killed her sister. He’d tortured and destroyed her.

What had he expected?

A happily ever after?

Really?

Had the Crofts brainwashed him that much?

At the knock on the door, he knew it was time.

Going over, he pulled the door open, and he saw who Stephanie had sent him.

Honestly, she wasn’t his type.

She looked too young.

Well, he was feeling that bad about himself that she’d do. Why not sink all the way to the bottom of the barrel?

“You called for me?” she asked, staring up at him.

“Yes, I did. Get naked. Let’s get this over with.”

Dimitri walked away and began stripping as he went. He threw the money down on the bed stand and dropped his pants.

“I like men who move fast.”

“I like women who don’t talk. Shut up, blow me, we’ll fuck, and then get out.”

She stared at him.

“Um, okay.”

Dimitri sat on the bed and she dropped to her knees. When she stroked him, he laid back and stared at the ceiling. As the escort blew him, he felt…empty.

It wasn’t working.

The harder she tried, the more she failed.

He couldn’t get off.

It wasn’t the same.

“You’re tense,” she said.

Yeah, he was a lot of different things, and now he was going to be a bastard.

“This isn’t working.”

“What’s wrong? Don’t you find me sexy?” she asked, climbing up his body to straddle his hips.

He found nothing sexy anymore.

He was officially broken.

“Fuck me. You’ll feel better,” she said, pulling off her tight shirt to reveal her breasts.

Dimitri stared at them.

Finally, he gave up and touched them. She felt fake, just like the interlude.

Rolling fast, he pinned her beneath him.

“That’s right, baby. Fuck me.”

That was about what she was going to get, and Dimitri knew he wasn’t going to be gentle.

He couldn’t be. That part of his compassion was empty. He had no love for anything anymore.

So, as the girl who could barely be eighteen was pinned beneath him, he broke his own cardinal rule.

He took her.

As he was above her, pounding himself into her body, a million things went through his mind.

Hate.

Rage.

It was all there.

He was rough.

He was brutal.

He had no mercy.

When she whimpered in pain, and she actually begged him to stop battering, he did.

To flip her over and take her ass.

He drove himself into her, glad he couldn’t see her face. He didn’t want to think about who he was fucking.

Raping.

He just needed to go deeper into the loathing.

She struggled against him, and he finally got to the edge. As she begged, he didn’t care that she wasn’t enjoying it. She was nothing more than another whore from the streets of Vegas.

She wouldn’t be saved, and neither would he.

As he got to the edge, he began calling her every name in the book, only it wasn’t this woman.

It was the one who left.

As he got ready to come, he yanked her head to the side and bit her.

She began crying.

Only then did he cum, exploding into her in wave after wave of anguish.

His pain.

Her pain.

It was all on his shoulders. He bore it all, and the weight was staggering.

He’d also fucked her bare. It had been suicide, and he knew it.

He rolled onto his back, leaving her body. She was battered and bruised, and for the first time in his life, he became his father. The man he’d raged about had finally won.

Dimitri had hit rock bottom. He thought he’d already done that with Marissa, but he’d been wrong.

He was there now.

“Get out,” he said, pointing at the money.

The hooker pulled down her skirt, she grabbed the cash, and she headed out the door.

He felt horrible for how he treated her. Only, he couldn’t save himself. How was he supposed to save her?

Dimitri sat there, inches from the phone, and he couldn’t do it anymore.

Picking it up, he dialed her number from memory.

When she answered, he said one thing.

“I need you. Please.”

“I’ll be right there.”

He hung up.

And Dimitri waited.

For someone to care.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Terrace Glen

Steele found Dante hanging out with his father, and he was grateful it was just the two men. He really wasn’t up to seeing Dante’s mother. He just wanted to keep the peace before their wedding.

Heading across the game room, he gave his fiancé a hug and stayed against his body.

“Hey, babe,” Steele said.

Dante smiled at him as he nuzzled his cheek with his own. “You’re looking all chipper, honey. I’m going to say you didn’t see my mother.”

He laughed.

It was clear everyone knew he was avoiding the woman, and the way Dante’s father joined in, even he got it.

“No, I didn’t see her. I’m happy because I was shopping with Emma and Chris.”

“Oh, did you buy anything?” Dante asked, trying to peek into the bag.

“Uh, honeymoon.”

He got it.

The word sent shivers down his spine. He couldn’t wait to get to that point, and it sounded like Emma did her thing.

Dante was going to kiss her next. He owed her one.

“Not even a clue?” Dante asked, keeping his arm around his fiancé.

“Let’s just say that I think you’ll like some of the things I found.”

Dante could only imagine, and he likely would. In fact, he didn’t need anything for the honeymoon but the man he loved.

So, to express that, he kissed him.

Steele stayed in his embrace, and lived in only that moment. The kiss was slow, soft, and filled with love. He could taste bourbon and cigars on Dante, and it offered him this warm sense of calm.

It was peaceful.

It was HOME.

When Dante finally set him free, they were eye to eye, and nose to nose. “I can’t believe I’m finally going to marry my best friend and soulmate tomorrow. This is my dream come true, Steele.”

His heart skipped.

Christopher Croft came around and patted both men on the shoulders. While he wasn’t upset that his son was gay, he did know what Dante had done, and the two men needed to be alone. Dante had to learn that being in a marriage wasn’t always easy, scripted, or fun. Sometimes, you had to face the rocky part down and deal with it.

Speaking of which…

“I’m going to check on Reggie. Hide.”

They laughed.

When he was gone, the mood got somber, and fast. Steele could feel it. Something was stressing Dante out. The man was normally easy going, calm, and relaxed.

Somehow, he didn’t think this had anything to do with Reggie being there.

Now he was worried.

“What’s wrong?” Steele asked. “You’re keeping something from me. I can see it in your eyes.”

And he could.

There was a storm brewing there. The Croft men were an open book when you stared into that silver storm.

“Do you want to back out of the wedding?” he asked, trying not to be sick.

Yeah, this was bad.

Dante knew he had to tell him, and soon. They were running out of time, and if his fiancé was already assuming that, they definitely had a problem.

“No, babe. I don’t want to call off the wedding. I need to talk to you,” he said, leading him to a couch in the mancave. He sat down, and Steele joined him.

“Then what’s wrong?” Steele asked, trying to keep from weeping.

“I did something, and I hope you don’t hate me for it.”

That scared Steele.

A million possibilities went through his mind, but the one that stuck out the most was that he’d had an affair.

Why wouldn’t he?

Steele was damaged goods, and he wouldn’t blame him. They’d had zero intimacy for months because he was afraid.

In his mind, he began making promises. If Dante didn’t leave him, and if he didn’t cheat on him, he’d make this right. Fear or not, he’d begin fixing his shit.

The man had been so patient the last few months, and he’d been hiding in his abduction and the PTSD.

Steele stared at him.

Dante was nervous.

“What could you possibly do to make me hate you?” he asked. Then he asked him the one thing that he knew would destroy what they had. “Did you cheat on me?”

Dante was appalled by his question, and that everyone thought that was even a possibility.

“NO!”

Steele didn’t get what could be the issue. “Then what, babe?”

Here went everything.

“Remember Vonda Herron?” he asked. “She was the woman who had the affair with your father.”

Oh, he remembered.

“Yes. I remember her.”

“Right before you were taken, I found something out, and I didn’t tell you.”

Steele was feeling sick.

He leaned back on the couch and braced himself for it. Anything that had to do with his mother or father was going to suck.

That was just from every single one of his past experiences.

“What?” he asked, blinking at his fiancé with his one good eye. He wanted to pace, get sick, and run—and he didn’t know why.

“Steele, honey, your father had another child with Vonda. You have a sibling.”

He didn’t know what to say.

This was like a sucker punch to the solar plexus.

“And you’ve known this long and decided today to tell me because I’m not nervous enough that tomorrow we get married?”

Dante felt like an asshole.

“I wanted to tell you, but you’ve been struggling. I didn’t know…”

He stopped.

“Just say it.”

“I didn’t want you to leave me. I was afraid you’d freak out and dump me again. When you were saved from that hole in the ground, you couldn’t deal and left. I assumed you’d do it again, and I can’t handle losing you again.”

Steele understood why he was afraid. He had done that to him, but now, he couldn’t believe this.

He had a sibling?

“Is it a male or female?” he asked.

“You have a brother. His name is Bentley Herron.”

Wow.

Just…wow.

“Where is he?” he asked.

“He’s in Vegas. In fact, I contacted him, and he’s coming here tonight to meet you. It was sort of my wedding gift to you, but then I got worried that you’d be upset. I didn’t want to freak you out in front of the family by dropping this into your lap. I just thought you deserved to have someone here, other than a Croft. You deserved to have blood by your side.”

Steele’s eye filled with tears.

“Oh, babe, I’m sorry,” whispered Dante. “Don’t hate me. I’m sorry. I can call him and tell him not to come. I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

Steele looked up at him. “Hate you? Why would I do that?”

“He’s part of your father and your past. I didn’t know if you’d be happy, or…?”

He kissed him.

It was heated, filled with love, and wilder than he’d been in a long time.

Dante didn’t know what the hell to do, but hold on. As his fiancé drove the kiss, his whole body began waking up.

It was amazing.

Dante came to life, and the long dormant need began ebbing to the surface, filling him with heat.

Hands began wandering, there was heavy breathing, and finally, Dante moaned.

Steele set him free.

“How could I be anything but madly in love with you for what you did? You found me family.”

Then he thought about it.

Family.

His family had sucked.

Would his brother suck too?

“Does he want to meet me? Really meet me?” he asked.

Dante couldn’t speak. He could barely think after that kiss. He simply nodded.

Steele grinned. “I have a brother.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Tell me about him,” Steele practically begged. “What’s he like? How old is he? Do we look alike? Is he nice? What does he do?”

Dante had to stop him so he could begin to answer all of those questions.

“He seems great. I only met him once, so it was a first impression. It was at a café. He’s a college student in his last year. He’s studying medicine.”

Steele smiled. “He’s smart, like me?”

Dante nodded. “He has your eyes, and you both look similar. He’s got dark brown hair, like his mother, while you have the black hair from your father.”

Steele was intrigued.

“He’s coming tonight?” he asked.

“Yes, to meet you, and I invited him to the wedding tomorrow. I figured you’d want someone to be there for you too.”

He hugged him. “I love you, Dante.”

He took his face between his palms and stared into his eyes. “Steele, I love you so damn much. I’d do anything for you. I just want you to be happy.”

“I am. I’m marrying my best friend, I have the love of my new family, and I found out I have a brother. There’s nothing that can destroy my happiness.”

And that’s when he spoke too soon.

Dante heard his mother bitching on her way down to the mancave.

He grabbed his fiancé and pulled him toward the closet. Once there, he shoved him inside and joined him.

There, he placed his hand over his mouth.

“Where is Dante?” Reggie asked. “I wanted to talk to him about this wedding.”

Christopher Croft didn’t know. “I left him down here. Maybe he’s with his fiancé.”

“I’m never getting grand babies. I can’t believe this. Both sons have dropped the ball.”

“There’s more to life than grandchildren,” he offered. “You may have to come to the realization, Reggie, that your kids may not want children. They have to make their own choices.”

“Our one son is gay, and the other is in the mob. We went wrong somewhere.”

Dante wanted to head out and tell her off.

Instead, Steele wouldn’t let him go. In his ear, he whispered. “Don’t do it. We can get through this. She’ll make Emma miserable.”

That was the only reason he stopped.

His fiancé was right. Reggie would aim this at her, and they all knew she was pregnant.

Emma didn’t need the stress.

“It’s early. Why don’t we go swimming before dinner?” Christopher offered, trying to calm her down. He could see the trouble coming. While he loved his wife, she was accustomed to being the boss.

Here.

She wasn’t.

It drove her insane that her boys didn’t need her mothering anymore. He both hated her reaction and sympathized.

He was stuck in the middle.

“Fine. I’m in a bad mood,” she said, as she let her husband lead her out of there.

In the closet, the two men didn’t move.

“I kinda like it in here,” Steele said, nuzzling Dante’s cheek.

“Do you?” he asked, wrapping his arms around his partner. “Want to make out a little while? She won’t find us in here.”

That sounded perfect.

Plus, for the first time, in a while, Steele was actually interested in the act of fooling around.

“Emma and I found some fun things,” he said, bringing up the sex store, again, to his fiancé.

“Like?” he asked, praying.

He whispered in his ear, as he rubbed against him.

Holy shit!

Dante knew one thing. First, he was going to kiss his brother for getting Emma to talk to Steele, and then he was going to enjoy being married.

He was going to get his sex on.

Once again.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Twenty Minutes

Later

Downtown Vegas

When she got the call, she was worried about him. As soon as she hung up, Emma made Greyson drive her to the hotel so she could handle it.

It wasn’t like Dimitri to call and need to see her, especially since his brother was still out there and gunning for them. Viktor Marchenko was a bad man, and they were all wearing the crosshairs on this one.

That meant one thing.

Something bad was going on.

So, as she headed to the hotel room number that he’d given her, Greyson went elsewhere. He wasn’t the one who’d been called, and Emma really believed that Dimitri needed her care.

So, he would head upstairs to the penthouse suite that they owned until she needed him.

She was likely going to have her hands full.

Greyson wasn’t surprised. He’d seen the change in his friend. He’d stopped being consistent with security, and he’d been a lot more irritable since Marissa Pierce broke his heart.

This was definitely coming.

He wasn’t shocked he’d reached for Emma. She was mothering all three Gideons with all she had. They seemed to need it more than anyone else at Terrace Glen.

He could live with that.

For his family, he’d share his wife’s heart.

Greyson kissed her on the lips. “I love you. If you need backup, call me. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll come down to check on you both.”

“I’ll be okay. I have to help him. Someone has to do it, Grey,” she offered.

He knew who that person was going to be.

Croft headed toward the elevator, leaving his wife to do what she did best. It was in her hands.

As Emma knocked on the hotel room door, she heard him call to her.

“It’s open.”

She entered and needed to gauge how bad he was. “That’s what got you stabbed last time,” she offered. “Maybe you should switch it up a bit and lock the door.”

There was no response.

Yeah, this wasn’t good. Dimitri always joked around with her, and he was good natured.

Now, nope.

Once inside the posh hotel room, she found him, and like she suspected, he wasn’t in good shape.

Dimitri was sitting on the edge of the rumpled bed, his head in his hands, and the energy around him was bad.

The room smelled like cheap perfume and sex.

Jesus.

What the hell had happened?

She immediately went to sit beside him, and his wall came down. Dimitri didn’t lean on anyone, but as of late, Emma was his one person he trusted.

She’d gotten Kat and Curtis married and was mothering her.

Natasha loved the woman, swearing she was a miracle worker when it came to love.

And now Dimitri needed her.

“Emma, I did something,” he whispered, afraid to look up at her. He was never ashamed before about hiring women to satisfy his needs.

Now he was.

What had he done?

“It’s okay, Dimitri. Just tell me what happened,” she said, even though she pretty much could tell without him saying a word. His shirt was open, his hair was a mess, and he looked haunted.

Then there was the rumpled bed.

“I…”

He couldn’t do it. His brain couldn’t wrap itself around what he’d just done. Not only had he paid another hooker, but he’d been abusive during the sex.

“I am him.”

Emma put her arms around him. Dimitri was always so strong, and he was a killer, but beneath it all, she knew the truth.

He was a boy who had to grow up way too fast.

And he’d missed the most important things in life.

Love.

Tenderness.

Kindness.

“It’s okay, Maximillian. You aren’t him. You aren’t your father.”

At the use of his real name, it all crumbled around him. The pain was too much. He needed someone to pull him back up. Never in his life had he been so freaked out by his actions, and that was saying a lot.

He’d killed for a living.

Now this one act of sex was threatening to undo him. He was at rock bottom, and he didn’t know how to even begin.

“I hired another a hooker. I’m so angry. It’s eating me alive. Then I hurt her.”

Okay, that didn’t sound good. There was no blood in the room, and there wasn’t the telltale scent of death, so she was assuming hurt didn’t mean kill.

Thank God.

“What do you mean hurt?” she asked.

“I raped her.”

Emma couldn’t believe that.

She knew this man, and that didn’t seem possible. There was no way he’d do it. She’d trust him with her child’s life, and she knew he wasn’t that kind of man.

“Are you sure?”

“I paid for her, I took her, and I didn’t care if she hurt. I’ve become him. I am just like my bastard father.”

She knew she had to get this under control, and fast.

“Did she tell you no, Dimitri?”

He shook his head.

“Did you leave marks on her?” she asked.

“I bit her.”

Okay, this wasn’t as bad as she’d thought. It sounded like rough sex. That wasn’t the problem. He was trapped, and she needed to reach him beneath all his self-loathing.

“Did she walk out alone?”

“Yes.”

It was time to get to the root of the issue.

“Marissa?”

Her name was the only thing she had to say.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Are you doing this to punish yourself, Dimitri? Is she really the one?” Emma asked.

He wasn’t sure. “I don’t know.”

“Can I just point out the obvious?” she asked.

He nodded again.

“Everyone I’ve ever met and talked to has said one thing when they fell in love. They said they knew. You don’t. Maybe, you’re putting all your hopes on one person, and she isn’t deserving of it.”

“How can she love me? My brother killed her sister. I couldn’t love her if it were reversed.”

“Then it was never love, Dimitri. That’s the point. If she loved you, really loved you, and you her, then this would be something you both fought together.”

He listened.

“You might have felt like she COULD be the one, but she may not have been.”

He wasn’t sure if that gave him hope or made it worse.

“Emma,” he whispered.

She held him. On that rumpled bed, smelling like another woman and sex, she took care of his heart and soul. Her hands gently caressed his back, offering him peace. The whole time, she could feel the vicious, healed scars from his father as a small child.

He was a mess.

Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“I let her in.”

“And?”

“I regret it.”

There.

He’d said it. Truth be told, he’d gotten attached to the idea of Marissa.

They’d slept together, and they’d started something.

Then she’d walked away, and his ego was damaged by it. He was supposed to be impermeable to all kinds of pain like this, and here he was, broken.

“You may have to let her go in here,” she said, touching his head.

He was aware. Dimitri was pretty sure she wasn’t coming back. She took her sister’s body, and they headed out. Dimitri checked.

She’d landed in Raleigh, and that was it. Could he find her?

Yes.

Would he?

No.

Dimitri just needed someone to help him. Emma came, and he’d lean on her, like he had before.

“Thank you.”

Emma leaned back, and they both laid on the bed.

Then it hit him.

“I had a hooker here. You shouldn’t…”

She stopped him with a kiss to his lips. “Shhhhh. Just let me hold you. You’ll feel better.”

He did.

Emma had that magic touch. She made everyone feel safe. She also held everyone’s secrets.

Like a mother.

God!

He loved her so much for that.

“Greyson is lucky,” he said. “I’d kill to have what he has. I hope he never forgets it.”

She laughed. “I tell him how lucky he is every day. He should be reminded.”

Dimitri smiled.

“I tell you what. When he tosses me over for some younger babe, I’m all yours.”

He grinned and his heart felt a little better. “Deal.”

Emma let him rest his head on her shoulder.

“Am I like him?” he asked out of the blue.

“No.”

“You’ve never met him, so how do you know?” he asked, thinking about the monster who had sired him.

“Because as a cop, I’ve seen many people like him. You aren’t a bad person. You’re just hurting. You didn’t sleep with a hooker tonight with the need to hurt her, you did it to feel. There’s a difference.”

He listened.

“Look at the man who hurt Sam.”

He didn’t say anything.

“You took care of it. That was violence done out of love and protection. Did your father ever try to protect you and Katerina?” she asked.

“No.”

“Would you let your friends rape her?”

He wanted to be sick.

“Never. I’d die first.”

“Does that sound like him?” she asked.

It didn’t.

“You’re good at this mother thing. Your child will be lucky to have a mom like you, Emma.”

She held him tighter.

When you loved someone, and they struggled, that’s exactly what you did.

Dimitri was a good man buried beneath a shitload of self-hate. That was his only problem.

“You will be okay, Dimitri. With time, you’ll be fine. I promise.”

“I can’t handle much more.”

She could tell. She only hoped that fate cut him a break. She’d get him through it the best she could.

“Why does love hurt?”

Emma brushed the hair off his face. “It hurts to remind you how precious it is. When you find it, and you’ve been hurt before, you never forget to cherish it.”

“I’ve hurt a lot.”

“You have us, Dimitri. I know you look at all of us, and think you’re alone, but you’re not. You have me, and Greyson, and everyone else. We have you.”

He relaxed.

The tension released from his body.

He needed this.

“Why did you get rough?” she asked.

Emma knew he’d have to face his demons.

“I was angry, so I called Stephanie and hired an escort. She came, and I couldn’t get off. Her mouth was all over my dick, and I couldn’t do it.”

Dimitri knew he should be embarrassed to be saying any of this to a woman, but Emma was different. When he talked to her, Dimitri felt safe.

“I got angrier.”

Emma let him talk.

“Then I took her. I was rough. I’m not that man, Emma. I saw him. I saw that bastard, and it scared me.”

She kissed him on the forehead. “You are entitled to feel, and I’m betting you didn’t hurt her as much as you think you did.”

He hoped she was right, but still, he was an asshole.

“I was rough with a woman. That’s not me. She barely looked eighteen.”

And here it was.

Dimitri, a man who saved young girls had used one and felt horrible. Now Emma got it.

“Does Stephanie employ girls, who are underage?” she asked.

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Then she was likely eighteen.”

God!

He hoped so.

If not, then he’d…

Dimitri couldn’t even think it.

She hugged him to her body, and he didn’t hesitate to take that offered affection. He pressed his body against hers in hope that some of her peace would seep into him.

Dimitri needed her to chase the darkness.

“You are a good man, Dimitri, and you’re entitled to hurt. Rough sex isn’t abusing her.”

He let that sink in. Then, he really dropped the bomb.

“I didn’t use a condom.”

Oh, that worried her.

“Honey.”

“I know. I have a death wish. I am feeling so lost right now. It was stupid.”

And just what his father had done.

He’d spread his seed all over that small town in Russia, and look what it had gotten them.

He had a homicidal brother, trying to kill him.

“Can I ask for something?” she inquired.

After all she did for them, he’d die for her. Asking for something was nothing to him.

“Anything, Emma.”

“Stop with the hookers. You’re looking for something that’s only going to make it worse. You have to see value in you so you can heal.”

He listened.

“You save them because you feel bad about what you’re doing. I can always tell when you come back from a hooker hunt. You’re darker, angry, and broken over it.”

She was right.

He loathed that weakness.

“Sometimes, I just need this,” he said, as she held him. He could live without sex. It was important, but he’d learned things mattered more. Dimitri simply craved that connection to someone. His life had been lonely.

Yes, he’d raised his sisters.

Yes, he had a family.

He still had no one to just hold him when he was struggling.

This was what he longed to have in his life, and he couldn’t figure out how to get it. Buying sex hadn’t helped.

So what was left?

Emma made him look into her eyes. “Then you come find me, and you can have all the affection and hugs you want. I’ll always hold you when you are hurt, Dimitri.”

“And when the nightmares come?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“You can always wake me up. I’ll sit with you. I’ll crawl into bed and keep you safe.”

He closed his eyes.

“Lucky bastard. Do you have a cousin? Aunt? Old grandmother?” he teased.

She laughed. “Yes, he is, and no, I don’t. I’m the last Starling standing.”

He spoke to her in Russian.

Emma handed her love back.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Do you feel better?” she asked. “Do you feel like you can get through this?”

“I need a few more minutes.”

She gave it to him.

Emma laid there with him for the next ten minutes. Neither spoke, but she could feel his body language change.

He wasn’t tense.

The anger was dissipating.

Finally, he spoke, breaking the silence.

“You should call Greyson to come get you. You have Steele and Dante’s dinner in an hour.”

“Are you coming?”

“I don’t think so,” he said.

“Then I’m staying with you. They’ll understand. I’ll send Greyson. You’ll be doing me a favor. I can avoid Reggie.”

“I can shoot her.”

She snorted. “Oh, how I wish I could take you up on that offer. I might just leave my caveman for someone who could silence that monster for me.”

He laughed and didn’t buy it for a second. Emma Croft was madly in love with her husband. She’d die first.

Still, it was sweet of her.

“Would you really give up tonight for me?” he asked, his voice carrying that Russian accent he tried often to hide.

“In a heartbeat. Greyson would too.”

He needed that.

Dimitri needed to know people would have him, and he didn’t have to be the strong one. It was a lesson he was continually learning.

He grabbed his phone and sent Greyson a text. “He’s going to arrive. I should let you go. It’s bad enough I have you in a bed where I just had a prostitute, but I’m holding his wife.”

She didn’t care, and she knew her husband. Their lives had depended on this man, and he’d never let them down. Dimitri had saved them all a few times.

Giving him this…

It was a small concession.

So, Emma held on.

“He won’t be angry. I know him. He’s worried about you, Dimitri. We love you.”

He loved them too.

At the knock on his door, Emma called for her husband. “Grey, it’s open.”

Her husband entered.

On the bed, he found Emma holding Dimitri. He wasn’t shocked. He knew the man was suffering.

Walking in, he took a seat beside Dimitri’s legs. His hand went to his friend’s hand.

The Russian was watching him with guarded eyes. He expected there to be some comment.

Greyson gave him one.

“I love you, Dimitri. You are our family. You’ve saved us, and now you need to let us save you.”

That staggered him.

It wasn’t what he was expecting.

Emma was special, but now he was seeing the truth. With this man, his friend, his brother, and his partner, he could let him see what he was fighting.

Dimitri let his guard down so much that they saw the pain. His eyes filled with tears and that hopelessness shone through.

“Please save me. I’m lost.”

That was all he had to hear. Greyson did something that the man had never expected. He climbed onto the bed, taking a position behind Dimitri, and he wrapped his arms around both of them.

“I have you, brother. I have you.”

Dimitri, for the first time in his life felt something.

He felt safe.

He did what he said.

In that hotel room, after fucking a hooker, he found what he’d been looking for all his life.

He found someone to do the protecting.

For him.

He found people who loved him, and who would never let him down.

And it bought him some time.

Until he could find real love.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Across Vegas

Bentley Herron was really nervous. As he got himself ready for the rehearsal dinner, he was worried that his brother wasn’t going to be open to meeting him.

His brother’s fiancé had been pretty clear.

Steele didn’t know he was coming.

Was this the kind of surprise you wanted on your wedding night eve? Would he welcome him with open arms, or was this going to damage any chances he had to connect to his half-brother?

He was worried.

Still, Bentley had always wanted a brother more than anything. He knew the story of his past, and how he’d been the product of his mother’s love of a married man.

He knew his father had been murdered—left to rot in the ground, but he wanted to find the man who’d helped find him.

He wanted a relationship with his blood.

It mattered to him.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Vonda Herron asked, as she watched him picking out a tie. “The Bentley’s don’t really like me. Camille would rather see me run over by a lawnmower than to see any happiness.”

“Did Steele ever say he didn’t like you?” he asked, being the logical one. His mother ran on emotions. Ben had learned that wasn’t always an option.

Sometimes, you had to think things through, and for this, he had.

“No, but Camille, your father’s wife…”

“I want nothing from her or them. I only want to meet my brother. I want to see him. I need to see him. When it’s all said and done, Mom, this isn’t about her or you. It’s about us.”

She got it.

Vonda never had any more kids. Bentley had been named for his father’s family out of love and respect, and memory. When her true love in life had died, she’d given up that hope there could be another. She’d loved Bentley’s father with all of her heart.

“I hope they don’t hurt you.”

He didn’t care. Bentley wanted to meet his brother. He was getting married, and he wanted to tell him he supported him.

Hopefully, the man wouldn’t hate him for the sins of their parents.

Bentley didn’t make his mother have the affair with a married man. He’d had to come to grips with that on many occasions. What he wanted was a relationship with his brother, and nothing more.

This wasn’t about Bentley money.

This wasn’t about Croft money.

This was about two men who were screwed over the day they were born, and he wanted to fight to make it right. He wanted his brother in his life.

“Are you okay with him being…you know?” his mother asked, not saying the word.

“Gay?” Bentley offered. “Is that what you’re saying?” he asked.

“Well, yes, it’s pretty high profile.”

He was more than okay with it. He would love his brother whether he was straight, gay, bi, or trans. This was his brother. That had NOTHING to do with who he slept with in bed.

This was about blood.

“I don’t mean to upset you,” Vonda said, seeing the look on his face.

“I’m not upset, Mom.”

And he wasn’t.

His generation wasn’t as offended or bothered by it, and he could tell his mother was worried that maybe it was contagious.

“Are you worried that there’s some gay genes hidden in my DNA?” he asked, fixing his tie.

“A little.”

“Mom, I’m not gay, so you can stop worrying that I picked up the homosexual gene from the Bentley family pool. I like women.”

She relaxed.

It made him laugh.

“I just want my brother to know I love him. I want to get to know him, and I want…”

“What?”

“I want a relationship with him where we can talk on the phone, or get a beer. I want to be there for him when he needs me, and I want him to be there for me one day when I get married.”

She understood that.

And she respected her son.

“Well, I hope you have fun at the Croft party. Just don’t get shot, killed, or anything else. He’s the mob, Bentley. Your brother is marrying the mob boss’s brother. That’s dangerous.”

He didn’t care.

He was blood.

“I’ll be fine. I’m going to be a doctor, like my brother. I’m going to look into eyes that match mine, and I’m going to see someone I’m connected to for the rest of my life. I have someone who will be my sibling.”

She gave him a kiss.

“How do I look?” he asked, turning around.

She straightened his tie and tucked it into his suit. “When I see you, you look like your father when he was younger. I’ve seen pictures. You’re handsome, and you look like your brother too.”

That made him smile.

“I won’t be home late.”

“I’ll stay up. I can’t wait to hear all about it,” she said. “It’s an adventure, and even though I was the mistress, I want to hear all about them.”

She was right about the adventure part.

He couldn’t wait.

“It is going to be something,” Bentley said, giving her a hug.

He’d been brother-less for too damn long.

And that was about to change.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Terrace Glen

Almost Seven

Rehearsal

They were all in the garden, waiting for everything to begin.

Dante and Steele were standing at the makeshift altar, which had been set up beneath the one tent, and they both looked a little nervous. It appeared to be pre-wedding jitters.

In the chairs, the rest of the family was sitting down as they watched the rehearsal for the big event. This wasn’t the first wedding for the family, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Dimitri was beside his two sisters and Sam, and they were each flanked by the men who loved them.

Katerina was rubbing her hand over her belly, trying to soothe the baby as her wounded husband sat beside her, his arm in a sling.

Curtis was looking better, and for that they were grateful. Bed rest, a fulltime nurse, and the best medical treatment had helped him along.

Was he back to perfect?

No, but he’d only been shot less than a week ago. It was going to take time.

Natasha was holding her boyfriend’s hand as she kept leaning into Chris to whisper in his ear. He was grinning and whispering back.

It was a beautiful thing to watch.

They’d found each other, and it was perfection. Chris Ford had his girl, and the girl had a man who would protect and keep her safe.

It was going to be a bright future.

If Kat, Nat, and Dimitri’s brother didn’t get to them first.

Dimitri, who was earlier a mess, was now calm because he had the most amazing family in the world. Yes, he and his sisters went through hell, but here was their prize for being strong.

They had love.

It was a beautiful thing.

He also had a child who was relying on him. Sam’s adoption had been rushed through with a little help from Greyson, and he was now part of the Gideon family—and the Croft family too.

The boy no one wanted had found a safe, stable place to call home.

But he wasn’t happy.

Sam was bitching, but not about being adopted, but because Emma had told him he had to wear a tux the next day.

Everyone knew he didn’t really mind, but he liked to bust her ass. It was sweet. He was adjusting and finding his place in their world.

Their families were happy.

And growing.

Paris Archer was sitting in a normal chair, after he’d strolled down the aisle with his wife. He was still trying to stand for longer periods of time, but it wasn’t easy. He knew if he fell, his family would catch him.

After all, they’d done so much. Tessa’s first invitro fertilization with Greyson’s ‘borrowed’ sperm was in two days. They’d be heading back to NY, the big man himself in tow, to give his donation.

Emma too.

She was onboard and supporting them.

It was insane that, someday, they were going to have a child—thanks to the family that had taken them in. With the legal paperwork all handled, they were on the fast-track to getting pregnant.

Maybe they’d have more than one child.

Only fate knew.

Yes, it was a little weird that the baby would be Tessa and Greyson’s, but Paris knew that blood only went so far. Family was chosen, and that mattered. He could raise a child that wasn’t his and love it just as much.

For his wife.

For him.

For that child.

Beside him sat Tessa, and for the first time in a while, she was smiling.

It was beautiful.

She saw the light at the end of the tunnel, with his kind offer to allow them to freeze some sperm, they didn’t have to rush and panic.

There was time.

It was also special that if they had multiple children, all of them would be biologically related, and because they were technically Greyson’s, they’d be well taken care of in their futures.

That had been part of the agreement.

While they weren’t his, they were.

Greyson Croft wanted to ensure they had every opportunity his child would have. It had been Emma’s idea, and it proved she was on board.

As Dante and Steele stood at the altar, flanking them were the two ‘best’ men. One was Greyson, and he stood there for his brother.

Beside Steele was not a man, but Emma. She was smiling and already sniffling up a storm.

They were going to witness the wedding and stand up for the two men.

As the minister walked them through it, there was a lot of laughter. Then again, with this group, there always was.

Dante was trying to make Steele laugh, and it was working. Now he could joke around, simply because if he didn’t, he’d weep.

It had been a long road for them.

For the longest time, he believed it was never going to happen. He’d nearly lost Steele to death twice, and that was something he’d never forget.

Each moment was precious.

Their small, intimate affair was full of family. Sitting behind the Archers were Greyson and Dante’s parents. They’d quietly came in and watched them practice.

Christopher Croft was smiling.

His wife was not.

Reggie was bawling, and no one believed it was because she loved a wedding and was happy for the couple.

The woman was hell on wheels, and they all knew it. She wasn’t happy with anything that the family did.

Greyson being the mob.

Dante being gay—only she didn’t have the balls to say it.

Emma’s closeness with so many men and how she was in control of the family.

For Reggie, it was a nonstop battle. It was her way or the highway, and that didn’t work for any of them.

Greyson loved his family.

And he loved his wife.

There was no way he would let his mother usurp this wedding, or his wife. There were rules, and she would have to comply.

Or…

It would get ugly.

Speaking of his wife, he was blowing her kisses and wiggling his eyebrows at her.

It made her smile, and that made his heart skip.

They had love.

Their hope was Dante and Steele would have it too.

What really excited him was that they also had their wedding coming up in a couple months. Yes, Emma would be pregnant when they walked down the aisle, but he didn’t care.

She was going to marry him all over again.

It was going to be beautiful.

“When do I get to swap spit with my husband?” Dante asked. “That’s the part I want to practice. I want to get it right.”

The minister laughed.

As did the whole family.

“It’s right after you exchange rings.”

Dante pulled his off his right hand and gave it to the minister. Steele did the same.

“Come to daddy,” he said, lecherously.

“He is his brother’s brother,” Emma stated. “I’ve heard that before.”

Greyson laughed as his brother kissed Steele. He even dipped him much like he did with Emma. The Croft men had swagger when it came to their significant others.

Still, Greyson teased his brother. “He stole my moves. That’s not even right.”

The minister broke the two up. “Save it for tomorrow when you have to impress the crowd.”

Dante would do that.

“Or take it down a notch. We get the point. You’re getting married,” Reggie said.

Everyone looked over at her and there was that hush that was followed by some verbal altercation. They were all waiting for it on baited breath. No one doubted it would be coming.

“Mother,” Greyson warned, silencing her.

She pursed her lips and said nothing more, but they all knew she wanted to do it.

They also knew it was only a matter of time. Reggie was a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off on her gay son.

As the housekeeper exited the house, she had someone with her.

“Ma’am, there’s someone here to see Mr. Steele and Mr. Dante,” she said. “He said he was expected.”

Steele’s heart thumped. “Thank you, Magda,” he said, walking toward the man.

Dante had been right.

They looked alike, and he could see the same worry in his brother’s eyes. He was expecting the worst.

Well, Steele wasn’t going to be like the people who gave birth to him. He wouldn’t reject someone who had his blood. He’d embrace it.

The Croft family had taught him that.

The housekeeper headed back in, and left Bentley standing there as the two men approached.

He held out his hand. “I’m Bentley Herron, but my friends call me Ben. I can see the family resemblance,” he said, checking his brother out.

Steele’s one eye filled with tears. “You’re really my brother.”

He nodded. “I am.”

Steele ignored the hand and hugged the man. The two of them embraced, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

Emma was crying, and all the women were wiping at their eyes too.

This was so beautiful, more so, since they knew what Steele had battled through to get to this point. He’d nearly lost, and this was poignant.

It was also the best gift Dante could have given him. The man was definitely a Croft to his core.

“I’ve always wanted someone to call my own,” he said to his brother.

Ben held on. “I’ve always wondered if I’d meet you. I knew about you for my whole life. I wanted to find you, but your mother saw me once and told me you never wanted to meet me. I stayed away.”

Steele stared into his face.

“I didn’t know. I had no idea you even existed.”

“You know now, babe,” Dante said. “That’s what matters. You can start now.”

He hugged his brother again. “I already love you. I’m glad I have you. I watch my fiancé with his brother, and I always wanted that kind of connection. I want that with you, Ben. I hope you want to be part of my life.”

Ben held onto the man. “You can have that. You can have whatever you want from me. I’m here for you.”

Steele tried to hold it together, but it was so damn hard. This was the most miraculous thing to him—well, next to falling in love with Dante.

Emma knew she needed to do one thing to make this perfect. Heading toward the two men, she waited until they were done.

Steele glanced over at her.

“Forgive me, but I have to do this,” she said, squeezing his hand.

“Ben, I’m Emma. Steele is so very important to me, but this doesn’t feel right.”

They all watched her.

“What are you doing, Emma?” Steele asked.

She was doing what was right.

“Tomorrow, I’m not going to stand up there for him. I can’t.”

Steele stared at her. “Emma! Why?” he asked.

She pulled a rose off one of the vines and tucked it into Ben’s lapel. “Because, tomorrow, your brother will be your best man. I’ve had the last few years. He deserves tomorrow, and so do you.”

Steele wept, as he hugged her. “I love you so much. God! You’ve saved me so many times, and now I have this forever.”

She hugged him back. “I know, sweetheart. I know. Now, introduce your brother to our family. It’s time for dinner, and we would like to invite him to be part of us too.”

He grabbed Ben’s hand and couldn’t wait. “I want you to meet the people I love most in the world. I want them to meet my brother.”

Ben smiled. “I would really love that.”

And he would.

This was a new day for him.

A new beginning.

For years, he was alone. Now he had a brother to call his own.

“This is Greyson Croft.”

“I’ve seen him on the news,” Ben said, holding out his hand. “It’s a pleasure, sir.”

Greyson hugged him instead. “Welcome to our family. Don’t believe everything you’ve seen on TV about us.”

“I won’t, sir. I already doubt some of it.”

Still, Greyson could tell the man was wary. Honestly, he didn’t blame him.

“This is Doctor Paris Archer and his wife, Tessa,” he said, introducing them.

Paris shook his hand.

“I’m a doctor, too, or I will be as soon as this rotation is over. What do you practice?” he asked.

“I’m a criminal psychologist. I help with profiling and some cases for the local hospitals.”

“I’m going to be a pediatrician. I love kids.”

Tessa hugged him. “Welcome to our family. There’s going to be lots of business coming your way,” she teased.

And it was true.

Katerina, Emma, and hopefully, herself would need to have someone they could trust.

“Awesome. I will make house calls.”

And that was even better.

Steele led him toward Reggie and Christopher Croft. “These are Dante and Greyson’s parents.”

He left it at that.

Christopher shook his hand and smiled. “Welcome, son. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Reggie, in her normal bitchiness, simply shook his hand.

That said it all.

Dante gave her the dirtiest look he could possibly give her, and it was backed up with Greyson pointing at her. The sons in her life were NOT amused.

There was her warning.

Steele led his brother over toward the Gideon’s.

“This is Dimitri. He’s our family, but he’s also in charge of our security.”

They shook hands.

“Welcome, Mr. Herron.”

“Ben, please.”

Dimitri made a mental note to do a search on him later—just to be safe. It appeared he was feeling a little better.

“This is Katerina Croft. She’s Dimitri’s sister, and she’s married to, Curtis, Greyson and Emma’s son.”

He tried to keep track.

“We like to keep it all in the family,” Curtis teased. Then he realized how that sounded.

His eyes got huge.

“Wait! I didn’t mean it like that. I’m on pain meds. Ignore me,” he said, pointing at his sling.

Ben laughed. “Can do.”

Katerina hugged the new member of their family. “Welcome, Ben.”

Ben smiled as he mentally tried to build the family tree in his head. “So, that makes Curtis, your fiancé’s nephew?” he asked, trying to keep it straight.

Yeah, it wasn’t easy.

Steele laughed. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later after dinner.”

Ben was good with that.

“This is Natasha, and she’s Dimitri’s other sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, holding out his hand.

She hugged him like her sister had. “It’s our pleasure, Ben. This is my boyfriend, Christopher Ford,” she said, enjoying saying the words.

She loved saying boyfriend.

He loved saying girlfriend.

They were both stupid in love.

Chris shook his hand. “I’m Emma’s brother, and her bodyguard.”

He was trying to keep track. “So, you’re related to her, he’s related to them, and… yeah, you do like to keep it in the family. Maybe it’s not the meds.”

“He’s not related by blood,” Reggie stated. “They worked together. It’s this farcical relationship.”

Again, there was silence.

Emma glanced over, and she wasn’t having it. No one was being excluded from their circle because they lacked the same blood.

That’s not how they rolled.

“He’s my brother, Reggie. Chris is mine, and if you don’t mind, we’ll keep it like that.”

It shut her up.

For now.

Greyson agreed. “Chris isn’t related by blood, Ben, but he’s the one my wife has chosen to call brother, like I feel about Dimitri. We are all family.”

Ben was cool with that. He was just so glad to have an actual sibling, it didn’t matter to him.

“And you are?” he asked Sam.

“I’m Sam Gideon. He’s my dad,” he said, pointing at Dimitri. “The babes are my sisters, so don’t be getting any ideas or I’ll break your kneecaps.”

“It’s dislocate,” Dimitri stated.

Then Emma pointed at him.

“What? He needs to know!”

She snorted and gave up.

Kat and Nat both found it sweet how Sam was already trying to protect them. So, they gave the kid a kiss.

“You heard him,” Dimitri said, winking at the man. “He’s lethal with the ladies.”

Ben raised his hands and played along. “I will mind my manners.”

Steele dropped his arm over his brother’s shoulder. “Why don’t we have dinner?” he asked. “I want to hear everything about you, Ben,” he said.

The man smiled and wrapped his arm around his brother’s waist.

“I want to hear about you too,” he said, as they headed inside.

Emma headed straight for Dante. As soon as she reached him, she gave him a big kiss right on the mouth.

“You did something good.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m getting lots of lip action today,” he teased. “The ladies and the men love me.”

Greyson laughed.

“Are you fantasizing about Dimitri again? Didn’t we talk about that?” he asked, throwing his brother under the bus.

That had Dimitri’s attention. “Pardon?”

Dante laughed. “Asshole.”

“Pain in my ass,” his brother said back.

Emma cut them off or it would never end. Brothers liked to pile it on, and with this many ‘brothers’ in the family, it could be a melee.

“You gave him a huge gift,” she said. “You are going to be an amazing husband,” she said. “Your brother taught you right.”

She followed the family in to get the chef to start serving. It looked like tonight was going to be perfect.

Just like she’d planned.

Greyson patted his brother on the back. “I’m proud of you, Dante.”

The man mimicked his fiancé’s actions and dropped his arm around Greyson’s waist. “I learned from the best.”

And he absolutely had.

Thank God for that.

Chapter Four

Terrace Glen

Dinner

Eight P.M

T he dining room, inside the large family home, was fancily decorated with all the fine china and goblets that had once been Randall Mason’s. Emma made sure the housekeeper and chef used the things that the man had collected through his life.

It seemed right to include him in this day. After all, he’d brought them all together. Without him, Dimitri, Kat, and Natasha wouldn’t have become part of their lives.

The man, from the grave, had blessed them all, and she wanted him to be a part of the celebration.

Plus, she missed him.

The man had tried to change, giving them the best life he could have offered. They were only the mob family in Vegas because of him.

He deserved to be represented.

As they all took their seats, Greyson was at the head of the massive table, and his father at the other end. Beside him was Emma, and then Christopher Ford. They wound around the table, like threads in a tapestry of life. Each mattered in the picture and brought a richness to the family that money couldn’t buy.

Chris was Emma’s, and he mattered to her.

Dimitri was theirs, and he was vital to their happiness.

The sisters were loved by people who created a family for Emma and Greyson, and the Archers rounded it off by being loyal in their careers, and their friendship.

This group was theirs.

Greyson stood up, and he lifted his glass of champagne in toast to a family he and Emma had lovingly crafted to meet all of their needs.

They brought love.

They brought joy.

They brought loyalty.

He also wanted to toast Dante and Steele. As soon as he was on his feet, the family got quiet.

“I would like to say a few things to everyone who has joined us on this important occasion.”

Everyone waited.

“To my brother-to-be. I want to welcome you into the folds of our family, and as you take the Croft name, there is much to go with it. There’s a responsibility that I know you will handle with ease. Your loyalty has been a treasure, and we love you for it. Your compassion for the dead and the living has been contagious, and we are lucky to have witnessed it.”

Steele wiped his eye as he held his glass.

“Your devotion to Dante, and the way your romance played out, has been a beautiful story, and I am blessed to be here tonight, and tomorrow, when you say your vows. Steele Bentley, soon to be Croft, welcome to our family, and know that we will love and protect you as much as my brother has also vowed. We are family.”

They all raised their glasses, and they clinked off of each other.

“Thank you, Greyson.”

He wasn’t done.

“Last but not least, to my brother. You are a colossal pain in my ass.”

Everyone laughed.

“I am not feeling the love, Grey,” he said laughing. “Try a little harder. I know you can do it. Dig deep.”

That he could do.

“When I was a teen, Mom and Dad came home with you, and I prayed that it was a joke. Over the next ten years, you followed, bothered, and drove me absolutely insane. Then one day, I went into the military, and I realized something.”

“What? That I got to go through all your shit?” Dante asked, busting his brother’s ass.

“No, that you were my secret wish all along. Before you, I didn’t understand. While I had you, I still didn’t get it, but facing a future apart, I realized that I didn’t know how much I’d come to rely on you. I didn’t know how much I’d come to love you. The man who looks like me, behaves like me, and has made me learn to slow down, cherish the people I love, and enjoy life, has saved me.”

Dante was shocked.

His own eyes filled with tears as Steele held his hand.

“In your own way, Dante, you were the reason I became a cop. I wanted to make sure I could protect and serve, and that I could make the world a better place for my brother. I wanted to make sure no one could ever hurt the man I’ve loved since I first saw him.”

Dante wiped his eyes.

“You are my blood, and even though you almost shot Emma while we were dating, and you’ve borrowed my car and fornicated in it without my permission, you’ve been my best friend for so long. You were born to give me reasons to think, reevaluate, and see it from a different angle. The age difference disappeared, and when you followed me into the military, you gave me the greatest honor. You became my friend. You can’t pick your family, because fate chooses for you, but I can say that you are quite possibly my best friend, and I’m blessed for it. Thank you for enriching my life, for making me a shitload of money, and for being here for me. I love you, Dante, and I love your new husband too.”

Dante got up from his chair and headed toward his brother. They embraced, and stayed that way for a whole minute.

There was love there.

Finally, he let him go.

Greyson wasn’t done.

“I didn’t choose you, but if given that choice, I would have,” Greyson stated. “I would have picked you as my brother each and every time. Emma lost her blood, and she was able to replace it with two men who filled that hole. I didn’t have to fill that void, but instead I got to have you, and my new brother-in-law. I’m blessed. Thank you for being mine.”

Steele even headed toward him.

Greyson held him and his brother, wrapped in his strong embrace.

“We love you both. That’s why Emma and I have a present for you. Well, we have two presents.”

The whole family waited.

“What?” Dante stated. “I don’t want anything. I have this place as my home, and I have everyone here. I’m blessed. Tomorrow, I marry my soulmate. I want for nothing.”

Steele agreed with him.

Greyson pulled keys from his pocket.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“The keys to my car. I can’t drive it anymore, but you can. I figure you’ll let me borrow it someday.”

“Are you freaking serious?”

That was a precious gift. It wasn’t that he couldn’t buy a million cars, but this was Greyson’s prized possession. It had been his for so long, and he loved it.

“Grey.”

“You can take it when you leave on your honeymoon,” he said.

“We are only heading to the hotel. I have work on Monday.”

Emma stood, and it was her turn to get in on the love fest. “Actually, you don’t. You have a trip to take. Steele has always wanted to see New York, and you can head there in the car.”

“It’ll take us a week.”

“And then you’ll find the apartment in downtown NY that we’ve bought you for a vacation home. Leave your car there, and fly home.”

Emma handed Steele an envelope.

“Are you shitting me?” he asked. “You bought an apartment in NY?” Dante asked.

Greyson continued, “Yes, and the family can use it. Take Steele back there, see some shows, and show him the town. You and I have been to New York City, but he hasn’t.”

Steele grinned. “I want to see some Rockettes!”

Greyson laughed.

The men hugged them.

“Thank you for the time off.”

He knew they deserved it. Plus, with the shit hitting the fan, they needed the family to be safe. Vegas…it wasn’t safe.

“Paris and Tessa will be using the apartment the next few days for their IVF, and as you are arriving, they will be flying home.”

“Well, at least someone is having a baby. Now I only wish one of my sons would.”

The whole family looked down the table at Reggie.

They knew what she didn’t.

Emma was pregnant.

“I’ve waited all these years, and I assumed that one of my boys would give me a kid. Is it so much to ask for?” she asked, slamming down her wine glass. “I’d even settle for an illegitimate, bastard child.”

Everyone cringed.

The shit was about to get real.

“My one son marries a woman, and they decide not to have kids. Instead, they adopt a full-grown man.”

Curtis waved at her. “Come on, Grandma! I still love you,” he teased, trying to lighten her mood. He knew what was coming, from the tension in the room.

She glared at him.

Clearly, she wasn’t in the mood to joke around.

Everyone at that table knew this was a big issue for her, and when Reggie wasn’t happy, she let them all know. The only person who looked surprised was Steele’s brother.

He’d learn fast.

It looked like Reggie had her last straw.

“Terrific. A full-grown grandchild. Then my second son decides to live an alternative lifestyle where I won’t get to see a child born into this family. I’ve just about had enough. I can’t sit here and pretend.”

Emma stood.

Greyson was about to handle it, but she was the one who held up her hand and stopped him.

That alone said it all. Emma generally let her husband handle his mother. She simply didn’t have the energy to deal with her.

Well, now, it was on.

“Reggie, you don’t get to decide what ANY of us do in our lives. That seems to be what evades you. Your sons are grown men. They get to make their own paths.”

“Clearly, my opinion doesn’t matter. If it did, and someone listened to me, this family wouldn’t be a mess.”

There were gasps around the table.

They all knew where that was aimed at, or rather who.

“Let’s call it what it is,” she said, standing. “You came into my son’s life, and he went from a decent career as an FBI agent to one of taking bribes, being a dirty cop, and now running the mob in this city.”

Greyson went to correct her and protect his wife, but she had other plans. Again, she stopped him.

“Let her finish, Grey.”

Oh, this was going to get bad. Dante was signaling his father with a finger across his throat. Christopher Croft was trying to stop his wife.

Only, she wasn’t having it.

“Do you know how embarrassing that is for me? I have people who stare at me, who ask me what happened, and I have ex-friends who treat me as if I’ve done something. It’s not right. Where did I go wrong?”

“You made me gay,” Dante said, having heard enough. “I hate women because of you, Mom.”

She pointed at him. “Don’t you sass me. I raised you better than this. I don’t know how Emma’s parents raised her, but you were taught not to be disrespectful.”

“I wouldn’t bring my parents into this,” she said, warning the woman. “They raised two cops, and I’ve NEVER broken the law. I stand for justice. Their parenting isn’t in question. Maybe you should look a little closer to home as to why your boys left that side of the country.”

The woman went red.

“You are classless and have no manners,” Reggie shot back. “My son could have done better with a homeless person.”

There were more gasps.

Greyson tried to get a hold of this train wreck. It was his brother’s day, and his mother was ruining it.

Only, Emma wasn’t done.

“And you’re forgetting your own manners,” Emma stated. “This is NOT your home, and this is NOT your family. It’s mine. If Dante and Steele don’t want to have kids, that’s on them. If they want to adopt twenty, you still wouldn’t be happy. It’s not all about you, Reggie. It’s really not, and you clearly don’t see it. That’s the biggest issue here. Not my class, not the way I’ve loved your son and dedicated my life to him. I can learn class. You can’t learn maternal instincts. You have them…OR you don’t.”

Jesus.

It was about to erupt.

“It is about me, Emma. These are my boys. Since you don’t want to have children, you’ll never get that. You won’t be a mother and see how they’ve disappointed me.”

Emma headed her way.

“They are not a disappointment, Reggie, and you’re too cold to see that. Dante runs our financial ventures, and he’s a smart business man. Greyson is trying to save this city. We quit our jobs because the police and FBI were corrupt. We fight every day to save women from sex crimes, children from abuse, and victims who no one would speak for otherwise. We are fighting for this city.”

Greyson was getting irritated. His wife was pregnant, and she didn’t need this shit.

“Emma, don’t bother. She’ll never see it,” Dante said. “All she’s worried about is what people think of her. Ever since I came out to her and my father, she’s more worried about who I stick my dick in than loving us.”

“I have to worry. My one son is a criminal, and my other one is GAY! Do you know how bad that makes me look as a mother? I didn’t fail. You both did.”

And there it was.

Underneath it all, she was angry about that more than anything.

Emma sympathized with her father-in-law, who was trying to shut his wife up. It was clear she had too much wine, and it had loosened her tongue.

Truest things were said in jest and anger, and Reggie was a bubbling cauldron of bitchiness.

“You have no clue what a family is. This is a joke. You took a bunch of misfits and shoved them under one roof. You have no clue.”

Emma had enough.

She could take shots at her, but not the people she loved. “You need to get your things and get out. You will not speak to our family like that. You have no right.”

Reggie stood. “You will not tell me what to do. They are my sons, and you don’t run this family.”

Emma stood her ground.

It was about time.

“I do run this family. They are MINE. I don’t care if you think they are misfits. They are my heart and soul, and I will NOT have you talking bad about them. Leave my home, or I will kick you out and you won’t like that.”

Reggie did the unthinkable.

She slapped Emma.

Greyson was up, and Dimitri wasn’t far behind. Along with all the other men.

Greyson reached her first. “You just hit my wife!”

“She deserved it. I’m your mother. I shouldn’t be talked to this way! You need to choose, Greyson. This isn’t working.”

He stared at her.

“You’re right. I have to choose. I pick my wife and the misfits. At least I know they love us for us. You need to leave, Reggie. I’m sorry, but you’re not welcome here anymore. This is Emma’s home, and mine, and you won’t behave like a child in it.”

Christopher Croft grabbed his wife’s arm. “Reggie! What the hell have you done!”

“How hard is it to be a man and give your mother a grandchild?”

He’d had enough.

His manhood wasn’t in question. He’d tolerated a lot for his mother, and he was officially done.

This was it.

“For your information, REGGIE, had you let Emma finish her toast and gift, you were getting the next one. We had something for you too.”

“What? Are you going to tell me you want to change your sex and be a woman now?”

He glared at her.

He couldn’t wait to drop the bomb.

“Emma is two months pregnant. We were giving you a grandchild.”

“Surprise,” Curtis shouted.

Katerina put her hand over his mouth. “Meds. Ignore him.”

Reggie looked shocked.

“What?”

“You heard me. Only, your behavior has proven one thing to me. You are NOT fit to be a grandmother, and now, you’ll never see our child.”

She was stunned. “Greyson.”

“No. Goodbye, Reggie. Now you can go back to Philly, and you can tell all of your friends you kicked us out of your life because you’re disappointed in us. You can lie and pretend we are the bad ones. We’re good with knowing the truth. Your secret is safe with us. You’re the one who has issues—not us. Emma was right, you don’t know how to be a mother. She could school you on a bad day.”

She slapped him too.

Emma gasped.

The whole table gasped.

Dimitri moved closer to flank his friend and family. He was only waiting for the word.

Instead, Greyson said nothing.

If he did, it wouldn’t be pretty. When his temper was under control, he finally spoke, “Dante, get their things. Dimitri, escort them out. They are no longer welcome here. Reggie is leaving.”

He faced his dad. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For our wedding, come alone or don’t come, Dad. She’s crossed a line. Yes, Dante is gay, and I’m the mob in Vegas. It’s better this way.”

His father took a crying Reggie by the arm.

He led her away.

Emma touched his cheek. “Are you okay?” she asked, running her fingers over the red mark.

“I’m okay. Are you?” he asked, doing the same.

“She didn’t hit me hard. She really gave it to you.”

Steele closed his eyes. “Of course this is going to happen the night I meet my brother, right?”

Ben laughed. “This is the best dinner I’ve ever had. When there’s chick fighting, it’s always fun. You can’t buy tickets to this kind of entertainment. It’s like dinner theater. Send in the acrobats!”

Everyone there loved the man for that alone.

Steele hugged him.

“I swear our family isn’t normally like this. Reggie, she’s…difficult,” Steele offered. “Normally, it’s pretty peaceful here.”

“And that peace will continue now that she’s gone,” Greyson said, taking a seat. Emma held his hand as he dropped a kiss to her knuckles.

“We should eat,” she said. “I’m sorry dinner was ruined,” she said, wiping her eyes.

Greyson soothed her. “She’s gone. We’ll be fine. I’m sorry she hit you.”

That wasn’t the point. Emma would take a million slaps to protect her family.

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.

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.”

Dante dropped his fork and began dialing his fiancé. He was scared shitless.

Was he a runaway groom?

Could he be so close yet so far from getting his partner to the altar?

He didn’t answer.

Then he dialed Dimitri.

He didn’t answer.

“I don’t like this,” he said.

None of them did.

Emma got up, and she headed to the control center on the kitchen wall. She entered a few passwords, and she had the cars pulled up.

“Uh, how did you get Dimitri’s passwords?” Greyson asked.

“I figured them out.”

“What are they?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. “He won’t tell me. He does everything in Russian, and I don’t know what the hell he’s saying.”

“Learn Russian,” she offered. Little did her husband know that his passwords were in English.

“Uh, America. I’m not in Mother Russia,” he said with a cheesy accent.

It made Natasha giggle. “Thank God. That was bad.”

Emma winked at her.

“I did the footwork. Besides, I was only a detective. Do you mean that MR. FBI doesn’t know?” she teased.

He ignored that.

Instead, he turned on the camera in Dimitri’s vehicle. There was the man, driving along. He was on the phone with someone, talking in Russian.

Both Kat and Natasha stopped eating.

“What did he just say?” Greyson offered.

Emma picked up a few words.

“He’s tracking that killer, isn’t he?” she asked. While she was learning, he was speaking so fast.

They all waited for Natasha and Kat to answer. Slowly, Natasha glanced at her sister, they shared a look, and then she nodded.

“What did he say?”

Neither girl wanted to rat their brother out. Only, they didn’t have a choice.

“Girls!”

They caved.

“He’s dumping a lot of money into the seedier side of Vegas to find Viktor.”

She wasn’t surprised.

“What about Babylon?”

They were shocked she’d caught it.

“Listen, I’m smart. I can tell when someone in our family is hiding shit and going rogue. What is going on?”

“He’s trying to buy back his debt, or…”

Emma didn’t need to know what the ‘OR’ was going to be. Someone was going to be dying.

Well, she knew enough.

Emma pushed the button, alerting him.

He stopped his conversation. “Yes, Emma?” he asked, as he continued to drive.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Steele wanted to see someone this morning. I couldn’t let him go out alone, and everyone else was asleep.”

“Dimitri, are you safe?” she asked.

He laughed. “Are you worried about me?” he inquired, pulling over to park.

“Yes, we are.”

“Steele is in the rich part of town. I think I’m good. He said something about seeing a woman named Camille.”

Dante started choking.

Chris pounded on his back to stop the man from choking to death.

“That’s his mother,” Greyson told their head of security. “She’s a pain in the ass.”

“What the hell is he thinking?” Emma asked.

“Do you want me to pull him and get him back to the house?” Dimitri asked. “I can shoot him in the leg,” he teased.

Dante stared at his brother, hoping the man would say something.

“He’s kidding, right?”

Kat laughed. “You can’t tell from the humor in his voice?” she asked.

“That’s Dimitri Gideon. There’s NEVER humor in his voice!”

He may have had a point.

“No, but just make sure he’s back here in time to get ready for the wedding. If he does try to be a runaway groom, then shoot him,” Emma teased, winking at Dimitri through the camera.

“On it.”

Dante closed his eyes. “Why can’t my wedding day be filled with debauchery and food like everyone else’s?” he asked. “Is it too much for me to want people making out in closets, or flashing their man bits at each other?”

That made Emma laugh. “What the hell kind of wedding did you think I was planning?” she teased.

“I just want to get married,” Dante stated. “How freaking hard is it to have a normal wedding?”

“My wedding was normal,” Curtis said.

“Mine too,” Greyson offered. “Emma is easy though. I just had to flash her my smile and…”

She gave him a smack.

Curtis was grinning.

“Shut up, Curtis.”

“I didn’t say anything,” he offered, holding his bad arm. “Don’t be mean.”

“Your smile said plenty,” Dante offered. “I just need to get him to say ‘I do’. This should not be this damn hard!”

Emma gave him a kiss.

“Trust Dimitri. He’ll handle it.”

Dante wasn’t so sure. As of late, the man seemed distracted, and they did have some other Russian gunning for them.

That couldn’t be good.

At all.

                          * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Across Town

Spanish Heights

Steele couldn’t believe he was back at his mother’s house in the neighborhood he grew up. He’d fled from this rich, obnoxious lifestyle to be a normal person.

Then he fell in with the Crofts.

Only, they weren’t in your face wealthy. They would watch a game, drink beer, and wear jeans. Here, in this neighborhood, he was always the outsider.

And it had sucked.

He hated coming back.

After the last time they met, he wanted to never see her again. Well, that was his plan, but he was compelled to put this last remaining issue away from his past. Then he could move on and be the husband he was meant to be.

It was time to close the book on this horrible part of his life. He wanted to let it go, and be free.

He had no respect for the woman who lived here.

Why?

She was a horrible mother.

When he’d been hurt, and in the hospital, she never came to see him. Her own child, and she never cared enough to see if he was alive.

After that, he swore he’d see her at her funeral first, but then he had an epiphany.

If he wanted to start this new part of his life, he had to let the old part go.

So, he was standing on her doorstep early on a Saturday morning. He knew she’d be up. She always went to church on Saturday to meet with her women’s group, so they could worship the god that she swore called him an abomination and sin.

This was apropos.

She was the abomination, judging others and being a horrible mother.

Climbing up the stairs, he knocked on the door.

He really hated this hellhole. It was the worst place for a child growing up, and he still loathed it. While it was a huge house, bought with ill-gotten gains, that wasn’t the ugliest part of its past. The person who lived there was.

She was fake.

It was pseudo love covered under dirty money from his father’s ties to Dominic Marianna.

Well, fuck it.

He was facing her down.

As he heard footsteps, he waited.

The woman who opened the door stared at him. “She doesn’t want to see you. After your last visit…”

“That’s okay. I’ll just shout it from here, so the neighbors will know my mother’s dirty laundry. Doesn’t her friend live across the street?” he asked, craning his neck to see the house.

It worked.

“I’ll tell her you’re here. You can wait.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t come in. My father slept around. Who knows what I’ll catch in there? We GAY men have to be careful…”

She slammed the door in his face, and it made him smile. It was a petty victory, but he was going to take it. Any win over Camille was one to be celebrated.

Then, he could hear his mother. There were the angry footsteps heading his way. There was the clipping of her temper measured out in each step.

Oh, she was pissed.

Good.

It was time they had this final face-off. It was time he stood up for himself to set his past free.

She whipped open the door and stared at him.

“What do you want?”

“I was going to be an asshole, and mention you in the social papers about you not attending my wedding today, when I realized I hadn’t invited you.”

She stared at him.

“I was invited. That vile gangster’s brother came here to invite me. I told him no.”

He loved his fiancé.

Of course he’d remember and do this. Well, he was going to follow up.

“Well, that’s good to know. I was here to officially ask you to come. My half-brother, Bentley Herron will be there, and I figured you could have a conversation with him. Since he’s not gay, and is father’s other child.”

Her face pursed up.

“I wonder where the gay gene came from then?” Steele asked. “Wait, doesn’t your sister, Aunt Bunny, have that female friend of hers? You know…her ‘special’ sleep over buddy?”

Camille went red.

“I bet you think this is funny. You had to embarrass me more, didn’t you?”

He laughed. “It’s not about you, Camille. I learned that last night watching someone I love putting someone in their place. It’s about your child—the one you neglected, verbally abused, and made miserable for his whole life so you could look like the ideal person.”

She went to close the door.

“No, you’re going to listen and listen well. I forgive you, Camille. I forgive you for the path you put all of us on by being a bitter, cold woman. Had you not been so vicious, angry, and mean, father might not have turned to someone else. This isn’t about him, or about me. It’s about YOU.”

She looked horrified.

“This was the world you created, and I don’t want to play into it. So, you’re invited to my wedding—my gay wedding—at the house of a notorious Vegas gangster, who will be my brother-in-law.”

“I would rather drop dead than go there. I hear what everyone says goes on there.”

“You did? Oh my God! Did someone find out that we have big family dinners on Sundays, and that everyone eats breakfast together as a unit? Shit! I really hope they don’t look down on us!”

“You’re a horrible son.”

“Well, you were a horrible mother, and a horrible human being, so what did you think I’d end up like? A Nobel Prize winner?”

“Go away. We are done.”

Well, he wasn’t.

“I forgive you because one day, you’ll be close to death, like I was, and it won’t matter. I fought to have one more moment with the people I love. You will too.”

“Don’t count on it.”

He lifted his eye patch to show her his destroyed face. “Trust me. Death is ugly, mother, but not as ugly as your heart. I’m sorry you couldn’t love me, but I found my family, and my brother. I’m going to be a Croft in…Five hours.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“No, Camille, I’m not. I’m loved, and that’s more than you’ll ever have. Father cheated on you, and he actually loved her. Did you know that? He found his soulmate in that woman, and would have left you for them if you weren’t vicious. He stayed with you because you have a cancer in you that spreads. You’re ugly inside, and really, mother, that tweed is so nineteen ninety. Update your wardrobe. People are talking about you.”

She stared down.

“Oh, and he died loving her—not you.”

The woman glared at him.

“You could have had my love. A child is innocent. They love their parents without questioning their motives. You don’t have that either. You have nothing. So, as you sit up here in this big house, you can stay alone. That’s your choice, but it won’t be because of me. You had the opportunity to come to me and say you were sorry.”

“Never.”

He didn’t think so. “I still forgive you for being a cold, evil person.”

He turned. “Oh, and your eyes are yellowing. That’s a sign of bilirubin buildup. Your liver is failing, and likely from all the booze you drank while you mourned your perfect family. When you see father, because you will, and soon, send my regards.”

Steele began walking away.

“You’ll burn in hell.”

He laughed. “I lived through hell. I’m free. Oh, and the house next door that’s for sale? I’m going to have my GAY husband buy it, since he’s loaded, and we’re going to paint it rainbow colors to make you miserable. Then we’re going to have GAY sex all over the lawn. Don’t watch, Camille. It might get your pulse racing. He’s sexy as fuck, and he knows how to use his dick!”

She gasped.

With that, Steele headed toward his ride. When he got there, Dimitri was leaning against it.

“Sexy as fuck, huh? All over the lawn? Knows how to use his dick?” he asked, trying not to laugh.

“Yes, he is, and I’d be stupid not to ride that soldier all night long.”

Dimitri patted him on the back. “Are you ready to head home? It’s really not safe out here, and your sexy soldier wants to get you to the altar—today.”

He felt liberated.

“I could kiss every man on this street. For the first time, I’m truly free. She can’t break me. No one can break me but me!”

Dimitri pointed at him. “Uh…awkward.”

“Figuratively.”

Dimitri sighed.

He didn’t want to ruin the man’s fun. What was one kiss? He’d done far worse things than share affection with someone of the same sex.

“She’s watching. Kiss the Russian killer. You’ll really kill her.”

“Really?”

“Go for it. I won’t tell your husband-to-be, if you don’t tell him. Dante will try to kick my ass, and I like him.”

Steele took that opportunity. He planted one right on the Russian’s mouth.

It was hot.

It was steamy.

And it was the perfect picture to leave his mother.  

When he set him free, Steele was smiling.

“Let’s go. I have to marry my man.”

“Tossed over by a gay man too. This is not my week to find love,” he teased, heading to his ride.

“Dimitri?”

“Yeah,” he asked, stopping at his SUV door.

“Thank you. That was like my bachelor party. I appreciate it.”

He laughed.

“I feel really cheap, but anything for family.”

Yeah, those were words to live by for everyone.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Terrace Glen

Pool House

Chris was stalling.

He wanted to spend as much time with Natasha before the wedding. It was hard to not spend all his day staring at her, or touching her. Chris knew that Dimitri was always watching, so he was trying to be a gentleman in his presence, but it wasn’t easy. Natasha was always sitting in his lap.

That made him damn hard.

Literally.

Truth be told, he wanted to pounce as much as possible.

When she exited the bathroom, there was a towel wrapped around her body.

“Are we getting ready?” Natasha asked, checking him out. Chris was wearing his boxers, and nothing else. Behind his head, his hands remained clasped. It appeared he had no intention of getting ready for the festivities.

“Soon.”

He tracked her around the room with his blue eyes. Natasha loved when he watched her.

“You look gorgeous as always,” he added.

“I’m wearing nothing but a towel.”

Oh, he was aware.

“Yeah, and no man is going to prefer clothes over that—well, no straight man.”

She smiled at him, trying to flirt. Her sister had told her that men liked it, so she was trying to learn how to be more like Emma and Kat.

It had to be working. His boxers began tenting, and she knew what that meant.

Sex.

Chris watched as she dropped all that red hair from the messy bun that had been holding it up.

Towel.

Hair.

Long legs.

Yeah, he wanted her.

Plus, that one look turned him on, and he couldn’t help but have totally dirty thoughts about what he wanted to do to her.

“You’re making me nervous,” she admitted, as she dabbed some perfume behind her ears.

“Am I?” he asked.

“Yes. You look like you want to pounce.”

He laughed. “You can say that.”

Natasha approached him, and she figured she needed to get him to focus. “What do you want to do?” she asked. “You know, before the ceremony.”

“You. I want to do you.”

Her heart skipped.

 “Chris,” she said, enjoying him watching her. There was something about knowing an older man wanted her. The way he always wrapped himself around her, protecting her.

It was amazing.

She had always wanted to feel this need, and it was happening. Natasha still couldn’t believe it. Fate had given her a wonderful man to make her whole.

It made the butterflies flutter in her stomach.

“Come to bed, Natasha,” he said, his voice already thick with need.

She moved toward him.

“Lose the towel. I want to see my girlfriend.”

Natasha did as he asked because the heated look in his eyes made her wet. It made her body react with just the sound of his voice.

As she dropped the towel, he was staring at her. His eyes tracked up and down her body, settling on her breasts. Natasha knew they were his favorite part.

He spent a lot of time focused on them.

“I want you here with me now.”

Her breath hitched.

She was perfectly fine with that.

Chris had a way of driving her wild with just a look. He was a man of very few words. His face said it all.

She was blessed to have him in her life, and she knew it. Natasha couldn’t help but grin.

“You’re smiling.”

“Am I?” Chris asked.

“Yes.”

“Then I must really be happy to be in this relationship with you, Natasha.”

That was all she wanted to hear. Natasha prayed that every day, he’d love her more and more.

It looked like she was getting her wish.

She wanted him to always look at her like that.

He held out his hand.

She took it.

Chris tugged her onto the bed, and she tumbled against him. As she fell, Natasha found herself trapped in his arms.

There was no place she’d rather be.

This was her version of heaven.

His chest hair tickled her breasts, and his big hands held her tightly to his body.

She giggled and squirmed against him. “I love this part of our day and night. You feel nice,” she offered, rubbing her long leg up and down his hip, “but I think I like being beneath you more.”

“Well then,” he stated, rolling until she was trapped under his big, bulky frame.

The sheets got caught all around her, and Natasha’s arms were pinned above her.

When his mouth found her breast, she gasped in a mix of pleasure and want. “Christopher!”

He grinned wickedly, as he went from breast to breast, satiating the need.

Yeah, she’d been right.

He was a breast man.

He lit her body on fire with wet, openmouthed kisses. They ignited something in her that only he could bring out. She moaned in pleasure, as the heat began building. It started in her gut and moved through her like wildfire.

“Who loves you?” he asked.

She knew the answer.

There was only him.

“YOU!” she shouted, as his other hand wandered down her body to tease her between her legs.

That was the truth.

It was only this man who could do this to her every day for the rest of her life. She was made for him.

He was made for her.

“I can’t wait to be buried in your body,” he said, feeling the wetness between her legs.

She was ready.

“I want to ride you,” she begged, knowing that was his favorite position.

“Then you need to get free,” he teased, as he held her trapped beneath him.

As she struggled to get free of the sheets, the tangle of them drove them both insane. She was his prisoner, and he was doing whatever he wanted to her body.

He moved lower.

He tormented her.

He drove her wild.

He devoured her.

Chris knew very little in life. He was an ex-cop, a roughneck, but he knew how to make her scream his name.

Those were his greatest accomplishments.

When she didn’t stop him, he went for it.

Chris’s mouth was on autopilot. He knew what made her wild, and as her body jerked beneath his oral assault, Chris knew he would never get enough.

“Fall for me, Anzehlina,” he whispered, nipping the most sensitive part of her body to shove her off the edge.

When she tumbled, he watched the red flush sweep up her skin. There was no way she could fake that.

Despite what his scumbag ex said to him about his lack of skill in bed. Natasha wasn’t faking it, and that he loved so very much.

He loved honesty in a relationship.

“Oh God!” she shouted as the pleasure wracked her body, making the orgasm that much more powerful.

Chris slid up her torso, noticing that his sexy minx was still trapped. “Can’t get free?” he asked.

She smiled.

“I never want to be free of this.”

That’s what he wanted to hear.

“I want to feel more,” Natasha stated.

Well, he could give her that.

Moving to press her into the soft cushion of the mattress, his mouth drove her wild all over again. First there was kisses, and then bites to her flushed flesh.

“Chris!” she pleaded, still unable to get her arms unwound from beneath the sheets. “I need to be free,” she begged.

“No. I like you this way,” Chris admitted as his erection was throbbing.

“I need you.”

He needed her too.

What he wanted was to bury himself deep within her body.

Soon, he’d be doing just that.

As she struggled to catch her breath, he continued to work his way around her body, finding her even more wet and ready for him. With lips and tongue, he teased her more.

“Please,” she begged, wanting to run her hands all over him.

Quickly, he whipped her body back to the edge and over. He loved hearing her shout his name as she tumbled. When she was vibrating in need, he moved up her body to stare into her brilliant eyes.

“One day, it’ll be our wedding day,” he offered.

Her heart quaked in her chest. She knew how hard that was for him to say it. Natasha knew that with him, she’d have to patiently wait.

Chris wasn’t one to rush.

She didn’t need him to either. Honestly, she was good with being his girlfriend. She had all the perks, and none of the worries. He was happy, and so was she.

While everyone else rushed into marriage, she wanted to take her time. This phase of wooing was heavenly.

She’d never been allowed to date or have a boyfriend. This was pretty special for her.

“When we’re both ready,” she whispered back. “Only then.”

He loved her even more for that one sentence.

She got him.

She understood.

It made him want to do cartwheels. There was finally a woman who understood he couldn’t be anyone but himself. Chris couldn’t rush—not after his past.

He just couldn’t.

Maybe they’d stay like this for a while, enjoying the happiness of the moment. He never had a long-term girlfriend. It was really nice.

As he was focused on their relationship, Natasha finally freed herself from the tangle only to find him staring down at her.

“I want to taste you,” she said, running her hands up his big barrel chest.

His heart began pounding.

Chris was more than okay with that. “I need your mouth on me,” he said, rolling to his back. “Do your worst.”

Natasha was giddy.

She perched herself between his legs as she prepared to begin.

Tentatively, she stroked him.

He groaned in pleasure.

“Have at me.”

Oh, she could do that. At first, her fingers teased him, pulling a low moan from his mouth. When her lips took over, it became desperate.

This was the happiest moment of her life. She loved giving him these tender caresses. It wound them together even more. He was hers, and she was his.

Here was the proof.

His hands found the lushness of her glossy red hair as he controlled the depth of her strokes.

It was Heaven and Hell.

There was nothing more erotic than watching his naked girlfriend pleasuring his body.

When she pulled away, he glanced down his body, trying to catch his breath.

“Did I do that right?” she offered, running her fingers down his thighs.

His brain spun at all the possibilities of what he could ask her to do.

“Again, you can’t really do that wrong. No man is ever going to complain,” he said, grinning.

“Can I finish?” she asked.

Oh, he couldn’t say no to her.

“Yes, Anzehlina.”

Her mouth sought him out. The second the wet warmth enveloped him, he was more than happy.

He was at peace.

She worked him hard, and Chris held on with everything in him, but he was close to the edge.

He teetered between orgasm and pain.

Finally, he had to have her stop.

“I’m going to cum. Stop, baby.”

She set him free.

“I really need you to climb on and ride me. I want to see your breasts bounce, as I’m buried in your body.”

She flushed red at his words.

Chris knew she was embarrassed by some of the things he said to her. Only, he needed her to adjust. For so many years, he’d put his needs on the back burner.

Now he was in control of his wants, and she was at the top of the list.

“I want to watch you use me to get off.”

Natasha couldn’t believe someone wanted her this much. It staggered her.

“I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“I want you screaming my name as we fuck. Now ride me, and ride me hard!”

She grinned wickedly. “Yes, Captain,” Natasha said, sliding back up his body.

Over the weeks of lovemaking, he found this was the position he loved best.

For him, it had a spectacular view.

She began sliding him home, and he wanted more. With his large hands, he pulled her down hard, sheathing himself in her body.

They both moaned.

Then she began moving.

Chris focused on the slide in and out of her body, watching his erection slick and swollen with need.

His hands went to her hips, and he helped her take the ride.

“More!” he ordered.

Natasha let go of any inhibitions.

The bouncing was torture. When he said hard, she’d given him exactly what he’d asked for too.

He hoped Natasha was close, because he certainly was going to cum at any second.

When her body shook, he roughly rubbed her clit with his thumb.

She exploded, taking him over the edge.

The spiral of pleasure and lust washed over them, as she collapsed onto him.

Then, as they floated, silence fell.

When he could finally see straight, Chris rolled her to the side of his body.

Once there, she cuddled against him like always.

His heart melted.

“Chris?” she asked glancing up at him.

“What?”

“I love you.”

He grinned. “I love you too,” he offered, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. “I couldn’t live without you,” he said.

He knew it was true.

He’d seen it, finally.

Love was pretty freaking amazing, and Chris was glad he found her.

“We should get ready for the wedding,” he said.

“We should. I’m going to have to shower again. Someone got me all sweaty. Care to join me?”

He was up for it.

Literally.

Natasha had that effect on him. She seemed to make him feel like a teenager again.

It was a gift.

“I seem to have a problem.”

She ran her hand over his erection. “I can fix that.”

He grinned wickedly. “Prove it.”

And Natasha did.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Steele sat in a chair in Emma and Greyson’s room. He was as nervous as hell. This was a huge day, but even more so, tonight was going to be his and Dante’s wedding night.

“You look like you’re ready to bolt,” Emma said, clipping on some pretty earrings that Greyson had given her.

“I was thinking about sex.”

“And staring at me. That’s alarming. I already heard you talking to Dimitri and thanking him for the make out session. What the hell is going on at Terrace Glen?” she teased.

He laughed. “I needed that.”

“Care to share?” she asked.

“I told off my mother. I was at the top of the world, and low and behold, there was a sexy Russian man there too.”

She snorted. “Did you really do it?”

“I did. I gave him the full gay treatment—tongue and all. He didn’t stop me, so I partied at my own bachelor party for two.”

She loved Dimitri even more.

He’d taken one for the team, and he’d healed this man.

“But, now you look worried. What gives?”

He knew he could trust her. “I was thinking about how I’m going to cry.”

“During the wedding? That’s normal.”

Steele shook his head.

“During sex?” she asked, moving to his side.

“Maybe.”

Emma sat beside him. “What’s going on, Steele? You can tell me.”

“What if he looks at me down there, and he’s appalled?”

Now she got it.

He’d been brutalized, and he was worried he didn’t look like a man.

“Want to show me?” she asked.

He stared at her. “Now something is going on here at Terrace Glen. You just asked to check out a gay man’s junk. What the hell, Emma?”

She snorted. “Yeah, the pregnant woman wants to check out your goods while her caveman freaks out. I like to walk on the wild side.”

He got up and began pacing.

“Steele, you’re my friend, and you’re about to be my brother. Let me check out your equipment so you don’t have a freak out. I get to stare at a lot of dick. Greyson has a high sex drive, thank you God, but I know what it’s supposed to look like down there.”

He knew she’d be honest with him.

Still, it felt weird. He’d never shown his goods to a woman before.

“I won’t turn you un-gay,” she teased.

“Is that really a thing?”

She snorted.

“Okay, but you can’t tell anyone,” he said. “I feel like an idiot, especially since I’m a doctor, but I know you won’t lie.”

“Who am I going to tell? Greyson?” she asked, laughing. “Dante?”

She had a point.

“Is the door locked?”

She headed toward it and clicked the lock.

“Okay, Doctor Bentley, drop your drawers and let me see what you’ve got in your tool box.”

“I hope that’s not what you say to Greyson.”

She laughed. “I’ll pee myself. Stop stalling. Let me see your dick.”

He undid his pants and dropped them. She giggled at the boxers. They had hearts all over them.

“Emma! Come on! This is serious!” he said, trying not to laugh.

“Okay, sorry. You’re wearing hearts. That’s the sweetest thing ever. I lost my head for a second. I swear. I won’t laugh. I’m serious now.”

He slipped his fingers into his waistband and pulled his boxers down, standing there in front of Emma.

Bottomless.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Steele, but you look like every other man out there. The junk is all there.”

“Not all of it.”

She moved closer.

This was love.

She was checking out his gear.

“Okay, so you’re one ball short of the game, but really, that’s not shocking. I see one stick and one ball. You can definitely play in tonight’s opening event.”

“Nothing horrifying? How’s the scarring?” he asked, crossing his fingers.

“I see a scar or two, but that makes you bad ass. As for horrifying, other than I’m checking out my friend and soon to be brother’s goods? Nope. You pass. As a woman who gets up close and personal with male anatomy, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash if we were doing it.”

He sighed. “Thank you for that. Well, not the last part, because I don’t think I want to picture that.”

“HEY!”

“No! Not that. You know what I mean!”

She laughed. “I do. Now you can ‘I do’ too.”

“I appreciate this, Em!”

Emma was glad she could help. In Casa Croft, she was accustomed to men running around in their boxers. For the longest time, it had been her, Greyson, and Curtis.

Then Dante.

She’d seen Dimitri swimming, and the man did NOT like to wear trunks. He liked to wear something very tiny, and revealing everything.

She’d seen more flashes of man goods than any woman in their lifetime.

This was nothing.

“I feel better.”

“Well, yank your boxers back up because you’ll feel dead if Greyson finds out,” she teased.

He knew the man wouldn’t be angry.

“I was going to ask him, but that felt awkward.”

She snorted. “For him or you?”

“For me when I tried to picture what was going on in his pants. You know, since I get to sleep with his brother, who looks like him, and I’m sure…”

She laughed about that. “Over my dead body are you getting that fantasy. You got to make out with Dimitri. Your fun is OVER,” she said, hugging him.

Steele held on to her.

“Thank you for everything,” he said. “Today…it’s huge for me. Knowing that I have you in my life is enough to chase away all the things that scare me.”

For that, she was grateful.

Emma knew family came first.

He was family.

“Yeah, today is huge, and tonight is huge for Dante,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Doctor Bentley is hung.”

He laughed. “That’s so inappropriate, and yet ego lifting at the same time,” he teased. “I’m two for two today. I made out with a sexy killer, and my best girl-friend thinks I’ve got game. Today is a good one for me.”

Emma gave him a kiss on the lips. “You are going to make a handsome groom.”

He hoped so.

All he wanted was to make Dante proud.

He wanted to heal.

He wanted to love.

Steele wanted to move on from that horrible day where he’d been taken, sodomized, and destroyed.

He wanted to move on with their lives, and sex was the only thing holding him back.

“I have something for you,” she said, going to her jewelry box.

“What?” he asked.

Emma pulled out a silk, blue pocket square. It was monogramed with the letter ‘C’.

“When I got married to Greyson here in Vegas, he gave me this after we said I do. It’s always meant the world to me. It’s the day I became a Croft, and I want you to have it for your big day. You’re entering our family—officially—and that’s huge.”

She placed it in his hand.

“Emma, I can’t take this. This is precious to you.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “You can. It’s brought me nothing but good luck. I fell in love with a sexy caveman, I married him here in Vegas, and I have this family because of it. I’m blessed, and I can’t help but want you to have all of that too.”

He hugged her. “I love you, Emma.”

She returned the words.

“Now, let’s put this in your pocket, and let’s get this flower onto your suit jacket. You look handsome, Mr. Bentley. You’re going to knock your sexy Croft man off his feet.”

He felt a million times better.

“You are going to be a wonderful mother,” he stated. “Your child is going to be so happy.”

She kissed him again.

“I’m the one who will be blessed. Children are a gift, and they should be loved. I’ll be your mother today,” she offered.

He wasn’t surprised she knew he was thinking about that too.

“For you, and for everyone who needs it.”

He held her hand. “Thank you, Emma. That will make today perfect.”

That’s all she wanted.

Steele deserved this.

He deserved to feel this love.

Everyone did.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Greyson was sipping some champagne as his brother messed with his bowtie. It was the fifth one he’d tried on, and he kept pulling them off.

He could tell he was a nervous wreck.

“Need my help?” he asked.

“Was it wrong of us to kick Mom and Dad out from my wedding? I feel like a huge asshole that I’ve done that to her. I mean, I know she’s a bitch about most things, but she’s still our mother.”

He patted him on the shoulder.

Greyson had already handled it.

“She’ll be here.”

He looked over. “What?”

Croft laughed. “You can’t have it both ways. You either have crazy in the seats, or you don’t. Decide.”

“What did you do?”

“I spoke to Dad this morning. He said she feels bad. You know how she gets when she drinks.”

He was aware.

She had no filter.

At.

All.

“She feels bad? Really?”

“Dad asked as a personal favor if I would let them come to the wedding. I told him if she behaved, she could come. If she didn’t, she wasn’t ever coming back. I think it has to do with the fact that we are having a child. She was pissy because of that, and now she knows it’s happening, she’s willing to chill.”

He hoped.

With Reggie, you never knew.

Still, Dante continued to be nervous.

Apparently, that wasn’t the only thing bothering him, so Greyson knew as best man he needed to keep digging.

“What are you stressing?” Greyson asked. “I know you’re not a virgin, so…”

“Funny.”

“Spill it.”

“Is being married any different from being a couple?” he asked. “I guess what I’m asking is if something is going to change.”

Greyson sat and thought about it.

“A lot is going to change,” he offered. “You’re going to grow stronger as a unified front, and it’s a different kind of love,” he stated.

Dante sat beside him on his bed.

“Is it worth it?”

“Are you having cold feet?”

“Between us, yes. I am.”

“Why?”

“I let him get hurt once, and I don’t know if I can live with myself if that happens again. Once he becomes a Croft, he’s wearing that bull’s-eye. You know the shit is coming. Is he safer not having my name? Is my desire to have him as my partner clouding a rational way to protect him?”

Greyson was glad that was all this was. If it were more, he’d tell his brother not to do it.

“I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but that’s why we gave you the apartment in New York City. You’ll be safer there. If you have to leave, or I think you and Steele are in danger, I’m sending you there.”

“Grey.”

He stopped him. “I won’t have my brother killed because of me. I won’t have a man, who withstood hours of torture and rape to protect us, hurt again. If what’s coming hits at my core, I’d rather be the one who goes down.”

“You have a child on the way,” Dante stated.

“Yes, and I have a family to protect. All of it. Emma is my life. If anything happens to her, I’m going to be unstoppable. I’m going to kill everything in front of me. They know that. They won’t hit at her. They’ll wait. They are going to start to weaken us, Dante. My brother is a hit directly at me. If it goes bad, I want you to take your husband and leave.”

He wouldn’t do it, but he’d tell his brother he would. Dante wouldn’t leave him behind.

It wasn’t happening.

“Okay, Grey.”

“Thank you.”

“As for should you get married, don’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they stopped you from being happy. Today is your day. Get married, celebrate tonight, and head out tomorrow. You deserve a honeymoon with your husband.”

“You’ve been my best friend since the day I was born.”

He hugged his brother. “Mom and Dad did one thing right,” he admitted. “They gave me one hell of a brother. I’m glad I have you.”

They sat there.

“Any advice about tonight?”

“Make it count. You only get one shot at your wedding night. Make it a night Steele will never forget. Do it up Croft style.”

That he could do.

“I’m going to use the penthouse tonight,” he stated. “I have something romantic and special planned.”

Greyson was glad.

He’d assumed as much.

“Are you in the mood to get married?” he asked.

Dante took a deep breath. “Which bow tie?”

“The black one.”

He didn’t hesitate as he put it on and tied it. When his brother stood in front of him, fixing it so it was just right, his eyes filled with tears.

“I’m proud of you,” Greyson stated. “Today, you become a husband. Always put Steele first, make sure you tell him you love him at least ten times a day, and never forget that you nearly lost him.”

He wiped his eyes.

“And most importantly,” Greyson began, patting his brother’s cheek, “remember that you’re a Croft, and we run this city.”

He couldn’t forget.

The family was larger than life, and Steele was about to make it even better.

Life was about to begin.

Dante was about to become a married man.

It was about damn time.

Chapter Six

Saturday

One P.M.

E verything was perfect. The musicians had arrived, the caterers were setting up food, and the tents were blocking the helicopters and drones that were overhead. Nothing was going to spoil this day.

Nothing.

The media was in a frenzy as they tried to get a few photographs of the couple. Only, that wasn’t happening. Greyson had made sure that they were blocked at every avenue. That also meant Viktor Marchenko was blocked too.

Today, when his brother and Steele headed to the hotel in downtown Vegas, they’d be going there in a limo, right to the elevator to the penthouse.

He wasn’t messing around. Had there not been some maniac trying to kill them, then he wouldn’t have been so hellbent against the media getting a few shots.

Tomorrow, the family jet would take them directly to New York, and they’d be safe.

At least he wouldn’t have to worry.

As he stood in the foyer, waiting for his wife, there was a knock on the door.

Greyson already knew who it was. Dimitri had let them in, and he only hoped his mother behaved herself.

If she didn’t, his wife was going to kick his ass for giving her another chance. He didn’t want to piss off his kitten today. He was hoping to get into her panties later, or even when he could steal her away from the festivities.

Normally, he’d molest his girl before they rolled out of bed, but she’d actually been up before him, and that was a feat in itself. He got up to run in the gym at the ass crack of dawn, and she’d still beaten him.

He hoped this wasn’t going to be a habit.

Greyson didn’t ask for much.

He wanted her naked, beside him, and ready when he was moved by the soft glide of her skin against his.

He’d make up for it later.

When the door opened, he stood there like a sentry guarding the kingdom. His mother stopped the second she saw him.

“Greyson.”

“Mother.”

Christopher Croft elbowed her.

“About last night.”

Greyson didn’t give her the opportunity to say anything more.

“It won’t happen again. If it does, Emma’s order for you to never be here again will stand. I’m going against my own wife on this, and that’s not kosher. I don’t like usurping her decisions, as I know I would loathe if she did that to me. The only reason I’m going to stand between you both, especially after you struck my pregnant wife, is for my brother. He wants you here.”

She said nothing.

“You can head outside. There are refreshments before the service. I suggest you don’t drink. You tend to say things when you do.”

She nodded and headed away.

His father stopped and hugged him. “Thank you, Grey. I’m sorry about all of this. I know this puts you in a predicament with your wife. Blame it on me. I’ll take the heat.”

“For you, Dad, I’ll handle it, but you had better make sure Reggie minds her manners, or she won’t see our wedding. She struck my wife. That’s…bad.”

He agreed.

“She and I had a bad fight last night over it. I told her I would leave her home for your wedding. She misses being the only woman in your life.”

“Well, that boat has sailed. She had me for forty years, Dad. It’s Emma’s turn. Plus, she talks about Steele and Dante like being gay is a bad thing. It’s love. Who are we to judge them? I’m far from perfect. I won’t sit here as my mother who believes in a higher power, preaches tolerance, and she judges them. I just can’t. This is my house and my rules.”

“OUR house,” Emma said, coming down the grand stairs. “Right?”

Well, here it came.

“Emma, you look beautiful,” Christopher Croft stated.

She gave him a kiss. “Thank you, Dad. Now I know where your sexy son gets his good looks. You’re looking very dapper and father of the one groom in your tux.”

He patted her cheek as she fixed his bowtie.

“Thank you for giving my son a good day. I’m happy to see him tie the knot.”

She genuinely loved this man. He had a sweet soul and a gentle heart.

HE wasn’t the issue.

“I hope you enjoy the day. YOU are always welcome here, Dad.”

He gave her a kiss and focused on his son.

He was screwed.

Christopher Croft had been married almost forty-five years. He knew a dead man walking when he saw one.

“I’ll go make sure Reggie is not drinking.”

He hurried away.

Emma stared at her husband.

“You do look beautiful. He’s right,” Greyson said, trying to gauge the chill he was feeling.

Was it Antarctica?

Or was it just the freezer?

That would tell him a lot.

She didn’t speak.

“Okay, what’s this going to cost me? Are we talking a bad fight or can I bribe you with something pretty?”

“I do believe I told you she was not allowed here,” Emma said, crossing her arms. “I do believe after she struck me, then you, and then called the people we love misfits, that she was NEVER to darken our doorstep again.”

“You did.”

“I don’t understand how you’ve confused this. I also don’t think you misunderstood how NEVER was a very long time. Unless I’ve misplaced my watch, this doesn’t feel like never or when hell freezes over. In fact, I’m pretty sure the Devil himself didn’t invite her. Oh wait…”

He lifted a brow.

“Kitten, tread lightly.”

She went to walk away.

He grabbed her arm. “Not happening. We are hosting this, and we need to be a unified front.”

Emma stared up at him. “Oh, are we? This doesn’t feel like it’s unified. You let her back in here.”

“She’s my mother.”

“And I’m your wife.”

“I did it for Dante.”

She pulled her arm free. “You could have at least asked me. I would have said yes. I’d bleed for everyone in this house. You could have made me feel like I matter more than your mother by simply warning me. That’s the issue—not her being here. For OUR brother, I would have given in.”

He knew he’d crossed a line.

“Emma. Please.”

Tears filled her eyes. “No, Grey. Now, I have hosting duties to handle. I saw Riley arrive. I’ll see you for the wedding.”

She walked away, her heels leaving an angry staccato, echoing behind, as she crossed the tile foyer and disappeared into the swarm of people working this wedding.

Greyson sighed.

And here it was.

He’d managed to piss off his wife for a woman who irritated the hell out of him.

Why?

Because blood mattered.

Now he had to fix this.

Somehow.

Outside, she smiled cheerfully, as she greeted all their guests. There was Dante’s staff, his secretary, and a few of his friends from Vegas.

Steele’s brother was standing there, and he looked lost. Emma immediately went up to him. “Well, Ben, you look all handsome and ready for a wedding.”

He smiled. “I am. Where is my brother?” he asked. “I know I’m late. I had to escape my mother’s questions. She was inundating me with them.”

She laughed.

Yes, mothers.

She got it.

“You could have brought her as your date. We wouldn’t have minded.”

He hesitated. “Are you guys really what they say on the media reports?” he asked.

She liked that he was honest.

“Are you asking if Greyson is the mob in Vegas?”

“Yes.”

“The Crofts are the biggest, toughest, and most dangerous mob family here.”

He got it.

While he’d play in the dirt for his brother, he wouldn’t risk his mom.

“Then for her safety, she should stay away. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

She got that.

“Although, it looks pretty safe here.”

Yeah, she noticed.

There was security everywhere. You’d think Dimitri was guarding the Queen’s jewels. He’d hired more backup for them all.

It was ridiculous.

This was a wedding.

“Why don’t you head in to see your brother?” she asked. “Ask one of the housekeepers. They will take you to him.”

He smiled.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Emma. I feel welcome here with my brother.”

“You’re family because Steele is our brother.”

He headed off.

“Wow, this is some party,” Delilah said, as she slinked up to Emma in her sexy black dress.

It left NOTHING to the imagination.

Delilah looked like some nineteen forties arm candy. She was throwing serious sex down today.

“WOW! Who are you trying to catch?” Emma asked their attorney.

“Apparently, a sexy cop. I don’t know why, but he makes me insane,” she admitted. “Where is Detective Do Good?”

She snorted. “Over by the bar. I saw two mimosas in his hands. I think he’s looking for a wicked witch to catch for his own.”

She grinned. “What do you know? Good and evil can play in the game together. If we disappear, I’ll be molesting Dudley Do Right in a spare room. Do NOT send help.”

Emma loved their attorney. She was straight forward, and she didn’t mince words. Emma only hoped that Riley Henderson knew what was coming.

She was going to turn his world upside down.

Clearly.

Emma watched her strut off, and when she found him, she tripped and landed against his body. Riley caught her, and she kissed him.

Yep.

Sunk.

That detective was taken.

Next, Emma found Chris working the perimeter with Dimitri.

“You look gorgeous,” Chris said, giving her a kiss on the lips when he saw her.

“Thank you. I do try. You know how I have to be perfect for the king.”

He heard it.

So did Dimitri.

Emma was NOT happy.

“His mother?”

She nodded.

Then she told Chris when he looked confused.

“Cut him some slack. He had to play nice. He’s just as fucked as the next guy when it comes to family.”

She was aware, but if she gave her sexy cave-Croft an inch, he’d take four miles.

Anyway...

“Will you be saving a dance for me?” she asked, fixing Chris’s tie.

“You know it. You can have the first one.”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Perfect.”

Then she faced Dimitri.

“And you? Will I get to dance with our sexy Mr. Gideon? Think you can squeeze me in?”

He laughed. “I’m working, but we will see.” Dimitri knew he’d give her anything she wanted.

This included.

“Yeah, like you can’t multi-task. I want to hear all about you making out with Steele.”

Chris sputtered.

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear? You have to kiss the groom,” Dimitri offered, busting his employee’s ass. “I got mine out of the way.”

“Oh, hell, no.”

Emma smiled.

“I’ll kiss Emma. That’s as close to kissing Dante and Steele I’m going to get.”

He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll definitely save all my dances for you, Emma, and my sisters.”

She smiled at him.

He looked better today.

She fixed his lapel, and grabbed a flower from the bush beside them. “You need some color to brighten up all the black,” she said, tucking the red rose into the buttonhole. Then she sniffed it.

“Perfect.”

Chris objected. “Uh, hello?”

“You smell like lilacs. You had your own flower climbing all over you this morning. I don’t need to even go there.”

He laughed and tried not to look way too proud of himself—especially in front of Natasha’s brother.

“Yeah, I did.”

Dimitri closed his eyes. “The visual…really?”

Chris patted him on the arm. “I’ll leave it at that—for you. It’s too nice a day to make you cranky.”

Chris headed off to find his girl.

Dimitri held out his arm. “Would you do me the honor?” he asked.

Emma took his arm and held on.

“Is Steele excited?”

“Yes, he is. I just wanted to thank you for what you did for him. I know there’s not a gay bone in your body,” she said, staring up at him.

He laughed. “Nope, but he’s family. Isn’t that our job to make the people we love feel safe?”

“Yes, it is.”

He grinned at her. “Then I was just doing my job.”

Some of the shadows were gone from his aqua eyes. That made her happy.

Family healed.

Here was the proof.

“Besides, if you could have seen his mother. He needed that moment more than I needed to be secure in my masculinity.”

She went up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the lips. “That’s for a man who will heal his family even when it’s not his thing.”

He laughed. “Yeah, definitely not gay.”

She snorted.

Dimitri led her toward the tent where the ceremony was about to start. Everyone was filing in, and Emma grabbed some tissues she’d placed by the door.

“Expecting to weep?” he asked.

She pointed at her midsection. “Let’s blame it on this baby,” she offered.

He grinned.

“Yeah, I think it’s more because you’re a mother than a mother-to-be.”

Maybe he was right.

“Will you sit by me?” she asked.

“Will Greyson flip his shit?” he asked.

“He’s going to be up there with Dante. I just figured you could be my date, since we’re both going to be alone.”

He kissed her on the top of the head. “I’d like that a lot. There’s no one I’d rather be cried on by than the pregnant wife of a man who is like my brother.”

“Well, when you put it that way…”

Dimitri was glad he had her.

Emma helped fill a hole in him, whether she knew it or not. It wasn’t sexual, but more as a friend and companion. When she was near, he didn’t ache as much for what he’d been forced to watch walk away.

He had peace as she held his arm.

“It would be my pleasure to be your other date, Emma Croft.”

She smiled.

“Then let’s go watch a wedding, Dimitri Gideon.”

It was a good day to do just that.

When Greyson took his place at the altar with his brother, he could only focus on his wife. She was sitting beside Dimitri, and she wouldn’t look at him.

In fact, she was a little too interested in something the Russian was whispering in her ear.

He was about to lose it.

Normally, he wouldn’t be jealous of the man being near his wife, but since he knew she was angry at him, this added fuel to his speculative fire.

It made the heat creep up his body.

Dante looked over and saw him going red. “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“Nothing,” he said, not willing to ruin his brother’s wedding. Later, he was going to get his wife alone and give her a piece of his mind.

It wasn’t going to be pretty.

The music began playing, and Steele walked in being escorted by his brother. They walked, side by side, down the aisle. He was wearing a gray suit, punctuated with a pinkish-red rose.

Dante watched him approach, and he couldn’t believe he was about to get this damn lucky.

His heart thumped.

Here came his husband.

As they stopped at the altar, Steele stared into his eyes. The silver always made his pulse quicken. Dante was handsome, sexy, and everything he’d always wanted in a man.

He was the epitome of everything.

Steele knew how lucky he was to have found him, and to have found this family.

The minister began, “Love is our best friend, our partner, and the healer of the pain in our lives. To understand the power of love, we must understand ourselves,” he said, smiling at the two men.

“Please join hands,” he said.

Steele and Dante did.

The minister continued, glancing back and forth between the two men. “We are all half of a whole. As we travel through life, trying to find our other self, we don’t always succeed and find ‘The ONE’,” he offered. “Today, I come to ask you this. Have you both found that half to your whole?”

Dante wiped a tear from Steele’s good eye. He was wearing his patch, a gift from Dimitri, and he looked like a sexy pirate.

“I have found my other half. It’s you,” he offered.

Steele kissed their joined hands. “I know for certain that I’ve found my better half. It’s definitely you.”

The minister continued, “And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love, friendship, and intimacy, and we don’t want to be out of the other's sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of who we are.”

Everyone in the family listened to the man speak. It was moving, without being preachy. That was the perfect way to conduct this wedding.

The men gazed into each other’s eyes, and it was clear what they were thinking.

Steele couldn’t exist without Dante. He’d tried to die.

Dante couldn’t function without Steele. His life had been on hold until his mate was back.

This was a perfect union.

The minister continued, “This story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It begins with the day that Dante Atticus Croft saw Doctor Steele Worthington Bentley in a morgue of all places. They found that spark over death. A friendship was formed, and from there, like the blossoms in spring, it bloomed. It became something more as Dante knew he’d found the person with who he could be his true self.”

It was true.

Dante came out for this man.

He’d never wanted to face the truth that he was gay, but Steele…he made him want to be true to both of them.

“For Steele, he found someone he could be safe with, and someone who would accept him for himself. In that, he found his way to this path of love. It is one forged in fate, beginning the day they were both brought into this world, and it will end when they leave, hopefully, as one.”

Dante loved him so much. He could see that love reflected back into his eyes.

“That’s just the beginning of the story. They’ve overcome so much. Once upon a time, Steele nearly lost his way. He’d been taken from his love, and he had to fight to find his way back to him. It’s taken time, but one thing has remained the same. Dante. He hasn’t faltered. He hasn’t given up. We can ask, why?”

Dante answered. “I haven’t because I have never loved anyone as much as I love Steele.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Emma was wiping furiously at hers, as Dimitri kept handing her tissues.

Kat and Nat were also wiping their eyes, touched by the love and beauty of the moment.

Reggie, wiped at hers, but no one could tell if it was love, or the bitterness of a woman who’d failed at destroying love.

Greyson patted his brother on the shoulder, and smiled at the couple.

The anger he had ebbed away.

He knew what Dante was feeling.

He felt it too.

Emma looked over at him, and he let it go. ‘I love you,’ he mouthed.

She touched her lips and blew him a kiss.

There was that love.

That forgiveness.

It was what marriage was about.

The minister continued, “Dante rode in and saved his love, staying by him, protecting him, and showing him the true meaning of being a partner, spouse, and lover. Love is not something that we all find. It is not something that can be bought, stolen, or forced. From the bended knee at the fundraiser where he asked Steele to marry him, or to the times they’d gone out in public as a unified front, that was the foundation of love and acceptance.”

It was right.

This was right.

“This couple has bravely decided to make it official. Who here hasn’t dreamed of this kind of love? It is one that will last until their dying days. Who hasn’t wished that the love found would lead to a day like this? The answer is simple. We all have. Today, we get to watch the two become one, and that is a gift beyond words.”

It was.

Dante couldn’t take his eyes off his husband-to-be. He loved him more than himself. More than breath. More than his own life. He’d die for Steele.

He’d die without him.

“This moment is here, and I’m happy for you both,” the minister said. “Can you believe that you’ve made it over every hurdle to reach the altar?”

They both shook their heads.

It had been a battle.

A long one.

“Well, it’s real. It’s happening. It’s even more marvelous than anyone here could have ever dreamed. Now comes the part that always makes me the happiest. Look at your hands. There are the hands of a soldier, protecting those of his doctor. They are hands that can lift you up, or break you down. What you choose to do with your hands will decide your life.”

They stared down at them.

Steele’s fingers were healed, but he’d been broken and destroyed. Dante could see the beauty in his two malformed pinkies. He’d protected them with his life, and he’d do the same for him.

“Know that these are the hands of your best friend, strong and full of love for you. Know that they are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years.”

 Dante’s thumb caressed Steele’s hand.

‘I love you,’ he mouthed.

‘I’d die without you,’ Steele mouthed back.

The minister pushed on. “And with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it, support and encouragement to pursue your dreams, and comfort in difficult times. And lastly, these are the hands that even years from now will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just one touch. Stay connected. Stay as one, and know that you will always have the love and support you need.”

The tent where they were having their wedding was silent. Everyone watched, waiting.

“The couple didn’t want vows, because they’ve already said them privately to each other. They feel that those vows, whispered to each other are sacred words, meant only for each other’s ears. Instead, they wish to do this differently.”

That surprised everyone.

“I asked both Dante and Steele to sum up their relationship in one word. I’ve heard a lot of words used, but these two men surprised me. They didn’t use special, or perfect, or anything to describe it as I thought they would. Instead, they both said the same words at the same time. Gentlemen, what is that word?”

He held out their rings.

“Destined,” they said at the same time.

Dante continued, as he took Steele’s ring and slid it onto his finger, “I was born for you, Steele Worthington Bentley. I was put on this Earth to be your strength when you are weak, your shoulder when you need to lean. I am here to be your champion, your warrior, and the man who will defend you to the end of my days. I am yours, simply because we were made to be one. I am yours because only you understand my heart and soul. I take you as my husband.”

Steele wiped his eyes. His brother handed him a tissue.

He had so much he wanted to say.

He went with his heart.

Picking up the last ring, he placed it on his soon-to-be husband’s finger. “You’ve always been the stronger one, Dante Atticus Croft. There’s no doubt about that. You can be my strength, and I will be your tenderness. When the world is hard, cold, and ugly, you can always find that love and gentleness in me. I’ll soothe your pain, kiss away your hurt, and promise that you will be okay. While you protect me, I’ll protect your heart. Today, tomorrow, and forever, it will be my one job. I will love my husband as if he’s the only man on Earth. I take you as my husband.”

The minister smiled. “Today is all about love. It has been my honor to be here to witness Steele and Dante’s story. This is but one chapter, and I am sure the book will be full of so many more moments. Thank you for letting me be a part of this, and now I get to say something you’ve been looking forward to hearing for a long time. By the powers vested in me by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you married. Mr. Dante Croft, you may kiss your husband, Mr. Steele Croft.”

And Dante did.

He pulled him into his arms, he smiled with so much affection as he stared into the aqua eyes of his mate.

“I love you,” he offered, bringing his mouth to his.

Steele let him lead, knowing Dante would never let him fall.

Their mouths met.

Everyone there began clapping.

It was a beautiful moment.

When they broke apart, the men faced their family. Dante grinned triumphantly, his silver eyes glittering with joy.

“FINALLY!” he said, as the whole family, their friends, and everyone else began laughing.

This had been the journey for Dante. It wasn’t only about the ‘I do’, but also about getting to that moment. He’d had to come out, and face his fears of losing his friends and family.

He’d survived it.

He’d had to wait for the man he loved to recover from what happened to him. Nothing had been easy on this journey.

People had criticized them, called them names, spread horrible rumors, and made their lives hell, but they’d beat each and every obstacle to get here.

Today was about love.

Not being gay.

It was about deserving the right to fall in love with whoever they wanted, gender excluded, and they’d made it.

Dante could finally enjoy his marriage. The journey had made him stronger, and it made the love worth so much more.

He had a partner in it all, and now he held his husband’s hand, and they could finally celebrate.

Today was a new day.

Today was the first day in the rest of their lives as husbands.

“Thank you all for being here,” Steele said, looking out at all of them. “I think it’s time to start this party. Thank you to our family for all of this.”

Dante continued for his husband, “Thank you to my brother and sister-in-law. You’ve always been here for us. We only hope we have the love you both share. Without you, Emma, and you, Greyson, we wouldn’t be here. We love you.”

She blew them both a kiss.

Greyson gave them each one.

“To the rest of our family, thank you for supporting us. To the Gideons, we love you all for making sure we are safe, protected, and always entertained. We are glad you are part of our family too.”

Steele looked back at his brother. “To my brother, Bentley, thank you for being part of my day. It means the world to me.”

He hugged him.

“To my parents,” Dante said, knowing if he didn’t, he’d be crucified by Reggie, “thank you for being here.”

They held hands.

“Now, let’s have some fun!”

They headed down the aisle, hand in hand, and there was laughter.

As it should be.

As it always would be.

Today, tomorrow, and forever.

Because they had found love.

Chapter Seven

E verything was going off without a hitch. There was dancing, laughing, and so much food that there was no way anyone was going home hungry. As the couple worked their way through the crowd, greeting everyone, it was time to do the mother and son dance.

Steele and Dante had kept it quiet, simply because they weren’t sure it was going to happen. As the band began playing, Dante took his mother’s hand in his and led her to the floor.

Steele approached Emma and held out his hand. “I need you to be my mother again,” he said, smiling.

It made her cry.

Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones or the fact that the people in her family loved her so much, but his request filled her heart with so much love.

She couldn’t say no.

“I’d love to be your mother for this dance.”

They pulled them out onto the floor, and the music began playing. As Emma stayed in Steele’s arms, she ignored the look her mother-in-law was giving her.

“Are you happy?” she asked Steele.

He touched his pocket square she’d given him. “How could I not be with my lucky charm?”

She laughed. “I’m so glad. You deserve this. I really hope you rock his world tonight.”

He grinned and whispered something in her ear.

She nearly blushed. “That will do it.”

“Emma, seriously, thank you. When I tried to kill myself, I didn’t think I’d ever be happy. You found me and saved me. Had you not…?”

She got it.

“Had you not showed up and gotten me to the hospital, this wouldn’t be happening. You nursed me back to health, feeding me so much shit my cholesterol went through the roof, and your husband was jealous.”

She snorted. “I try.”

“I love you so much.”

She gave him a kiss.

“Hey, he’s mine. Go poach some other Croft,” Dante said, as he danced with his mother.

She was being silent, and that was likely for the best. Greyson was watching her, and Dante didn’t doubt he’d toss her if she crossed the line.

“I think I may do that,” she said, as she felt her husband near. “Will you cover for me?” she asked Steele.

He winked. “Uh huh.”

When the song ended, she headed toward her husband. “We need to talk.”

He agreed.

Greyson followed her into the house and to the pantry. Maybe she needed help carrying something out for the party.

Once inside, she hit the lights, closed and locked the door, and shoved him hard.

He fell back into a shelf full of canned goods.

“Emma!”

She attacked.

Her mouth was on his, and she was climbing up his body to find a way to satiate that need.

Greyson, at first, was confused, and then filled with so much lust that he could barely focus on anything but breathing.

Then his body went on auto-pilot.

He knew exactly what he wanted.

“Emma,” he whispered, as he ran his mouth across her shoulders. They were bare in the beautiful dress she’d chosen to wear. As always, she looked…regal.

His body was going haywire, and he didn't think he could keep his hands off her--even in public.

His body quaked, and Emma knew he was turned on—since that had been her plan. When she rubbed against him, he moaned and closed his eyes.

“In here?” he asked, trying to find a way to slow down that heat burning through him.

He could hear the staff moving around outside the pantry. All that stood between them and being caught was one little lock.

It was almost like having sex in a public place.

God!

It made his libido go insane.

“Honey,” he whispered. “We’ll get caught.”

Emma didn’t care.

A part of her was still pissed about his mother, but the rest of her was moved by the minister’s wedding vows. Love was precious, and nothing should be taken for granted.

Emma didn’t want to be angry.

She wanted to feel.

So, as they stood in the cramped pantry, she bit him on the neck and wrapped his tie around her hand. There was no way she was going to let him free.

“No, you owe me this,” she said, knowing he knew what she was talking about. “This is my castle, Grey. This is my fucking palace.”

She was right.

He couldn’t stop her.

But he could beg.

“Please. I can’t control myself more than I am,” he admitted. “I want to take you right now, but I know I can’t. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you about Reggie. God! I regret it.”

For once, she was in charge.

She ran her hands from his thighs to his hips, and every part of him was rock hard. Her husband was her prisoner. The dominant Greyson Croft was at her mercy.

This didn’t happen often.

To make him wilder, she ran her hands across his chest and then tugged his shirt out of his pants. Her hands found his abs, chest hair, and nipples.

When she ran her nails down his pecs, his knees nearly buckled.

Greyson shook from all the need.

“Please,” he begged.

She knew what would undo him.

Reaching into her dress, she pulled out the one thing that would make him insane.

The ‘C’ necklace he’d given her.

It was his symbol of ownership, need, and dominance over her, and she’d chosen to wear it for him.

“Oh, fuck,” he muttered, his body going so hard that he felt like he was going to shatter.

“I want you.”

Not as much as he wanted her.

With each time that they came together, it never dulled. That lust, heat, and want, flowed through him, reminding Greyson that they had something amazing.

She was his.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “Tonight, when they all go home, I’m going to make love to you in nothing more than that necklace.”

She couldn’t wait.

“Why should I postpone that fun until later?” she asked, once more running her nails across his goose bumped flesh. She knew her husband.

He was almost out of control.

Greyson knew he was about to lose it, and then he couldn’t be blamed for what was coming. She was baiting him, and he was only human.

“Emma,” he warned.

Her fingers wandered lower, and Emma flicked open his dress pants.

His eyes went wide.

When she dropped to her knees in front of him, he looked about ready to have a stroke.

Greyson swallowed as her fingers pulled him out of his boxers. “Emma, honey, we have a house full of guests!”

She ignored his pleas.

Honestly, she didn’t care.

“I want my husband, and you owe me for the stunt you pulled. It’s going to be rough,” Emma admitted.

With that, she took him into her mouth.

He shook as he was forced to watch his wife giving him a blowjob. He was trapped between the sensation of his dick sliding in and out of her mouth, and the fear of being caught.

It was making it hard to breath.

Greyson watched her. She worked him hard.

He was focused on the ‘C’ and what it meant.

Greyson reached for her and took her head between his hands. He slowed her down.

If he didn’t…

Yeah, he’d blow big time.

While he was supposed to be the one without the power, it wasn’t true. His wife was giving him a gift. As she knelt before him, worshiping his erection with her mouth, Greyson could see the love she had for him.

As his dick was slipping between her lips, he never wanted it to end.

“Use your teeth,” he ordered.

She did.

“Suck me harder,” he begged.

She did.

“Use your hand. I need more,” he whispered, as his leg shook.

Emma gave him what he wanted.

Truth be told, she was submitting to him, and he was the luckiest man alive.

Today would live in notoriety for him.

His pregnant wife was…

There was a knock on the pantry door. “Who’s in here?” asked the Chef.

Emma stopped mid blowjob.

“I’m fucking my husband, go away!” she ordered. “You can have the pantry when I’m done!”

He stared at her.

Well, since she’d said it, she might as make it true. Emma got off her knees.

“Emma! You just…”

She didn’t care.

“You’re right, Greyson. That was a lie. I was blowing my husband. Now I’m going to be fucked by him.”

Carefully, she slipped off her panties and jumped on him. Of course, Greyson caught her.

He’d never let her fall.

Greyson’s heart was thumping, and he couldn’t believe his wife. She was out of control.

He loved it.

What man wouldn’t?”

At that moment, his dick was throbbing and right in the perfect spot to find its way home.

Shit!

He was going to fuck his wife in their pantry, while their staff stood outside the door.

This was the hottest thing ever, and he couldn’t wait to find his way home.

“Take me,” she muttered, biting him on the neck above his collar.

It was going to leave a mark, and that made his body go rock-hard. Now the fire was lit.

What was he supposed to do?

Say no?

There was no way he could ever forget this moment. No man in his right mind would, and he’d never turn her down. That would be stupid, and he wasn’t a stupid man.

Lifting her, she slid him into her body until he was buried in that wet warmth.

They both moaned.

Greyson turned, placing her against the wall so he could drive his erection into her body, but he needed more. Greyson pulled her breasts from beneath the pretty dress.

Now it was perfect.

For every horny man, he knew this would be one of those moments that would forever be burned into his mind.

His kitten knew how to drive him insane.

“Hurry!” she whispered.

Oh, no, he was going to enjoy this. The chef could wait. He was going to find so much pleasure in this little interlude.

They both deserved it.

Roughly, he pounded himself into her, keeping his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. Emma was making the breathy little moans that got him all hot and bothered.

“Harder,” she begged from behind his hand.

Jesus!

He was going to explode from that request alone. They were already fornicating louder than they should be.

Shelves were rattling.

Cans were falling at his feet.

A box of rice fell, spilling all over the floor.

Still, he didn’t stop taking his wife. As her legs stayed wrapped around his hips, he glanced down to see himself sliding into her body.

Her dress was tugged up, and his kitten was bare.

The visual nearly did him in.

Greyson shifted the angle, taking his erection deeper into her body. They were pressed together in some clandestine pantry romp, and he was going to remember this day for the rest of his life.

They were like two horny kids sneaking away, and it was so wrong since they were responsible for all their guests, but still.

It was so damn hot!

Greyson was having that room bronzed.

When she pulled his mouth to hers, he swallowed her scream of orgasm.

Her body bucked, milking his.

Still, he wasn’t done.

Greyson wanted more. She’d started this, but he would finish it.

Leaning into whisper in her ear, he took back that control. “You will never talk to me like that again, Kitten. I’m your king,” he hissed into her ear.

She gasped as he continued pummeling her. His erection was on that one spot, and he knew it. With each word, he hit that mark, making her so wet, so needy, and so wanton.

“Say it!”

She looked up into his gray eyes, and they were beyond stormy.

He was angry.

“I won’t…”

He cut her off.

“Who do you belong to?” he asked.

“You,” she whimpered, as he worked her body hard. She wanted to explode all over again, and she was certain he knew it.

“You won’t question me, you won’t kiss other men to make me jealous, and you won’t stop me from this,” he said, pulling out of her body.

He spun her around, pressed her to the wall, trapped between the wall and his erection. From behind, he slid back into her body as he held her hands above her head.

“Who owns you?” he asked, as he could see the flash of that necklace.

“You do,” she whispered. “Only you.”

He drove back into her, lifting her from the floor with the thrusts.

“I’m going to cum,” he said, grabbing the panties from her fingers. He knew she was going to scream.

They couldn’t be loud.

So…

He shoved them in her mouth.

That one act, set off the explosion in him, and in her. Greyson slammed home, burying his dick in her body. He came with so much force that Emma did shout from behind the gag.

They stayed there.

The only sound was their heavy breathing and the thundering of heartbeats.

Slowly, he lowered her arms.

“I want you to go up, change, and meet me outside, kitten. We have a party to host.”

She couldn’t breathe.

This had changed, and fast. She’d been trying to teach him a lesson. Then again, from the look on his face, maybe she had.

“Yes, Greyson.”

“Later?” he offered, putting his lips very close to her ear. “Later, I’m going to enjoy doing this all over again. You’ve started something, and I’m going to finish it.”

Her heart skipped.

In her ear, he whispered something so dirty, filthy, and erotic, that she swore she was going to overheat.

“That’s later. Now, we behave civilly. You’re wrinkled. Go change. You don’t want everyone to know you were fucked by your husband in the middle of a party.”

Well, maybe she did.

“No panties. I’ll check,” he said, pulling out of her body. He tucked himself back into his boxers, and zipped up. His hand found her bare cheek.

“Later.”

And then he left.

There was no doubt who ruled this relationship, and it wasn’t her. Emma realized that the longer her husband played on the seedier side, the longer it would infect his life.

He was a killer.

He was the mob.

He was…hers.

And she would love him until the day she died. Emma tucked her breasts back into the pricey dress, dropped her skirt, fixed her hair, and headed out for the walk of shame.

Once out of the pantry, the chef glared at her.

“Shut up,” she said, taking the back stairs to their bedroom.

She couldn’t think.

Emma knew that later, she was going to be trapped beneath her caveman as he did truly wicked things to her body.

She couldn’t wait.

It would be worth every single moment.

She belonged to a caveman, and it was the best thing on Earth.

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

Thirty Minutes

Later

Emma found her husband with the rest of the family. He was talking with Detective Henderson, who looked a little tipsy. There was no doubt who was trying to get him drunk.

Delilah, the dark-haired attorney, was right beside him. She was eyeing him up like some bunny in an eagle’s sightline.

Someone was going to be hunted down later.

When Emma approached, Greyson knew she was there. He held out his hand for her.

“Weren’t you wearing a blue dress?” Riley asked. “I swear it was blue. What’s in these drinks?” he asked.

“Rum,” Emma said, “and yes, I was wearing blue. I had a little run in with something dirty in the pantry, and something got on me.”

Delilah laughed. “You lucky girl. I’m trying to get something on me too.”

Greyson choked on his drink.

Riley glanced at her. “I really hope you’re talking about me, and not my drink,” he said.

She whispered in his ear, and his eyes went wide.

“I love rum,” he said, putting his drink down as Delilah led him away to God only knew where. The man was in for some fun.

“That boy is in some serious trouble,” Emma said, as the music began.

He couldn’t disagree.

“Are you going to dance with me, Kitten?” Greyson asked. “I mean, I am your husband.”

“I promised my first dance to Chris, and then Dimitri, but you’re next.”

“That doesn’t seem right,” he said, touching the ‘C’ hanging from her neck.

“Neither does gagging a lady with her panties as you cum in her.”

Greyson knew Emma was being crass to rile him up. He had news for her. She didn’t need to be. That visual was forever trapped in his head.

He already wanted to do it all over again.

“I guess leaving you there wasn’t very gentleman-like of me. You have a very valid point. Are you mad at me?” he asked, kissing her knuckles.

“Not as long as you do what you promised later, but I need to add something to it,” she said, whispering into his ear.

He stared at her. “That’s pornographic!”

“I know. Now watch me go dance with other men,” she teased, knowing he was going to be thinking about it.

Emma found Chris, and he was sitting at a table with a beer in his hand. She took a seat, sitting on his lap. He grinned and gave her a kiss.

“Well, well, there you are. I was beating off all the ladies because I promised to dance with you.”

She snorted. “I bet. You look sexy in your suit.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Shall we?”

“You can dance with Natasha if you want,” Emma offered. “She’s watching you.”

He was aware.

“I actually need to talk to you.”

“About?” she asked, as he led her to the dance floor.

“I want you to have Greyson pull Natasha off being my tail,” he stated. “I can protect you better if I’m not worried about my girlfriend following us around. I’m freaked out about the Viktor Marchenko thing.”

They all were.

The family was pulling double security duty on the Gideons, since they were likely the man’s targets. He’d already tried for Kat, and they believed Dimitri was next.

They began moving, and Chris held her in his arms.

“It’s messing with you, isn’t it?”

“I have this feeling…”

He didn’t have to explain. The shit was coming, and he knew it. “It’s right here,” he said, touching his solar plexus. “I feel off, Em. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I can talk to Greyson, and have him pull her.”

“I just want to know she’s safe. This asshole is gunning for the Gideons. We’re good. I can keep you alive.”

She trusted him. “I’ll talk to him tonight.”

He kissed her on the forehead.

“You smell like Greyson’s cologne, and you’re wearing a different dress. I know what that means,” he teased.

“I’m also not wearing panties.”

He stopped moving. “You’re out of control. You don’t tell a man that!” he said, staring down at her.

She snorted. “I just like to fluster you.”

Well, she did.

“You’re a pain in my ass.”

“But you love me,” she said, as he went to dip her. “Not too low. No undies.”

He nearly dropped her as he began laughing. “It would serve you right.”

When he had her upright, she rested against his chest. “I love you,” she said.

Chris held her. “You’re so much part of me, Em, that I can’t ever get you out of my life. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you. You saved me. I know your heart belongs to Greyson, but you have a place in mine. We’ve been through a lot.”

She cuddled closer. “You have a part of my heart, Christopher. You always will.”

He held her.

When he was near Emma, there was so much peace. “I was thinking of heading out of here for a couple days to take Natasha to that vacation home you’ve saddled me with.”

“Dimitri will take over being my bodyguard.”

He didn’t like that.

“I was thinking maybe you and Greyson could join us. Dimitri too. There’s fishing, some nature, and the family could use some time away.”

Yeah, as far from Vegas as possible.

“We don’t have a case, and ‘Aquarius’ can survive without Dimitri. He needs a break after this whole Marissa mess.”

She loved that he was concerned about Dimitri.

They all were.

“I think it will do the family good to get a break. This city can swallow you whole,” he offered.

He was right.

“I think we should. Besides, I like Lake Tahoe.”

“Is that where my new place is?” he asked. “You two are sick.”

She snorted.

“Wait until you see it.”

“It had better be a cabin and something small.”

She didn’t answer.

“Emma.”

“Let’s just say it’s cozy, and it sleeps the whole family. We don’t do small.”

Chris knew there was no point fighting it. With Emma and Greyson, they gave all they had to love the ones they’d picked to be theirs.

“Well, thank you. I am sure I’ll enjoy it.”

“There’s Budweiser on tap.”

He nearly wept. “I love you. If you weren’t married, I’d kill all the men in line to get to you.”

She found that funny.

“Yeah, yeah. I hear that a lot.”

Chris held her tight.

“Thank you for going with us. I think I’m going to propose to Natasha there, and I think it would be perfect if my sister had my back. I need to pick out a ring, and I don’t know how to do shit like that.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“It’s time?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s time. I could wait six more months, but I need to put a ring on her finger. Dimitri will lose his mind if I stall. I’ll just go with a longer engagement. I don’t need men sniffing around my girl.”

She took his face in her palms and kissed him. “I am so happy for you, Christopher. I’ll pick out that ring with you. I can’t wait.”

“Emma?”

She waited. “Yes?”

“Can you plan our wedding? I know Nat loves you, and she’s going to want help. I trust you to give her what she needs. I’ll pay for it all.”

She stopped him. “I will do it on one condition.”

“What?”

“You let me give you that as your gift. You let me plan your wedding with your bride-to-be, and you accept it from your sister.”

He held her close.

In her ear, he whispered, “I will always love you.”

It choked her up.

“I know, Christopher. I know. I’m glad you found love, and you found peace.”

He was too.

It took everything he had to open his heart and face the fear of being hurt. He’d done it because of the woman he was dancing with.

She was his sister through and through.

“So, we’ll go on vacation, and you’ll help me get my ass in gear. I need this.”

Emma would do anything for him.

“Count me in. It’ll have to be a couple weeks away though, since we’re going to have to run this empire while Dante is on his honeymoon and Grey and I are flying to New York. He has that appointment with Paris and Tessa.”

He was good with that.

“I’ll help hold down the fort. How hard could it be to do Dante’s job? He looks at half-naked dancers all day.”

He grinned wickedly.

“I’m obligated to make you look at the men,” she teased.

“So mean. I love my sister.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “Go find your girl. I’ll tell the men who run this circus to get her off your tail, and that we’re going camping.”

He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Stay out of trouble. One more dress change, and Reggie will be talking,” he teased.

Oh, she had no doubt.

Setting him free, Emma smiled at him. “I love you, Christopher. Thank you for being my brother. You live here,” she said, touching her heart.

His skipped.

He felt the same.

Chris disappeared into the people dancing, as he headed off to find Natasha. As Emma went searching for her second dance partner, she found him drinking bourbon with Greyson.

“We need to talk,” she said.

“About?” Dimitri asked. “Are we going to discuss dancing, how you’ve changed your dress, and why he’s all rumpled?”

She snorted. “Like you need to ask. You have cameras in the pantry. You know what went on in there.”

He laughed. “Yeah, and I’m not promising to erase it either. I may need this as leverage at a later date.”

Emma found that funny.

Greyson…not so much.

Dimitri saw the look and he grabbed a pen from his pocket to write something on his cocktail napkin.

      ‘10’

“The Russian judges were impressed. Excellent form, and your dismount left us clapping,” he said, guessing what had happened. It didn’t take much.

Greyson had a bite mark on his neck, and it was covered with Emma’s lipstick.

He was a smart man.

Croft sputtered as he stared at the napkin.

Emma elbowed him. “Relax. He’s messing with you. He wouldn’t spy on us.”

Dimitri winked at her.

Greyson wasn’t so sure. What he needed to do was find all the places there weren’t cameras in their home.

That’s where he’d molest his kitten.

“Anyway,” Emma began, “I need two favors.”

They waited.

“Chris wants Natasha pulled from shadow duty. He’s worried for her safety. I know we said that was the plan, but she’s still tailing him.”

Dimitri sipped his drink. “I pulled her already. When Viktor went after Kat, I yanked her. If she’s following, that’s out of her own volition.”

“Well, stop it. You can scare some sense into your sister. She’s going to get hurt. Chris and I are fine.”

Greyson got it.

He’d follow Emma even if she were in danger. Why wouldn’t Natasha worry about Chris? Vegas liked to gun for Emma, and now that Babylon was in the picture, it was going to get rough.

“She needs to stay in, like you and Kat.”

He didn’t say anything.

“I mean it, Dimitri.”

Greyson did too. “You’re a target now, and we have to protect you and the girls. We’re okay. Now that Christ is dead, we’ll work on handling Viktor.”

He would, because he already had feelers out to locate him, and when he did…the man was gone.

Dead.

A splatter on a wall.

Dimitri was over this, and he was going to win.

“I’ll speak to her, and I’ll put her on lockdown, Emma. I want her to be safe.”

She relaxed.

“What’s favor number two?” Greyson asked out of curiosity.

“Chris wants to blow this town for a vacation.”

They all looked at her.

“Uh, he’s your security detail,” Dimitri stated. “If we don’t have him, we’re down a person. Then we are down Natasha, since we all know she’ll go with him, and I can’t do protection duty from lockdown here, Emma.”

“You won’t have to protect me. I’m going with him.”

Greyson’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“We all are. We have this money, we have nothing but time, and I agree with Chris. Vegas is feeling off. He wants to head to his vacation home. We’ve hidden it under paperwork. We can go there and take a break. We haven’t really relaxed, and ‘Aquarius’ can survive without us taking a case for a couple of weeks. We’ll run the business, and when Dante returns, we head out. He’s only going to New York for a week.”

Dimitri was on the fence.

“He wants to propose.”

His face softened. “He does?”

“I’m going to help him get a ring, and he’s going to ask your sister to marry him. He’ll likely be asking you, so look surprised.”

That he could do.

Greyson was in. “Okay.”

“I’ll keep the house secure,” Dimitri stated.

“You’re our family. Family vacation means all of us, and you have to be there to see her say yes, Dimitri.”

He wanted that.

“Plus, we need to get away. All of us need to decompress. You are wearing a bull’s-eye. Someone tried to kill Kat, and Viktor slipped away, Dimitri. You’re not staying. Vegas isn’t after us. It’s after you guys.”

He was aware.

He wanted to say no, but for his sisters…

“Okay. I have a couple weeks to get ready. That will give me time to get us some temporary security to watch the house. We need a house sitter.”

She pointed at Riley, being orally assaulted by Delilah under a tent. “We have a lawyer. Let’s use her.”

Greyson began humming ‘Love Shack’.

She snorted.

“Please, Dimitri?”

He dropped his arm over her shoulder and put down his glass. “Yes, and you owe me a dance. Then I’m back on duty. I think Greyson’s mother was eyeing up the china.”

She laughed as he led her away.

Greyson winked at her.

In Dimitri’s arms, she was safe. As the music played, she rested against him. “Are you feeling better?”

He stared down. “Well, I’m a little weirded out that you’re not wearing all your undergarments.”

She snorted. “You were watching!”

Dimitri only wished, but he wouldn’t do that. He respected Emma, and Greyson was so much more than just a friend to him.

He was family.

“No, I wasn’t, but the chef was pissed. He said something about having to disinfect his perishables. He heard everything that went on in there.”

That made her laugh. “Oh well. I hate him.”

Oh, everyone, including the chef, was aware.

“Maybe leaving them in there was on purpose,” he asked, and was amused when she began whistling.

“Oh, Emma. Thank God I didn’t have to raise you. I think you would have broken me.”

She gave him a kiss, and then rested her head on his shoulder as the song slowed down.

“I need to know if you’re okay, Dimitri.”

“Are you asking if I’m going to hire anymore hookers for a night of displeasure?” he asked, the Russian out in his voice.

“No. I’m asking if you are going to make it, and what I can do to help you if you feel like you’re slipping away.”

He thought about it. “I’m better. Maybe it’s for the best. Marissa…she had her own demons. I can’t fight hers and mine. I’m only one man.”

She touched his cheek.

Dimitri stared down at her with his aqua eyes.

“I’ll help you fight those demons. I have you, Maximillian. I have you until you can do it on your own.”

His heart skipped.

“Don’t tell your husband this, but I’m jealous that he found you first. If you ever decide to dump his suave ass…”

She laughed. “You and Chris have to fight over me.”

He grinned. “I can take him.”

She didn’t doubt.

“I’m done with hookers,” he said. “I think I need to just focus on fixing me. My father…he made a mess of all of our lives. Kat is finally healing. Natasha is getting better. Chris keeps the nightmares away for her and Curtis has given Kat a new lease on life. I’m going to work on me. Plus, I have a son now.”

They both looked over at the table with the cake. Sam was moving around it.

“Fifty says the back has no frosting by the time it comes to cut it,” she said.

“No bet. He’s got it on his face. I don’t take sucker bets,” Dimitri stated. “Not even when the woman offering is one of my favorite people in the world.”

She found that sweet.

“You made a difference in him already,” she said. “Sam is happier.”

He was glad.

“I have one more round of parenting in me, and then I’m done.”

“My money is on you.”

He didn’t doubt it.

She loved him with her whole heart.

“Thank you for being you, Emma. You are a mom to your core. No one is going to hurt you or your baby.”

She trusted him with her life.

The men around her…they would make sure she saw her child born.

She didn’t doubt it.

“I love you,” he said.

It wasn’t easy, but at odd times, he needed to tell her. While the words felt foreign, they still came out, and he wanted to share them with her.

“If you ever need me, Maximillian, all you have to do is call me. I will come running. You matter to me. You’re not security. You’re family.”

He held her close.

Finally feeling the hurt in his heart lessen over the woman who screwed with his heart.

“I know, Emma. I know.”

And that was all they needed to say.

He had his safe place.

It was there.

In the family.

And for that, Dimitri was blessed.

Chapter Eight

Saturday Night

Post Party

T he whole thing was a hit. Everyone had a good time at the party, and the two grooms did too. There was so much love there, that they couldn’t help but feel so damn lucky. In life, they had people who hated them because they were gay, but they had more who loved and would protect them.

That was a gift.

One they were blessed to have.

So, as Emma and Greyson shoved them into a limo, and sent them on their way, it was time to begin their honeymoon. In the back of the long stretch limo, Steele was lounging against his husband.

“I can’t believe we’re married,” he offered as he stared down at the rings on their fingers.

Dante laughed. “It took me forever to get you to commit. I’m the one who can’t believe it.”

He turned his head for a kiss.

Dante was waiting for this moment. He had to trust that Emma had gotten Steele to relax. He really wanted a memorable wedding night.

As in sex.

With Steele.

In the penthouse.

Their lips met, and there was the heat there that always surfaced when they came together. Dante wanted him in the worst way, and he tugged him into his lap until they were chest to chest.

Their mouths moved over each others, teeth, tongue, and lips worshiping the other.

As the limo hit a bump, Steele pulled away. “That was pretty amazing.”

Hell yes, it was.

“I can’t wait to get you naked, Mr. Croft.”

Steele loved hearing that title.

“I can’t believe I’m Mr. Croft.”

Dante kissed him again. “Well, you can be Mr. Bentley in our bedroom, if the name thing is confusing.”

He laughed.

“I think I can handle it, but I do have to tell you something.”

Dante stared into his eyes. “What, babe? You can tell me anything.”

“I was afraid to have sex tonight.”

Oh shit.

Here it came.

“And?” he asked. “You realize I won’t hurt you, right? I’ll be gentle, and if you can’t…”

What?

Dante needed this.

He knew Steele did too.

“I know you’ve been patient, but I’ve been worried that I’m not attractive down there.”

Dante had to let him work this out. Steele wouldn’t shower with him, he wouldn’t sleep naked, and he’d done everything in his power to avoid letting him see his man parts.

It worried him.

“Well, honestly, the male sex organs aren’t really attractive to begin with if you think about it,” he teased.

Steele laughed.

“I know you’ve been wondering.”

“I have, but I have to let you do this in your time. I just pray that it’s tonight, because I’m really horny, as you can tell from sitting on my lap.”

Steele laughed. “Emma checked for me.”

His mouth dropped open. “Pardon? Checked what exactly?”

“Well, she has sex with Greyson, which I imagine is like having sex with you. I needed her to give me a passing grade. So, she gave it a look.”

Dante didn’t know if he should laugh or be really jealous about that.

“So, my sister saw your junk, but I haven’t been allowed anywhere near it? Why do I feel like I should be outraged by something?”

Steele laughed and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around his neck. “She passed me. Tonight, you get to see my junk.”

He snorted. “I was hoping for more than ‘seeing’ it. I actually wanted to take it out for a spin.”

Steele took Dante’s hand and placed it on the bulge in his dress pants. “I’m horny too,” he offered. “I’ve missed being with you,” he admitted. “I’ve missed that intimacy. I know you said sex doesn’t matter, but it does. It brings two people together and binds them.”

Dante’s heart skipped.

“Are we talking like tying up binding, or was that a metaphor? I’m having a hard time focusing here,” he teased, only he was dead serious.

“That was more of a metaphor, but I know where your mind is heading, and I like it.”

Dante couldn’t help himself. He gently rubbed the bulge in his husband’s pants, and he got harder.

“Well, you’ve still got a dick, so we’re good to go.”

“I’m missing some stuff.”

It took Dante a second.

“Oh, shit! Then we can’t get pregnant?” he asked, being his normal sarcastic self.

Steele laughed. “Yeah, you can skip the condom.”

There would always be this. Sex or not, Steele got him, and Dante was blessed.

They both were.

So, as Steele was sitting there, he figured he should be productive. He began playing with Dante’s shirt.

Dante didn’t move as it was being tugged from his pants. This was something he’d dreamed about, and it was happening. This was the man he fell in love with before his abduction and torture.

He was back.

“Do your worst,” he whispered, as Steele tugged off the bowtie and tossed it over his shoulder.

“You won’t need that.”

“Hallelujah.”

Clumsily, he tried to open his buttons. “Can you help me?” he asked, his fingers weren’t cooperating.

Dante yanked, and the buttons popped off.

Steele laughed. “Well, I could have done that.”

“I wish you would. I’ve missed making love to you. I’ve missed the feel of us pressed together. I’ve missed the heat. I want you back. You didn’t come all the way back to me, Steele, and I miss him.”

Tears filled his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Just tell me you still love me like you once did, and what was done to you didn’t destroy what we had. I know we’re married, but I want you to want me—not be afraid of me touching you. I’m not them.”

He got it.

Dropping to his knees, he let his mouth wander down Dante’s body. They left a trail of heat, right to the one part of him he’d missed too.

Pulling open his dress pants, Steele took him in his warm palm.

Dante moaned. “Jesus, I’ve missed this.”

“I’m pretty sure Jesus would like to stay out of this,” he teased.

Dante laughed, as he looked down his body at his husband. “Put your mouth on me.”

Steele stroked him.

He wanted to recreate that first time they’d made love. It was forever burned into his memory.

It started just like this.

In a car.

He took Dante into his mouth, sliding him into the warmth. With long, slow strokes against his tongue, he showed Dante what he’d missed.

“So good! Don’t stop,” he whispered, as he ran his fingers through Steele’s black, silky hair. At the back of his head, he grabbed a handful of that hair to direct his motions.

He needed to be in control. Dante wanted to make sure Steele knew he wouldn’t let him get hurt.

It must have worked, because Steele was back, and he was working him into a fevered pitch.

Dante was breathing heavily as his husband drove him insane. He wanted to cum in the worst way, but he held on. He prayed for intervention as the man he loved sucked him off, on their wedding night, in the back of a limo.

It was surreal.

Then the vehicle came to a stop.

Dante let Steele continue for a few seconds. “Babe, we have to go,” he moaned, as his lower body shook.

He popped out of Steele’s mouth, and the man grinned wickedly. “Let’s go up to our room.”

Dante tucked himself back into his pants as fast as he could. He didn’t want to miss this.

When he opened the door to get out, there were camera flashes as a few reporters got pictures of them exiting the limo toward the elevator.

Steele knew how much he loved this man.

He was trying to protect him from their shouts. At the door of the elevator, they had to wait for it to open.

Steele took the chance.

He kissed Dante.

He didn’t push him away, but instead, he held him against his body as his mouth moved over his. Dante even grabbed a handful of his husband’s ass.

They both moaned as more cameras went off. This was going to be one hell of a story in tomorrow’s paper.

Even through the kissing, he could hear them shouting questions about the wedding.

Clearly, they saw the wedding bands.

When the doors to the elevator opened, they practically tumbled inside. Dante had intended to be in control, but that wasn’t happening.

Steele was the one leading the way.

It was his return back to the living, and Dante was going to let his husband drive the sex bus. He was willing to do anything, including crawling, to have Steele’s hands, and mouth, all over him, so he would try to be patient.

As Steele orally assaulted him in the elevator, Dante stood there with his legs spread and Steele between them. They didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing them—not that Steele cared—clearly.

“God! I missed this,” Steele said, his body finally coming back alive. All it took was his family, a wedding, and this man.

He wasn’t broken.

He was just dormant.

One touch from Dante, and he was back to life again.

Dante moaned as Steele left bites down his neck, across his throat, and to the other side. As he was tormenting him there, his hands were on his bare chest, leaving a trail of fire there too.

This was perfect.

His husband was perfect.

“You didn’t miss it as much as I did,” Dante muttered, as Steele rubbed him through his pants. They were standing dick to dick, and he couldn’t wait to get him upstairs, naked, and on their bed.

He was going to die if he didn’t consummate this wedding, and the return of his mate.

When the elevator opened, it opened feet from the penthouse door.

Dante pulled his husband out and down the hall. He blindly tried to open the door without looking.

“Hurry,” Steele begged as someone’s zipper hissed as it was being lowered.

Somehow, Dante got it open.

They fell in.

Literally.

With his foot, Dante shoved the door closed. The second it closed, Steele ripped his pants open.

“I think we started something in the limo,” he said, sliding down to take Dante’s erection in his mouth.

His body bowed.

Someone wasn’t being gentle.

Well, that was fine with him.

“Steele!” he moaned, as his body shook. His husband was on a mission. It included making him cum in the foyer of the penthouse.

Coincidentally, he was good with that. He had so much pent up frustration, that he could do this about twenty times tonight.

Steele worked him hard.

“Jesus! I’m going to cum! You need to…”

He didn’t get to finish. Steele did that thing he loved so much with his tongue that he was done.

He came so hard, his guttural shout was likely heard back at the house.

As he poured down his husband’s throat, he couldn’t help but smile.

And the sexual fast was over.

When he looked down his body, Steele was grinning up at him.

Dante was up, and he tugged Steele to his feet.

He was NOT taking his new husband on the floor. He had more things planned.

Dante tossed Steele over his shoulder like he used to do, and carried him toward the bedroom.

He felt his ass being grabbed by two hands.

Yeah, his husband was back.

“You had better hurry,” Steele said, as he hung upside down.

Oh, his ex-soldier husband was sexier than sin.

Once in the bedroom, Dante lowered Steele to his feet. He was about to jump him, when Steele saw it.

He stared.

The place was filled with roses, candles, and romance.

“I love you, babe. Happy wedding night.”

Tears filled his eyes.

He couldn’t believe this.

Why was he shocked? Dante always showered him with romance and love. He’d just assumed they’d roll around, get sweaty, and have at it.

Only, his husband had other plans.

He was going to woo him.

“There are days when I think you can’t see into my soul, and then you do something like this,” he said, “for me, and I know you see everything.”

“I know you, Steele. I was born to be your husband, and you mine.”

“But all this for me?”

He was staggered as he picked up a velvety soft rose and sniffed it. The scent was exotic and delicious.

It screamed wedding night.

“Of course it’s for you. I love you, Steele Croft. You’re my husband.”

His heart skipped.

“I promise to go slow and be gentle. Let me make love to you,” Dante offered.

Steele nodded.

Dante went into romance mode. He wasn’t thinking about getting off, since Steele took the edge off. Now he could focus on making love to him. Dante wanted to make sure tonight was one he’d never forget.

Gently, he helped him out of his suit jacket, and then began unbuttoning his shirt. He did it with such love and care.

“Dante,” he whispered.

He kissed him softly on the lips. “Just feel. I’m going to make everything alright. I swear. Trust me.”

He did.

“I’m yours.”

He absolutely was, and that was the best part.

When his shirt was undone, Dante pushed it off his shoulders, so it would fall to the floor with his suit jacket.

Then his hands went to the button and zipper on his dress pants.

They fell.

Dante looked down.

And grinned.

“You bought me these on our second date,” Steele said, as Dante reminisced.

“You already know that I wore mine too. We match. Great minds think alike,” Dante admitted.

Steele was at peace.

“We always did match,” Steele said. “From that minute I saw you in the morgue, and you tried not to check me out. I knew.”

“The minute I saw you, do you know what I fell in love with first?” Dante asked, as he tugged his boxers down.

“What?”

“Your sexy eyes. They are this deep blue-green. They aren’t as aqua as Dimitri’s eyes. They are like falling into warm, water in the Mediterranean. I fell into them, and I never got away. You are my everything.”

“That’s what you noticed first?” he asked.

“Well, and I checked out your package in scrubs. I’m a perv. Sue me. Scrubs do nothing to hide the goods, and for that fact, I’m grateful.”

Steele laughed. “I hope you still want to see my package,” he offered.

Dante took that second to look down.

He knew his husband. If he tried to pretend there was nothing wrong, he’d feel anxious.

Dante had been avoiding this, too, in a way. As long as he didn’t have to see what had happened, he wouldn’t have to face the reality of how close they’d really come to losing him.

Steele only survived by a miracle.

Dante still had nightmares.

While he’d seen the medical reports, and Emma told him what had happened, he was still in denial.

He hadn’t saved his partner.

Dante had let him down.

Steele watched his eyes for his reaction as he stepped back. Dante scanned his body, and finally, he saw the damage done to him.

The response was immediate as he looked at the scars across his thighs, one long one down his erection, and the missing testicle.

Steele saw the anger, the pain, and even the love.

“I want to kill them all over again for what they did to you,” he whispered. “They hurt my husband. They took what was mine and marked him up.”

Dante wanted to say a million more things. With gentle fingers, he reached out and touched Steele’s flesh. He caressed that scar that ran down his erection. The puckered scar was horrible. No wonder his husband had struggled.

Dante felt the need to share tenderness.

He dropped to his knees and left warm, openmouthed kisses across every scar he saw—with a gentleness that only a husband could have.

Steele watched him.

His heart filled with love.

There was no disgust, fear, or revulsion in Dante’s eyes. Oh, he could see the anger, but that wasn’t directed at him.

As Dante lavished his healed wounds with love and attention, Steele reassured him.

“I’m okay, Dante. He can’t hurt me anymore. Dominic paid with his life. Greyson killed him for me.”

That’s when he dropped the bomb.

“Dimitri killed him,” he admitted. “My brother couldn’t pull the trigger. He was still a Fed. He wanted to, but a part of him wouldn’t let him, so Dimitri took his life.”

Tears filled Steele’s eyes.

That mattered so much. The family had protected him, and he owed Dimitri so much.

“I thought…”

“Everyone thinks he did, but he didn’t. I wanted to do it, but Dimitri handled it. When he was no longer a Fed, Greyson and I hunted down the two men who helped him do this to you. We each killed one. We all have that blood on our hands, Steele. We took their lives in repayment for what they took from me. You were vindicated, and I won’t tell you the details, but they suffered at our hands for each mark they put on you.”

Steele loved him, Greyson, and Dimitri even more.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say that we can have sex, because I’m really dying here. I missed you,” he said, running his hand across Steele’s erection. “I think you missed me too.”

Oh, he had.

Steele was up.

Erect.

And the man before him was exactly what he needed.

“I missed you. Come with me,” he said, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet so he could lead him to the bed. “You’re overdressed.”

It didn’t last long.

He was naked in seconds.

Then, he was on Steele, as they fell onto the bed.

They rolled around, until Dante was on top. “I want you to close your eyes, relax, and let me show you what we share. Later, you can take a ride on your sexy soldier.”

Oh, he would.

Dante began working down Steele’s chest. There were healed burns from cigarettes, and tears filled his eyes. This man suffered to keep them safe.

He may have been the soldier, but Steele…he was the strong one. So many equated him to the ‘woman’ in their relationship, just because he was soft-spoken and more gentle, but he was tough. Steele’s name was appropriate for him. He put him to shame when it came to tenacity.

This was the proof.

He survived.

As his mouth left kisses over each wound, offering healing the only way he could, a peace settled over both of them.

Gone was the fear.

Gone were the nerves.

Steele was good. He was in trusted hands.

As Dante got to his erection, he licked him from base to tip.

Steele shook.

Then he took him in his hand and gently began stroking him. He was already rock hard. He left kisses down the scar that Dominic’s men had left on him.

They wanted to destroy him, torture him, and ruin him, but they didn’t.

He was perfect this way too.

He was his.

His mouth healed, as he worked him in and out of his mouth.

“Jesus! You’re too sexy for your own good,” Steele muttered, as Dante worked him hard enough to make him want more and more.

Dante wanted to make him cum, but he knew what obstacle they had to overcome.

He set him free.

Steele was breathing heavily.

“I want to be buried in you, but you have to decide if you can do it.”

“I want to but…”

Dante was willing to take one for the team.

Baby steps.

“I really need you in me then. I miss feeling that,” he said, staring into his eyes. “Can you just fuck me so I can feel you taking me?” he asked.

Steele nodded.

“I got your present. It’s here,” Steele said, pulling the nightstand drawer open.

“Strawberry lube.”

Dante laughed. “It’s my favorite flavor. We’ll sleep in the pajama bottoms later. I have other pressing things to work on,” he said, flipping the cap open on the lube. He dumped a shitload onto Steele’s erection.

Then he licked him.

“Mmmmm.”

Steele shook.

“Where do you want me?” he asked. He knew his husband liked to face him. It was all about the tattoos and the position for him. For Dante, he liked the control of being behind him.

“Face to face.”

Some things didn’t change.

Dante dropped back, pulling him with him. They were mouth to mouth, chest to chest, and dick to dick.

“I love you,” Dante said, as he could feel the tentative nudge of his husband.

Their mouths met, and he slid home.

They both moaned.

Dante let Steele take control, as he wrapped his legs around his hips. Steele pushed off his body, so he could stare into his eyes. Then he began moving.

It was slow at first. As his erection slid in and out of Dante’s ass, he was filled with so much pleasure.

With one hand, he took Dante’s erection and began stroking him as he fucked him.

Dante was struggling not to cum.

AGAIN.

The visual, the feeling, and the way his husband was taking him…it reminded him of all the times they’d made love. Gray eyes met that aqua-y green.

That’s when Steele got more forceful. He began thrusting harder into his husband’s body, still never looking away.

“I love you. You’re perfect,” Dante said, as he moaned in pleasure.

Steele was close.

The pleasure was unbearable.

He’d missed this.

As he thrust home, one more time, he exploded apart at all the pleasure. Dante held him as he collapsed onto his body.

Steele’s breathing was the only sound in the room.

Dante ran his fingers up and down his back to soothe him. He wasn’t sure what the storm would bring. It had to be on his time, his decision, and his pace.

Even if the love of his life couldn’t offer more, there was still intimacy there, and he would still take it.

Love was worth it.

“I didn’t think I could ever do that again,” Steele finally admitted to his husband.

Dante didn’t move.

Steele was still buried in his ass, and it was comforting to have that connection.

“I knew you could. I believed you’d be back once you worked through it in your mind.”

Yeah, he’d been right. Even with that being said, Steele knew what was next.

It was his turn.

Here was where he was scared.

Dante could feel his heartbeat thumping against his body. He knew Steele was worried.

“If you can’t, tell me. I will love you no matter what. I’ll be your sexy boy toy,” he teased. “You’re the king of oral sex.”

And he was.

Steele lifted his head.

“Promise you won’t leave me if I can’t do this,” he said, staring right into his eyes.

“Babe, you were raped and abused. If you can’t do it, you never have to do it. We can have this. This is more than enough for me.”

And it was.

“I want to try. Please be gentle.”

That set the pace.

Dante rolled with him. Normally, he’d take him from behind. He was an ass man.

This time, he needed to be less man, more lover.

Dante began kissing him.

His mouth moved over his, as he gently stroked his own erection to get rock hard.

When he grabbed the lube, he poured so much on him, he was glossy.

“This bed will have to be burned,” Steele teased, trying to get though his nerves.

Dante laughed.

“Who was your first time with?” he asked, trying to distract him.

“My college roommate. We got drunk, we had sex, and he never spoke to me again,” Steele said. “He was embarrassed that he’d done it with a fag.”

Dante laughed. “I had sex with a girl. I’m the one who should be feeling the shame.”

Steele snorted. “What was it like?” he asked.

“Gross. That’s how I knew I wasn’t into women. Here was this gorgeous girl, who had been chasing me for months, and she was all breasts and pussy.”

Steele laughed. “Poor you.”

“Well, we get naked, and in my brother’s car, may I add. He was deployed, and I ‘borrowed’ it. So, she climbs on, and she awkwardly slips me into her.”

Steele was watching him.

“I didn’t enjoy it. I don’t really get the whole breast thing.”

“Right?” Steele said. “What do you do with them? It’s like having too many things to play with on the field. You need a stick and a ball, not all that other stuff.”

Dante was laughing. “She kept hitting me in the face with them, and all I kept thinking was…what the fuck is my studly brother thinking?”

Steele laughed.

“I’d fuck your brother…oh wait, I kinda am.”

Dante bit him on the neck. “Stop thinking about Greyson, or I’m telling Emma.”

Dante stroked himself. “Anyway, she was a virgin, and so was I. It was a mess. She got all weepy, and I wanted to freak out. It was the worst experience.”

“Who was next?” Steele asked.

“Her brother. Now, that was hot. Not as hot as my husband, but sixteen-year-old boy hot.”

Steele laughed. “What happened?”

“He was a virgin. I was gentle. I didn’t hurt him. We screwed around a lot after that.”

“There’s a message behind this, isn’t there?” Steele asked.

“There is. I won’t hurt you. I didn’t have much control then, but I didn’t want to hurt him. With you, I’d die before hurting you. Picture me, picture us, and focus on that. It’s going to hurt,” he said. “If you can’t, stop me. If you can, let me show you what I’ve missed.”

He nodded.

“Wait.”

“What?” he asked, freezing.

“I have to be honest.”

“Um, okay.”

“I made out with Dimitri today.”

Dante stared at him. “I’m sorry, but what? I know you’re not telling me this to turn me on, so…”

He explained.

Dante got it.

“Okay, well, now I have to know. Was it hot?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Well, it wasn’t you, so it was more about torturing my mother. I figured you’d appreciate that.”

And he did.

His words also gave him butterflies.

“You’ll be the only man I’ll ever kiss again, Dante, and that’s why I’m telling you. When we put on these rings, I found the sexiest man ever.”

He grinned. “I love you.”

Steele stared up and into his eyes. “And I love you. Make love to me.”

Dante got into position. With the tip of his erection, he rubbed it gently against Steele’s ass.

Then he pulled out the lube and added more. Leaning over his body, he stared down at him. “I’ll tell you a secret,” he offered.

Steele looked up at him, and there was fear in his eyes.

“What?”

“I’ve seen Greyson naked. We look identical,” he offered, painting that picture for him.

Steele was focused on that.

Dante took that moment to slowly begin the slide into his husband’s body.

Steele tensed.

He found his mouth and kissed him. Their tongues did battle. It was a hard fought one too. They’d really damaged him. There was so much scar tissue, that Dante wanted to cry.

Not for him.

For Steele.

Before he knew it, he was all the way in. He set his mouth free.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded.

“Talk to me.”

“Are we talking exactly the same, or is that poetic license?” he asked.

Dante laughed. “The same.”

“Awesome. Fuck me. I’m having my own sexy fantasy.”

He snorted. “I hope it’s me you’re thinking about,” he teased.

Steele took his face in his hands.

“It’s only you. Ever. When they were hurting me, I was thinking about you, and how they couldn’t destroy me even as they taunted me.”

Tears filled Dante’s eyes.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you. I would have taken your place.”

His husband was sweet.

“Make love to me. Make me forget.”

He did. Slowly, he began moving in and out of his body, making sure to fill Steele with so much pleasure. He was hard again, and he didn’t think he was in pain.

“More,” Steele begged, as they were chest to chest.

Dante gave him everything he had. In fact, he could tell he was close to cumming again as he stroked him in time to his body sliding in and out of his.

Steele was rock hard.

Dante needed to catch up.

“Wait for me!” he ordered, picking up the speed. Dante pumped his hips, and with each thrust, Steele begged for more.

He gave him all he had.

“I can’t wait,” Steele muttered, as his husband jerked him off as he fucked his ass.

It was too much.

He exploded again, getting them dirty.

Dante was close. The way his body reacted, he knew it was coming.

Two more slides.

Steele looked up into his eyes.

“Fill me!”

He did.

The eruption was so fast, so hard, and so explosive, he couldn’t stay upright. He collapsed onto his husband’s body, and let the orgasm wash through him.

After a while, he slipped from his body, and rolled to his side.

“You okay?”

Steele cuddled against him. “We’re a mess.”

“But are you okay?”

He kissed him. “I’m happy. I’m back to being okay. I’m not broken, Dante. I’m not broken.”

Then the tears came.

Through them, Dante did want every good husband would do.

He held his spouse and loved him through the storm. He wasn’t there for him before, but from that moment on, he’d be the one to protect, love, honor, and cherish.

They were forever bound.

They were now one.

And nothing would stop that.

Steele Bentley had found his way home, and he was now a Croft. In the end, that was his salvation.

Because the family would always protect its own.

Coming Next:

    LostSouls

          Book eight in the Littlemoon Investigations

               Sept 2017

Other books by Morgan Kelley:

Standalone books

The Junction

Serial Sins

The Blood Betrayal

Romance/FBI Thriller Series

    Elizabeth, Ethan, and Callen

The Killing Times (book 1)

Sacred Burial Grounds (book 2)

True Love Lost (book 3)

Deep Dark Mire (book 4)

Fire Burns Hot (book 5)

Darkness of Truth (book 6)

Devil Hath Come (book 7)

Consumed by Wrath (book 8)

Redemption is Here (book 9)

Dead Shall Speak (book 10)

Pledging to Die (book 11)

Slay Bells Ring (book 12)

Past will Haunt (13) Flashback Book #1

Choices will Destroy (14)

Blood shall Run (15)

Act of Blood (16)

Stalked by the Past (17) Flashback book #2

Dying to Love (18)

Kiss of Souls (18.5) a Littlemoon/FBI crossover.

Revenge has Come (19) June 2017

Discarded by Fate (20) Oct 2017

Dawn of Evil (21) Flashback book #3 Jan 2018

Dead are Forgotten (22) Jan 2018

Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Series

     Greyson and Emma Croft

Celestia is Falling (book 1)

Vegas is Dying (book 2)

Christmas is Killing (book 3)

Love is Bleeding (book 4)

Heaven is Weeping (book 5)

Hell is Burning (book 6)

Justice is Dying (book 7)

The Croft Mob Series

Greyson and Emma Croft spinoff series

Dark Justice (1)

Lost Justice (2)

Paid Justice (3)

Wedding of our Dreams Novella (3.5) Steele and Dante

True Justice (4) March 2018

Mob Justice (5) August 2018

All Justice (6) March 2019

Wedding Day Blues Novella (6.5) March 2019

No Justice (7) August 2019

City Justice (8) March 2020

Bad Justice (9) August 2020

Sold Justice (10) March 2021

The Littlemoon Investigations Series

      Julian and Tori Littlemoon

Blood Red Rage (book 1)

Lost & Broken (book 2)

Unthinkable Games (book 3)

Truth is Found (book 4)

Haven of Nightmares (book 5)

Forbidden Secrets (book 6)

Kiss of Souls (book 7)

Lost Souls (book 8) Sept 2017

The Hunter Trilogy

     Dakota Rakin

Atonement  1)  December 2017

Absolution (2)   December 2018

Amends (3)       December 2019

The Romance Anthology

     Blackhawks, Crofts, Littlemoons etc

It’s Good to be the Boss (Antho 1) Surprise release. 2017

It’s Good to be Loved (Antho 2) 2018

It’s Good to be Bad  (Antho 3) 2018

The Carter Chronicles Trilogy

     Callista, Nathaniel, and Lucas

Sinner Repent (book 1)

Sinner Realized (book 2)

Sinner Reborn (book 3)

The Oracle Phoenix Files

                  Nathaniel Carter and Avalon Miller

Oracle Rising (book 1)

Oracle Seeing (book 2)

Oracle Haunting (book 3)

Oracle Hunting (book 4) Feb 2018

Harcourte Vampyre Society

       Jolie, Jacques and Flynn

Dangerous Revelations (book 1)

Dangerous Choices (book 2)

Dangerous Misery (book 3)

Dangerous Retaliation (book 4)

Dangerous Influence (book 5)

Dangerous Sacrifice (book 6)

Dangerous Blood (Final Book) Dec 2017

The Tueur

     Flynn and Jolie

Wicked Hunt (1)  November 2018

Anthologies

      All the couples in one book

Illegal Fantasies-

Behind Closed Doors(1)

Romance Under Arrest- winter 2014

Behind Closed Doors(2)

Holiday Reinforcements-

Behind Closed Doors (3)- winter 2015

Please feel free to visit her at her blog at

www.morgankelley.blogspot.com

            * * *  G r e y s o n   C r o f t   * * *

          MK