Briggs was unable to speak.
Croft knew the best thing would be a distraction. “I want you to pick an agent to handle the hills. That shot came from far away. I felt the drag across my body. The shooter was up in the tree line with a scope.”
“I’ll make sure it’s taken care of, boss man.”
Emma didn't like the sound of this. Someone was taking pot shots at her husband with a rifle?
Really? Could this day get any worse?
Then, it hit her. They were still outside. “You need to get back to the office, where it’s safe,” she insisted.
There was no way in hell that was happening. He had a job to do. It wasn’t like he’d never been shot at before. After all, he did his time in the Army.
“Emma, I can’t.”
Her bottom lip quivered. Emma wouldn’t challenge him in front of his people, but he needed to know this was making her a nervous wreck.
Greyson knew it was only a matter of time before she lost it and broke down. As much as he wanted to stay, Greyson remembered the vow he had made when he almost lost her before Christmas.
Work would come after Emma.
Right now, she needed him. Being a husband had to be a priority, especially after what she lived through today. For the moment, he would swallow his ego and take one for the marriage team.
Croft whistled, motioning for the ME. When Steele Bentley arrived beside him, he dropped his voice. “I’m going to do the notify to Lester’s wife in a little bit. I need you to keep his identity under wraps. Hopefully, she wasn’t watching the news like Emma was.”
The ME took her hand in his to check her pulse. “You’re clammy and your heartbeat is erratic. Are you going to be okay?” he asked Emma, worried she was going to pass out.
She shook her head yes, but it was nothing but a lie.
Both men glanced at each other, a silent message passing between them.
Croft swallowed his pride for her. “I’m going back in-house. I want the autopsy on the victim in the ground as soon as possible. Can you bump the rest of your day and get me whatever you can? If this holds pattern, the man in the grave is a Fed too, and I want his identity ASAP.”
“Yes, Director.” Steele was worried about Emma, and her husband. Someone was playing a sick game.
Croft motioned toward another agent. “Bring my car through the police line. I want a driver, and a ride out of here, for my wife and myself. She’s not going to be paraded in front of the media.”
The man took off running at the big man’s request.
Emma went into his body, grateful that he was giving her this one thing. If he refused, she would have needed some serious medication. At that point, the killer could be anywhere, watching her husband.
Even right now.
She scanned the area, searching for any signs that he was in danger. Yeah, when they got back to the office, she was going to cry for the next three hours. There was no doubt- a breakdown was on the horizon.
Suddenly, someone’s phone began going off. They both paused as Curtis answered it.
The man glanced over at his partner. “Boss, it’s for you. It’s Director Blackhawk,” he said, unsure how they knew to call his cell, but he wasn’t going to question it. They obviously had eyes on them at the moment.
Croft had to release Emma to pull on his t-shirt and take the phone. “Croft,” he stated.
“Greyson, it’s Ethan. We just got a report of your demise. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, Ethan. You know the case I told you about in our meeting the other day?”
“The case where someone’s killing agents?” he asked.
“Yeah, well I was here at the scene of one, and the man beside me took a bullet to his brain.”
There was anger in his words.
Emma started shaking and wanted to throw up. It could have been her husband. Yeah, she needed that medication, pronto.
“Give me the report,” Blackhawk stated, putting his desk phone on speaker for his wife. Elizabeth was the one who had been watching the news, and rushed in to him when she saw. At that moment, she was worriedly pacing in front of him.
Greyson took Emma’s hand in his, squeezing it. Cautiously, he began breaking it all down, trying to keep it as detail free as possible, not to further freak out his wife.
Yeah, it wasn’t really working. Her nails were buried in his hand.
A big black Denali rolled through the crowd toward them. He signaled Curtis to get to work while he handled the situation with his bosses. He trusted the man with the job, since he had trained him.
“This is bad,” stated Elizabeth Blackhawk.
Croft couldn’t agree more. He led his wife to the Denali and waited for her to get inside. Once she was safe, he climbed in behind her. “Get us back to the office,” he said to his agent.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you want one of us to head there?” asked Blackhawk, continuing the conversation.
“No,” stated Croft adamantly, hitting he speaker button. “The last thing we need is to have more bigwigs here. Who’s to say that this wasn’t the killer’s plan? Right now, I don’t know why someone’s murdering Feds. Until I do, I don’t think it’s advisable to have your wife here, Ethan.”
“I agree,” he said. “I don’t want anyone there, but I especially don’t want my pregnant wife running amuck in Vegas, wearing a target on her back.”
“You do realize I’m sitting right here, Ethan,” she said.
Blackhawk didn't care. They had been through too much lately, and while Callen was out on assignment, he was keeping his wife close by his side. “I’m well aware. Let’s call this what it is. I’m worried about everyone’s self-preservation, yours included.”
Elizabeth let it go. She understood why he was so riled up, and for the time being, she’d toss him this bone.
Emma found that she couldn’t say anything. She was still struggling to not be sick to her stomach. Nearly losing her husband had made her want to curl into a ball and weep.
Where she believed that her past had hard moments, there were none which topped this one.
“I’ll run this, and if anything happens to me, you’ll have to take over.”
The sound that came from Emma was somewhere between a gasp and a strangled sob. It took everything not to bawl at his words. Nothing about this conversation was offering her anything but increased anxiety.
Croft never expected what Elizabeth did next. His tough, bad ass boss showed her softer side. It was shocking, to say the least.
“Emma, we haven’t met yet, but my name’s Elizabeth. We’re going to make sure you and your husband are safe. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to him. You have my personal guarantee on that.”
She couldn’t even speak.
Yeah, she was a cop, but this was Greyson’s life they were gambling with. “Please make him stay inside. He’s not made of titanium, contrary to his belief.”
Croft stared at her. “Emma.”
Elizabeth continued, “Darlin’, he’s going to stay in as much as possible. As soon as we figure out the details, eliminating that other issue that you’re dealing with, we’ll go from there.” She wasn’t quite sure who was listening in, and she didn't want to spill the beans about the bribery case they were building.
Emma didn't speak.
“I need you to that believe we have Greyson’s best interest in mind. It pisses us both off that someone is screwing with one of our directors, and a friend.”
“Okay,” she murmured, having to trust the woman on the phone. Really, what choice did she have? This appeared to be bigger than all of them.
“You’re going to have to be a bit more cautious, Greyson,” Elizabeth stated. “I’m not only talking about for your sake, but also for your team. They need you to lead this and hold it together there. Right now, you have dead co-workers, and that’s going to stir the pot. It’s your job to keep people calm, and your team focused. Am I clear?”
It didn'
t make him happy to be ordered inside to play soother. That really wasn’t his gig. He was more a field man who liked to get dirty. Then, he glanced over at his wife and saw the tears in her eyes. “Yes, Director Blackhawk.”
She heard the tone, and he could be pissed at her all he wanted, but the truth was the truth. His job was important, and he was their leader. If he went down, there would be sheer chaos.
Ethan spoke, “I want a task force on this. While you’re inside, you can run it from there. You have a profiler available, correct?”
Croft answered, “I have two. Maggie Clark’s my main one, but we’ve been breaking in Paris Archer, too. He’s up to speed and has been hitting the mark time after time. I trust his skill.”
Blackhawk thought about it. “Okay, have them both do a profile and see what they come up with. Sometimes, men and women see things differently.”
Elizabeth snorted. “Yeah, story of my damn life.”
Emma agreed there. “What can I do to help?” she asked, quietly. “I don’t want my husband running around with a bull’s-eye on his forehead.”
Greyson interjected, “I don’t want my wife out in the field without me being able to get to her, either. We have a draw here.”
Elizabeth knew what to do. “I’ll handle that. You just let me worry about those details, darlin’.”
“Until we can figure out if this has anything to do with the Vegas operation, I don’t know what I can give you,” Blackhawk said. “Are you still actively working on it?”
Croft answered. “Yeah, tomorrow night I have a poker game with Randall Mason and a few of his cronies.”
It was all he had to say.
“You need to keep it. If this isn't the same person, we have to hold the illusion together that you’re still in control. If this is the same person, well, then we have a whole other situation. Get the profilers on it now. You should know by tomorrow if it’s one and the same.”
“Watch your back, Greyson,” stated Elizabeth. “If you need help, you call. I won’t be allowed there, but my big strong husbands will be more than happy to jeopardize their Native hides and risk my wrath.”
Blackhawk laughed. “I’m a dead man as soon as you hang up the phone.”
Sadly, no one disagreed, especially Elizabeth.
Emma didn’t like the idea of her husband going to a poker game to face down another attempt on his life. Now seemed like a good time to drop the bomb. “I’m going to the game tomorrow night. I’ll watch his back.”
Croft wasn’t amused. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
This was the time for the Blackhawks to end the call. “Send me what you have and keep us in the loop, Greyson.” Ethan said, disconnecting. He knew a skinning when he heard one, and it was time to make their escape. Marital husband slaughter didn't need any more witnesses than needed.
“We’ll discuss this in the privacy of my office.”
She shrugged. “We can discuss this on the moon, Greyson Croft, but the outcome will still be the same. You’ve earned yourself a full time body guard until we figure this out.”
“Emma,” he warned, glancing up at his agent who was driving. The man was white knuckling the steering wheel, trying to melt into the seat.
Yeah, he expected the explosion too.
She didn't care. Enough was enough, and she wasn’t going to let someone splatter his brains all over Vegas and back.
It wasn’t happening.
Emma was picking up a new job, and it was the most important one of her life.
She was now Greyson Croft’s shadow.
~Chapter Two ~
FBI Vegas
The rest of the ride there was pretty quiet. Since Greyson had absconded Curtis’s phone, until he was given a new one, he was busily hammering out message after message to his team. While he did that, Emma remained at his side, her hand on his thigh. It was obvious that she was afraid if she lost that connection, he would disappear from her sight.
It broke his heart that she was suffering like this, but he couldn’t change what had happened. All he could do was try to be understanding and reassuring.
Yeah, and not lose his damn temper.
Unfortunately, he knew that wasn’t going to last long. Already, he could feel the heady brew of rage bubbling up in his gut.
Eventually, it would explode.
As they headed into the FBI building, everyone who was there stared at them. No one missed the angry look on his face. Despite his appearance, they knew hell was on the verge of breaking free. He may be striding to them in a form fitting t-shirt and with wet hair, but they could read the chilly glare.
The Ice King was going to go all frosty any second.
Outside his office, he stopped to talk to his secretary. Linda Kelleher was tough, good at her job, and efficient. She ran the office when he was out in the field. While his wife was his life, his secretary was his workplace salvation. The woman was a micromanaging miracle worker.
“Linda, I need a new phone. Contact the tech department and get them to bring one up. I need all my emails and everything else transferred to it.”
“Yes, Director,” she said. “I’m glad you’re okay, sir.”
It calmed him momentarily. “Yeah, so am I, Linda. Patch through any calls I get.”
The woman nodded, and then focused on Emma. “Mrs. Croft, do you need anything?”
“Xanax,” she replied, almost not kidding.
Linda completely understood. It was times like these, that she was glad she wasn’t married. Her heart couldn’t take half the danger that fell at Greyson’s feet.
Croft didn't give his wife time to say anything else. Like the caveman he was, he dragged her into his office. They had to discuss the little issue of her telling him she was going to the poker game.
“It’s not happening, Emma,” he said, as he closed the door.
She didn't even respond. Instead, she threw herself against him, practically climbed up his body. When her mouth slammed against his, the kiss that followed nearly brought them both to their knees.
In fact, Greyson was so caught off guard that he stumbled backwards. His wife had attacked without warning, and the oral assault was mind numbing.
Maybe it was what they both needed.
Instead of fighting it, he let the big leather couch catch them as he fell into the lip lock.
The urgency that was conveyed said it all.
Greyson’s body reacted to his wife pressed against the front of him. It also responded to her hands wandering across his flesh, just beneath his shirt. God, what he wouldn’t do to just lose that ridged control and take his woman like he wanted to.
Instead, he fought to keep his head above water.
It wasn’t easy. She tasted like gum and his sweet woman. As her tongue slid across his, Greyson became weaker. There was no doubt in his mind who was in control, and it wasn’t him.
Emma was lost in the kiss as her husband held her to his torso. As her hands slid across his skin, she offered herself reassurance that the man who owned her heart, was indeed all right.
When her mind finally grasped that, she slowly released the kiss. The only sound in the room was their breathing.
“I love you,” she whispered, breaking the silence. “I love you more than anything in this world, Greyson Croft.”
His heart skipped. “Oh, Emma. I love you too, honey.”
Croft was a smart man, even though he’d only been married a little over half a year. He knew when to push and when to let his redheaded vixen take what she needed. Being her caveman meant recognizing and supplying what she craved.
Now, she needed this.
“Today was the worst day of my entire life. If anything happens to you, I know I won’t make it. When I saw that bloody sheet, I wanted to die, Grey. I couldn’t imagine waking up tomorrow without you. How was I supposed to climb into our bed, breathe in the scent of your cologne, and not go mad?”
He understood. When she had been
abducted, and he was faced with the probability that he would be finding her mutilated body, he didn't want to go home either. “I’m here, Emma my sweet.”
“I know you don’t want me with you tomorrow night, but I have to be at your side. I need to be there so I don’t lose my mind. The ‘what if’s’ will make me crazy.”
She nestled down against his chest, laying her head over his heart, just to listen to the familiar thumps. It was calming, and it reminded her of being at home in bed.
Safe.
Secure.
Protected.
Croft had two choices. He could bend or he could remain rigid. It was easier to stand his ground and say no, but his woman was telling him she needed him. Wasn’t that what he desired in life? His old school nature thrived on having a wife who loved him as he was, leaned on him when she was weak, and never kept secrets from him.
Emma fulfilled all of that.
What would it cost him to give her that little request? After all, she’d be completely safe at his side.
“We need to call Randall and see if it’s a possibility, and if he says it can be worked out, then you’re my date.”
She honestly didn't see this one coming. Had her big Neanderthal just given in without a fight?
Holy shit!
Someone put this on the calendar.
God knew it wouldn’t happen again until the next millennium.
Emma’s eyes filled with tears at what her sweet husband had just sacrificed and done for her heart. She knew that having his wife in that den of man iniquity, would make him a nervous wreck. Yet, he swallowed it. Oh, he was going to get a big reward for this one.
She’d surprise him.
“Thank you, Grey. I love you more than anything in the world.” Emma squirmed against him, trying to burrow closer to his warmth. Today, she felt nothing but ice cold.
Greyson enjoyed the way Emma felt lying over his body, but if he didn't get his sex kitten wife off him, there were going to be so many broken rules.
The big one would be fornication in the workplace.
Sexy scenarios were running rampant through his mind, and he was helpless to stop it. It was a huge fantasy for him, and until that moment, he believed he could keep it from happening.
Love is Bleeding (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 4) Page 4
