Love is Bleeding (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 4)

by Morgan Kelley

  When Emma turned, her partner was there hugging her. “Oh God! I was so scared for you!”

  So was she. “I’m just glad it didn't end differently,” she admitted.

  Heading to her desk, she saw that she had missed calls from just about everyone she knew. Emma ignored them, knowing it was just stalling. She had to talk to her boss.

  “Where’s the captain?”

  Brynn jerked her head toward the office. “She arrived at work just after you left. She was on the phone yelling about something. I think after the shots were fired, the entire LVPD went nuclear. I know the place emptied out pretty damn fast to get to the scene for containment.”

  Yeah, that was common protocol. The police frowned upon people shooting up their city, especially if it was aimed at a cop.

  “Wish me luck,” Emma said, heading toward her office. When she arrived and knocked, she waited until she heard her boss’s voice.

  “Enter.”

  Pushing the door open, she stuck her head in. “Captain Stout, do you have a minute for me?” she asked. “I need to talk to you about something.”

  The blonde glanced up from her paperwork. “Absolutely! Come in, Detective, and have a seat. Is your husband okay?” she asked, concern in her voice. “No one could find out any details. I just tried to call over there and no one would talk to me.”

  Emma did what she asked. “Yes, he’s fine, but just barely. The shooter came close, and that’s why I’m here. I’m sorry I ran out of here like that. I know that you put into place procedures that you like followed.”

  The woman laughed. “Yeah, but I’m smart enough to know that it doesn’t always happen the way we plan. This was an emergency. I saw you on the news, so I knew what was going on. My rules aren’t to cause pain. There in place to make sure everyone is pulling their weight,” she replied, placing her pen down.

  Emma hated that the woman was micromanaging her team to death. Just the fact that they had to justify every second of their day sucked. Alas, she would play the game. As of yet, Patty Stout was playing nice.

  “Thank you, Captain. I know that procedure states that I need to fill out the vacation forms at least two weeks in advance for time off, but I’m hoping you can let that rule slide for me.”

  The woman stared at her. “So, are you asking or telling me you’re taking time off? Generally, I get to approve it in advance.”

  Here it came. The stickler was back, and Patty Stout was being a control freak once again.

  “I have personal time, and I’m taking it immediately. As for vacation time, I’m not saying I’m using it, but I may need to. Right now, as a wife, I feel like I need to be with my husband.”

  Patty Stout leaned back. “I can’t stop you from taking personal time, but you really need to be working on some of your caseload. You still have the Booker homicide open, and we both know that your partner can’t work it alone.”

  Emma wanted to sigh. “I’ll still be working on it.” It wasn’t as if that was a total lie. If this was the same person who had targeted Booker, she would be actively seeking him.

  “Okay, fill out the forms and email them to me. I’ll approve your time. I was married once myself, so I know how important it is to show a unified front.”

  Thank freaking God. Patty Stout was in a good mood. It was a miracle. “I appreciate it, Captain. I’m a nervous wreck,” she admitted.

  “If you weren’t, Detective, I would have sent you to see the staff shrink. If you need to talk or vent, I do have an open door policy. I’m known to be tough, but my concern is always for the men and women who serve under me.”

  She stood to leave. Honestly, that reply was so laden with political aspirations, that Emma wanted to call Chris Ford and warn him that there was a piranha in the pool.

  Yeah, someone wanted the commissioner job in the worst way!

  “Detective?” she called, just as Emma was about to exit.

  She paused at the door. Damn! She almost made it out of there. “Yes, Captain?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

  “I do have a question. What would you have done had I denied your request?”

  Emma stared into her blue eyes and didn't even hesitate. “Then, I would have handed you my badge and walked away. My husband comes first over the job. He’s my priority. Life isn't all about this place,” she said, knowing that her comment could be taken as a personal jab. “At the end of the night, this is just a job.”

  The woman watched her leave.

  “Touché, Detective. Touché.”

  * * *

  Special Agents Paris Archer and Tessa Brass got the text message to head in from the field. While it was never a good thing to be called to the boss man’s office, they suspected what this was all about.

  They were getting a new assignment, which was okay with both of them, as long as they were doing it together. The last two months, living together as a couple, had been amazing. While it wasn’t easy to keep their relationship secret, they had managed to do just that.

  When they were in private, they would do the normal couple things, like hold hands, little whispered words, and copious amounts of making out.

  They couldn’t help it.

  Paris Archer grew up in a good family and had plenty of love as a child. Yet as a teen, and mostly as an adult, he was more of a big brain, who didn't get the sexy babes all the time.

  Then came his partner.

  She was his witchy-eyed sweetheart.

  Tessa Brass rolled right over him, and the second their lips met, life was born anew. Everything that he had wondered about, or watched from afar, snapped into place. Now, Paris couldn’t imagine a single day without Tessa by his side.

  He was madly in love with her. In fact, Paris was ready to take the next step, but he was hesitant because of their partnership. If the FBI got notification that they were a married couple, they couldn’t be partners.

  In truth, that was all that was holding him back. If they could remain a unit in the field, he would have married her weeks ago. His life was so vastly different now. Yes, he was still a big geeky brain, but with Tess, he was alive. She was there every morning to cook him breakfast, and every night to roll around naked with him in bed. Plus, the hours between were filled with working side by side.

  Here was his best friend, lover, and everything else rolled into one sweet package.

  It was like heaven.

  Soon, he was going to drag her to his parents’ house and make the introductions. There was no doubt in his mind that they were going to love her. His mom and dad were laid back and easy going. If he told them that he wanted to be a circus clown, they’d stand up and cheer. Now, he wanted to be a husband, if he could work out the minor details.

  He almost laughed out loud.

  They were far from minor.

  Losing her in the field would be a huge blow. While at the beginning, he believed he could simply be her boyfriend, he now saw how wrong he’d been.

  When another guy checked her out, he got that feeling in the pit of his stomach. Tess was his, and he wasn’t going to ever let her get away. How could he?

  There were a few undeniable truths in his life. He would always be a little too brainy, never learn to cook, and without the woman sitting beside him, he’d cease to exist.

  Lifting their connected fingers, he gently laid a kiss across her knuckles. When she smiled over at him, his heart skipped in his chest. Yeah, he was hopelessly in love, and it felt like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Paris wanted to spend the rest of his life keeping her safe.

  Every morning he wanted to be near her.

  Spend every second with her in his arms.

  Die beside her.

  He was lost before she charged into his life, and now it felt amazing to not be afraid and alone. He got the girl, and now he needed to figure out how to do it on paper.

  Tessa Brass grinned at the man beside her. He was so damn adorable. Today, he was wearing one of his suits and the tie she had bo
ught him for Valentine’s Day. He generally wore it after a really lively night of sex. She wasn’t a profiler like him, but his actions were as clear as day. If anything, Paris was predictable.

  It made her want to grin like an idiot.

  Where she was the more laid back and instinctual one, Paris was the smarts of the team. Yeah, she’d give him that. The man had a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and was currently working on his doctorate in his spare time.

  Many times at night, she’d wake to find him at his desk studying. It always ended the same way. They would move to the couch while he read, and Tessa would stay by his side with her head in his lap.

  She hated not being beside him, even when he studied. In fact, they did everything together, and Tess knew just about all his course work too. They ate, worked, studied, and played together.

  Yeah, that was her favorite part.

  Her sexy partner fired her all up. She was pretty sure that it was the glasses and the robin’s egg blue eyes. Then again, maybe it was how his brown hair stood up in spikes when he ran his fingers through it.

  Or it could be…

  It didn't matter. He just did it for her. She wasn’t a genius, but she was smart enough not to question an amazing gift when it was dropped in her lap.

  When she first made the move to push their relationship further, Tess was well aware that it would be an uphill battle. Paris, while super smart, was an over-thinker. The man had to spend ten minutes each morning coordinating his tie with his socks.

  Secretly, she loved that.

  Tess could lie in bed watching him for hours. When he’d realize she was silently observing him, he’d race back to her side and they’d roll around like kids.

  She was definitely lost in the big L.

  Neither had said it as of yet, but she was fairly certain that the man beside her was feeling it too. Paris wasn’t one to lie or keep secrets. In fact, how they kept their relationship under wraps was a big mystery to her. If one of them was going to crack, it was certain to be him.

  Granted, she wanted to tell every woman who checked him out, to back off. Paris Archer was hers and hers alone.

  If she had her way, they’d always be together.

  Tessa grew up with a pretty great childhood, that is, after being rescued by a complete stranger. When her ‘birth uterus’ gave her life, and then disposed of her like common trash, she was adopted by an older couple. They were her second chance, and every day Tessa was grateful for them. Now, she was alone in the world, with the exception of Paris. He’d imprinted himself on her heart and soul, and she couldn’t ever let go.

  There was no doubt that he was her other half. In fact, she honestly believed Paris was Tessa’s better half.

  When Tessa had first seen her boss with his wife, she didn't get it. How could two people be that lovey dovey, and not have it be totally irritating?

  Now, she saw the error of her ways.

  When Paris would come downstairs in the morning, and wrap his arms around her waist, she’d melt. Moving in with him had been the best thing that she had ever done.

  He was her path in life, and she was never leaving his side. Come hell or high water, she had found the man she was meant to be with.

  Now, if she could only get him to make the next step. Tessa loved him, but he was moving slower than a granny at a nursing home. What she wanted, was to demand they get married.

  What she would do was wait patiently.

  This was all about him, and she needed to make sure that he was making the choice for himself.

  Once they made it, there would only be forever. Growing up, her parents were affectionate and each other’s best friend. That’s what she wanted. Tess didn't want a girlfriend she could confide in. Instead, she wanted the man beside her to be her everything. In exchange, she’d give him the same back.

  Two peas in the pod.

  A matched set.

  Husband and wife…

  Tessa wasn’t worried about work. They would find a way around it, or they could just lie their asses off to the FBI. If she didn't change her last name, and they ‘forgot’ to update HR, they could buy some time.

  Possibly a week.

  A month.

  Maybe a year.

  Who knew? Maybe Director Croft would hand them a second miracle, since they were keeping it quiet.

  When he squeezed her hand, as they pulled into the parking lot, she reciprocated. Parking, he regretfully had to set her fingers free.

  As he fixed his tie, there was the feeling of loss. When he wasn’t touching her, Tessa always felt like a part of her was missing. The simple contact kept her alive and happy.

  Now came the hardest part of their day. It was all about not slipping up in the work place. One kiss, pat on the ass, or couple faux pas, and they would be outted. Any little blunder would mean the end.

  “How do I look?” he asked, facing her.

  She inspected his immaculate suit, well-knotted tie, and impeccable appearance. “Well,” she hesitated.

  He was alarmed. “What?”

  “There’s something I need to fix,” she said, motioning him toward her.

  Of course he went. Paris trusted Tessa with his life.

  When she grabbed his tie and used it to pull him to her mouth, he willingly went. If his girlfriend wanted a kiss, who was he to say no?

  He was a nerd, not an idiot.

  Immediately, his hands went to her face and back of her neck, to brace her to his mouth. The meeting of lips was hot, filled with passion, and told the story of their lives.

  Tessa Brass and Paris Archer were made for each other.

  As the kiss intensified, sanity slowly ebbed back into both their brains. Paris finally had the control to break away.

  “Tessie, you undo me,” he whispered, his lips a hair away from hers. Instinctually, he tucked her silky black hair behind her ear as he rested his forehead against hers.

  “I feel the same,” she whispered, dying to scream her true feelings. Tessa wanted to tell him what her heart already knew. Instead, she wussed out. “Later, Paris?” she murmured, hoping the day would fly by. What she wanted was to spend a few hours at his side, being with the man she loved.

  He could guarantee it.

  “We better get inside. The boss is expecting us,” she added, knowing that they had a job to do. If they wanted to stay together as a team, they couldn’t risk getting busted making out in the company car.

  “Yeah, well now you really need to fix me,” he teased, waiting for her to help put him back together again.

  “Being your girlfriend is just one job after another,” she joked, fixing his collar and tufts of hair.

  Yeah, Paris had news for her.

  Wait until she tried being his wife.

  His heart sunk, and he tried not to let his face show it. Somehow, he didn't foresee them getting that chance.

  It seemed just out of reach.

  * * *

  As of yet, his wife hadn’t returned from her trek to her office. Already, he was beginning to get nervous as he waited for her. Croft wasn’t a patient man, but when you got married, you had to learn that women moved at their own speed.

  Slow.

  If you tried to change that, it only got worse.

  Instead of calling to bug her, he sent a text relaying how much he missed her. Immediately, he received her ETA. He couldn’t help but grin. Maybe he had a snowball’s chance at this marriage thing after all.

  As he began dressing in his more formal office wear, there was a knock on his door. Since his secretary didn't buzz him, he assumed she was away from her desk.

  “Come in,” he called, slipping his fresh tie around his neck. When his two agents entered, he offered them both a seat as he finished up.

  “You needed to see us, Director?” Tessa asked, as she sat beside her partner on the couch.

  Croft immediately noticed they were hip to hip and in each other’s personal space. Yeah, that one motion alone answered
his earlier question. They were most definitely a couple.

  It impressed him that they’d kept it quiet and under the radar. Where he assumed it would fail, he was thrilled it didn't. Croft genuinely liked them both, and they deserved happiness.

  “I’m heading out to do the notify for Lester Williams, and I have a few things which need to be handled.”

  As usual, Tessa Brass spoke up, “Sure thing, Director. Please convey my sympathy to Mrs. Williams. Lester was a pretty great guy. I worked with him once or twice.”

  Little did Tessa know, that she would be joining him, and she could tell Mrs. Williams herself. “Paris, while I’m out, I need you to work on the profile. You can stay in here and use my office, if you like. I need it to be spot on, and there won’t be as much distraction in here.”

  He immediately moved toward the boss’s desk. “Yes, sir,” he replied, pulling out his tablet as he got ready to start.

  “I specifically need to know if this has anything to do with the abduction of my wife and the corruption issues I’m dealing with,” he stated. Both agents worked the prior case and were well aware what he and Emma were handling. The FBI had deemed this issue ‘need to know’, and they were on the inside. Since they were, he’d utilize the man’s brain. Besides, Croft trusted them, and knew they wouldn’t betray him.

  “I’m on it, sir.”

  “I’ll warn you now that Maggie Clark is also working on a profile for me. I want to compare them both and run them past Director Blackhawk. He’s not too happy that his employees are being gunned down.”

  Paris looked marginally freaked out at the mention of Ethan’s name. The man was his hero.

  Tessa smiled at him, offering her boyfriend some reassurance. How he didn't know how amazing his brain was, befuddled her.

  “It’s not that I don’t trust you, son. I’m covering our bases and making sure that we don’t get caught with our pants down.”

  Paris understood. He’d work hard on this one. It would be his priority.

  “What about me, Director?” Tessa asked.