When he’d been a Fed, the man had been on their radar, too, and for good reason. He was a slippery eel.
Great.
“So, Zachary had his gun take out people, and now, he wants the detective who was investigating to disappear too?” he asked.
Nikita nodded.
“It appears so. We have intel that states that Claude Black has been digging around to find your girl. I was sitting in a bar in the underground, and they were talking about a job to take out a cop. That’s how we knew who to target. No one really sees a stripper,” she teased.
They all stared at her.
“Well, they really don’t,” she stated, pointing at her chest and then ass.
She had a point.
Look at Heath.
Greyson was curious.
“Uh, was there any chatter about any jobs to take us out?” Greyson asked. “It’s been relatively quiet, and I know that will be short-lived.”
She figured he’d ask.
“No, you’ve been laying low, so there’s nothing out there about you. There’s chatter about replacing Babylon, but that’s been ongoing for weeks.”
That she knew the man’s name proved she was legit. They hadn’t brought that name up.
Nikita Petrova was playing both sides.
“CIA, you say?” Greyson asked.
She smiled, her dark brown eyes twinkling with mischief as he was trying to ferret her out.
“Yes, sir,” she stated. “What I did is highly classified, Mr. Croft, but I can tell you it was a very long operation, embedded with the enemy for two years.”
He had to take her word for it.
What choice did they have at this point? He’d gone to Blackhawk, and that meant that he had to trust that the person he sent them would be on the up-and-up.
He hoped.
As for her, her past…
That she was embedded in Vegas…it worried him. There was definitely something going on in their city. When he’d asked Ethan if they were being watched, he didn’t expect a two-year mission.
It was going to be big.
He knew it.
“Back to Ms. Wayne. She doesn’t have much time,” she stated. “I am a day behind Claude Black. The only thing that’s saving us is we have her exact whereabouts, but we aren’t sure if he does too. We may get the jump on him.”
Chris had been quiet.
Until that moment.
“I may have an odd coincidence for you,” he offered. That had everyone’s attention. In their worlds, coincidence wasn’t always a good thing.
In fact, it rarely was.
“What?” Emma asked.
While she wasn’t happy with Dimitri or Poppy, she couldn’t let a cop be slaughtered and stuffed in a duffle bag.
No.
Not on her watch.
Now, once they left Vegas—if they left—that would be someone else’s issue to cleanup.
“Dimitri and I saw a client Friday. Well, we talked to one. She happened to bring up Zachary Lipton’s name,” Chris offered, cluing the rest of them into what was going down.
Greyson lifted a brow.
That was news to him.
As far as he knew, they had planned on holding off on cases. After all, the family was fractured. How the hell were they supposed to work a case?
This…this upset him.
Chris hated to be the messenger. They tended to get the brunt of everyone’s anger. There was enough of that going around as it was.
“He was going to take a case without me?” he asked. “I am his partner.”
“Yes, he was.”
His heart really hurt.
That was proof they were over. With everything that had happened, that was Dimitri’s way to sever their bonds. It was his way of saying ‘fuck you’ as he headed for the exit.
Great.
“I see.”
Emma took control.
“Tell us what happened,” she stated.
“Nothing.”
“What?” she asked. “What does that mean?”
“Well, she was supposed to come in to talk to us, but she was too afraid to leave her house and be seen at Aquarius.”
They listened.
“Instead, Dimitri called her and got a few details to see if it was something he wanted to handle.”
Chris felt like shit dropping this on them. He also felt like an asshole for ratting out Dimitri. Unfortunately, he was between a rock and a hard place on this one.
It sucked.
“Okay, and?”
He continued, “She needed our help. Zachary Lipton was the last person to see her friend. She was a call girl. She believed something nefarious happened to her, and she wanted our help. I just think it’s odd that we had that conversation, and then Agent X comes here with it too.”
Nikita laughed.
“Awww, pumpkin has a chip on his shoulder.”
“Stuff it, Nikita. Go find Boris and blowup a bridge.”
Yeah, there was no love lost there.
It was clear that Chris wasn’t fond of the stranger, but then again, he never was. Out of all of them, he was Mr. Suspicious.
“Children, fight nice,” Emma stated. Then she focused on what he’d told them. “I don’t like that coincidence,” she admitted.
No one did.
In Vegas, bad things happened to strippers, hookers, and call girls. It was a shitty city to pick that profession. It didn’t give you longevity.
At all.
But could something nefarious be going on?
They would have to dig to find out.
“Well, what happened after Dimitri talked to her?” Greyson asked.
“He found some merit in it. I don’t know if you two have criteria you look for in a case, but he was more than willing to help her. She is meeting with him today. He promised her she’d be safe and to pretend she was going to the hotel for a hookup. We were going to meet her upstairs in your hotel.”
It was disturbing and clever.
Dimitri was moving on, but he was more than willing to use the Croft assets to do the job. It gave a mixed message.
Was he leaving?
Or was he looking for a distraction?
Emma was trying to figure it out. That meant one thing.
“What time?” Emma asked, knowing that they were going to have to find Poppy and handle this. If they were connected, they couldn’t risk one side of the situation getting out of hand.
It looked like Dimitri was going to get his wish.
They were taking a case.
“It was to be a nooner for one hour. That’s what she could fit into her schedule.”
“I’ll go,” Emma stated.
Greyson stared at her in surprise. Did his wife actually offer to take a case after she’d been pissed at Dimitri?
“Pardon?”
Plus, she had pretty much been on Sky Villa lockdown. Greyson was edgy about their baby being born, so he was not letting her out of his sight.
Did she forget that little detail? If so, he was going to remind her of it.
Fast.
“Let’s face it. You need to go get to Poppy. I’ll take the interview. I’ll get the information, and we’ll start her case.”
“Uh, why?”
“Listen, I’m not thrilled with the last three months, but we can’t let a cop be slaughtered. She’s not dirty. She never has been. She’s one of the good guys. If we don’t do something, she’s dead. That would hurt Dimitri.”
Why she cared, she didn’t know—only she did.
Greyson thought about it.
He did have to go find Poppy. He did need to find her and bring her back so this wouldn’t be on his shoulders for the rest of his life. When they left, he would want to be able to go with a clear conscience.
He deserved that.
This would be his one last mission—for a man he’d loved.
While he was doing that, maybe it would be best if Emma handled the interview.
> After all, she would be safe in their hotel. The penthouse was right upstairs, and she could help someone trying to save a friend. That was what this was all about.
Right?
Besides, if it smelled off, Heath and Chris would be with her. Emma would be safe, and she wouldn’t be thinking, or stressing, about him.
Perfect.
“Okay,” he said. “You can do the interview, and we’ll work this case. If it looks bad, bail. Your safety comes first. My son’s life is my priority.”
He rested his big hand on her belly.
“I understand, my sexy pirate.”
“Argh.”
Nikita laughed.
“What?” Emma stated, glancing over at her. “What is so funny about that?”
“Just that word on the street is you guys are as ruthless as they come. I’m beginning to think you’ve paid for that cover. You guys are squeaky clean.”
“We are,” Emma stated. “Then we’re getting out.”
Nikita shrugged.
“That’s probably a good idea. This city is a vacuum of power. If you get caught in it, bad shit goes down,” Nikita stated. She was going to have to report that back to Ethan.
He wanted them in Vegas.
No matter what.
Greyson pointed at his friends.
“Heath, you and Chris on her. I want you all over her. Am I clear?”
“I won’t let her leave my sight,” Chris offered.
Heath raised his hand.
“Yes, big guy?” Emma asked. His focus was clearly on Greyson, and he looked disturbed.
“What has you troubled?” Greyson asked.
“Mr. C, I don’t often question you, but I think in this case, you need me. I have special skills…,” he offered. “I’ve done jobs like this for the military.”
“Yeah, and he has three purple hearts, a few stars, and more commendations than a general,” Nikita admitted.
That surprised everyone…but Heath.
Instead, he stared at her.
“Uh, were you digging around in my life and checking on me?” he asked.
The whole room watched.
Nikita turned on the arm of the chair and tossed her red and black hair over her shoulder.
She batted her eyes.
“Yes, I did. I was curious. Is that a problem, Captain?” she asked.
Heath stared into her brown eyes.
“Nah, but I have a question.”
“Yes?” Nikita asked.
“Did you like what you saw?” he teased, giving her that grin he handed out to the ladies. “If yes, there’s so much more.”
She winked at him.
Chris tossed a pillow at Heath and hit him right in the head.
It was akin to tossing a bucket of water on him.
He sputtered.
“Uh, can you two focus?” Chris asked. “I’ll head out with Emma. I can cover us. Take Heath with you, Greyson.” He wanted to make sure his friend was safe. Now that they were down a bodyguard and a business partner, Greyson couldn’t do his own security. That was a whole other issue.
Thank you, Dimitri.
“I’ll go,” Nikita offered.
They all stared at her.
“Pardon?” Greyson asked. “What makes you believe a messenger is able to do the job? You get intel. That’s a whole other…”
He didn’t get to finish.
Instead, she smiled and reached into her pocket. Out of it, she pulled Greyson’s wallet, Emma’s watch, Heath’s pack of bubble gum, and Chris’s pack of mints.
She’d barely had contact with them—but for a second—but it was clear she was damn adept at being sneaky and had fingers even lighter than a Gideon.
“I’m good at being stealthy,” she said, tossing them back to them. “Gathering intel is only the start. I do have other skills that make me valuable. You can thank my gypsy family.”
Apparently.
They all stared at her.
“Does she remind you of anyone you know?” Chris offered, thinking about the Gideons.
What the hell?
Were all Russians like this?
“Yes,” Greyson stated, and then focused on Nikita. “Can you get Ethan on the line?” Croft asked. Before he let this woman anywhere near his wife—to play guard—he was going to make sure she was on the up-and-up.
Nikita knew he was going to play that card. She was good at reading people, and she saw it coming.
She pushed a button on her phone, and they could hear dialing. When Ethan answered, he was in his office. There were the familiar sounds behind him that Greyson had grown to love and hate at the same time.
“Nikita, is there an issue?” Ethan asked, really hoping she hadn’t hit a wall this early in the game. She was one of the best agents they had, and he couldn’t keep pulling them to help the Crofts.
“No, sir, but Mr. Croft is wary of me, and he would like you to tell him I’m not going to kill his wife or anyone else for that matter.”
He laughed.
“I can’t do that. You kill a lot.”
She smiled.
“Can you reassure them that I only kill when I’m told to, and you haven’t told me to kill Mrs. Croft?”
“Uh, or anyone in this room,” Emma stated, horrified that she had to quantify that.
What the hell?
Ethan found that amusing.
“Greyson, Nikita is not going to do anything but pick your pockets and make sure no one sneaks up on you. I promise.”
“She already did that,” he offered. “She robbed us blind. What the hell, Ethan?”
“You asked for help. In this case, be careful what you ask for—isn’t that the saying?”
Yeah, it was.
Only, he’d expected a suit-wearing, badge-toting Fed. Pardon me for going with the norm.
Ethan knew that he was going to have to see the woman. Nikita was a handful. He’d said infiltrate a strip club. He didn’t expect her to actually audition and become a stripper. She was very literal.
That was a blessing and a curse.
“She’s predictable, and she’s excellent when it comes to saving a life. She’s taken a bullet or two for important people. Show him,” Ethan stated.
She stood, turned, and lifted her shirt. There were two bullet wounds to her stomach. They were puckered and healed.
“She won’t let anything happen to Emma. I promise. You have my word on this.”
Greyson relaxed.
He knew that was as good as gold in Vegas.
“She’s there to help, Greyson. Use her. You’re running low on people. You have a team down, and you need to make sure you’re covered.”
He would. As usual, it was Blackhawk to the rescue, and he’d done them a huge-ass favor.
“Thank you, Ethan.”
He was glad he could help in any way.
“Nikita, keep it low-key. I am NOT in the mood to cleanup any explosions, killings, or accidental poisonings. Clear?” he asked.
“You let those things happen one time, and you never live it down.”
They all stared at her.
ESPECIALLY Heath.
“I am so intrigued,” he said, checking out her ass again. Yeah, this woman had his attention, and not only because of those pants. She’d done her research on him, and that made him want to do lots of reconnaissance on her.
Lots and lots.
Ethan, while he’d love to chitchat, had his own issues to handle in DC. His wife was chasing a crazy, and he needed to give her as much backup as he possibly could. He was chasing someone impersonating…her.
“Now, if this is handled, I have to run the FBI. Blackhawk out.”
His face disappeared from the screen, leaving them to work through this on their own.
Greyson felt a million times better. It was time to handle this, and that meant getting moving. He had to find Poppy, and that had to be his priority.
“Nikita, thank you. I’m going to get ready and grab my
things.”
Emma wasn’t sure sending him out to do this was a good idea.
“Greyson…”
“I have to get her for Dimitri. I have to give him that. Despite it all, that is the least I can do. Then we’ll handle this last case with the call girl, and we’ll leave, Emma.”
She still didn’t see any kind of relenting from him, and that worried Emma. She hoped, with time, he’d forgive Dimitri. Yes, she was mad, but she could carry it. Greyson would have this wound on his soul for the rest of his life.
“Please?” he asked.
It was the least she could do.
“Okay. Help me up,” she said, as he tugged her to her feet from the couch. She gave him a kiss and palmed his cheek. Emma wasn’t a fool. She knew what kind of gear he was going to grab, and it wouldn’t be poker cards for an evening of fun.
Greyson was going out to get the job done.
“Please be careful.”
Then she pointed at Heath.
“If you get him home alive, WITH Poppy, I’ll buy you a bakery.”
Heath grinned at that idea. Then he wanted to clarify before he got too excited.
“Wait! A whole bakery? As in I can walk in, point, and get whatever I want at any time of the day?”
“Yes.”
He rubbed his hands together.
Chris stared at her.
“You’re creating a monster.”
She snorted.
Well, if it kept her sexy pirate alive, so be it.
“Well?” she asked.
Heath didn’t have to think twice.
“Deal. Mr. C, you can’t wear that. I suggest you get something a little less suit-y, and a whole lot more bulletproof for what’s coming.”
“I’m jealous,” Nikita stated. “Here I was wearing my Kevlar panties.”
Heath stared at her.
His heart skipped.
Was that a real thing?
“Want to show me?” he asked, as he stood from the chair and towered over her.
She stared up at the big man and laughed.
“Maybe later.”
That made him grin.
Well, it wasn’t a no. That always worked for him. If a sexy lady gave you a maybe, it gave a man hope.
Greyson kissed his wife softly on the lips. He knew this would be dangerous, but despite what Dimitri had done and said, he’d never turn his back on helping anyone trying to do right by Vegas.
Never.
“Heath, I’ll meet you in the car. Get us guns, and body armor.”
No Justice_A Croft Mob Family Book Page 9
