Her heart ached for him.
Chris would make a really good father.
He was kind.
He was goofy.
He was loving.
“How many would you have?” she asked, as he laid beside her with his hand still on her belly.
He wasn’t sure.
Before Vegas went to shit, he would have said twenty. Now? Not so many.
“I think one or two. I would kill for a son. I’m jealous that Greyson is going to have a boy who will likely be his heart and soul. That’s a miracle that I’m never going to have.”
She held his hand.
“I’m sorry, Chris.”
They both knew he’d hoped that with Natasha, he’d one day have that family. Now, he’d given up.
Emma knew he’d never marry.
Once shy.
Twice burned.
Chris was done, and on top of that, he was stubborn, and he was sure his soulmate had already been taken.
Her.
He wiped his eyes and recomposed himself. This was NOT about him, and he wouldn’t take away from the miracle that she was experiencing.
As best friend, he would support her.
“It’s okay. That’s life, right? I’ll at least have this kiddo to spoil. I’m going to take him fishing. I hope he likes worms.”
That was sweet, but Emma was confused.
“Why don’t you just have a child?” she asked.
He looked at her like she was crazy.
Was she serious?
“What would you like me to do? Jerk off into a potted plant and grow one?” he asked.
She laughed so damn hard she almost pissed herself. Thank you, Mac, for the jacked-up bladder.
“Sorry, Chris, but I pictured that. It was epic.”
He laughed with her. At this point, his life had been too many tears, and he couldn’t take that route. He was emotionally exhausted from it.
“Well, I do have my moments.”
Emma rolled to her side so she could face him.
“I’m serious. Why don’t you have a child? You would totally be an amazing father.”
Chris mimicked her position, facing Emma. It was something they’d done often since Natasha had died. When Chris was lonely, he’d come in, talk it out, and then sometimes fall asleep right there.
“Em, it takes me twenty minutes to pick out an option at the Chinese place. Do you really think I can find a person to grow me a baby? Natasha fucked me over when she gave me her shares in Dimitri’s company. I’m loaded. Oh, that gets you the babes, but not the kind you want. What I’ll end up with is a child I don’t have custody of, alimony, and child support to a gold digger. That train has left the station.”
Emma understood.
Sadly, that was their reality. Before, Chris had been invisible as a cop, and then, once he became loaded, and the media found out, the sharks began circling.
His ex-wife included.
“Maybe you should go the route of a surrogate like Dante and Steele? They’ve picked one. She’s really nice.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I can do that. I’m a pretty traditional man. I can’t flip through a book and pick out a uterus. That offends everything I know to be right. For the gunkles, that’s one thing. They can’t just be with a woman.”
“Well, they could,” she stated, laughing.
Chris laughed too.
“Who would do that? Can you picture either of them around a vagina?” he asked, “Hilarity would ensue. Steele would analyze it, and Dante would poke at it and make a joke.”
Yeah, she was aware.
“I’m screwed. The only women I’d ever want to have a baby with are A—divorced from me. B—dead, and C—married to my friend. So, as you can see, my options are gone.”
Emma heard it in his voice.
She knew how hard this was for him to even bring it up, let alone have a serious talk about it. Chris only discussed things seriously if there wasn’t an option to joke.
She knew how he felt with this hole in his life.
It gave her an idea.
“I’ll be your surrogate.”
He stared at her like she was possessed by the Devil, and she’d just asked him to commit some atrocious sin.
“WHAT?”
“You heard me. I’ll have a baby for you, Chris. I know how much you want a child. I’ll be your surrogate.”
“Emma.”
She knew he was going to protest. To Chris, that was like poaching. There was a fine line between their relationship. Everyone knew that if Greyson hadn’t come along, and she’d met Chris, they would have likely been a couple.
They had that chemistry.
Having his baby?
Someone was going to lose it.
Greyson.
Still, Emma was willing to go there.
For him.
“Before you say no, think about it, Chris.”
Now he laughed.
“And then wait as Greyson kills me because I’ve even put that thought out there in the world. The potted plant scenario is looking better and better.”
Only, Emma had a loophole.
“He gave his sperm to Tessa and Paris. How is it different?” she asked. “He gave them his future offspring.”
The tone of her voice said it all.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You sound upset about what went down.”
She was aware.
The whole thing didn’t make her happy, but she had swallowed it.
For family.
“Ehhh, you get over it,” she stated. “I wasn’t thrilled at first. I mean, to look at someone’s child and they have your husband’s eyes or that dimple in his chin. It hurts, but then I see how happy Tessa and Paris are, and how they want a baby in the worst way. It’s worth it.”
Her compassion astounded him.
“You’re a stronger person than I am. Greyson too. I don’t know if I could do that.”
She knew.
He would. If Greyson couldn’t have kids, and she wanted a baby, Chris would be the first to offer up his assistance. She knew him well.
So, she offered that love back to him.
“Let me be your surrogate.”
“Emma.”
“If it’s the egg thing, and you want my DNA out of it, we can buy an egg.”
He laughed.
“You realize this isn’t like going to the store and ordering one, right? I can’t call up a delivery service and have one dropped at security downstairs.”
“It’s not?”
He laughed.
“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure it’s a thing now,” he stated. “All the cool people are doing it.”
“God! I hope so. I’m giving them as gifts next year,” she teased.
Chris was touched by her offer.
“I appreciate it.”
“I mean it, Chris. If you want to have a child, I’ll offer up a womb with no view for you. You’re my best friend, my brother, and I love you. I love you more than almost anyone on the planet with the exception of Greyson and Mac. What wouldn’t I do for you?”
He was grateful.
He’d always searched for that kind of connection, and ironically, he’d found it with a happily married woman.
Oh, the irony.
Giving her a kiss on the forehead, she scooched closer to his body and rested her head on his shoulder. As she lay there, he thought about it.
A baby.
Of his own.
That thought filled him with so much warmth and peace. It wasn’t a bad thing. Chris imagined having a child that was his, and would always be his. He pictured baseball games and playing video games like Dimitri did with Sam.
His heart couldn’t handle it.
It overwhelmed him.
It was the most beautiful offer of his life, and he was desperate to take her up on it. Only, there was one obstacle to it.
Greyson.
While Emma would likely always be the woman h
e just missed and regretted it, he could possibly have a baby that would be part of her and part of him.
He could see a freckle-faced redhead running around, and he could smile about it.
There was no pain there.
The hole where Natasha had been had also held all of his hopes and dreams. Now that she was gone, so was hope.
Until now.
It was back.
Chris really wanted a child. Now that he had money, he could raise a child on his own. Well, as much as Emma would be hands-off. He knew her. She’d want to co-parent like she did with Dimitri. When Sam needed a mom, she was the woman who did the job.
Petra too.
Chris could definitely handle that.
As he lay there, Emma beside him, he pictured all of the things that fatherhood could bring him.
He’d move out of the penthouse with them and have a kid’s bedroom. A living room filled with toys, and a house where when someone shouted ‘dad’ it would be him.
For once.
He’d heard Greyson say that impending fatherhood had given him so much, he could be in that boat for once, and not left behind on the desolate shore.
He had resigned himself to the fact he wouldn’t marry, but why not have a child?
“Emma?” he asked.
She didn’t reply.
She was out cold.
Against his hip, he could feel the baby growing in her. He was kicking, moving, and doing what felt like line dancing.
How she slept through it…?
No clue.
That could be his child.
That could be a chance to have a normal life where he was happy and someone’s world. Chris knew he would give his child the world, and he didn’t mean monetary things.
There would be fishing trips.
Building forts.
Baking cookies.
Yeah, it was a beautiful thing.
Chris was going to think about it.
He was going to seriously keep that option on the table. He really knew there would only be one thing that stood in his way.
Greyson.
Yeah, Chris was a dead man.
There was no doubt about that.
* * * G R E Y S O N C R O F T * * *
Sky Villa
Eleven P.M.
They made it in excellent time—thanks to Heath and his driving skills. Luckily for them, the road between there and the mountain was desolate and Heath wasn’t afraid to push the speed limit.
They’d gotten home an hour earlier than they’d hoped, and that meant he’d averted the big fear looming on the horizon for tomorrow.
Emma going out to investigate.
Heath dropped them off in a back alley about a quarter mile from Sky Villa, and he went off to lose their stolen ride.
By lose, he meant burn to hide their DNA.
It was toast.
Now they were walking in the front door, an aberration, but one no one questioned. After all, they did live there. It looked like they were coming in after a night of walking the strip.
So far, so good.
“Mr. Croft and Mr. Gideon, welcome home,” security stated.
Yeah, it was good to be home.
They were safe.
Mission accomplished.
“Has everyone checked in for the night?” Greyson asked, meaning his wife and Chris. While he worried about the whole family, his wife was his focus.
“Yes, sir. Your wife has been home for about seven hours now, your brother and his husband about the same, and the Archers too. The only one not accounted for is your personal security.”
That was good.
The chicks were all in the nest.
“I think he had a date,” Greyson stated, covering for them. Clearly, Curtis’s video loop went undetected.
Perfect.
“He’ll be back later when his curfew is up,” he joked, trying to keep it light.
The men laughed along.
“Have a good night,” Greyson stated, and they headed up to their perspective floors.
In the elevator, there was a collective sigh of relief. Greyson was beyond glad to be home. All of the stress drained away as he leaned against the wall.
There was no place like the safety of Sky Villa.
Poppy knew that she owed them all kinds of thanks. They’d risked their lives to save her. They really didn’t have to do that.
“Mr. Croft, thank you for tonight,” Poppy stated. “I appreciate it.”
He nodded.
“No problem.”
She got it.
When she’d been ‘asleep’ in the car, she’d heard them talking. Heath had been discussing how only a trained sniper could have made those shots when he did. She realized there was a lot to Greyson that she didn’t know.
Dimitri was next. It was clear that they were good. There was no animosity between them, and they were back where they’d been before he’d put his hands on him.
“Grey,” Dimitri said, holding his hand out. “Moy brat.” Then he stared into his eyes. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Greyson understood, but he needed to clarify.
Not for him.
For her.
“This was a one-time deal, Ms. Wayne. If you run again, risking us, I won’t be coming for you. I did this for him and to balance the scale in my responsibility. What happens from here on out is going to be on your shoulders—not mine—and not his. Got it?”
She understood.
“I promise I won’t run.”
He hoped so.
When the door opened, Dimitri and Poppy headed out. They left Greyson to go upstairs to the penthouse and his own private space.
He’d earned it.
They all had.
As Dimitri led Poppy down the hall and toward his place, he hoped she kept her promise.
“I hope you’ll be okay staying here,” he offered. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch,” Dimitri offered.
It set the tone for their relationship. That was something a friend offered up. Oh, need a place to crash? You can have my bed.
Yeah, that didn’t sound good.
Someone was angry. After all, she’d ‘slept’ on him in the car. Why wouldn’t she be okay with him near her in bed?
Poppy opted to try.
“Can I ask something?” Poppy inquired, hoping to open the conversation.
“Yes.”
“Are we over, or are we still a couple?” she asked, out of curiosity. It took guts to ask it. The entire time, she was scared stupid of his answer.
He didn’t hesitate.
“You left. I chased. I think that’s up to you. You’re the one who didn’t stick around.”
She heard the tone.
Yeah, he was angry.
Poppy knew this wasn’t the time to have a conversation. He was angry, he was edgy, and it would end badly.
“Thank you for giving me a place to lay low,” she stated, and it landed on its mark.
Dimitri cringed inwardly.
Yeah, like a friend.
He unlocked his door and escorted her inside. Only, they weren’t alone. On the couch was Katerina, and she was holding a sleeping Sadie.
She didn’t hesitate to move toward him.
“Welcome home,” she stated, giving her brother a kiss. Kat completely ignored the woman beside him, and with good reason.
She was not a fan.
This woman nearly destroyed their happy family, and Kat didn’t plan on playing that game.
“It’s good to be home,” Dimitri stated, stripping out of his gear, and placing it in the closet.
Kat glared at the woman.
“Well, at least no one died.”
Ouch.
Poppy saw that she was definitely not happy with her. Then again, she’d hurt the woman’s brother.
She got it.
She was not leading in members of the fan club. His family didn’t like her
. Well, she understood why. Now, if they only had the whole story.
“Was everything okay?” he asked, kissing Sadie on the top of her head.
“Yes, the kids are asleep, and everything was good. The nanny will be back tomorrow at seven and the tutor her normal time. I sent the nanny home early and Curtis and I babysat.”
“Thank you, Kat.”
“It’s no problem,” she stated. “What is family for? I wouldn’t leave you high and dry because I love you.”
That was a shot at Poppy, and she knew it. Well, she had news for her. She accepted the barb and didn’t say anything back to provoke a response.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kat stated, once more ignoring Poppy.
When Kat left, he locked the door, set the alarm, and poured himself a BIG drink.
“You can head into bed,” he stated. “I have to do some things.”
Poppy could see the temperature was dropping fast, and heading right for chilly.
She didn’t blame him.
“Dimitri?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry.”
He couldn’t help it. The last three months had been hard. She’d run, and while he understood why, they had to deal with the fall out of that.
She’d bailed on him.
That demon was scratching and clawing its way from deep within him. He’d played the hero, he’d saved her, and now he needed to regroup. Nothing he said now would come out how he wanted.
Dimitri needed to calm down.
“Good night, Poppy, and for the record, if you run again, I won’t chase you either. Like Greyson, this was a one-shot deal. I don’t have the ability to lose any more of myself over a woman who can’t make up her mind.”
It sat between them.
“I said I wouldn’t.”
Yeah, but his fear told him otherwise.
“I hope not.”
She got it.
He needed time and proof that she was going to keep her word. When she ran, she thought it was for the best. Now she saw otherwise. She’d made a mistake.
Poppy was scared and human.
Now she had to stand and fight.
For him.
Poppy headed out of the room, and Dimitri threw back his whiskey and poured another.
Yeah, maybe one drink wouldn’t be enough to ease that chill in his body.
He was pissed.
No Justice_A Croft Mob Family Book Page 20
