He knew he was.
“People are taking pictures, boss. I hated to bother you, but I know how you and Mr. Croft like your privacy. Someone will be selling the pictures to a rag tabloid.”
Here was his other proof that she was special.
His first thought was he didn’t care. He’d been Mr. Ivanov for so long to hide his dalliances. He had bought women to keep himself hidden. Now he didn’t want to hide. He wanted the world to know that she was his.
Dimitri wanted to live in the light instead of lurk in the dark.
His second instinct was to be worried. Poppy was a cop. He was a criminal. He wouldn't be the one who would suffer.
She would.
Commissioner Raye would ride her, and then he’d kill him. To that moment, he’d let justice take its time. If Jeffrey Raye used him to hurt Poppy…
He was a dead man.
So, he worried about the woman in his lap.
“Thank you, Marie. I think I’ll escort Miss Wayne up to her room. Tomorrow, can you have breakfast sent to the penthouse for us.”
Poppy knew what that would sound like to the woman. It sounded like…
Oh, shit!
Was he sleeping over?
“What would you like?” she asked, pulling out a pad and getting ready to take his order.
“Chocolate croissants, hot chocolate, and anything else chocolate.”
Poppy laughed.
“Miss Wayne likes chocolate.”
Oh, Miss Wayne liked him too.
A lot.
“I’m good with chocolate,” she teased. “Cover anything you want,” she said, laughing more when he lifted a brow.
“Tempting. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Marie hid a giggle behind her hand.
“Miss Wayne, can I walk you up to your room?” he asked, as she got out of his lap.
“Thank you, Mr. Gideon. I would really enjoy that.”
Dimitri held out his arm, and she placed her hand through the opening. It was the first time a man had ever done that for her, and she was baffled by it.
He was old world, bad boy, and trouble rolled into one, and she was excited about being with him.
Together, they headed out, but first, he grabbed her box of chocolates on the table. He wanted to buy her lots of them. For once, he wanted to shower someone with affection—other than his sisters, and Emma.
As a rule, he didn’t buy things for women. He paid them, tipped them, and that was it. With her…
Oh, that was going to change.
As they rode up in the elevator, she kept peeking over at him. He had her arm through his, and his hand was on hers. It was so…hot.
It made her wet.
It made Poppy forget what chased her, and how tomorrow, she’d have to reopen that part of her life.
As the elevator stopped at the floor to the penthouse, he turned toward her.
“I know we’re having breakfast tomorrow, but will you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?”
She was a little caught off guard.
“Of course, Dimitri.”
He smiled.
“May I steal a kiss goodnight?” he asked.
“You’re not staying?”
Oh, he wanted to stay. Dimitri wanted that more than anything, but he had the kids at home, and he wanted more time with her before he was honest.
If he told her now, he had nothing to get her to stay. He needed a day with her. Some romance.
He needed her to see he was worthy, so he went with the easy way out.
“Kids.”
She blushed.
“So, may I?” he asked, the Russian accent rising to the surface. He’d tried so hard to make it stay gone, but when he wasn’t focused on it, the accent came out.
“Yes, you may kiss me goodnight.”
Dimitri moved toward her, and miracle of miracles, she didn’t move away. She stood there and stared up at him. While he wasn’t too much taller, he felt big and powerful.
Detective Wayne could handle herself, but he was with Poppy. She made his heart skip.
Dimitri placed the chocolates on the table by the elevator doors.
“I have to have my good arm free,” he admitted.
She laughed.
“I hope you can manage, Mr. Gideon.”
He loved how she teased him.
He loved how she called him that. There was humor in her blue eyes, and he saw such happiness there that he never wanted to leave it.
“I will try my best.”
His good arm went around her waist, and he pulled her against his body. His mouth found hers, and instead of wild and frenetic, he went with deep and meaningful. He wanted Poppy to think about him all night long.
Her hands went around his neck, and her fingers moved into his hair as she held him to her.
He dove in, taking and giving everything he had. His mouth didn’t stop moving until he was ready to lose control. Then, and only then, he backed off.
Slowly.
When his lips came free of hers, they both hesitantly opened their eyes, as if afraid to break the spell.
“Poppy?”
She blinked.
“Dimitri?”
“Think of me,” he said, as moved back into the elevator to put some space between them. If he didn’t move away and leave, he’d be in bed with her. His body was already begging him to do what he lusted after, and it was a hard-fought battle.
He entered the code to close the door.
“You have a minute,” he said as the door began closing between them.
She realized what he was saying.
“Goodnight, Dimitri,” she called, “I love your accent! Keep it,” she blurted. “It’s sexy!”
The last thing she saw was that quick grin. Then she hurriedly entered the code and leaned against the wall.
HOLY.
SHIT.
She headed toward the bedroom, pulled off her dress, and put on her running gear. Then she headed to the private gym.
And she ran.
For an hour straight.
She was NOT ready for Dimitri Gideon.
Not even close.
* * * G R E Y S O N C R O F T * * *
Sky Villa
When Dimitri returned to his condo, he found Greyson flipping through some files as Emma was asleep on the couch beside him.
As he entered, Greyson glanced up.
“You’re smiling,” Greyson said. “I’m going to say you had a good date.”
Oh, he could say that.
“Do you have time for a cigar?” Dimitri asked, wanting to talk it over with a man he considered his closest and best friend.
Greyson jerked his head toward the sliding glass balcony door.
“You know I always have time if you need me,” he replied, and it was the truth. They had a bond, and that mattered. Besides, Emma was out cold.
“Then join me,” Dimitri stated.
Out on the balcony that overlooked the city, Dimitri handed Greyson a cigar.
“What are we celebrating?” Croft inquired. “Did you seal the deal?” he asked.
Oh, Dimitri only wished that were the case. He wanted to stay with Poppy more than anything, but he knew he couldn’t.
“No, not yet.”
Greyson took Dimitri’s lighter and lit his cigar. Then he took a deep puff.
“Then why all the smiles? Let’s face it. You aren’t a smiler,” he teased.
“I’m really happy.”
Well, that was a first.
Happy and Dimitri Gideon were NOT synonymous. That was one word that normally didn’t describe him.
Ever.
“Are you drunk? You don’t do happy. Whenever Chris says he’s happy, you mock him. What gives?”
He actually laughed.
Yeah, he had ridden his employee every time he smiled so brightly. Now he got it. Dimitri finally understood what that feeling felt like, and he liked it.
“I know, and that’s
why I’m happy. I get it now.”
Greyson was glad.
The man beside him deserved it. So, together, they stood there and smoked.
It was Dimitri who broke the silence.
“When I first met you, Grey, I was jealous of what you’d found,” Dimitri stated. “I truly believed that what you had in your life was out of my reach. I wanted Emma. I wanted that connection with someone.”
He let the man talk.
“I wanted someone to prep my cigar, play the piano for me, and look at me the way she does you.”
Greyson lifted a brow.
“I don’t like this turn in the conversation,” he teased. “You should explain, or I might need to make sure you’re not left alone with my girl.”
He laughed.
“Yes, by all means, give me Chris as a chaperone. That should work out well.”
Greyson grinned.
He knew what he was doing. While so many people gossiped about his wife having affairs with both men, he knew the truth. They needed each other to heal that part of them.
Dimitri exhaled the stream of silvery smoke as he contemplated his words.
“While an Emma is amazing, and I’d be blessed to have that, it wouldn’t be enough. I just realized that Emma is what Greyson needs. I’m not Greyson. I don’t need an Emma. I need a Poppy.”
Greyson patted him on the back.
“And that is why I never worried about losing my Emma to you. You asked me a few times why I didn’t get enraged when Chris cuddled up to my wife. You’ve asked why I didn’t get angry when you were hurt, and she held you in a tub of water while you were naked. I already knew what you just said. You don’t need an Emma. You needed something different.”
He grinned as he smoked the cigar.
“I really needed a Poppy.”
“From where I see things, your attachment to Emma is because you didn’t have that mother figure. While you had sisters, they were more like your children. Emma, for the first time in your life, is more a sister to you. I watch you with her. You rarely laugh or smile, but with her, you feel safe. So, by stepping back, I knew she’d give you that safe place.”
Dimitri listened.
“You weren’t looking for sex with my wife, Dimitri. You’ve been looking for that simple affection we all need. When she hugs you, you’re not turned on. You’re at peace. I can tell the difference.”
“You’re right.”
“I’m good at reading people. That’s why I ran an FBI office. They didn’t give it to me because I’m sexy.”
He laughed.
“They gave it to me because when I watch someone, I can tell their motives. It’s like Chris.”
“He’s attracted to her.”
“Yes, I know. I know that he’s always going to have that need in him, and that’s my safety net. If I die tomorrow…”
Dimitri stopped him.
“That’s killing my buzz.”
He laughed.
“Let’s face it, my friend. We have people gunning for us, and we don’t know the extent of Babylon’s death yet. It’s been quiet, and that usually means they’re regrouping. I could die, and if I do, I know Chris would take my wife and keep her safe. That love he feels is different than yours.”
“And let’s say hypothetically that you do die…”
“Yes?”
“You want me to promote Chris’s attraction to your wife? Is that what you really want?”
“Emma would mourn me, and Chris would fill my role and help her heal. We all know that had she met him first, he’d be her husband. I accept that. Fate put us together, but I wouldn’t want her to suffer if I died.”
“Would you remarry?” Dimitri asked.
“No. She is the only woman for me, but our situations are reversed. In Vegas, I can protect myself. I’ve killed already, and I’ll do it again. Emma…she’s good. We’re not.”
He got it.
“I would miss you.”
Greyson glanced over at him.
“I would want you to help raise my son. I saw you with Sam. You’re a good father, Dimitri. I’ve never done this before, so I’m going to ask you lots of questions about how to do it. I want Mac to be a decent man. I want him to have your bravery, Chris’s humor, my brother’s loyalty, and my tenacity. I want the men I love to love him for me, and if I can’t be here…”
“I would tell him every day about you. I promise.”
That was what he wanted.
“I’m so glad you found someone,” Greyson admitted. “I’m so glad you found that missing piece.”
“Me too,” he replied.
Greyson found something odd.
“Don’t get bitchy, but we’ve known you for a while, and do you realize that your accent is back?”
He was well aware.
“She likes me, Greyson. She said it’s sexy. Is it?”
“Yes, I’m particularly turned on right now,” he teased.
Dimitri laughed.
“That’s awkward with your wife right inside.”
Greyson grinned.
“So, she likes the Russian.”
“I’ve hidden it for so long, trying to blend in. I’ve tried to sound more like everyone else, but now I find myself wanting to be me—for her.”
“I say keep it. I like it. It gets me all hot and bothered,” he teased. “Mmmmm….Russian. So hot.”
He punched him in the arm.
“Asshole. You’ve been around Chris too much as of late. It makes you dickish.”
He dropped his arm over his shoulder.
“I’m so happy for you, my brother. I like the genuine you. I say keep it. Poppy is good for you.”
Yes, he was beginning to believe she was.
They stood there for a while.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“When is the appropriate time to sleep with a lady? How long did you wait with Emma?”
“Well, I think it was around four days.”
Dimitri thought about it. He could wait four days. Any more than that and he might have to service his own needs. He really wanted to roll around naked with Poppy.
Desperately.
“BUT…,” Greyson added.
He looked over.
“I hate that word.”
“You already slept with her technically. She cuddled you in a sleeping bag, you big pussy.”
He laughed.
“A guy gets shot one time…”
“If you think you’re ready, sleep with her. If you don’t think you are…”
“I’m going to come clean.”
“About?”
“Mace and the hookers.”
He stared at him.
“Maybe you should keep the Mace part quiet. She is a cop. If you admit it, Dimitri, and it ever goes bad, you could be screwed. There’s no statute of limitations on murder.”
He was well aware, and he appreciated that this was his brother trying to protect him, but he wanted to make sure he started something with a clean slate—not on lies.
“She’d have to prove it, and if she turned on me…?”
“You’d kill her?” Greyson asked.
He looked horrified.
“Jesus! What kind of monster do you think I am?” he asked. “I wouldn’t kill her!”
Greyson kissed him on both cheeks much to his Russian friend’s surprise.
“Congratulations, Dimitri. She’s the one. That’s how I know she is. You’d kill someone who betrayed you, or us. You would protect her.”
His heart skipped.
“Honestly, Grey, if she turned on me, I’d die,” he offered. “I’d have no faith left for anything. I have to believe she’ll protect me.”
“Why?”
“After Marissa turned on me when she found out Viktor killed her sister, she crushed my soul. You told me, and Emma has told me, that if someone loves me, they will protect me. I have to believe that if Poppy is the one, she’d protect me.�
�
He understood.
“My money is on her.”
“How do you know?” he asked.
“Because I know what a good man you are, and I know that she’d be very lucky to have you. You’re a decent person who will love her with all you have. As your brother and best friend, you have my blessing when it comes to the girl. You picked someone good for you.”
That meant everything to Dimitri.
He hugged Greyson.
“Thank you for loving me and having my back when I couldn’t do it, Grey.”
He hugged him back.
“Always. I’m your wingman and I’ll have your back. You’ve had mine since Randall died.”
“Wingman, huh?” Dimitri asked.
“Yup.”
“Until Emma hears you use that phrase and kills us both with all those pregnancy hormones,” Dimitri teased.
He laughed.
“Speaking of my pregnant little mother-to-be, I need to get her up to bed. I like it here,” he said. Looking out over the city. “For a little while, I began hating it. I think we are going to be okay.”
He put out his cigar beside Greyson’s.
“I know we are. We have a job to do here, and we’re back on track.”
Yeah, they were.
Together, they headed into the condo. Greyson went to get Emma, but Dimitri got there first. He left a kiss on her forehead, and the said something sweet in Russian.
“She loves you, too, you big puddle of mush. If Chris hears you, he’ll ride your ass.”
He was aware, but it was definitely worth it. Dimitri would take his chances.
Greyson picked her up, and she moved into his body.
Dimitri walked them to the elevator and opened the doors for them.
“About the accent,” Greyson said.
“Keep it,” Emma muttered. “It’s sexy.”
Dimitri grinned.
And there it was. He was going to make sure he was true to himself. Gone were the days where he wanted to hide who he was. Dimitri Gideon, the real Dimitri Gideon, was here to stay.
“I think I shall.”
When the door closed, he headed into the condo, locked the door, and checked on his kids.
Petra wasn’t in her bed.
He headed into Sam’s room and found them both there. Petra was cuddled against Sam, and his arm was protectively around her.
Mob Justice Page 20
