Dark Justice (Croft Family Mob Series Book 1) (2 page)

My name is Greyson Croft…

At one time, I was the law in Las Vegas. I kept the streets clean, the bad guys going to jail, and peace in our fine city. Then, that all changed.

In the matter of a heartbeat, it was over.

My life drastically changed.

I kept my word and I made a choice to avenge my family. I let justice go in order to protect the ones I hold dear, and I became an outlaw.

To the cops, Feds, and citizens of the city, I was no longer the law but part of the criminal element. I gave up my gold badge for something completely different.

Dark Justice.

Oh, I still run Las Vegas, but now it’s done from the other side. I’m still a force to reckon with, but I no longer work for the government or the people of the city.

I work for me.

I am justice.

After a year of cleaning up the mess left behind by the powerful mob and money hungry animals threatening our city, I became them. I became what I hunted, and now I am feared. The police don’t trust me.

The media is curious.

And the only people who know what I’m really like are my family. They know the truth.

I became the new power player.

I became the new dark justice.

I became…

The new family everyone feared
.

While most think I’m crooked, a criminal, and just like the Dominic Marianna’s in the world, they’re dead wrong. I’m still the only one who stands between the seedy element and the people who have fallen through the cracks. The only difference is, now I’m running Vegas my way. My hands aren’t tied, and I can help those who I couldn’t help before.

Honestly, there’s no one to stop me.

The Croft Empire has been formed. It grew from two people who lived and breathed justice and now it’s an entity in itself.

It’s strong.

And it’s not going anywhere, despite what the law in Las Vegas wants.

Why?

Because in Vegas the good guy is the bad guy, and the bad guys are the ones who pretend to care about the people of this city. That’s crystal clear from where I stand.

Am I breaking the rules?

Yes.

Am I willing to do whatever it takes to protect?

Yes.

What do I have to lose?

Absolutely nothing.

I’ve been a soldier, a man who served his country, taking that shot to end a life. I’ve been a Director in the FBI, making the tough decisions as I tried to keep the peace.

I did my job.

I followed the rules.

Now I make them.

Will everyone agree with them? Not likely. The police don’t like me interfering, but when I see people being kicked around, I always help the underdog.

It may not be the popular bet in Las Vegas, but I want them to win. I want them to find their missing family, get off the streets, and have good lives. They deserve it. They aren’t the forgotten.

I haven’t forgotten them.

My family will do whatever it takes to help them.

Someone has to do it.

That someone is me.

Being the most powerful man in Las Vegas comes with a price, and I’m not the only one paying it. I have a family behind me. In Vegas, being a Croft means something.

It means money.

It means power.

It means…the police hate us.

It means that if you need help, and the cops won’t even give you the time of day, find me.

I will help you.

I don’t hate the police. We used to be them.

I can’t blame them for being suspicious of us. I would be too. In fact, I used to hate people just like me. I used to wake up every morning, strap on a badge and gun, and head out to make sure no one person was in control.

That’s still my job, but instead of being on the side of law and order, I’m on the side of doing what’s right.

I don’t tolerate the criminal element.

I am still that person, the one who ruled from the glass tower of FBI Las Vegas, but now I do it my way.

I’ve learned a valuable lesson.

My family had my back when the law and justice never did. My wife, bless her for putting up with me, was a detective and a damn good one. She handed in her badge the day the FBI took mine. She’s my ally in this fight for justice in the city. She’s smart, beautiful, and willing to fight the good fight. On our team, she’s the sleuth. If it needs to be solved, Emma Croft is your girl. She’ll get to the bottom of it. Every gangster needs that beautiful woman on his arm, and she’s mine.

Together, we have something powerful that no one can destroy. We have true love. There is no Greyson Croft without Emma Croft.

And that’s the truth.

Then there’s my
‘son’,
Curtis. He was a Fed too. I trained, mentored, and taught the man everything he knows. He, too, left the FBI when my badge was taken, and I’ll never forget that he always had my back. We may not be blood, but we were forged in something so much stronger.

Love.

He has joined me in helping the people that justice has forgotten in this city. He’s my hacker. If I need something found, he’s going to be the one who digs it up. He’s good with his hands, and even better with his technology. I trust him to do the job—like I did in the FBI.

Curtis helps me level the playing field.

I need all the help I can get.

Then there’s Dimitri Gideon. He’s Russian, a killer, and my muscle. I never thought I’d need that, but he’s proven his loyalty and worth. He, too, like Curtis, is family by love, not by blood. He’s always had Emma’s and my back, and he still does. If I get into a tricky situation, he’s the one who helps me out. He’s smart, complicated, and has so many secrets that no one will ever find them all out.

He’s also the man who locates the victims that this city has forgotten. Dimitri is the one who started all this, and I call him friend, brother, and partner—for life.

Together, we will clean up Las Vegas.

Then there’s Katerina Gideon. She’s young, pretty, damaged, and my thief. If I need it lifted, stolen, or absconded, she’s my girl. She can pick a lock, scale a building, and get into any locked location.

She can disappear in plain sight. Kat is handy, and she’s part of our team.

We’re lucky to have her.

She’s not alone. With her comes Dimitri’s other sister. Natasha Gideon is a genius when it comes to disguise. One minute she is playing one person, and when she comes back around the corner, she’s someone new.

It’s that damn fast.

If you need someone to manipulate the situation, she’s the one. She’s sweet, gentle, and will kill you when you’re least expecting it. No, it’s not all clothes and wigs. She’s lethal, just like her half-brother and sister. Don’t let the girls fool you.

They’re deadly.

They’re smart.

They’re not putting up with anyone’s BS, and that’s how I like them. They have my best interests at heart, and I have theirs.

Family is what matters.

They will always have your back. In life, that’s all you really have. Careers come and go, but the people who love you?

They stick.

In this family, we’re all equal. We’ve been compared to the mob, and it’s damn true.

We’re rich.

We’re powerful.

And we’re doing it our way.

With the rest of the team, we’re taking Vegas by storm. We’re not letting anyone tell us how to find justice. We’re leveling the playing field and helping the little people who were left behind.

We’ve made friends.

We’ve made enemies.

The cops hate us.

The criminals hate us even more.

But the people who lost their way, who were stepped on by the boot of justice, and pushed aside…they need us.

That’s all that matters.

As long as they do, we’re sticking around. Vegas needs that Dark Justice to keep everything fair, and I’m here to make sure it happens.

I am that justice.

When the cops won’t help you and everything seems to be falling in on you, threatening to crush you—find us. When you feel that justice has left the building, and you’re standing there holding the bag—we’ll be there. When you think that you’ve been screwed by the law….

We’re your people.

You don’t have to pay us. We’ll do it for free. Money means nothing to any of us. All we want is justice for all, and for the law to be accountable.

In the end, we’ll get it.

When it’s all said and done, if you find us, and we agree to help you, there’s nothing we won’t do.

We’ll take your case.

We’ll find the answers.

We’ll get you the justice you deserve.

When it’s all said and done, not every mob family is bad.
Sometimes….

We’re simply misunderstood.

Look out Las Vegas. You feared me before, but you haven’t seen anything. I’m Greyson Croft, and I’m about to be your worst freaking nightmare.

I’m bringing justice back—with a vengeance. 

Signed,

Greyson Croft 

Prologue

Las Vegas

She didn’t know if there was anyone out there who could help her. It had become so overwhelming, and she was at the end of her rope. In a couple of days, her brother, who was innocent, was about to die. It all happened in a blink of an eye.

There was no way this could be anything but a nightmare, and yet, she wasn’t waking up.

How had it all gotten so out of hand?

Her brother was a good guy, and he’d been framed. Yes, everyone who was in jail said that, but she truly believed it. He was her twin, and she knew he wasn’t capable of such atrocities.

He’d been a cop.

A damn good one
.

Then one day, it all came crashing to a halt. They’d stripped him of his badge, thrown him in an orange jumpsuit, and locked him away for trial.

Now they were going to end his life.

At first, it was surreal. Now it was just scary. A man, who once loved his city, justice, and life, was days away from being strapped to a gurney and murdered. He’d loved his job, done it well, and this was his payback.

It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.

He was innocent.

She knew it.

So, Miranda refused to give up on him. She couldn’t. She did what she had to do. She wandered Vegas, trying to find the truth. There was no way in hell her brother had killed those women, raping and destroying them.

It wasn’t possible.

It didn’t add up.

Seth had been gay his whole life, and now he was accused of sexually assaulting five women, strangling them, and then dumping their bodies in various fountains all over Las Vegas.

It was total bullshit.

There was no way.

Miranda Bell had to find a way to get him off. She couldn’t leave her brother, her twin, to die because of crimes he didn’t commit. When he told them he was gay, and he didn’t do it, the police didn’t want to listen.

It was an open and shut case for them.

They wanted a serial killer found, and they’d done just that, only it was lies.

Seth Bell was a good man.

He couldn’t hurt a fly.

Now they were counting the days until they took his life in payment for the dead women’s lives. The clock was ticking, and she was scared. As she begged the police, media, and anyone else who would listen, trying to get anyone to see the truth, she didn’t have much hope.

They all told her the same thing.

It was too late.

Then she heard about him.

The seedy element whispered his name. For a few bucks, a bartender pointed her in his direction. Then as she went from more strip clubs to bars, seeking the truth, that same name kept popping up, over and over again.

It had to mean something. Miranda Bell knew that if she could find him, he’d help.

Well, it hadn’t been as easy as they made it sound.

The man was a ghost.

When she finally got some good information, she hoped it would be her last stop. Seth didn’t have much time left, and she couldn’t hope for a stay of execution. At this point, it didn’t look good at all. The governor had no mercy for a man who’d been hired to uphold the law and then broke it.

He was sending a clear message.

Yeah, that if you were the underdog, then you were an easy target. Still, Miranda wouldn’t give up on her brother.

Never.

So she was going to meet with that enigma to see if he could help. He was her last chance.

She’d finally gotten a location. At this bar, in the huge hotel, she was going to meet him.

Frankly, she was scared shitless.

She’d heard the rumors about him. Everyone in the streets talked about Dimitri Gideon. He was the whispered name that no one would say directly to her face. It was passed from miscreant to miscreant, stripper to stripper, and then finally to her.

Some warned her.

Some were in awe.

All feared him, and she did too.

He was trouble.

As she walked into the bar, a hostess waited for her. The place was all dark wood, smelled like pricy cigars and bourbon, and made her think of some gentleman’s club from years past. There was low Jazz playing in the background, the women were dressed in black, hair done, makeup in place.

Someone ran a tight ship.

All of this added to her nervousness. The person who hung out here wasn’t going to be a pushover. He was going to be powerful.

It added to her fear.

“Can I help you?” the woman at the counter asked. “Are you looking for someone?”

Yeah, she could say that.

“I’m here to see Dimitri Gideon. I need to see him. Is he around?”

The woman didn’t bat an eyelash. “And you are?”

“I’m Miranda Bell. I really need his help. I was told to find him here, and to give him this.”

She held out his card. It simply had two words on it.

                           ‘Club Aquarius.’

The woman took it.

It seemed to change her demeanor. It was like a key that unlocked something. That made Miranda both curious and nervous.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling at the woman. “Give me a few seconds. I’ll see if he’s available to meet with you, Ms. Bell,” she said, heading through the tables and booths toward a back room.

Miranda wanted to cry.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to beg.

To say she was a violent storm of emotions would be an understatement. If this man wouldn’t see her, this was going to be a huge waste of her time. Seth didn’t have the luxury of it, and she knew it.

As she stood there, she stared at the pricy looking bottles of hard liquor behind the shelf.

She could really use a drink.

Her nerves were shot.

Then she heard the clicking of heels. The woman was back, and the same smile was on her face.

Miranda held her breath.

This was the defining moment that would make or break her brother’s life.

“If you’ll follow me, Ms. Bell, Dimitri is available to see you in his private room.”

She let out the breath she was holding.

“Thank you so much!”

Miranda and the hostess weaved through the male patrons until they found their way to the door. As she stepped through, entering the owner’s lounge, she saw him behind the table.

He had raven black hair, bright aqua colored eyes, and he looked like he could end her life with a snap of his fingers. The pricy suit was well fitted, and he was wearing a black tie.

He made her nervous.

Really nervous
.

There was that brief moment when she got the feeling she was in the room with a predator. It made her want to run, never looking back.

Then she thought about Seth.

She had to be strong for him. No one else was fighting for him. Miranda was Seth’s only chance.

The woman led her to the table.

“Would you like a drink, Ms. Bell?” she asked.

She actually jumped, not expecting to hear the woman’s voice. Miranda was trapped in the man’s gaze, and she felt like some prey being stalked.

“Ms. Bell?” Marissa asked once more.

Miranda shook her head, her eyes wide as she watched him. He was calmly sitting there, measuring her up. His hands were clasped on the old wood table, he wasn’t blinking, and he was waiting for her to sit.

She wanted to run.

The woman walked away, leaving her with him. Suddenly, she wanted her to stay. Maybe she should have taken that drink. Then she would have guaranteed that the woman would be coming back.

“And you are?” he asked.

She heard the Russian lilt in his voice, and Miranda wasn’t surprised. He looked Russian. The angled cheekbones, the full lips, and the way he sat there screamed dangerous. Miranda swore she was in some James Bond back room, dealing with a bad guy.

Crap!

This may have been a huge mistake.

“I’m Miranda Bell, and I was told that if I found you that maybe you would help me.”

Dimitri simply watched her. That was how he picked all of their clients. By watching a person, you could learn a lot about them. This woman was no different.

She was afraid.

That was the first and foremost thing he noticed.

Next was her appearance. She looked like a mousy schoolteacher, meant to be in a classroom with unruly children—not combing the streets of Vegas looking for his help.

Honestly, Dimitri couldn’t imagine why she was there. She looked like a Sunday School meets preschool instructor. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was worrying her hands.

He was curious how she had gotten one of his cards. They didn’t plaster them all about the city. In fact, they were incredibly selective, believing fate would point their clients at them.

“Is that so? What kind of assistance do you think I can offer you, Miss Bell?” he inquired.

This should prove interesting.

When he leaned forward, Miranda’s heart began skipping in her chest. She was scared shitless.

He was Russian mob.

She could tell.

He was the kind of guy who would take you out to the middle of the desert, put a gun to your head, and then laugh while pulling the trigger.

He reeked of killer.

She was screwed.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be here,” she said, going to stand. Miranda had to get out of there.

Dimitri was even more curious now than when she walked into the club. When Marissa told him about her, he didn’t know why she would want his help. Now that she was bolting, his interest was piqued. Miranda Bell had gone through a lot of trouble to find him, and she was ready to run.

Interesting.

It was his nature.

As she went to leave, he placed his hand on her arm. That one touch, meant to calm, had the opposite effect.

She burst into tears.

Dimitri didn’t even bat an eyelash at the rush of emotions. Truth be told, he was accustomed to women. After all, he’d raised his sisters, spent time around them, and lived with women, too.

Girls he got.

Her fear?

Yeah, that concerned him.

“I’m sorry,” she said, as she sat back down.

“Why don’t you tell me why you’re here,” he offered. “You’re obviously distraught.”

That was putting it mildly.

“I was given your card,” she said sniffling.

Dimitri motioned his hand, and a waitress brought over a glass of water and box of tissues. After placing them before Miranda Bell, she disappeared to give them privacy.

“Thank you.”

“You came across one of my cards,” he said, urging her to continue. If someone had given her a card, that meant she had a problem. He had people around the city listening, watching, and recruiting.

That’s how he found their clients.

Miranda Bell took a deep breath before she spoke. She’d only get one shot at this, and she needed to convince the man before her to help save Seth.

“My brother is scheduled to die. He’s in jail, but he didn’t do it, Mr. Gideon. I think he was framed by the police. I know that sounds wrong, but…”

Oh, he believed it. That didn’t sound wrong to him at all. In fact, that sounded about right. 

In Vegas…

Yeah, it could happen.

“He’s innocent.”

Miranda Bell had managed to keep him curious enough that he wanted to hear her story. By watching her, he could tell she was the real deal.

There was only one thing to do.

“Welcome to
‘Club Aquarius’
, Ms. Bell. We’re here to assist you in any way we can.”

“So you’ll really help me prove that he’s not a killer?”

Dimitri sat back and grinned.

Miranda didn’t feel any less fearful. Now he looked like that wolf ready to pounce.

“Yes, Ms. Bell, I think I will help you. Now, tell me everything.”

And she did.