Hell Is Burning (20 page)

This time.

Greyson pulled the young agent out of the detective’s house. They lucked out, and he wasn’t going to take any more chances.

Outside, Greyson pointed at his wife’s vehicle. “If you pull this shit again, son, he’s going to be the least of your problems. That was grand theft auto, and it could end your damn career. In fact, as of right now, you’re on administrative leave. You stole a car, you punched out a suspect, and you’re acting like a lunatic.”

The media was starting to arrive. They’d had a few tails leaving the LVPD, and this was the last thing they needed for the case.

This would make one hell of a sound bite.

“Grey, I’ll take him back to our place. I’ll meet you there.”

He glanced at his watch. “Emma, can you handle the team? I have to check in with the FBI to make sure my agents aren’t burning the place to the ground.”

“Okay,” she offered.

“If possible, we need them to work late tonight. They can do it from home. By tomorrow, we need all they can get.”

She agreed. Emma knew her husband was under a shitload of stress. Not only was he helping her with this mess, but there was an office full of agents that needed him. There was a great deal on his shoulders.

Pulling Curtis by the arm, she led him to her vehicle. “Get in, and don’t make me cuff you.”

The media vehicles were already there, and they were snapping pictures.

Curtis did as she ordered as he tried not to listen to the questions the people were shouting at him.

They wanted to know why his wife was dead. They wanted to know if he had anything to do with it.

They wanted all the sordid details.

Yeah, well, so did he.

“I can’t believe you,” she stated, glancing over at him as she followed Greyson’s vehicle back toward Sky Villa. “He’s trying to keep your ass out of the sling, and you’re making it nearly impossible. What are you trying to do?” she asked. “Do you want him to fire you? You’ve just put him in a bad situation, and in front of the media so he can’t bury it!”

“I want in.”

Emma laughed. “Yeah, well you can kiss that option goodbye. You just buried yourself.”

She pulled out her phone and ignored Curtis’s objections. She didn't want to hear it. Greyson was going out on a limb for the man, and he should know better.

Yeah, his wife was dead.

Yeah, she cheated on him.

But you couldn’t kick the shit out of her lover. This was more proof that Curtis should have been pulled the second his wife was found.

“Hey, Tessa,” Emma said when the woman answered the phone. “Can you guys wrap up the research on the first victims?”

“Sure thing, Emma. We can work late.”

“Greyson wants you all to head home and work from there. We just ran into the media. They’re going to be all over the FBI building and the LVPD as soon as they figure out you’re working this. It’s safer at home.”

Who knew what else the media was going to find out? By tomorrow, the entire team could be outed, and no one would have any peace.

“Yeah, we can head out. Is Curtis okay?” she asked, feeling bad for her partner.

“He’s alive,” she began.

For now at least.

When she got him home, Greyson might actually kick his ass. That’s why he wanted Curtis with her. Obviously, her husband wanted a break to think. “Later, he may not be. Greyson is not happy.”

Curtis glanced over at her tone.

“If you need anything,” Tessa offered, “give us a call. We can come over and play babysitter. If you need some brain shrinking, you know who to call.”

Emma heard Paris laugh in the background. Her team was trying to calm the situation.

Thank God for them.

“That would be great. See you at seven tomorrow morning for a full debriefing.”

She hung up the phone and turned on the radio. It helped drown out Curtis and his whining.

Honestly, she hoped her husband did kick his ass.

Really.

Enough was enough.

       
         
* * *
  Croft & Croft  * * *

Inside Sky Villa, Greyson was pacing back and forth. His wife had detoured and sent him a text that she’d be late getting back there. Honestly, he didn't know whether to be worried or happy to get a break from Curtis.

What he wanted to do was beat some sense into the man. What he could do was be patient.

It wasn’t easy.

After all, his ‘child’ had lost his wife to a horrible crime. Calm, collect heads were going to prevail, and he didn't need to flip out.

He couldn’t.

Now he was trying to stay calm, and this time it had nothing to do with the man riding with his wife. This time it was because of his ME.

Doctor Bentley had him worried.

Since he’d suggested that they had two killers, Greyson couldn’t help but worry. Immediately, his mind went to Dominic Marianna.

Could he be screwing with them? Was Brynn Westmore-Briggs a distraction?

This would be something right up his alley. The man wanted the power, and right now, Greyson had shut his ass down.

It would be just like the man to take a shot at him, and everyone in Vegas knew Curtis was his to protect. They didn't know about the blowout, or how they’d gone their separate ways. If Brynn was killed because of him, he’d never forgive himself.

Then he had to worry Emma would be next.

That would kill him.

Vegas was making him a royal mess. All the money, crime, and bullshit was stressing Croft out. All he could hope was they’d survive it all.

When he heard her key in the lock, his heart stopped pounding. Rushing toward the door, he found his wife smiling as she was toting a present for him.

In her arms were two pizzas and a six pack of beer.

Hallelujah.

“I picked up an early dinner. I figured after you finished wringing his neck, you’d be hungry.”

Oh, she was right.

It was like her words were the cue for the fight to begin. Immediately, Greyson spun, facing off with the younger man.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Greyson roared, directing his anger at his agent. “Have you lost your damn mind, Curtis? You hacked my email, you stole a car, and you beat up a cop. That’s careless, crazy behavior, and I raised you better than that.”

Emma lifted a brow.

That sounded like something her father would say to her and Gage growing up. It was clear her husband was disappointed in a man he called son.

“I can’t believe you!”

“My wife is dead! That’s what’s wrong with me. You read the autopsy reports and didn't tell me. You knew she was cheating on me! The entire time you’ve known about this, you’ve been looking at me and thinking
…‘That poor guy. His wife was riding someone else’s dick’
!”

Greyson didn't like the accusation the man was making.

“We weren’t thinking that, Curtis. We were too damn worried you’d eat your fucking gun! That had to come first!”

The younger agent stormed around the room trying to vent some of the anger eating away at him.

“You should have told me! I would have told you!”

No one bought that. There was no way any sane person would tell Greyson Croft, after his wife’s death, that she was cheating on him. That was like dumping a barrel of gasoline on a raging forest fire.

It would explode and kill everyone around him.

“First off, I’m not obligated to let you into this investigation. You’re the family of a victim. We don’t tell them everything, and you know that. We are investigating this and aren’t at liberty to tell you.”

“Bullshit!”

Croft cut him off. “Secondly, you’re a freaking suspect. I haven’t cleared you yet. Our team doesn’t have enough to let you in, and that’s why I can’t tell you.”

Curtis moved toward him. “You kept me out on purpose.” When he went to swing at Greyson, the man moved back.

“I’m warning you, Curtis. I let you wail on me once. I won’t let it happen again!”

No one believed that he’d beat on a man lost in sorrow. That wasn’t how Greyson rolled.

“You knew! You should have told me!”

Greyson was moving backwards around the couch, still trying to evade the younger man. He didn't want to hurt the boy. It was obvious that Curtis was distraught. When he lunged again, Emma got in the way. Instead of hitting her, she took him to his knees with a sucker punch to his chest.

He stared at her with wide eyes, shocked that she’d been violent with him. His mouth opened, but nothing came out.

They couldn’t say the same for Emma.

She grabbed him by the front of the shirt so he was face to face with her. “You will not come into our home and disrespect him. Am I clear?” she stated. “We get that you’re hurting, in fact, we all are, but you will not lash out and hit people. Did you not learn that as a child?”

His eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry.”

Emma let go of him. “Sit your ass on the couch, and don’t you move. If you do, you won’t have to worry about Grey beating you. I’ll do it for him. I’ve had about enough of your jackassery.”

The man did what she said.

Greyson watched and was really turned on. His wife was pretty sexy when she was all bossy. He kind of liked how she’d protected him. No one ever really did that before.

She dished out pizza, trying to find her calm. She was pissed, and before they dealt with Curtis, she needed to regain her control. “Where’s Dante?”

“He went to go get Steele. He didn't want to be here for Croft-apocalypse. Now he’s going to be pissed he missed it. Who knew you’d be the one kicking ass?”

She kissed him. “I’ve had enough. No one is going to beat on my man. My sympathy is dried up.”

He understood.

Carrying Curtis a plate, she sat on the table in front of him. “Eat.”

He did what she said, but he didn't look into her eyes. It was obvious that the wind was gone from his sails.

This was defeat at its finest.

Emma moved to sit beside him. “We need to talk, and I want you to remain calm. We don’t physically strike people in this family. Do you understand?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry.”

They could hear the sorrow in his voice. While he could take Greyson being angry, Emma was like his mother. Her anger stung.

“Curtis, sweetheart, we love you, and we couldn’t tell you. I need you to think like an agent for a minute here. If you were running this, what would you do?”

He looked up, and his eyes were filled with pain. “I would have done the same thing.”

“It wasn’t like we wanted to hurt you. We didn't find out until this morning, and you were asleep. We headed out to do our jobs. Had you been up, we might have handled this differently.”

He looked up. “Were you going to tell me?”

She patted his knee. “Yes, I was going to tell you tonight when I got home. I love you, Curtis, but this wasn’t an easy conversation to have. It put us in a bad spot.”

Greyson watched her work. His wife would be a good mother. She got angry, but then she soothed over the pain with love.

“She had an affair,” he stated.

“What she did was horribly wrong. Brynn cheated on you, and that’s horrible. I didn't want you to read it off a sheet of paper, and neither did Greyson. We wanted to be the ones to break it to you gently.”

“She broke your trust, but then again, so did you. Who are you, Curtis?” Greyson asked. “At one time, you were a damn good agent. Why are you letting this destroy you?”

He didn't know.

He was all tied up in knots.

“You suspected she was cheating, and now you have your proof.”

“I really hate her,” he whispered. “I’m a horrible person, but she betrayed me. I kept trying, and not once did she come to me and say it was over. I took vows. We both did, and you don’t do that to someone.”

Emma looked over at her husband. “You made the mini-Croft, so how about you field this one?”

He sighed. He was well aware.

“What she did was wrong, and you have every right to be mad. There is a big difference between being a caveman and acting badly. Going after the detective was just wrong. Yes, he shouldn’t have been dipping his dick in your wife, but losing your badge isn't going to change that. It only lets them win. I thought I taught you to be smarter than that.”

“You would have beat him to a bloody pulp, and you know it.”

Emma, to her credit, said nothing as she ate her dinner. She simply allowed her husband to handle this.

“Yes, I would have, and I would have been wrong too. Don’t put me on the pedestal, Curtis. I’m just as screwed up as the next guy.”