Page 9 of Saved By the Mafia Loverboy
9
KITTY
“Idon’t even believe that, not for a second.” Tiff swatted her hand in the air, reluctant to believe my story of my sexual encounter with Cam in my living room. The details were a bit hazy for me, but swapping crazy sex stories with the gals was what we did on a weeknight over coffee when we were bored.
“I’m telling you it’s the truth.” I chuckled and thought of that night, the handcuffs, the morning after when I had woken up to being bound. It made my cheeks warm just thinking of him. We had tentative plans for tomorrow, given the text message conversation we’d had earlier today, and I was looking forward to it.
“Well it’s not as crazy as that time I got all hot and bothered by the hairdresser at the salon.” Mindy slapped her hand on the table between us. I thought half the coffee shop looked up at her as she snorted, laughing so hard. “Remember? I booked the tanning bed right then and there, and took that mf back to the back and fucked him. Didn’t even mess up my hair.”
Tiff and I laughed with her at her antics. Back in the day Mindy was a wild child. Now she had a husband and a daughter. Tiff, too, strangely. And they both thought I was dragging my feet by not getting involved yet. I just paced myself. I hadn’t met the one I thought would be my forever love. Cam was a good fuck; that much was true. But even he probably didn’t fit the bill.
“Well, gals. I’m beat. I had a long day and I just want to go lie down.” I rose to my feet, picking up the paper cup with what was left of my coffee, now cold.
“Seriously? We have the night off from kid duty. We’re only just getting started.” Tiff stood and hugged me.
“I know, but you don’t have to get up for work at five a.m.” I chuckled. “It’s been a long day.” I hugged Mindy and said my goodbyes, then headed to the counter. We’d had bottomless coffee, offered by the waitress along with the scones and a few slices of pie. As I approached with the table number in hand, she grinned at me.
“All set?” Her blonde ponytail bobbed as she walked up, smacking her gum and leaning over the counter to see the plastic table marker in my hand. “Oh, table 12.”
“Yeah.” I set the marker down and reached for my wallet.
“You are all even. No charge.” The too-happy smile of the woman confused me.
I looked up from my purse, confused. I hadn’t seen Tiff or Mindy pay for our drinks and snacks, so I knew it wasn’t them. They hadn’t even so much as gone to the bathroom, too happy to have adult time to worry about necessaries like that.
“But we haven’t paid.”
“Someone paid for you. The tab has been covered. Have a great night.”
The woman picked up the table number and turned around, heading back toward the kitchen, and I stood there dumbfounded for a moment. I glanced around the room, seeing it mostly empty. Tiff and Mindy carried on like teenagers, jabbering and talking with their hands. An older gentleman, absorbed in a newspaper, sat in the dark corner. And when I turned to see the other end of the dining area, I felt someone standing behind me.
It startled me, and I jumped a bit, but a very handsome man—save for the teardrop tattoo below his right eye—stood so close I could smell his aftershave. He placed something on the counter next to my purse, but left his hand covering whatever it was.
“I’m sorry… excuse me.” I backed up a step and the man took my hand, lifting it to his lips and offering a soft kiss. His eyes never left mine, an eerie, haunting sort of gaze that penetrated right through me.
“Coffee’s on me.” When he let my hand go, he stepped away, leaving me breathless. I wasn’t sure if I should take that as an advance or what. He walked away, taking his black suit and turtleneck with him, and walked right out the door and my eyes followed him the whole way.
He hadn’t said his name, left a card, nothing. Just paid for my coffee and snacks and gave me a kiss on the back of my hand. For a moment I felt a warmth spread through my chest. I had a lot of guys hit on me all the time. It sort of came with being a lady cop. But not many bought me drinks or kissed my hand. I had a stupid grin on my face when I turned to look at what he had placed on the counter.
A bullet.
Nine millimeter.
It wiped the smile right off my face and I swallowed hard. I left my purse on that counter, reaching into my boot for my service weapon as I darted to the door, gun drawn. I stepped into the night air, still muggy and thick, but he was gone. No trace of the man anywhere.
My hands shook as I reentered the coffee shop. No one seemed to notice that I had left my purse on the counter or dashed out. All of them too absorbed in their conversations or reading to care. I stared at the bullet, wondering what to do with it. The man hadn’t been wearing gloves, so there were prints on it for sure. I unzipped the outer pocket of my purse and held it next to the edge of the counter, sweeping the bullet off the counter into my purse with the back of my arm.
I shouldered my purse with trembling hands and headed out, offering a wave to Tiff when she glanced up. The smile I gave her was forced, and I hoped she didn’t notice. It took me a minute to get my bearings when I stepped out into the night. I was terrified.
Getting a free drink from a good-looking man was one thing. Getting a drink from an assassin was another entirely. This shook me to my core, and I wasn’t sure if it was the kiss he gave me, the tattoo on his face beneath his eye, or the sinister grin he gave me. It felt like a thousand spiders crawled along the back of my neck.
If I took this to the station, Oliphant would be breathing down my neck. For sure, he’s the one who would get assigned and I hated that man. He’d blame my association with Cam. So that’s exactly who I called—Cam.
“Sorry… can’t get the phone. Leave a message.”
I scowled, waiting for the beep of the message system to indicate I could start talking. “Cam, this is insane. Some guy with a tattoo on his face, paid for my coffee.” I talked while I was walking to my car. Unfortunately I had parked far enough away that I felt nervous. I hadn’t even put my service weapon away yet. I shouldn’t have even had it on me when I wasn’t in uniform, but it was my only protection. “Cam, he left a bullet on the counter and he kissed me. I’m scared. I need you.”
I rounded the corner to turn down the alley. The man was standing there, gun pointed at me. It was too dark to be able to tell if it was the same man, but it shot adrenaline through my veins. My hands grew sweaty instantly, my heart racing.