No Cops!

Chapter 30

"So, I asked Suze to move in with me." Jake paused to tolerate ribbing and lewd catcalls from his best friend Teddy. But he was in a good mood, he couldn't stop grinning.

He let the good-natured ribbing continue till he finished his coffee, then tossed the coffee cup and collected the files on his desk. He would leave early, collect Suzy from her cafe or home and cook them a nice dinner. Or maybe take her out to celebrate her first night living with him.

He was feeling goofy and excited. He had told her it was temporary, but waking up to her sweet face every morning made him ridiculously happy.

He didn't believe in soul mates. But if there was such a thing, he was pretty sure Suzy was his. She was his perfect woman, all soft and curvy. She was genuine and what he liked the most about her was actually the thing that had kept them apart for so long.

She was loyal and trustworthy. He could read people very well and he knew she was the real deal. She wasn't perfect but she was his perfect woman. And he was so damn lucky because she had agreed to move in with him!

He may have botched the actual asking her to move in, but he would make it up to her. He grinned, thinking of the delicious ways he would make it up to her.

"Earth to Sergeant Jake!" Teddy was grinning and he was sure he had a goofy smile on his face.

"Piss off, Colbert!" But he was grinning and his detective knew his Sergeant was smitten.

#

"What a nice little surprise! And lovely to see you too, Tamara." Busconi's beady eyes shone as his lascivious grin slid to Chloe. Chloe gave him the finger and he chortled, his hands on his widening belly stretching his shirt thin.

"She's a feisty one, huh, Bert?" He looked at Rob. "Bet you enjoyed the bitch."

Rob was giving him a calculative look. "Look, Joe-"

Joe Busconi ignored him as he came further into the room. His hulk of a bodyguard stood at the door, arms crossed across his impressive chest, face impassive. He had closed the door behind him. Suzy was ridiculously glad that Mrs. Nader wasn't home. Not looking good for her, but good for the old lady.

"Isn't it nice, so take something that isn't yours. To put your hands on someone else's property?" Now, Joe was looking directly at her.

So far, Suzy was seeing the scene unfolding in front of her as a detached observer. When Joe's beady eyes landed on her, her skin literally crawled and her heart lurched in panic.

Shit, they were fucked!

The only coherent thought she could think of was about Jake. Would he magically barge in and save the day? Like a deer in headlights, she stood paralyzed as Joe sauntered towards her. He wasn't much taller than her, but his eyes were pools of pure evil.

Rob, bless his heart, strode and positioned himself in front of her. She released a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding.

Her throat was dry and her hands were clammy. So this is what it felt like being in the presence of the devil. Her legs felt shaky. Menace lurked under Joe's pleasant features as his gaze slid to her brother.

"So good to see you again, Bert. I missed you when you left without saying goodbye. I was counting on you to keep my affairs in order. And you disappeared with my property." Joe didn't even turn to look at Chloe, though Suzy knew he meant her.

Because her brother was just stupid enough to run off with the mafia boss's whore.

She knew it with soul-crushing certainty. Joe didn't seem like the forgiving sort. Her heart sped up again. They were in terrible danger!