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I rolled my eyes.
The guy never looked one ounce disheveled.
He made me look like a heaping mess almost always.
Salt and pepper hair, sharp jawline, and just the right amount of stubble. He wore a suit that fit him so well that he looked like he’d stepped right out of a magazine for distinguished men. I swear that guy had some secret potion for getting enough sleep and staying unfazed by the crap we dealt with. It annoyed the hell out of me.
I yanked my hair into a ponytail and grumbled. I was wearing yoga pants and a sweatshirt. It wasn’t a patrol day, so I figured I’d at least be comfortable while we did paperwork. But here this guy is, looking like a model.
"Already at it?" Davis quipped, a grin on his face as he peeked over my cubicle. "Or did you even bother going home?” He leaned further over, his eyes scanning my outfit.
I shot him a look that could've melted steel. "Captain practically kicked me out and ordered me to get some shuteye," I grumbled. "Managed to squeeze in afewhours of sleep, thank you very much."
He shrugged, a mix of caution and exhaustion in his eyes. "I've told you before, Anna. Don't go all-in on this. Those big shots always find a way to slip through the cracks."
I felt my blood boiling. How could he be so jaded? This was no ordinary case. This was the freaking mob, and we were on the verge of exposing their dirty little secrets. All of them. It was going to be a game-changer.
"These are scumbags!" I fired back, my voice filled with determination. "We're about to uncover the top men responsible for a slew of messed-up stuff. We can't just let 'em walk away."
He sighed, looking defeated. "I've been down this road before, Anna," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned back over the cubicle. I could tell he was trying to rein me in. I knew he was trying to quiet me because there was only one thing Davis spent more time on than looking in the mirror: Worrying about what other people thought of him. "These guys have connections, and they know how to work the system. Theyalwaysfind a way out."
My irritation level shot off the charts. I might have already cracked the case wide open if my partner gave enough of a shit to put in some effort. Instead, he seemed all too content with accepting defeat before we even started the battle. But I wasn't backing down. It wasn’t in my nature.
It wasn’t in my blood.
This was my chance to make an impact, to bring some justice.
If it weren’t for these mobsters, our city would be mostly safe. There wouldn’t be rampant drugs. There wouldn’t be people getting knocked over because they owed money to the wrong sorts because of some underground gambling.
"I'm not throwing in the towel, Davis," I declared, standing up, fists balled, my voice filled with stubborn determination. "We're going after these scumbags. And we'll see who walks away in the end."
With that, I turned my attention back to the neverending pile of case files, vowing to shut out everyone’s cynicism, especially his.
Clearing my throat, I sat back down and shuffled through the papers.
I would figure this out if it was the last thing I did.
I had a fire burning inside, fueled by the desire to make a difference. The mob might think they're untouchable, but they were about to get a reality check they never saw coming.
5
LUCA
I couldn't shakethe heaviness that weighed on me. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. The fact that my hands were perpetually stained with blood haunted me. Being the boss was a whole different ballgame. It wasn't just about enforcing the rules or carrying out the killings anymore; it was about making the decisions that ended lives. It was a level of responsibility that felt like an anchor.
I had just given the order to kill a man, and I felt like my entire being was crumbling on top of itself.
The room spun.
My breath hitched.
I grabbed another bottle of scotch before leaving my club.
I couldn’t be there.
Not after what I’d just done.
I needed escape.
