by Sadie King
Luca
Alpha Cops - Book 5
Sadie King
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William
When I escape for some air before the most important business call of my life, I don’t expect to find a woman dancing barefoot in my Zen Garden.
The last two years of my life have been spent working toward this business deal. But now, all I can think about is her.
Ariel
Dad’s drinking is getting worse, and it’s starting to lose him clients. So I step in and take over the gardening business. But who knew our most profitable client was such a silver fox?
He’s older than me, confident and handsome. The kind of man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to take it. And I think what he wants is me…
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Copyright © 2020 by Sadie King.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, companies, locales or persons living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
www.authorsadieking.com
Luca
Alpha Cops Book 5
Luca
When I go undercover at a bar to catch a notorious arms dealer, I don’t expect to meet Bailey. She’s smart, sassy, and her curves could be a dangerous distraction.
I’ll do anything to protect her, even if it means letting her down.
But will she forgive me when she learns the truth?
Bailey
I’m studying part-time while working behind a bar. The last thing I need is the tingly feeling in my stomach every time I see Luca, the new bartender.
But he’s hot one minute and cold the next. He’s hiding something for sure, but how can I trust a man who keeps secrets from me?
Luca is a short, sweet, and steamy romance featuring an alpha male cop and a curvy younger woman.
Book five in the Alpha Cops series. If you love insta love, high heat, and a Happily Ever After, then this series is for you!
Each book in the series is a standalone. No cliff-hangers.
Contents
1. Bailey
2. Luca
3. Bailey
4. Luca
5. Bailey
6. Luca
7. Bailey
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Get your insta-love fix!
1
Bailey
My nose wrinkles as I push open the door that leads from my rented room to the bar downstairs. Even though it’s cleaned every day, the smell of stale beer still permeates the place.
I head over to the bar and grab an apron. As I tie it behind me my mind is on my school assignment, which I had to leave to come to work. It’s due next week, and I’ve only just started gathering all my notes together. I make a vow to spend a couple of hours on it later, no matter what time I finish up work tonight.
There’s a clean tray of glasses sitting on top of the dishwasher, and I get to work putting them away.
“Hello, Bailey. You’re looking good tonight.”
The owner of The Running Stag is leaning on the bar. His eyes travel over me like they always do and come to rest on my chest.
I sign inwardly. If he wasn’t my boss and my landlord, I’d tell him where to go, but I need this job and I need the cheap room, so I plaster on a smile instead. “Hi Tom.”
“We got a new guy starting tonight,” he says to my breasts.
“Is he bar or tables?”
“He’ll be working behind the bar with you. He’s experienced, but I need you to show him how we do things here.”
I’m guessing he doesn’t mean sloppy drink pouring and dirty glasses, which I’ve seen some of the other staff do.
“Sure thing, Tom,” I say brightly.
His eyes flick up to mine briefly and then back to my chest. “Good girl. I knew I could count on you.”
He raps the bar with his knuckles and turns away. I scrunch up my nose as I watch him disappear through the Staff Only door. One day, I tell myself, when I finish my law degree, I’ll never work in a bar or put up with a sleazy boss ever again. It’s the mantra I tell myself every night to get through another shift.
I grab the next glass off the drying rack and shove my cloth into it. As I turn the cloth in the glass, making sure I wipe away all the streaks, I hear a thump behind me.
I jump in fright and drop the glass. It shatters on the floor, and I gasp. My heart’s racing as I turn around.
There’s a man leaning on the bar, a sports bag dumped on the counter next to him, which I’m guessing is what made the thump.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he says.
I blink dumbly at him for a moment, because he’s got to be the best-looking man I’ve ever seen.
He’s got shaggy dark hair and deep brown eyes which are crinkled into a smile. His t-shirt hugs his broad chest and thick biceps, and the edges of a tattoo peek enticingly out from the cuff of his sleeve.
“Let me help you clear that up,” he says, moving around to the end of the bar.
“I’ll get it. It’s staff only behind the bar.”
But he’s already lifted the swing hatch and is making his way toward me.
“It’s okay. I am staff,” he says, sticking out a hand. “Luca. The new bartender.”
I shake his hand, trying to get my heart rate under control. But it doesn’t help that he’s standing so close that I can smell his soap and perspiration. It’s been a long time since I was this close to a man that wasn’t trying to hit on me.
“I’m Bailey,” I manage to stammer.
I crouch down to pick up the pieces of glass.
“Let me get that.” He bends down to help me at the same time that I swing my head up, and suddenly there’s a cracking noise as the top of my head connects with his nose.
“Oh my god,” I say in a panic. “I’m so sorry.”
He’s holding his nose with a pained expression on his face.
“Do you need some ice on it?”
“No, no, it’s fine,” he says, laughing.
I’m dying of embarrassment at my own clumsiness. “Let me get you some water at least.”
I pour him a glass, and he leans on the bar rubbing his nose.
“Is this how you treat all the new starters?” he asks, his eyes gleaming.
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, really.” He takes a sip of water, his sparkling eyes watching me over the rim of the glass. “I’m going to dump my bag in the staff room, and I’ll come back when my nose stops hurting.”
He must see the look of horror on my face, because he laughs. “I’m only joking. My nose is fine.”
He grabs his bag and heads to the staff room. While I finish picking up the glass, I suddenly register his words. He’s the new bartender, the one I’ll be training and working alongside.
Oh great. That’s all I need. To be crushing after the new bartender, as if I didn’t have enough on my plate.
The sooner I
can get this shift finished and get back to my assignment the better.
2
Luca
“What can I get you?” I ask the woman leaning on the bar, praying she doesn’t ask me to make her a cocktail.
“Vodka and orange, please.”
I nod, relived it’s an easy one, and grab the vodka.
It’s later that evening, and the main rush of the night is over. But there are still a few customers getting a last drink in. I watch Bailey mix something involving mint leaves and lemon and wonder how long it is before she figures out I’ve never worked in a bar before.
She’s pounding something into the cocktail shaker, her face set in a determined line. Damn, she’s good looking.
Her hair’s pulled back off her face, swinging in an enticing ponytail down her back. Her black t-shirt is tight over her full breasts and curvy figure. My dick twitches in my pants, and I make myself look away.
“Come on, concentrate,” I mumble to myself. This is no time to get distracted by a woman.
There are no other customers waiting, so I pick up the drinks tray and head to the tables to collect empty glasses.
I take my time, scanning the room for Tom Havers. He’s the real reason I’m here.
He’s been out on the floor a few times during the night, walking the room and stopping to chat with a few customers. I’ve taken discreet photos on my phone of everyone he’s spoken to, but my guess is we won’t find anything interesting there; too obvious.
When I dumped my bag in the staff room earlier, I noticed a door to an office. And that’s where he seems to have spent most his night.
I’m wondering how I can get in there for a look around when the door to the staff only area opens, and Tom comes out.
I rest the tray on a table and slowly pick up glasses, watching him from the corner of my eye.
He wanders the perimeter of the bar, smiling and nodding at the few customers left. He gets to the bar and leans on it, watching Bailey as she serves the cocktail.
My fists clench. I don’t like the way he’s looking at her, eyeing her like she’s a piece of meat.
I pick up the tray and stride over to the bar. With a clatter I place my tray down on the bar, blocking his view of her.
He looks at me, annoyed. “Go easy on those glasses. You break them, you pay for them.”
I give him a hard look, then remember why I’m here and force myself to smile. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to slam them down so hard.”
He nods. “How was your first night?”
I walk around behind the bar and start loading the glasses into the dishwasher. “It was good. I thought it would be busier for a Thursday.”
He nods again. “We have a lot of regulars in here. They keep things humming along.”
I smile again, realizing I shouldn’t draw attention to the fact that it’s the quietest bar I’ve ever been in, which is why I’m sure this is the right mission. There’s no way he’s making enough profit on this place to fund his second home in Florida and the yacht he keeps in the marina.
There’s definitely something that Tom's not declaring to the tax man, and I’ve got a pretty good idea what it is.
I’m about to ask him about his regulars when his phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket and frowns.
“Yeah,” he says into the phone as he stalks off.
Instead of going back to his office, he goes out the side door of the bar. I grab the trash bag out of the trash can and follow him out.
The side door leads onto a quiet, dark street, and I shut the door softly behind me. I can see Tom moving down the pavement. He stops, and I duck behind the trash cans. I can just make out snippets of his conversation.
“Don’t worry, it’s progressing as it should...you can tell your friend the deal is still on.”
He starts moving again, and I strain to hear what he’s saying. I risk standing and taking a few steps closer, keeping to the shadows.
“We’ll have what we agreed.”
He stops walking, and I duck down behind the bins.
He paces back to where I am, and my heart jumps in my throat.
“I’ll be in touch with a day and time...don’t worry.”
He hangs up the phone and stands for a moment looking out into the night. Then he stalks past me and into the bar.
I give it a few minutes before I follow him inside.
3
Bailey
The Monday day shift is always quiet, which is just what I like after the busy weekend. It means I can get a bit of studying done between customers.
I have my textbook spread out under the counter and am going through and making notes to add into my assignment.
I didn’t get much time to work on it over the weekend. I worked both Friday and Saturday nights and was exhausted during the day. Now I’m really behind, so I need to take every chance I get.
“What you working on?” asks Luca. I look up at him, and immediately my heart rate increases. Why does he have to be so darn hot?
“A school assignment. Is There an Argument for Diminished Responsibility in Burglary Offenses?”
We’ve already talked a bit during the long weekend shifts, and he knows I’m studying law, but I can’t help hoping that he’s a little bit impressed.
“Must be hard, studying something so intense and working here.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It is hard. But it’s the only way I can make it work.”
“Are you winning?” He must see my confusion, because he indicates the open book with my notes scribbled across it. “I mean with the assignment.”
I sigh. “Not really. I can’t find an example to illustrate when diminished responsibility was used successfully to fully acquit someone.”
He thinks for a moment. “The Walker case, 2016. A man broke into his neighbors’ home and emptied it of all their electronics, TV, phones, laptops. He thought they were spying on him.”
I pull out my phone and do a quick search. “Oh yeah, here it is.” I scan the page. “Hey, it was local.”
“They let him off because he was bipolar. Sent him to a psychiatric hospital instead.”
I stare at him, my mouth open. “How do you know all this?”
He turns away and picks up a glass to polish. “I must have read it in the paper.”
“You remember all that from the paper?”
He picks up a drinks tray. “Yeah. Good memory.” Before I can ask him anything else, he heads out from behind the bar.
As I watch him wiping down tables that he only wiped down a few minutes ago, I’m left wondering who the hell he really is.
4
Luca
I crack the window of my unmarked car and take a few deep breaths. I’ve been sitting and watching for the last hour, and there’s been no sign of movement at the bar.
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel and take a sip of the now cold to-go coffee. I screw my face up and put it in the cup holder.
I’m tapping along to a song on the radio when the door to The Running Stag opens. I pull my cap over my eyes and slide down in my seat.
Tom comes out of the bar and heads west into town. I watch him until he goes around the corner, then give it another few minutes before I pull open my car door. I grab my bag and walk quickly to the door he’s just come through.
I pull out the set of keys I swiped on my shift last night and glance around. There’s no one on the street, so I slide the main key into the lock and turn it. There’s a satisfying click, and I push the door open and quickly step inside.
I’m immediately hit by that stale beer smell that seems to permeate the place. I don’t bother turning any lights on as I move through to the staff area and the door marked “Office.”
I find the right key and push the door open.
It’s a small office with a grand mahogany desk that seems too big for the space and a leather chair.
There’s a phone on the desk, and I open my bag and get to work. I unscrew the
phone receiver and place the parts carefully on the desk.
In my bag is a small listening device, and I secure it in the phone before screwing the receiver back together. He makes most of his calls on his mobile, but you never know what we might pick up on from a landline.
I take another listening device out of my bag and duck under the desk. I don’t want to leave it in too obvious a place in case he checks, so I run my fingers around the outside of the desk, feeling for an indent where I could hide it. My finger finds a groove. Perfect.
I slot the device in and lean back to check my work. You can’t see it from the outside, and even if you run your hands along the edge it feels like a lump in the wood.
Satisfied with my work, I come out from under the desk.
Tom’s too savvy to leave anything interesting lying around, but I pull open the desk drawers anyway. It’s just stationary and bills; nothing of interest.
I grab my bag, and being careful to leave everything exactly as I left it, I leave the office.
I click the door back into place, making sure it’s locked, and head out to the bar. I make my way quickly to the front door and go through, locking it behind me.
It’s bright outside, and I blink in the daylight as I move quickly to my car.
“Luca!”
I turn at the female voice.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath. It’s Bailey, and I don’t know if she saw me coming out of the bar. “Hi,” I say brightly. “You’re a bit early for shift.”
