But I’m only one woman. I can’t singlehandedly save the police department from corruption, can I? I feel like my father thinks I can. Like it’s what he expects of me. He once told me he was proud of me but not my colleagues when more reports of police brutality in Chicago came out.
And honestly? He had a good point. I’ve noticed myself how most cops act like authority figures with no boundaries rather than the saviors they’re supposed to conduct themselves as. Scott isn’t like that. I’m not like that. Most of the cops I know aren’t, but there’s also so many of them in the mob’s pocket. There’s so many of them who will rough up an inmate based on the mob’s orders.
“You’re not a cop anymore?” Diego asks.
“No,” I lie, the first lie I’ve told Diego. He seems like the type of person to be a human lie detector, so I’ve tried to avoid it. But I have to keep my story straight. I can’t let Luca see any cracks. He already barely believes me.
If he does at all.
Diego raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t know you could just stop being a cop.”
“Yeah, well. You can quit anything,” I mutter. “After my partner got popped I wasn’t into it anymore.”
“Did you see it?” Diego asks.
I don’t look at him, not wanting him to see the lie on my face.
“No. Happened when I wasn’t working.”
He hums. “Good. That kind of shit changes you. Seeing a friend killed.”
Given his military background, he would know that better than most.
“I can imagine.”
We’re quiet for a moment, and I’m almost startled when he speaks again.
“And how do you know the boss?”
God, that’s a loaded question. I can’t very well say, “well he was a one night stand and then I got pregnant and now I still want him so bad I can’t stand myself,” can I?
I hum in the back of my throat. “We spent one night together.”
“Must have been one hell of a night.”
I start to nod, but then I realize the voice is deeper, with more of a rasp. I turn to see Luca standing behind me, his face freshly washed but a cut on his right eyebrow. He’s clearly been in some kind of scuffle.
“Luca.”
Diego looks between us for a long moment and then Luca jerks his head. Diego follows like he’s a loyal dog, doing exactly what Luca wants and leaving to go back into the house. Luca has power, even over his truest friends, and I know from the dossier that they have been friends all their lives.
Luca looks down at me and I can’t help but lift my hand to touch his face, worried about his wound. He jerks away from me.
I frown. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Someone dared to hurt you? The boss?” I ask incredulously, fear making my heart race. There were whispers around the precinct that Luca was losing his power, that his brother was making his own play, but I didn’t believe them. Now, I’m starting to.
I reach up again and Luca strikes out to grab my wrist, wrapping my arms around his neck. I don’t pull away even though I should.
“It was family stuff. Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about,” he teases, but there’s an edge to it. He’s in a mood.
“Who says I’m worried?”
He smirks. “I can tell. It’s written all over your face. You know, for a cop, you have a shitty poker face.”
“I’m not a cop anymore.”
