Chapter 1
Present day...
COP Ashar Samson flicked the projector controller back and forth between his fingers as he waited for the group of officers in the room quieten down. Most of them were new to the department, replacements for the men they’ve lost in the most recent times. His jaw ticked at the thought. They'd lost plenty.
Clicking to turn the device on, he turned his face to take in the images that came up on the screen. Picking up his cup of coffee, he took a sip, the lukewarm beverage helping him to swallow the lump that formed in his throat at the face that came up. Inhaling deeply, he began the briefing.
“The picture you are now looking at is of Detective Livara Kincaid. She was once a member of this department, a dedicated and fearsome cop that made perps shake at the mention of her name. She’s responsible for a lot of crime being cleaned up off the streets. And has thrown more scumbags in jail than any of you ever chased down an alley. And you've all chased plenty.”
“Where’s she at Chief? I’d let her chase me alright; all around my house.” Officer Michael Malcom jokes.
“You had a house? And here I thought you lived in the lounge room.” Officer Mariann Beckett interjected.
“She’s dead.” Ashar silenced them both. “This next picture is Livi Kosher. She and Isaac Kosher were spotted in this city a week ago. Rumor has it, they have emerged from hiding to reopen the Kosher crime conglomerate. We need to stop that.”
“Holy shit!” Michael exclaimed. “ How the fuck did that happen?”
10 years ago....
“We should call for backup.”
“No time for that Samson, the most notorious criminal to ever take up residence in our city is behind the door of that building. We have two choices: either we get out of this car, walk in there and get his ass or we miss this shot and several more little girls start selling ass on the corner.”
“I know you want to get this guy but that’s precisely why we need to get some more men out here... more guns!” Ashar tried to show her reason but as per usual his partner couldn’t see reason if it hit her in the face.
“Let’s go.”
"Serve and Protect" might as well be tattooed across her ass, to his knowledge Livara Kincaid embodied the oath, after all, the detective was raised by a cop to be a cop. She didn’t hesitate to chase a perp down and she never backed down from a fight even if she was walking into a wolf’s den with only a standard service pistol on her hip. She’d walk into that den as if she had an army behind her instead of a rookie like him.
“Go flash your little badge somewhere else, Gumshoe.” The goon at the door tried to block Livara’s entrance.
She paid him no mind instead cocking her head to the side as she looked inside. Ash couldn’t see what she could but he heard clearly as a voice declared,
“Let the pretty lady in, Buzz.”
Though Buzz looked skeptical he did as told and let Livara in. Of course he did, because whoever was in charge could clearly see that she was gorgeous.
Indeed, not only was Detective Kincaid a bad ass cop but she was fucking hot too. Her face was heart shaped, her lips always held a pinkish hue because she nibbled on them whenever in deep thought and Livara Kincaid is constantly in deep thought. Her skin had a pale ivory color and she had defined muscles which helped to accentuate her figure. Her hair was a brown ombre, full, thick and wavy. Typically, she kept those waves piled atop her head, today they were down, cascading around her face and down her shoulders and back. Ash made follow to that back, but a firm hand on his chest held him back.
“Not you, Rango.”
Livara glanced back at him but didn't turn back; instead she walked deeper into the wolf's den.
“What brings a beautiful lady such as yourself to my place of business?”
Looking around, Livara scanned her surroundings. An empty bar, a bartender cleaning a glass but she could see him eyeing her and from the looks of it the glass was damn clean. She saw his tense shoulder, his alert eyes and knew he was waiting for her to give him a reason to reach under his counter and blow her into yesteryear.
“I came to lay down a gauntlet." Livara brought her eyes back to take in the man before her. He sat at the end of a pool table, in front of him cards were laid out for a game of solitaire. A game he did not pause even as he said,
"Is that right?"
She took note of the gold plated pistol beside his cards. The man didn't seem to care that she could see it. His shoulders, unlike his bartender's, were relaxed. He didn't lift his eyes from his game and his body showed no signs of fear or concern. Instead she sensed he was almost happy to see her.
"I might not have a warrant now. But your ass is going down, Kosher. Don't think you'll be frolicking in my city streets for much longer. Consider this friendly warning."
She heard his soft chuckle. "I heard a lot about you Detective Kincaid. I'm glad all the rumors are true and not at all exaggerated. " He lifted his eyes as he laid down an Ace of Hearts.
"Then you should know, I always get my way." Livara smirked and folded her arms.
His hand stopped in mid air, the Ace of Spades tucked between his fingers. He grinned as he took her in. His eyes held a devilish glint and his smile was all white and charismatic. Livara steeled herself against its shine but still felt a tightening in her chest. She ignored it choosing instead to focus on her feeling of disgust as he declared, "It seems, detective, that we have found the first commonality between us. Shall we find more? Gin or Tequila? Scotch or Bourbon? Mountain or Sea view?"
Livara scuffed, "You can joke now, Kosher. I hope you keep that sense of humor while you're spending life behind bars." Spinning on her heel, Livara glanced over her shoulder one last time before walking out of the building.
"Let's go." She threw at Ashar, who in his confusion could do nothing but follow behind her until they reached their car. "See no backup required for a guy like Kosher. Big shot criminals like him hate messes unless the floor is covered in plastic." Livara sighed, pulling her seatbelt across her body and reaching down to turn on the car.
