Page 2 of Cops and Robbers

Snapping back to the present, she tossed the rag at Bud’s chest.

“Seriously?” He halfheartedly shook his head.

She winked at him and headed for the VIP rooms, following Sajani. The bouncer posted at the third door opened it for her, and she strolled through the sheer royal blue curtain on the other side.

Three poles stood on small platforms where two nude women danced to sultry music. A blue leather couch dominated the room’s border. Four men, Matsuda’s other henchmen, were already inside, enraptured by their own conversation. The proximity of the men caused Kate’s heart to flutter. She didn’t want any of them to recognize her. She reminded herself these figures weren’t around when she’d been with Matsuda and threw the nerves aside. A male’s falsetto voice from the speakers caught and tantalized Kate’s body, making her sway along.

The few barely dressed women sitting beside the men appeared tone deaf, staring off into space. All except Sajani, whose long huff billowed the bangs on her forehead as Anthony swigged the beer she’d retrieved for him.

Kate gravitated to the cold center pole and laid the moves on thick, dancing in controlled, tempered movements to the music until the metal warmed beneath her skin. As the next song started, Kate caught Sajani’s fingers sliding up Anthony’s thigh. Kate held her pose, arms above her, legs spread on either side of the pole. Anthony’s gaze followed Sajani’s, landing on Kate.

His toxic gaze slid over Kate in a stomach-churning touch. His finger crooked in her direction, beckoning her. She hopped down from the stage and sashayed to him but placed all her attention on Sajani. The other men continued their conversation as if unaffected. Good.

Sajani’s brown eyes were glued to Kate as she played the part to entice Anthony into a more private session, something Sajani said they did occasionally with certain dancers. Sajani’s legs parted as Kate scooped her ass into her, nothing touching but their body warmth. The move roiled Kate’s blood, her excitement tingling along her spine.

Anthony watched them with a possessive hunger. Objects that fulfilled a need. She grabbed Sajani’s arm and guided her into a scorching dance, their bodies brushing to the beat. Seduction at its prime. Anthony tugged at his collar and undressed them with his small eyes.

He reached as if to grab Kate.

She twisted and planted her foot against his chest to shove him playfully back into the chair. He gasped, arms spread to both sides as he fisted the leather and licked his lips.

“You’re going on break.” His flat expression signaled that he expected obedience.

Her nose crinkled, but she hid her annoyance behind a playful smile. Dropping her foot, she leaned in. “You’ll have to talk to the boss for a more private affair.”

“Take her to the car.” His gaze flicked to Sajani. “I’ll handle it.”

Kate intertwined her fingers with Sajani’s while the all-important man pardoned himself and left the room. Tremors rippled from Sajani’s hand into hers, and Kate squeezed hard as they strolled toward the club entrance. Sajani pulled out her phone to call the driver.

Anthony had found the dance manager, and they stood talking. A few wads of cash waved between them as he paid for Kate’s company. To her credit, the manager made eye contact with Kate, who nodded her approval. The manager took the money with hasty fingers.

“Thanks, we’re heading out now,” Sajani said into the phone.

As they walked outside, the breeze chilled the sweat on Kate’s exposed skin. Close to the ocean, the nights in San Diego still brought a chill even in the spring. Clubbers stood in line to their left while cars rolled past on the busy downtown street.

“Should have changed,” Kate said, squeezing her arms to her exposed body.

“Frank will be here soon,” Sajani said, heading for the curb.

Anthony was acting exactly how Sajani said he would—possessive and impatient, making this plan too easy. She needed a dark and secluded place to use her abilities on him.

An SUV pulled up, its passenger windows tinted pitch black to match the paint. Sajani opened the back door and climbed inside where the modified seats faced each other. She sat on the row of three with a flat-screen TV behind them. Kate joined her on the soft leather.

Anthony’s palm slapped the door, halting Sajani from closing it. Excitement fluttered in Kate’s fingertips. This is it.

As he climbed inside, Sajani clutched his waist and pulled him down between them. The stiffness of his wool suit itched against Kate’s skin. His expensive, pungent cologne clashed with his spicy scent. Kate recoiled with disgust but kept it from reaching her face.

“Frank, drive around and give us privacy,” Anthony said.

The visor closed with a snick, plunging them into darkness except for the blue LED strips along the floorboard. Anthony’s hand grasped Kate’s bare thigh. Her skin crawled.

I’m going to enjoy this.

Kate sank her nails into his arm as he had Sajani earlier in the night. Before he could turn toward her, Kate concentrated on her hidden Fallen wings, pulled energy from a feather there, and shoved his mind through time, rewinding his life back a day. Anthony’s skin turned frigid from her miracle ability, and Kate snatched her hand away. Anthony hunched, passed out from the brain-to-body disconnect, his face blue from freezing.

Kate rubbed her back against the chair, feeling the itch of feathers that, once disturbed by her movement, turned into dust. Kate may have needed her feathers to atone and return to her prior existence, but since collecting enough within one of her human lifetimes was futile, she only killed demons to gather feathers for miracles like this one.

“That was fast,” Sajani said, voice shaking as she opened the drawer at the bottom of the seat across from her. She pulled out a plush blanket and threw it over him.