Page 1 of Saved By the Mafia Loverboy

1

KITTY

Iscored the job in Jersey City after being handed a favor from a friend of my father’s. I wasn’t a complete greenhorn, but I was new and I knew I had to prove myself. So there I was, pulling double duty on a Saturday in the east district. I was hardly a meter maid, but when people broke the law, I was the first one to make sure they knew it.

I glanced up the street at the flutter of yellow parking tickets wedged beneath windshield wipers. The entire block was parked up at eight in the morning when there were signs posted that said no parking after six a.m. I shook my head at the irreverence of the people of this city. Truly, if the cat’s away the mice play.

If I wasn’t so hell-bent on ranking up, I’d have started ticketing businesses for not cleaning up the street in front of their storefronts too. Trash littered the sidewalks and gutters. It was despicable.

Turning, I charged toward the next car in the long row of illegally parked vehicles. This one was still running, the window cracked and smoke streaming out of it. Whoever was in it had music playing loudly. I’d heard it coming up the block. They’d been sitting there for the better of thirty minutes. And given my nature to be merciful when possible, I knocked on the window, hoping to warn off the poor unsuspecting citizen before they got slapped with a fine.

The window went down slowly, and I saw the eyes of probably one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen. If GQ came looking for a cover model, he’d be their target. Wavy brown hair, sultry stubbled face, chiseled jaw. I almost had a hard time speaking.

“Yeah, what?” His eyes searched my body against my consent, violating my conscience as his pupils dilated. It made me want to button my shirt all the way to the top.

The laughter of a gaggle of men filtered out in my direction. “You’re parked illegally. You’re going to have to move.” I waved my ticket book at him and he glanced at the driver before opening the door and stepping out. I backed away, giving him space.

The man looked up at the sign hung on the lamp post, then back at the entire street parked full.

“You really just gave every car on this block a ticket?” He shook his head.

“Yes, I did. And your car is next if you don’t move, Mr…”

“Cam Riccio.” He spat a wad of mucus on the ground near my feet, far enough away to seem inconsequential, but close enough to irritate me. “You’re gonna have to wait. We got business.”

“You’re going to have to park down the street because this is a no parking zone. Anyone left here after noon is getting towed.” I started to scrawl the license plate on my pad and he laid a hand on it, covering the entire surface.

“Yo, so.. sorry. I didn’t realize you were serious.” More laughing came out of the car and I scowled.

“I’m dead serious Can’t you see the badge?” My red hair was tied back in a ponytail holder; the badge was clearly visible.

“Woah, so sorry….” He squinted and looked down at my badge. “Officer Murphy.” He held both hands up defensively and backed away. “We’ll get out of here.”

I sighed, frustrated already this morning. The city was full of idiots and I just wanted to earn a reputation for myself so I could rank up. I wanted a shield. Detective was where I was headed. I turned, ready to walk away, when I felt a hand smack my ass hard. It made me jump and spin around. The guys in the car howled and pretty boy Riccio stood snickering.

Without thinking I dropped my ticket book and whipped out my handcuffs, slapping one on his extended arm, finger pointed at me as he laughed. He wasn’t ready for it. I had him turned around and pressed against the car with the other cuff on him before he could blink.

“What the hell?”

“Cam Riccio, you are under arrest for assaulting an officer…” I read him his rights as he complained and protested, and I didn’t let up when he tried wriggling away. I almost got my stun gun out to use on him.

“What the fuck, lady.”

“That’s officer to you.” I pushed him toward my cruiser, leaving the ticket book behind. His friends continued laughing, but as I opened the door and forced him into the backseat, they took off, obviously not wanting to mess with my attitude today.

With the others gone, there was no reason for me to stick around. I retrieved my ticket book and climbed into my cruiser. Mr. Riccio was mouthy, telling me how cute I was, and how his father would have him out before he was even processed so I was wasting. My time.

“You oughta go to dinner with me sometime though. I mean, that ass… I could bounce a quarter off it.”

I blushed, hoping he didn’t see my cheeks turn pink, and trying to ignore him I drove us to the station. He was damn good looking, but I was as straight as they came. I had no interest in a bad boy.

“Hey, Murphy, why don’t you just let me out here and save us both the hassle?”

I glanced up at the rearview, his brown eyes locked on mine. I almost grazed the side of a parked car because I got distracted. My heart fluttered again, and I braced myself. This would be a long drive.

2

CAM

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