A Cop for the Mafia Boss

Chapter 4

Busted

By the time Cassie got back home, she was exhausted.

She shut the door behind her, kicked off her heels, and rushed out of her dress as she walked toward the bathroom. She didn't even bother putting her clothes away. She dropped the dress on the floor, turned on the shower, and stepped under the water.

She stood there without moving, letting the warm water run over her face as she tried to clear her mind but it didn't work. Her thoughts went straight back to the club, back to Eddie, and back to the strange conversation that had happened after Andrew suggested she leave.

1 hour ago

Andrew had clearly not expected Eddie to tell Cassie to stay. He looked at Eddie for a moment before turning to Cassie with a small smirk. He stepped closer before she could ask what he wanted and kissed her lightly on both cheeks.

"You have no idea who you're with," he murmured with a smirk before walking away.

Cassie had shrugged slightly, confused by his strange behavior.

"Cassandra." Eddie's voice brought her attention back to him.

"Yes?"

"Come sit close to me."

Cassie looked at the space beside him before slowly sitting down.

"You seem very comfortable giving orders."

"I'm used to people listening."

"I'm not one of those people."

"I noticed."

Eddie looked at her for a few seconds before asking, "Why did you really come here?"

"I told you. I wanted to meet you."

"And now that you've met me?"

"I'm still deciding what I think about you."

Eddie smiled slightly. "And what do you think so far?"

"I think you're very confident."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It depends on what you're confident about."

He laughed quietly and moved closer. "And what do you think I'm confident about?"

Cassie held his gaze. "That you can get any woman you want."

"Can I?"

"I don't know. You haven't tried with me."

Eddie's smile grew.

"Maybe I'm trying now."

Cassie felt her heart beat faster as he moved closer. She didn't move away, even when their faces were only inches apart. His eyes dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

Cassie could feel his breath against her face, that was how close they were but she quickly pulled back.

"I think that's enough for tonight."

Eddie leaned back, watching her closely.

"Are you scared?”

The sound of his voice echoed in her head which in a way brought her back to her senses. Cassie opened her eyes and looked at the bathroom wall and in a way, her cheeks were burning.

"Oh, come on."

She slapped both cheeks lightly with her hands and shook her head.

"Get a grip, Cassie."

She hated that she was thinking about him already. She hated even more that she could still remember his cologne. It was clean, strong, and expensive, and somehow the smell had stayed in her mind.

She closed her eyes again.

This was ridiculous. She can't afford to be this way in just a night. Just a freaking conversation with Eddie had gotten her cheeks flushed and she hated that fact.

She knew she needed to get a grip because this was just the beginning for her. She was going to be even closer with him from now onwards and she couldn't afford to be slipping now.

****

Two days later, Cassie sat in a small restaurant with a plate of steak in front of her. The place was part of the information in her brief. Eddie visited it often, sometimes alone and sometimes with Juan.

She couldn't quite understand a couple of things about him. He has all the power and money and could easily go for a more famous and richer restaurant but his taste seems to be mid.

She had been sitting there for almost thirty minutes, eating slowly and behaving as though she had no reason to be anywhere else.

She didn't check the entrance as frequently as her mind was telling her to. She didn't even look around as much. Although she was nervous, she tried to contain that and simply just ate her meal.

Then the restaurant door opened.

Cassie noticed Eddie and Juan walk in, but she didn't look at them again.

Eddie walked inside and glanced around the restaurant. He was about to take a seat at a table in the corner when he noticed Cassie.

He stopped but Cassie continued eating. Eddie looked at her for a few seconds before walking toward her with Juan.

"Aren't you Cassandra from the club two nights ago?" He said as he stopped beside her table.

Cassie slowly looked up and frowned slightly, pretending to think.

"The club?"

Eddie smiled.

"Yes."

Cassie looked at him for another second before her face changed as though she had finally remembered.

"Oh."

She smiled.

"Eddie. I had no idea you came here."

Juan cleared his throat and Eddie looked at him, then back at Cassie. A smile appeared on his face before he pulled out the chair and sat down without waiting for an invitation.

Cassie raised an eyebrow.

"You may sit… I guess,"

Eddie smiled.

Cassie shook her head and returned to her meal while Juan sat at a separate table a short distance away.

For a while, Eddie said nothing, he simply stared at her while Cassie continued eating, but his stare slowly started making her uncomfortable.

She had spent years learning how to stay calm under pressure, but something about Eddie's eyes made her feel small. It made her feel a little intimidated and that was a feeling she had tried all her life to work on but this young mafia boss sitting in front of him had a way of evoking that feeling with just a stare.

However, Cassie refused to show what she was feeling within. She tried. She knew she wasn't confident enough to speak first because that would only show exactly what she was feeling within.

"It couldn't have been a coincidence." Eddie finally spoke.

Cassie looked up from her plate.

"Huh?"

He leaned back in his chair.

"First, you fought through my security at the club because you wanted to see me by all means."

Cassie gave a small, awkward laugh and took another bite of her steak.

"And now you're sitting in my favorite restaurant."

She chewed slowly before swallowing. Then she cleared her throat before speaking. "I guess you aren't the only one who finds great pleasure in a great meal."

She looked directly at him but Eddie didn't smile,his eyes stayed on hers.

Cassie picked up her glass and took a small sip.

"Is something wrong?"

Eddie leaned forward.

"No." He paused. "I'm just trying to understand you."

"There's not much to understand." Cassie smiled.

"I disagree."

"Why?"

"Because people don't normally walk into my club, force their way through my security, demand to see me, and then magically appear in my favorite restaurant two days after."

Cassie gave another small laugh. "Maybe I just coincidentally like your taste."

Eddie's expression immediately changed. The small smile he had been wearing disappeared.

He leaned even closer and Cassie could feel the fear rise inside her, but she kept her face calm.

"Maybe you do." His voice was lower now. "But I don't believe in coincidences."

Cassie held his gaze. "I think that's a “you” problem."

Eddie stared at her for several seconds, then he leaned even closer, his eyes fixed on hers.

"For the first and last time, don't make me repeat myself."

Cassie's fingers tightened around her fork.

Eddie's voice dropped.

"Who sent you?”