Page 1 of Cops and Robbers

San Diego, CA

Present Day

Bass thumped a wild beat under Kate’s bare toes as she placed her hands on the dance pole. The life and excitement of the crowd surrounding the platform thrummed with the feeling that all eyes were on her. She lifted with a right grip and balanced with the left, her feet suspended as she walked on air to the rhythm. A faux fox tail tickled against her thighs. She grinned with giddy delight. This outfit was damn fun.

A rainbow of lights danced around the luxurious nightclub to the music. A plethora of people crammed into every themed corner, and a line of people waited to get into the VIP section. Probably only a few could afford the outrageous entry fee.

Sauntering around the pole, she caught the gaze of a young woman who wore a tiara with “Bride” across the front. As Kate danced around the pole, the bride shoved an empty glass away and wobbled from the furry chair. Her twin sister, wearing a “Maid of Honor” halter, caught the bride around the waist before she fell and handed her a glass of water.

The act of sisterly love wrung Kate’s heart into a shriveled, aching organ. A memory of a woman shrouded in darkness crossed her mind. The only family Kate ever had—her sister Naomi. That look of betrayal in Naomi’s stunned expression pierced through Kate just as the bullet had. Kate’s head still throbbed even lifetimes later.

She turned her back to the sisters and ground against the pole. As tears burned in her eyes, she breathed out. Remember, you’re here for a reason.

Kate had to save her sister before it was too late. Matsuda wouldn’t get away with taking her.

During the next staccato notes, she lifted herself onto the pole and spun around it. Grasping it with the inside of her knee and releasing her hands, she fell back and swung by her leg, all other limbs stretched out. As the sweeping momentum brought her around, her blond curly wig tickled her shoulders and fox ears breezed through the air. Her gaze leaped across the purple, flashing dance floor to the entrance.

Right on time.

A lean man with messy brown hair and small, drooping eyes stepped into the club—the next target of her sister’s rescue mission. The unbuttoned business jacket showcased his white shirt and a dusting of chest hair. Grabbing the woman’s arm who came in with him, he dug his fingers into her bronze skin as he pulled her toward him. He whispered something into her ear, and she winced but nodded.

Sajani, the woman with him, had held nothing back about her abusive relationship as Kate offered her an easy friendship, a supportive shoulder, and listening ears for the past few months. The asshole in question—Anthony—was her mark. His and Sajani’s mutual proximity to the organized crime leader Matsuda had put them in Kate’s scope. And by the end of the night, Sajani would be free of Anthony’s clutches and owe Kate, though Kate didn’t think of it that way. She could have secured Sajani’s help another way, but this way they both won.

Sweat tickled Kate’s brow, and she released her dance pose. Shaking thighs and abdominals sighed with relief. She performed a few suggestive poses to stretch out the tense muscles and catch her breath. Sajani’s curly burgundy hair flashed strawberry from the neon lights as she made a beeline for the bar.

Kate gazed over at the silver-haired dance manager. The older woman flicked her head toward the VIP rooms. The one Anthony Dire walked toward. Perfect.

The exclusive club had contracted Kate for only a week, but it seemed she’d proven herself talented enough for the private rooms.

Kate adjusted her fox-ear headpiece and hopped off the platform, her performance stilettos sinking into the soft rug below. Her lace orange furry lingerie squeezed against her thin frame as she jostled between sweaty dancing clubbers.

Sajani ordered drinks, body tilted toward the crowd. To offer reassuring contact, Kate brushed her forearm against Sajani’s exposed back as she slid in next to her. The toga-style silver mesh dress highlighted her beautiful curves.

“Girl, you look hot,” Kate said, only loud enough for Sajani to hear. “Don’t worry. We got this.”

Sajani’s shoulders loosened and her body twitched as if she were going to turn around.

“Don’t turn,” Kate warned as Bud, the bartender, set two beers and two shots in front of Sajani.

Bud turned toward Kate. “What do you need, Eve?”

“A fresh rag, please.”

He nodded and Kate smiled at his retreating form.

Sajani chugged one of the clear shots. “I can’t believe I think this plan will work.”

“It will. Trust me.”

Bud handed a rag across the bar. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Kate dotted her sweating forehead with the soft texture.

Sajani downed the other shot, seized the two beers, and strode toward the private room. Kate watched her, holding the towel between the swell of her breasts to wipe away the sweat. Nerves tickled her stomach. Even though she had long-honed skills of deception, anxiety always wiggled into her mind. She was enacting this plan far sooner than she wanted, which was never a good idea as it allowed for more error. But Matsuda’s recent actions created a fear in Kate that forced her hand.

As she breathed out a long breath, she recalled a lesson Naomi had given her. “Use the challenges to your advantage,” she’d said.

“And have fun with it,” Kate whispered under her breath, like she always added to Naomi’s lessons. Mostly to annoy her. It had the desired effect on Kate. A weight lifted from her mind. If the Naomi she used to know could see her now, Naomi would kill her for giving up her Japanese ancestry for Western culture. But then, she’d shake her head and drag Kate out of the club by her ear. Naomi wasn’t a prude—they had to do what they needed to get things done—but she always worried about Kate putting herself in sexually dangerous situations. Naomi was her older sister, but she acted more like an overbearing mother. Kate missed the family dynamic and her Japanese roots.