Page 127 of Veiled Amor

“Cop. I can guess why she’s nosing around my shop.”

Lucia blinked. “But… Giancarlo, that’s Kate.”

“Kate who?”

“The woman I said I met recently, my new friend. But she’s not a cop. She said she worked for her mom’s finance company.”

The murderous look on Capone’s face when she glanced back at him made puzzle pieces slot into place.

Lucia had been played.

Goddamn.

She should have seen the signs. She’d been around manipulative people all her life, it should have been so simple to spot when she was being played. Only, she’d been desperate for friends and let Kate… whoever she was, latch onto her.

“Oh, that bitch,” she hissed, furious. Trying to replay their few conversations, how Kate was soooo interested in the bikers with hero-worship, wanting to know all about them. Thank god, Lucia hadn’t told her a thing. She’d thought the other woman was pushy, too nosy, but harmless.

For fuck’s sake, she had no gut instincts at all if she’d been played so easily.

To what end? To see if Lucia knew anything about the Renegade Souls?

Capone could kill a bus full of people, and Lucia wouldn’t tell anyone. She was and always would be loyal to her man.

But she was so damn mad she didn’t see Kate’s act for what it was.

“I’ll deal with this, she probably doesn’t know you’re here,” Capone said, but Lucia pushed him into the back of the shop. “Stay out of sight with Levi, let me deal with her.”

“Lucia..”

“I got this, baby. The girls filled me in on everything the annoying cop has been up to,” she popped a kiss on his lips. His brow arched, but he let her walk out into the shop.

Kate was in street clothes, but it was like Lucia’s blinkers were gone because she saw the viper for what she was. Pasting on a fake smile, she waved through the window, motioning her in.

“Hey, girl,” Kate…Sofiagreeted, a smile on her flawless face, not a hint of guilt for fake-friending her all these weeks. She’d gone to a horrible spin class because of that woman. Now she knew why Sofia pretended to forget her water bottle, so Capone couldn’t give her a ride home because her man would recognize her.

Sneaky bitch.

“This is a surprise.” She said, stepping inside. “I was going to grab a latte down the street.”

“This is my man’s place.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t know that.”

Liar, liar.

“It was broken into the other night, we’ve been checking the security tapes.” Lucia could lie too. It was only yesterday he had cameras fitted, but she was pleased to see Sofia’s smile slip. “Yeah, looked like a junkie, probably earning a dime bag from this bitch cop who has it in for the bikers. She’s been making a nuisance of herself.”

Color hit Sofia’s cheeks, and anger spiked in her eyes, a look she couldn’t hide. Lucia folded her arms, still smiling. Having faced many bullies in her life, her father being the central culprit, she knew how to handle manipulators, sneaks, and liars.

Not one more person would walk over her again or use Lucia for their gain.

“Nothing to say, Kate? Or should I call you Officer Sofia Fielding? Crazy that you didn’t tell me you were the bitch cop trying with all her little girl might to ruin my man and his club. Funny that, hm? You talked about everything. Your cabin, your dating life, though you left out how you’re obsessed with Tag.”

Fine lines appeared around Sofia’s mouth, anger seething through her eyes. Her demeanor changed the moment Lucia stopped talking and dropped the smile.

“What was your aim,Sofia? Did you see me with Capone, and you hatched this friend scheme to get me to tell secrets?”

“You wouldn’t have even talked to me, let alone become friends with me if you knew I was a cop.”