Greed (Seven Deadly Sins Book 3) Read online

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Dedication

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Thank You for Reading!

  Books by LJ Baker

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Greed

  Seven Deadly Sins

  Book 3

  LJ Baker

  © 2018 LJ Baker

  All right reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  http://www.lj-baker.com/

  Cover by Pink Ink Designs

  "We can create our own future, all of us.

  We have the power to rule our lives -

  We just have to make the choice to use it."

  — Darren Shan

  CHAPTER ONE

  "Detective Ward," Luc said, extending a hand in her direction. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

  Sarah Ward accepted his hand, in a half-standing position. Once he released her, she sat back down and adjusted herself, keeping with her usual professional manner.

  "Not a problem, Mr. Morningstar. I'm glad you finally made the time to speak with me."

  Luc sat across from the detective and motioned for a drink. He eyed the glass in front of his guest. Water, he guessed. She was on duty, so he expected nothing less. Sarah Ward wasn't a rule breaker. She went by the book, never straying from the solid values her parents instilled upon her, no doubt. It might not be the kind of thing he looked for in a woman, but he couldn't deny that he respected her for it.

  Once Luc's drink was brought over, she reached into her briefcase and pulled out a file. Luc was more interested in knowing what she would look like if he pulled down her perfect, tight bun. Women like her, the ones so tightly wound, were often the wildest in bed. When they finally got the chance to let loose, they really let go.

  "Mr. Morningstar?" Detective Ward waved a hand in front of Luc's face and he realized she'd already begun talking.

  "Sorry." He shook off his stray thoughts and brought his attention to the photos she'd laid out before him. "What is it I'm looking at?"

  "These are the latest victims of the Robin Hood clan, as the papers have been calling them."

  Luc raised a brow and looked up from the photos. "Are they giving the spoils to the poor?"

  "No." Detective Ward pressed her lips together and exhaled deeply. "It's clearly a poor name, but then they usually are. As you can see," she pushed a few of the photos toward him. "The violence is escalating."

  Luc picked up one photo, than another. The first was of a man, or he thought it was a man. It was a bit difficult to be sure with the swelling and bandages. He was in a hospital bed, hooked up to a number of tubes and machines. It didn't look good for him. It reminded him of the guy Ronnie Falcon pummeled in the alley for attempting to assault her. The big difference was, that guy deserved what he got.

  The second photo he looked at was a morgue shot. Luc didn't need to see more to get the detective's point. The thieves were willing to hurt, or even kill, to get what they wanted. With the number of bruises and cuts on the dead guy, it looked like they may even enjoy that part of the job.

  "What is it you need from me, detective?" Luc pushed the photos back toward her and took a small sip off his whiskey. He figured she'd asked for this meeting so she could convince him to turn over his security footage again. He wasn't about to change his mind, no matter how many graphic photos she laid out on his table.

  "It's more about what you need from me, Mr. Morningstar. These people don't just give up. You were targeted. It doesn't matter that they were interrupted by your brother. They will be back, and next time, things might not turn out so well."

  When his apartment had been broken into, Luc was angry. He felt violated and was ready to dish out some well-deserved punishment to those involved. It had been a couple of weeks now and he was focused on other things. Maybe it wasn't the smartest way to go, but it was the truth.

  "And what do I need from you?" Luc picked his glass up again, but didn't make a move to drink.

  "You need me to catch these assholes before they hurt anyone else… like you." She took a sip off her water and stacked the photos, leaving them sitting on the table. "This kind of thing isn't good for business."

  Luc wasn't worried about being hurt. He was immortal, after all. But he didn't like the idea of humans in his community being injured, or even killed, by these assholes. Even the devil had a moral compass.

  "Oh, I don't know," Luc looked around the crowded club. "I don't think my customers care if anyone breaks in upstairs. It doesn't affect them."

  "It might if you got yourself killed. No one wants to see that happen."

  "Why detective, I didn't know you cared." Luc raised a brow and looked over Sarah Ward as a woman, rather than a police officer. She wasn't his type, but that didn't mean he wouldn't give her a try.

  "I don't care about you, Mr. Morningstar." She paused, with her lips pressed together. "I care about catching this group before more people get hurt."

  Luc took a gulp of his whiskey and put the glass back on the table. "So how can I help you catch them?"

  Sarah Ward took in a deep breath and let it out slow. "I suppose you haven't reconsidered letting me go over your security footage?"

  "I have not. I'm sorry Detective, but I need to consider the privacy of my customers. And like I already told you, there was nothing helpful on the recordings. If there was, I would have shared it with you." And he would have if it came to that. Unfortunately, the recordings seemed to have glitched right around the time of the break-in.

  "I had to try." She forced a smile and took another small sip off her water. Luc got the impression it was more from nerves than thirst, but he wouldn't call attention to it. "So I'd like to ask something else of you then."

  "Oh?"

  "I'd like to have one of my undercovers spend some time here in your club."

  She could have done that without his knowledge, or permission, but she was asking, not hiding it. Luc respected that. He got the feeling her partner wouldn't have asked, but for some reason, Detective Ward had been approaching him on her own. In fact, he hadn't even seen Detective Updike since the whole mess with Ronnie Falcon.

  "And what exactly would your people be looking for?"

  "Look, I realize this is a club, and people are here to have a good time. I'm not looking to get involved with any of that." She stared at him for a long moment. "You get what I'm saying?"

  She was saying that she wasn't interested in any illegal happenings, like drug use, prostitution, and the usual club scene activities. She was looking to catch some killers.

  "I'd like to see this group punished for what they've done just as much as you, Detective Ward."

  "But…?" She waited for him to tell her no, that he couldn't have cops running around his club ruining his business. He couldn't blame her for the way she thought of him. He hadn't given her any reason to t
hink differently.

  "No buts. As long as your people aren't harassing my customers, I'm perfectly fine with them hanging around to do what they can to solve this case."

  Sarah Ward narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. She was waiting for him to change his mind, or laugh and say he was joking. After a moment, it sunk in that he was serious and she nodded.

  "Okay, great. I appreciate your cooperation. I'll get that set up starting this weekend, hopefully." She drank down the rest of her water and stuffed her things into her bag. "You sure you won't change your mind about the video footage."

  Luc smirked and stood up. "Are we done here, Detective?"

  "I suppose we are." She extended her hand for a quick shake. "And Mr. Morningstar, you might want to get some extra security upstairs. We really do believe these idiots aren't done with you yet."

  Luc nodded. He'd already set up an appointment with a company to install some new equipment. He might not be worried about himself, but he sometimes had lady guests that he wasn't willing to risk. He also happened to enjoy his belongings staying in his possession.

  Detective Ward turned and left without another word. It didn't matter anyway. Luc's mind was elsewhere. It had been a couple of weeks since he'd wrapped things up with Amanda Mitchell and he was ready to get started on a new month.

  Things hadn't worked out the way he expected, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Being snubbed by a woman for the first time in all of eternity wasn't something Luc wanted to get used to. Hell, it threw him off his game for a few weeks, making him doubt himself more than he wanted to admit. But she was a great girl and he was glad he got the chance to get to know her.

  This month would be different. He could feel it in his bones. Now he just had to hurry Harley along to pick the next girl. She'd decided on greed, despite his protest. Luc figured after the month with Amanda, Lust was the obvious choice. Even Azrael agreed. An entire month of nearly no naked playtime, was more than any devil should be expected to endure. But Luc had followed the rules and stuck with only Amanda. Now he was ready for a little action. Okay, maybe a lot of action. Harley however, clearly hated him, and refused to let Lust be the next sin.

  Greed, she said.

  Luc shook his head and finished off his drink. She might be his best friend, but she was mean. He could have fought harder for the next sin to be lust, but Luc was tired. He wanted to leave the details up to Harley. His focus was to be on the woman, on finding love. Harley could worry about the rest. And if she really believed greed should be the next sin, then that's what it would be.

  He just hoped that she would want to get to know him just as much as he was looking forward to knowing her. Intimately. Luc might have felt off his game with Amanda, but things would be different with the next woman.

  Greed, would get his full attention.

  ***

  Luc flicked his hand over the special mirror that allowed them to check in on anyone they chose to. A fog filled the glass, and as it dissipated, Ronnie Falcon appeared. She was on a date. At least it looked like a date. She was in a fancy restaurant, in a skimpy dress, with some idiot who thought talking about himself was the way to a woman's heart. After a small pang of jealousy, Luc waved his hand over the mirror once again, turning the scene into fog.

  Ronnie was a great girl, and Luc wanted to see her happy. He knew it wouldn't be with the idiot sitting across from her, but she would need to pull up a few weeds before finding the perfect bloom. She'd been so angry when they'd met. She had a right to be after all the shit she'd been through. After nearly beating a guy to death in the alley near his club, Luc wasn't sure how much hope there was for her future. She surprised him though. Not just by getting her shit together, but by how easy it was to care about her.

  Everything was easy with Ronnie.

  Amanda was another story.

  The fog faded, and an image floated to the surface, becoming more clear. It was Amanda sitting at home with Toby. She was in pajamas, drinking a soda, eating pizza. They were laughing at something on television and it made Luc smile. Amanda was also a great girl, even if she hadn't liked him for most of their month together. Like Ronnie, he wanted the best for her. Not at all like Ronnie, Amanda was hard to get close to. She'd tried her best to keep Luc out, but in the end, they'd found a way to enjoy each other.

  When they'd started the game, Luc hoped he might find his true love, but he never realized how that would change him. He'd developed real feelings for both girls. He could fall in love with either of them, he guessed, if given more time and the right situation, but he still had five girls to get through. There was a part of him that worried that at the end, he would be no closer to finding his soul mate, but would have seven girls he cared about, that weren't ready to be with him.

  With a sigh, Luc waved his arm over the mirror and it turned to black. He never expected getting to know these girls was going to be so difficult. Well, maybe not the getting to know them part, but the saying goodbye. Part of him almost wanted to call both of them and see if they wanted to meet up. Harley wouldn't approve, but he was the King of Hell after all, he could do what he pleased.

  Luc slumped into a chair and gulped down half of his whiskey. He had to play by the rules and wait for the next woman. Maybe he would see Ronnie or Amanda again, but now wasn't the time. He was just getting tired of waiting.

  "What's the brooding about?" Harley walked in and pulled the glass from Luc's hand. She sniffed it, shrugged, and drank the rest down.

  "Rude." Luc got up to pour another and fill the glass in Harley's hand. Demons weren't exactly known for their good manners.

  "Seriously, Lucifer, what's up with you? Everything go all right with the detective?" Harley sat down in Luc's chair and propped her feet up on his coffee table.

  Luc used his foot to push her feet down and sat across from her on the sofa. "I suppose. She wants to put an undercover in the club to sniff around for info on the thieves ruining our neighborhood."

  "And you told her to screw off, right?" Harley peered above her glass and raised her brow.

  After taking a moment to swirl the liquid around his glass, Luc answered. "Actually, I told her to go ahead."

  "You what?" Harley spit her drink into the air, spraying it into a mist. "What the hell did you do that for?"

  "I can understand your concerns, but honestly, she could have just done it without our permission, or knowledge. There really isn't anything we can do to stop an undercover officer from hanging around the club. I respect that she came to me and asked. It says a lot about her integrity."

  "Integrity? Seriously, Lucifer? Who are you anymore?"

  Luc took a deep breath and counted in his head. He didn't want to lose his patience with Harley, but he wasn't going to defend himself either. He may have changed a bit over the past few months, but those changes were positive, in Luc's opinion anyway.

  "Listen, this isn't up for debate. Detective Ward can have her people in the club. She has assured me that she is only interested in information that leads to catching the Robin Hood clan. Our customers shall not be affected by their presence whatsoever."

  "She's a cop, Lucifer. Why would you believe her about that? You can't tell me that if she sees some idiot doing a line of blow in the john, she's just going to ignore that. And who the fuck decided to name those assholes the Robin Hood clan? That's just stupid." Harley gulped down the rest of her drink and slammed the glass down on the coffee table.

  "She gave me her word." Luc ignored the rest of her comment. It wasn't really something she wanted an answer to, even if he did have one.

  "Her word? Ha!" Harley snatched the glass back up and went over to pour herself another drink. "A cop's word is about as meaningful as a criminal's."

  "It's interesting that you think I am so naive that I can't tell who to put my trust in. I think you have forgotten exactly who I am." Luc pressed his lips together, remaining calm as usual.

  "I haven't forgotten anything, Lucifer. You're the devil
, the King of Hell, the Prince of Darkness, and all that jazz." She rolled her eyes. "But you can't deny this is a serious risk."

  "It might be, however, these idiots going around robbing, beating, and killing our neighbors, is a much greater risk. In case you forgot, they did break into my apartment, too."

  Harley sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, whatever. If you think it's a good idea, I'll shut up about it."

  "I'd appreciate it." Harley wasn't one to bury her opinions, and she had strong ones, but she knew how to bide her time. "How about we talk about something else now?"

  "Oh…" Harley finished off her drink, left the glass behind, and jumped onto his sofa like she owned the place. "I picked the next girl."

  "Ms. Greed?" Luc perked up for the first time since Harley had come in.

  "Yup." She smiled and puffed out her chest. "I think you're really going to like this month."

  Luc wasn't sure he liked the look on her face. It made him a bit nervous, and he was the devil, so nervousness wasn't a common feeling.

  "Okay, well let's see her." Luc moved to the seat in front of the special mirror and waited with excited anticipation.

  "Shouldn't we wait for Azrael?" Harley looked around, as if she expected his idiot brother to appear any second.

  "Why?" Luc wouldn't call his relationship with his younger brother close, but lately things had been changing. Az had been spending more time at Luc's place, and he had to admit, he wasn't hating it. He wasn't about to tell Az that, but it was the truth. But that didn't mean he had to have his brother present for everything that happened in his life. Although, he had been there for the big reveal for both of the other girls, so maybe Harley had a point.

  Harley popped out her hip and slipped her hand up to rest on it. She glared at him with a raised brow and waited for him to give in. Damn woman usually got her way. Sometimes Luc wondered why he considered her his best friend.