Delicious Sin
A Bad Apples Novel
By Claudia Stevens
Delicious Sin
A Bad Apples Novel Series
Copyright c) 2020. Claudia Stevens & Simone Evans
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews – without permission in writing from Claudia Stevens & Simone Evans.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by Claudia Stevens & Simone Evans.
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Delicious Sin
BLURB
Delicious Sin is a standalone novel in the "A Bad Apples Novel" series.
Eli Mattis had run the streets of New York City at an early age. He fell in with the wrong crowd and started making some bad choices. He was considered a bad apple throughout the neighborhood. However, that all changed at the age of twelve when his dad was sent to prison and his mom died. Eli was put in a church foster care since he had no close relatives and no other foster care program was willing to take him in. It was there he met Sister Mary Agnes, who didn’t give up on the bad apple and after years of persistence, finally, helped Eli turn over a new leaf.
Naira Kang has been working hard in New York City as a lawyer. She hadn’t always wanted to be a lawyer. She had other goals and dreams for herself, but when Naira was younger, and her grandmother was going to be deported Naira learned how important the judicial system was. Sister Mary Agnes had come to her family’s rescue by finding a lawyer. A lawyer who helped keep their family together. It was at that moment Naira decided she wanted to be a lawyer and help other people.
Fast forward ten years... Eli has become a man, who makes Sister Mary Agnes proud. He is a hard worker and helps those in need, especially women and children. When Eli sees an altercation between a man and a woman, he doesn’t hesitate to come to the woman’s rescue. But when the cops show up, Eli is arrested and thrown in Jail. Using his one phone call he calls Sister Mary Agnes, who comes and bails him out without hesitation. She gives him an address to a lawyer who will change his life forever… Naira Kang.
~*~
Don't miss any of the stories in the Bad Apples series. Bad Apples is a series featuring five steamy contemporary romance tales bringing together the bad boys of New York City with the women who they are willing to change for.
Delicious Sin by Claudia Stevens
Big Apple Sin by Simone Evans
Sin in Blue Jeans by Dakota Trace
Sinfully Star-Crossed by Elouise East
Sweet Cider Sin by Rexi Lake
CHAPTER ONE
Eli
“Eli,” Sister Mary Agnes whispered as she took my hand in hers. She patted it gently. “You went back down that road again.”
Hearing the disappointment in her voice was like a stake through the heart. Sister Mary Agnes was like a mother to me. Her and the church had taken me, at the age of twelve, when my dad went to prison and my mom overdosed on heroin. No one else wanted to take in a thug, who was selling drugs and running the streets, but they did.
“It’s not how it looks,” I sighed. “I didn’t start the fight.”
She looked up at the sign on the building that read 13th Precinct and then looked at me.
“It doesn’t matter who started it, Eli. What matters is that you have added another charge to your record?” she waved a finger in my face.
“The fight broke out because they were roughing some girl up,” I informed her. She dropped one hand to her side. Her other hand moved from her forehead, down her chest and then her left shoulder to her right shoulder, in a crossing manner. Whenever she was upset, afraid, or praying for someone, Sister Mary Agnes would cross her chest.
“Oh, Eli,” she said before pulling me in for a hug. I towered over the sixty-seven-year-old sister of the cloth. “You are a good boy.”
“You just told me–”
“Hush, you,” she chuckled and then stepped back from me. “When is court?”
“Not too sure,” I shrugged. She gave me a look of disapproval. “They didn’t tell me.”
“When will you talk to the prosecutor?” Again, I replied with a shrug. “Heavens, Eli. What did your public defender say?”
“Don’t have one.”
She mumbled a prayer of some sort under her breath. Most likely asking God for the strength to deal with me. I’m sure the man upstairs was exhausted from dealing with me.
“Stop grinning, Eli,” Sister Mary Agnes scolded me. “Do you have a cellphone?”
“Sister Mary Agnes, everyone has a phone… except you,” I sighed.
“I don’t need a phone to talk to God, Eli.”
Her usual reply whenever I gave her a hard time about not using technology and keeping up with modern times.
“Forget it. I will give you her address instead,” she gestured for me to follow her. Reluctantly, I followed her down the sidewalk to the subway.
I looked up at the building to ensure I had the right address. Sister Mary Agnes had given me the name and address of an attorney she knew that night. Because of how late it was, she told me to wait until an appropriate time. So, now it was 10:04 AM, on a Saturday. She should be awake, right?
The building wasn’t anything fancy. It was made of red brick, five stories tall, and had bars on the windows like the other buildings around it. It was a few blocks from the church and two blocks from my favorite pizza joint.
“Can I help you?” an elderly black woman asked as she walked down the steps slowly. I offered her my arm and helped her down the remaining steps. “Well, aren’t you a sweet boy.” She patted my arm gently.
“Thank you, ma’am,” I smiled.
“Are you looking for someone?” she lowered her hand from my arm. I held the piece of paper Sister Mary Agnes had given me and read the name on it.
“I’m looking for Naira Kang.”
The elderly woman’s eye lit up and she smiled.
“You’re here to see Naira?” she asked as her eyes looked me up and down. I suddenly felt like a steak and her a lion. “About time the world sent her a fine lookin’ man.”
“Uh. Thanks,” I smiled the best I could. “Is she home?”
“I sure hope so,” she hummed, still looking me over.
“Who’s that, Ethel?” an elderly white woman asked as he approached us.
“He’s here to see Naira, Sophia,” Ethel beamed.
“Naira?” Sophia asked. “Is she in trouble? Does she owe you money?”
I sighed at the woman’s assumption of me being some sort of thug. No matter what I wore, the tattoos on my neck and arms made people think I was a gang member. That life was behind me, plus my tattoos weren’t even gang affiliated.
“No, ma’am,” I smiled. “Sister Mary Agnes gave me her contact information.”
Sophia’s body language changed at the mention of Sister Mary Agnes. Sister Mary Agnes was known throughout the neighborhoods. Everyone respected her.
“Oh. Sister Mary Agnes sent you?” Sophia smiled. I replied with a nod. “Then you must be a good man. Sister Mary Agne
s would never send a gangster to Naira.”
Somewhere in Sophia’s words, there may have been a compliment. I smiled politely.
“She should be at home. It’s her lounge around the house day,” Ethel informed me.
“Thank you, ladies,” I quickly bounded up the stairs before I got locked into another awkward conversation.
“If I was a few years younger,” I heard Ethel whisper huskily.
Freaky old ladies.
CHAPTER TWO
Naira
Bent over at my waist as I struggled to reach the pencil which had fallen behind the couch, I swore in a way my mother would have been shocked to hear. My t-shirt had ridden up and the scarf I had wrapped around my hair had twisted and was no longer doing the job it was there to do.
When the doorbell rang, I jerked and banged my head. Who the hell would be at my door this time of day? I wondered as I rubbed my head and walked to the door.
“Yeah,” I snapped as I looked through the peephole. I didn’t recognize the rough-looking man. “Who let you in?”
“Ms. Kang?” His voice was deep and nudged at parts of me that hadn’t seen any action in a while.
“Who let you in?” I repeated.
He sighed and ran a hand over his closely buzzed hair.
“My name’s Eli Mattis and Sister Mary Agnes sent me. Said you were a lawyer.” His words were low as he looked up and down the hallway. “I need a lawyer.”
I groaned and conked my head against the door. Sister Mary Agnes and her hard-luck cases. They didn’t pay the bills, but the defrocked nun had done a lot for me while I was growing up. She’d helped us when my grandmother was close to being kicked out of the country. I couldn’t turn anyone she sent away. The lawyer who’d helped with grandmother was the inspiration for my career choice and I needed to pay it forward.
“Ms. Kang?” Concern tinged his tone.
“Yeah, I’m here,” I replied as I reached for the first lock – there were three on the door and the chain. Pausing at the chain, I cracked the door. “Promise you’re not here to kill me?”
The man laughed and it totally changed his appearance. His smile was magnetic, and his laughter made me want things I shouldn’t – especially if he was going to be my client.
“I’m serious, Mr. Mattis. And, I warn you that my neighbors are quite protective of me and I know all kinds of martial arts moves.” I held my hand up to the crack in the door in a chopping move. People were asshats and they always thought every Asian was Bruce Lee.
“Ms. Kang, I only have a short time and I need to get to work, so can we –”
“Work?” I immediately perked up at the thought that he might be able to actually pay me for my services.
“Yes, I’m in construction” – he slid out his phone and looked at the time – “and I’ll be late getting back if we don’t move past this hallway chat,” he grumbled.
“Oh, yes. We wouldn’t want that, Mr. Mattis.” Pulling the chain free I opened the door wide for him to enter.
His eyes dropped down my body and froze on my chest. Internally, I sighed at how predictable guys could be.
He cleared his throat and moved his gaze up to hover right above my head.
“If it works better for you, I could meet you at the… uh… Bad Apple Cafe on the corner.” He reached up and rubbed at his neck as he tried to look anywhere other than directly at me.
What the fuck? I thought as I looked down at myself. I had C-cup breasts they were nice to loo–
“Fuck!” I cursed and tugged my shirt down as I tried to get my t-shirt back down over my breasts. While trying to get the pencil, the shirt had been moved to bunch up over my breasts and left them exposed. And, because it was my lounge around the house day, I wasn’t wearing a bra.
Flustered I pulled the scarf from my hair and tossed it on the table beside the door and combed my fingers through my long straight hair.
“I don’t normally see clients at home,” I murmured. “But, anything for Sister Mary Agnes, right?” I chuckled and waved the man inside as I closed the door.
He shuffled on his feet but didn’t offer to walk more than a few feet inside.
“You can sit on the couch over there,” I offered.
“Alright,” he replied and moved to my small sitting area.
“Would you like a glass of water or maybe some tea?” I offered.
“No, thank you. Like I said, I don’t have much time, but Sister Mary Agnes was adamant that I see you today.”
“Well, let me grab a notebook and pencil.” I cringed at the thought of what my last pencil had caused as I moved to my desk to grab the supplies. “I just need you to tell me what you need from me and what you know. Oh, and give me a dollar.”
“A dollar?” He tilted his head in confusion and I almost grinned at how cute he looked.
“Yeah. You pay me and then I’m your lawyer and we are covered by lawyer/ client confidentiality,” I explained.
“Oh…” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a leather wallet that appeared to have seen better days. “Here’s a twenty. I don’t have anything smaller.”
“Would you like a receipt?” I asked.
“Nah, it’s okay. If the sister trusts you, then I do.” He shrugged as he sat back into the cushions of my couch.
“Now, why do you need a lawyer?” I asked and tapped my pencil eraser on the notebook as I waited.
“Well, I was working overtime over on Franklin and 34th street and I heard some very loud voices. When a woman screamed and began to cry, I went down to make sure she was alright. One thing led to another and I ended up in jail.”
“Can you be more specific, please?” My question seemed to make him uncomfortable.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but the woman was a… lady of the night and the guy was her… uh… boss.”
“Okay. And what did you see?”
“Her boss… the man… hit her and… she… um… fell to the ground.” It was like pulling teeth to get him to give me a response.
“Look, I’m a lawyer. I’ve heard it all. You don’t need to sugar coat anything for my sake.”
“There really isn’t much to say. I could see her face was already swelling and there was some blood at her mouth.” He groaned and ran his hand over his almost non-existent hair. “When he raised his hand to her again, I stepped in. I was taught that men don’t hit women. The cops didn’t agree and boom… Sister Mary Agnes was bailing me out.”
“Okay. What precinct?” I began my questioning.
“Thirteenth,” he answered immediately.
“Arresting officer's name?” I prompted next.
“Officer MacNemally.” Again, an immediate answer.
“Um… date and time of the arrest?” I muttered as I wrote down the name. Normally I had a form that I had a client complete, but they were all at my office.
“I was booked around midnight, uh, this morning,” he replied, and I tapped my tablet after I scribbled down the date and time.
“Alright, let me look into it and find out what they have on you. I’ll need to get the records… so, I’ll need you to write your name and social security number down for me. I’ll have forms for you to look over and sign when we meet next.” I handed him the tablet and pencil and he quickly scribbled down what I asked for.
“My number is there, too. Ya know… so you can call me.” His cheeks went pink and he rubbed his hands on his legs.
“Thank you. I definitely will need that,” I chuckled and rose to my feet. “You said you needed to get to work, so don’t let me keep you.”
Offering my hand, we shook, and I showed him to the door. Now, if I watched his ass the entire time, he walked in front of me and continued to do so as he disappeared down the hallway, no one would know.
“That boy is fine,” Ethel sighed at my elbow and I jumped in shock.
“I’m going to get that bell on you one of these days, Ethel,” I joked. “It’s just not natural for an older woman to
move so quietly,” I muttered as she laughed at me and disappeared into her own apartment across the hall.
CHAPTER THREE
Eli
When I walked out of the apartment building, I cursed at myself. I’m sure the lawyer thought I was a complete idiot and pervert. The meeting had gone nothing how I expected it to go.
I had done my damndest to not stare at her breasts, when I noticed her shirt out of place. Not looking was the last thing I wanted to do. Her breasts were perfect. Not small and not too big. My dick had grown hard instantly at the sight of her bronze-colored nipples.
When I brought my gaze up to her face, I had to look away. The woman was sexy. Sexy as fuck. I had not been prepared for this at all. I guess I had expected some lady in her late forties, early fifties. Not a drop dead gorgeous, Asian woman around my age.
“Are you going to move, lover boy?” Sophia’s voice came from behind me. I turned to find the older woman staring down at me from the top step.
“Hello, again, Mrs. Sophia,” I smiled.
“Did she kick you to the curb already?”
Despite myself, I chuckled.
“No, ma’am. I have to go to work,” I replied.
“That’s a shame,” she shook her head in disappointment. “She just wasted a good man.” The older woman’s eyes wandered up and down me making me feel like a piece of meat.
“Well, I have to get to work now, but it was nice meeting you, Mrs. Sophia,” I said, walking down the sidewalk.
“Damn, that boy fine,” Ethel called out from above. I looked up to see her and two other elderly black women with their heads out the window. All eyes were on me.
What the hell was up with these horny old ladies?
“Uh. Goodbye, ladies,” I called out as I jogged down the sidewalk away from the vultures and the Asian goddess.
Ten hours later, I was walking out of the construction site gates. I was exhausted. We weren’t supposed to pull overtime. I didn’t mind the extra money, but I was still tired from pulling overtime the night before.
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