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Your shift had started more than an hour ago, and you knew that Hank would have more than a few things to say when you finally trudged down the steps into the bar. Promptness was always a struggle for you, but lately, it was getting out of control, and certainly not for lack of trying.
Getting the bartender gig at Shaw’s had been the best job you’d had. While Hank was a bit of a curmudgeon, the customers were great, the atmosphere was fun, and the tips were better than anywhere else. Especially when the crew from the Ninety-Ninth precinct came in for a few rounds. Their Captain was usually buying and even though he rarely smiled or offered more than a congenial thank you, his tab was always paid and included a generous gratuity.
You had met them all on your first shift and took a particular liking to one of the detectives. She was quiet and seemingly withdrawn, but the more you watched her from the shadows of the bar, you realized she was just simply observing. When you finally spoke to Detective Diaz, you were immediately smitten but didn’t think for a second, she thought much of you, at all.
At least not until you had a mild anxiety attack during your second week. It was crowded, and the backup bartender Hank had called in never showed, leaving you overwhelmed and panicked. Rosa must have noticed and waved you towards the end of the bar.
“Hey, you alright? You look green and, uh, kinda shaky.”
“Just not used to a crowd this size,” you chuckled nervously, trying to play it off.
“No worries. We got your back,” she’d said with a smirk and called over one of the other detectives.
“Santiago, Y/N. Y/N this is Amy Santiago. I promise you, she will be able to get this crowd under control.”
You nodded a greeting and tried to hide your elation over the fact that she learned your name without you saying it. That, along with her offer of a helping hand made you feel a certain kinda way.
“Ohhh, a crowd control challenge?!” Santiago mused excitedly, “Count me in!”
Rosa threw her head back and her throaty laugh was music to your ears. You were quite enamored with her already, but from that night on, whenever she was in, she would always sit at the end of the bar and chat with you between customers.
Here you were late to a shift again, and you didn’t want to get fired. Yet, this was your third late in a week, and Hank may not care to hear your excuse, even though this time it was downright terrifying.
The short distance walk, from your front door to the bus stop had been a harrowing one, and it had left you shaken and scared. Once you closed and locked your door, three men, all dressed in dark clothing and wearing hats or hoodies, followed you down the few blocks out of your neighborhood.
You dismissed it at first because you didn’t want to assume they were up to nefarious dealings, but when you heard their pace quicken, you couldn’t help but start to fear for your safety and walk faster. That’s when a fourth man jumped out of a stairwell, blocking your path. The days had been getting shorter, so it was darker earlier now. Even though it was just past the rush hour, the streets were dimly lit so you couldn’t get a good view of their faces.
The men encircled you but didn’t touch you. Hurling catcalls and the nasty comments about your body was the least of your problems. The one guy that had blocked your way, waved around his knife and threatening you with it by holding it up just close enough for you to feel scared for your life. Never would you forget how the porch light beside you caught the metal and reflected into your eyes; nor would you forget how the curtain in the window beside it shifted right before that porch light was shut off.
One of the others grabbed your arm and pulled you close enough to smell the alcohol on his breath. The hoods and hats obscured their eyes, but you could see the shape of their mouths as they grinned at you with foul intentions.
If not for the car turning down the street and having its headlights pass by you, they may have succeeded with whatever they were planning. Instead, they got spooked and took off, causing you to break into a run in the other direction. When you finally made it out to one of the busier intersections you were out of breath, shaking and even further away from Shaw’s.
By the time the cab you’d hailed dropped you off, you were nearing the hour mark of being late. When you finally got in, Hank had his hands on his hips, rag tossed over one shoulder and wore an expression of complete disgust.
“Seriously?! An hour? When I hired you, you said that time management was notan issue!”
You were swiping at the remnants of the tears that had spilled quietly down your cheeks once you were safe in the cab and hoping that no one noticed. “Hank, I’m sorry… I ran into a bit of a problem, and—”
Hank was shaking his head and waving his arms to stop you from continuing. “No, no, I don’t care. Whatever it was. The only reason you’re not fired is that I need a bartender tonight and you’re my only option. But I swear, Y/N, one more time and—”
“Hank, man, lay off her,” a voice chimed in from the other side of the bar, “Give the girl a break, would ya?”
“Look, Diaz, I know you guys like to think you rule the roost around here, but this is my bar. I’ll deal with my employees how I see fit.”
“Ok, cool. Well, I’ll just give my friends in the health department a head’s up that maybe you don’t always clean out the fryers. Like, ever. Oh, and was that a cockroach I saw in the ladies’ room? It could be. It was pretty big. Maybe it was a rat…” Rosa droned on and looked off in the distance as she sarcastically contemplated what else could be wrong and despite your still shaky demeanor, couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.
“You know, you guys really annoy me,” Hank grumbled, throwing down the damp rag over his shoulder on the top of the bar with a thwap. “I’m leaving. Be sure to close up properly and DON’T be late tomorrow, or it will be your last shift.”
You nodded, “Thanks, Hank.”
Shrugging off your coat and stashing it away, you turned to Rosa and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, I really appreciate that.”
“No problem. Hank’s a crab ass just ignore him.”
“I will, thanks. Let me get you a drink, on me,” you said and pulled up two shot glasses. “What’ll you have?”
“Well, whiskey. But one is good. I don’t need two,” Rosa smirked but watched you carefully as your still trembling hands moved about getting the bottle.
“One’s for me. It’s been a day,” you sighed, pushing a glass towards Rosa and then grabbing your own. “Salute.”
Tossing back the drink, you immediately filled yours again and didn’t even notice that Rosa hadn’t drunk hers. After tossing back the second shot, you could feel her eyes on you and while it should have made you uncomfortable, it didn’t.
“What?” you asked, contemplating a third but knowing you had a closing shift ahead, decided against it.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re shaking and… crying. Did something happen? I’ve seen you take Hank’s crap before, why let him get you upset now?”
The intensity of her dark eyes caused you to shift uncomfortably, but the more she watched you the more you realized she was just putting her detective skills to work. Yet, in those mysterious brown eyes, there was something else… a concern, maybe? The rush of everything that had happened, combined with back to back shots of Jack Daniels, finally came to a head.
You began to cry again. Rosa sat up and looked around a bit uncomfortable, maybe hoping for there to be someone else that could console you, but there wasn’t. She reached across the bar and took your hand that was resting there.
“Hey, you’re alright. What’s going on? Why the tears? Really, he won’t fire you—”
“No, it’s not that. I don’t care about what Hank says. He’s a jerk, but he doesn’t bother me. On my way here… there was this group of guys—” just the mention of it brought on another bout of tears; they were silent, but your shoulders were heaving with their weight.
“What?” Rosa asked sharply, grinding her teeth together in anger. “What did they do? Did they hurt you? Attack you? Worse? What did they look like? Where did—”
You shook your head violently and finally looked up to her, quietly pleading with her to stop. “I’m sorry, I don’t really wanna talk about it, but it just happened and I’m—I just need a minute.”
Rosa got off the stool and walked around behind the bar, turning you by your shoulders to face her.
Though her outward demeanor was calm, her voice had an edge you’d later come to know well and the intensity in her eyes never faded. “First of all, you have to talk about it. That’s how we get it to stop. Secondly, you know I’m a cop, right? Let me help you.”
Rosa paused and seemed to consider an eternal monologue. “Look, Y/N, I know we don’t know each other really well, but I wanna help. This is my city, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some Neanderthals threaten anyone, especially you.”
Confused, but touched, you smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “You’re very sweet, but—”
“No, I’m not. I’m just not going to stand for you to be scared in your own neighborhood. Or on any street in this city. I swear, I’m gonna find those perverts and crush them then send the powdered bones to their grieving mothers,” Rosa growled, a look of disgruntled pleasure filling in her eyes.
You knew just from observation that Detective Diaz wasn’t a softie or pushover of any sort. If you were being honest, you didn’t hate the fact that she was the one offering you a bit of comfort. She was ridiculously gorgeous, not to mention enigmatic. From the first night you’d encountered her, you were smitten. Catching her watching you from time to time, and all the conversations at the bar left you feeling a bit flustered, but in the best possible way.
Though you just had one of the scariest moments of your life, her presence was helping you to feel a bit calmer. That was until a crashing sound came from the rear of the bar. A glass fell to the floor and caused you to jump and gasp, at the sound. Your heart immediately began to race, your hands trembling even more. While trying to regulate your breathing, your body started to follow suit and Rosa pulled you into a hug.
It felt strange at first, maybe because you got the feeling she wasn’t exactly a hugger. It was stiff initially, but once she relaxed, her embrace was what you needed to find your breath again quell the rising anxiety.
She awkwardly pulled away and flashed a smile at you. “Sorry,” she said curtly, looking around nervously, “that was weird of me.”
“No, it was nice, thank you, Detective. I guess I sort of needed that.”
“Rosa… I’m just Rosa. And, I’ll find a broom, sweep that up for you.”
She took off around the bar and scurried off to where the mess was. The whole interaction left you feeling a bit lightheaded but in a good sort of way. Just for that one second, you were able to forget how those men had scared you so badly, or worry they would be there waiting for you once you got home.
Rosa didn’t leave that night until the bar closed. She stopped drinking, just sat at the end of the bar all night, watching the door and keeping an eye on you. Anytime a customer got the slightest bit handsy or loud, she was right there, ready to keep the peace.
When you told her you were ok, she was fine to leave, she just shook her head and said, “Nope.”
At 2:30 in the morning, when you finally turned off the lights and locked the door, she was there, handing you a spare helmet to her bike and telling you to get on. You did. Rosa brought you straight to your front door and walked you to your third-floor apartment.
“I can stay, if you want,” she offered, half in your door, half in the hallway.
“I appreciate that so much, but you should go home. I’m sure you want to sleep and be in your own space. Your husband’s waiting for you, or boyfriend…”
Rosa snorted a laugh. “Yeah, no. Not married. Or dating anyone, actually… guys or girls,” she shrugged and gave you a perceptive wink.
“Oh, well, that’s someone’s big loss,” you said and immediately regretted it. “Wow, I’m… I’m a dick. I just meant that—”
“I know what you meant. And you’re right. It is someone’s loss. I’m amazing.”
You laughed at that and it caused her to flash a nervous smile. Rosa was funny in an unintentional way, and the more she was around you, the more you felt less anxious.
“Yes. Yes, you are,” you said and could feel the embarrassment fill your features. Could she tell you were flirting? Was she really sort of flirting back? There really was no way to tell and as hopeful, as you were, sleep was really what you needed most. “I guess I should get some sleep. You should too. I imagine you have a long day of crime fighting ahead. “
“Nope. I’m off tomorrow. But, you should sleep. Sure, you’ll be alright, alone?”
You nodded and felt a twinge of disappointment that she was going to leave. “I’ll be alright. Thank you, for everything, you did tonight.”
“Just doing my job, ma’am,” she said with a wink, but there was a twinkle in her eye and an expression on her face that helped you answer your own question. She was flirting with you.
Rosa turned to walk away down the corridor, and you couldn’t help but watch her go. She glanced back over her shoulder before turning the corner and saw you watching. Rosa let out a soft “Ha!” just as she disappeared out of sight.
The next day came, and you did little around the house; just enough to keep your mind occupied. With the incident still fresh, you were trying to put off leaving the apartment until absolutely necessary. Around mid-afternoon, you finally bit the bullet and went to the front porch. You needed groceries and a stop at the liquor store for a bottle of wine.
Hesitantly, you stepped outside and parked on the curb across from your door was Rosa, sitting in a burgundy unmarked sedan. She saw you exit and put down her window as you approached the car.
“Business in the neighborhood, detective?” you asked unable to hide the enormous grin that was beginning to live on your face whenever the brash detective was around.
“Yeah. This really cute girl I know was almost mugged here. Just doing my duty, keeping the streets safe.”
You rolled your eyes playfully and chuckled. “There’s gotta be something better you can be doing with your time than this.”
“There is. Taking you wherever you need to go. Come on, get it,” she nudged her head towards the passenger side door and continued to try and coax you to get it. “Come oooon.”
You took a quick look around the streets and breathed a little easier when you only saw your elderly neighbor and her small dog out for a walk. “This isn’t necessary, really…”
“It is. Really. What happened to you is no joke. If I know scumbags like that, which I do, they will try again. You best believe I’m gonna be there when they do. So, I guess you’re stuck with me. Might as well get in.”
“Well, guess saying no to an officer of the law wouldn’t be very smart,” you teased and felt a series of tingles ignite in your gut when she returned it with a smile and raise of one eyebrow.
“If you know what’s good for you.”
Rosa ran you all over Brooklyn that afternoon and didn’t leave your side until you got back to the apartment to unload all your bags. She carried a good bunch of them up the few floors to your place and even helped put them away. You both felt effortlessly at ease with each other, and you were in awe as she moved about your kitchen as if she’d been there a million times before.
“Rosa,” you started, unsure of exactly what you wanted to know, but dared to ask anyway. “Are you, I mean… Why me? There’re unfortunately too many people that get assaulted or mugged daily in this city. I can’t believe that you would do this for them, too.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t. Well, not escort them shopping and put stuff away. But, you’re not everyone.” She paused and shrugged absently before turning and placing the peanut butter the shelf. When she turned back, her eyes were soft and sincere, an odd sort of smirk playing on her lips. “Truth is,” she started up again, and even her voice was softer than you’d heard before, “I’ve been wanted to ask you out for a while now. But, dating hasn’t been so easy, lately. Didn’t want this to go the same way.”
“Oh,” you managed, though, your breath felt as if it was in short supply. “Well, I, uh, I’d love to go out with you sometime. As long as we can go somewhere other than Shaw’s. I mean, if you’re still interested.”
Rosa snorted a laugh, which you found more than a little endearing. “I am. Very interested in fact. I got a few ideas,” she purred and took a step towards you. “You just say when.”
“Tomorrow? I have off work and, don’t have to be until late afternoon the next day,” you said and realized how it may have come across, then promptly covered your face with both hands. “I just meant that—”
“I get it. Its cool. Tomorrow is great. Glad you mentioned about the next day, too. Now I know that you could potentially stick around for breakfast.”
“Yeah, I mean—” you paused, realizing what she had said and once again felt flustered at her intense flirting fill you from head to toe. “I’d love that.”
“Good. It’s a date.”
You noticed the time on the clock and realized you were going to be late again if you didn’t get moving. Rosa offered to drive you, and you gladly took her up on the offer. Once again, she brought you to work and stayed for almost your entire shift. Only leaving at one point to take some inebriated cops home that had stumbled in after a shift. Then, again at closing, she waited for you to lock up and brought you home. But this time at your door, you hugged her goodnight.
Letting a soft kiss linger on her cheek for a moment or two too long, you made sure to take in the exotic fragrance of her shampoo. “Thank you for everything, Rosa. It means a lot that you cared enough to come by today and watch my back.”
“I’m happy to watch your back anytime. Especially if you’re walking away wearing those jeans you had on the other night. Tomorrow… I’ll be by to get you around seven.”
With that, she was again walking away towards the exit, but this time she didn’t look back. She didn’t have too. This time, she knew you were watching, and smiling.
You spent most of the next day getting ready for your date with Rosa. Unsure of where you’d be going, you opted for sexy casual. Making sure the jeans she had mentioned were clean, you threw those on with a black fitted tank top that hugged your curves in all the right places. Over it was an oversized sheer white blouse that you left unbuttoned and just tied it loosely at the button of your jeans. Once you pulled on you black heeled boots, you gave your makeup and hair one last glance before grabbing your small clutch purse and heading down towards the porch. It was about five minutes to seven and you could sense what a beautiful night it was in Brooklyn.
Stepping out, you looked up and saw the stars peeking through, despite the ambient light of the city. There was a warm, fragrant breeze passing through that lifted your hair slightly, causing you to close your eyes, relishing in how good it felt.
There were some sounds of traffic in the distance, but it faded into the sounds of the city. Keeping your eyes closed, you felt a hint of a smile start to unfold as you thought about Rosa coming to pick you up for a night out. Getting to know her better would be—
Footsteps, several pairs were closing in… fast. When you opened your eyes, you panicked when you realized the same group of men had encircled you again. Just as you went to stand up, one of them pushed you back down to the step with enough force for you to scrape the small of your back on the cement stoop.
“Little bird here is trying to fly away, boys. Can’t have that now, can we,” he hissed through his fractured teeth. They cackled around him like a pack of hyenas, while nearly salivating and undressing you with their eyes.
You tried to crawl back up the steps, but one of them quickly jumped up behind you, blocking your escape back through the main door to your building. The same familiar panic began to rise, and you urgently tried to formulate a plan to get away.
A few seconds passed but felt like an hour as they began closing in on you. Without warning one of the men was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground, startling the rest to become frozen in place.
“NYPD! Get down, now!” Rosa’s voice commanded into the chaos of the moment as she took the one perp down, her knee in his back as she cuffed his hands behind his back. The man behind you tried to flee, but you grabbed his pant leg as he did, causing him to fall face first into the concrete steps and knocked himself out as blood from his mouth and nose immediately littered the concrete.
Simultaneously, the other two began to flee down the block. While still on her knee, Rosa quickly reached around back to one of her black high heels and pulled a curved knife from its hiding place along the sole and handed it to you.
“Here, don’t let them up and call 911 for back up!” she ordered and took off down the street chasing the two perps while wearing a black mini skirt and three-inch spikes.
“Damn, Rosa,” you mumbled to yourself and watched in awe as she dove at both and tackled them to the sidewalk. You hastily opened your clutch and pulled out your phone, dialing 911 as commanded while still holding the knife out, trying to stay calm.
By the time that Rosa secured the other two men and brought them back to where you were, two marked police cruisers and one unmarked Detective’s car was at your front door, lights, and sirens flashing.
Even though you were unharmed, you were still slightly shaken by the events that unfolded. Detectives Peralta and Boyle were on the scene getting the rundown from Rosa, who was firmly operating in cop mode. Boyle took one perp by the zip tie cuffs and put him in the back of their cruiser, while the uniformed officers took care of the others.
“It’s a good thing you showed up when you did,” Peralta said, crossing his arms over his chest. “These guys are bad news. That one,” pointing to the one in their backseat, “has hella warrants out on him. Like, he ain’t gonna see the sun for years, son!” He snorted a laugh and tried to reign it in when he saw Rosa’s look of indifference.
“Good. I’m glad. Pigs like that should rot,” she growled loud enough for the ones remaining to hear her.
“You, uh, might want this back,” you spoke up softly and gently turned the knife around, so Rosa could grab the handle.
“Thanks,” she said and lifted her foot so she could replace the knife into her shoe. She noticed Jake and Charles looking at her with wide, excited eyes. “What?”
“That. Is. Awesome! Diaz, you scare the crap outta me, but you’re like James Bond!” Jake exclaimed. “So cool.”
“Sexy and functional, good choice!” Charles chimed in and looked between you and Rosa. It seemed to finally hit him that you both were fairly dressed up and stood up a little straight. “Well, well. What do we have here? Were you guys going on, a date?!”
“Shut up, Charles,” Rosa warned, and folded her arms over her chest.
“You were! Ok, where are you going? Dinner? Drinks? Cause, there is a bistro over on seventh, that has a risotto that is just succulent, and a perfect aphrodisiac—”
“Charles!” Rosa and Jake exclaimed trying to get his attention.
“Boyle, I love you, but you really gotta stop talking,” Jake chastised with a friendly clap on his shoulder. “Come on, let’s get these perps processed and let Diaz enjoy her date.”
“Thanks, man,” Rosa said with a subtle smirk. “She saw the last perp being moved to the marked cruiser and sauntered over to him, coming within an inch of his face. “If you by some chance get out of this, and I catch you anywhere in this neighborhood again, I can promise you, you will know what suffering is. Just be happy I came along when I did. Cause if you had touched her, even as much as brushed against her shoulder, I would have made sure that those dangly bits were there solely for show. Now, enjoy your time in jail.”
Rosa turned back towards you and stood by your side as the uniformed officer took your statement. He wanted you to come to the precinct right then, but Rosa convinced him that she would bring you by in the morning to finish up the paperwork.
Once everyone was gone, the street was silent again. You went over to the stoop and sat as far from the still went pool of blood, as you could. Sitting next to you, Rosa lightly bumped her knees into yours on purpose and grinned sheepishly when you didn’t move yours away.
“Some start to our date, huh?”
“I’d say.”
“Still feel up for it?” she asked hesitantly.
“You bet your ass I am. I just watched you pull a knife from your shoe, chase down two men and do it all while wearing that outfit. How, could I ever say no to you, again? You’re a superhero.”
“No, I’m not,” she said, her face tinging in embarrassment. Just did my job. “
“Well, you’re my hero. And with the world’s most badass pair of shoes I might add. I mean, they are damn fine.”
Rosa snorted a laugh and stood up from the porch. She reached out a hand to you to help you up. Standing one step up from her brought you eye level with those mysteriously dark eyes that you wanted to drown in.
“Just because it can kill you, doesn’t mean it can’t be sexy,” she purred suggestively and closed the distance between you.
“Mmhmm… Just like you…” you took the risk and went in to kiss her.
Rosa kissed you back without indecision. She knew what she wanted, and you were more than happy to oblige. Her lips were soft but wanting as they parted, allowing her tongue to brush softly against yours. You felt her hand entwine with your fingers and squeeze.
When you finally parted, she watched you with that keen eye you were so used to now. “So, dinner?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
“Maybe a couple drinks? Not at Shaw’s though…”
“God, yes, please.”
“Then, I don’t know… you stay for breakfast.”
“Why, Detective, are you propositioning me?”
Rosa shrugged. “Thought that was pretty clear.”
You laughed and started walking down the stoop, then down the block to where her car was parked. “Good. Cause I make a mean omelet,” you teased and wiggled your eyebrows.
Once you reached the car and a thought occurred to you. “Rosa, did you just happen to come to pick me up and have handcuffs with you? I know the others had those zip tie things, but the first guy, you cuffed him.”
“I carry cuffs all the time,” she said with a shrug.
“All the time?”
She got your meaning and leaned in to open the car door for you. “Allll the time. Even have a couple spare sets at the house. Maybe I can show you later on.”
“Bless you, Rosa Diaz. You really are my hero,” you teased and left one more kiss on her lips before climbing in the car and setting off on your date.