Motown Takedown (Motown Down Book 3) (13 page)

“I’m not going to be able to sit for a week,
”
she moans rubbing her ass.

“A day, two days tops,
”
I wink.

“I didn’t see you trying it,
”
she says crossing her arms over her chest.

“Don’t need to try something I already know how to do, Cinn.”

“Who taught you?”

“Learned the hard way,
”
I say shoving it in the corner. “Needed wheels, saw one that I liked and took it. Owner came out screaming for it, chasing me and was a big motherfucker. I kept going until it got easy, like I said learned the hard way.”

“Did your ass hurt?”

“Try my balls,
”
I groan thinking back on it.

Staring at my crotch she flinches. “Poor baby,
”
she pouts petting my dick through my jeans.

Gearing up to fuck her against the wall, I got her attention first. “Mo chuisle.”

“Hmm?
”
she asks looking up.

“You rode a fucking bike today.”

Unzipping my pants and reaching in, she fists me and smiles, “I rode a fucking bike today.
”
And then she rode me.

Hot-fucking-yoga.

That’s what she wanted to do today.

I was one of two men dumb enough to try this. Cinn was faring no better either. She kept looking around like these people were crazy and she’d be right. Now we’re supposed to balance on our fucking elbows which wasn’t too bad until you had to lean to one side and extend an arm. She fell over swearing, I grunted with the effort and couldn’t even manage it and the fucking music…God damn depressing is what it was.

At this point I couldn’t breathe. It was so damn hot in here that about twenty minutes in she stood up, looked at me and said, “Oh fuck this, let’s get ice cream.
”
Thank God. Asking for the keys, I drop them in her hand and prayed we made it there without her killing us. My queen drove like she was the only one on the road, as she should.

At the ice cream joint, we both go at our cones like it was our first, last and only meal. “I’m so hot,
”
she moans wiping her forehead with a napkin. “Worst idea ever.”

“I’m not correcting you,
”
I say doing the same. My fucking hair was even soaked and my limbs felt loose, too loose. Right now, a toddler could knock me over.

“If we need to work someone over in the future, I say we send them there and they’ll sing like canaries.”

“You’ve got a mean streak,
”
I laugh at the visual. “That’s serious torture, Cinn.”

“So Demo,
”
she says tossing her napkin in the trash. “We need eyes on him.”

“Handled,
”
I tell her opening her door for her. “Men were sent over after the meeting.”

“You’re good,
”
she says buckling her belt
.
“You know, eventually I would have thought of that.”

“How about you let me drive,
”
I offer wanting my dessert to stay in my stomach.

“You’re not that good,
”
she laughs starting the truck up.

“What’s next?
”
I ask gripping the handle when she makes a hard right.

“We need to make a pit stop,
”
she says casually.

“Where?
”
I ask, needing to fill Ransom in incase we hit trouble.

“Lush.”

“The club?”

“Yep,
”
she smiles taking another corner. “I have business there.”

“Hang on,
”
I tell her relaying the same to Ransom who immediately hated the idea.

“Is she crazy?
”
he asks and I would correct him but I had to wonder myself. “That place will not welcome our kind, boss. Tell her no.”

“Stay close,
”
I advise him and hang up. “Cinn, I need you to be more specific before we walk in there.”

Parking in the alley, she pulls her phone out, waves at the camera and then this giant black motherfucker let’s her in smiling like a fool. Everything in me screamed to take her and run. “Hey Bishop,
”
she says patting him on the chest. I did not like this. Not the location, the touching, or the fucking smiling.

“Cinn,
”
he nods still grinning. “Who’s this gold-toothed gangster? Your new guard?”

“Bishop, this Monarch,
”
she starts but I finish.

“Her man, motherfucker.”

Looking thoroughly confused as to my presence, Cinn smirks at my display of dominance and clues him in. As in full disclosure. This was the absolute wrong fucking thing to do but there was no shutting her up. “Savage is no longer our problem, the devil can deal with his ass now. You should have seen the bullet he put in his forehead, Bishop, talk about making an impression! His brain matter was everywhere! It took an hour to get it out of my gorgeous hair!”

“Oh yeah?
”
he laughs loud. “You’re free now, little momma, where will you go?”

“I’m going to Disney World!
”
she yells dramatically. “Okay, I’m not. I’m with Monarch for now and forever, pass it on. But if we could head inside to see the crew today that would be nice.”

“Right this way,
”
he smiles down at her. There was something not right about this guy. I’d be checking into him later but first I had a bad fucking feeling I couldn’t shake. That feeling amplified when we made it to what I assume was the dance floor.

“Cinn, you hot whore you, get that perfect ass over here!
”
says this little redhead who also screamed trouble as in she caused it, regularly.

“I was just telling Max that I was positive you were a vampire but nope, it’s daylight and here you are. Lucy, you got some ‘esplainin
’
to do!”

“I’m a free woman,
”
she says beaming up at me. “This is Monarch, Jules, the one I told – ”

Stepping up to me, she looks me up and down before smiling a very satisfied smile. “Where’s Savage?
”
she asks me.

“Dead,
”
I tell her.

“Best news I’ve heard all week,
”
she says slapping me. She honest to God put her fucking hands on me. If Cinn expected me to stand here and get led around by a crazy redhead she was nuts. Pulling her to me, ready to drag her out, the woman, Jules, speaks leaving no room for argument
.

“Alright then, the gang’s all here let’s head into the office.”

“Cinn,
”
I order her. “Do not move.
”
Pushing on my ear piece, Jules steps forward shaking her head.

“Bad idea homeboy,
”
she says losing her smile and crossing her arms over her chest. Then the doors open to four big ass motherfuckers  each taking position behind her.

“It’s cool, Jules. Monarch doesn’t know about our gig yet,
”
Cinn says stepping forward not bothered in the slightest. Then looking up at me, she asks me to trust her with her eyes and she saw it in mine it wasn’t going to happen
.
“We need to go into the office with them and talk, I need you by my side for this. Tell Ransom to stand down.”

“Get behind me,
”
I demand. “Now.”

“Now hold the fuck up,
”
says Bishop standing in front of Jules. “We can talk here if that eases you up some,
”
he says casually but I knew he was ready to throw down if necessary. Then the door opens again, this time a tall woman and another big fucking black guy walk through it and Cinn didn’t seem fazed about that in the slightest either.

As for me, I was ready to kill all of them for the slightest threat to her safety. Two things prevented this. Cinn’s hand on my arm and the fact not one of these motherfuckers was looking at her with lust but with trust. Then she did something no one has even been able to do, calm me down by saying one word.

“Please.”

My last conversation with Camo was supposed to be strictly about offing The Greek. But she was a curious person and always saw more than you were willing to show her. So when she got on the topic of my love life I had no choice but to participate. Lack of participation was usually met with warning shots.

“Twenty bucks says you’ll be humping his leg before he can get his pants off.”

“Fifty bucks says I don’t care as long as I orgasm,
”
I counter.

“I can’t believe you haven’t had sex in over two years.”

“Actually, I’ve never had sex,
”
I remind her. “I’ve been molested, raped, and fucked. I’m looking forward to the change of pace though.”

“Jesus,
”
she whistles. “I’m sorry, Cinn.”

“Why? You didn’t do it.”

“In case you didn’t know,
”
she says softly. “Sex with someone you care about is indescribable.
”

“I’d give my life for indescribable even once, Camo.”

“Watch your six, Cinn, or your life may very well be what you’re giving.”

“This isn’t living,
”
I say quietly. “Monarch is worth it to me. I want the chance to live.”

“Fair warning, be careful what you wish for. Men, while hung and necessary, can and will fuck shit up. They will drive you insane, make you question if they’re worth it and then redeem themselves long enough to fuck shit up again. Make sure he’s worth it.”

“He’s worth everything.”

“Then I’ve got a Greek to kill.”

“The Greek,
”
I correct.

“Eat a dick, Cinnamon.”

“Planning on it, Pepper,
”
I shoot back. “You’re wasting daylight and your transportation is due to arrive in twenty five minutes.”

“Glad he’s worth it,
”
she says softly.

“Glad you have it too,
”
I return just before I hung up.

Camo, I hated to admit, was totally right. Men had the ability to drive you insane.

I even said please and he’s still snarling like a beast. Monarch right now was so over the top, I could taste his testosterone and I loved it but, we had business first. This was getting unnecessarily complicated and to top it off, my top secret doctor walked in with a super-hot guy on her arm. All I needed now was my fucking father to walk in and my life would come full circle.

“Let’s start over,
”
I suggest wrapping my arm around his waist. “Everyone, this is Monarch.
”
There were two gasps and a few holy shits because Monarch was a name to fear, he was a legend. Everyone in this room has heard of him, knows his rep and also knows he ran his business for one person. Me. My pride in him was overwhelming and I held on a little tighter because of it.

“I can smell you,
”
he says low and my belly dipped.

“Monarch, to your left you have Jules Allen and her husband Max, that’s Bishop, the guy who smiles even less than you do is Rogan, that’s Rafe, the GQ pin up is Tony, and that’s Doc Kandace. I don’t know him but I have a feeling doc knows him in the biblical sense.”

“Rome,
”
he says nodding and grinning.

“Rome,
”
I say nodding back and couldn’t help but stare a little.

“What the fuck are we doing here, Cinn?
”
Monarch asks eye-balling the room. Jules steps forward and the look of murder is off her face, thank God. Jules has a thing about fighting, as in she loves it.

“Cinn has been helping us keep the balance until she was reunited with you,
”
she says simply
.
“Now she is, and that’s cause for celebration.”

“I know who most of you are,
”
he says in a deadly voice. “What fucking balance and what does it have to do with my fucking woman?”

Time to fess up or shut up. “We know there is a balance to the streets,
”
I start and get nods from the group. “We work together to keep that balance. We share intel so what we do doesn’t affect what they do and vice versa. No cops, no outsiders and no surprises. Lush has been a hub for all of us, and I wanted you to meet some of my people. I wanted them to meet you too. They’ve been crucial in our business, Monarch.”

This did not please Monarch, but at least I had his attention. When Jules stepped forward, I felt him coil, ready to strike. Seriously, I just gave the
my people
speech and he needed to at least pretend to trust me
.
“Minus the doc and Rome over there, each of us were either military, detectives or just plain sketchy,
”
Jules says smiling at Tony.

“It’s called a truce,
”
she explains. “We’re aware we can’t stop crime. The fact is, we don’t even want to but what Cinn does for us, helps everyone. If we notice anything here that throws the balance off, we alert Cinn, and she handles it.”

“Handles it, how?
”
he draws out and, oh yeah, he is pissed.

“We don’t ask, she doesn’t tell,
”
Jules shrugs.

“Savage is dead;Demo is taking over,
”
I toss out there. “Demo comes here, spends a lot of money, but now he’ll try and push business here that’s the first thing I wanted you to know.”

“What’s the second?
”
she asks me.

“If he plans to run skin, I want to know about it.”

“Cinn,
”
he warns.

“No,
”
I say putting my hand up. “It’s disgusting, and I won’t have it. Marco has the cornered the market on the skin trade, but he’s out of my reach for now. So Demo tries that here, you call Monarch. He’ll give you his number.”

“I will?
”
he asks raising an eyebrow.

“Unless you want them blowing up my phone, yes honey. You will.
”
Grunting, he gives a barely there nod before everyone lets out a breath.

“Glad to see you in the land of the living again,
”
says Jules with a smile. “I was worried. I’m also glad you found your way back to Mr. Sunshine here because you’ve been kinda bitchy since you’ve been locked up. You’d never make it in gen pop.”

“Whatever,
”
I say flipping my hair. “Those bitches would kill to bunk with me.”

“Cinn?
”
asks Kandace hesitantly approaching with Rome at her back. “How are you?”

“I’m good, Kandace, thanks. How are you?”

“Same,
”
she says wondering if she should get personal. “Do you need to see my anytime soon?”

“For what?
”
Monarch demands.

“Uh…
”
she hedgesand I turn to him and lay it out. I mean, why the hell not
?
“The doc used to patch me up and help me out with birth control on the down low. But that was when I could actually go outside to get it.”

“On the –
”
he started then he got it and he didn’t like that either. “Say goodbye,
”
he demands.

“I’ll be in touch,
”
I tell her quickly then Monarch put his hand to the back of my neck and pushed me out the back door. “Not a God damn word until we’re home, Cinn.”

For the record, I kept my mouth shut.