Motown Takedown (Motown Down Book 3) (2 page)

The night before I left, I made her a promise. With her wrapped around me, begging me to stay, I vowed we’d be together again. She was too young for romantic love, logically I knew this. But she didn’t act her age, did not look her age and made keeping my dick in my pants difficult. The only sign of innocence left was the love she held for me in her eyes. Which was why I knelt down in front of her and placed her hand over my heart. Doing the same, she kneels and places mine over hers. Having no idea when I’d see her again, but needing something to take with me, I tilted her chin up and brought my head down. “To be the first to taste these lips,
”
I whispered before brushing them with my own. “And one day, the last.
”
She let one tear fall before touching her mouth with her fingers.

“Promise me,
”
she says closing her eyes.

“I promise,
”
I vow. “You’ll know when it’s time and when you call, I’ll come.
”
Sadly, that time never came. She never called for me.

Her name was Cinn.

She is the reason I exist. The reason I’ve sworn off women. Selling them, trading them, and fucking them. The day I saw her in the alley I claimed her, killed for her. Because I knew deep that she had claimed me too. That in time she’d kill for me, in my name. Savage had the advantage in the beginning but it wouldn’t be eternal. She was his for a time but not forever. Cinn belonged to me and I to her. To be near her I became her guard, did my best to give her some semblance of a life since Savage sought to smother her. He swore he thought of her as a daughter, that he wanted a kid of his own. When he saw my want of her ran deep, that she felt the same, he kept her from me. He kept me from her. She did not appreciate this and began to act out. She was so intent on killing him that he hid weapons and utensils because if given the chance, she’d kill every male in his den to get to me. Seven of his men died the first week of our separation. When he realized how powerful she’d become, that most of his own men would choose her side over his, he switched tactics. Savage changed the terms of our agreement.

He did not keep his end.

At that time I was still new to the game and didn’t have the power to take him down alone.  I also wanted her to have no reason to hate me. Regardless of how fucked up it was, back then he could protect her better than I could. She was young and attached to him as a daughter would love and hate a father that abused her. Solidifying our futures would take time and bloodshed. Unfortunately, in that time while I suffered the loss of not having her, she was suffering unimaginable things. I was kept in the dark as to her abuse only finding out recently. This intel did not please me. I was promised she would be well taken care of. I had thought her safe, loved and untouched. She was none of these things. As much as it killed me to leave her with him, I had trusted the motherfucker to keep his word. When that didn’t happen, I decided not to keep mine either. All this time I waited for her to call me, but she never did. I decided that she was probably brainwashed or too afraid. Savage had that effect on people. But when the horror stories continued to pour in, I decided I was done waiting for her to call on me. To obtain her has taken years of strategy but it would finally pay off. Moving Savage and his men around, pitting them against each other and stealing his business was all for the greater good.

Cinn.

Word was
,
he kept her caged like a broken dove. He refused to let her fly, fuck, to let her breathe. He was too wrapped up in her to see she was miserable. She didn’t love him, at best I heard she found it difficult to tolerate him. He was too wrapped up in her to see his own downfall coming. A downfall he caused with his numerous attempts on my life, by giving her total control and by putting his hands on her.

Cinn ran his den and was a vicious leader. Everyone knew this, including Savage. Luckily for him, she stopped trying to outwardly kill him and focused on business. But he was making decisions she did not support and that put her in danger. In this game whoever had Cinn by their side had the advantage, now that man would be me. Believe me when I say men would burn cities to the ground to acquire her. Savage’s own poor choices, going against me, against Cinn’s advice, abusing her, put him where he is now. While I sip on my scotch and take him in, I note that he is still a dangerous enemy to have because he lost the ability to strategize. In this game, strategy was everything. These days Savage wasn’t strategic, he was just plain crazy. To make sure he doesn’t try and play me again, and to keep my promise to him I was going to use his problems to my advantage.

A month ago, some shit went down and it was all orchestrated by Cinn herself. My woman was tired of waiting and though I preferred Savage be dead and buried when I claimed her, she fast-tracked the process. This complicated things but it also slowed me down. For the last thirty days, I’ve successfully been taking his business apart piece by piece. I’ve also used sources, called in favors so it appeared his actions put her life in danger. Come to find out, she’d been doing the same.

There was only one way he’d let her go while he was breathing and that was if he feared he could no longer protect her. Motherfucker was a recluse these days and almost impossible to kill. But he was greedy in nature, evil by default and when lucid, smart as fuck. But he wasn’t smarter than her, she proved that by having The Greek axed by a pro. That same pro let me know in no uncertain terms that Cinn expected results, Cinn wanted to come home.
To me
. She was not calling me, she was telling me and I was listening.

It took a fucking month, but he was finally spooked enough to reach out to me. The bastard had to be the one to make the first move and he did, but that didn’t mean I trusted it.

“You asked me to protect her should anything happen to you,
”
I remind him of the words he spoke to me years ago while leaning back against the velvet chair I bought for my woman. It was imported and flawless, just like she was. “You want her protected but who’s going to protect you from me? I’m not easy to kill and I don’t like being lied to.
”
Leaning forward, I take delight in seeing him shook. He knows what’s coming, that he alone is to blame. “Give Cinn to me now and you live.”

“No,
”
he quakes. “Not yet.”

“I don’t think you heard me,
”
I say raising my voice for his men to hear. “You won’t last the month, Savage. I’m agreeing not to kill you right now, but that doesn’t negate the others. Your list of enemies is long and while you breathe, she’s in danger here. Give her to me and that won’t happen.”

“That deal was a setup and you fucking know it, Monarch,
”
he snarls.

“I won’t deny that,
”
I tell him remembering the terms and how he fucked me on all of them. Fucked both of us. “Let me be frank, give her to me and live today or I take her and you die today. She deserves a life, I can give her that.  You don’t need to be alive to see it.”

“I asked you to protect her not fucking steal her from me! This deal wasn’t permanent! It was until I got my shit under control. Besides, she never asked for you so I didn’t break a fucking thing!”

“Bullshit,
”
I bark. “You were to protect her from others! She had no one to protect her from you!
”
When he blanches I lean in and lower my voice for his ears only.  “You vowed to me she would be cherished and protected, you lied. You came to my home to cash in on a favor and you dare to disrespect me for honoring it? Cinn has always belonged to me, Savage. I’m coming for her, so have her ready. Renege again and you won’t die slowly.”

“When?
”
he asks valuing his own life like the coward he was. I know what he’s thinking, he’d hand her over then start a war over getting her back. He’s a fool for thinking he’s justified. He’s also a fool for thinking he or his men would survive it. 

“Tomorrow,
”
I lie. “I’ll send for her.”

Fear, worry and desperation make a play but he was able to dial it down. He knows to keep her alive she belongs with me but the thought of losing her terrifies him. Hell, leaving her five years ago about killed me so I understood his plight. But that didn’t mean I’d cut him any slack. Give this motherfucker an inch and he’d cut out your intestines. “She loves to read,
”
he says quietly. “Christ, she is so fucking smart. Men look at her and I can’t handle it. I’ve killed hundreds for her. I’d kill a hundred more. That’s why I couldn’t let her run free, I had to have her
…
She can defend herself but – ”

“I already know these things,
”
I tell him standing. I did know too. I made it a personal mission to know everything about her. She would have her library with books of her choosing,
hers
. She would wear designer everything, she would never have to defend herself and she would come to love the killer I’ve become. I would erase all traces of his evil that’s surrounded her
.
“The rest I will come to know when she tells me herself.”

Because with me she would be free.

“Tomorrow,
”
I tell him showing him out.

“She loves me,
”
he chokes out and that shocks me. Savage earned his name, I knew this to be true.  I’ve watched him kill men for even glancing at her, wishing it was my blade sinking deep. The fact that he can spew that shit with a straight face tells me he actually believes it
.
“She may not want to go,
”
he says hoping I’ll change my mind.

“She’ll go,
”
I tell him moving him through the door. “Until tomorrow.”

Like most men in power, Savage thought he was untouchable. By taking her in, touching her and confining her, he dug his own grave. Savage wanted her under his rule, he wanted to keep her hidden, owned.

I, on the other hand, wanted her to be my queen.

“You belong to me, Bean. You can spend your days staring at the door he won’t walk through or you can do what you were born to do and run this den. For his sake, I hope you choose wisely.
”
For weeks I did stare at the door hoping he’d come back. Then the weeks turned to months and months to years. Years Savage spent attempting to kill him. As long as he was alive, I would continue to stare at the door. Because if he was alive there was still a chance he’d walk back through.

Savage’s silence meant that he was about to drop a bomb. It also meant that I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. Since his decisions affected me he always made it a point to include me. Unless, of course, it was about Monarch. Then the bastard kept his crazy mouth shut. So when he reaches for the bottle of bourbon I knew that my life was about to change. The question was, for the better or the worse? Savage was a big guy, not bulky, more like a lumberjack with control issues and a machine gun. At least he had been until he was shot in each leg two years ago. Contrary to my hatred of him, he actually used to be a handsome man. Granted, it wasn’t his face I saw when he fucked me, he wasn’t horrible to look at either. Since the injuries, the power plays have increased because even with physical therapy he was no longer operating at full capacity. He knew it, I knew it, the enemy knew it. Monarch knew it too. Because of this, he knew Monarch was coming. At least, I was hoping Monarch was coming. I was tired of defending us, especially when I hated the man I was protecting. But until I was free, Savage’s protection (what there was of it) was a necessary evil.

The problem was, at Savage’s weakest, Monarch did not come.

This toyed with me. Made me doubt myself. I was not built to doubt myself and thus caused me to act out. When I acted out, Savage did not handle it well. I tried stabbing him with a pencil, poisoning him with dish soap and electrocuting him with my straightening iron. All attempts were thwarted of course, but I got points for trying. He hasn’t tried to fuck me in two blessed years. He’s self-conscious now, hard on himself and in his opinion less attractive to me and he would be right. A woman wants a male like Braveheart or the mythical Zeus. She does not want a male that cannot walk for long periods of time or can’t get his dick up without pills. At least, I don’t want a male like that. He created this hate in me, this fucking hole. Since I was brought here, he was the only one allowed to touch me and live. Monarch snuck touches in while he was here but where he could hide his feelings for me, I could not. My feelings blazed from me and I knew it. So Savage took the man and his touches away. The only touch allowed since, was his own. Even when I grew to hate it I still craved it because without his touch, I was deprived of the privilege at all. But I loved touch, too much probably, so I settled for him doing it because I knew something was better than nothing. He hasn’t touched me intimately in ages and for every day he denied me, his obsession was magnified in violent ways. I swear I could feel it trying to suck the life out of me and succeeding.

Earlier tonight he had a meeting I wasn’t invited to because it was away from the den. That pissed me off because I needed to breathe and wasn’t allowed. For me to be left behind meant he was going to see Monarch, the man I would give anything to see again but if Savage had his way would forever be denied. I was a prisoner, a spoiled one, but a prisoner all the same. However, he knew from the first day in that alley that I gave Monarch my heart. Even at thirteen, I knew I did. So to punish me, he’d given me all the things I’d never asked for yet denied me the one thing I’ve ever wanted.

I fucking hated him the most for that.

Savage wasn’t just a nut job, he was also a fucking sociopath too but, I digress. My point is, in his warped mind he thinks because Monarch has been out of my reach all these years that the flame was snuffed out. He was convinced I’d stay by his side in life and in death. He was wrong but he was too sure of himself to see it. This would be his gravest mistake. You do not stick a snake in a vase and poke it with sticks. Because when that snake gets free, it will strike.

I’ve made Savage into the man he is today and I did not take kindly to his sneaking around. I was tired of him telling me what’s best for me, what to eat, how to dress and losing his mind if I broke a nail. The man who spun me in cotton yet would choke me if the madness struck. I wasn’t a pussy, I wasn’t fragile and I didn’t want to be sitting here next to him either. Being near him upsets me and he smelled like shit. I’m so close, so fucking close I can taste it. Freedom. Taking a hearty gulp, he closes his eyes and speaks. I do my best to pretend that I care and succeed because I’ve had years to perfect the skill.

“I know you love me,
”
he says carefully. For the last six months he’s been drunk more than sober and life was almost tolerable. Almost. “Everything I’ve done has been for you. I will always love you, Cinn and I need you to know that before I say any more.”

“I do know,
”
I tell him pouring myself two fingers. But that didn’t mean his love was healthy, because it wasn’t. His brand of love smothered me, confined me and doused my flame. I was meant to burn bright and maybe he’s finally figured out that I wasn’t burning at all.
Choke on the smoke cocksucker…

“Which is why it kills me to let you go.”

“Go?
”
I interrupt and almost orgasmed on the spot. Here I thought I’d have to slit his throat with a toothpick while he slept and he was letting me go?
Fuck yes!

“I am no longer able to protect you as I once did,
”
he sighs. “My enemies know that to harm you would destroy me. They know that taking me down would leave you vulnerable. My enemies,
our
enemies would fight me to the death for you. I’ll kill them all, Bean, I vow this but I can’t risk you getting hurt in the process. So I’m giving you to Monarch.”

Hot damn, it was really happening. But then the excitement died out when the word
giving
was used. Ah, so from one cage to another then, he thinks. Story of my life, my old one that is. “Am I allowed no say?”

“I value your input on everything, you know that,
”
he says painfully. “But not in this.”

“By giving me to your enemy am I be to be your enemy then?”

“Of course not,
”
he says quickly. “He and I have an understanding.
”
If he believed that he was even crazier than I thought he was.

“I told you to stop – ”

“Yes you did,
”
he sighs again. “Monarch is fully aware that you were opposed to my attempts on his life but we’re beyond that now. He can take care of you,
”
he insists. “My time is running out, I can’t leave you unprotected and that means letting you go.” He didn’t say it but the word
temporarily
hung in the air.

“You won’t survive without me.
”
This was a fact and we both knew it. Personally, I hoped he didn’t survive the day and I was present to see his collapse. I saved memory on my phone for the very occasion.

“No Bean,
”
he says quietly. “I won’t.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow,
”
he says staring into his glass. “He’s sending for you, tomorrow.”

“You promised –
”
I fake like a rare form of emotion is taking me over. Bringing his mouth to mine, I fight the gag and barely play it off.

“I promised I’d always take care of you and I have. Now I can’t but,
he
can.”

“You’re putting my life in his hands,
”
I whisper. “You didn’t even speak with me about it.”

“Monarch is a lot of things,
”
he says holding me tight, too tight. He was crushing me and as usual, did not care. “In my heart I know he’ll put you above all others. Fuck, it’s all he’s ever wanted. I have to hold up my end now—”

“What end?”

“Sir,
”
I hear from behind us. “Monarch and his men are here demanding Cinn.”

“Apparently he’s impatient as well,
”
he says, not letting me go and I was certain I was turning blue.

“Savage,
”
I whisper only because I couldn’t breathe. “Will I ever see you again?”
To kill you…

Moving away from me, he takes one look at me, hardens his features and says, “I have a feeling Monarch will not allow it, but never underestimate me, Bean.
”
Although I didn’t let it show, this made me the happiest woman in the world. Staring at the door like I’ve done every day for five years, he walked back through as promised and right then and there I could breathe again.

The next ten minutes that followed I quietly observed. From Monarch’s men moving my things, to Savage’s silence and to Monarch looking at me like I hung the fucking moon. Five years ago I would have told you that he hung the moon, but then he left me behind. He hadn’t wanted to and I knew that, however not a day passed when I didn’t look for him. Not a night went by that I didn’t cry out for him in my sleep. But he was here now and there was no way I was fucking this up. Looking him over from head to toe, I felt a rush between my legs. This was my Braveheart, my Zeus,
my male
. He’d matured, grown even larger. My God, his sinister vibe made me weak kneed. Monarch was the ultimate prize and he was finally here. Making a note to send Camo the best rifle money could buy, I decided to add an invite to dinner too. So when he looked at me and said, “Step,
”
I did as I was told. Walking out of the den with my hand in his, I hear Savage roar for me. In all my years with him I’d never heard anything like it and I’ve sat in on torture sessions. His pain was music to my ears.

Climbing into the blacked out Tahoe, I looked up and saw him in the window noting he looked feral. I may be leaving with Monarch today but once he went off the rails again, he’d want me back and I’d be ready. Until then, I placed my hands in my lap, looked straight ahead and smiled. I also prayed that my plan worked, that my life would take a turn for the better. Because if I was to become a prisoner a second time, I’d fucking open fire and take anyone nearby with me.

No one in the SUV spoke and this included Monarch. When we pulled into the garage of his compound, I took a deep breath wondering what happened next. If he thought I’d become his fuck toy, he was sadly mistaken. If he thought I’d become his bitch, he was crazy. I would be his equal, nothing less.

Then it registered that the truck ride only lasted a few minutes. All this time he lived so close and I didn’t know! Pure fucking anger almost had me asking him to turn around. All the bullshit Savage inflicted on me and I took it, I beat it, I survived it and yet my savior was down the God damn street? Climbing out, when he offers his hand, I take it. Once inside, the men flanking me move away and go to another room. I was feeling too many conflicting emotions to take in the beauty of my surroundings. I had questions, concerns and I wanted to hug him really bad. Moving us deeper into what I can only assume is a recreational area I turn to look at Monarch who had his hand rested on the small of my back. The space was filled with men, including the three that were just with me. From wall to wall they stood and they stared…at me. Not that I could blame them, I mean I can pass by a mirror and get stuck for hours staring at myself. However, this was intense, even for me. So while my body stood proud and regal, my eyes were asking,
uh what the fuck
? And then he answered me by taking a knee before me like he’d done years ago with each one of his men following suit. There was no sound save my beating heart.

“Welcome home,
”
he says kissing my inner wrist. “
My queen
.”