Motown Takedown (Motown Down Book 3) (8 page)

Savage showed at a street race because he wanted to get in on anything that could make his ass money. I’d been in on the car scene for a couple years now. Not once had he ever showed and for him to be here now meant there was more than one reason. A few hours later, a drunk Savage beat the living fuck out of someone and came over to me afterward. Taking his shirt off to wipe his face and hands, he deliberately turned his back to me showcasing the deep nail marks scored into his skin. His reason for being here was clear. It was to piss me off. It was to remind me of what I did not have.

“Nothing like a fist fight,
”
he grins. He may be a big motherfucker but I was bigger. He may be a strong bastard but I was stronger. He may have her but I’d be getting her back. His fucking days were numbered. “Cinn would have loved it had she been here.
”
At this I said nothing. But the prick wasn’t done, was never done. “Had ourselves a rough night. Girl gives as good as she gets. Play the game the way I need it played, one day you’ll wear her brands too. Fucking hellcat,
”
he laughs. “Loves every second of it.”

The beast in me knew, fucking knew, she didn’t love it. Those marks were Cinn fighting back. Those marks did not scream pleasure, they screamed pain. Those marks screamed for me to save her.

She fucking nodded at me.

And then she actually walked away. Waiting until she cleared my line of sight, I threw a chair into the wall before following her. Clearing the door, Ransom was there to block my path to her. “Move.”

“I don’t give advice often but since you two were screaming, I couldn’t not listen.”

“Move or be moved,
”
I warn him. Holding a hand up, he shakes his head then moves out of my way. Blowing past him, he says, “She was a victim, boss. She doesn’t even know she’s a victim. You trying to be a saint is blowing up in your face. Your woman wants to fuck, so fuck her.”

“I want her to see that I’m different.”

“She wants to know she’s wanted, she already knows you’re different.”

“Fuck,
”
I groan.

“That’s kinda the idea, yeah,
”
he says smiling. “She’s crying on the roof.”

“Crying? Fuck!
”
racing up the stairs and flying onto the roof there she was, fucking crying. She doesn’t hear me approach, but when she sees me she sniffles and turns away. “Cinn,
”
I start.

“I don’t know who I am here,
”
she says sadly. “I don’t understand slow, or courting. I understand fucking and business. I thought you knew that when you came for me.”

“Cinn, I haven’t spoken to you in five years. Shit, prior to that, you were a kid. I kept tabs on you but I don’t know you any more than you know me. Hell yes, I want to fuck you, and I will fuck you like I said, when you’re ready.”

“That makes no sense,
”
she mumbles then her shoulders fall. Taking up the space behind her, I rest my chin on her, and she lets me. “Do you remember when you asked Savage to let you go to school? What he said?”

“He said I was too smart for school, that he would teach me things no school ever could.”

“That’s not love, Cinn,
”
I remind her. “You were fifteen at the time; you wanted to learn, to make friends. He wanted you close; he monitored you, controlled you. He couldn’t risk you being taken away from him, so he took your choices from you. That included sex later on.”

“I know,
”
she whispers.

“Do you?
”
I counter.

“Yes.”

“I will always regret leaving you behind,
”
I tell her. “I’ll regret trusting him, and I’ll make his death a slow one for breaking his promise never to touch you sexually.”

“What?
”
she asks whipping around to face me. For the first time, I saw her face drain of color, and it killed me.

“That was part of the deal. He was never to let another male touch you; himself included.”

“Well you weren’t gone two hours before he broke
that
promise,
”
she mumbles.

“For a long time, I was assured he kept his word, Cinn. When I found out otherwise, a lot of people died.”

“When did you find out?”

“Two years ago,
”
I confess. “You had an out, and I kept waiting for you to use it. When you didn’t, I didn’t push. I knew you’d come to me when you were ready. Only he fucked us both by not telling you and then hiding you from me.”

“Why is getting you naked and inside of me so fucking difficult?
”
she groans looking up at the sky.

“I’m asking for your patience here, Cinn. I know you’re willing. I can fucking smell it, but you aren’t ready. I’m not using sex to control you, and you won’t be doing the same to me. When you are, you come to me,and I’ll take care of you, my way. Until then, what do you want to do next?
”
For several minutes, she was quiet. She did not speak; she did not move. I imagined her head was as fucked up as mine was, and I needed to give her time to work it out. Finally, she let a breath out and leaned into me.

Tilting her head up to look at me, she kisses my chin and asks, “Will you teach me how to drive?”

“Fuck yeah I will,
”
then standing up I extend my hand. “Come on, I’ve got something to show you.”

Giving me a real smile, not the sultry smile but the one that spoke of trust she took my hand and we headed back downstairs. Hooking a right, putting a code in I tell her, “Tomorrow I’ll set you up with your own codes so you can move about without me.”

Blinking first, she finally snaps out of it and smiles again. Taking the corridor between buildings when we get to the next door, I put my code in again and invite her into the garage. “Holy shit,
”
she says spinning around. “You said garage, Monarch. This isn’t a garage; it’s a showroom!”

Pleased by her reaction, I bring her over to the SUVs to see what she thinks. Cinn being Cinn kept looking over her shoulder at the sports cars so when I said, “Pick,
”
she froze up. “Which one speaks to you?
”
I ask her.

“All of them?
”
she smiles wickedly.

“Tomorrow we have our first lesson, today you pick a vehicle, and I’ll give you the basics.”

“That one,
”
she says running over to the Tesla S. “She arrived two weeks ago,
”
I laugh. “Open her up and sit inside.”

“She looks expensive,
”
she says running her slim fingers over the trim.

“She is,
”
I agree. “She’s also heavily insured.”

“Do you have a junker I can start out on?”

“My woman will never drive a junker,
”
I tell her opening the door. “Get in, Cinn.”

“I don’t know shit about cars, but I think I should start at the bottom and move my way up.”

“The cheapest car I have is the Tahoe, and it’s a lot of vehicle. This car is sexy, it’s you, now put your sweet ass inside.”

Sliding in, the leather supports her easily. Closing the door, I slide into the passenger seat and take the fob out from the cup holder and start her up. For the next hour, Cinn gave me her undivided attention and I knew she would remember everything I’ve said. The highlight was, “It’s one big computer, what happens if the computer goes bad?”

“If that ever happens I get you a new one,
”
I assure her.

“Monarch,
”
she says in the quiet of the car.

“Yes, Cinn?”

Letting out another deep breath she looks me in the eyes and says, “I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

“I want to drive,
”
I say when we’re alone. “I need to be able to handle business, and that means driving myself like everyone else does.”

“I put you in a car you’ll either run me over with it or run away in it,
”
he says handing me a drink. He was only partially right. I would run him over, and then I’d back it up and do it again. But given the chance to run away, I wouldn’t run far, I would just run to Monarch. Furious at being denied, I slam the contents of my glass then whip it at his head. It misses, of course, but only because he can judge my aim now. I needed to change my game. In my world, it never paid to be predictable.

“I’m going to drive,
”
I say staring him down. “One way or another I’ll be behind the wheel of a car.”

“Not while I’m alive, Bean,
”
he smirks.

“Challenge accepted.”

I loved driving! It didn’t matter that I was horrible at it or that Monarch turned green when I took corners. I fucking loved this car! I was positive with a few more lessons I’d be ready to drive without a passenger, but Monarch isn’t so sure. Actually, I wasn’t sure he’d be keeping breakfast down either but I was playing it by ear. So when the siren flares behind us, he swore under his breath and demanded I
let him handle it
.

Whatever.

When a second squad car shows up,I couldn’t help but laugh while he turned red. Monarch was very colorful today. “Relax,
”
I tell him patiently.

“You don’t have a fucking license, Cinn,
”
he points out. “Under the speed limit, I fucking said under the speed limit.”

“The speed limit is 35, Monarch, no one goes the speed limit except criminals.”

“We
are
criminals.
”
He all but yells and I couldn’t help it, I laughed even louder.

An officer takes each side of the car and mine taps on the window to get my attention. This vehicle was one big computer and confusing as fuck. “Where’s the window button?
”
I ask him while signaling the officer to wait by holding up a finger I’m positive he couldn’t see through the tint.

Reaching over and pushing it for me he leans in and whispers, “You are my queen but out here we’re civilians, act like one.”

Kissing him on the cheek, he growls before rolling his own window down. “License and registra–
”
the officer starts and recognition hits immediately. “Cinn is that you? Since when do you drive?”

Monarch mumbles
fucking figures,
but I was free, driving a car and
loving
it. No one was ruining this for me, especially not a city cop. “It’s my first time,
”
I say proudly. “Wait is that Begley over there?
”

Leaning in through Monarch’s window he dips his head in and happily says, “Hey Cinn.”

“I’m so glad you two pulled me over, it’s been forever, right? Are you two square or would you like me to send someone over and set you straight? Wait, was I speeding?”

“We’ll let you know on that,
”
he smiles. “But honey, you were doing sixty-five in a thirty-five.”

Hearing ‘honey’ Monarch shifts in his seat but stays silent otherwise. “I promise to keep it under fifty.”

“Okay, Cinn,
”
he says easily because there was no other answer I’d accept. “I’m going to say it was good to see you although, we didn’t see you. No one else will see you either if you follow…”

“Right,
”
I grin and then wave to both before flooring it, leaving them both in the street wearing matching smiles.

“Straight home,
”
he grates. But I didn’t go home, I went to Palmer Park. I hadn’t been here in an age and was pleased I still remembered how to get here. As a kid, to hide from my father, I stayed at the park with a book as long as possible. Pulling in, I only hit one garbage can and a curb parking, other than that it was flawless. “I said home, Cinn.”

“I’m pretty sure with your help I will be the best driver ever.
”
When he clenches his jaw, I smile even wider. “I told you to relax; you should do that now. At least your color’s coming back.”

“How the fuck did you know those cops?”

“Most owe me at least one favor and without sounding too conceited, I
am
unforgettable.”

“You mean they owe Savage a favor.”

“No, they owe me a favor. I liked doing favors;it helped pass the time.
”
I shrug
.
“Time was the one luxury I had in spades.”

“Like what?
”
he asks relaxing a bit.

“Begley loves coke and sporting events, the other guy, Marshall, he’s into dope and pills. Says he has a bad back but I call bullshit. No one liked dealing with Savage’s moods, so they dealt with me. Plus, I’m more fun to look at. Like I said, favors.”

“How many cops?”

“In Detroit or total?”

“Jesus,
”
he says redoing his man bun after pulling it out. “In Detroit, Cinn.”

“About eighty-five percent minus judges and city officials.”

“That’s how he’s stayed clean, isn’t it? Because you have them all in your pocket?”

“No,
”
I say confused. “It’s how
we’ve
stayed clean. Pope was supposed to keep you informed and judging by the look on your face I’d say he didn’t. I wasn’t playing both sides for fun, sweetheart. I did what I needed to do so I could be here with you right now.”

“Back the fuck up, that was you?”

“Is it so hard to believe that it was? Who else would have done it? How did you not know it was me? You know what, let’s just go home. Fuck.
”
Then he starts laughing at me. At me! “What is so fucking funny?
”
I demand.

“You were born to be my queen,
”
he says kissing my wrist.

“Damn straight,
”
I say with attitude then slam it in reverse and hit something which I hoped wasn’t a person.

“You’re lucky we’re rich,
”
he says shaking his head. “You just took out a picnic table.”

“Were there people on it?”

“No.”

“Then shut up.”

As promised, I kept my speed under fifty (forty-nine) and had to listen to his laughing the whole way home. He had the best laugh; I couldn’t get enough of it and twice I even joined in.