Motown Takedown (Motown Down Book 3) (30 page)

“Snap out of it,
”
I warn him when I saw the men’s eyes on him.

“I cannot stand seeing her hurt,
”
he says moving the hair from her cheek. “Was bringing her here a mistake?”

“Does it matter?
”
I counter. “It’s done, she’s here and she’s our responsibility. What happened today cannot happen again and you need to set the precedence.”

Standing to his full height, he focused long enough to have the traitor brought in and gutted ten feet from where she slept. The now dead son-of-a-bitch couldn’t keep his hands to himself, had thought she was community property. Savage proved him wrong. He also set the precedence and followed through with punishment from that day forward. Little did I know, he’d be the worst of the lot and that I would follow in his footsteps.

Cinn was curled in a ball on our bed looking fragile and lost. There was blood on her and the bedding, yet I couldn’t do anything but stare at her lying there motionless. The medicine Kandace gave her worked well, too well. She was stoned and staring out into nothing. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I allowed Ares out of exile to come and sit with his momma. This time he was careful, no doubt, sensing she was in pain. Curled up by her head he whimpers until she reaches her good arm back and pulls him close.

“Love you, Ares,
”
she coos. “Not your fault, never your fault.”

“She’s right, mutt,
”
I add to the cooing. “It was her fault for being stupid enough to stand in front of the asshole that deserved your teeth.”

“Who pissed in your coffee today?”

“That dog could have taken your arm off,
”
I growl.

“Meh, it’s a scratch,
”
she says waving me off.

“Look at me, Cinn.
”
Slowly moving her head up, she cracks an eye open to let me know she’s looking. “I don’t want to ruin you,
”
I confess albeit reluctantly. “I don’t want you to hate me, either. I’ll concede to karaoke as long as I go with you.”

“Mighty big of you,
”
she rolls her eyes.

“I’m
trying
.”

“No,
”
she scoffs. “You’re ordering but…the idea of you joining the group doesn’t suck so…”

“You’re not a cunt.”

“No shit,
”
she says with pure sass then her eye locks on my hands and she lets out a puff of air. “What happened to your hands?”

“Got rid of Ransom.”

“You killed him?”

“Should have,
”
I admit and had time permitted I would have. “But no, I beat the holy fuck out of him before I kicked his ass off our property.”

“Because?”

“He let Camo in here without my permission for one. And two, he had his hands on my God damn woman.”

“So where’s he going to go?”

“Don’t care,
”
I shrug.

“Um... don’t you think you should? Considering he knows all our secrets and could join the enemy! I’d bet my truck he hooks up with Casper.”

“He does that and makes trouble for us, he dies for it.”

I’ll admit Cinn wasn’t busted up over beating his ass. She was pissed he could turn into a problem. My final warnings to him made it clear what would happen should I see him again. Since she arrived, I’ve watched him defend her. Then listen as he tried giving me advice. My gut told me he was playing with us but I couldn’t prove it until earlier today. From my office I saw him smile when he let Camo inside our walls and the final straw was him touching her with ownership. In that moment when he felt my wrath he sought to protect her from
me
. He also saw my fucking woman butt ass naked and I saw the lust he failed to hide. So I had no problem letting Ares make a meal of him until Cinn put herself in the way.

Which
was
fucking stupid. They die for
her
, not her for
them
.

“Eros,
”
she says stretching out which pushed her tits in the air, which made my dick hard and the timing completely sucked. “I don’t want this between us.”

“What? Clothes?
”
Because I could be naked in less than three seconds
…

“No,
”
she smiles beautifully. “Distance.”

“I’m right here, Mo chuisle.”

“I wish that were true,
”
she sighs using one hand to rub her eyes. “I wish I was a true queen, not the one you keep hidden.”

“You aren’t hidden.”

“Feels like it,
”
she huffs. “I can be useful. I
am
useful. I can protect myself,
you
can protect me, hell even Ares can protect me. But I can’t stay cooped anymore I just fucking
can’t
…
”
Shit, she was having a meltdown. Crawling into bed, I force Ares to scoot and make room for me. Kissing her once, twice and looking in her eyes, I see her distress as much as I feel it. “Cinn, understand me. I can’t lose you.”

“I could get struck by lightning, drown in the pool, or break my neck in the shower! Dammit Monarch I’m begging you to let me
breathe
!”

“Shh,
”
I try comforting her because whatever the doc shot in her veins had her really fucking spaced.

“Don’t
shh
me! I’m either by your fucking side or I’m not. Decide.”

“Cinn…”

“Decide, now God dammit!
”
she says swinging her arm then crying out in pain. “Ow,
”
she whimpers into my chest. “I’m a fighter, it’s all I know. Don’t take that away from me.”

“You’re killing me, Cinn.”

“If you take it away you’ll lose me too, Eros.”

“We’ll figure something out,
”
I lie.

“Promise?”

“Yeah.
”
No.

“Mmkay, then we start with karaoke,
”
she sniffles then snuggles deep into me and passes out. With her breath on my chest and Ares’ head on my stomach, I couldn’t help but doze for a bit myself. However, it was the phone call from Pookie at three twenty am letting me know four men attempted to break in that woke me. Bringing the fight to our doorstep would give me the advantage and save me the drive. So moving Ares close to Cinn, I dressed and strode to the garage bay where they were being held. They wanted inside, they’d succeeded but they wouldn’t be leaving.

My queen lived behind these walls.

Intruders would not be tolerated.

“You boys want drugs, you see me,
”
I made this clear by tapping my foot. “You do not hit up frat houses and do their drugs. College kids cannot be trusted. Repeat that.”

As a group they did and when I saw my lesson resonated, I took the bite out of my voice. “Surviving out here is not about luck. It’s about who you know, who you know to stay the fuck away from and loyalty. You did the right thing calling me tonight and Gunner is going to see you home. See you soon.”

Only I wouldn’t see them again for quite some time. This was because Savage didn’t appreciate me sneaking out to help my boys. Leaving the den without permission sent him off the rezzie and put me in intensive care for close to a week.

Two things woke me. Monarch getting out of bed to dress and leave, followed by pain. Careful to let Ares sleep, I dressed and went into the kitchen to pop the ibuprofen Kandace left for me. Once I gagged the pill down, I searched inside for Monarch and came up dry. Peeking out back didn’t produce either. Punching my code in, I went from garage to garage until I heard voices. Putting my code in that panel, the door opens and all eyes swing to me but it was his I focused on what he was doing or, rather who he was pointing a gun at.

“Seriously?
”
I ask throwing one hand up.

“Glad you’re here,
”
he says tagging my neck. “How’s the arm?”

“I could hit you with it and only scream a little if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Cinn…”

“Sore, but fine.”

“Good,
”
he says kissing me and facing our company. “You know these fools?”

Turning to the crowd, I finger wave at Pookie and immediately groan at the four dipshits pissing themselves in the corner. Facing Monarch, I concede, “This may be my fault.”

“You tell ‘em to break in?”

“Of course not!”

“Then it’s not your fault,
”
he says easily. “Who are they, why are they here, and how do they know you?”

“Boys,
”
I say stepping forward. “Explain this to Monarch.”

“Rather not,
”
Jones says grinding his jaw.

“I ain’t sayin
’
shit,
”
this from Pillbox (his street name, I had zero part in it)

“Sam?
”
I ask.

“Nope,
”
he says turning away. “Didn’t come here for him, came here for you.”

“Last chance,
”
I offer Dopey. “Tell Monarch what he wants to hear and while you’re at it, fill me in too.”

The other three gave him the eye but Dopey knew an opportunity when he saw one. His nickname may be stupid, but he wasn’t. Stepping forward he looks him straight in the eyes and lays it out. “Cinn told us to find her if we found trouble. Went to the den first but that shit’s burnt to the ground. Asked around, heard she was here. Couldn’t get in so we decided to break in. We need Cinn’s help or we won’t see tomorrow morning.”

“It’s morning now,
”
Monarch points out then holds his hand up. “Cinn, you claiming these boys?”

“I am.”

“Pookie,
”
he says motioning him over. “Find out their talents and put them to work. They sleep in the garage loft until we figure shit out.
”
Nodding, he moves toward the boys but I beat him there.

“Someone threatening you?
”
I ask privately.

“Casper,
”
Pillbox mumbles. “Asked us to kill you and shit. Told him no fucking way.”

“Then he said if we don’t we’ll be dead by morning,
”
Jones growls. “Punk motherfucker ‘spects us to kill him and take you. You know we steal shit but it ain’t you,
”
he says staring hard at me. “Ain’t never gun be you neither.”

But it was Silent Sam (or Sam the Silent, depending on who’s talking) who shocked me because he usually has the least to say. “Demo’s up in that bitch, you know that?”

“I knew that,
”
I admit when Monarch flanks my left with Pookie on my right.

“Then you should also know he’s telling Casper shit. Private shit, shit that’ll getchu taken away from the guy you waited to be with. Now you got that prick Ransom up in that bitch too. Came here to warn you ‘bout that and ask for protection.
”
Looking at Monarch he does the man thing and sticks his hand out which for a street kid meant something. “Your old lady kept us alive on the streets, taught us shit. She’s like a mom or somethin’.”

“Yeah, a hot mom,
”
Pillbox laughs.

“Shut your fuckin
’
mouth,
”
he orders him and I was surprised when he does.

“Like I was sayin’, we have skills. We can make shit happen ‘cuz no one ‘spects us. So I’m speaking for all of us when I say we’d die for Cinn and ‘ppreciate you letting us stay. You got work, now you got four bodies to do that work.”

“You told them about me?
”
Monarch asks securing my waist not hearing anything else.

“Yeah,
”
I whisper.

To the boys he booms, “Sleep, you’re safe here. Tomorrow I got shit for you to do. Pookie will grab you about eight am and bring you inside. My woman needs some sleep, you boys good with that?”

In unison they all agreed. “Good,
”
he says taking my hand. “Until tomorrow.”

As for me I couldn’t stop grinning. My man had a soft spot for dogs
and
kids.