Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
ZAVIER
“ I ’m surprised they haven’t killed each other,” Cruz laughed as we walked towards the front door at Ander’s later that night.
“Me too. They bicker, but not as badly as I expected,” I replied, unlocking the door and letting us inside.
The first thing I noticed was how quiet the house was. The second thing was that Raven and Ander were both snoozing on the couch snuggling.
“No wonder they haven’t killed each other. They’re fucking their fury away,” Cruz grinned from beside me. “Did you know they were bumping uglies?”
“They weren’t,” I said with confusion, moving closer and nudging Ander’s shoulder. His eyes flew open instantly, his body relaxing when he saw it was me.
“Shit, what time is it?” he mumbled, and I was pretty sure he didn’t even notice how his fingers stroked through Raven’s hair to make her go back to sleep when she stirred.
“Ten. You two have a good day?” I asked dryly, his mind seeming to catch up to the fact that Raven was asleep on his lap.
“Yes, actually. We’re best friends now.”
“I bet you are,” I deadpanned, wondering how the fuck that had even happened in the first place.
Raven shifted, blinking against the light as she woke up. “Zav?”
“Hey, baby. Cruz needs to steal Ander for a second.”
I sat beside them as she sat up a little, a frown tugging at her mouth when she realized she was sitting on Ander’s lap. “How long was I asleep?”
“Hours. I crashed too,” he mumbled, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear. He’d always loved her blue hair. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
She nodded, sleepily crawling onto my lap so Ander could stand, and I loved how she nuzzled into my neck as she got comfortable.
Cruz smirked but didn’t say anything, heading into the bedroom with Ander to install the new locks we’d brought over, and I wrapped my arms around Raven to kiss her forehead.
“What did you two get up to today to make you both fall asleep early? He wasn’t too rough, was he?” She tensed, and I felt bad for worrying her. “I’m not mad, but I wish I’d been here to see it. I want to know all about it.”
She let out a huff of amusement, peeking up at me shyly. “I think I need to wash his car.”
“You messed up the hood? I bet he made you squirt all over it. It’s kind of his thing,” I chuckled, a groan leaving her.
“It was embarrassing. I was so turned on I thought I was going to literally die.”
“What the hell made you so horny?”
Her eyes shifted away from me, her voice unsure. “Uh, does it make me a hypocrite for enjoying being in the car with Ander driving like a maniac to escape a tail?”
That made me scowl, and I sat up straighter. “You guys got followed today?”
“You didn’t know?”
“How would I know that?”
“You’ve been with Cruz,” she said as if that should answer my question, a sigh leaving her when I didn’t say anything. “Ander called him to be a lookout and find us a way home. He didn’t tell you?”
“Do I look like I was informed?” I huffed, taking her face in my hands. “You’re not hurt?”
“No. Ander got us home fast. It was an insane adrenaline rush,” she answered, and I couldn’t help but tease her.
“You got all hot and bothered over street racing speeds, then fucked him on his car? Raven, you naughty girl.”
She glanced towards the bedroom to make sure we were still alone before whispering, “He’s got piercings.”
“He does.”
“I came really fucking hard.”
“More than once, I hope,” I answered as I moved her to straddle me, nipping her neck. “Did he taste your pussy too?” Her breath hitched and she nodded, trembling slightly as I brought a hand to her throat and squeezed gently. She was so responsive, craving anything I’d give her, but since I knew how rough Ander could be, I knew she needed a rest tonight and not a threeway. “How about when Cruz leaves, I kiss your pussy better before bed?”
Her stomach growled loudly, and I glanced around for a sign that she’d eaten, but there weren’t any plates lying around.
“We came home, fucked, then crashed on the couch,” she offered as an explanation, but I was already carefully sliding her off my lap to the couch beside me, and getting to my feet to make her something.
She followed me, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she sat at the counter to watch me.
“He bought me shoes,” she said randomly, and I raised an eyebrow as I started making her a grilled cheese sandwich. She really needed something more nutritious, but at least she wouldn’t go to bed with an empty stomach.
“You let him hit it because he bought you shoes ?”
“No. I don’t know why I let him, it was a heat of the moment thing. It won’t be happening again,” she grumbled, seeming more awake. “Why did he buy me shoes though?”
“The poor guy just wants you to stop glaring at him,” I teased, knowing he was just trying to give her a peace offering. “There’s no agenda. He has money, you needed shoes. That’s it.”
She was quiet as she got lost in her thoughts while waiting for her grilled cheese to cook, and once I placed it in front of her, she spoke. “They’re nice shoes.”
“Where are they?”
“In his car. I forgot to get them out, I was too busy trying to remember why I hated him,” she chuckled.
“I’ll go and get them. Eat.”
I left her alone to eat, walking into the garage and letting out a snort at the scene in front of me. Clothes were scattered on the floor, there was dried cum on the hood, and the driver’s side door was still wide open.
I leaned inside to grab the shoe box, closing the door and snatching up their clothes on my way back inside.
The laundry basket was just inside the bedroom door, so I stepped in and dropped the clothes into it, giving Ander a smirk. “You need to wash your car, bro. My girlfriend’s cum is all over the hood.”
“I was considering leaving it there like a trophy,” he drawled, eyeing the shoe box a little warily. “Has she changed her mind about the shoes?”
I placed the box on the floor by her bags, shaking my head. “No. She likes them. Thank you. We’ve been trying to get her a new pair, but?—”
“It’s no big deal.”
“It is to me. You put shoes on her feet when I couldn’t. I really appreciate it,” I said honestly, wincing slightly. “But I don’t think it means you’ll be crashing in here with us tonight. She’s come to her senses and you’re the devil again.”
“I didn’t expect to sleep in here. Raven’s got big walls. Just because I knocked down a few bricks today, doesn’t mean the whole thing crumbled,” he replied quietly, and Cruz let out a sigh.
“Great, you want her too. Reid’s going to have a fucking heart attack when he finds out you dicked her on your car.”
“Reid can suck my dick. I didn’t force her, she’s a grown woman who can make her own choices. The fact that he told me today not to touch her means nothing to me,” he grunted, making me frown.
“You were with Reid?”
“Yeah. I hung out at Riley’s for most of today, other than when I ducked out to find the shoes.”
“And here I was thinking Raven gave you that bruise,” Cruz joked, motioning to the new lock on the window for me to look at. “All done. No one should get in without making a lot of noise, and no one can sneak out. I’ll go do the rest so you guys can call it a day.”
“Thanks, man.”
He saluted me and wandered out to do the other windows, and Ander ruffled my hair. “You know I’m going after your girl, right?”
“I figured. I know you wouldn’t physically hurt her, but make sure she’s what you want before putting the effort in. If you make her fall for you and then go back to Blake, I’ll kill you with my bare hands. I love you, but I love her more,” I warned, knowing how Blake fucked with his head.
“It’s over. I want Raven.”
“You mean you want to want her. I mean it, think about it first.”
His fascination with her wasn’t love, but I couldn’t lie and say something hadn’t been there since before he got with Blake.
He nodded, stepping out of the room to look at Raven, who was hunched over her food with fuck off vibes radiating from her. I knew Ander wouldn’t have coerced her or anything, so if she was having regrets, she couldn’t be mad at him about it.
Thankfully, Ander read her body language easily and left her alone, knowing their sleepy snuggles were now a thing of the past. She tensed when he walked past and into the kitchen for a drink, but he downed the glass and went to help Cruz with the window locks, giving her space.
“You ready for bed?” I asked her when I noticed her plate was empty.
She got to her feet and put the plate in the sink, looking over at Ander and Cruz before nodding. “Yeah. That sounds good. Rain check on eating my pussy?”
I flipped Cruz off when he chuckled, taking the blanket from her and tossing it on the couch before dropping my free arm around her shoulders.
“Yeah, baby. Rain check. Night, guys,” I stated, both of them saying good night as I steered Raven to the bedroom and shut the door behind us, more than happy to curl up under the covers and get some sleep.
Ander
“Cold shoulder?” Cruz asked as the bedroom door closed, locking me out for the night. I knew she wouldn’t fall at my feet after railing her, but a small part of me hoped she’d at least talk to me.
“Raven’s prickly,” I said as my explanation, turning my attention back to the task at hand. “How’s Penn? You guys still hot and heavy?”
“I swear it gets hotter and heavier every day,” he grinned. “Drake wants to celebrate our one year kidnapping anniversary in two months. She thinks it’s adorable, Stone and Knox think it’s weird.”
“You guys are fucking weird. Throw a party and ravish her, she’d love it,” I laughed, a pain starting in my chest at the thought of what I was doing a year ago. Getting with Blake, Reid’s crash, and then Riley’s crash. March had been a wild month, and it had altered my feelings about everyone around me.
I’d had zero intention of anyone meaning anything to me, I was just supposed to sell drugs and spy on the crews, but Riley became one of my best friends, which brought me closer to Reid and Logan. I fell for Blake, and then I created a bond with Zavier that I could never betray.
A year ago, I wasn’t a good person, but they’d saved me.
Now, I had to save them.
Cruz and I made quick work of the rest of the locks so he could leave, and once I was alone, I left a note on the table to say I’d be back later, then headed into the garage.
As much as I would’ve loved to have left the evidence of Raven’s pleasure on the hood, I needed to wash it off, so I climbed in and started the car, backing out of the garage, and driving towards Ashburn Valley.
I enjoyed driving at night, the roads quiet and a sense of peace in the air that you could never get during the day. It was the part I missed most about running the street races.
I wasn’t Turbo anymore, I was just Ander. I wasn’t sure which one was worse.
The car wash was quiet when I arrived, so I parked in a bay and climbed out, making sure to use cash and not card to avoid alerting Stefano to my whereabouts. He wasn’t stupid, he probably knew I was here somewhere, but the longer it took him to find me, the better.
Once I hosed the car down and bought a sponge from the machine, because fuck those rough brushes, I sprayed the car with the soap setting and got to work.
Spending quality time with my car was therapeutic, and I lost myself in cleaning it until a car rumbled into the bay next to mine. I didn’t look up as a car door slammed and footsteps walked towards me, but I knew exactly who it was.
I knew the sound of everyone’s cars.
“Not in the mood, Beckett,” I grunted, making her snort from behind me.
“I wasn’t in the mood to see you again, but you crawled back. Stay the fuck away from Raven and the guys,” she ordered, and I finally turned to face her. She was glaring daggers at me, her arms crossed and her Bloody Psychos jacket on.
“I heard you and Raven have become little besties. Do you braid each other’s hair and giggle about boys together?” I asked flatly, kind of hoping they did.
I wish I could be there to see her face when Raven told her I’d fucked her on the hood of the Supra.
“Oh yeah. We have best friend necklaces and everything,” she deadpanned, flicking her gaze to my car. “Bit late to be washing it, isn’t it?”
“I could say the same thing about you spying on me and showing up.”
“I spotted you on my way home from Devil’s Dungeon and thought I’d see what trouble you were causing.”
“Just wanted to wash my car, Donovan. It’s not that deep. Raven and Lopez went to bed, so I didn’t particularly want to wash it out front of the house and keep them awake,” I replied as I reached for the sponge, pausing when she drew her gun on me and aimed it at my head. “That’s not very polite.”
“Stop fucking around and tell me why you’re back. You have some kind of agenda, and I think whatever you’re up to is going to get people hurt,” she said in a low voice, stepping closer until my back was against the car. “What game are you playing?”
“I’m just minding my business and trying to wash the pussy juice off my car. You’re the one stalking me and waving a gun in my face,” I answered dryly, lifting my wet hand up and flicking water in her face. “I get it, you don’t trust me. You don’t have to remind me every goddamn second of the day.”
She scowled, pressing the barrel of her gun to my forehead. “Stay away from them.”
I smirked, managing to get my gun out from inside my jacket and under her chin before she noticed.
“You think you’re some tough bitch because of your name, but the Donovans aren’t the only big fish in the sea of criminals. One day, you’ll wave that thing at the wrong person, and they won’t give a shit about starting a war with the crews.”
She didn’t back down, I wasn’t expecting her to, but her eye twitched with annoyance as we stared each other down.
“You’re a nobody, Ander Lavaro. I’ve pulled your entire history apart. Middle school dropout, dead family, no criminal ties outside of local gangbangers. I know all about your chop shop business, the street races you hosted, the dodgy drug deals, and the rich prick parties you dragged Lopez to. Don’t act like you’re on the same level as me. You’re just a scared little bitch on the run from the mafia. I could hand you over, you know?”
I wasn’t surprised that she’d looked into my background, it was what I did when I was suspicious of someone.
The last thing I needed was her dragging me to Stefano and fucking up my plans to take him down though. Stefano wouldn’t be grateful, he’d just put a hit on her and everyone else for knowing about his shit in the first place.
“Good idea. Take me to him and make it obvious you know he’s got hits out for a bunch of people. Add yourself to the list,” I said calmly, her eyes narrowing.
“I could just kill you myself.”
“You could, but then your new bestie would hate you. I’m growing on her.”
“Don’t fucking touch her, Lavaro. She’s too good for you,” she growled, refusing to back down.
“You’re very judgy for someone who’s fucking their brother.”
“He’s adopted!” she hissed.
“And Raven’s an adult. She likes my hands on her,” I smirked, hearing a car in the distance. “Ahh. Sounds like Mommy’s coming.”
Irritation flashed across Beckett’s face, but she didn’t move, not even when Rory’s Maserati drove in and stopped in front of my car.
“What the fuck are you two doing?” she snapped as she climbed out and stalked towards us, the passenger door opening as Slash got out.
I sighed, giving Rory my attention. “Your psycho kid rolled up on me and waved a gun in my face. I was just washing my fucking car and minding my own business.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Rory snapped, apparently not liking me all over again too.
“Beckett,” Slash said sharply, not needing to say anything else to make her understand what he wanted. She hesitated before lowering her gun, and I wasn’t dumb enough to keep mine aimed at her, so I lowered mine too.
“I don’t appreciate calls this late from Stone giving me a heads-up that you two are having a public standoff. This isn’t how we handle shit,” Rory bit out.
Beckett looked so much like her, apart from the fact that Rory was covered in tattoos from the neck down and her eyes were blue. It was a little freaky.
“There’s nothing that needs handling,” I explained, motioning to Beckett. “She literally just showed up and threatened me.”
“What are you doing in Ashburn so late?” she asked, and I pointed to the car like she was blind.
“Uh, washing my fucking car. It’s a car wash. You guys have been in the crime business too long, you’re paranoid. I wasn’t ready for sleep, and my car needed a wash. Instead of being an inconsiderate prick and keeping Raven and Lopez awake, I brought the car here. I’m not the bad guy.”
Beckett rolled her eyes, and it was on the tip of my tongue to call her out, but it wasn’t worth pissing her off again.
Slash moved forward, running his eyes over my car. “You weren’t out racing or anything?”
“No. I don’t race anymore. It almost killed two of the most important people in my life,” I said firmly, but Beckett snorted.
“You don’t give a fuck about?—”
“I never claimed to be a saint, Beckett, but your sister means more to me than almost anyone. I had no one in my corner when I met her, but she showed me loyalty and friendship like no one had before. I see her as family, and I’ll protect her like my own flesh and blood. You don’t have to fucking like me, but I don’t fuck around with her safety. Not anymore,” I growled, grabbing the sponge and hose to get back to cleaning my car.
“Good to hear it,” Slash muttered, still looking at me like I was the devil, but at least he had less murder in his eyes. “You worked closely with Stefano, right?”
“I sold drugs for him, and he checked in regularly to keep tabs on me, yes,” I answered as I scrubbed.
“You’re not some secret spy for him?”
“No. He tried to hurt Raven and Zavier, so the fucker’s going to die,” I said bitterly, looking over at him. “I’m taking him down and hoping Dante takes over. He’s not so damn cold like his father, and he has good business smarts.”
“Stefano was probably less cold at Dante’s age too. The industry turns you that way over the years. No one’s born a cold-blooded killer, you become one,” Rory said flatly.
“No one touches Dante,” I barked, not wanting him to get dragged into this mess all because his father was a prick. “We can’t choose our families.”
“We can. If Dante chooses his father?—”
“Dante hates the prick and wants him dead, but then he’ll be labeled a traitor. I can deal with Stefano so Dante is free to step up as head of the family. I’ve got it all planned out, I just need to set up a time when I have better eyes on him.”
Slash nodded slowly, seeming to think about it for a moment. “Let’s say you successfully take down the head of the mafia. Then what?”
“Then Dante takes his place and everything goes back to normal. Taking down an organization from the inside out isn’t a quick thing to achieve. It’s not like I can have daily meetings with Dante to figure it out or we’d get busted. I just have to keep Zav and Raven safe long enough to put the plan into motion,” I explained, relieved when everyone seemed to take a step back and calm down more.
“You’re plotting with his son to take him down?” Rory asked, waiting for me to nod before turning to Beckett. “This is why we don’t kill people who annoy us. They come in handy sometimes.”
“Fucking hypocrite,” Slash muttered under his breath, wheezing as Rory elbowed him in the side. “Damn, Killer. Keep your boney little elbows to yourself. I’m your boss.”
“Sure you are,” she scoffed, shooing Beckett. “You, go home.”
“Seriously? Raven’s staying with him. She—” Beckett didn’t get to finish.
“I’m aware. Diesel gave him the third degree this morning when he dropped her off at the house. He knows he’s dead if anything happens to her.”
I was a little happy that he’d threatened me too. Raven needed a father figure who wasn’t a piece of shit, and she seemed to like him.
Beckett flipped me off like a brat and stalked off to her Mustang, leaving without another word, and Slash lifted his chin at me. “If shit’s going down, you fucking call us. You’d better stay true to your word, or the mafia will be the least of your problems. Clear?”
“Clear,” I confirmed. “Can I get back to washing my car now? I would like to get home to bed at some point.”
Rory eyed me silently as I finished scrubbing and started hosing the suds off, only speaking when I turned to acknowledge they were still there.
“Diesel likes you, which is the only reason I showed up to save you tonight. Don’t fuck that up.”
I scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “Save me? You think I’m threatened by your daughter?”
“No. I think you’re not and you’d gun her down if you needed to. I was saving you from the repercussions of that,” she said coldly, walking back to her car with Slash following behind her.
I ignored them as they sat there for a few minutes, obviously trying to unnerve me or something, but I was more than happy for them to waste their time watching me wash my car.
When I climbed behind the wheel and started the engine, they waited to make sure I turned in the direction of the Heights before leaving and heading home themselves, making me roll my eyes.
I was hardly a threat to them unless they turned me into one, and going to war with the crews wasn’t on my bingo card today.
The drive home was uneventful, and I tried hard to be as quiet as possible as I parked in the garage and put the door down, stepping inside the silent house.
I stripped down to my boxers and got comfortable on the couch, wrapping the blanket around me and rearranging the pillow until it felt right. I missed my bed, but I wasn’t going to fuck up the progress I’d made with Raven by trying to climb into it while she was asleep.
I closed my eyes and listened when I heard soft footsteps, the bedroom door creaking open a moment later. Once Raven or Zavier had checked to make sure it was me, they shut the door again and got back into bed.
Sleep finally dragged me under as I dreamed about Raven’s hot pussy strangling my cock, and I hoped like hell that she’d let me bend her over my damn car again.