CHAPTER ONE

RAVENNA

I stared out the window, taking in the shitty view of the neighborhood we lived in. Like always, we would have to leave here again before we became a familiar face with the neighbors, although the chances of that happening were slim because the advantage of living in a shitty apartment were the neighbors that didn't give a fuck if their neighbor was a criminal or not. They didn't care if said neighbor kept late nights and only came home at the crack of dawn sometimes looking all bashed up.

I wasn't a criminal per se. I drove criminals, but sometimes you had to take a little beating here or there as a part of the job. The cops would probably label me a criminal, but who gave a fuck? Certainly not me. The cops had failed us at the time we needed them the most and I would be a fool to put my hope in them ever again.

My phone beeped in the pocket of my jeans and I fished it out. It was a message from Drake. He usually booked me the jobs.

Drake: 7 PM. Don't be late.

That was all the message held, but that was Drake. His message didn't usually give me any information, but I knew I was covered. That didn't mean I trusted him, but to an extent, we had each other's back. He knew I had a past, but he never questioned it. He just understood me. Turning away from the window, I found Nana wiping the coffee table. No matter how many times we moved and I told her, she always tried to put personal touches on the house we landed in.

One time when I had told her as much, she had just smiled before saying. "Wherever you are is where home is, Mio caro. Even though we're not in the nicest of places, I'll try to make things as homey as possible for you."

Since that day, I had stopped telling her to stop. "I have to be somewhere by seven tonight."

Like always, her face morphed into one of worry. "Are you going to be okay? When are you going to be back?"

She didn't know what I did, but she knew I did something that was on the other side of the law. "I'll be fine Nana. I don't know when I'll be back but I'll tell Drake to put a call in."

Nana scrunched her nose up in distaste. "You're still seeing that boy? I don't like him."

I chuckled, shoving my phone back into my pocket. "I've still got some time. Let's go bake something."

*****************

"Nice car," I said as I slid my hand Iverson the metallic gray car. "Looks classy. Where did you get this one?"

"The deal was not to talk about each other's business," Drake said with a smirk. He reached for me, peppering kisses along my neck. He bit my neck making a sharp sting singe through my neck. I elbowed him, breaking free of his embrace, making him burst into laughter. "How's Nana?"

"She doesn't like you," I say truthfully. "Anyway, she's fine. Where's Jacob? Isn't he supposed to be here?"

"He can't tonight. He's got his head between some girl's thighs doing all sort of wicked things to her." His smile grew dark. "Speakin' of which, when you get back tonight, I plan on fuckin' you on this car."

Even though desire rang through my body, I cocked my head to the side, smiling at him. "Oh you do, do you? What makes you think I'm letting you anywhere near my pussy tonight? I saw you with Alaina the other day when she was giving you head."

We weren't dating per se, but I was just trying to fuck with him. We both liked to fuck, so we did, but we weren't any sort of a couple. We were just business partners that happened to have sex with each other.

"We're not exclusive, but I could change that if only you agree. You want my cock all to yourself, then you gotta claim me, and I'll also have you all to myself." He smacked my ass as he passed by me.

I forced a smile. This was one of the reasons why I needed to cut Drake loose. Not from the business part of my life, but the intimate part. He was beginning to ask for things - things I couldn't give him. Sometimes that puts a strain on our relationship for days. Today was not one of those days because he came up behind me, pulling me flush against his body.

"I get it, Ray. I really do. We can't be together. For however long this thing continues between us, I would still want you in my life whether as a partner or a friend. You my bitch and I got your back. I won't let this ruin things for us."

I nodded. "Thanks. I got your back, too. I'm here for you, but I can't do commitment. If I could I would, because you're an amazing man."

He pulled away from me. "Yeah, yeah. Come on let's go study the plan. At least Jacob made himself useful somehow by comin' up with it. I sent it to the guys you drivin' today. It's time for you to study it and see if there are some loopholes. You the one driving after all. If we're quick, we can send the change to the guys."

"Sure. Let's go."

He opened the door that led to a stairs in the garage. After climbing three flights of stairs, we finally stopped in front of a door that opened to an apartment he shared with his brother, Jacob.

"Make yourself at home," he said taking off his, baring his muscular chest, deep chiseled eight packs, a mouth-watering V that disappeared into his sweats that hung low on his hips. He caught me staring at him and the corner of his mouth quirked into a smirk. The motherfucker was good looking and he knew it. What with his blonde hair and hazel eyes that looked like it was seeing into you and trying to find your deepest and darkest secrets. He could also fuck you into oblivion so girls were always falling at his feet. "Want a beer?" He asked jerking me out of my thoughts.

I dropped down on his couch. "Nah. I got a job."

"My bad." He went down a hallway and a few minutes later, he returned with a beer for him all and what I assumed was the plan in his other hand. I massaged my left wrist. It was time for studying so the plan didn't go to shit.