Chapter 21 Choyce Mancinelli #2
I needed help, but the person I needed to help me was nowhere to be found.
Honor stopped answering my calls after he cursed me out.
I tried texting, and every message showed up green.
Honor was the fucking problem and the solution, and the nigga thought it best to freeze me out.
I was pissed, but at the same time, I couldn't blame him.
Lucian has been playing mind games with him for what seemed like forever.
If I were Honor, I'd want out, too, but how he was going about it was all wrong.
"Cherish, come into the kitchen, please," I called out, and after a few minutes, Cherish came strutting into the kitchen with her iPad in hand.
"Yes, Mommy," she answered, climbing onto one of the stools.
"I need to use your iPad for a second."
"Okay."
She passed it over, and I immediately opened the messaging app. From my phone, I got Honor's number, typed it in, and sent a message.
Cherish@
Blocking me is childish asf. This is about business. Lucian came to visit me.
Hitting send, I waited to see if he'd reply.
"Are you hungry, baby?" I asked, seeing that it was close to Cherish's lunchtime.
"Yes, but Daddy said he was coming to take me to lunch."
"Oh yeah? When did you speak to your father?"
After Lucian left, Talon was the first person I called.
If anyone needed to know Cherish's life was in danger, it was him.
Every call went unanswered. The one text I sent about Lucian's comment, about his mouth being filled with sperm, sat unread.
Everyone had something more important to handle.
Someone else they needed to worry about while I was left to clean up a mess that wasn't even mine.
"This morning," she answered.
"Do you know what time he's coming?"
"He texted before you called me in and told me to get dressed."
"That means he's close. Go upstairs and find something in your closet to wear."
"Okay." Cherish jumped down from the stool, then paused. "Can I have my iPad?"
"Not yet. I still need it, but when you come back down, I'll be done."
She took off out of the kitchen, and I looked back at the empty message thread with Honor.
Cherish@
He threatened to kill Cherish, Honor. She's a child.
A few moments ticked by, and still nothing came through except a text from Talon. I rolled my eyes and told him to come inside, then started a new thread and added Chosyn's number.
Cherish@
Hey! My name is Cherish. My mommy said you're my aunt.
I sent the text and immediately felt foolish for having to go to such lengths just to talk to my sister. The iPad chimed twice. The first message was Chosyn.
347-296-3487
Hey, Cherish. It's nice to meet you. My name is Chosyn. Did your mother give you my number?
I read the text, but the second one really caught my attention.
Honor
Blocking you was necessary. Meet me by Grove Towers later tonight. I'll text you a time.
"You got this nigga messaging you from my daughter's iPad?" Talon barked.
My eyes shot up.
"Nice to know you can creep into a house undetected. You must get that from your father." I scoffed.
"I didn't creep into shit. I have a key."
"Then shit, it's nice to know you still know how to use it," I fussed.
Thinking that was the end of it, I picked up the iPad and started out of the kitchen, but Talon grabbed my arm, yanking me into him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
I glared at his hand on my arm, then stared him down with the same disgust I felt in my heart.
"Why is that nigga texting my daughter's iPad Choyce and don't make me ask you again?" His voice dropped into a low growl.
"Is that lion cub ass growl supposed to scare me?" I rumbled with laughter, then yanked my arm from his grasp. "I don't need you anymore."
"Because you have him?" Talon's chin jutted toward the iPad, but the grimace on his face stayed with me.
"This has nothing to do with Honor and every fucking thing to do with you."
My hands trembled as every emotion I've felt since Lucian's visit came rushing back.
"You don't get to ignore me for days, then come in here demanding answers like you weren't out swallowing nut and gargling balls."
"I don't swallow," he seethed, stepping into my face.
A crude smirk formed on my lips. "But you gargle balls?"
Talon slammed his hand against the island. "I don't do none of that shit, is what I'm telling you."
I laughed, tossing my head back so he knew just how hilarious I found his little tough guy act.
"Yeah, okay, Talon. Get the fuck out my face." I jabbed my finger into his forehead, knocking his head back, then slipped around him and walked out of the kitchen.
I didn't need to look over my shoulder to know he was following me down the hall like a shadow.
"Talon, I'm telling you now," I dryly said. "I'm not in the mood."
I tossed Cherish's iPad onto the couch and turned to face him.
"Talon—"
He shoved me against the wall, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs. His hand firmly closed around my neck as his thumb pressed beneath my jaw.
"Not until you tell me why Honor has my daughter's contact information."
"Talon, I can't—" it came out muffled as I forced out what little air I had left.
He leaned in, close enough for his breath to brush my skin.
"I don't give a fuck. This the kind of shit you like, right? You love for a man to get rough and act like he ain't got no fucking sense. That's why you like Honor, huh?"
Spit flew as he shoved me forward, then slammed me back against the wall.
"Fuck you want from me, Choyce? You want me to be like him? I can't! Just like I can't be like my father. I'm nothing like him, and he hates that shit."
Talon's words came fast, reckless, spiraling.
"Yeah, you want me to be like him. I can tell 'cause you have that spark in your eye.
Is that why you got the nigga on my daughter's iPad?
" His eyes were wild and unfocused. "You want him to be her daddy?
Honor will never be her fucking daddy! Do you hear me, bitch?
Cherish will never be Honor's daughter!"
Pain screamed loudly throughout my body, only to be drowned out by the truth settling in my chest. This wasn't Talon glaring down at me. Not the man who'd laid his head in my lap while mourning the loss of his lovers.
"Choyce," he muttered in a broken voice, "please don't take her from me. Cherish is all I have."
His hand fell from my neck as his shoulders started to shake.
"Choyce!" His hand banged against the wall with a muted thud. Tears streaked down his face.
"Talon, you can't take my daughter. Not… not like this," I stammered, realizing what was wrong.
His pupils were blown wide, swallowing the brown I knew too well. My stomach sank.
"I'm… I'm good," he insisted. "I popped a pill or two a few hours ago. That high flew away already."
"Talon, I don't think it's safe for you—"
"Why don't you want me to take her?" he snapped, panic overtaking his tone. "You think I'ma leave her here so y'all can play house with my daughter?"
I wanted to be understanding toward Talon, but he was pushing me over the edge, making this about Honor.
"Choyce!" he gritted.
"You can't take her because your father fucking threatened her life and you're in no shape to keep her safe," I blurted, wishing it would've come out differently.
"Wha…what? He did what?"
Talon lurched over, falling to his knees as Cherish rounded the corner.
"Daddy!" she squealed, running toward him until her eyes landed on his broken expression. "What's wrong?"
I stepped in quickly, forcing a laugh, trying to keep the truth from her.
"Talon, get up and stop joking around," I stated, brushing off the moment as best as I could.
"I'm sorry, baby girl," Talon said with a sluggish laugh. "Your momma told the funniest joke."
"How funny?" Cherish grinned, her eyes bright.
"Funny enough to knock me to my knees."
"But you were crying," she noted, watching him closely as he pushed himself up.
"That's how funny it was," Talon played along, winking. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yup!" Cherish answered.
"Talon, I said you couldn't—"
A series of loud knocks at our front door cut me short. Talon and I shared a look as he scooped Cherish and moved behind me.
"Go upstairs," I told him sternly when I really wanted to smack the bitch out of him.
"Come on, Cherish," Talon instructed, ushering her out of the living room.
The second they were out of sight, I crouched in front of the sofa and reached underneath, grabbing the gun I had taped to the frame.
I started for the door, then doubled back, snatching my phone off the kitchen counter.
My fingers flew as I typed a 911 text to Kage before slipping my phone into my pocket.
I moved toward the door. My fingers wrapped around the knob, and instead of looking out the peephole, I swung the door open, gun aimed and ready to kill if necessary.
"The fuck are you doing here?" I asked Navy.
"We came to talk."
"We?" I frowned, seeing only her until some bitch with blonde braids slid out from the side.
"Who are—"
"Your worst nightmare," she snipped, grabbing my wrist and bending it with precision.
Gritting my teeth, I dropped the gun.
"Sorry about that." She smirked, eyes glinting like she was enjoying every second. "I just wanted to level the playing field."
"Level the playing field for what?" I frowned. "Y'all came to my home, banging on the door like you wanted war."
She emptied the clip without breaking eye contact, scattered the bullets into the bushes, then casually tossed the gun.
I locked eyes with Navy, wanting her and her crazy ass friend away from my home. "Why are you here?"
"I want answers," she asserted.
I've only heard Navy talk a handful of times since she wasn't close to her father or brother, but never did she sound like this… like him.
"And I want my husband not to love dick, but we can't always get what we want," I snapped sarcastically.
Heat flared in my chest, a mix of anger and disbelief. Today had already been one hell of a day, and somehow it kept finding new ways to get worse.
The audacity of this bitch.
Inwardly, I sneered, taking Navy in freely. How dare she show up at my house demanding answers, so calm and certain, like she knew I'd tell her what she wanted to hear? My instincts screamed to swing first and take my anger out on her, but beneath that urge was fear.
Navy wasn't just some woman having a weird coming to you as a woman moment.
No, she was the daughter of a man who threatened to kill my daughter forty-eight hours ago and the girlfriend of the man who has threatened to kill me multiple times.
I couldn't let pride and anger fuel my decision because, as good as whooping her ass would feel, the consequences would be worse.
"Any questions you have, ask your man, not me," I responded and went to close the door, but she planted her foot in the frame, daring me to push back.
"Choyce." Navy's gaze dropped, and an unsettling, humorless laugh came out. "I'm really trying to be on my best behavior and do this the nice way. Now you can either let me in, or I can force my way into this house."
"Bit—"
"Aht-aht!" Her eyes locked on mine, and in them wasn't the natural sparkle I was used to seeing. They weren't dark either, just subtly lifeless like she was teetering on the edge of letting her emotions get the best of her and not feeling at all.
"I gave you two options and neither of them consisted of you calling me out my name, but I'll ask again. Either let me in or I'm going to force—"
"Hey sis, come on in."
I was so focused on the sudden harshness of her voice that I didn't hear Talon approach until it was too late. He reached over me, grabbed the door, and forced it open. I started angling my body to keep her from coming in, but then I heard Cherish.
"Auntie!" Her little self pushed past me and leaped into Navy's arms.
Watching their interaction, I crossed my arms over my chest to keep from yanking my daughter back.
"Hey, sweetheart, where are you going dressed all pretty?" Navy questioned.
"With Daddy to see Nonno."
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Talon, I already told you that—"
"It'll be fine. I got her." The corners of Talon's mouth tipped upward, making my skin crawl. "Navy, what are you doing here?"
Navy eyed Talon strangely, then shot a glance toward me before answering her brother. "I came to talk to Choyce. Take care of my niece."
"I will. Come on, Cherish."
Navy kissed the top of Cherish's head, then ushered her over to me. I wrapped my daughter so tight in my arms to the point I was willing to make my husband pry her out of my arms if he wanted her to go.
"Mommy, too tight," Cherish giggled.
I reluctantly let her go, then zipped up her jacket.
"Be safe, okay, sweetheart. I'll be by to get you a little later."
"No need, she's spending time with me," Talon interjected as he grabbed Cherish's hand.
"Like I said, I'll be over to get you later."
Talon glared at me, mumbling something under his breath. I let whatever he said go and watched him closely as he helped Cherish into the car.
"He's a good father," Navy noted, and I rolled my eyes.
Before today, I would've agreed, but it made no sense why Talon would bring Cherish to see Lucian after what I told him.
Talon slammed the back door, flashed me a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and hopped into the driver's seat. My stomach churned, and my heart sank to the pits of hell.
"Talon!" I yelled, rushing off my doorstep to stop him from leaving.
Before I could reach him, Talon sped off as Kage pulled up. Rushing over to his car, I yanked the door open.
"Follow Talon and make sure Cherish is safe."
"Gotchu," Kage nodded, and as soon as I closed the door, he was off. I turned back toward my place and rolled my eyes when I saw Navy and the blonde bitch standing in the doorway. I walked through the door and mumbling, "Make this shit fast."