Page 29 of Cannon (King Family Saga #3)

Cannon

Queen made it through her front door, and I sat there in the dark until I saw her silhouette move across the window.

Safe. For now. That was my cue. The streets had been whispering Smoke’s name for too long, but tonight I decided that his story ended.

Not because of old grudges, not because he used to be my boss.

He threatened Queen. And that meant his life was already over, I just had to deliver the bullet.

I pulled away from Queen’s building, my mind already shifting into predator mode.

Every street light I passed cast shadows across my face, reminding me of prison bars.

Five years inside gave a man time to think about vengeance, about settling scores.

But this wasn’t about old beef, this was about protecting what was mine.

My phone buzzed in the cup holder. Speak of the devil.

I glanced at the screen. Smoke. Like summoning a demon by thinking his name.

I answered, keeping my voice casual. “Yeah.”

“Cannon, my boy.” His voice came through syrupy thick, like he was doing me a favor by calling. “You have a chance to think about my proposition? Half a mil is life-changing money for a nigga just out the joint.”

“Nigga, suck my dick. I ain’t doin’ that shit!” I barked, ending the call.

The phone vibrated again in my hand. A text from Smoke: “You just made the biggest mistake of your life. I gave you a chance to be smart. Now I’m coming for everything you care about.”

This nigga really thought he was the one holdin’ the cards. I knew more about his operation than he did. I knew more about his weaknesses than he knew anything about me. And that threat just sent me over the edge.

Because he wasn’t talking about Queen. He didn’t know that we had a relationship. He was talking about Reese and her boys. Those are the only people he knew I cared about.

And even though I was lookin’ at Reese funny right now, I was still burned up about someone making threats towards her. I needed to handle this shit asap. But first things first, I needed to see Riot and Creed.

I didn’t waste time. I pulled out my phone and hit up Riot’s number.

“Who dis?” His voice came through hard and suspicious.

“It’s Cannon. We need to talk. You and Creed both.”

A long pause. “About what?”

“Not over the phone. Meet me at Mel’s Diner on 145th. One hour.”

“Why should I…”

“Because your life depends on it,” I cut him off. “One hour.”

I hung up before he could argue, then headed straight to the diner. I needed to get there first, scope the place out, make sure it was safe for us. Old habits die hard.

The diner was half-empty when I arrived. I chose a booth in the back, facing the door, my back to the wall. Classic spot for a man who didn’t trust nobody. I ordered coffee and waited, watching every person who came through that door like they might be carrying death.

Forty minutes later, they walked in. Riot first, scanning the place with those dark, suspicious eyes.

Creed behind him, calmer but no less alert.

My half-brothers. Same mother, different fathers.

We had the same strong jaw, same broad shoulders, but where I got my father’s light eyes, they had their fathers’ darkness.

Riot slid into the booth across from me, Creed beside him. Neither spoke until the waitress had come and gone with their coffee orders.

“What’s this about?” Riot finally asked, his voice low and hostile.

“Smoke put a hit out on you,” I said, not bothering with small talk. “Half a million to take you out.”

Creed’s eyebrows shot up. “How do you know?”

“Because he offered me the job.”

Riot’s hand twitched toward his waistband. I knew he was carrying but I wasn’t worried because I was too.

“Relax,” I said. “If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Why you telling us this?” Riot demanded. “What’s your angle?”

I took a sip of my coffee. “No angle. Just thought you should know someone’s trying to put you in the ground. And that maybe we could work together to take him and his crew down.”

Creed studied my face, his eyes more calculating than his brother’s. “You ready to take that inheritance money our mother left you? Is that what this is really about?”

I snorted. “Da fuck? Naw. I don’t want shit from that woman. She wasn’t my mother. I’m dead-ass serious about Smoke.”

“You crazy,” Riot shook his head. “That’s millions you’re turning down.”

“He’s right,” Creed added. “That’s crazy. Money’s money.”

“I don’t need her money. I got my own.” Or I would, once I figured out how to access my crypto wallet. I had been so caught up with other things, like killing Gage and working on the club, that I hadn’t hired a hacker yet.

“So why the warning?” Riot pressed. “We ain’t exactly family.”

“Ion fuck wit y’all but we’re still blood,” I said simply. “And Smoke’s moving against you because you’re cutting into his business and that y’all killed his nephew. Some lil nigga named Carmelo.”

Riot’s eyes narrowed. “That nigga had it coming. You know how the game goes.”

“Look, I know his operation and his crew well. I ran with them before your fuckin’ father set me up. I’m willing to give you intel in exchange for help getting to him and putting a bullet in his head…”

Just as the words left my mouth, the window next to our booth exploded inward, sending glass flying everywhere. I reacted on instinct, diving across the table, tackling both brothers to the floor as gunfire ripped through the diner. Screams erupted all around us as patrons scrambled for cover.

“Stay down!” I shouted, pulling my piece from my waistband.

I crawled to the edge of the booth, peering around the corner. Through the shattered window, I spotted a black Charger idling in the street, the barrel of a semi-automatic sticking out the passenger window.

“That’s Nero’s car,” I growled, recognizing Smoke’s son’s ride immediately. “Smoke’s son.”

I squeezed off three shots, aiming for the tires. The Charger peeled away, tires screaming against the pavement.

“Come on!” I yelled, already on my feet and running for the door.

Outside, I sprinted after the car, firing two more shots as it screeched around the corner. I could hear footsteps behind me, Riot and Creed joining the chase. The Charger was fast, but it had to slow for the turn, giving me just enough time to catch a glimpse of the plates.

We chased it for two blocks before it disappeared into traffic, leaving us standing in the middle of the street, breathing hard.

“What the FUCK was that?!” Riot spun on me, his face twisted with rage. “You set us up!”

“Are you stupid?” I shot back. “Why would I warn you about a hit and then try to kill you myself?”

“To throw us off! Make us trust you!” He stepped closer, getting in my face. “You workin’ with Smoke! Nigga, I should kill yo’ ass like my mother should’ve aborted you!”

That did it. I swung first, my fist connecting with his jaw hard enough to make him stagger. But Riot wasn’t soft, he came back with a right hook that caught me in the ribs. We went at it, trading blows in the middle of the street like we weren’t grown-ass men.

I caught him with an uppercut that had him spitting blood, but he returned the favor with a shot right under my eye. We were evenly matched, both of us too stubborn to back down, too angry to think straight.

“ENOUGH!” Creed shouted, forcing himself between us. He shoved Riot back, holding him at arm’s length. “Think, nigga! If Cannon wanted us dead, we’d be dead. He just saved our lives back there.”

Riot’s chest heaved as he glared at me over Creed’s shoulder. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but the fury in his eyes hadn’t dimmed. He had a couple of bruises. I had gotten him good.

“Get the fuck off me,” he growled at Creed, shoving his brother’s hands away.

I wiped blood from my own lip, tasting copper. “That’s the last time I give you a heads up,” I spat. “Next time Smoke comes for you, you’re on your own.”

I turned and walked away with my knuckles throbbing. These ungrateful motherfuckers. I’d just saved their lives, and this was the thanks I got? Accusations and a bloody lip?

“Cannon, wait!” Creed called after me.

I kept walking. Let them figure it out on their own. I had bigger problems to deal with. Smoke had just made his move, and now it was my turn.

But first, I needed to check on Queen. Make sure she was still safe. Because if Smoke was bold enough to shoot up a diner, there was no telling what else he might do. And if he ever found out what Queen meant to me…

I pulled out my phone as I walked, checking for any messages from her. Nothing. That was good. It meant she was still flying under Smoke’s radar. And I intended to keep it that way, even if it meant putting a bullet in Smoke’s head myself.