Page 44 of Cannon (King Family Saga #3)

Cannon

I flexed my wrists, the ghost of handcuffs still burning against my skin even though they’d been off for hours.

Freedom tasted different this time than when I’d walked out of prison.

This time it wasn’t as sweet, more like something bitter I needed to wash out of my mouth.

The black SUV’s tinted windows kept the morning sun from hitting my eyes directly as we pulled away from the courthouse, but I could still feel the heat of it on my face.

“You good?” Creed asked from beside me, his eyes scanning my face like he was reading a book written in a language only he understood.

“How the fuck did you pull this off so fast?” I asked instead of answering. The leather seat beneath me felt soft and luxurious after that concrete bench I’d been sitting on all night. “Bail hearing wasn’t even scheduled until this afternoon.”

Maurice Richmond, the lawyer sitting behind us, explained, “Mr. King has friends in high places, Mr. Price. The right call to the right judge can expedite matters considerably.”

“Domestic situations are easy to beat,” Creed added, “If it were murder it would’ve taken us a bit longer. But Reese is an interesting character.”

I turned to him, eyebrow raised. “You already digging into Reese?”

“Started the minute Riot called me,” he replied without looking up. “She has a gambling problem. She has a lot of debt. A quarter of a million dollars. But her husband just died and she’ll be receiving a huge insurance payout.”

My jaw clenched at the thought of how she manipulated me into killing Gage so that she could get that money. I wanted her to pay for all of this shit. How could she play me like this? Get me arrested. I would’ve done anything for her. She was my family.

“The prosecution doesn’t have much of a case,” Maurice chimed in, straightening the cuff of his tailored suit. “I’ve already spoken with the DA’s office. We’ll grease a few palms and the charges will likely be dropped altogether within a week.”

I nodded, relief washing through me even as rage continued to simmer beneath the surface. Reese had tried to put me back in a cage. After everything we’d been through together, after I’d killed for her, she’d tried to lock me away because I wouldn’t give her what she wanted.

In my mind, I could see her face, twisted with that sick obsession she called love. I could picture my hands around her throat, squeezing until that light of madness in her eyes went dark forever. One problem solved permanently. No more manipulations, no more lies, no more—

“Don’t even think about it,” Creed said sharply, cutting through my thoughts like he’d heard every word in my head. “I know that look, and whatever you’re planning, it stops right now.”

I turned to him slowly. “What look?”

“The one that says you’re figuring out how to get away with murder,” he replied, his voice dropping lower so the driver couldn’t hear.

“Listen to me carefully, Cannon. You touch her now, with these charges hanging over your head, and you’re done.

No lawyer, not even one as good as Maurice, can save you. ”

“I wasn’t thinking anything,” I lied, my jaw clenching.

“Bullshit. Your face gives you away. Same way Riot’s does when he’s plotting something.

” Creed’s eyes locked with mine, no room for argument.

“We’ll handle this the smart way. My team is already digging deeper into her background, her finances, her connections.

We’ll find out exactly what she’s up to and neutralize her legally. ”

“And if that doesn’t work?” I challenged.

“Then we discuss other options,” he replied, his voice cold enough to make me believe him. “But not before we’ve exhausted every legitimate avenue. I didn’t pull strings to get you out just to watch you throw your life away on revenge.”

Maurice cleared his throat. “If I might interject, Mr. Price. From a legal standpoint, any contact with your sister, even through a third party, could be catastrophic for your case. Complete separation is your only option right now.”

I leaned back against the seat, tension coiled in every muscle. “How did you know what I was thinking?” I asked Creed, not ready to let it go.

A small smile touched his lips. “Because you and Riot make the exact same face when you’re plotting against someone. That muscle in your jaw twitches. Your eyes get this distant look, like you’re seeing something that isn’t there yet. It’s uncanny, actually.”

I didn’t like that. Didn’t like being compared to him, didn’t like being that transparent, and especially didn’t like the implication that blood ran deeper than I wanted to admit.

“We’ll be at the office in ten,” Creed continued, oblivious to my discomfort or simply choosing to ignore it. “The transfer papers for your inheritance are ready. Twenty million dollars, as promised.”

Twenty million. The number still felt unreal, like Monopoly money. But I knew what it meant, freedom. Real freedom, not just the absence of bars but the presence of choices. And the first choice I was making was to never be at another person’s mercy again.

The SUV turned onto Park Avenue, the gleaming skyscrapers reflecting the morning sun like they were made of pure gold. Somewhere in this city, Reese was plotting her next move. Somewhere, Queen was waiting for my call. And somewhere, my future was taking shape, finally mine to control.

All I had to do was keep my head, follow Creed’s advice, and not let the rage inside me burn everything down before I had a chance to build it up.

Easier said than done.

The elevator doors slid open to the top floor of King Tower.

I stepped out behind Creed, my eyes taking in the sleek, modern space that screamed money and power.

Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of Manhattan that made the city look like a toy model.

It was something you could reach out and control with your fingertips.

Waiting for us in the conference room was Riot, leaning back in a leather chair with his feet propped on the glass table. When he saw me, he stood up, something like respect flickering in his eyes.

“Welcome to the family business,” he said, extending his hand.

I hesitated for just a second before taking it, our grip firm as we dapped each other up. Strange how not too long ago we’d been trying to break each other’s jaws, and now here we were, playing at brotherhood.

“Have a seat,” Creed gestured to the chair at the head of the table. A stack of documents sat waiting, the King Industries logo embossed in gold on the top page.

Maurice pulled out a pen that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe and handed it to me. “Everything is in order, Mr. Price. The full twenty million transferred to your account upon signature.”

My hand hovered over the paper. This was it. The moment I officially became worth something in the eyes of the world. I scrawled my signature across the designated lines, each stroke of the pen feeling like I was writing a new chapter of my life.

“Congratulations,” Creed said as I signed the final page. “You’re now a very wealthy man.”

“There’s something else we want to discuss,” Riot added, exchanging a look with his brother. “We’ve been talking, and we want to offer you a seat on the board of King Industries and Logistics.”

I looked up sharply. “A seat on the board? Why?”

“Blood is blood,” Creed replied simply. “King Industries has always been a family business. And whatever happened in the past, you’re family.”

“Plus,” Riot added with a smirk, “we could use someone with your… particular skill set. You see things differently than we do. Street level. That’s valuable.”

I leaned back, studying their faces for any sign of deception. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch,” Creed assured me. “Just an opportunity to build something of your own under the King umbrella. What kind of business interests you?”

The question caught me off guard. I’d never thought beyond survival before, never had the luxury of dreaming about what I might build. But instantly, Queen’s words from the night Jupiter died came flooding back, her quiet confession about wanting to escape to a peaceful place upstate.

“A bed and breakfast,” I said before I could stop myself. “Upstate. Something quiet, away from the city.”

Riot’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, then a slow grin spread across his face. “A bed and breakfast? Seriously?”

“That’s… unexpected,” Creed admitted, but he was already nodding thoughtfully. “Actually, we’ve been looking to diversify into hospitality. Riot’s winery has been exceeding projections. A high-end B&B could be the perfect complementary business.”

“We could package it with the winery,” Riot mused, warming to the idea. “Weekend getaways, wine tastings, the whole bougie experience these rich folks eat up.”

I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable with how quickly they’d latched onto the idea, something I’d only mentioned because of Queen. “Look, the money’s enough for now. I appreciate the offer, but I need to figure some shit out first.”

“Take your time,” Creed said, gathering the signed documents. “We’ll hold the board seat for a week. Think it over.”

“This isn’t charity,” Riot added, his eyes meeting mine with unexpected intensity. “This is business. Smart business. Don’t let whatever grudge you’re holding cloud your judgment.”

I stood up, ready to be done with this conversation. Twenty million was already more than I’d ever dreamed of having. A seat at the table of one of the biggest Black-owned corporations in America? That was too much to process right now.

“I hear you,” I said, buttoning my suit jacket. “I’ll think about it.”

Creed handed me a black credit card with my name already embossed on it. “In the meantime, enjoy your newfound freedom. Car’s waiting downstairs to take you wherever you want to go.”

I slipped the card into my pocket, the weight of it nothing compared to the weight of everything else I was carrying. “Thanks. For all of it.”

As I turned to leave, Riot called after me. “Hey, where you headed first? Shopping spree? Luxury condo hunting?”

I paused at the door, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “Uptown. Got someone I need to see.”

The ride uptown was a blur of streets and buildings, my mind racing faster than the luxury sedan cutting through midday traffic. The driver had tried to make small talk, but my one-word responses eventually got the message across that I wasn’t in a chatting mood.

When we pulled up to Queen’s building, I sat for a moment, gathering myself. I hadn’t spoken to her since our fight, hadn’t told her about my arrest. For all I knew, Javi had already poisoned her mind against me.

I took the elevator up to her floor, each floor bringing me closer to whatever was waiting on the other side of her door. When I finally knocked, the seconds stretched into what felt like hours.

Then the door swung open, and there she was. Queen’s eyes went wide, her lips parting in surprise. For a heartbeat, we just stared at each other, neither of us moving.

“Cannon,” she whispered, and before I could say a word, she threw herself into my arms, her body colliding with mine as she hugged me tight enough to steal my breath.

I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her neck, inhaling the scent that had become more familiar to me than my own. Her body trembled against mine, and I realized she was crying.

“I thought… Javi said…” she struggled to get the words out between shaky breaths.

“I know,” I murmured against her hair. “It’s all bullshit. I’m here now.”

She pulled back just enough to look at my face, her hands coming up to frame my jaw like she needed to make sure I was real. “You didn’t call, didn’t text. I was going crazy trying to find you a lawyer.”

“It’s handled,” I assured her, wiping a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “All of it.”

Queen’s eyes searched mine, looking for answers to questions she hadn’t asked yet. But those could wait. Right now, all that mattered was that I’d found my way back to her, and somehow, against all odds, she was still here, waiting for me with open arms.

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me on the world that had tried to keep us apart.