Page 122 of Cannon

“I see that,” I smiled, though my heart ached for these children who’d lost everything in the span of twenty-four hours.

“I figured looking put together couldn’t hurt our case,” Cannon explained, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “They’re gonna look for any reason to take them from me.”

I nodded, understanding all too well how the system worked. “You need me to come with you?”

He shook his head. “Nah, this one I gotta handle alone. Besides, don’t you need to…” He trailed off, not wanting to mention my mother’s funeral arrangements in front of the boys.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I do.”

Cannon checked his watch. “We should head out. Boys, grab your jackets.”

As they scrambled to get their things, Cannon pulled me close, his lips brushing against my forehead. “You good?” he asked.

“I should be asking you that,” I replied, studying his face. Despite the calm exterior, I could see the storm behind his eyes. “Did you sleep at all?”

“A little,” he lied. The shadows under his eyes told the truth.

“Call me if you need anything,” I said. “I mean it, Cannon. Anything.”

He nodded, then leaned down to kiss me properly, his lips warm against mine. It was brief but held a promise. We were in this together now, whatever “this” turned out to be.

“Ewww!” Hunter giggled, covering his eyes dramatically.

Cannon broke away with a small laugh, the first I’d heard since yesterday’s tragedy. “Alright, alright, let’s move out.”

I knelt down to the boys’ level. “You two be good for your uncle, okay? Answer the nice lady’s questions honestly.”

“Will you be here when we get back?” Josiah asked, his small hand reaching for mine.

“Of course I will,” I promised, squeezing his little hand. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

The relief on his face nearly broke my heart. Children shouldn’t have to worry about people disappearing on them.

Cannon gathered the boys, ushering them toward the door. Before leaving, he turned back to me, cupping my face in his large hands and pressing his lips against mine in a kiss that felt like a lifeline.

“I’ll call you when we’re done,” he murmured against my lips.

“Good luck,” I whispered. “You got this.”

I knelt down as the boys approached for their goodbyes. “Be brave today, okay? Your uncle Cannon is going to take good care of you.”

Hunter hugged me tight around my neck while Josiah wrapped his little arms around my waist. The unexpected affection caught me off guard, making my eyes sting with unshed tears.

“Bye, Miss Queen,” they chorused as Cannon led them out the door.

When they were gone, the suite felt suddenly too large, too quiet. I sank onto the couch, the weight of everything crashing down on me at once. My mother’s funeral. I needed to start making arrangements, but my laptop was at my apartment.

I showered quickly and dressed in the clothes I’d worn yesterday, wrinkling my nose at the thought. I’d need to stop by my place anyway to get fresh clothes if we were staying at the hotel another night.

Downstairs, the doorman hailed me an Uber. While waiting, I checked my phone, scrolling through missed calls and messages. Nothing from ZaZa. The hurt was still fresh, but I pushed it away. I couldn’t deal with that particular pain today.

The Uber pulled up, a sleek black sedan with tinted windows. I slid into the backseat, giving the driver my address.

“Harlem, right?” he confirmed, glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

“Yes, please.” I leaned back, watching the city blur past the window. My phone buzzed in my hand. Nori’s face lighting up my screen.

“Hey girl,” I answered, suddenly grateful to hear a friendly voice.