Page 23 of Cannon

The sun was still out, but everything looked dim to me. I hustled my ass off since I was 11 years old, saved my money and only spent it on necessities, did five years in prison and had absolutely nothing to show for it.

Fifty million dollars. Gone. Or at least out of reach.

I was gonna get it back.

I’d burn this muhfucka down if I had to.

Knowing I had that money was one of the reasons I boldly turned down the Kings. I didn’t need Tessa’s handouts. I had made my own.

When Tyran put me on to Bitcoin, I knew that I was going to one day get out of the game. It was the perfect way to hide my cash from the feds and make sure I had a future. So many of the niggas I used to run with lost it all because they wanted to stunt. Kept money in the bank, drove flashy cars, wore chains like trophies. And the second they got locked up, the feds took everything.

Me? I played it different.

I put damn near every dime I had into crypto. Lived simple. No chains, no new whips, no bullshit. I had a plan. Once I hit my number, I was out. But then I got arrested.

While I was locked up, that money multiplied. Almost fifteen times. I had over three million stashed when I went in. Now it was sitting at fifty million, if I could get to it.

The thought of it being gone forever made me want to kill somebody. Like whoever sold Tyran that coke. I wanted to kill him for even risking his life. I had half a mind to go down to the morgue and pistol whip his ass for being so reckless. Shit, I might do that at the funeral.

I needed to calm the fuck down. I made it to the 7-Eleven in seven minutes flat. My heart was still thudding when I pushed the door open and walked straight to the counter.

“Let me get a Black and Mild,” I muttered.

The cashier slid one across the counter without saying a word. I threw down the cash, grabbed it, and turned?—

And there she was.

Carmen the nurse from prison. What were the odds? I was not in the mood to talk to this girl. I hated that she lived this close to my sister. That meant there were more opportunities for us to run into each other. I def needed to get out of this neighborhood.

She looked good, even better than before. It was weird seeing her in normal clothes. I always saw her in her nurse uniform. But today she was wearing a pair of tight jeans and low-cut top that showed off her cleavage.

I took note of her wedding rings. The poor guy still had no clue what his wife was up to because she def looked like she was ready to pounce on me.

“Well, damn,” she purred, biting her glossed lip. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

I didn’t say anything at first. Just stared at her. She was fine, no doubt. But all I saw was a distraction I didn’t need. Besides, I would never mess with someone I didn’t trust.

Then she stepped closer, brushing her fingers down my arm. “Maybe we can finish what we started now that you’re out?”

I raised a brow. “What about that ring on your finger?” I said that shit like I cared but I didn’t. I just thought it was wild to see her still go after me even though she had a husband. I could never trust a bitch like this. That man probably thought she was a sweet nurse but she was trying to fuck me at the 7-Eleven.

She shrugged like it didn’t mean shit. “It’s just a ring. You know I always had a soft spot for you. We should… catch up.” Even after I blew her off yesterday and left her on her knees crying, she still wanted me to dick her down. It was not going to happen.

I blew out a slow breath, lips curving. “Book a suite at The Hudson. Top floor.”

Her smile faltered for a split second. “That place is like five hundred a night.”

“And?”

I pulled out a roll of twenties and peeled a few off slow, let her see the kind of paper I was working with.

“I’ll give you the cash when I get there. Got a few moves to make first.”

That giddy little look came back to her face. She reached for the bills, but I pulled them back and tapped them against my palm instead.

“Book it. I’ll see you tonight. Leave a key for me at the front desk.”

She nodded like she couldn’t believe her luck and walked out swaying her hips like I was still chasing.