Page 47 of Cannon

“Hey,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

“I’m so glad you could come. Ty looked up to you so much. He was anticipating your return. He said yall had business to handle.” Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

“Yeah. We had big plans,” I said through gritted teeth.

Before I could say more, her face crumpled. Just broke wide open like a dam giving way. She stumbled forward and I caught her against my chest, her body shaking with sobs.

“I can’t believe he’s gone. And for something so stupid!”

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her tears soaking through my shirt. Something twisted in my chest…not just anger now, but something else. Grief maybe. Or guilt. Tyran had been my boy, after all, before he became the keeper of my fortune.

“I know,” I said, rubbing slow circles on her back. “I know.”

I held her like that, in the middle of the living room with people watching and whispering. I didn’t give a fuck. Let them talk. Draya had always been special to me, even after we ended things.

When her crying finally slowed, she pulled back just enough to look up at me, her hands still gripping my jacket.

“You look good,” she said, wiping at her face. “Real good. I’m glad you’re out.”

“Thanks,” I replied.

“Where are you staying?”

“Uptown.”

“You’ve always been a man of so little words. But maybe now that you’re out, maybe we can link up? Maybe go to dinner and catch up sometime?” she asked.

I didn’t want that. Draya was pretty and sweet but I wasn’t feelin’ her. And I knew dinner would mean more to her than it would me. The only woman I wanted to take to dinner was Queen. Yo what in the hell am I talkin’ about? I’m not supposed to be taking anyone to dinner.

“Maybe once things settle down. I’m still figurin’ shit out…” I attempted to soothe her. I didn’t want to say a flat out ‘no’ because I needed her help.

“Listen,” Draya said, clutching my forearm. “I know what you’re really here for. Tyran told me about the business arrangement you two had before you went away. He was so excited when he heard you were getting out.”

My pulse quickened. “What exactly did he tell you?”

“Not much, just that you entrusted him with something valuable. That you two had plans.” She lowered her voice, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. “He kept all his important documents in his office. Maybe there’s something there that could help you move forward with whatever you had going on.”

I tried not to look too eager. “You wouldn’t mind if I took a look?”

“Of course not.” She wiped at her eyes again. “Ty would want you to have whatever you need. His office is upstairs, second door on the right. Take your time.”

I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before making my way through the crowd of mourners. The stairs creaked under my weight as I climbed, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was it. The key to my fortune might be sitting in a drawer upstairs.

The office was exactly where she said, a small room with dark wood paneling and a desk that looked more expensive than my entire apartment. I closed the door behind me and went straight to work.

First, the desk drawers. I pulled each one open, rifling through papers, folders, receipts. Nothing about crypto wallet or the seed phrase. Second, I tried the filing cabinet tucked in the corner. More useless shit…tax returns, property deeds, car notes. Nothing with my name on it. Nothing about digital assets or passwords.

“Did you find anything yet?” Draya asked, slipping into the room behind me. She closed the door quietly.

I ran a hand over my face, trying to mask my desperation. “Not yet.”

After going through everything, I realized it wasn’t there. A part of me was relieved because that would’ve been reckless on his part. But the larger part of me was pissed. Millions of dollars were lost.

I slammed the desk drawer shut, frustration bubbling up like lava. “Fuck!” I kicked the chair, sending it crashing into the wall.

“Cannon, please,” Draya whispered, her eyes darting to the door. “People will hear you.”

“I don’t give a fuck who hears me!” I growled, tearing through the bookshelf now, pulling volumes out and shaking them open, looking for anything… flash drive, a piece of paper,a goddamn Post-it with my seed phrase on it. Nothing. Not a fucking thing.