Page 61 of Cannon

Around 12 PM, after getting the boys back to bed with promises I’d return later, I stood in the foyer ready to leave.

“Will you be back tomorrow?” she asked.

“Maybe. I got some shit to handle. No more drinking today, aight? I need to go home and get some sleep. I’ll check on you a bit later.”

“Fine,” she replied with disappointment in her tone.

Something was off and I was too exhausted to dig into it. But Reese was rubbing me the wrong way.

Chapter 24

Queen

ZaZa stood in front of the mirror, lip gloss in one hand, her phone buzzing on the nightstand with a string of texts she tried to shield from me. I could tell she was anxious to get out of the house. And I needed a break from her too. It’s been almost a week and she’d been following my rules but I was tired of keeping my eye on her like a hawk. I was so scared that she would start slipping again.

“Don’t stay out past midnight,” I said, leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed. “I don’t care what you and this mystery man got planned, Cinderella rules still apply in this house.”

She rolled her eyes just enough for me to catch it in the reflection, but not bold enough to do it directly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And no drinking,” I added. My voice came out sharper than I intended, but the thought of her out there, mixing meds with liquor, made my chest tighten. “Not even a sip.”

“I know, Mom,” she muttered, gloss wand moving over her bottom lip.

I stepped farther into the room, letting my presence fill the space. “And one more thing, no male company in this house when I’m not here. I mean it, ZaZa. I know he’s been over here.”

Her hand froze mid-swipe, eyes flicking up to mine before darting away. “Okay,” she said too quickly, capping the gloss and grabbing her purse like the conversation was over.

“That’s not just a rule for the sake of rules,” I pressed. “It’s for your safety. This house is my sanctuary, and I can’t have?—”

“Okay!” she cut me off, voice rising with teenage impatience. “I got it, Queen. Midnight. No drinking. No boys in the house. Can I go now?”

She was already halfway to the door before I could get another word out, the scent of her body spray lingering in her wake. The slam of the front door echoed through the house a second later, leaving me alone in the silence.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty hallway, the unease coiling tighter in my gut. I wanted to lock her down, keep her where I could see her, protect her from every danger that lurked in the dark. But she wasn’t a little girl anymore. And if I caged her in too tight, she’d only find ways to break free.

Still, the mother in me…hell, the survivor in me couldn’t shake the feeling that letting her walk out that door tonight might come back to bite me.

I stared at my empty house, a familiar feeling of guilt creeping up my spine. I couldn’t keep her locked away forever, but every time ZaZa left, my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Would she take her meds? Would she end up in another manic episode? Would I get another call from the hospital?

With a deep sigh, I grabbed my cleaning supplies. Nothing calmed my anxiety like scrubbing my house until it sparkled. I put on my playlist. The 90s R&B always lifted my mood, and then I went to work. Nori and a couple of my homegirls were coming over. I’d been working so hard in the club that I hadn’t spent much time just chillin’.

The doorbell rang just as I finished cleaning my apartment from top to bottom.

“Coming!” I called.

When I opened the door, Nori stood there with our good friends Layla and Gia.

“We brought wine and gossip.”

“Hey, ladies. Get in here. I don’t have much time before I gotta be back at the club tonight. Tonight is a big night. Between the awards show and the mayor’s gala, I’m expecting a huge turnout.“

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that. We won’t hold you up long. Just wanted to pop over and say hi since we don’t see you unless you’re in that club.”

“One day I’ll be able to slow down,” I responded. I loved the Sylk Road but I wouldn’t be lying if I said that it was exhausting. I’d love to retire. Maybe own a bed and breakfast somewhere outside of the city. But for now, it was me and my club. And tonight had the potential to retire a few strippers.

“Girl, you will not believe what I just did,” Nori announced, kicking off her heels and making herself at home on my couch. The other women followed suit, looking around my place with appreciative eyes.

“What?” I asked, setting the cleaning bucket aside.