"Navy." Her name trembled out as I stood. She shook her head, telling me not to come closer. I looked at Honey and River as tears were slowly dancing down their cheeks, and before I knew it, the four of us were singing.
"I found a love to carry more than just my secrets.
To carry love, to carry children of our own.
We are still kids, but we're so in love, fighting against all odds. I know we'll be alright this time.
Darling, just hold my hand."
"I played it on a loop until Honor came home. He looked perfect to me, but he was so broken. He walked through our front door, shoulders slumped, head down, chin tucked. A shadow of the man I knew. Then he called my name, and I rushed to him, cupping his face in my hands, but there was something in his eyes. Something so haunting it made my skin crawl."
"Wha… what was wrong?" River sniffled.
"He told me Lucian came to him about our relationship," Navy disclosed. "Told him it was beautiful how Honor found love with the daughter of the man he hated. Lucian called it poetic and said he couldn't wait for the day I birthed a child, because then he'd have an heir who was his blood and the blood of the son, he wished was his."
Navy drew a deep breath, pausing before continuing.
"Honor told him he'd personally cut every baby out of my stomach before he ever let Lucian anywhere near his child."
"Damn," we all gasped.
"I knew then I couldn't tell him about the baby. I'd already heard the heartbeat, and I couldn't get rid of it." Her voice stayed steady, but it hurt me to listen. "I struggled with what to do, and then the decision was made for me. I went into labor a few weeks later. Honor was out of town when it happened."
She swallowed and turned back toward the window.
"We had a son. He stayed in the NICU for six months. It was the hardest secret I ever had to keep. And when it was time for him to come home, I paid one of the older nurses to keep him so no one would ever find out."
"Oh, Navy," I cooed, my chest tightening with an overwhelming number of emotions.
"No, it's okay," she softly voiced. "It was hard to navigate at first. Nurse Maye and I figured it out. I watched my son from afar, never overstepping until Maye passed away from a sudden heart attack. Honor was in so deep with Lucian that I was terrified of what he might do if he found out about our child. So, I brought him to Gravehart Homes and let him grow up here."
"I- I don't even know what to say," Honey stammered.
I felt the same way. Navy kept dropping bombs without giving us time to recover.
"There's nothing to say," Navy replied. "What's done is done. My son will probably never know I'm his mother unless someone gets bold enough to kill my father."
"So why not let Honor do it?" River asked.
"Because nothing like that happens without permission from the leaders of the other two boroughs," Navy explained. "Killian's family basically founded Ember Hills. I don't know who runs Crimson Falls, but I've heard enough over the years to know nothing good comes out of that place. If Honor kills myfather without approval, they'll kill him, and I can't have that. So, I sacrifice the better parts of myself to protect the man I love." Navy sighed as someone knocked on her office door.
We all turned, and in walked my husband.
"Damn, why y'all look so fucking gloomy?" Wolfe asked, strolling over to me.
"Girl talk. What are you doing here?" I asked, kissing him.
"I came to talk to Navy, but that can wait." His eyes traveled to Navy. "Where's Mekhi?"
"In the music room. If you're taking him out, have him back by curfew," she replied.
"Ight." He nodded.
"And don't wait up for me tonight. We're going out for some much-needed vibes," I told Wolfe.
"Text me when you get there and when you leave," he said.
"We're going to The Vault, just so you know."
