Pain screamed loudly throughout my body, only to be drowned out by the truth settling in my chest. This wasn't Talon glaring down at me. Not the man who'd laid his head in my lap while mourning the loss of his lovers.
"Choyce," he muttered in a broken voice, "please don't take her from me. Cherish is all I have."
His hand fell from my neck as his shoulders started to shake.
"Choyce!" His hand banged against the wall with a muted thud. Tears streaked down his face.
"Talon, you can't take my daughter. Not… not like this," I stammered, realizing what was wrong.
His pupils were blown wide, swallowing the brown I knew too well. My stomach sank.
"I'm… I'm good," he insisted. "I popped a pill or two a few hours ago. That high flew away already."
"Talon, I don't think it's safe for you?—"
"Why don't you want me to take her?" he snapped, panic overtaking his tone. "You think I'ma leave her here so y'all can play house with my daughter?"
I wanted to be understanding toward Talon, but he was pushing me over the edge, making this about Honor.
"Choyce!" he gritted.
"You can't take her because your father fucking threatened her life and you're in no shape to keep her safe," I blurted, wishing it would've come out differently.
"Wha…what? He did what?"
Talon lurched over, falling to his knees as Cherish rounded the corner.
"Daddy!" she squealed, running toward him until her eyes landed on his broken expression. "What's wrong?"
I stepped in quickly, forcing a laugh, trying to keep the truth from her.
"Talon, get up and stop joking around," I stated, brushing off the moment as best as I could.
"I'm sorry, baby girl," Talon said with a sluggish laugh. "Your momma told the funniest joke."
"How funny?" Cherish grinned, her eyes bright.
"Funny enough to knock me to my knees."
"But you were crying," she noted, watching him closely as he pushed himself up.
"That's how funny it was," Talon played along, winking. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yup!" Cherish answered.
"Talon, I said you couldn't?—"
A series of loud knocks at our front door cut me short. Talon and I shared a look as he scooped Cherish and moved behind me.
"Go upstairs," I told him sternly when I really wanted to smack the bitch out of him.
"Come on, Cherish," Talon instructed, ushering her out of the living room.
The second they were out of sight, I crouched in front of the sofa and reached underneath, grabbing the gun I had taped to the frame. I started for the door, then doubled back, snatching my phone off the kitchen counter. My fingers flew as I typeda 911 text to Kage before slipping my phone into my pocket. I moved toward the door. My fingers wrapped around the knob, and instead of looking out the peephole, I swung the door open, gun aimed and ready to kill if necessary.
"The fuck are you doing here?" I asked Navy.
"We came to talk."
