"We?" I frowned, seeing only her until some bitch with blonde braids slid out from the side.
"Who are?—"
"Your worst nightmare," she snipped, grabbing my wrist and bending it with precision.
Gritting my teeth, I dropped the gun.
"Sorry about that." She smirked, eyes glinting like she was enjoying every second. "I just wanted to level the playing field."
"Level the playing field for what?" I frowned. "Y'all came to my home, banging on the door like you wanted war."
She emptied the clip without breaking eye contact, scattered the bullets into the bushes, then casually tossed the gun.
I locked eyes with Navy, wanting her and her crazy ass friend away from my home. "Why are you here?"
"I want answers," she asserted.
I've only heard Navy talk a handful of times since she wasn't close to her father or brother, but never did she sound like this… like him.
"And I want my husband not to love dick, but we can't always get what we want," I snapped sarcastically.
Heat flared in my chest, a mix of anger and disbelief. Today had already been one hell of a day, and somehow it kept finding new ways to get worse.
The audacity of this bitch.
Inwardly, I sneered, taking Navy in freely. How dare she show up at my house demanding answers, so calm and certain, like she knew I'd tell her what she wanted to hear? My instinctsscreamed to swing first and take my anger out on her, but beneath that urge was fear.
Navy wasn't just some woman having a weirdcoming to you as a womanmoment. No, she was the daughter of a man who threatened to kill my daughter forty-eight hours ago and the girlfriend of the man who has threatened to kill me multiple times. I couldn't let pride and anger fuel my decision because, as good as whooping her ass would feel, the consequences would be worse.
"Any questions you have, ask your man, not me," I responded and went to close the door, but she planted her foot in the frame, daring me to push back.
"Choyce." Navy's gaze dropped, and an unsettling, humorless laugh came out. "I'm really trying to be on my best behavior and do this the nice way. Now you can either let me in, or I can force my way into this house."
"Bit—"
"Aht-aht!" Her eyes locked on mine, and in them wasn't the natural sparkle I was used to seeing. They weren't dark either, just subtly lifeless like she was teetering on the edge of letting her emotions get the best of her and not feeling at all.
"I gave you two options and neither of them consisted of you calling me out my name, but I'll ask again. Either let me in or I'm going to force?—"
"Hey sis, come on in."
I was so focused on the sudden harshness of her voice that I didn't hear Talon approach until it was too late. He reached over me, grabbed the door, and forced it open. I started angling my body to keep her from coming in, but then I heard Cherish.
"Auntie!" Her little self pushed past me and leaped into Navy's arms.
Watching their interaction, I crossed my arms over my chest to keep from yanking my daughter back.
"Hey, sweetheart, where are you going dressed all pretty?" Navy questioned.
"With Daddy to see Nonno."
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Talon, I already told you that?—"
"It'll be fine. I got her." The corners of Talon's mouth tipped upward, making my skin crawl. "Navy, what are you doing here?"
Navy eyed Talon strangely, then shot a glance toward me before answering her brother. "I came to talk to Choyce. Take care of my niece."
"I will. Come on, Cherish."
