by A'zayler
The bright headlights of the car shone into Cannon’s eyes as the dark truck turned into the driveway. Seconds later, Danna was out of the passenger seat and headed towards Don. He didn’t miss a beat as he marched toward the truck she’d just exited.
“What nigga this is?” Don yelled at her as he passed by her, headed for the truck.
Danna moved quickly to grab Don’s arm. He stopped as soon as she grabbed him. “That don’t matter. What matters is why you’re at my house with a gun? What’s the problem?” Her hand went to the side of his face.
Cannon watched as Don leaned into the palm of Danna’s hand and stepped closer to her. Minutes passed with the two of them staring at each other, before his hands circled her waist. Danna’s body went willingly.
“You left?”
“I already told you why.” She rubbed her hands from his face down over both of his arms. “Why are you here with a gun?”
“I had something to show you.”
Cannon, Danna, and Ezra were all ears as they watched Don pull away from Danna and walk toward his car. Ezra moved away the moment Don got too close.
“Ezra, come help me with this shit,” he mumbled.
“Hell, nah. My fucking head hurt. I can hardly stand up,” Ezra mumbled as he walked toward Cannon.
Don looked over his shoulder and raised his gun toward Ezra but Danna’s flailing arms stopped him. “Don, no! What are you doing? You would really shoot my brother?”
“I would shoot anybody as long as it got me you.” Don stared at her for a minute before his eyes drifted behind her toward the truck.
Cannon followed his gaze and felt the weight in his statement. Cannon could hear his threat loud and clear. This was getting to be too much. With a deep sigh, Cannon met Ezra in the middle of the grass and helped him to the door.
“Call the ambulance.” She pushed him and her phone toward the door, but the loud sound of a gun being fired paused all of them.
Ezra’s body was in front of Cannon pushing her back into the house at the same time Quay emerged from the truck. A brief uproar of screams circulated throughout the yard as everyone tried to figure out what was happening.
“Don!” Danna yelled while walking to him.
Still holding the gun, Don stood with his face frowned and heavy breathing. The look on his face as he stared at Quay was of sheer anger. Cannon was so afraid of what would happen next that she could barely breathe.
“Why the fuck do you keep playing with me Danna? Huh? Why the fuck do you think I’m some type of game? You think I didn’t recognize this nigga?” Don screamed into her face while pointed his gun at Quay.
“I’m not playing with you. You’re just acting crazy,” Danna answered weakly. “You’re being irrational for nothing. You’ve come to my house with ill intent but you want me to run away with you?” Danna’s voice cracked. “I’m scared Don, I’m really scared of you right now.”
“I would never hurt you and you know it.”
“I don’t know anything. Look at what you’re doing.”
Don looked around the yard as if thinking about what she was saying. His gaze landed on a silent Quay and he grew angry all over again.
“I’ma kill this nigga.”
Quay held his hands up in surrender. “I just wanted to make sure Danna was good.”
It was as if the sound of Quay’s voice infuriated Don, because the moment he began talking Don began moving. He was in Quay’s face with his gun resting on his cheek in no time. Danna and Cannon both yelped in fear.
“Just good, nigga. Anytime she’s with me she’s good.”
“It doesn’t look like it. She’s back there about to fall the fuck out with all that crying, and look at you. You’re right here.”
The way Quay taunted Don had Cannon clutching the side of Ezra’s arm. Fear gripped every fiber of her being as she anticipated what was to come.
A sly smirk crossed Don’s face. “Oh, you think you real hard, don’t you?” Don nodded. “Yeah, you do, but I got something for you. I’ll show you hard.” Don snatched away and walked to the back door of his truck.
Everybody watched to see what he had. It took him a minute, but the moment Echo emerged from the car, battered and bruised, Danna broke down. Ezra moved to go toward him, but Cannon stopped him. Don had Echo’s hands and feet bound with rope while blood leaked from different parts of his face and neck. Bruises were everywhere, and one of his eyes were swollen shut. It was sickening to say the least.
“Yo, nigga. What the fuck?” Quay asked while shaking his head in disdain.
Don smiled widely as he pushed Echo toward him. Echo stumbled and fell right into Danna, who had been waiting to grab him. Her sorrowful cries filled the yard as she sat holding his barely breathing body.
“Yeah, nigga. I did that shit! That’s what you call hard.” Don sneered at Quay.
“No, this is what you call stupid. Why would you hurt him like this?” Danna was the only one that could find her voice.
The dark night and calm air surrounding them took over as Don watched her in deep thought. Cannon and Ezra were both seated in the doorway trying their best to make sense of the situation. The lone tear running down the side of Ezra’s face broke Cannon’s heart. She hoped it would all be over soon.
“He ruined my life. I was just about to make it, and he stole it all!” Don’s yells were boisterous and intimidating as he ran over and kicked Echo’s body.
Small gurgling noises came from him as Danna shifted so that she could use her body as a shield. Don watched her try to cover her father’s frame and laughed.
“Get the fuck up, Danna, this nigga is finna’ die. You can either die with him, or get your ass out of my way.”
“No!” Danna yelled.
Don chuckled when he pointed the gun at Danna. “Your choice.” The possessed-looking smirk on his face detoured Cannon from even breathing, let alone moving to help.
“Danna, move!” Ezra jumped up and ran toward them.
The sight of him trying to pull Danna away was petrifying and heartbreaking all at once. Cannon could hardly take it.
“Danna, get up, baby.” Quay spoke and sent Don into a bullet-firing frenzy.
The next couple of seconds of that night would never leave Cannon’s mind again. The blur of anger and rage flooded the atmosphere, killing everything in its path . . . and leaving Cannon with nothing.
Epilogue
“I don’t know how I let you talk me into this.” Danna paced the floor back and forth while holding her head.
Cannon’s tears slid down her cheeks as she fought back the earth shattering scream she wanted to release.
“It’s the best thing for you to do, Danna. You need to get it together.” Cannon walked to her and grabbed both of her shoulders. “Ezra would be happy as hell if he would have been here to see this.” More tears cascaded down Cannon’s face.
“Aw, Cannon, I’m sorry.”
Cannon waved Danna away and forced a smile out. “It’s fine, I’m fine. It’s just the baby.” Cannon dabbed at her eyes again.
Danna felt so sorry for Cannon. It had been a hell of a ride for her over the past month, and every day was just as bad if not worse than the one before. Danna had been trying her best to be there for her in every way possible, but there was only so much she could do.
Cannon loved Ezra, and only wanted him. There was nothing or nobody that could change that. It didn’t matter who Cannon was around, if she thought about Ezra she’d be right back crying. She loved to blame it on his baby that she was carrying, but Danna knew better. She could recognize a broken heart anywhere.
“Just finish getting ready so we can get out there. If I sit back here with you any longer I’m going to cry myself a river.”
Danna held Cannon’s forehead to hers and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry about all of this. I feel like it’s my fault.”
“It’s not though, it was Don and Echo’s. Echo knew the kind of stuff he was in, he could hav
e at least told somebody.” Cannon exhaled softly. “Karina too. I can’t believe she had me around here thinking she worked for an insurance company.”
“Right! Her and Quay. I don’t know which one of them is worse. The insurance worker or the fake drug dealer.”
The girls laughed before embracing tightly. “We’re going to get through this. Don’t worry about a thing. It’s hard, but we’re strong.”
Cannon nodded and pulled away. The two of them busied themselves for the next few minutes making sure their makeup was still in place before walking out of the bathroom. There were people everywhere waiting, but only a few of them mattered to them.
“I thought you were in there changing your mind.” Quay smiled down at Danna before hugging her with one arm.
The dark blue sling holding his other arm prohibited a full embrace. “I don’t think I could if I tried.”
“Aww,” Cannon cooed, just as Vonetta and a host of other relatives walked up.
Cannon hugged Vonetta and a few others before going back to Danna. As soon as she was close Danna grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“You ready?” Danna asked Cannon.
“What I need to be ready for? You’re the one getting married.”
“You need to be ready because I’m about to marry your ass too.” Ezra’s voice came from behind the girls.
Danna and Cannon both spun around with shocked expressions on their faces. They both ran to hug him, but Danna was held back by Quay so that Cannon could get to him first. Danna punched Quay playfully before she marveled at her brother and his soon-to-be bride. He was dressed casually in slacks and a button up, just as Quay was, while holding a small bouquet of flowers.
“I should kill you. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Ezra smiled at Cannon. “It was a surprise, now let’s get this shit over with before I fall out. I’ve been sweating my whole plane ride here.”
Laughter serenaded the hallways of the small courthouse.
“I already don’t know how I let Quay’s ass talk me into coming here anyway. Y’all know how I feel about courthouses.” Ezra wiped the small trickles of sweat from his forehead.
“I know right,” Danna mumbled.
The area around them went quiet for a minute, all of them recollecting the last time they were in a courthouse. It had been one of the hardest days of Danna’s life. To see the man she loved being sentenced to life in prison for killing her father had done something to her.
It had taken her forever to get past that type of hurt, but she’d done it. The betrayal and pain she felt behind being in love with her enemy was indescribable, but with Quay’s help she’d done it. He had been there every step of the way with her and hadn’t let her fall victim to any parts of the trial that seemed unbearable.
“Get out of your feelings, you didn’t love him like you think you did.”
Danna looked up into Quay’s handsome face. He was always doing his best to make light of the situation, but it never got easier.
“I don’t even see why you want to marry me after that.”
Quay pushed some of his locs from his face. “I wanted to marry you before that remember?”
“I remember, even if she doesn’t.” Cannon butted into their conversation.
Danna pushed her away playfully before looping her arm through Quay’s. “It’s crazy how just when I was ready to give up on love, you showed up and stopped me.”
“I had always been here, just waiting on you.” Quay stopped and pecked Danna’s waiting lips. “Now are you going to marry me today or what?”
“Bruh, you sound like me. I’ve been telling Cannon she was going to be my wife since I met her, and she ain’t believe me.” Ezra wrapped his arm around Cannon’s neck. “Now look at her. About to marry me and have my baby.”
“Lord, don’t remind me.” Karina’s voice grabbed all of their attention as she and Yara walked up.
“Mommy!” Cannon squealed while grabbing Karina’s neck. “What are you doing here?”
Karina looked at Cannon as if she should have known better while passing Yara to Ezra. “You think I would miss you getting married?”
Cannon’s eyes watered all over again as she looked around at all her family. She was too outdone to even speak.
“Come on crybaby, let’s go get married so I can get back to Houston. I have a game tonight.” Ezra moved Yara from the arm he had her in, so that he could hold Cannon with the other one.
“So, who’s going first? Us or Y’all?” Danna asked Cannon.
“We’re going together.” Quay informed them.
Danna and Cannon looked at each other and smiled before the tears resurfaced. After all the trials and hard times they’d had, they’d finally found the love they deserved. Not only in themselves, but in each other, and in the God-sent men that had chosen them as their wives.
“Here’s to us,” Danna looked around at everybody.
“Here’s to us . . . and our happily ever afters.” Cannon added, as they all made their way into the beginning of their forever.
DON’T MISS
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Kiki Swinson’s bestselling novels burn with extraordinary characters, triple-down twists—and a raw portrait of Southern life only she can deliver. Now she turns up the heat as a young woman cashes in on a sure thing—only to find some addictions are always killer . . .
Triple Threat by Camryn King
A tenacious reporter. A billionaire philanthropist. And all-access secrets that won’t leave anyone safe fuel Camryn King’s relentless new thriller . . .
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Turn the page for an excerpt from these thrilling novels . . .
1
MISTY
I’d been in this world too long to just now be finding my way. But here I was, feeling grateful and shit about being healthy and having a roof over my head, thanks to the steady pay from my latest employer.
For the last five and a half months, I’d been collecting a check working as a pharmacy tech. The job was easy and my boss, Dr. Sanjay Malik, was a dream to work with. Not only was he a nice guy, he was very generous with the monthly bonuses he paid me and he would occasionally let me get off work early. The bonuses were for the extra work I did delivering prescriptions to senior citizens who weren’t mobile or couldn’t pick up their medication. Sanjay would have me deliver their meds to them, and after I completed the deliveries, he usually told me to take off work for the rest of the day, which I found awesome.
But three weeks ago, I noticed that Sanjay had me delivering meds to dark and questionable neighborhoods. I never said anything to him about it because who was I? And what was I going to get out of questioning him? He owned this place, which meant that he could fire my ass on the spot. So, I left well enough alone and minded my own damn business.
Sanjay wasn’t aware of this, but I’d taken a few pills here and there for my cousin Jillian. Jillian got into a bad car accident over a year ago and hadn’t fully recovered from it. Her doctor cut off her prescription meds six months ago, so I stepped in and threw a few pills at her when I was able to get my hands on some.
The first time, I stole two Percocet pills and two Vicodin pills. Each time I stole from the pharmacy, I took a few more pills. My nerves used to be on edge for about a day after each time I pocketed those pills, but since cops never showed up to cuff me, I knew Sanjay hadn’t figured out I’d been stealing from him. I hoped he never would.
As soon as I walked into the pharmacy, I noticed that there were only three customers waiting for their prescriptions. I said good morning to everyone waiting as I walked behind the counter, clocked in, and went to work.
It didn’t take long for Sanjay and I to ready those customers’ prescriptions and get them on their way. After ringing
up the last customer, I turned to Sanjay. “We got any deliveries?” I asked him while I searched through our online refill requests.
“I think we have six or maybe seven,” he replied, before turning to answer the phone.
Sanjay was a handsome man. He resembled Janet Jackson’s billionaire ex-husband. But unlike Janet Jackson’s ex, Sanjay wasn’t wealthy, at least to my knowledge. He owned this little pharmacy on the city limits of Virginia Beach, near Pembroke Mall. There was nothing fancy about the place, just your basic small business. But I often wondered why this doctor, who was doing well enough to own this place and have employees like me, wasn’t married? From time to time I’d jokingly tell him that I was going to set him up with one of my friends. And his response would always be, “Oh, no. Believe me, I am fine. Women require too much.”
Not too long after I started working here, he told me that his family was from Cairo, Egypt. From the way he talked about their homes and travel, I knew they were doing well for themselves. He also told me that education was a big deal in his country. And arranged marriages too.
“Think I could get me a man over in Cairo?” I’d teased. But his answer had no humor in it.
“You wouldn’t want a husband from my country, because the men are very strict and the women they marry are disciplined. The things you say and do here in the US wouldn’t be tolerated where I’m from.”
Damn! “Yeah, whatever, Sanjay!” I’d chuckled.
Working at Sanjay’s pharmacy was fairly easy. Time would go by fast. The first half of the day, it would be somewhat busy, and after two p.m. the traffic would die down. This was when I’d take my lunch break. If I didn’t bring in my lunch from home, I’d leave the pharmacy and walk over to the food court in Pembroke Mall. This day was one of those days.
