Page 176 of River & Crown
"And you gave it to her, to fucking Choyce... really, Honor?"
"Who the fuck are you talking to, Navy?" He growled.
My eyes narrowed, but I didn't flinch. My jaw tightened as heat crept up my neck. Honor was used to my folding the moment his voice got loud.
"I'm talking to the man I wouldn't have thought in a million years would disrespect me by giving a bitch I can't stand a key to a secret entrance to come see you. How did you even know I was going to be gone from the room for long? Did you pay Monique to fucking talk to me so you can do whatever with Choyce? Huh?"
Honor stared at me in silence, his face unreadable as if he buried whatever he felt out of my reach.
"Honor, say something."
"What's there for me to say, Navy? It seems like you've got this shit all figured out. I had Choyce wait in the hospital parking lot for days. I basically made her say, fuck being a mom to wait for the perfect moment."
"Honor." I sighed.
"Nah, let me finish 'cause you let your mind run wild with bullshit scenarios, so I'ma play the game with you and show you how stupid you sound saying that shit. When Monique brought me breakfast this morning, I slipped her a few hundred to?—"
"Enough, Honor!" I spat.
"It's never enough for you, Navy, and that's the fucking problem. A nigga can make pigs fly and you still gon' find a reason to question shit." He grimaced.
"That's not true, but what do you expect, Honor? You never tell me what's going on with you," I fought, refusing to take the blame for how we got here.
"There's nothing to tell. I'll tell you what you need to know. Other than that, I keep my shit away from you."
"Why? Am I not good enough to stand by your side when you face your enemies?"
"Navy." He let out a soft chuckle, the kind that made my chest tighten. It was a laugh that wasn't meant for me to hear. It was personal.
"I'ma joke to you, Honor?" I whispered.
"Never," he answered defiantly. "You'll never understand how I see you because you don't see yourself in the same light."
I looked at him, confused, but he just shook his head.
"What kind of man would I be if I let my bullshit touch your world, when I know you don't want any part of it? I know you, Navy, and at times I think I know you better than you know yourself. Ask exactly what you wanna know and stop the bullshit. Choyce doesn't mean shit to me, never will, and she doesn't come before you. There's nothing she knows about me that you don't already know."
"I believe you." I sighed, knowing I had let my insecurities take things too far. "It all just seemed weird. Why does she need a key, and why did you tell Kage not to let me in the room?"
"Is that what he said?"
I nodded.
"I told him not to let anyone in the room because Choyce and I were talking business. I never meant you couldn't come in."
Honor's eye twitched. It wasn't noticeable, just barely there, but I knew him in all the ways he knew me. That barely there shift, and the way his gaze faltered for a split second before locking back in.
He's lying.
"Okay," I replied without looking at him.
"Anything else you want to know?"
"Nope. Monique said she'll talk to the doctor about getting you discharged in a few days."
"About fucking time."
"I know," I giggled to help ease the tension.
