Page 1 of Her Only Choyce

The Past

ChapterOne

Choyce

Her eyes were slightlyyellow and glossy. Years of drinking had turned the once beautiful woman into a shell of herself. Her skin had darkened, weight dropped, yet her abdomen swelled. Choyce didn’t have medical proof, but he was sure his mother’s liver was failing her.

When Heather was done tying his tie, she patted his chest and sighed. The smell of vodka immediately invaded his nostrils, but Choyce had grown used to it by now. Her hands slid down his arms, being sure to not wrinkle his black blazer. His father wanted him in a tuxedo, but Choyce refused to wear one to enter his eighteenth year of life.

It was hard enough being the center of attention as it was. Jerome family tradition stated every male child would have a rite of passage as soon as the clock struck midnight on the day they were born. Whether Choyce wanted to be in the family association or not, in a few minutes, he would have no choice. Unlike his older brother, Mercy, Choyce hadn’t been groomed to join the association at birth. Instead, they waited until he was sixteen. Sure, his father and uncles made Choyce privy to some things and taught him a few others, but his true training wouldn’t start until after he officially became a man in their eyes. For a moment, Choyce wished he could have moved with his older sister, Grace. She had been granted release from the family to live her life as she saw fit, and a part of Choyce was envious because of that.

Grace had been able to carve her own path; meanwhile, his had been decided for him. Worse—it had been decided by a father Choyce wasn’t even sure liked him. Did Sonny love his son? There was no denying that. But did he actually like him? Choyce couldn’t say. Sonny naturally favored his oldest child Mercy, but with Choyce, it went deeper than that. There were moments when he felt his father intentionally kept his distance. Maybe it was because Choyce was closer to his mother, but what other choice did he have?

As the youngest child, she was the one who took Choyce under her wing. Mama’s boy or not, there was nothing weak or soft about him. Choyce was still just as lethal as the rest of his family and would only become more dangerous as he aged.

“Can we talk before you go down?” Heather asked.

He checked the time on his Rolex. “Can it wait? Pops told me not to be late.”

Sighing, Heather squeezed the back of her neck. Her eyes shifted, landing on Choyce’s desk. Walking over to it, she grabbed a letter that he hadn’t realized she’d placed there. She motioned for him to be seated at the desk, but as Choyce walked over to her, he decided to remain standing. He didn’t want to put a crease in his slacks just in case they were expected to take pictures.

“I wrote everything in this letter, but I think this is something you need to hear from me directly.”

She opened the envelope and glanced at the letter before setting it on the desk.

“Whatever you have to say, Ma, just say it. I really can’t be late.”

“Do you even want to go through with this?” she confirmed, lightly caressing his cheek with her palm.

“You’re asking that like I have a choice.”

Heather scoffed. “That’s why I named you Choyce… because I didn’t have one. I knew when this day came, you would feel as if you didn’t have one either, but you do.”

Choyce’s head shook as he took a step back. All his life, he was told this moment was what he’d been born for. Every man in the Jerome family had two options—join the assassin association or be disowned. This wasn’t a path Choyce would have chosen for himself, but at this point, it was all he knew. During school hours, college and career options weren’t his focus like his small circle of friends. When he graduated high school two months ago, Choyce knew exactly what he would be doing next.

It was the first time in his life he was glad his birthday came late in the summer. It provided the opportunity for him to feel like a normal teenager. Going to prom and graduation, his friends and games, the parties… they were all memories he’d cherish forever. All that shit would feel like distant memories in a matter of minutes. Becoming an assassin would be the start of a life that revolved around murders, money, and minimizing mayhem.

“How, Ma? If I don’t join them, they will disown me. Even if I was cool with never speaking to my family again, I would become a target. Their enemies would come after me to get to them. I would have to leave and probably change my name too to stay safe. I don’t have a choice.”

He didn’t want to tell her that she’d taken away his choice when she married and had kids with Sonny Jerome, but that was exactly how he felt. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed those words back down.

“I never wanted any of this,” she whispered. “For me and certainly not for my children.”

“Then why did you stay with him? Why did you marry him? When you realized who they were and what they did, why did you continue to have children with him?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” she whispered loudly, distress covering her face. “Wake up, Choyce. And think.” Her fingers snapped as if that would cause clarity. “I was forced to marry your father because of a debt that my father couldn’t pay. I never wanted to be a part of this family, but I had no choice. They literally own me. If I would have run, everyone in my family would have died.”

His thoughts were scrambled as he failed to understand. Releasing a nervous laugh, Choyce inhaled a small intake of breath.

“That’s… that can’t be true.”

Heather chuckled softly with a shake of her head. “It is. I didn’t want to have children with Sonny, but I didn’t have a choice, son. Why do you think every family has three to five children? Men are forced to keep the bloodline going through arranged marriages. If their wives can’t conceive, they are forced to divorce. And if she was purchased to repay a debt…” She paused, chin trembling and eyes watering. “She’s killed.”

“If this is true, why haven’t you said anything before now?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t believe me, but I also wanted to keep you safe. Mercy favors his father and it’s no secret you’re my baby. If I told you that and you began to treat your father differently, we both would have been punished for it.”

Stomach clenched, Choyce shuddered. His gaze was unfocused as he scratched his jaw.

“So you’re saying my father bought you?”

“Yes. Well, your grandfather did for your father. And I can promise you when you go downstairs, there will be a woman waiting for you.”

His heartbeat raced as coldness slid through his core. Choyce blinked rapidly, finding himself growing more and more surprised and in disbelief.

“What? No. I’m…” He checked the time, seeing that it was officially midnight. “I’m just now turning eighteen. I’m not trying to get married this soon.”

“I know that, son, and I don’t want that for you.” Heather took his hands into hers and lowered her voice. “You have a choice. Don’t let them make you think otherwise.” Her breath came out shaky as she squeezed his hands. “You should know…”

“What?” he asked, finding her silence even more alarming. What more could she possibly have to say? “What is it?”

Tears slid down her cheeks, and Heather quickly dropped her head. “Your birthday is about to become my death day.”

“What do you mean?” Choyce lifted her head by her chin.

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