Hearing the front door open then close loudly, Marcus knitted his eyebrows while grabbing the gun that was placed on his bedside table. "Marcus! Julissa!" Cherish yelled. Marcus sighed while putting his gun back where he got it from.

"Now, who called her?" Marcus shook his head.

"I did." Priest told him. "What? You didn't want me to?"

"Ain't nothing changed with her reaction to shit like this." Marcus said.

"You always babying her. That shit ain't changed either." Shooter chuckled. It was awkward having Shooter in his home. He tried his best to act normal when he came to after losing consciousness, especially seeing how worried Shooter was about his well-being. They didn't know what type of crazy shit Marcus and Julissa had going on, but it wasn't their business.

Marcus couldn't lie, he was in pain. Julissa knew she shouldn't have stabbed him, but she'd be damned if she apologized for it. He looked over at her while she stood silently crying in the corner of their room. She wouldn't look at him, and she said nothing to no one aside from the doctor.

Cherish ran up the stairs, checking rooms until she finally made it to Marcus's before sighing in relief, but she was in tears. She held her heart while looking at Marcus. "Thank God! You scared me."

"Stop crying. It's not as bad as it looks." Marcus tried to reassure her.

"Did you almost die? If so, then it is." Cherish asked.

"No." Marcus lied. He did almost bleed out, and if Shooter didn't make it with the doctor when he did, Marcus would've been dead.

Doctor Tran was getting paid a pretty penny for her services, but Marcus didn't mind footing his own bill if it came to that. Doctor Tran came well-prepared. Marcus needed a blood transfusion, and she was able to do it in the comforts of his home. Doctor Tran's husband is on the board of the hospital, so it's easy to get what she needed. Shooter instructed Doctor Tran to check in with Marcus as if he was in a hospital. From the looks of it, Marcus's room could easily be mistaken as one, given the equipment.

Priest had tuned out what was said around him while licking his lips. All Cherish had on was a yellow solid Rib-Knit fitted crop tank top and a pair of PSD Bee U yellow boy shorts that exposed her cheeks a little. The minute she got that phone call, she flew out the door, not even thinking to change her clothes or to tell her aunt for that matter. She took her hair down and was rocking her natural hair, which was in a messy bun.

"Wait a minute, where your clothes at, Cherish? I know like hell you didn't come out with some panties on." Marcus frowned.

"Are you serious? Do these look like fucking panties to you?" Cherish frowned. "You were stabbed! What I'm wearing is the least of anyone's concerns. I'm sure as hell isn't worried about it." Cherish rolled her eyes. "I'm grown, Marcus. Not a child."

"He not wrong. Them lil shits might as well be panties. Got them lil cheeks out on display for motherfuckas to see. Put some clothes on, don't you see other people in here." Priest chimed in, causing her to snap her head in his direction.

"Who the fuck was talking to you? You sure as hell still in love with these lil cheeks." Cherish said with attitude.

"Sure in the fuck is. What you thought I was going to deny it?" Priest licked his lips again.

"I wouldn't have cared if you did. And what people? Shooter? I didn't know his ass was here. You know he's not looking at me like that." Cherish was getting irritated with Priest's presence already. Which was for many reasons.

That wasn't the truth, though. Shooter was discreetly checking out Cherish the moment she came into view. He didn't try to. It just happened. Never once since meeting her had Shooter looked at Cherish in that way, but he was not sorry for staring at the way those lil panties because he was certain that's what they are as well; swallowed her booty and hugged her hips. Cherish's body was the truth. Shooter liked his women thick, the thicker, the better, and that's where his attraction lies, but Cherish was one of the finest slim thick women he has seen. He didn't know what was going through his mind, but he figured it had to be because he was high.

"Here we go." Marcus sighed while shaking his head.

"Nah, he just wanted to say something to me. What I'm wearing doesn't have anything to do with him. If I wanted to come outside naked, then that's what I'mma do." Cherish rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, you need some dick because that attitude ain't it." Priest told her.

"If I wanted some dick, all I have to do is dial one number, and he's flying here, not that it's any of your business who I'm busting these legs wide open for. Believe me, I love popping this for a real nigga." Cherish turned her back to Priest.

"Come on, y'all. Don't start." Marcus sighed. "I don't wanna hear none of that."

"The fuck you say? Don't make me fuck you up in front of everybody in this bitch." Priest mugged her.

"I hit a nerve, didn't I? You won't be fucking anything over here up. I can do whatever and whoever I want. You worried about the wrong shit when you were just sleeping with Cara yesterday. Me or what is between my legs is no longer your business." Cherish told Priest which resulted in them arguing.

Marcus shook his head. He could've gone without hearing this argument. Shooter was amused. And Julissa, for the first time since finding out Marcus had a baby on her, was laughing. Julissa thought it was so funny how Cherish denied anything relating to Priest and her feelings, when it's clear as day she's still in love with him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have even been entertaining an argument.

"Hold up! Why am I even arguing with you? Stop fucking talking to me, Soul." Cherish kissed her teeth.

"Priest." Priest corrected her.

"What you need to do is tell your lil girlfriend to stop playing on my page. Childish ass, bitch. As if I don't know, those DMs I've been suddenly getting today from fake pages aren't from her claiming that I'm sleeping with her man. Now when I beat, then drag her to you, I'mma be wrong. Who want you? Nobody but her. Ole girl needs to find her something safe to do before I help her to."

"As you should." Julissa agreed.

Priest couldn't help but laugh while smiling. If anyone said he didn't love Cherish, her flaws, even the worst parts of herself; he'd make a liar out of them. Despite what she did, that didn't change an ounce of what he feels for her. "Do you, mama. I don't give no fuck about her."

"Y'all entertaining as fuck. How y'all not together, but arguing like a couple?" Shooter laughed.

"Nah, your friend needs to shut up talking to me on the real. Just irritating. He and Charlene are childish as hell and need to leave me alone." Cherish frowned.

"Wait a minute, who Charlene?" Shooter cracked up.

"Your high ass laughing at anything." Marcus chuckled.

"I say beat Charlene's ass. Don't body fuck with her. Your man doesn't even fuck with her, you heard what he said. My money is definitely on you, Slim." Shooter chuckled.

"Don't be calling her no fucking Slim." Priest mugged Shooter. Shooter used to always call Cherish that along with sis, and Priest would always say the same thing about Slim. In his eyes, shouldn't no other man be giving her nicknames except for him.

"I think it's so cute how y'all still in love after all these years. It's undeniable between y'all." Julissa smiled. "Some people will never experience love like that."

"Girl, do not start that. I'm not still in love with dude. Don't even want his ass." This is what she didn't miss before moving back. She was so tired of everyone always saying things like that when it came to her and Priest.

"Soul sure ain't denying anything." Shooter smirked.

"The hell I'mma deny it for. She knows I'm still in love with her. That I still love her. Ain't nothing changed." Priest shrugged, making Cherish roll her eyes dramatically.

"Matthias shut up. You and Julissa. Y'all are messy as hell. I don't know how y'all always shifting things to the past, but let's leave it there. I came here about Marcus, not the shit y'all on." Cherish stated while walking over to Marcus.

"I said I'm good." Marcus said the moment Cherish sat on his bed.

"What happened?" Cherish asked. There was no way Marcus was telling Cherish that Julissa was the one that stabbed and almost killed him.

"Somebody tried to rob me." Marcus lied.

"Why didn't you take him to the hospital, Julissa? I mean, from the looks of it, I feel like I'm standing in one."

Before Julissa could say anything, Marcus did. "It happened right before we made it back here. The nigga must have been following us. They got away and Julissa drove me home. I didn't want the cops involved. Shooter brought his doctor, who will be checking in, and she's good at her job. Versatile with different specialties. I was—am in good hands."

"Let me get this straight." Cherish frowned a little before continuing. "You didn't want to go to a hospital because you didn't want any cops involved? Someone tried to rob you, but you don't know who, so I'm not sure why you didn't want them involved. You were minding your business and doing nothing wrong. Secondly, you still could've gone to the hospital without involving the cops. The time it took Matthias, Soul, and the doctor to get here could have been time getting you to the hospital where there is a team of doctors in case something went wrong. What aren't you telling me?" Cherish eyed him. It wasn't making sense to her.

"What you mean? I told you everything." Marcus kept a straight face.

"Marcus, you're my cousin. My brother. I know when you're telling the truth. I know exactly when you're about to go into overprotective mode. I know when something is bothering you, even when you don't speak about it. More importantly, I know when you're lying. What really happened?" Cherish looked at him, then at Julissa.

"Julissa?" Cherish asked.

Marcus once again spoke, "Cherish, you always feel like something more is going on because you think everyone is either going to leave you or die on you—"

"No, I don't." Cherish got defensive.

Marcus grabbed her hand before sighing. "Yeah, you do. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm just saying you try to convince yourself of the worst to prepare yourself for when it happens. You shut down. You run. Or you push people away."

"This isn't a therapy session." Cherish snatched her hand away while standing up.

Cherish didn't like how Marcus just tried to put her on the spot like that. While she couldn't exactly prove something else went down, it made her mad that Marcus would use that, knowing she struggles with it, to deflect the truth. What he said was the truth. That's exactly what Cherish does. Still, that does not mean he gets to use it to make her feel like she's wrong.

"I'm just saying—"

"I don't give no fuck! You and Yaz doing a little too much today. Don't use shit I'm trying to fix about myself just to cover up a lie you're telling." Cherish frowned. "The fact that you know you're lying, but still would say something like that, is pissing me off."

"I'm not lying." Marcus continued to hide the truth.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm glad you're okay, but I'm about to go." Cherish folded her arms. It was safe to say, Cherish is equally spoiled when it comes to Marcus. He didn't mind her being that way because he felt like she lost a lot in her life. He knew he was wrong for even bringing it up in front of everyone. He also knew she was trying to stop running from everything. She was trying to stop pushing people away and shutting down. It was a process, but she was trying.

"There you go running again." Marcus told her as her expression softened.

"You're right." Cherish sighed which made Marcus's expression soften. He wasn't right. Still, he couldn't have her knowing what really happened. Marcus held his one arm open since the other was in a sling. Cherish sat back down on his bed, then gently wrapped her arms around him while hugging him.

"You mind if I stay with you for a few days, Cherish?" Julissa asked. Cherish looked at Marcus, then back at Julissa. That's weird. Cherish thought.

Julissa couldn't stay with her mother because she didn't feel like getting into all of that, plus her parents lives in a different state. Yazmine didn't seem like she would be in the mood for a guest, so that's out of the question. She definitely wasn't staying with Rissa. She could've stayed in a hotel, but decided she might after a few days of staying with Cherish.

"Sure. Who will stay with Marcus, though?" Cherish questioned.

"I'm good." Marcus said.

"You're working with one arm, and will be here alone. You are not good, so continue laying there and shut the hell up while I think of something." Cherish told Marcus, who laughed along with Shooter and Priest. "I'm calling auntie." Cherish unlocked her phone.

"Nah, don't do that." Marcus sighed.

"She should have been the first call. I don't care how good you claim to be, I'm calling her."

"You gonna find out, anyway... she's watching my son." Marcus looked at Cherish, who mouth slightly parted as shock filled her face. It shocked Priest and Shooter as well, but they said nothing.

"You have a son? Since when?" Cherish spoke surprised.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you—"

"He fucked someone raw after Truth's grand opening." Julissa spoke.

The room fell silent for a few moments until Marcus spoke again. "I just got full custody of him this morning. He is only one without a mother. No, y'all don't know her." Marcus still felt strongly about not revealing Paris as the mother because she no longer was. Legally, at least. "I made her deadbeat ass sign over her rights because she doesn't want him and never did, so I'mma be a single father."

Wait a minute... Cherish looked back and forth from Marcus to Julissa until a frown etched across her face. "Julissa, tell me you didn't stab my cousin. It's all making sense now." Marcus grabbed Cherish's wrist a little too tight to stop her from getting up, which made Cherish winch. Marcus hadn't noticed, he was only trying to stop her from moving.

"Ow." Cherish mumbled, but Priest heard it.

Priest walked over and damn near broke Marcus's hand. "Let go of her fucking wrist. You crazy?" Priest mugged him.

"Priest!" Cherish jumped up and pushed Priest back. "He wasn't trying to. Calm down."

"Yo fingers cool? Let me call the doctor back up here." Shooter said.

"I'm sorry, Cherish—" Marcus tried to apologize.

"You don't have to apologize. I know you didn't try to." Cherish sighed. Her hand was on Priest's chest to hold him back. He had a mug on his face and a look that'll kill you.

"Come on, Soul. You know I would never do no shit like that. To her, of all people. I was trying to stop her in case she was in fighting mode."

Priest didn't respond. He grabbed Cherish's wrist and rubbed it. "You good, mama?"

Hell nah! My wrist hurts. "Yes. Are you?"

"Long as you're good." Priest looked into her eyes right before she rolled them.

"Look, Cherish. That's not what happened. Do you think her ass would be here if it was? Ain't that much love in the world." Marcus lied.

"Actually, there is." Cherish spoke while looking at Priest, then looking away. Even though it's not the same, she still remembers how Priest choked her outside the abortion client. Nothing was gentle about it. She felt so sick, knowing that she was still very much in love with him after that. What did that say about her?

"I put my hands on her, and she just reacted. She said some foul shit like Zaiden's deadbeat of a mother should've aborted him, and I snapped." Marcus wasn't letting up with protecting Julissa. He was going to stick beside her.

"So you knew you were lying and still..." Cherish shook her head.

"I'm sorry." Marcus apologized again.

"I'm still calling auntie."

"I'll do it." Marcus sighed. Cherish couldn't even be mad at Julissa, since Marcus put his hands on her first. She wouldn't have stabbed Priest, but she did hit him back.

"Well, I'm about to see what this doctor is prescribing you with. She needs to come look at your hand now."

"There's nothing wrong with my hand." Marcus tried to laugh off, but his hand was throbbing.

"I'm not apologizing about that shit. Shouldn't have grabbed her wrist like that. I don't give a fuck who you are."

"Soul, let it go." Cherish rolled her eyes. Priest grabbed her arm, which she snatched away. "Don't touch me."

"Shut the fuck up, and put this shirt on." Priest told her in a tone that told her he wasn't playing. He took off the shirt he was wearing, then handed it to her, leaving him in a wife-beater. This was not the time for the tone of his voice to be turning her on.

__

Cherishhad been gone for at least twenty minutes, so Priest went to find her. They didn't hear a door closing, so knew she wasn't gone. She was so busy talking on the phone that she didn't hear or see him walking into the kitchen since her back was facing him. "Yeah, he's okay. Thank God." Cherish said to whoever she was on the phone with. "Von?" Cherish was asking, but it sounded as if she was calling his name.

"I love you too."

"The fuck you doing telling that nigga you love him?" Priest spoke angrily causing her to jump.

"I'll talk to you soon. Yes, everything is good. You know you can't talk too long." Cherish said before hanging up.

"Don't be sneaking up on me." Cherish held her chest.

"I don't give no fuck about that. You love that nigga, huh?"

She tilted her head. "You can't be serious?"

"I said, you love that nigga?"

"That's none of your business." She folded her arms underneath her chest.

"Play with me if you want." He frowned.

"Von kinda became my best friend. Yes, I love him, but not in the way you're thinking. I wasn't even—why am I explaining myself to you? Do I look like Caprice to you? You keep questioning me like I'm your woman." Priest walked over to Cherish as she stood her ground. He used both his arms to trap her against the kitchen island. Looking down at her, she avoided his intense staring.

"You fucking him? Is that who will fly here if you called? I'm telling you now, Cherish Ayanna Smith, chose your answer wisely. That nigga momma will be burying his ass." She knew the type of man Priest was, so treading lightly was what she was going to do.

It was no secret that Priest and Von didn't fuck with each other. That predates before Cherish even met Priest. Cherish never knew why they had beef. It mostly seemed petty and not deep. Little did she know it was. She knew if Priest ever found out she was sleeping with Von when she moved away, all hell would break loose. She could have easily thrown that in his face just to hurt him, but would never do that. No matter what she says, Priest is and always would be a weakness for her.