Page 127 of Creed

All relationships have rules, and it’s time that I make it clear what mine will be.

Chapter 43

Riley

Why did I do that in front of Creed? I know we spoke before I came here but goddamn I must still be drunk on Collins’ last orgasm because I have no idea how to behave right now.

After that first time that Collins and I had sex, we dozed off for a short period of time before I woke up to her kissing down my body and giving me yet another mind numbing blowjob. She insisted that I come all over her tits, which led to me showering her where I thanked her by eating her pussy. I’d never done it before but I just listened to Collins’ body and adapted to what she reacted to.

My Snow falling apart for me is quickly becoming my favorite thing to witness.

I haven’t even touched my ice cream yet—double chocolate fudge brownie with chocolate chips—because I feel so fucking weird in this combination of blissed out and nervous.

Collins takes another bite as Creed begins to speak. They both seem completely unbothered so that’s cool. I guess it’s just me freaking the fuck out.

“I think it’s safe to say that every relationship has rules, right?” None of us have ever been in a normal relationship before so none of us really have a clue, but I nod anyway.

“Alright, I’m just gonna dive in and say, welcome to the throuple, loves.” Collins laughs around her spoon and he chuckles to himself, takes another huge bite, then docks his own spoon in the tub before he continues, his face sobering a bit. “If we’re all in this thing together, the most important thing I ask of you two is honesty and I promise to give the same.”

“I can do that.” Collins agrees the same time I choke out, “okay.”

“Second,” he holds up two fingers, “I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable in this relationship between us.”

He runs a tattooed hand through his hair before he makes eye contact with me. I swallow under his stare. Before he can speak again, a delicate hand pops up in front of my space with a huge scoop of cookies n cream hovers just over my lips.

“I’ll trade you a bite for a bite.” She whispers conspiratorially and it eases something in my chest. She’s showing me to not be afraid or nervous. Yet again this girl is saving me without even knowing it

I smile down at her sweet, freckled face and nod. I take the bite and she steals a massive chunk from my tub.

“I consider all of us to be in a relationship with one another.” My heart pounds at that statement and I can feel my face heating. Not now. I tell myself. I’m sure Creed can see me blushing, but he doesn’t comment on it. “What I’m trying to explain is that no one should feel ashamed to be with the other, even if one of the three of us isn’t present.”

He pauses, taking a scoop from Collins’ tub before continuing, his face softening when he looks at me again. “I wanted this.” He gestures his spoon between the three of us again. “The three of us, I mean. I had to test the waters a little to get to this point, though. I can’t explain it for shit, but the three of us being together just makes sense to me.”

“I knew you were up to something,” Collins mumbles under her breath. Creed hears it and winks at her, then leans down and kisses her cheek.

“Wait, you did?” I ask, her words hitting me suddenly.

“Well, I didn’t know exactly what he was up to, but you can’t tell me he wasn’t doing non-typical boyfriend things.” She takes a bite, then offers one to me, eyeing the purple stain on my cheek as she smiles. “He told me you’d look really good in purple tonight.”

I love the way Collins blushes in the lamplight. It draws out and enhances the sweet dusting of freckles that lay perfectly across her nose and cheekbones. God, she’s so fucking beautiful.

“He put you up to that?” I look at Creed who’s polishing off his ice cream and reaches over to steal some of mine. He looks up at me and just grins the grin of a freaking mad man, not an ounce of guilt on his face.

There were odd times over the last week that I’d feel like Creed was intentionally pushing me and Collins together a little closer than what would be considered appropriate for two friends in certain situations. But Creed can be a character of completely different nature who doesn’t do things by society's definition of ‘normal’ sometimes, so I’d just brushed it off as a usual “Creed” thing.

“He did,” she giggles and feeds me another bite because I’m apparently incapable of feeding myself tonight with the weight of this conversation. Collins jade green eyes lock onto mine, and her lips wobble into a nervous smile as she continues, “If I’m being completely honest, I wanted to do it. When Creed had hinted at it before going onstage, I realized just how badly I wanted to kiss you, so I just did it and shoved you onstage before I could calculate the damage I’ve done.”

This is absolutely the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had. It tops the one I had with Creed hours earlier outside of our bus. I’ve never been in a relationship before, let alone a relationship in which I share a woman with another man. It’s a lot to take in, but I can’t deny that it also feels oddly normal. I’m not entirely certain the enormity of tonight has sunken into my brain yet, though.

I look at Collins, and really take her in. I watch her face and try to decipher what she’s thinking. She looks so content right now. Like, genuinely happy. But there are still doubts that linger in my mind, my mother’s voice playing on repeat, telling me that I have nothing to do with her happiness, that I’ll eventually do something that will make her sick of me and leave me behind.

It’s all she’d ever told me. The one person who’s biologically programmed to love me unconditionally, actually hated me and made me feel so worthless any chance she could. She spared no breath from telling me I would die alone. I don’t know what I had done to deserve her malicious words and actions, but as I grew up, I just stopped wondering and started believing her.

Creed shows me his own brand of love every day, but I still struggle with feeling like I could be good enough as a lover or partner for anyone.

“You’re a worthless little boy, Riley.” Mother’s words echo through my mind on repeat, each time louder than the last and it makes my chest ache and I can’t help but feel that loss settle heavily on my heart, because no matter what, I loved my mother unconditionally despite her hatred toward me.

I can’t stop the tear that falls down my cheek and instantly both Creed and Collins are scooting closer, both touching me to comfort me in some way. Collins swipes the tear away before lacing her fingers through mine at the same time that Creed gives my knee a reassuring squeeze.

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