Page 39 of Creed

Fuck.

I reach down and brush my fingers over her knuckles where they’re still white with a tight grip on my shirt. I haven’t tried to remove her hands because of how tightly they’re clenched, so my shirt is currently twisted around my torso, the fabric stretching as far as it will go. I curl my fingers around her hand, trying my best to grip her palms and not her wrists. “Let go, Stardust. I’ve got you.”

Her grip loosens, but she still clings to me. I watch as her whole body starts to shiver like she’s cold, even though it’s warm in this room.

Shit, she’s starting to panic through a dissociative episode. I have absolutely no fucking clue what I’m supposed to do here, but what I do know is that I’m not letting her stay here for another goddamned minute.

I wrap my arms around her shaking body and hold her close, rubbing one hand up and down her spine as I pull my phone from my pocket with the other and shoot off a text to Riley.

Me: Send Tony with Bear and bring the car around the back of the building.

Riley: What’s going on?

Me: I’ll tell you when I get there. Hurry.

Riley: On my way.

As soon as I pocket my phone again, I waste no time in scooping Collin’s into my arms.

“Come on, baby, I’m getting you the fuck out of here.” Her body stiffens even more, even with her shaking, but she makes no argument or move to get down. I whisper more calming words in her ear as I make my way out of the room and follow the neon exit signs. I’m almost to the back door when multiple things happen in an unfortunate sequence of events.

Collins starts to fidget in my arms, her dainty hands pressing on my chest, trying to push me away while murmuring something unintelligible under her breath.

“Hey, hey, calm down, Stardust. It’s me, it’s Creed.” I murmur softly as I set her back on her feet, my head bent down to her level.

Her head snaps up to me and her eyes are wide with panic still. It fucking guts me to see her like this.

Before I can reach out to try and comfort her or even say a word, a huge-ass hand clamps down on my shoulder and for the second time tonight I find myself pinned to the fucking wall by my throat. Again.

Oh, look who rejoined the party. It’s Bodyguard Man the Barbarian.

“I’m getting really fucking sick of you putting your goddamned hands on me, motherfucker.” I spit through clenched teeth, reaching up and gripping his tree trunk of an arm, trying to yank myself free.

“And I’m getting really fucking sick of finding you touching her. I don’t give a shit how fucking famous you think you are. I will lay your ass out and leave you in the woods for the goddamned coyotes to feed on.”

I really want to punch this fucker in the face for threatening and manhandling me, but at the same time I can’t be mad at the fact that he’s being so protective over Collins. Wait, yes I can. Because that’s supposed to be my fucking job.

“Jett! Please,” Collins must have finally come out of her state because I see her hand reach around, gripping his bicep and pulling at him to get him to face her. He shoots me one last death glare before turning his attention to her.

The movement of his body brings her small frame into view. Her soft, husky voice speaks with a calm that I’m not sure I’m capable of, especially right now. “I know him, it’s okay.”

“Yeah? The whole world knows who he is, sweetheart.” He scoffs, rolling his eyes.

“No, Jett. I mean, I know him. We…” she glances at me, her cheeks flushing an adorable shade of pink. “We grew up together. He’s like a, uh, brother…” she nearly whispers the last part.

Yeah…Brother is not exactly how I would describe myself, especially with the semi I’m still sporting after the way she danced for me and ground her lithe little body down on my cock earlier. But I keep my mouth shut because what else would I say? Yeah, man. She was like a sister that I helped raise with my best friend who is her older brother, but now that she’s all grown up, she’s been the subject of all my dirtiest, most depraved fantasies for the last two years.

Yeah, no. This is not a sharing circle of friendship, so Jett can fuck right off.

Jett’s head swivels back and forth, his intense stare full of disbelief as he volleys between Collins and me like we’re full of shit. I’m sick of seeing his head bobble, so I give him a nod to confirm what she said and with an exasperated sigh, he finally releases me. I rub at the sore spot on my throat before stepping around Jett to get to Collins’ side again.

“Let’s go,” I say with a total calm that I don’t feel, wrapping an arm around her waist and steering her toward the back exit.

“Wait, what? No?—”

“What did I just tell you, fucker? Where in the fuck you think you’re going?”

She and Jett say over each other at the same time.

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