Page 44 of Creed

Quietly we all load our plates, taking a few bites before Collins speaks first, pulling no punches. “Creed, want to tell me why the hell you kidnapped me tonight?”

“Wait, wait, wait,” I interject, raising my hands, mentally pumping the breaks on the steep nosedive her question just took. “First, can I ask how you two know each other?” I already have some idea based on my brief interaction with Creed earlier, but I’m gonna need more than that. They both just stare at me, then each other as if silently debating who was going to tell the story. I look at Collins, but she bites her lip before staring down at the pizza rolls like they’re more interesting than what’s happening right now.

So I turn my head to the only other person in the room. “Creed?”

He takes a long gulp of water before his tongue skirts out along his bottom lip, chasing the wetness lingering there. He purses his lips and exhales as he leans back into the couch. “I’ve known Collins since the day she was born. Do you remember my friend, Asher, that I talk to on occasion?”

“Good to know he’s alive and talking to someone. Fucking asshole.” I hear Collins mutter under her breath so quietly I don’t think Creed hears it from across the room.

“She’s his little sister.” He finishes. “We were both nine when she was born, but he and I practically raised her from the time we were teens until we graduated high school.”

I file away the fact that he said that he helped to raise her along with Asher. I want to ask about their childhood and why they did what he said they did, but that’s not important to what we’re discussing right now, I don’t think.

“Okay,” I say slowly, “So how does that lead up to what happened tonight? Didn’t you keep in contact over the years?” I ask, remembering Creed looking absolutely devastated when he said he won’t leave her again. Obviously I’ve never met her before tonight so I figure he hasn’t seen her in a good long while.

Collins speaks up this time, twirling a small strand of her snowy hair between her fingertips. “My parents were shit, and Creed and Ash were very…protective of me when I was little. They never left me alone if they could help it.”

An odd feeling settles over me as I watch her gaze go a little vacant, suddenly becoming lost in a memory. “Creed stepped up without question to become another pillar in my life alongside Asher. My parents sucked at being parents, but that’s a story for another day.” She chuckles, but there’s no humor behind it. She takes a bite of ice cream and nods at Creed. “They’re the ones who took me to the urgent care when I would get hurt playing outside, even though there was nothing a band aid couldn’t fix. But they really doubled down on protecting me after they came home from camp and I was so sick with no voice to tell them what was wrong. I was diagnosed with severe laryngitis and it had gone untreated for so long and I coughed so much that I’d developed vocal fold polyps.”

I’d heard about those before. Polyps can destroy someone’s vocal cords, affecting the control over clarity, tone, pitch, or vibrato of their voice.

My attention never leaves Collins’ as she looks at Creed with a moment of adoration before looking at me to continue her story. “The boys hounded the doctors and insisted I have the surgery, despite not having insurance, but because of that same reason, I couldn’t do the physical therapy. Those two worked their asses off that summer to make sure that my hospital bill was paid.” A small, perfect smile graces her full lips. “They mowed every lawn, pulled weeds, washed cars and houses, walked dogs, cleaned up trash… they did it all and I don’t think our dumpy old neighborhood ever looked as good as it did that summer.”

“It was worth it.” I heard Creed whisper, like he was only talking to himself.

“So that’s how I sound like I do. It also left me with the inability to yell or scream for help if I needed it. That’s why they started taking me everywhere with them. Even wild high school parties.” She sends a teasing glare Creed’s way and he actually winces at the words thrown at him, rubbing the back of his neck, looking more guilty than amused.

“Yeah, those were more Asher’s doing. Probably not the greatest idea.”

“Probably not?”

“Definitely not.”

“Okay,” I interrupt, “So I know now that you two grew up close. What happened?” I turn to Creed. “You’ve kept your private life fairly private, and I’ve heard you mention Asher before, but I don’t recall you ever mentioning her.” I nod toward Collins.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Collins swallow before looking away, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Creed’s face is now fully portraying every ugly emotion he’s feeling over what I just said.

They both sit there quietly for a moment before a quiet sob bursts from Collins. Before I can blink, Creed is across the room, kneeling before her and cupping her face in his hands.

I can’t see his face now, but I hear him speak quietly. “Hey, Stardust, look at me, please.”

She shakes her head in his grip but instead of letting her go, he swipes at her tears with his thumbs. I just sit there, quietly observing but also wondering if I need to leave to give them some privacy to work their shit out before finishing their history. It’s clear they know each other and are no threat to one another. Not anymore at least.

Pushing to stand, I grab the plate of snacks and head for the stairs. Both of them turn to look at me, confused. “I’m going to head to bed. Tonight has been…a lot for everyone. Now that I know you two know each other and Creed hasn’t lost his fucking mind, we can talk about this in the morning, yeah? I think you two need to work some things out and we can go from there.”

Both nod wordlessly, so I offer a brief wave before trudging up toward my room, calling out over my shoulder before rounding the corner, “Oh, and it was nice to meet you, Collins.”

Her shocked gasp could be heard all the way from my room, making me chuckle before kicking my door shut behind me.

Chapter 19

Collins

Creed sits back on his haunches and my stomach bursts with hundreds of butterflies at his close proximity. It also pisses me off because I can’t let him cloud my emotions. I’m mad as hell at him for carting me out of the club like a damn caveman. Like I was nothing more than a helpless damsel in need of his saving.

Which, okay, yeah it was kind of a turn on at how he took charge and didn’t hesitate to get me to safety when I started going through a dissociative episode, but did he have to do it like that? Like, what fucking era are we living in here?

I run my fingers through my hair, pushing it all to one side of my head before leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. Now that Riley’s gone upstairs, I feel the conversation will be a little easier to have with Creed, if I can keep my temper in check. Like I said, I’m not the same peace-seeking girl I used to be.

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