Page 139 of Creed

Lachlan’s voice hisses through the phone, practically finishing my thoughts. “He was a fucking plant. I ran his image across my facial recognition database, and he’s confirmed to have been at every fucking concert. He’s been stalking us across state lines and keeping tabs on Collins.”

“How the fuck did you miss this, Lach?!” Blair snaps and it shocks me to see his level of lividity.

“Watch your fucking tone,” Lachlan warns. “Bands have crazy fucking fans who follow them all the goddamned time and he has no connections leading back to Guy, so I don’t fucking know, but I’ll find the answers.”

It sounds like a curse and a promise.

I watch as he drags Riley across the pavement and throws him in the trunk with Collins. I can’t see where he’s wounded since he’s wearing all black, but the blood trail leading to the car has my stomach twisting in a hard knot.

I close my eyes, willing the fury to not consume me so I can focus on finding my girl and my boy, but it feels like losing battle.

I get up and storm away while Asher sits and watches the footage, trying to get a read on the vehicle and where it was headed.

My mind starts to spiral as I think about how my whole life was just ripped right from my hands. The two people I love and care about more than life itself were taken from me.

Collins and Riley.

They’ve both been through hell and back and found solace from the pain of their past in one another. They healed one another. I promised them safety and security. A life free of pain and I fucking failed. Again.

“Fuck,” I hear Asher curse and I force my feet to move back to where he’s shouting and cursing at the laptop.

Bear and Blair look as sick as I feel.

We all watch in abject horror as the black car disappears from sight.

“This fucker must have access to the city cams because they’re all blank after this.” Lachlan’s voice is filled with agitation. The words feel like a nail in the coffin. “Fuck,” he shouts, “we’ll find them. My men are already tracking them. I swear to you, Creed. We. Will. Get. Them. Back.”

I believe him, but I can’t focus. It’s hard to breathe. It’s hard to see past the red wall of pure, undiluted rage that’s free-flowing through my body.

Yes, we will get them back.

I note Asher checking his gun and it has me saying, “I’ll be needing one of those, too.”

His head snaps up at me as he holsters his firearm. “What? Creed?—“

“You’re fucking crazy if you think I’m not going to storm the place with you when we find them. That fucker’s death is mine. I want to see the look on his face right before I put a bullet in his skull for daring to take what’s mine.”

“Are you sure you want that?” He asks, but I’ve never been more confident in my answer when I stare him in the eye and say through gritted teeth, “Yes.”

Bear forces me from the bus and all but shoves me into Blair’s with Asher. Ash has been on and off the phone with Lachlan, Callan, and Camdan all night, gathering any and all intel their men have come up with on finding where this dead-man-walking took Riley and Collins.

He won’t give me any answers and my mind won’t settle.

I want a fucking army to take Guy down, and any other motherfucker who worked with him. I pace the small room I’m in as I pull my phone out and dial the one person I haven’t spoken to in too long. There’s only half a ring before he answers.

“Son.” My dad’s voice fills my ears and a calm washes over me for a moment, the panic gripping at me finally ebbing long enough for me to speak.

“Dad—” I try to say but the lump in my throat threatens to choke me.

“What’s wrong?”

I heave a breath, willing the words to come out of my mouth. “I need your help.”

The other line is quiet for a moment. Five years ago I learned what my father’s actual job entailed and to say I was shocked would be the understatement of the century. My whole life, I thought he was just a taxi driver who was committed to his job. Turns out that’s just a cover. He also helps to rescue women and children in difficult situations and helps them to start a new life free from danger. He’s done his whole life and I had zero fucking clue.

“Tell me where you are. I’ll be there, Creed.” I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Who is she?” He asks, his voice calm.

“She’s mine. She’s everything.” I take in a shuddering breath. “She was taken from me. This motherfucker has her and Riley.”

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