Page 35 of Creed

“He’s a drug mule, and he stole from them. Hid a flash drive in the heater vent of your bathroom wall that had evidence against the gang because they murdered his friend because he let him take the fall. He used you like he did his buddy and put your life in danger. I’ll tell you what the pissed off side of me wants to do. If it was up to me, I’d hand him and the drive over. Let them figure their own shit out as long as they never breathe your direction again.Option two, the flash drive gets destroyed and I give my assurance to Red that he’s got nothing to worry about and if they catch Cade, that’s on him. Option three, I go to war with these fuckers and take them all out. Cade included.”

“Won’t they be mad about the dead guy?”

“It’s a price we all pay in the underground world. They know it. I know it. You’ve gotta learn to live with it. Can’t save everyone, baby. But I can damn sure do whatever it takes to make sure you’re covered.”

“If you give Cade to them, they will kill him.”

“Normally I’d give a fuck, but he lost that chance the minute he hid that shit in your apartment and made you their target.”

“We don’t know they were going to kill me.”

“They left a hitman calling card under your pillow. I know what that shit means because it’s what I do, Lottie. I kill pieces of shit for a living.”

“You what?” All color drains from her face as she stares at me.

“You heard what I said. You don’t have to agree with what I do, but I need you to understand the men I kill aren’t good people.”

“I. I don’t even know what to say right now. I feel sick.”

I move in to comfort her, and she flinches. “I can’t touch you now? Are you scared of me?”

“I don’t know, Creed. You just told me you murder people for money. You play God.” She shifts her shoulders andmakes a face like I disgust her. Maybe I do, but I can’t change who I am.

“I think I like it better when you call me Seth.”

Tears pool in her eyes.

“Hey, look at me.” I twist her face toward me. “I’m still the same man. The one you grew up with. The one you first gave yourself to. The one you’ve always loved.”

Lottie licks her lips.

“Tell me you understand. That you accept me as I am.”

Her mouth opens but no words come out and I’m afraid I’ve lost her when I barely just got her back. But then her lips find mine, frantic and hungry.

“There will never be a version of you I don’t want. That I won’t accept. Only thing I can’t take is losing you again. I’m all in with you. No matter the price.”

“Good.” I hold her down on the bed, claiming her.

Body.

Heart.

Mind.

And soul.

All that she is, is mine for the taking.

“Let’s get one more thing straight.” I hold her gaze. “No one could ever compare to the beauty that is you. I loved you first and I’m going to love you last. Anything that came between then and now doesn’t matter. Inconsequential.”

“Ditto,” she whispers into my mouth as she delves her tongue between the seam of my lips. “No more talking, honey.” She squeezes my ass over my jeans.

“Most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“For someone who loves to give orders, you don’t receive them very well.”

“Nope.” I grin and remove her shirt. I yank a lacey cup of her bra down, exposing her nipple so I can swirl my tongue around it till the skin turns taught. “I like this.” I tug the other cup down, repeating motion with the other, getting my first proper look at her skeletal sternum tattoo, that spans beneath her breasts. “Did it hurt?”

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