Page 22 of Creep
“None of that shit,” Road says, grabbing my shoulder, as if he wants to shake me. “No more waiting. Knock on his door. Make him see you. Take him fishing, or something, but do it today.”
I get up. “Okay. I’m going.”
“Oh. I mean, give it three hours or so, because he’s gone with Prophet to get stuff from his house. At least that means he’s not bailing on Vulture Hollow. I’m actually surprised Prophet let Angel rope him into it.”
“Fuck!” I could have been the one to help him move. But then another, even slimier thought crawls into my jealousy infested brain. “Prophet. Do you think he’s actually bisexual, or just talked shit so the guys would shut up about you and Clyde?” I ask when I recall Prophet mentioning he got head from men a few times. He couldn’t possibly expect Angel to barter his soft lips for help?
Road stares at me, as if I just told him car wheels are made of pepperoni. “Well… I know he wouldn’t try to take your boy from you. He probably just wants to know what he’s about if he’s gonna live here.”
My boy.
Myboy.
I want that to be the truth so badly. I don’t even know how being together would look like when I have all my fucked-up quirks and baggage, but for once, I want it so much I’m willing to bear the inadequacy still to come. He might find out my kinks and be repulsed. He might find me insufferable in the long-term. He might chew me up and spit me out.
But if I don’t try, I won’t know.
“Okay,” I say and head for the garage to get my bike back.
“Just don’t abduct him again!” Road yells behind me and chuckles. It’s fine. I can suffer the indignity of being the butt of a joke as long as I can get Angel.
Chapter 12
Angel
“SoyoustartedtheMC at such a young age? Wow, that’s so impressive,” I say as wind blows into the cab of the pickup truck, combing through my hair. I was surprised when Prophet, the big boss of Vulture Hollow, offered to help me move my belongings to my new home, but I figured he might want to know me better. That, or he’s another closet case drawn to my very obviousvibes.
I suppose we’ll find out once we arrive.
He is very handsome, and nice, I’ll give him that. He’s tall, strong, confident in the way he carries himself, and seems comfortable with the gun in the holster under his arm, so I feel safe in his presence.
Still, maintaining a pleasant conversation is irrationally difficult, because my thoughts keep oscillating around the way Creep leapt out of the bushes after avoiding me for days, and attempted to chase off a guy who was trying to make me laugh. Ridiculous. It would have been funny if it wasn’t so tragic.
But nothing pisses me off more than the fact that I wish he was here.
I think those two days in the cave fucked me up. Whenever I’m surrounded by darkness, including when I close my eyes at night, I remember how safe I felt when he found me in the tunnels, how at ease my whole nervous system became when he slept under my bed.
I should feel the opposite, relief at the monstrous guy being gone, but my inquisitive nature draws me to Creep. He’s like no one I’ve ever met?strangely gentle, yet deadly. I want to unravel the mystery that he is. Why does he sleep under his own bed? Why in a cave? What’s with the freaky picture of angels and a wolf? Just like I’m curious about the secrets of the universe, the more I know about him, the more voracious I become.
Prophet chuckles. “Thanks, but I had more courage than brains back then. It did work out in the end though. Brigid’s been the backbone of our success, providing us with contacts and lots of useful information.”
“You seem to be doing all right,” I tell him, and it’s not even an exaggeration designed to stroke his ego. After three days in the settlement, I can confidently say that it’s a thriving, self-sustaining community.
And, best of all, the Hell’s Butchers won’t be visiting Vulture Hollow anytime soon. Now I just need to make sure that if Domino happens to ride down the same road, I duck in time, and he doesn’t see me. Prophet might be a nice guy, but I don’t know him well enough, so I have no idea if he wouldn’t hand me over if Domino claimed me ashis.
“I think my greatest talent is in recruiting the right people,” Prophet tells me as we cut through the forest, heading for my home. “Creep was a total wild card when he showed up, but he’s such a productive member of the club.”
Ah, so he’s not trying to get into my pants. He wants to nudge me back to his buddy.
A mixture of shame and dismay twists my guts when I remember our confrontation earlier. Have I overdone it? He did ignore me for a long time, so wasn’t it only natural that I lost my shit when he appeared the way he did?
I wish I wasn’t attracted to the wide shoulders, the trim waist, and most of all, the intensity in his black eyes. And he’s not even classically handsome. Half his face hides under greasy black hair, his lips are dry, and he bites his nails. Yet there’s something about his aura that draws me in as if I were his moon.
“How did you meet him?” I ask despite myself, because I want to knoweverything.
Prophet laughs. “I almost didn’t. The man is like a cat. It was only by accident that I found him stealing from us, and that’s how we… got acquainted. It’s all good now, he just needed to prove his worth. He keeps to himself a lot, but I think deep down, he’d like company. Even if his attempt was misguided.”
“You mean the abduction?” I ask but smile to let Prophet know I’m no longer angry about that.
