by S. M. Soto
“Make love to me Creed, please,” I whisper breathlessly.
Creed doesn’t disappoint. His hips piston deep inside me, hitting that spot that he’s so good at finding. We both come with each other’s names on our lips, trying to be as silent as possible. His heat fills me and coats the insides of my thighs with his release. I rest my head on his sweaty chest and suddenly, start laughing.
“Are you laughing?” Creed asks in a gruff, disbelieving voice.
“Looks like you need another shower,” I say, propping myself up to look at him. He grins down at me with a tenderness in his eyes that has replaced the cold indifference he used to show me.
As I stare up at him, I can’t help but think about how far he’s come, about how far we’ve come. I run my fingers through his hair then down the side of his face, committing every piece of him to memory.
“I love you.”
The words fall from my lips without thought, and I make no move to take them back because they’re the truth. I’m in love with this dangerously beautiful man and I don’t want it to end. Not now. Not ever.
Something primal flashes in Creed’s eyes at my words. He doesn’t say a thing. Instead, he scoops me into his arms and lifts me off the bed toward the bathroom. I clutch onto his shoulders in surprise.
“What are you doing?”
He stops to deposit me next to the sink and turns around, fiddling with the shower. My brows pinch into a frown. When Creed turns around, he slowly walks up to me, and tucks stray hairs behind my ears.
“I’m going to make love to you in the shower,” he says huskily as he runs his fingers through my hair, down my neck, and between my breasts. My nipples harden and my clit throbs with the small touch. His words, his proximity, all of it has me ready to feel him inside me all over again.
Creed swoops down, taking my mouth with his and I groan into our kiss. His hand finds purchase between my legs, his fingers slide easily between my drenched folds. I gasp into his mouth and wrap my legs around his waist at the same time he lifts me, walking us both into the warm mist. The water pounds on his back as he pushes me up against the wall and slowly, slides in between my swollen lips. The head of his cock teases my clit. I drop my head back against the tile wall and let out a helpless moan, loving how easily he can work my body.
Finally putting me out of my misery, he slides home, and makes love to me against the shower wall as the water pounds around us in a staccato rhythm. The steam envelopes us, our pants and moans are eaten up by the roaring of the water. I bite on his shoulder to stifle the scream that threatens to tear from my lips when I crest. He grunts my name in my ear, just before his body spasms, then tenses with his release.
Creed takes extra time washing my hair and running his hands along my soapy body. His hands knead into the flesh of my shoulders and my back, making me groan in pleasure.
“That feels so good.”
He chuckles and kisses the tender spot behind my ear.
“Good.”
I spin in his arms, and rest my forehead on his chest, feeling a wave of exhaustion take over.
“C’mon, let’s get you to bed.”
Lifting me in his arms, Creed rubs my body dry with a towel and offers me one of his t-shirts. I smile to myself at his silent invitation to spend the entire night with him.
I nestle into his side as he wraps the comforter around us, doing anything he can to keep me warm. Snuggling into his chest, I inhale his scent and smile on the cusp of sleep.
“I love you,” I mumble sleepily. Creed blows out a rough breath that fans across my face and runs his fingers through my hair.
“I have something for you.”
My eyes snap open and with a frown, I prop myself on his chest and stare up at him with a questioning gaze. He gives me a lopsided smile and a chaste kiss on my lips before sliding out from under me. With the warmth of his body gone, I shiver, wrapping the blankets around me tightly. I watch warily as Creed sifts through one of his drawers.
When he turns around, I’m surprised by the look on his face. It’s a look of worry mixed with a bit of hesitance. And if I’m not mistaken, Creed actually seems nervous. I sit up straight on the bed and cock my head to the side, watching him closely. He approaches the bed slowly and rests on the edge beside me. He pulls out a ring looped on a dainty silver chain and holds it out to me. I suck in a sharp breath, and stare at him with wide eyes. The ring is beautiful, with a white gold band and an emerald stone fixed between two glittering diamonds. It looks like it costs a fortune. The piece of jewelry is breathtaking and timeless.
“It was my mother’s,” he says gruffly, clearing his throat. “Usually, I take it everywhere I go, to remember the one good aspect in my life—to honor her the only way I can. Now, I want you to have it.”
My eyes water, as I stare up into his metallic eyes.
“Are you sure? It’s so beautiful, I don’t want anything to happen to it.”
He smiles down at me and cups my face in the palm of his warm hand.
“I’m positive. I want you to have it. That way you’ll always have a piece of me, wherever you go, no matter what happens.”
A lone tear slides down my cheek.
“Don’t say that,” I whisper. With the pad of his thumb, Creed wipes away my tear and stares down at me intently, so many emotions swirling in the depths of his gaze.
“I’ll find you anywhere with this, Sophia. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you go,” he whispers vehemently, making my chest shutter with emotion.
He shifts my hair off my shoulder, baring my neck so he can clasp the beautiful piece of jewelry around my nape. He kisses the back of my neck where the piece of jewelry lays, sending a tremor down my spine.
“I’ve never known what love was, only had glimpses of it when my mother was alive. That’s why I want you to have this, I may not be able to put it into words, but you, Sophia, mean everything to me. I told you once before that I would give my life to protect yours, and I meant it. I would travel to the ends of the earth to find you, because you’re a part of me now, you’re like a drug that I refuse to give up. You, Sophia, are mine, and I’m never ever letting you go. No one will ever hurt you again, not while I’m still breathing. Understand me?”
My heart flutters wildly in my chest and the tears leak out of my eyes in an endless stream. I nod my head, throwing my arms around his neck. I nestle my face into his chest and squeeze for dear life.
“I love you so much,” I whisper. Pulling back, I cup his face in my hands and stare intently into the swirling gray of eyes that I adore. “I don’t need words when I have this.” I reassure him, pointing to the ring around my neck. The corners of his mouth lift into a serene smile.
“The emerald stone reminds me of your eyes—it’s perfect for you.”
Smiling up at him contentedly, I pull his lips down to mine and kiss him in thank you. There’s no question about it now, I am irrevocably in love with this man.
THE NEXT MORNING, I WAKE to Creed’s warm mouth leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. I do my best to hold back my moan but fail miserably.
“It’s past ten,” he whispers seductively in my ear. His tongue juts out, licking the shell of my ear. My libido roars to life almost making me forget the time. With a groan, I prop myself up in bed and hurriedly put my clothes on from the night before.
“I need to go before Garrett comes kicking down my bedroom door,” I say reluctantly. He nods his head in approval, understanding just how insane my brother can get when it comes to me.
After dressing, I kiss Creed goodbye, preparing for another long day of counting down the hours to see him again. I slide out of his room unseen and slip into my bedroom without a hitch. I only have time to change my clothes and brush my teeth before Garrett’s there, knocking on my bedroom door. I open it smiling wide for my brother, only to come up short. His expression is less than thrilled. The air around him is doused in anger, immediately putting me on edge. My back straightens, and I
square my shoulders, prepared for a fight.
“Gar?”
“Where were you last night?” My brother demands, pushing his way into my room. I suck in a sharp breath. His question has my heart racing violently, prompting me to lick my lips nervously, trying to come up with an excuse.
“What do you mean? I was in bed last night.”
“I knocked on your door, Sophia. Why didn’t you answer?”
My breath hitches and my heart freezes mid-beat.
Shit.
I shrug my shoulders noncommittally and avoid his gaze. “I didn’t hear anything, I was probably in the shower or something.”
Garrett narrows his eyes at me. “I didn’t hear any water running.”
Nausea swirls in my belly. I open my mouth to come up with another excuse, but no words come out.
“I must’ve fell asleep, then. I was tired last night.”
“You slept through me knocking at your door? I find that very hard to believe.”
I swallow thickly, ignoring his accusatory tone. I slip my feet into some tennis shoes, doing anything to keep myself busy and avoid his probing gaze.
“Is this all you came here for? To give me the third degree?”
Garrett blows out a gruff breath and shakes his head. “No. That’s not what I came here for, Soph. I wanted to see if you—” He stops talking mid-sentence and freezes, with his eyes focused on my chest. Of its own accord, my hand flutters to my chest and falls on the ring dangling from the chain that Creed gave me last night. Garrett’s eyes narrow into thin slits and his body vibrates with anger.
“Who gave you that?” He grinds out. I don’t open my mouth to answer, too afraid of what will surely happen if I do.
My brother flicks his gaze up to mine and I see the minute his composure snaps. His lips curl in anger and a feral growl tears from his chest as he storms out of my room.
“Garrett!” I call after him, but my legs refuse to move. I stand frozen in place, completely in shock until I hear a loud thud and raised voices. My heart lurches violently in my chest, propelling me forward, toward the chaos. There’s only one thought on my mind right now, one person. Creed.
I sprint out of my room, looking down the hall toward Creed’s quarters and all the color drains from my face as I watch my worst nightmare unfold before my very eyes.
“No.” The word falls from my lips in a whisper.
“You son of a bitch, I trusted you!” My brother shouts, pounding his fist into Creed’s face over, and over again. Fear for the man I love propels me forward and I scream, begging Garrett to stop, but he won’t. It’s useless. Bile rises up my throat, and my stomach flips painfully.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know? Sneaking into each other rooms at night?” He growls angrily, throwing punch after punch. Each hit connects with something different—Creed’s face, his stomach, his jaw. The sound of flesh connecting with flesh ripples in the air around us, twisting my insides.
Slowly, everyone makes their way into the hall to see what all the yelling is about. None of them make any move to stop the fight, instead they stand back and watch like emotionless spectators at a show. I wish Creed would defend himself, but he won’t, not against Garrett. Especially after what we’ve been doing behind his back. He’s taking it like a man who slept with his friend’s sister.
I know Creed would never hurt Garrett, no matter what. I know what he’s capable of, and so does my brother. He’s from the mafia, a hitman—if he wants Garrett dead, he could do it easily. That means he’s letting him win.
“You stay the fuck away from her, do you hear me?” Garrett roars like a rabid dog. “You piece of shit, I should kill you for this!”
He slams his fist into Creed brutally and the moment I see blood, I crumple into a heaving, sobbing mess.
“Garrett! Stop it!” I cry out through my tears that are distorting my vision. “Please, I love him.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, the hall goes deathly quiet and everyone’s jaw hits the floor. Garrett’s arm pauses midair and he stumbles back like he’s just been struck. He turns to me like he can’t believe what I’ve just said. Disbelief and pain war over his features.
“What did you just say?”
I gulp in much needed air and wipe the wetness on my face onto my sleeve.
“I said, I’m in love with him.”
Garrett runs a frustrated hand through his hair and makes a sound like a wounded animal.
“Fuck!”
He storms out of the room without a look back, and I scramble up next to Creed’s side. He’s not as bad as I thought he would be, but still the blood on his face makes me break into another bout of tears.
“I’m so sorry, Creed. God, I’m so sorry.”
“Shhh. It’s okay,” his voice is gravelly, and his face is pinched in pain as he pulls me into his arms. I drop my head down and sob into his chest. Creed wraps his arms around me tightly, rubbing my back up and down in a soothing comforting motion, like he’s not the one who just took a beating.
Back in Creed’s room, I urge him into the bathroom and clean the excess blood off his split lip and bloody nose. With a damp towel, I continue blotting his face, fighting back my tears as I stare at my brother’s handiwork. With most of the blood cleaned up, his wounds aren’t as bad as I originally thought.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper hoarsely, getting choked up again. Creed blows out a deep breath and grips my hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
“It’s okay, il mio amore.”
His steel eyes penetrate mine and force me to take a deep breath. I run my hand over his face tenderly, caressing the marred skin.
“I’m going to kill him,” I mumble angrily. Creed chuckles and shakes his head at me like I’m amusing.
“He has a right to be angry. I knew it was coming.”
I close my eyes on a sigh and rest my forehead gently over his.
“I need to talk to him.”
“You do,” he says in agreement. Gripping his face in my hands, I kiss him for the strength I’ll surely need.
“You sure you’re okay?” I ask warily from the door, not sure if I should stay with him or go to my brother.
“Go, Sophia. I’ve been through a lot worse.”
Instead of his words making me feel at ease, they make me feel worse. I unwillingly leave Creed in search for my brother. After looking everywhere, I finally ask the guys where he is and of course he’s in the one place I didn’t think to check. His room.
Tentatively, I push open his bedroom door and step over the threshold, immediately spotting him. He’s hunched over on his bed with his head dropped into his hands—looking utterly defeated.
“Garrett,” I say not even recognizing my own voice, it’s so thick with emotion. My brother doesn’t lift his head, or give any indication that he heard me, so I walk further into his room, and perch on the other corner of his bed.
“Why?”
Blowing out a sigh, I try to think of a good answer to his question. Why did I do it? Why did it have to be him? Why didn’t I say something? There’s so many answers to that one question, but there’s only one that matters.
“Because I’m in love with him, Gar.”
Garrett lifts his head and shoots me a glare. “Yeah, I fucking got that, Sophia. What I can’t wrap my head around is why you’d be stupid enough to fall in love with a man like him in the first place. You have no idea who he really is.”
His accusing tone and his words immediately get my back up. The need to defend Creed is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. My brows pull down as I glare at my brother in anger.
“I know him better than anyone, Garrett. He’s told me everything. He tried to scare me away with his past and he tried pushing me away by telling me all the awful things he’s done in his life, and you know what? It didn’t fucking work Garrett, because that’s only one side of the man I know. He’s more than just a hitman or The Ghost. He’s everything to me. I’m in love with the man
who bared his entire soul to me. I’m in love with the man who looks at me and doesn’t see the scars they left behind.” Scooting closer, I wrap my hand around my brother’s and squeeze, hoping he hears me. “I love you so much, Garrett. More than you’ll ever know, but I-I can’t not be with Creed just because you don’t like it or approve. I need him in my life more than I need my next breath. You can either accept it, or you can choose to hold a grudge against him for the rest of your life, because I don’t plan on letting him go. Not ever.”
I exhale a deep breath, staring at Garrett warily. He searches my face but says nothing. After years of training, his face gives nothing away and my nerves get the best of me as I wait for him to put me out of my misery.
“So…you know everything, and you still love him?”
“Without a shadow of a doubt,” I say leaving no room for discussion.
Scrubbing a frustrated hand over his face and over his head, he turns to me with a serious expression on his face.
“I don’t like it. Not one fucking bit. You’re too good for the likes of him.” I’m just about to say something to refute him, when he holds up his hand cutting me off.
“But, it’s not my choice, nor is it my life. I can’t say I’ll ever be okay with it, but just know, if that motherfucker ever hurts you, I’ll fucking kill him. No questions asked. Do you understand me, Sophia?”
A small smile graces my lips. “Yes, I understand, big brother Garrett.”
His lip twitches at the old endearment and he pulls me into a tight oxygen restricting hug that I revel in. When we pull away, I grip my brother’s swollen hand in mine and rub small circles over the ripped skin.
“Want to go for a walk?”
He looks up at me and shakes his head, cracking a small smile.
“No thanks. I think I need to see Mera about my hand, fucker’s face was like plowing through stone.”
I can’t help the laugh that falls from my lips and the tears that spring to my eyes.
“For what it’s worth, Gar, I really am sorry,” I say remorsefully, pushing to my feet. With a grimace, he nods his head.
