Epilogue Creighton #2
I stopped him before any more stupidity came out of his mouth.
“I grew up tossed away like garbage. I was put in the system, and different homes were forced to take me in. You know. That world. That’s where we are right now.
This event. That’s who you’re talking to.
I just wanted to give you a reminder that I’m a human being.
I’m a person. I am used to people taking one look at me and hating me instantly because I dare to breathe the same air they do.
And just so we’re on the same page, I am not going to disappear to make you happy.
In case you keep going down that avenue.
” I didn’t say the rest, but I was feeling it.
Right now, at this event, I didn’t want to take any more of his shit.
I was tired of those types of insults.
I might’ve been garbage to others, but Creighton only needed one look to decide I was the world to him. That’s what mattered.
He grew quiet before sighing. “I hate your boyfriend. That’s the only reason behind my antagonism. No other reason.”
Fuck’s sake. My grin twisted up, and I eased some of the sudden seriousness. “Didn’t you hear? I’m the pin that either turns Creighton into an assault rifle or keeps him null and void. Nothing unremarkable about that, now is there?”
“It’s more than just one pin.”
“Whatever. I’m important.”
“If we’re going to exchange jabs, I’d rather not unless I get permission to use knives on you, and in that case, after you.” He stepped to the side and indicated the door.
“Such a gentleman,” I deadpanned.
“Only if there’s a lady around.” He made a show of looking around, craning his neck.
“Do you see one? For what it’s worth, I’ve never thought you were garbage.
I’ve always known you were the linchpin to that psychopath.
” He motioned between us. “Can we share these types of insults? I’m not familiar with the rules for us, what will or won’t set off that psychopathic wolverine. ”
“You know.” I kept my tone casual and stepped toward him. “Creighton and I discovered that security tend to search him for weapons, but not me.” I wagged my eyebrows up and down.
His face got hard. “If you were going to stick me, you wouldn’t have waited to corner me outside the women’s bathroom, and didn’t you just remind me about where we’re at tonight? At an event for foster children.” His dark amusement vanished. “What do you want, Miss Green?”
Sadly, our fun needed to come to an end. “Jake Worthing and Sawyer Matsen. You put a ban on them from coming back to this city. I want you to lift the ban.”
He stared at me, long and hard. Then laughed as he began to walk away.
“Hey!” I got in his way. “I’m talking to you.”
“No.” He glared at me, widening his eyes.
“You’re attempting to start another war.
I couldn’t have heard what I just heard because if I did, either you’re trying your hand at being a stand-up comedian or again, you want a war to start that would begin with you and me.
Right here. With that request.” He hissed, his control snapping.
“You must be attempting to fuck with me. If so, don’t bother. I’m not a cheater.”
A growl was rumbling in my throat, working its way out from frustration. “Sawyer—”
“Are you forgetting what they did to you?”
“I like Sawyer, and I like her family. They’re nice people. They’ve been texting me. She should be able to visit her family here.”
He lifted his head, pinching the top of his nose, and muttered swift curses under his breath. “You’re certifiable. Just like your boyfriend.”
“Listen—”
“No!” He cut me off. “How about that? Just, no. No. Leave it alone.” He began to go around me.
I let him get until the end of the hallway before I said, “Her paintings weren’t destroyed.”
He stopped, but didn’t turn around. Not right away. He stood there, his back tense and his shoulders rigid before I heard another expletive leave him before he looked back. He’d been mad before, but this time, he wasn’t steady. Had I pushed him too far?
I said, speaking calmly, but knowing I had a torpedo of nerves inside me, “Molly’s bowling alley and Jess’s art gallery. Creighton burned both of them down because you went after me. That’s what happened, right?”
His eyes were primal. “You have used up all the good graces I have in me for you. If you don’t get to the point, I swear that I will find the knife you have on you, and I’ll use it to start this war myself.”
Jesus Christ.
I kept on, ignoring his griping, “The paintings were moved. Creighton didn’t have them burned. He also had some personal effects saved from your woman’s bowling alley. Things he thought might mean something to her.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not. He told me.”
He scowled at me, trying to read if I was lying or not. He seethed. “If you’re fucking with me—”
“Why would I? Don’t forget he did that because of what you did to me.”
“I really really hate you and your boyfriend.” He pulled back.
“Fine. You want the ban lifted on Worthing and his woman? It’s his funeral.
There’s history there with him and the rest of us.
Some of it isn’t good. Most of it isn’t good.
Not to mention, he’s your boyfriend’s cousin.
If we don’t kill Jake, there’s a good chance Lane will for fun. ”
“The ban needs to be lifted, and you have to promise you won’t use it as bait to go after him or Sawyer. You’ve not met her aunts or her mom yet. You might be scary, but you’ve got nothing on them.”
He didn’t reply, just continued to scowl at me.
“Do we have a deal?” I held out my hand. “I’ll tell you where the paintings are and the rest.”
He looked at my hand as if it was diseased before he sighed and shook my hand. “Joke’s on you.”
I tried to yank my hand away, but he clamped down on it and used it to reel me in closer. “You don’t like me and mine, but with the ban lifted, I can let you know now that when Sawyer’s aunts were here, I did meet them. They also met Jess’s mom, and guess who all became fast friends?”
I sucked in some air, horrified at his implication.
“That’s right.” Walden laughed cruelly in my face. “You just opened the door for those same aunts. Once they’re here, you’re the one who gets to deal with them, not me. See you at Sunday brunch.”
His parting words burned me.
I couldn’t. Not Sunday brunch.
Oh no. They were going to love Levi.
“What was that about?”
I screamed, whirling around, and screamed all over again. “Lassiter!” I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around him. I’d been trying to give him space, tried not to stare at the “other” side too much, but Creighton said there was a chance he’d come with Pialto.
He went rigid before he slowly forced himself to hug me back.
I stepped back, all smiles, because this was good. Him saying hi to me. This was a good sign. “Hi. How are you? What’s new with you? Any new friends or more than friends? You don’t have to answer that—”
“It’s not serious.”
“Oh.” I took him in again, really took him in and saw the exhaustion between the lines. He wasn’t doing well. But this was Lassiter. He wouldn’t open up to me like Levi or Creighton. If he was here, he was here for a reason. “What’s not serious?”
“I know Trace told you about Pialto and me, but it’s not serious. We’re friends. Sophie too. They’ve adopted me. Kind of. Molly as well. You’d like her. You’d like them.”
I snorted. “Walden’s camp? I doubt—”
“No. You would.” That hurt look was still there.
I reached up, touching the side of his face, wanting to rub it away if I could’ve. “He did it to push you away.”
He laughed softly. “You think I don’t know that?
I know he did. West didn’t hit him that hard.
” He expelled a sudden breath, closing his eyes.
His shoulders loosened. “I haven’t been with them the whole time.
I went back to Cincy for a bit. Visited my old house.
A lot of things have changed. Heath’s brothers are running things there for Creight now.
They’re doing a good job.” His gaze trailed behind me, searching.
“I might need to stay away for a bit longer. I’m not ready. I’m not quite over him.”
“Okay,” I whispered. I didn’t want my brother to hurt, and he was hurting, and I couldn’t stop it from happening. “I’m here for whatever you need. Okay?”
He continued to stare at me as if he were seeing someone he didn’t recognize, until all of that went away. The wall slipped, just a bit. “Thank you, Blake. You look happy.”
I nodded, unable to speak. Sudden emotions were clogging up my airway. I pulled him to me for another hug. Before I let go, I whispered, “I don’t give a fuck about blood. You’re my brother.”
He suddenly hugged me back before he coughed, and stepped away. He couldn’t look me in the eyes, but that was okay. His hands squeezed my arm one last time before he slipped away, going through that camouflaged door.
“Everything okay?”
The timing of it all. I had to laugh.
Creighton had come to stand on the other end of the hallway.
I turned back in the direction Last just left. “Yeah.”
He’d been here. He said hello. That meant something.
Things were going to be okay. I’d felt it before, but I accepted it now.
I rested my head against the wall and smiled at my man. “Can you take me home?”
“Happily.”
“Why don’t you want me to call you Quokka?” Creighton asked me as soon as I finished taking off my dress and changed into sleeping shorts and one of his hoodies. He hadn’t changed, waiting for me on my bed, and I was okay that he hadn’t changed.
And of course he was calling in his favor tonight.