25. Creed
CREED
I look up, narrowing my stare as Warner slides into the room. He leans against the wall, crossing his arms as he watches me.
“I saw Morgan.”
I stand, moving to the bars. “Where? Please tell me she didn’t come here.”
His jaw tics. “Turned in her badge and gun.”
I curse. I’m going to spank her ass red. Wincing, I blow out a breath. Okay, maybe I won’t do that, but she’s going to hear about not listening to orders to stay at the clubhouse.
“Been on the job long enough to know what a black eye hidden behind sunglasses looks like.”
I turn my attention back to Warner. “I would never hurt Morgan.”
He nods once. “Heard she’s pregnant with a Devil’s Tide kid. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots.”
My hands wrap around the cold metal. “I’m sure you missed a few.”
His lips curl into a disgusted frown. “I’ve seen the chief’s temper on more than one occasion.”
A thunderous beat starts in my ears. What is he saying? That they know he beat Morgan, yet I’m still the one locked away? We stare at each other silently before he pushes off the wall and grabs the keys at his hip.
“Two neighbors saw Chief Simmons waving his gun and attack you first. I’m not sure how far self-defense will hold up if the DA decides to press charges for how badly you beat him, but as of now, we don’t have anything to hold you.
” Warner unlocks the cell door, swinging it open, but stands in the opening so I can’t leave.
“Logan, stay out of sight until it blows over. If I were you, I’d take my woman and get the fuck out of town. ”
I grit my jaw. “The club will protect Morgan.”
He sighs. “Your club is nothing compared to the shit that’s looking to bankroll this town.”
My eyebrows furrow, and take a longer look at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
Warner cuts me with a sharp gaze. “You’re not the only ones with family in this town. Better the devil you know.”
I snort. “Anything else?”
He shakes his head, then pauses. “Let me check in with Morgan to see if the chief is released from the hospital.” He moves out of the way and lets me walk through.
“If she says no, then that’s it. I won’t force her.”
Warner works his jaw back and forth before nodding. “Fair enough.”
He guides me through the station to where Judge and Viper are waiting for me in the lobby. Judge looks madder than a cat whose tail is caught.
Warner clears his throat, grabbing the bag with my belongings from another deputy. “I suggest you advise your client to keep his temper and fists under control for the foreseeable future.”
Judge scowls at him and takes my bag before I can. “Go fuck yourself.”
I have to bite down to smother my laugh while Viper’s eyebrows nearly shoot off his face. Judge has always been able to keep his composure.
Before we can respond, the station door opens and a stunning woman saunters through. Her hand tightens on her purse, her eyes zeroing in on Judge.
“Not surprised to see you here,” she quips.
Judge glares at her. “Not surprised? Your assumptions have always made you an uptight bitch, Scottie.” He nods at Viper and me. “Let’s go. Too many pretentious pricks in the building.”
I don’t miss the flash of hurt on her face, but it’s gone just as quickly.
She clears her throat, looking up at Warner. “Sheriff in?”
We leave them, and you’d think Judge sucked on a fucking lemon with how sour his face is as we walk to the truck.
“You fuck the DA?” I ask.
Viper coughs, choking on his spit and catching himself on the tailgate.
Judge turns his glare on me. “Don’t fucking worry about it.”
I laugh loudly, feeling lighter than a few minutes ago. “Oh, I am, because if I’m getting shit for knocking up a cop, wait until the brothers hear this.”
He lunges at me, his hand wrapping around my throat and pressing me against the truck. Viper moves to block the view from the station as I grin up at Judge.
“Touchy subject?”
His fingers flex and he lets go of me. “Just…don’t.”
Viper sighs. “Creed ain’t going to say shit. Neither of us will, okay?”
“You know she’s going to try to bury my ass, right?” I add.
Judge sighs, running his hand through his hair. “I fucking know that, and I’ll do what I have to. I always do.”
“She know?” Viper asks. We don’t have to say what. Judge being a brother is one of our best kept secrets. They just think we keep him on retainer.
He shakes his head. “Of course not. She’d come for my license.”
* * *
Gage is waiting outside as soon as we pull up to the clubhouse. He nods at Judge. “Staying or going?”
“Staying, but not for long. Gimme twenty,” Judge grumbles, not stopping for an answer as he goes through the door.
Viper and I exchange a glance. No doubt he’s going to find a pussy to take out his aggression from that encounter with the DA.
Gage sighs. “Alright. Church whenever Judge is ready. We put Morgan up in my old room since it’s bigger. You two can stay there until you decide what’s happening. Mik and Autumn are in the back with the kids, so keep your cocks in your pants.”
“Thanks, Prez.” I don’t stop for anyone who calls out my name as I head up the stairs to Gage’s old bedroom.
I open the door silently, unsure if Morgan will be resting.
She looks up from a laptop at his desk when I walk in.
She stands quickly, catching herself on the corner. I rush to her, guiding her to the bed.
“Hey, be careful.”
She grasps my wrist. “Just stood up too fast, made me a little dizzy.”
“Have you eaten at all?”
Her lips part and then close, her eyebrows scrunched. “Lacey did offer when we got here, but I waved her off.”
“I’m going to get you food, then I’d like us to talk.”
She doesn’t respond as I leave and head to the kitchen. Lacey sees me enter and jumps up from the table.
“Hold up. I wrapped up a plate for her. I knew she’d be hungry eventually."
I blow out a breath. “Thank you.”
She grunts, handing me the plate and grabbing my arm before I can turn away.
“See me before you go into church. We need to ice and wrap your knuckles,” she scolds with an exasperated tone before letting me go, moving back to her puzzle laid out on the table.
I hurry back to Morgan, knowing my brothers won’t be patient for much longer. I half expect her to be asleep when I get back to the room, but she’s not. Instead she’s staring through the window to the large front yard of the clubhouse.
“Are you in a better place to tell me what happened?” I ask, setting the plate on the desk.
Her nose wrinkles, and then she winces before grabbing a banana with a sigh. “I knew something was wrong when I got to the door. Call it intuition. I saw the stash away key in my plants had moved, and only my dad knew about it.”
I bury the annoyance that she never told me about it, not that it kept me out either way.
Morgan’s tongue pokes at her lip, the side still swollen. “He was waiting on the couch, drinking the beer I kept in the fridge for him. Asked me if it was true I was knocked up by a biker.”
With the way she looks away from me, I know she’s dulling the words. I can only imagine the vitriol that he slung at her. I move her closer, resting her head against my shoulder.
She takes a deep breath, her hand roaming under my cut. “I didn’t really get to answer. I think he could see it on my face.”
I swallow the rough knot growing in my throat, trying to calm my boiling rage. Half of me still wants to kill the motherfucker.
Morgan shudders. “He threw the beer at the wall. At the time, the shattering of the glass and liquid everywhere stunned me. I wasn’t sure if I should clean it up or leave it and try to talk to him. It just happened so fast. I was on the floor and he struck me. It was only once...”
My fists flex at my sides, and I wrap them around her instead, needing her steadying presence. “Once is more than enough. He should have never touched you.”
Morgan’s shoulders shake gently as she cries, as if she’s run dry. “Did you kill him?”
“Would you be upset if I did?”
“Yes.”
I sigh. “Okay, then I didn’t.”
She swats at my chest. “Creed.”
I smile, kissing her bruises with a soft brush of my lips. “Last I heard, he was in stable condition.” I think that’s why Warner said I don’t care either way what happened to the son of a bitch.
Morgan shakes her head. “That doesn’t mean anything. It means whatever condition he is in, it’s stable and he's not crashing. That doesn’t mean he’s not dying.”
My jaw flexes in irritation. “Doubt they’d let me go if he was dying.”
She thinks about that for a few seconds. “That’s true. Sorry.”
I shrug. “I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong. I blacked out. I could have easily done it if Viper wasn’t there to hold me back until the rest of the officers came.”
“Why’d you drive over there?” she asks. It’s a quiet hushed question that tugs at my heart.
A laugh comes out before I can stop it. I cup her face, careful of her injuries. “Because if I stayed and you were more hurt than I assumed, I would kill him. Better to confront him when the anger is fresh without much information.” I wink at her. “Plus, a better defense for the attorney.”
She jumps at the loud knock on the door. “Church!” one of the prospects calls, and I sigh, getting off the bed. “I gotta handle this. You’re good with staying here with me tonight, right?”
Morgan nods, frowning as she looks around the room. “I don’t know if I’m ready to go back to my apartment. Is this your room?”
“Gage’s. They don’t use it anymore and it’s larger than mine. We’ll move in here, just gotta transfer my clothes.”
Her eyebrows raise. “Why didn’t they put me in yours?”
“Because I’m on the road more than not, and since I came back to Arizona I’ve been in your bed,” I say, raising an eyebrow back.
Her cheeks blush, and she nods, lying down on the bed. “Sorry, okay.”
“Text me what you want from your apartment. Or we can buy any clothes you need. I don’t think you want to borrow from the clubwhores.”
She winces. “Do we have to call them that? Can’t we just say their names or the girls?”
I snort. “You can call them whatever you want. They’re not offended by it. The club takes care of them, and they take care of the club. None of them are left wanting for anything. Ask them.”
She gives me a half-smile. “They welcomed me kindly.”
“This is a family. All of us, we protect each other.” I stand, nudging her knee with mine. “Church shouldn’t take too long, and I’ll come right back to you.”
* * *
I walk into the room, shutting the church doors and staring back at the brothers watching me. My split knuckles ache and I head to my chair, ignoring the thick silence.
My eyes catch on the file on the table, and I nod toward it. “What’s that?”
“The file your woman brought in,” Gage says.
My eyebrows shoot up. “Morgan? Wait, she stole a file from the station?”
“Well, they fired her, didn’t they?”
I scowl at Razer’s comment.
Viper smacks him against the head. “Dude, sometimes I think we should glue your mouth shut.”
Razer rubs at his scalp, glaring. “What the fuck am I missing?”
Gage sighs, looking more tired than usual, before he looks at me. “Most of the brothers saw her walk in but I didn’t share any facts. Your call.”
I grind my jaw back and forth. “She’s the chief’s daughter, if you didn’t already put two and two together with the last name. He found out we’re shacked up, beat her up a bit, and then forced her resignation.”
Razer’s fists curl on the table. “And that got you picked up? You gave him a little love back?”
My lips curl into a smirk. “More than a little. Last I heard they had to keep him under and rush straight to surgery.”
“Good. Cowen? Judge?” Gage asks.
“Already secured the footage around the area,” Cowen says.
Judge sighs. “Talked to a few officers. They said clear self-defense with the way Chief was brandishing his weapon, but the DA has a hard-on for wanting to nail us to the cross. Creed did drive straight at him.”
“Look, if I get locked up, I just need y’all to promise to take care of Morgan and our baby.”
Multiple people start talking all at once until Gage slams his first on the table, and it quietens.
“You’re not going to prison,” he says with confidence.
Razer raises his hand. “I thought the pregnancy was a false alarm?”
“It was, and now it’s not,” I say with a smirk.
Dodge pats my shoulder. “Congrats, man.” The same sentiment rings out around the table before Viper clears his throat.
“We have to wait to see if the DA presses charges. In the meantime, what’s in the file?” he asks.
Judge picks it up, looking up at our prez, who nods his head.
“You probably made more sense of it than I did,” Gage says.
I rub my hand through my growing beard. I like to keep it trimmed, but it’s been growing out since spending time with Morgan. “It has to do with what she tried to warn us about when I was in jail, wasn’t it?”
Judge nods. “Yeah. Basically, they’re trying to buy out our loans underneath us. Buy the loans, evict us. It looks like they’re trying to say the clubhouse is a historic building, which would make sense of why our permits to expand have been dragging.”
Cowen cracks his neck. “I’m still working on it, but a single name keeps popping up. Red Shore. Problem is, they don’t fucking exist. It’s a monopoly of shell companies.”
“A smokescreen?” Dodge asks.
He nods, his fingers still flying on his laptop. “Exactly. So I gotta figure out who is bankrolling them.”
“And why they want our town,” Gage adds.
“What about the mafia connection? Greig said his brother was involved with the Camorra, and his brother attacked Autumn. This isn’t that much different than the rest of the leads from the station, just more concrete proof.
” We’d tracked down the connections to the man who attacked Autumn and paid him a visit a few weeks back.
I nod at Viper’s words. “If it’s the Camorra, what have we done to piss them off?”
“Other than stop running their guns and drugs through the territory?” Nash mutters with crossed arms.
There’s silence for a moment and Gage groans. “Fuck. If that’s the case, then what? They want to replace us with another MC? They kick us out, and who’s meant to replace us?”
“We might have to start going on the defensive more,” Viper says, confirming what we’ve all been thinking.
So much for peace and no longer living the one-percenter life.
Gage clears his throat. “Morgan up for talking tonight? Let’s get all the information out there so we can start planning.”