Chapter 45
CHAPTER 45
CREED
M ackenzie and I haven’t put a name to what we are, but I spend most nights at her apartment, so being back at the compound feels foreign. I walk into my office, and the atmosphere shifts immediately, a heavy weight settling in the pit of my stomach. My hand is on my gun in seconds, instinct kicking in, the familiar cold steel comforting in my palm.
The room’s tense, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I know someone’s here, watching me. I scan the room, my eyes narrowing, and that’s when I hear the low chuckle behind me, a sound that’s so damn familiar, it sets my nerves on edge.
“Relax, Creed. I’m not here to start anything.”
I turn slowly, and there he is—Diego Santiago, standing in the shadows, his figure leaning casually against the doorframe. His presence fills the room like a storm cloud, dark and ominous.
“What the hell are you doing here, Diego?” My voice is a low growl, controlled, but I can feel the tension coiling in my chest.
He steps forward, his eyes sharp and calculating. “I’m here to make sure you don’t forget who’s in charge.”
I don’t flinch. I’m not scared of him. Not anymore. “If you think you can threaten me, you’re wrong.”
He smirks, his lips curling like he knows something I don’t. “Oh, I’m not threatening you. I’m making you an offer. Let Amelia go... or you’ll pay the price. And by the way, that price... involves your precious little girl, and Mackenzie.”
His words hit me like a sledgehammer. I’m already moving before I even realize it, my hand on the desk, my knuckles white with the pressure. “You touch them, and I’ll end you.”
Diego doesn’t even flinch. He’s playing a dangerous game, and he knows it. “I’m not here to talk about them, but make no mistake—their future is in your hands, Creed. If you don’t give up Amelia, I promise you won’t be the one to decide what happens next. You may have gotten the upper hand while I was out of town, but I’m back and I am not leaving without her.”
A flicker of doubt crosses my mind, but I push it aside. I won’t let him manipulate me. Not this time.
“You think you can just walk in here and make demands?” I take a step forward, my voice getting low, dangerously calm. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
“I know exactly who I’m dealing with,” Diego replies, his smirk turning into something darker. “I know you’re a man of principles, Creed. But everyone has their breaking point. What’s yours?”
I stare at him, the silence stretching between us like a wire pulled tight. Every muscle in my body is coiled, ready to snap.
“I don’t give a damn what you want, Diego,” I say, my voice a lethal whisper. “You touch anyone in my family again, and I’ll make sure you never breathe another breath. Understand?”
His smile falters just a fraction, but it’s enough. He knows I’m not bluffing. “I’m not afraid of you, Creed. But I think you’re afraid of what you’ll lose.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t know a damn thing about what I’ve built.”
“Oh, I know enough,” Diego mutters, stepping closer, his presence filling the room with the scent of danger. “But you’ll understand soon enough. Let Amelia go, or I’ll make you regret it.”
I don’t respond. Not yet. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he’s getting under my skin. But I can feel the rage building inside of me, simmering beneath the surface. Diego’s threats, his manipulation—they’re nothing new. But this time, it’s personal. He’s playing with fire, and he has no idea how much I’m willing to burn to protect those I love.
Diego doesn’t wait for me to speak again. He turns on his heel and walks toward the door, his voice low but dripping with malice. “Think about my offer, Creed. Think about your family. Think about Gabriella’s family. I’ll be back to hear your decision. And don’t even think about calling in St Jude’s – I am not done with them either.”
As the door closes behind him, I stand there, my hand still tight around my gun. I can feel the weight of his words pressing down on me, the threat hanging in the air like a storm cloud waiting to burst.
But one thing is clear—I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family. And if Diego thinks he can take anything from me, he’s about to find out just how wrong he is.
* * *
I enter the chapel, the air is thick with the scent of incense and aged wood. Every step echoes in the stillness as I make my way down the narrow, creaking stairs that lead to the basement.
Amelia’s cell is at the end of the hall. The Guild may think they have control, but I’m done with their rules. I’m done with this damn game. I’ve got my own plans now.
I reach the door and pause, taking a moment to steel myself. The only sound now is the thundering beat of my heart. I’m not here to negotiate, not here to play their game. I’m here to finish this. And then I’m going to finish Diego. If this is his weakness, I am going to make sure he watches as life seeps from her.
I push open the bars and step inside, the flickering light illuminating the cold, concrete walls. There she is—Amelia, sitting on the floor, her wrists bound by a chain to the wall. She looks up, her expression one of defiance mixed with an underlying fear. Her eyes narrow as she assesses me, probably wondering what the hell I’m doing here.
“Creed,” she says, voice dripping with disdain. “So, the great Creed Torres has come to see me. What is this, a visit or a warning?”
I don’t answer right away. Instead, I take a few steps closer, letting the tension in the room build. She’s still wearing that smug look on her face, like she believes she’s in control. But I can see the cracks—the slight tremble in her hands, the way her eyes flicker when she thinks I’m not paying attention.
“You’re wasting your time, you know,” she says, trying to sound confident, but there’s a crack in her voice now. “I am not telling you where Diego is.”
I lean in closer, my voice low, steady. “You think that’s why I’m here? I already know where your man is.”
She sneers, but I can see the doubt creep into her eyes. “Lies! If he was in town, I wouldn't be in chains.”
I cut her off with a harsh laugh. “You’re not worth the fucking trouble, Amelia. But I’m done playing. The Guild won’t give you up, so I will. And once you’re out of here, no-one will stop me from putting a bullet between your eyes.”
Her face pales slightly at my words. She knows what that means.
“You won’t get away with this,” she snaps, but there’s no conviction behind her words. “You can’t just—”
I step closer, my gaze hardening. “You’ve fucked with the wrong people, and now you’re going to pay the price.” I take a deep breath, letting the silence stretch between us, thick with the weight of my words. “You’ve hurt the people I care about. And there is no walking away from that.”
She stares at me, the fear in her eyes growing, but she still doesn’t break. She’s a stubborn bitch, I’ll give her that. But it’s that stubbornness that’s going to get her killed.
I take a step back, and that’s when I hear it—the soft shuffle of footsteps down the hall. Someone’s coming. My fingers twitch, but I force myself to stay calm.
“If you want out, Amelia, you’d better make a choice,” I say, turning my back on her and heading for the door. “Because you’re not going anywhere unless I say so.”
Before I step out of the cell, I glance back one last time. Amelia is still sitting there, her eyes burning with hatred. But this time, I can see the fear beneath it.
“Let’s go. Now!” I hiss. She nods and I use the keys I took from Mackenzie to set her free. I push her out of the cell and back the way I came.
* * *
The moon is high, casting an eerie glow over the cemetery as I make my way through the rows of tombstones, the crunch of gravel beneath my boots the only sound breaking the stillness. The night air is cool, almost too cool, but I hardly notice. My mind is elsewhere— on Amelia walking quietly in front of me, on what’s about to go down.
I’ve never liked the idea of doing things quietly, of waiting for the right moment. But tonight? It’s about survival. It’s about settling the score. I’ve made my choice, and now, I’m ready to deal with the consequences. But I’m not alone. Diego Santiago is waiting for me, and he knows exactly why I’m here.
“Move,” I hiss when Amelia slows down.
The old mausoleum looms ahead, its stone walls weathered and cracked with age. I’ve been in a lot of dark places, but there’s something about this place—the scent of decay, the weight of history—that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I stop just before the door, my hand slipping into my coat to rest on the cold steel of the gun tucked against my side. I’m not about to walk in blind. I’ve got a plan, but there’s always the chance that things will go sideways. And I’ll be ready for it.
The door creaks open, and there, standing in the dim light, is Diego. Amelia’s shouts are muffled by a gag.
Diego looks at her, then stares at me with that cold, calculating look I’ve seen a thousand times before. It’s the same look he gives before he kills someone.
I step inside, my boots making soft echoes in the silence of the tomb.
“You’re late,” Diego says, his voice smooth but carrying an edge. His hand rests on the gun at his side, just like mine, both of us waiting for the other to make the first move.
I don’t answer right away, just keep my eyes locked on him, sizing him up. He’s not afraid of me, but that’s fine. I’m not here to make him afraid. I’m here to end this.
I take a slow step forward. “You don’t get to call the shots anymore.”
“You think you’re the one in control?” he sneers. “This is bigger than you, Creed. You’re nothing but a pawn in my game.”
I don’t waste time with words. In one swift motion, I pull my gun from its holster and level it at the back of Amelia’s head, pulling down her gag.
“Diego, please…” She’s no longer the confident, calculating woman she used to be. She’s my prisoner. And she’s going to pay for everything she’s done.
“Let her go,” Diego growls.
But my finger stays tight on the trigger. Diego’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t move. Instead, he reaches for his own gun, pulling it from its holster with a fluid motion. His gun’s aimed right at me now, and the tension between us is thick enough to cut with a knife.
“I’m not letting you walk away from this,” Diego says, his voice low and dangerous. “So how about you let her go and you get to see another day, papi .”
I don’t hesitate. “Put that gun down or she dies,” I warn him, the barrel of my gun pressed to Amelia’s temple.
Neither of us speaks, but we both know what’s at stake.
Then, just as the tension reaches its peak, I hear it—soft footsteps behind me, almost too quiet to notice. I turn my head just in time to see her. Mackenzie. She steps out from behind the tombstones, her eyes locked on Diego, her hand steady as she raises her own gun.
In a flash, the sound of a shot rings through the night. Diego stumbles back, his hand going to his chest as the blood blooms in the moonlight. He doesn’t make a sound as he falls to the ground against a sarcophagus, his eyes wide in shock, the gun slipping from his fingers. Another shot, this time between the eyes.
Amelia’s gasp cuts through the air, and for a moment, I falter. But before I can do anything, Mackenzie moves again, her gun now trained on Amelia. She doesn’t hesitate either.
“Mackenzie, no!” I shout, my voice sharp with panic. But it’s too late. The shot rings out, and Amelia crumples, her body twitching as she hits the cold ground.
Mackenzie stands there, her chest rising and falling with the rush of adrenaline, her eyes wild but full of something else—something I can’t quite place. But she’s not looking at me. She’s looking at Amelia’s body, her expression unreadable.
“Mackenzie…” I step toward her, my heart pounding as I reach for her.
Her eyes snap to mine, and for a brief moment, everything else fades away. There’s no more danger, no more enemies. There’s just us, standing in the middle of a cemetery, surrounded by death and bloodshed.
“I told you,” she whispers, her voice tight with emotion, “this was my war. You shouldn’t have tried to fight it.”
I don’t respond. I don’t need to. I move in, cupping her face with my hands as I pull her toward me. Her lips meet mine in a kiss that’s desperate, urgent—like we’re both trying to forget everything that just happened, like we’re trying to outrun the chaos.
And for that moment, it works. The world falls away. It’s just the two of us, and nothing else matters.
When we finally pull away, breathless and shaken, I don’t know what comes next. But I do know this—whatever happens, I’m not letting her go. Not now. Not ever.
“I’m here,” I say, my voice low, the promise in it clear. “Always.”
She nods, her eyes softening as she leans into me, her hand resting on my chest. And in that moment, amidst the bloodshed and the darkness, it feels like we’re the only two people left in the world.
We’re a storm, and we’ve only just begun.