Chapter 20
Creedence
My eyes opened that morning, and I knew without having to look that he was already gone.
That motherfucker.
I growled as I crawled over the spot he had lain and headed to the bathroom, then screeched when my bare feet hit something that wasn’t the tile in my bathroom, “What the fuck?”
I flipped the light on and looked down.
Then I recalled what I knew it to be.
So, he left his clothes here. He must have changed before he left.
I sighed, bent, gathered up his clothes, and tossed them in the dirty hamper.
I did my business and then made myself some breakfast.
Thankfully, I was off today, so I would be able to get someone to take a look at the damage to my car and get a quote on how much it would be to fix it.
I also needed to call my dad to let him know.
However, before I could do any of that, I heard a key in my lock.
I reached underneath the sink for the Glock my dad gave me the day I graduated from college and flipped the safety off.
Then I hugged the side of the counter and peeked around the wall as I readied a bullet in the chamber.
The door opened, then stopped, “Star Shine?”
I sighed, then cleared the chamber as the door opened fully and he walked in.
His eyes went to my Glock, and then he winked, “Glad you have that.”
I shook my head as I popped the magazine out, reloaded the bullet, and then slid the mag back in, clicked on the safety, and put it back in the holster that was attached to the top of the cabinet.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“You were right. Should have come to you long before now.”
I scoffed, “So, it took me almost seriously getting hurt to make that happen? Well damn.”
He sighed, then ran his hand through his hair. He opened his mouth but stopped when there was a knock on the door.
He reached behind him and opened the door, and I stepped forward to see who was there.
Malinda and Kristie.
Their eyes were wide as they stared up at him with their mouths hanging open.
Then someone cleared their throat.
We all looked behind the girls, and Ripper lifted his chin at a bald man who tossed him a set of keys.
I knew that set of keys. They were mine.
The man looked at me, gave me a top-to-toe look, then looked at Ripper, “You are a serious dumb fuck for staying away from that.”
I snorted.
Ripper nodded, “I know.”
He lifted his chin, then disappeared. I looked up at Ripper and asked, “Who was that?”
“Clip,” he said.
I nodded.
Then I looked at Malinda and Kristie, then back up at Ripper, “So, are you going to step aside so they can come in or what?”
He chuckled, then stepped to the side.
Malinda and Kristie walked in, and they both looked at me with wide eyes. It was Malinda who asked, “Is this your dark?”
I sighed and nodded.
“Wow,” she said.
Kristie nodded, “Yeah. Wow. You’ve been saying no to every guy that asks you out in the building. Now I get it. I’d say no to them too for that.”
I chuckled.
Ripper growled, “What apartments?”
Something flashed in his eyes. I narrowed my own, “Why?”
He chuckled, then said, “‘Cause I own the building.”
I froze.
Then I screeched, “Ripper!”
He lifted a brow, “What?”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“I think you two need a good fight or a good fuck. See you later, girl,” I heard but paid them no mind.
He lifted a brow, “You really think I’m going to be told shit about fuckers messing with you and not put a fucking stop to it?”
I growled, “I... Are you... I don’t even know what to say to that.”
He smirked, then his face sobered, “Just know, I may not have physically been here, but I’ve been here.”
I felt it starting.
I spun on my heel and raced to my bathroom and closed the door.
Leaning against the counter, I stared into the mirror and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.
I heard the door open, and then I saw him as he stepped in behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and rested his chin on the top of my head. Then, gruffly, he whispered, “I know.”
I inhaled a deep breath and locked my eyes with his, “This is so fucked up.”
He chuckled, “Baby, you’ve known I’m fucked up since you met me.”
I sighed and then leaned my head back into his chest, “So... what now?”
He winked, “Well, you think about giving me a second chance, and I’ll make it worth it.”
“Why should I?” I asked.
He inhaled a deep breath, then he carefully spun me around so I was facing him.
Then he looked deep into my eyes and fisted my hips in his hands, “Because I love you. Because the moment you walked into the hospital, I realized you were the light to my dark. Because the connection we have, the love we have for one another, doesn’t come around very often.
And we were lucky as fuck to find it. I’ll be damned if I let that slip through my fingers. ”
“You were willing before,” I said.
He shook his head, “No, Star Shine. I wasn’t. You think if I got word some fucker was moving in on you, I wouldn’t find a way to put him in the ground?”
“I could still slip through your fingers without another man in my life, Ripper.”
“Alexander, Star Shine. And no. You wouldn’t. Because you love me.”
I dropped my head and stared at my toes.
I felt his fingers underneath my chin. Then, carefully, he applied pressure until my eyes were once again on his.
“I’m going to win all of you back. Okay?”
I didn’t reply.
His eyes searched my own, then he nodded, “You're scared. And that’s okay. I got enough fearlessness stored in me for both of us.”
Just then a phone rang. He sighed, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell, then he looked at me, “Storm.”
I nodded.
He answered it, “Yeah?”
His eyes came to mine as he listened, then he asked, “This can’t wait?”
He listened.
Then he looked at me and asked, “Got something to take care of. You're off today. I’ll be back soon as I’m done. Okay?”
I nodded.
He winked, then to Storm, he said, “You fucking know where I am. If I’m not at the club, working on my project, then I’m with her.”
He listened, then he chuckled, “Fucker,” then he hung up.
He lowered his head and kissed my lips.
And yes, I kissed him back.
Then, with another wink, he walked out of the bathroom.
I watched him leave and then turned and stared at myself in the mirror again.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“He’s going to win all of me back,” I whispered.
Then, before I could stop it, a slow smile spread across my face... but... he was going to have to be the one to fight for us.
Because I did it already... and I failed.
I went to my fridge to see what I wanted to make for supper, and when I saw that package of sausage, my mouth watered.
I pulled out my phone and texted him.
Me – Running to the store.
Ripper – Okay, be careful.
I grabbed my bag and tagged my keys, which he must have set on my island, and turned to the front door, then stopped.
I looked down at my keys.
Where was my car key?
It wasn’t there.
No... but what was there was a black key fob.
No.
No way.
No fucking way did he buy me a car.
I growled as I locked up my apartment, stalked to the elevator, rode it down, and I wondered if you could see the smoke through the walls that I knew had to be blowing out of my ears.
The moment I was clear of the elevator, I raced outside.
Yeah, it wasn’t my 2-door silver Honda in my parking spot.
Oh no.
It was a white Chevrolet Tahoe. Looked brand new.
“That crazy fucking man!” I yelled.
I grabbed the key fob and hit the unlock button. The lights flashed.
Oh... he thought he was in a war over there... well... war was just declared.
I climbed in, yes, it was lush, yes, I loved her, and yes, her name was Mrs. Betty.
I started it up and heard a throaty roar and couldn’t help the smile that formed on my face.
Then I put the SUV in reverse, backed out, put it in drive, and had one destination in mind.
And in fifteen minutes, I pulled through the opening to the clubhouse forecourt and slammed on the brakes.
I cut the car off and climbed down.
Then I stomped toward the front doors.
“Woman on a mission, who pissed you off, darlin’?” I heard a man ask.
He had blonde hair pulled back in a bun. I glared at him.
He tossed his hands up and then stepped toward the door and opened it for me.
“Thanks,” I snapped as I walked by him and into the clubhouse.
It was different from my dad’s in the sense that it was a giant warehouse of sorts.
Eyes came to me.
Brows were raised.
“Can we help you?” a woman asked.
I looked at her and said, “I want Ripper. And I want him fucking now.”
Her eyes went wide, and her face paled, “I’m sorry. Did you say, Ripper?”
I nodded, “Oh yeah.”
She winced, “Umm, well, you look like a sweet girl... perhaps you have the name wrong?”
I narrowed my eyes at her, and thankfully, I had my phone in my hand.
I brought it up, scrolled to his name, and pressed call.
It rang once, twice, a third time, then I heard him, “Yeah, baby?”
“Where are you?” I asked.
“Shed. Why?” he answered.
“Well, you’d better wipe whatever blood is on your hands off and get your ass into the clubhouse. Now.”
“Fuck,” he said. “Be right there.”
I hung up and lowered my phone.
She lifted a brow, “So, I’m Lena. I’m Storm’s, ol’ lady. And you are?”
Before I could answer her, a door at the back of the clubhouse banged open, and he was walking through it with a rag in his hands that was getting redder by the minute.
His eyes scanned, and then they landed on me.
He came toward me and took in my body, and asked, “You're okay?”
I slammed my palms into his chest and shouted, “Have you lost your goddamned mind?”
“Oh shit,” I heard a man say.
“She just touched him,” I heard a woman mumble.
“Who the fuck is that?” I heard a man hiss.
“Get ready,” I heard a man warn.
“He’s going to blow,” I heard a man mutter.
Ripper glared down at me, “What the fuck are you talking about now?”
I felt my temper snap, and then... I reared my arm back and slapped the left side of his face with every ounce of anger I held in my body towards this man.
“Fucking hell!” I heard a man swear.
His head whipped to the side.
“I lost my mind when I gave you my heart at fifteen... and you’ve done nothing but trample on it,” I whispered brokenly.
“Is that Creedence?” I heard a man ask.
“Oh yeah. That’s her. Think anyone else he’d let get close to him?” I heard a man remark.
Tears hit my eyes then, “Why?”
He winced, then, carefully, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his body. “The Tahoe.”
“Yeah, I’d say that’s her. She’s the only person he’d touch.” I heard a man say.
“Yes, the fucking Tahoe, damnit, Ripper,” I growled.
“Your car wasn’t reliable anymore. And after yesterday, I needed you in something safer. Please, for me, give on this.”
I sighed, “You’re an asshole.”
He smirked, “I know. But I’m your asshole.”
I glared up at him, “I’m rethinking that.”
He chuckled. “No. You're not.”
“He actually chuckled,” I heard a man say.
I growled, then I sighed, “She is pretty.”
“Not as pretty as you,” he said, then pressed a tender kiss on my forehead.
“How much longer will you be?” I asked.
He shrugged, “I don’t know.”
I nodded, “Take me with you.”
He winked, then he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me through the clubhouse.
What I didn’t know was that the women, Lena, and another woman followed, as well as the brothers, who apparently were curious.
I followed Ripper out of the clubhouse, through the back, and to a shed.
Then he let me step through first, and then he followed.
The brothers and the two women stepped in behind him.
I saw a man who was chained up to a rafter butt naked. Much like the setup Uncle Knox preferred.
“What did he do?” I asked.
A man who was leaning against the wall answered, “If you're not Creedence, you ain’t got no business asking that.”
I looked at him and smirked, because I knew who he was, “Uncle Cotton might be older than you, but he stomped your ass a few years ago.”
He smirked, “Lucky punch.”
I snorted.
He chuckled, “The man thought it would be a good idea to try to sell us his daughter to pay off a debt he owes us. His twelve-year-old daughter.
I nodded, then looked at Ripper. “Make it hurt.”
He winked, “Yes, ma’am.”
I stood there and waited for him to do his thing.
“You know, if this man was going to be allowed to be breathing, you wouldn’t be in here,” he said.
Then he went to work.
And when he grabbed a pair of bolt cutters and cut his dick off, the man squealed. I chuckled.
“This doesn’t bother you?” Lena asked.
I shook my head, “No.”
Then he took the cock he cut off, gripped the man’s jaw, and shoved it into his mouth. Then he forced the man’s mouth closed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and tilted the man’s head back.
Tears were pouring out of his eyes.
Lena gasped.
Raine swallowed.
Feeling a pair of eyes on me, I looked in the direction and locked my eyes with Storm’s.
He lifted a brow.
I grinned.
He chuckled.
Ripper turned his head to look at Storm and then at me.
I felt a pulse between my legs.
And in response, I shifted my weight.
Catching those mesmerizing mossy-colored eyes of his as they caught it, and flared, I said, “Take your time, baby. I like our shower time.”
His eyes smoldered.
“Fuck, taking my time,” he growled.
Then he lifted his right hand and ripped the bastard’s throat out, then tossed it on the floor.
Lena’s face went green, and then she bolted out of the room.
That was followed by the other woman.
Then, he nodded at his brothers, turned on his boot, stalked toward me with that feral glint in his eyes that I loved to fucking see. I was up in his arms, tossed over his shoulder, and we were striding out of the room.
I giggled.
He slapped my ass.
However, I heard Storm sigh, “Sorry, brother. Hate to cock-block ya. But you need to shower and get cleaned up, then we’ve got church.”
I heard Ripper sigh, then he nodded, and carried me into the clubhouse over his shoulder.
Once we were inside, I looked at Lena, who was drinking a bottle of water next to the other woman who was in the shed.
Then, one by one, the brothers walked inside.
And that was when he said, “You met Clip earlier. You know Storm. You probably know Red and Tank. That’s Hippie, Cason, Porter, Gravel, Ratchet, and Crockett.”
I nodded at them, “Hi.”
They all chuckled.
Then he led me to Lena and the other woman.
“This is Lena, Storm’s ol’ lady, and at her side is Tank’s ol’ lady, Raine. She’s also Red’s daughter.”
I nodded at the two of them.
He pressed a kiss on the top of my head, “Shower.”
I nodded.
Then, as I watched him walk away, something struck me... when did he get that limp?