24. Collins
Chapter 24
Collins
A n hour later we’re piled into Riley’s Jeep—Creed pouting in the back seat—and headed towards my place. We’re minutes out and my stomach twists when I think about these two seeing where I’ve been living for two years. I found this motel in a moment of desperation because I couldn’t handle sleeping on a park bench for a third night in a row.
The weekly rent is super cheap, and the room itself is an outdated studio room that has a twin bed, a kitchenette—if you can even call it that, considering it’s a microwave, a mini fridge, and a plug-in burner for cooking—and a bathroom with just a toilet and sink. All showers were located in the main office or I would wait and shower at Viper if I knew Jett would be working.
I told myself I would only stay long enough to save up for a real apartment. Let’s all laugh together now.
When it became clear that I wasn’t going to make enough to even cover utilities of a one bedroom apartment, I decided to make the best of what I had. I kept my room clean, but that didn’t stop the leaky pipes from staining the ceilings or the stains in the carpet from previous renters. The musty smell of the dated space was hard to mask, but scrubbing my room top to bottom four days a week definitely helped, even if a little.
Still, it’s nothing compared to the lavish life that Creed has been living. His bathroom alone was nearly the size of my room. I don’t have much to my name, so it shouldn’t take long for me to pack, and I’m hoping I can convince Creed and Riley to wait in the car. I only own a few pairs of jean shorts and leggings, some second-hand vintage shirts, two pairs of shoes, my makeup bag, and my costumes for work.
I point to the intersection where Riley needs to turn and stare out the side window. While I won’t miss working at Viper, I will miss the aerial performances. I fucking hate Tank and his sick, perverted clients, having to give private dances to those scumbags was enough to make me physically sick to my stomach. But on the nights where it was just me and the big stage, I lived to perform my aerial routines. Nothing compares to the power I felt. Not only in my performances, but just how strong my body really is. How strong I could be. I felt untouchable while spinning and flipping and falling through the air. To know that I was in total control. I hate to give up that feeling. Though, Creed did mention taking me to studios to perform if I wanted. He’s tipping the scale of pros and cons with that promise.
The thought makes me feel lighter and a small dose of happiness blooms in my chest.
It withers though, when I see the familiar faded salmon pink painted building come into view.
“Right up there on the right,” I point at the ramshackle motel with a faded sign still in use from the 70’s by the road. “The Dreamland Motel.” I sing-song, mocking the name and flaring and wiggling my fingers like I have jazz hands.
Riley snorts and shakes his head as he turns into the parking lot.
“The fuck,” I hear Creed whisper from the backseat and I expel a defeated sigh because I fucking know. I go to sleep thinking the same thing when I’m here.
Not responding to his comment, I point again. “Room eight, over there in the corner,” I mumble under my breath. Creed unbuckles from his seat and pokes his head through the middle, between Riley and me. His delicious scent washes over me and all it does is dredge up memories of last night when we were pressed so closely together. I give my head a small shake to rid myself of the lusty thoughts that threaten to distract me.
Riley pulls into a parking spot in front of my room. I sit there for a second, watching the two out of the side of my eye. I see Creed’s jaw working from side to side as he takes in the ugly pink building; chipped and cracked stucco on the walls, trash littered all over the ground that’s been there so long that I’m certain that it’s part of the pavement now, and yep, the dude with a hairy beer belly hanging out of his open robe, his thinning hair sticking out at all sides, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in another is my neighbor.
That’s just par for the course for the people who stay here. People aren’t meant to stay here longer than a few days, but here I am, two years later because California is fucking expensive. The only reason I found myself on a flight to this ridiculous state was for the mentality of knowing I was that much closer to the two men who cared for me and raised me.
I fight the shudder creeping up the base of my spine at the sight of open-robe-guy. Men like him who have no problem lingering outside of motel rooms are what make me jam a chair underneath the handle of the door for extra security while I sleep. He’s never tried anything but it doesn’t stop me from protecting myself.
“Wait here, I’ll just be a minute.” I say, reaching for the door handle.
The second I push it open, I hear Riley and Creed’s doors open as well. “Like fuck,” Creed growls, his eyes still on the guy who’s hovering awfully close to my door. I’ve seen him a few times before, but I’ve never spoken to him. Aside from his day drinking and lack of couth, I’m pretty sure he’s harmless. Maybe.
I roll my eyes but secretly relish the fact that they’re both being so protective. Still, a little shame sits low in my gut when I pull my key from my backpack and unlock the door. I really hate that they’re seeing that I’ve lived like the poor woman I am for this long.
You did what you had to do to survive.
I push the door open and walk in, going straight for the duffel bag I keep stored under my bed and start stuffing my minuscule clothing inside. Like I said, it only takes me a few minutes to load everything I own into the bag and I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.
I turn to see Creed and Riley frozen in the doorway, their eyes sweeping over the closet-sized room.
Riley’s eyes meet mine first. “You live here?”
His tone doesn’t sound judgmental, but there is a stack of confusion on top of concern, on top of trepidation in his voice. I nod and look around to do a double check that I didn’t leave anything behind.
I grab my phone charger from the wall behind the bed. “How long have you lived here?” Riley asks. I walk toward them, ready to shut the door and lock it. They both back up, allowing me to secure the door behind me.
“Two years.” I say, looking at Creed. It isn’t an accusation, but my tone is a bit more clipped than intended. My ire at the situation misplaced as I continue to look at him causing him to wince. His eyes flash with regret and hurt and I instantly feel like shit for my unintentional accusatory tone.
I open my mouth to apologize but he cuts me off with just a single shake of his head.
He lifts his hand toward me, palm up. “Give me the key, Collins.”
“Why?” My brow furrows in confusion.
He grabs my wrist as I move to walk around him. “Because you’re going to get your sassy ass in the car with Riley, and I’m going to turn this fucking key back into the office because you’re done living here.”
I gape at him, my mouth opening and closing like a damn fish with no water, not sure what to say because what the fuck . Do I want to keep living here? Fuck no. But he’s pulling this decision-making alphahole bullshit again and all it makes me want to do is fight him on the subject, tooth and nail. I never used to be this confrontational. I was always the peacekeeper of my family. I was a people-pleaser to the core but being mistreated and stepped on while growing up in the foster care system had definitely hardened me and forced me to fight back when I could. Most of the time, that meant arguing, which sometimes led to hidden bruises and scars.
But I feel Riley’s soft touch on my lower back and some of my fight leaves me. Because I just can’t help myself or my attitude, I huff as I dramatically slap the room key into Creed’s palm. He smirks, his eyes darkening as he grips my hand before I can pull it away and yanks me closer, dipping his head down where his lips brush the shell of my ear.
“Good girl.” He whispers, and goosebumps erupt across my body, suddenly feeling too hot, and my thighs clench at his words.
Fuck. I will not survive this tour.
And I have to share a bus with them?
Double fuck.
My face is now on fire and my breathing is a little too fast to fool these men into thinking I’m anything but calm. But neither says anything as Creed saunters off in the direction of the office—a little too much victory pep in his sassy fucking step—and Riley’s hand never leaves my back as he steers me toward his jeep, casting a sidelong glare at robe-man.
He takes my bag from me and tosses it in the back before helping me up into his Jeep again. It’s like an electric current buzzes up my arm when I place my hand in his so I can hoist myself up into the raised vehicle. I push the feeling away. Too much shit has happened to try and dissect why I still feel so drawn to Creed, while I’ve known Riley for all of a day and he’s already having an effect on me.
Riley rounds the vehicle and hops in, starting the engine and turning on a playlist titled “Boner Jamz” which makes me laugh because the music is all super corny 80’s rock ballads.
Creed joins us a moment later and nods at Riley with a shit- eating grin on his face when he turns to me because yeah, he just got exactly the result he’d intended for this trip. It wasn’t ever just merely taking me to gather my belongings for a three-month trip. It was him keeping the upper hand so that I wouldn’t have any ammunition for excuses to stay behind.
Bastard.
I smile back.
“Have you heard from Asher, yet?” I ask around a mouthful of seasoned curly fries. We stopped for food when Riley heard my stomach growling on the ride back to Creed’s house. We’re all now seated around the island in his kitchen, sharing the smorgasbord of food between us. I couldn’t make up my mind with what I wanted to eat, so Creed practically crawled over the front seats to order pretty much one of everything from the menu, one cookies n’ cream milkshake for me, one peanut banana shake for Riley, and half vanilla, half chocolate mixed for Creed.
His eyes practically glittered with delight as he placed the order, shouting over Riley’s shoulder. I’m not sure why I love the fact that he still loves the same foods, even with the effects of fame and fortune blessing him with better, higher quality options. Creed was never a sweets fan, and he claims that getting half and half milkshakes dulled down the sugary taste, but I think he’s just full of shit.
I won’t call him out on it though. It’s cute.
He's still chewing a massive bite of bacon cheeseburger, so Riley answers for him. “I know he called him, but he didn’t answer. Creed left him a message.”
“But I haven’t heard from him, yet.” Creed says, taking a drink from his soda. “Shit’s been crazy where he works, but I know he’ll call me back as soon as he has a minute to breathe.”
“What do you mean, shit’s been crazy ? What has he been up to?” I ask, genuinely curious. I haven’t seen Asher for almost a decade and I haven’t heard from him in years. I’d seen the story all over the news and it hurt my heart for so many reasons. Not since that bitch had up and left him after finding out she was pregnant with a rival player’s baby. They’d been high school sweethearts, but she abandoned the love my brother gave her the second some forbidden dude swung his shiny dick in her face.
If I ever see her again, I’ll whoop her fucking ass.
Ever since he quit the MLB, I lost my last connection to him since he’d cut off all communication with me. A heaviness settles in my chest when I think about just how much I miss my big brother. Yeah, I’m mad as shit, but I still miss him so damn much. Fuck, I don’t even know what he looks like now. My eyes sting, but I take another bite and will my rising emotions to settle.
“He was a bartender at a nightclub in Northern California. Only about a three hour drive from here, actually.” He starts. “But the owners are brothers who are apparently involved in some underground crime world and one of their women was kidnapped after their club was attacked.”
“Holy shit,” I squeak out, my voice failing like it always does when I speak in higher pitches. “Is she…”
“She’s okay now. They got her back, but they needed someone they trust to watch out for her safety while they deal with shit on their end. Asher’s been with them for years now, and they trusted him enough to put him through training to be her personal guard. He says it helped that he knew her before she ended up with one of the owners. Lachlan, I think he said his name is. Now he’s responsible for her anytime she leaves the house.” He blows out a breath, his cheeks puffing out. “Like I said, shit’s been crazy.”
“Oh wow. I had no idea.” Of course I had no idea. Asher stopped talking to me years ago. I have no idea what’s become of my brother. “Well, that would explain his absence in the recent months, but that doesn’t explain the years that have passed that I haven’t seen or heard from him. I know you say that it’s his story to tell, but I feel like it’s never going to be told to me because from where I’m standing? He fucking left me, Creed.” I practically spit at him and he flinches. “He really abandoned me. Did he—did he grow to resent me?” I choke out, the tears back and a fresh wave of heartbreak washes over me.
Creed is out of his seat, around the island and enveloping me in his arms before the first tear even falls down my cheek. One arm banded tight around my shoulders while the other strokes through my hair as he shushes me reassuringly. “That is the farthest thing from the truth, Stardust . I promise you that. I’ll take you to see your brother soon. We’ll meet in the middle somewhere and he can tell you himself just how much he fucking missed you.”
I hiccup despite trying to rein in my emotions. It’s not working, but in the warmth of Creed’s arms, I don’t care right now. He’s held me through worse.
Just when I think he’s going to break the hug and his grip loosens on me, I feel a second set of arms come around me, both of us stiffening briefly before Riley murmurs with his face squished against the crown of my head. “This moment looked like it could use a cuddle puddle.”
We all start laughing before finally breaking apart, my cheeks flushed and my mood lighter.
The way these two quickly dissipated my dark thoughts has a sweet warmth settling in my chest. These men may be fucking beautiful and tempting beyond reason, but they’re showing me that they’re so much more beneath the surface. It’s easy to see a new version of friendship blooming between Creed and me, and a brand-new friendship between me and Riley. Something that feels cautiously like family. Something I haven’t had in a very long time. I smile at the two goofballs now seated across from me again.