Chapter 33 #2
I smile up at her, my eyes prickling with the threat of tears.
“That he does,” I say in a hushed tone, because she’s right.
But the truth of her statement goes back farther than she knows.
He knew what I needed when he found me in that parking lot, drumming for tips to try and get away from the life I was living.
Collins shifts in my lap and sucks in a breath, the movement reminding me that my cock is still buried deep inside of her. As tempting as it is to rock into her again, I resist.
“Wanna make a bet on Creed’s reaction when we get down there?” I ask, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth as I sweep my thumbs over the soft planes of her thighs.
She presses up onto her knees, and I slip from her wet warmth. My face goes up in flames the moment she covers herself in the satin fabric of her panties before my cum has a chance to drip down her thighs.
I hop to my feet and tuck my spent dick away before offering Collins a hand.
“What’s at stake with this bet?” she questions with a curious glint in her eyes. Her hair is messy, and there’s no mistaking the fact that we just had sex in here with how flushed we are.
She runs her fingers through her tangled, pastel waves.
Taking her hand in mine, I lead her from the recording booth.
We step out, and I notice the red recording light is still on.
My stomach flips, and I flip it off before Collins can question it.
Creed no doubt did that shit on purpose, the sneaky bastard.
Once we enter the elevator and it starts to descend, I level her with a look about as serious as I can possibly muster. “The secret location of my snack cabinet.”
Her eyes widen, and she tips her head back with sweet, broken laughter. “I freaking knew you were hiding it!” she rasps as loud as she possibly can while backhanding me in my chest.
I rub at the spot as if it hurts before pulling her small frame into mine and burying my face in her neck. “If I’d given you the location of my snacks, there would be none left in the entire house, Snow.”
Her laughter continues as the breath of each word tickles across her skin. It’s contagious, and I can’t help but join her as I continue to nestle myself into her, intentionally drawing out more joy and laughter from her.
We finally reach the garage parking floor when I release her. She keeps her little fists tangled in my shirt, though, as her eyes dance between mine. “I bet he’d say something like—”
“Well, if this isn’t the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Creed and Collins say at the same time—the former with a knowing grin gracing his lips.
My mind is blown with how spot-on she was that the two of us burst into laughter again before joining a very confused Creed.
“What’d I miss?” he asks, lacing his fingers through Collins’ and leaning down to give her a kiss. He leans in for me next. He hums when he pulls back. “Your lips are swollen, baby.”
“Riley lost a bet, and now all of his snacks are mine.” Collins chirps as she slips into the back seat of Creed’s car. I sit shotgun as Creed climbs in behind the wheel with a surprised look on his face.
“You bet your secret stash?” Creed scoffs playfully as he follows behind the big security SUV out and onto the highway. “Riley Benjamin, you should know to never make a bet with the little devil in the back seat; she’ll win every time.”
Collins lets out an adorable squeak of disbelief, but Creed just laughs.
Minutes later, we arrive at a restaurant, and Creed pulls into a spot between security vehicles near the back, where Asher and Bear are waiting for us.
With a half-hearted threat to talk about our ‘time in the studio’, aka Creed pestering us for details about having sex in the recording booth, we all exit the car and join the rest of the crew.
We can hear the distant click of cameras, but luckily, the lot has been blocked off to prevent other vehicles from entering.
Collins runs ahead when she spots Ayla waiting in the doorway. Creed is talking animatedly with Blair while Bear stalks quietly ahead of them. He holds the door open for Creed, Blair, Asher, and me, but before I can walk through the doors, I’m stopped.
“I guess it makes sense that if you’re going to associate yourself with a group of tacky degenerates, that you act like one, too.”
Bear stiffens as his eyes shift, hardening on the person standing just behind me. The blood drains from my face, and a cold sweat breaks out across my body. Instantly, I feel sick to my stomach, and I squeeze my eyes shut to ward off the rising nausea.
“Turn around and look at me, you ingrate.”
Bear looks like he’s ready to kill someone, but I shake my head when he steps away from the door. “Don’t, Bear. Please.” I sigh, my good feelings completely gone. “I-I’ll handle it. Just…don’t tell Creed.”
His eyes find mine and narrow. “I’m not keeping shit from him, Ri. Especially when it comes to you and Collins.” He runs a hand over his neatly trimmed beard and backs toward the door. “I’m giving you two minutes before I let him off his leash.”
I nod, thankful that he’s giving me any time at all to take care of this on my own.
The moment he disappears, her voice becomes even more menacing than before.
“What are you doing here, boy?”
Slowly, so fucking slowly, I turn around and come face to face with the one person I’d craved love from, but could never earn.
My words are choked as I take her in, my heart squeezing until it cracks.
“Hi, Mom.”