Page 59 of Creed

I smile, ignoring the ache of my swollen lips. “You can blame it on me. Easier for them to hate me.”

Autumn looks over me. “No one will hate you, not even the club girls. I kind of expected them to be like a bunch of drama, but most of them are really nice.”

Or maybe they don’t want to rain on the parade of someone who basically embodies sunshine. I don’t say that, though.

I sigh. “I’ve been in law enforcement since I was allowed to join the academy. I’m used to being hated. It’s no skin off my back. I know they’ll be wary to accept it, but as long as Creed trusts me, wants to be with me, that’s enough for me.”

She gives me a sad smile. “I’ll have to get the keys from Dodge, and then try to tell him?—”

“Tell him what?”

We both startle. I hadn’t heard the door reopen, and my heart jumps into my throat. Autumn stares at him with wide eyes, panic paling her face. I can see her loyalty is torn, and I appreciate the effort she’s putting into considering lying, so I let her off the hook.

“I was asking her to drive me to the station alone. Bikers following us will cause a big scene.”

He glares at me. “No.”

“I need to turn in my badge and gun. It’s better if I do it than them coming to look for me.”

His jaw tightens, and I know he’s considering it. “I’ll take you?—”

“They’ll—”

Dodge puts his hand up. “Just me and Autumn. I'll take my cut off so it’s not so obvious.”

I deflate and nod. “Thank you.”

He nods. “We’ll go as soon as the doctor releases you.”

* * *

I make sure the sunglasses are on snug and tilt my face downward as I make my way through the station. When I get to my desk, I pause, staring at the open case files, the half-empty coffee cup, and know if I open the first drawer I’d find my bag of M&Ms. It’s a desk that hasn’t been mine for very long, and yet, it feels harder to say goodbye than my last job. Maybe because it’s final. I won’t be coming back anywhere.

“Morgan?”

I stiffen at Warner’s voice but don’t turn to him while I clear my throat and put my badge and gun on the table. “Just dropping these off.”

His footsteps loom closer. “You turning in? Why?”

Of course my father hasn’t told anyone yet. I mean why would he? Then he’d have to admit why.

“Yeah. I, uhh…My father and I just think it’s for the best.”

His presence draws the hair on my arms to stand on end, and I shift away from him.

“I thought you were stopping by because your favorite biker is in the cell.”

I can’t stop my head snapping up to look at him. “Creed?” Creed is in jail? What the fuck? I don’t even care to comment on how he knows that.

Warner’s eyebrows dip and he frowns as he stares at me. “Why are you wearing shades?”

My heart thuds in its cage. “Migraine.”

“Migraine comes with the bruising on your cheek too?”

I swallow down the discomfort and look away from him. “What’d Creed get picked up on?”

Warner is silent for a moment, his arms locked over his chest as we stand there. “He attacked the chief.”