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Chapter Twenty-One – Taylor
It really was crazy how quickly you could get used to things. It was also crazy how much life could change in the span of a year. Take, for instance: one year ago, I’d been living with my deadbeat dad, accepting his abuse and all the harsh words he’d throw at me, because I’d thought I had to. I’d taken out loans to go to college, balanced schoolwork with housework, and did the best I could.
Now? Now I didn’t have to worry about any of that. No housework done all by myself—Creed and I split it. Cooking was much the same, though we did order in a lot. And as for taking out more loans for my education… let’s just say Creed was paying for my classes. Temporarily. Until I got a job and was able to pay him back.
And he’d gone ahead and bought me a car of my own, the jerk.
Of course, Creed didn’t want me to pay him back for anything. I think it was him wanting to make up for leaving me with my dad ten years ago. But, honestly, I didn’t think he had anything to make up for. It wasn’t like he could’ve taken me with him. I was nine years old at the time, and he wasn’t my legal guardian.
If he’d been my legal guardian… the situation we were in now would be a lot, let’s just say, ickier.
It was a Friday, and Beth and I actually had a class together, so we often walked to it together after lunch. She’d gotten a boyfriend that she couldn’t stop talking about; it was her main topic of conversation more often than it wasn’t. And as for me, I’d finally confessed to her who my mystery man was. Not all of the details, but enough to give her the good, juicy bits. How Creed was my stepbrother, how my dad didn’t approve of the relationship, how he had no social media accounts because of his work.
Let’s just say I knew more about Creed’s work now, too. Security was a cover. He worked for something called the Guild; it was the same place his mom had worked before she’d died. He wasn’t allowed to have social media accounts, and he wasn’t allowed to tell me all of the details. All he’d said was it was contract work, and sometimes it was dangerous.
I’d asked about his mom, if the work had beentoodangerous for her, but he’d been vague about it, which I took to mean he didn’t really want to speak about it, so I’d let it go.
I didn’t like the idea that Creed’s job was dangerous. The absolute last thing I wanted was for him to never come home one day, but I had faith in him. Maybe a strange amount of faith. I believed he’d come home to me no matter what the job was. He’d fight tooth and nail for me. I knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
As for my dad, he’d done his part. He’d stayed away, which was good—I didn’t think Creed would stop himself from passing the point of no return if he tried to take me again. Even now, I could easily recall the look on Creed’s face when he had his hands wrapped around my dad’s throat. Like it’d been easy for him to hurt him… I supposed because he’d hurt me.
Creed didn’t scare me. I felt safest when he was near, but I could definitely see how he frightened others. So tall and intimidating, he was the epitome of handsome and danger all rolled into one.
And he was all mine.
Class let out, and Beth and I walked through the building together. She preferred to carry her books; she was taking fewer classes this semester, so she refused to lug around a bag like me. Her black hair had been cut short to her shoulders; the haircut suited her face.
“JD’s taking me to see his parents this weekend,” she was busy saying as we headed down the stairs side by side, along with a whole host of other students trying to escape campus as quickly as they could, to take advantage of the weekend. “I’m so nervous.”
“Why?” I asked. I’d met him quite a few times; he was really nice. Nice and sweet, the kind of guy I never would’ve thought would be right for Beth, but after seeing them together, it made sense. It just did.
“I’ve never met someone’s parents before, not officially,” she told me. We made it to the ground floor of the building and headed toward the nearest exit. “It’s like, making things too real.”
That got me to laugh. “And things weren’t real before?”
“No! I mean… I guess, but not like this. Meeting parents makes everything a lot more real.” Beth let out a huge sigh before adding, “You wouldn’t get it. Dating your stepbrother is totally different.”
I chuckled again.
“But enough about my plans for the weekend.” She paused as we pushed out of the building, into the bright light of day. “What about you? What are you and Creed doing?” She always deflected when she was getting uncomfortable, and I always let her, because I wasn’t one to poke and prod.
“He’s actually picking me up. He’s got plans he won’t tell me—”
We made it to the sidewalk. Beth practically bounced with excitement. “Ooh, a surprise?”
“Yeah, I guess.” I didn’t sound as enthused as I could’ve been, mostly because only recently had surprises become an exciting thing. Before Creed, coming from someone who was kind of a loser in school thanks to her dad and self-esteem issues, surprises were always bad. Bad or cruel, take your pick.
“Well, you’ll have to tell me all about it,” Beth said. We reached the part of the walk where we parted ways, and she grinned, bumped arms with me, and then walked off, saying, “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck!” I yelled after her, smiling in spite of myself. Beth would do just fine this weekend, I was sure of it. As long as she was herself, meeting JD’s parents would be easy. I’d bet she would have more stories to tell come Monday than me… although, I thought that, and I had no idea where Creed was taking me tonight.
I got out my phone, texting him that I was done with my classes for the day. He texted back instantly, telling me to meet him in front of the student parking garage, where most of the commuters parked their cars during class. He’d gotten me a car, but this morning I hadn’t been allowed to drive it, for whatever reason. He wanted to take me out, which I thought was a little odd.
Odd because when given the choice between a night out with me and a night in, he always chose the latter. Creed would much rather be stuck in his bed than somewhere where he couldn’t have his hands or his mouth all over me.
Yeah. Even though a year had passed, he was just as ravenous as he’d been in the beginning. Not going to lie, sex had become something I looked forward to with Creed. He knew how to touch me, how to make me go crazy, how to make me beg for more—and he enjoyed every single second of it.
Creed must’ve been waiting for me nearby, because his sleek, black car was idling there, waiting for me, by the time I arrived at the parking garage. I got in the passenger’s seat, setting my bag on the ground near my feet and leaning over the center console to kiss him.
