“In here,” he emphasized, placing his hand on my overly active heart, causing me to jump from his sudden touch. I could feel him grinning, knowing he was the cause of the rapid rhythm beating against the palm of his hand. “My blood is runnin’ through your veins, Mia. Ya feel me?” he questioned, removing his hand and taking my heart with it. “Since I’m Type O, a universal donor, Doc took my blood weeks before the shootout. Knowin’ you were comin’ close to your due date, he wanted to be prepared just in case you went into labor and needed it. Left it in the fridge for you. It was my blood that saved your life.”
I had no words. He rendered me speechless. All I had were emotions threatening to spill out any second. The floodgates opened, letting out everything I held in so deeply. Tears began to stream down my face, falling to the ground with my heart. His hand started moving slowly up my arm, grazing my skin with only the tips of his fingers as if he was testing my boundaries. What he could and couldn’t get away with.
Holding me in his arms like I was his entire world.
I was feeling so much.
Yet not nearly enough.
He made his way toward my shoulder and then down my back. I didn’t say one word, terrified he would stop his descent. His control over me would fade.
I sucked in a breath when I felt him lower the halter on my back. His lips casually moved from my ear to where his fingers were placed. Softly, gently letting his lips linger on the scar from the bullet I took in my back.
Rasping, “I’m so fuckin’ sorry,” in a devastated tone I’d never forget.
He pulled away just enough to trail soft kisses up toward the side of my neck. It was then that I couldn’t take it any longer. It was then that it became too much. His words were killing me, but his touch was destroying me.
I abruptly turned around, slightly pushing him away. His eyes told me he wanted to say so much, though nothing came out.
So I simply stated, speaking with conviction, “I’m falling for Noah. It’s always been him, Creed.”
Breaking his heart into a million pieces. Possibly next to mine.
“You’re full of shit, and you know it.”
Her eyes widened not expecting my reply, giving her the courage to ask, “Why did you take me?”
“To protect you.”
“From what?”
“That’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I got my ways.”
“Aren’t you worried about ending up in prison? All I have to do is scream, and this terrace will be swarming with people who would stop at nothing to turn you in. My dad made sure of that with the reward money he has for your head.”
“I’d give ‘em my fuckin’ balls to spend just a few minutes with you. You’re worth it, Pippin,” I honestly spoke, caressing her cheek with the back of my fingers. Grinning, I challenged, “Besides you were never much of a screamer, why start now?”
I immediately saw it, her eyes glazed over and her pupils dilated. Stunned by my brazen response. It wasn’t quite the reaction I wanted, but it was a step in the right direction. I leaned over again, caging her in with my arms. Resting my forehead on hers.
“There’s my girl...” I pulled her hair away from her face to stare intently into her bright blue eyes.
That did it to me every time.
There was so much emotion behind her gaze. I knew they mirrored mine, there was no need for words. Our eyes spoke for themselves as I took her face between my hands and caressed the sides of her cheeks with my thumbs.
My thoughts.
My words.
They all seemed to be fucking intertwine with one another. Pushing and pulling like a game of tug of war.
The music changed over to the song she played for me on our first official date at the safe house. Bringing me back to a happier time, hearing her soulful voice belt out the words, pouring her heart out to me. The music wasn’t very loud out on the terrace, but it was enough to hear the melody.
Without thinking twice about it I smiled, gliding my hands to her neck, slowly descending down her body to grab hold of her hand. I stepped back, bringing her with me, instantly twirling her around in a circle like a ballerina. Looking at her in the way I always had. Forgetting for just one second that things weren’t normal and she wasn’t mine.
I pulled her close to my body, bringing her into my chest. Fitting her body perfectly into my hold, I started to slow dance for the very first time in my life.
“What do you want from me?” she whispered, peering into my chest. I lifted her chin so I could once again look into her beautiful eyes.
“Everythin’,” I simply stated, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.
“Noah is inside, Creed. Did you know that? Your brother’s right inside.”
“Don’t mean shit to me, Mia. I wouldn’t give a fuck if he was standin’ behind me with a fuckin’ gun to my back. I needed to see you. Hold you... fuckin’ feel you. And it’s takin’ everythin’ in me, not to fuckin’ kiss you right now and remind you who the fuck you belong to,” I declared.
“I can’t... I don’t even know what to say to you.”
“It don’t matter. I own you, Pippin. I claimed you. Even gave you my cut. Remember the patches? The property of Creed? Any of that a trigger to you? No one can come between our love, not even your fuckin’ mind. I’ll spend the rest of my life remindin’ you what you mean to me if I have to. Ain’t lettin’ you go. I will always, always fuckin’ love you. And no one can take that away from me. Not even you.”
Her lips started quivering, unable to form words. I kissed her forehead, resisting the urge to claim every last inch of skin. I knew I shouldn’t have been there, but I had to see her. It had been way too fucking long.
“Can’t you see, babe... my heart is fuckin’ bleedin’ out for you,” I repeated the same exact words she said to me on Giselle’s balcony all those years ago. When I tried to push her away.
One of my biggest regrets in my life. Everything could have been different if I had just let her in.
“I know you love me, but I don’t remember you, Creed. I know that hurts you, and even though I don’t know who you are... it kills me to be the cause of your pain. How does that make sense? It’s like my mind is playing with my heart and vice versa. There are times where I swear I miss you, but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t know you. How can that be?”
“I’m your lobster.”
She smiled, knowing what I was talking about. At least she remembered that.
“I want to know what happened the night I was shot. Can you tell me? The night I lost my baby girl?”
“Mia... please... not now.”
“I don’t remember being pregnant, but I have this scar. This daily reminder of something I have no recollection of. I feel like I’m the worst human being on the planet. How can a mother forget her own baby?”
“I promise. I swear to ya, I’ll tell you everythin’ one day, but can’t do it right now.”
“Why?”
“Cuz I can’t lose you again.”
“You don’t have me now.”
“You’re in my arms, yeah? I’ll take you any way I fuckin’ can.”