Page 64 of Creed

She looked up at me. “Even when we move out?”

I nodded. “Even when you move out.” I kissed the top of her head and took in her scent.

Goodbye

Morgan

My hair was pulled back into a chignon, I wore my Saint Lauren little black pencil dress with my Stuart Weitzman ruby slippers. A black diamond bracelet was on my wrist that matched my black studded diamond earrings. My makeup was light, and I wore very little mascara. Two days prior, Mr. Rhys got the call. It was time to lay my best friend to rest.

The woman looking back at me in the mirror wasn’t the same woman that made all those movies. No, the woman in the mirror was broken. Her stitches may have been removed, her bruises healing, but her heart was torn to pieces. She just wasn’t sure how to mend it. Her stunning blue eyes were holding back tears, even though she thought they should have run out already.

I packed my vintage black diamond handbag with a few handkerchiefs, my phone, makeup remover pads, mascara, and my black oversized Mima sunglasses.

At one point, I almost made the decision to have a very private funeral service at the cemetery with only a few of us in attendance. I dreaded the paparazzi and the media making a spectacle out of Callie’s services, then after talking with Creed, I decided her story needed to be known. There were countlesswomen living in abusive relationships, and I needed them to see the likely outcome if they didn’t get help soon.

I slowly made my way downstairs, and Creed was facing away from me while taking a call. When he turned around, I nearly jumped out of my skin. There was no way the man standing in front of me was Alistair Creed. He wore a white dress shirt under a fitted black suit and a thin tie, but that wasn’t what had me nearly gasping for air. The man I was looking at seemed much younger than the Creed I knew. Those turquoise eyes stood out more and as I stepped closer, he lowered his phone. My hand raised and I placed it against his soft cheek, free of a beard and I studied his entire face as I looked up at him. He shut his eyes to my touch, wrapped his hand around my wrist, then moved my hand to kiss my palm before he opened his eyes again.

“You’re perfect.” I whispered as I studied that chiseled jaw.

He moved my hand then pulled me into a hug. I shut my eyes because the comfort he gave me was the strength I needed.

“I figured I wouldn’t be as easily recognized without my beard. I will not leave your side today, I promise.”

“I hope you know how thankful I am to have you in my life.” I was already fighting back my tears.

“I feel the same way.” He kissed my temple, then pulled back to look down at me. Just like the thousand times before, I was lost in those eyes. In them I found strength and courage, among many other things, but it was those two qualities I needed more than ever. I heard a throat clear, so I looked around Creed and saw Mike Axton and Josh Magnus, both looking dapper in their fitted suits.

“All of you clean up very nicely.” I was so thankful for those men.

“Drakos picked your family up and they should arrive shortly.” Mike said.

“Thank you.”

I turned back to look at Creed.

“We will wait for you outside.” Josh said.

Creed barely turned his head. “Thanks guys.”

I still couldn’t get over how Creed looked. He had a sort of boyish charm about him, and handsome didn’t do him justice. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I am just surprised, that’s all. Why did you ever grow a beard in the first place?” My God he was beautiful, and I didn’t think a man could get more handsome than Creed with a beard.

He blushed a little and that look made my heart attempt to leap from my chest. “The guys in basic used to call me pretty boy if that answers your question.”

“I guess I thought your beard was sacred or something.”

He smiled down at me. “No, it was just my attempt to look older and more distinguished. I’m only thirty one. I didn’t want people to see me and think I was too young for so much responsibility.”

“It worked, but I like this look.”

He put his arm around me. “Lets go on out, your parents should be pulling up the driveway at any moment.” He guided me out the door.

Twenty minutes later, I was in the backseat of a black Cadillac SUV with tinted windows. I sat with my head leaned against Creed’s shoulder as he held my hand. Axton drove with Josh in the passenger seat, and my family followed in two of the exact same SUV’s behind us.

The weather wasn't like we filmed most funerals for movies. There was no rain, so we had no need for umbrellas, which meant the angels weren’t crying. Instead, it was a beautiful summer morning, just like Callie would have loved. As we inched closer to the funeral home, I saw the media camped outside. There were several MC members trying to block their view of us. As we turned in to the funeral home parking lot, flashes and flashes of cameras went off around us. I could already hear all of them, yelling one thing out or another. When the SUV stopped, I noticed I was squeezing on to Creed’s hand and I was frozen. “I don’t think I can do this today.”

Creed used his fingers to lift my chin and make me look at him. “You have to do this, Morgan. Someday Addie may see these pictures and videos and she will need to see your strength. The sooner you let the media get a glimpse of you, the better. Do this today so they get bored, and you won’t face all this mess when we pick Addie up next week.”

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