Page 71 of Creed

“I need a picture of Bane,” I say to Massimo, then move away, pulling out my phone and immediately dialing Sophie. Vito and Andro move closer, maybe in solidarity, but don’t crowd me as I pace, willing Sophie to pick up.

“Hey,” she answers, and my heart clenches when I hear her voice. “I didn’t expect you to call until later.”

The knot in my chest eases somewhat, hearing her calm and safe.

“Angel, I need you to listen to me and do exactly as I say. Okay?”

“Okay,” she says slowly, but she’s alert.

“A man named Manuel Morales is—”

“Manuel Morales? How do you know him?”

“How do you?” I ask, even though we’re getting sidetracked.

“He… I don’t know,knowhim. He’s a big benefactor from back home, though, putting tons of money into the church and other things.”

“You don’t go near him, angel. He’s in San Diego with your father.”

She sucks in sharply. “What? My dad can’t… He’s on the FBI’s radar or something. He can’t come to the States. You must be mistaken.”

“I’m not. I can’t explain right now, but Morales is a business rival who has been coming at me. I’m fearful you’re his target to hit at me, given that he and your father are together in San Diego.”

“Creed.” Her voice has a tremor of fear in it.

“I know, angel. I’m on my way but can’t get there fast enough. An ally of my family is going to pick you up. A biker named Bane.”

“A biker?”

If she pushes away from me now because I’m bringing the life to her and connecting her into it, I know she’ll be fucked.

My gut tells me that Morales and Ortez are there for her, maybe to use her as a pawn to get to me, or for some other reason. Whatever the reason, everything screams to me that she isn’t safe. And if anything happens to her, especially because of me, I don’t think I can survive the fallout.

“Yes. If Morales or your father are watching you, they’d never suspect I’d send a biker to you. It’s the safest move without revealing that I’m onto them.”

“Jesus,” she chokes a half-laugh, which sounds a bit nervous.

“You’ll follow my instructions, angel?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl,” I murmur because I need to hear her soft inhalation of air that happens whenever I do. “You know the phone you bought for Sylvie’s birthday?”

“Yes.”

“I need you to leave your phone in your dorm and take that instead.”

“You… You think they could track me or something from my phone?”

“I’m not taking any chances.”

“Creed.” Massimo holds out his phone with a picture of Bane that Ash had sent.

Bane is a big rugged man with shoulders and chest as broad and thick as me and Massimo. His dark hair is pushed back, a tight beard of scruff, and eyes as hard and dark as Vito’s. I snap a picture of Bane and send it to Sylvie’s phone. I remember the number because I was there when Sophie got the phone and choose the number that spells out ‘Cool Kid.’

“I sent the picture of Bane to Sylvie’s phone, Soph. Youonlygo with him. No one else. Understood?”

“Understood.”

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