Page 13 of Creed's Vengeance

I knew that wouldn’t happen, but Hades was right. My father knew how to blindfold a person. After all he blinded me for all my teenager years.

“But I’m not forcing you Creed. I know what this means.”

“Club first,” I looked from Kobra to him. “But I have one condition.” I felt my throat tighten. “Holly is pregnant, and the kid is mine. I want to see my kids’ birth.”

“That’s a decision for my daughter. You hurt her. Don’t think for a second I don’t know what you said to her.” Hades’s voice darkened. “But I know you were pushing her away because of Slater. At least that is what I’m hoping, that is the reason you said it to her.”

“Slater would kill her. If he knew she was my weakness. I didn’t have a choice. She’s better off without me. Especially if I’m returning to the family. If they knew they were having a grandchild. They’d take the baby. So,” and I think this point was going to kill me. “Holly needs to say it isn’t mine. She needs to find someone else.”

“Fuck that mate, she loves you.” Kobra slammed his fist on the wooden table. “That will break my sister. You think for a second she has given up on you and her, you are fucking wrong.”

“Do you want your sister alive? Because that’s what it comes down to Kobra. Until I put a bullet through my father’s head. That is what has to be done. She’s better off without me.” I looked between them. “So, we got to make this split real. Understand? We need every member hating me.” My throat tightened. “Including Holly.”

Hades rose. “What you are doing Creed, won’t be forgotten. And this is my promise to you. When this is over. You’ll be bringing up my grandchild.” He put his hand and I stood up. Shaking it and he pulled me into our brotherhood hug.

Kobra walked around the table. “If this means anything mate. I didn’t think much of you. But what you are doing now is protecting my family. I won’t forget it.” Kobra and I linked hands and he pulled me in. “I won’t let her marry anyone. You’ll be bringing that kid up. We’ll get this handled.”

“The club has your back Creed. We’ll be making moves. But you need to prove loyalty. And I couldn’t think of a better way, then shooting a Kincaid.”

What the fuck. I looked at him like I had mistaken what he had said.

IVY

Is there anything more confronting then telling someone your depth darkest secrets—on the chance that they understand? I once believed that only the weak went to professionals about mental health problems. After all, we controlled our thinking—we had the ability to think of something else. I was nearly sixteen when my general doctor diagnosed me with bipolar. Same time Holly was going through her depression.

At the time I wouldn’t accept the diagnosis. Even when my mom’s mother had the same issue. My family supported it, wanted me to get help.

I wouldn’t get help. I didn’t see it as an issue. It’s only now, that I had lost full control over my thoughts and my mood—basically my life. That I was prepared to get help. Because there were two options, one get help or two, stop breathing. And I had a son. Since Connor was taken, everything changed. So, I called the forbid number that I hid in my phone contacts.

I had an appointment with the psychiatrist that was highly recommended. So much came off my chest. That I didn’t even know I was keeping in. I had just spent the last two hours and in some ways it felt like I had spilt my soul open and bled my feelings out to her to record on paper.

I walked in thinking I was broken. Turned out that broken feeling had a label, bipolar during a depression episode.

Connor was back. But I kept a secret from my family and I didn’t realise until the appointment, how much damage it had done to me.

While I had prescriptions in my bag. I know it would take all my willpower to get them dispensed. Knowing I need to get help. Admitting I needed help but actually accepting that help—were all different things.

After an hour of spilling my soul to the psychiatrist, she gave me one thing being to do. A list of things that would make me happy and spend time doing it. Sounds simple? But I had been numb for so long I couldn’t think of one thing that made me happy—or even slightly smile. Not even my son and the guilt that washed around me about that couldn’t be forgiven. Finally, one name came to mind. Not a thing, but a person.

One forbidden name. The one person I couldn’t be seen with. And that is why right now I was sitting in a café in the middle of the day—hoping he wasn’t going to be a no show.

It was never fair what happened. He was forced out of my life because of the club. Slater Winston had only ever shown me kindness. He was the guy that made me laugh all through high school. While he didn’t have a normal upbringing—neither did I. However, we both connected and if it wasn’t for him being pulled out of school to follow the Winston monarchy. I think we had a future together.

But one night changed everything. Taron had cheated on me and it broke me. So I turned to Slater.

Even though I shouldn’t have. One passionate night and that resulted in Connor. That’s why when I knew Slater took Connor and Ollie, the kids were safe. He wouldn’t hurt his son or his niece. I knew that deep down.

We met up when Connor was a baby. Secretly. He once said it was killing him. Then I told him we had to come clean. Connor was going to be asking who his father was. Slater told me, to say Taron.

It broke me. It felt like Slater rejected me. Like he didn’t want us as family. He went cold after that. We stopped seeing each other. Though I always took Connor to the same park at the same time. Because Slater would be watching from a parked SUV. He had watched his son grow up through glances and him playing on a playground.

How cruel was life, that the only person I could think that might make me happy or just smile. Is the same man, whose family is threatening to rip my club and family a part?

Slater Winston, I knew, was a boy. When he walked in I couldn’t look up.

Now the man sitting across from me. . . scared me somewhat. His tailored made suit, crisp jet black. White gold cufflinks, the black shirt under underearth, unbuttoned to the point you can see his chest tattoo. It was the Winston crest. I only knew that cause Creed had the same tattoo on his back. I had commented on it once, and he told me what it was. Creed’s and Slater’s crest tattoo went up and wrapped around their necks.

While his family had a legacy. Slater Winston wasn’t sly of his own reputation. The last time I saw him was when he rejected Connor and I. The man in front of me, looked as scary as the headlines he made during numerous court appearances. Chargers he always got off.

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