“Oh?” I knew we’d need to hire a new one eventually, Creed wasn’t kidding. They had to move and they moved fast.
“Yup,” he confirms, popping thep. “We’ll need your signature, too, but he can wait.” He shrugs like pissing off our record label is no big deal. “His name is Fletcher McGowan and he’s solid, according to Bear. Blair agrees but also said that he’s—and I quote—“Ten out of ten, daddy material.”
I can’t stop the laughter that bursts from my lips. Collins nearly chokes on her own cookies and cream shake as her whole body jolts. Creed joins in on the laughter with such genuine joy on his face that it makes my belly swoop at the sight.
“Oh really?” she muses, feeding me a piece of candy. “I wonder what Asher thinks about that little assessment.”
Creed’s brow furrows. “Why would Asher care about that?”
Collins gives him a knowing look before her eyes swing back to me. I feel just as clueless as Creed before a thought hits me.
“Are they…?”
Collins bites her lip, a soft blush creeping over her cheeks as she shrugs her shoulders. Creed laughs, but then he stands and starts to pace.
“Asher and Blair?” He barks another laugh, brushing a hand over his jaw. “I mean I know Blair’s got it bad for him, but Asher’s straight.” He cuts a look at Collins. “Right?”
Collins just shrugs again before getting up and shuffling over to where Creed stands, looking like his flabbers have been fully gasted. She loops her arms around his waist and pecks a sweet kiss directly over his heart. Looking up at him, her voice is soft when she speaks.
“Whatever they are, it puts some light and life into Asher’s eyes again.”He looks down at her and smiles warmly, enraptured by her words. “You know he’ll tell you if you really want to know, but just let them be. I feel like I just got my brother back, and not just the carefully polished shell of him. It’sallof him, Creed. They need each other.”
He kisses her nose then looks at me. “Like we need us?”
Collins turns in Creed’s arms and her eyes meet mine, too. Pulling Creed along with her, she makes her way back over to me until she’s a whisper away from my lips, Creed’s face smooshed amusingly up next to hers.
“Like we need us,”she repeats like it’s a mantra. In perfect sync, three pairs of lips meet in one slow, sensual kiss that melts a few more of my worries away.
The truth is, I don’t feel worthy of their love. Honestly, I feel more broken than whole after everything Collins and I went through. I have a feeling I’m going to need more than just physical therapy before I feel any semblance of ‘okay’ again. But I want to love them the way that I so desperately long to. I’ll spend every day proving to them that my heart will always be a safe place for their love to grow.
I just hope I don’t fuck it all up.
Chapter 16
Collins
“NO FORCE ON EARTH COULD KEEP ME FROM GETTING TO YOU.”
Creed left. Not permanently, though my mini meltdown prior to his departure felt otherwise. He patiently helped me out of it, but I knew he had to go. By the way his eye twitched when he had to leave for real the second time he headed for the door, I knew going was the last thing Creed wanted to do. Riley and I are alive and okay-ish enough that lifehasto move forward, and that includes his duties as the band lead forDark Sins.
His absence seems to be a trigger for my panic attacks and dissociative episodes, so I either need therapy, or I’m about to become a little leech that latches itself onto Creed twenty-four seven.
Prior to his departure, he’d bought brand new phones for both me and Riley, with all the important contacts already saved. I was relieved to see that all of our photos frombeforehad been transferred over, too. Before I could flip through them, therapy had come in and Creed kissed us each goodbye.
He was pissed about that, too. He didn’t like the idea of anyone having their hands anywhere near me or Riley without his supervision. Luckily, Asher came in right as Creed was leaving, so he at least felt a little bit better.
Ash is currently taking up a chair in the corner of the room, watching the two therapists like a hawk. One is speech, working with me, and the other is an occupational therapist, assessing Riley’s trembling hands and his injured leg. I’m a little distracted, though, because I’m not a fan of his therapist. She’s a young, pretty brunette with…extraglossy, pouty lips and big blue eyes that stare a little too intently at Riley.
She’d introduced herself as Pippa with afucking gigglethat rang about six octaves too high for our ears to register before she got to work. I automatically dislike her. Jealous? Mmm, no. Petty? Abso-fucking-lutely.
Speech wraps up with me, and I walk over to where Asher sits in the corner. Moving the chair closer to my brother, I plop down, wincing when I put a little too muchumphinto my plop. Riley’s eyes track me down and look me over, dismissing whatever Pippa is trying to explain to him. It’s ridiculous to feel satisfaction in that when, in the back of my mind, I know she’s only trying to help Riley. He lifts an auburn brow at me, and it instantly melts my rigid posture. Pippa steps into his line of sight and bends down in front of his face, shoulders back and tits out.
Sour mood, reactivated.
“You do know that no matter how hard you glare, she won’tactuallyburst into flames, right?” Asher murmurs behind his fist beside me and I snort.
“I am not glaring,”I pout, crossing my arms.
“Sure you’re not. And while we’re being totally honest, and not at all in denial, I absolutely donothave feelings for your boyfriend’s new bassist.”
