Tracey’s bitching at me. She’s angry and there isn’t anything I can do about it without risking our lives. That’s not something I’m willing to do.

“Just get me a job.”

“I tried, they aren’t hiring.” She throws her hands up in the air, swearing up at the dark sky. Billy pulls her to him and kisses the top of her head. They’re sweet, suited for each other in so many ways. I like to watch them, the way they look at each other when they think no one else is looking, or the way his hand steals hers when she least expects it. Their interactions are adorable.

It makes my chest hurt because the closest I’ve ever come to having strong feelings for someone was Creed, but that didn’t work out. He isn’t like that either. He wouldn’t hold my hand in public, kiss me when I needed it the most. No, I don’t see him being like that at all. He’s the opposite.

“This dress is too tight,” I complain, pulling at it.

Tracey looks me over, then shrugs her shoulders. “You look hot.”

I don’t feel it, I feel like I want to pull it from my skin and wear tracksuit pants because I wear this kind of stuff for work, the last thing I want to do is wear it when I don’t have to work. Tracey squeezes my shoulder. We walk into the same club we went to a few months ago when I saw Mickey here, then Creed. We have a private booth for Tracey’s birthday tonight and Billy set up a bar tab.

“I didn’t invite them, I swear,” Tracey says.

I pull the hem of my dress down as we enter. All four men are standing at the bar, my heart stops when I lock eyes with him. He doesn’t look up to me straight away like the others, but my eyes search him out first, like they're meant to. I walk over to the booth. It’s bigger than I expected. Bottles of vodka, bourbon, and gin line the table as a waitress stands there ready to serve us.

“You really went all out,” I say to Billy as I look at all the alcohol.

“I didn’t do this.”

“I’m sorry, don’t hate me. But they already knew,” Tracey says guiltily.

I stare at Tracey, confused. “You told them,” I say, my heart skipping a beat.

She shakes her head. “They knew, asked me of our plans.”

I see them walking over. Falcon’s the first to arrive. His hand casually drapes across my shoulders as he pulls me close and kisses the top of my head. Darby steps forward, passing me a small box .

“Happy birthday.”

I shake my head. Then look to Tracey, she just smiles.

“It’s not my birthday, it’s Tracey’s,” I say pointing to her.

Falcon squeezes me as Tracey steps up to me.

“We never celebrate yours. Never. We do mine every year because I love the attention.” She smiles brightly. “But this time it’s for you. No getting out of it.”

Echo hands me an envelope and so does Falcon. Sitting down, and stepping away from Falcon’s hold, I try to take calming breaths. Did I forget to mention that the sole reason I don’t celebrate my birthday is because it hurts too much? Way too much.

“What’s wrong?”

A stray tear leaves my eyes and before I can wipe it away Creed does. He sits next to me, our legs touching but he’s careful not to hold me the same way Falcon did.

“It’s also his birthday,” I say, my hand going to the necklace I put on every year for just one day. My brother’s birthday.

“You were twins?” Creed asks shocked.

I manage to nod my head and keep the tears at bay.

“I’m sorry.”

Turning to look at him, I see he is sorry. It makes it worse, trying to stay away from him. I’ve been so good at keeping my distance, even when I see him out front of my house after a shift, knowing he’s followed to make sure I get home safe. Falcon told me what he’s doing, but Falcon would never admit it to him because he likes to stir him up. Creed doesn’t care, doesn’t have any feelings. He’s completely cavalier about everything, or so he says. And a part of me believes that about him, he was molded that way.

Then I see glimpses, and I wonder if he only gives those glimpses to me.

I open the box from Darby, so I don’t get distracted that my leg is touching Creed’s or that he hasn’t moved away from me yet. Pulling it open my eyes go wide. Very fucking wide.

“This isn’t real, is it?” I ask, seeing him standing not far from me watching me unwrap it.

“Of course it is,” Darby answers like I should have known better.

Putting the lid back on I shake my head, holding it out to him. “I can’t accept this, it’s too much.”

“That’s rude. Accept it.” He turns away from me, leaving my arm dangling with the expensive diamond-encrusted bracelet in my hand. Standing up, I walk to him, reach up on my tippy toes and kiss his cheek. It makes him stop and he looks down at me.

“Thank you for the present.”

He nods and looks back to Echo. Turning away, Creed hasn’t moved. He’s still sitting in the spot I left him in. His whiskey-colored eyes track me as I come to sit down next to him. Oh, how I have missed those eyes and the way they make me feel. Like all he sees is me. It’s quite intoxicating.

“How have you been,” I ask. Reaching for Echo’s present while trying not to look at Creed, I open it and note a wad of bills. Lots of bills. I put it straight back down on the table unsure of what to do with it. Looking up at Echo, he nods his head and I smile mouthing ‘thank you.’

“I want you.”

My head spins and when I face him, he’s watching me. Intently.

“That’s—nice.” As soon as the words leave my mouth I want to hit my head on the table in front of me. ‘That’s nice?’ That’s all I can manage to say? ‘That’s nice?’ What the fuck is wrong with me.

Too afraid to open Falcon’s present just yet, I put it with the others and look up to find Tracey, who is currently in a lip lock with Billy.

“Will you dance with me?” Turning back to him he holds out his waiting hand, the same one that can play me like a fool with those magical fingers. And I let him every time.

“You know how to dance?” I ask. The waitress starts serving everyone drinks.

Not feeling like drinking, I place my hand in his as he gets up and starts walking us to the dance floor. Pulling me to him, our hips touch and his hand slides to my lower back sitting just above my ass. He starts to rock us, not with the rhythm of the music that’s playing, instead slow and steady hip movements so I can feel every inch of his hard body against mine. My hand rests on his shoulder, and I’m afraid to move it while he holds me tighter.

“Who taught you to dance?” I ask him.

“Ma.”

I nod my head.

“She’s a powerhouse of a woman. Still is. She had to practice for all the galas she had to attend with clients.”

“I can’t imagine you being forced to do anything,” I say with a smile. Thinking of him learning to dance as a boy makes me smile.

“I loved it! Even more so right now.” Both of his hands are now on my lower back as he holds me to him. I don’t even try to pull away, there’s no point to it. I enjoy being in his arms.

“I got you a present.” I pull back so I can look at him. He doesn’t stop moving and our hips keep rocking.

“I don’t need anything,” I tell him honestly.

I don’t. Not once have I asked for anything.

“I know you don’t, but I wanted to.”

Smiling, I lay my head on his chest. I listen to his heartbeat, it’s loud and I wonder if he feels it too. This thing between us that I don’t really understand. He must if he’s standing here holding me, I hope.

“I have to steal her.” Tracey taps my shoulder and I pull myself away from Creed who’s reluctant to let me go. His hand only dropping slightly from my hip until Tracey starts pulling me away. He stands in the middle of the dance floor, dressed in blue trousers with a crisp, clean, white shirt, with his perfect tousled, yet professionally coiffed hair falling over his smoky eyes, watching me as I leave.

“What’s wrong?”

She pulls open the bathroom door, pushing me inside then locking it before she hikes up her dress, sitting down to pee. “He’s going to ask me, I know he is.”

Leaning against the wall I try to work out what she’s referring to.

“He’s going to ask me to marry him. What do I say?” She finishes, pulling her dress back down.

“You love him, don’t you?” She nods her head. “Well, I’d think yes would be the easy answer, wouldn’t it? Unless there’s a reason you want to say no?”

She shakes her head then stops. “It’s too early. It’s bound to break.”

It is, but who am I to tell her that.

“Why do you think he’s going to ask you?”

She starts washing her hands and I look to the door which is slightly ajar seeing Creed standing outside waiting for me.

“Because he has a box in his pocket.”

Kissing her cheek, I hug her. Walking out the door, Creed looks me up and down as I walk straight to him. I don’t think as I reach him. It just happens. My hands circle around his neck and my lips connect with him, fast, passionate and intoxicating. He tastes of him, clean with a hint of peppermint. His hands instantly search my body until they come to land on my ass, gripping it, and holding me to him as he keeps his back against the wall.

Our kiss eventually breaks apart, and we both end up panting, but our bodies don’t leave each other. I needed that, needed what he can give me.

“I’m taking you with me.”

I can only nod at his words. He gets out his cell and starts typing something as he walks out the front to his waiting car. “Falcon will collect your things.” He slides in and starts driving.

“Not your place.” He looks to me then nods his head. I can’t go back there just yet. What if he disappeared on me again and I found him the same way I did last time? This time I know I’d run away and not come back. So instead, I keep that thought at bay as he drives to my apartment.

His hands are all over me before I can even open my door, exploring each and every part of me. His mouth spreads kisses over my neck as his hands hold me to him as we walk backward through the door and to my room stripping all our clothes off as we go. He pushes me until my back slams on the bed, and he leans down covering me with his body.

“I’ve missed you, Elicea.”

Closing my eyes for a brief second, I try not to climb him at those words, and the way he says them. But my heart melts. Also, I didn’t think he could miss me. I assumed I was just another girl to him. Maybe I was wrong. His hands glide over my hips and to my bare legs as he then brings them between. When he gets to my inner knee, he pulls them apart separating them, as he leans down kissing my clit then twirls it with his tongue. His tongue dances with my clitoris until I’m grinding on his face. One finger in and I’m moving even faster as his hand keeps my knee in place so I don’t clutch his head with my knees. He flicks me, and the warmth of his tongue mixed with the pressure of his finger and the coldness of the room builds and builds, so I can’t hold a second longer.

My hands reach for his perfect fucking hair, and I grip it as I clench around his finger. My body starts shaking and I begin riding a wave I’ve only ridden when he touches me. Before I can come down he’s there, between my legs, lifting them over his shoulders as my ass lifts so he can slide in. It’s fast and hard, and everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything he can give me. He slides in and out as I start to come down. My legs go softer instead of locked and my hands stop clenching the bed sheets.

His hands reach down and grab my breast. He rolls my nipple between his fingers then reaches up to my mouth. He slips his finger into my mouth and I suck it. I can taste myself on it as he fucks me harder. He grips my hips harder, his movements more feverish and strong. It doesn’t take long until I’m coming again, and this time we climax together.

He rests his head on me, his eyes searching mine for something I’m not sure of. I don’t think I even have the answers to what he wants, but I hope he doesn’t find them. I’m too afraid.