Creed’s Honor by Simone Nicholls

“Kobra!” I shouted for my brother’s attention across the lot. Textbooks were weighing me down. My first semester at university and I was drowning under the workload. Adjusting the strap of the bag, which was filled with print offs, I could see Kobra wasn’t leaving the conversation he was having with a club girl, so I picked up the textbooks from the picnic table, dropped one, and bent over to pick it up. As I did, the bag with my papers slipped down my shoulder to the ground and broke open. I had spent two long hours printing them all off, and now my printouts were spread across the greasy concrete.

Groaning, I put the textbooks down and started collecting the course work. This wouldn’t have happened if I had done two loads from the car. But no, me saving time, I forced myself to carry at least ten kilograms of books and a bag weighing the same as a cannonball.

I sat on my knees, my feet stinging with pain, reminding me I had just spent the last five hours on them without sitting down or resting. Now I was on the ground, and I didn’t want to get up. Looking around at the scattered paperwork, I guess I was getting my wish.

As I continued to collect the paperwork, I felt someone kneel beside me. That was when I caught a glimpse of a tattooed hand, helping with the mess.

“Took your time, as usual. I swear to God, you are never there when I need you.” I huffed, still trying to collect the ruined papers. I took my anger out on my brother like it was all his fault.

“Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t think we’ve met.”

My head snapped to the side when I heard that deep rough voice. It wasn’t my brother’s voice, that’s for sure. It was then that I look up and my body flooded with a reaction I wasn’t expecting nor was I used to, but one look into his smouldering deep ash-grey eyes, and I was pulled in. His shirt was low cut, showing off his desirable muscles, but it was his tattoos that struck me. I was used to muscular tattooed men. I mean, I grew up around them. But I wasn’t used to this type of man.

One look at his tattoos and I knew they were created by an artist, not a backyard wannabe tattoo person or his cellmate who had made a tattoo gun. No. This man’s tattoos were beautifully finished pieces of art. Whoever did them knew what they were doing.

Now bikers, they all had this sex appeal based on being “rough” around the edges. This man, if he weren’t wearing a club cut, I would have bet he had just left a photoshoot. He had those player looks, not the rough looks.

This led me to one conclusion—he was new.

“Sorry,” I finally bit out. “I thought you were—”

“Yeah, man, clearly.” He smirked at me, and it was mind-blowing. Like, I couldn’t think a clear sentence in my head. I couldn’t even correct him. It was as if I were meeting Machine Gun Kelly—that was how awe-struck I was.

He frowned for a moment. “Thought universities did their course work online now,” he said. He was watching, his stunning gaze still locked on me.

“They do. I just like hard copies.” My voice came out strained. That was when I saw movement over his shoulder, and I saw my dad storming towards us.

This boy allowed his gaze to roam over me, but when he looked me in the eyes again, I swear something inside me melted. And I didn’t even know that was possible.

“I know you’ve got a boyfriend, but you can have my number if you like?” His eyes stayed locked with mine, but it was his smirk that seemed to do wild things to me. “You know, in case you are ready to upgrade to a real relationship.”

I couldn’t stop the smile, mainly because my dad was standing behind him with the look that would match the expression of wrath on one of the four horsemen’s face.

“Ain’t no way my daughter is ending up in your bed, prospect.” Dad harshly growled down at him, and he didn’t even glance back to address Dad.

His eyes did widen slightly, though, when he heard Dad’s growl.

“Hade’s daughter?” he said, looking directly at me.

I just nodded my head with a wide smile.

He cursed under his breath, running a hand over his head before looking back at me.

“My luck, but fuck, you’d be worth the death wish.” He then winked at me, and I don’t think he was surprised when Dad threw the wrench that he had been holding at him.

I giggled, and that was what sparked my dad to go from mad to furious.

“Fuck off now, Creed, before I make sure you never wear a rocker.” Dad roared and Creed, being the expected biker, clearly had an ego because he winked at me again, not even caring that Dad would be making his life harder by even speaking to me.

I liked to think I was immune to bikers—their charm, alpha tendencies, and those tattoos. I was sixteen when my sister, Ivy, declared at the family table that there was something wrong with me because I didn’t have a crush on any of Dad’s members. Ivy fell head over heels in love with one of Dad’s men, Taron, when she was fourteen. Long story short—he left to another table. It wasn’t Dad’s influence, either. Hell, Dad didn’t know about Ivy’s crush, nor did he know that Ivy started fucking him on her sixteenth birthday. They didn’t end up keeping the relationship behind Dad’s back, either. Nope, they went public.

It was within a year of going public that Taron decided a relationship wasn’t for him. He ended things just before he patched to another table.

So I turned sixteen and still hadn’t fallen for one of Dad’s men, so Ivy thought I was an alien on this point.

To be honest, not one biker interested me.

Until Creed Winston.

As I snuck a glance at him—after remembering the first time we met—I’d have to say that my feelings for him had grown over the years. His flawless model looks were a bit more rough-hewn now, as he had gotten into more than his fair share of fights. Also, he was the enforcer, so it was his role in the club to keep the peace, and when members would fight, he had to break them up.

So, needless to say, he had taken more than a few punches to the body while getting into fistfights. To be a good enforcer in the club, a biker needed three things. One, he couldn’t be scared of getting his hands dirty. He had to be prepared to be violent when called upon, and everyone knew enforcers always had rage boiling within them twenty-four seven, which meant the need to be violent wasn’t hard for them.

While they needed to be able to get into fights, they also had to stop members from fighting among themselves. Dad would only allow the members to get so much rage out, but when it crossed a line, Creed would step in—as expected. Usually, that meant Creed would step in when a member had broken a bottle or pulled a gun.

Enforcers also had to be muscular, and Creed—he was built like a tank. The muscles weren’t for show, either. They were to ensure that when Creed threw a punch, a member didn’t swing one back. The fact Creed was big played a part in stopping members too. They all knew he had the physical ability to rip two full-grown members apart, and sometimes up to three men.

Also, the enforcers were meant to have a fearless attitude.

Creed met all the requirements, not just to make a good enforcer but a great one. Dad knew this early on. I heard him admit it to Kobra one night when they thought I wasn’t around.

Dad being Dad hated Creed for two solid years. All because Creed wasn’t afraid to be my friend, even though Dad loathed it. By the third year, Dad’s hatred towards Creed turned to annoyance. Then, by the end of that year, Dad sort of admired Creed. Why? And how could Dad go from hating a man to admiring him?

It was because Creed stuck by his rules and didn’t cave to pressure—even when Dad made his life harder for nearly three years when Creed could have easily just stopped talking to me.

Still now, as I looked at him, I wondered why. Why did he put up with Kobra’s and Dad’s shit just to remain my friend? Creed wasn’t in love with me. He just liked me. He was the only man ever to put me before the club and the need to rank up in the club.

Dad had seen members use Ivy to climb the ranks at his table. I think that was why Dad was harder on Creed because of what happened with Taron.

Regardless, right now was a perfect example of Creed and my friendship. Windows down, music pounding, and Creed currently doing the speed limit because of Dad’s last lecture—which was all thanks to Ivy.

Creed turned the radio volume down with his tattooed fingers, and his eyes flashed off the road and over to me.

“It’s been nearly ten minutes,” he said and looked back at the road.

“Ten minutes? Since what?” I asked.

He glanced at me again. “Of you staring at me.” The corner of his lips twitched. “You checking me out, Doc?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not a doctor.”

His gaze flashed from the road to me. “But you will be.”

I couldn’t explain the feeling that flooded me hearing that. Even since I told him that I was studying medicine, he’d nicknamed me Doc. And every time he called me Doc, I pointed out I wasn’t one, and yet he had this undying faith that I would be one day.

Having someone that wasn’t my blood believe in my dream of being a doctor—well, it gave me an indescribable feeling. Creed’s faith in me was another thing that made my love for him stronger. I had passed the point of lying to myself that I didn’t feel something for Creed—a long time ago.

I now could admit to myself that I loved Creed. But I loved him enough to know I wasn’t meant to be with him. The woman he needed and the woman I was, well, they weren’t the same, and it sucked every time I thought that.

I saw what loving a biker did to your heart. I watched Ivy break into small pieces, and she still wasn’t who she used to be before Taron. She gave a bit of herself to Taron, and he rode out with it, leaving her behind, and time hadn’t healed her.

“So,” he spoke, breaking my thoughts and bringing me back to the moment, “you going to tell me why you’re staring at me?”

“Just wondering when I should break the bad news to you.” I suddenly felt nervous. I hadn’t mentioned Dad’s offer to Creed yet, as I didn’t want to force him to have dinner with the Kincaids.

His gaze ripped from the road again, his expression serious. “What happened?” Concern painted those two words.

I felt uneasy when Creed turned onto a side street. Our family house was just up the road.

Being the daughter of the Mother Chapter president meant that nothing was normal. Not even where we lived. When Mum was pregnant with us kids, Dad built a semi-mansion on the land behind the club. It had a driveway to the house, but it was basically considered “inside” the club lines. I think Dad made it so everyone had that impression so people would think twice before coming to the house.

As for members visiting, it wasn’t allowed. In fact, members, even when drunk, knew better than to stumble up the path towards the house.

“Holly! What happened?” he snapped at me, slowing the car down as if trying to keep me in the car longer. I was sure he thought as soon as he pulled into our open gravel driveway, he wouldn’t get an answer.

“You’re having dinner with us,” I said firmly and watched his expression drop. Then he recovered quickly.

“Holly, I just got on speaking terms with your old man again. I’m not in a position to be at the table and to piss him off.” Creed brought the car to a stop but didn’t turn off the engine.

I swallowed sharply. “Come on, Creed, for me?” I had my eyes locked on him when he turned to face me. I could see his expression tighten, his jaw clenching slightly. Right now, he thought I wanted him to join our family dinner against his president’s wishes.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked at me. “The last table member that sat down with your family isn’t at the Mother Chapter’s table anymore.”

I frowned for a moment.

“Are you talking about Taron?” I asked, and then when realising Creed was indeed talking about Taron, my automatic reaction was to correct him. “Taron and Ivy didn’t work out. Him leaving had nothing to do with my dad or the fact he had dinner with us.”

Creed scoffed like I was missing information about what happened with Ivy and Taron. But that wasn’t the case. I was with Ivy when Taron stopped answering her messages, and I was there when Ivy walked into the house a complete wreck.

For the first time in Ivy’s and my relationship, the roles were reversed. She wasn’t helping me function and keep my shit together. I was the one helping her.

I sighed, seeing Creed’s firm expression. I could say Dad invited him, but Creed wouldn’t believe me because it was basically unbelievable information.

“Fine, don’t worry about it,” I said, grabbing my handbag from the floor and opening the car door. “I’ll see you when I see you.” With that said, I closed the car door and walked towards the house.

Creed valued my friendship, there was no doubt about that, but even he knew where the line was drawn. And apparently, that was with dinner.

It was then I heard a car door open and close. Turning around, I saw Creed storming towards me with a pissed-off expression.

He came to a stop beside me on the porch.

“You just had to be the daughter of a man that makes Lucifer look merciful, didn’t ya?” he snapped at me while looking uneasy. The sideways glance he gave me told me that he was furious with me.

“Dad told me to invite you,” I innocently said, and he scoffed, not believing me.

Opening the front door, the sound of music hit my ears, and the smell of the meat cooking meant Dad was in charge of tonight’s dinner.

“We’re here, and Creed decided to crash our family dinner,” I sang out.

Creed gripped my wrist. Immediately, lust poured through my body at his touch. I swear he felt it too because his eyes locked on mine with not just rage, but some other emotion flashing through his smouldering grey eyes.

Creed didn’t roar at me. It was as if him suddenly touching me had sent him speechless too.

“You guys got in just in time.” Mum walked around the corner, and I saw Creed’s face clear of any expression. “Nice seeing you, Creed. What are you drinking?”

Creed let go of me as if I had burnt him. But he was stunned and that caused me to giggle.

“I’ll get it, Mum,” I said, shaking my head and walking through the lounge. When Creed didn’t follow me, I glanced back and arched my eyebrows. Then he snapped out of it and followed me. I saw him taking in the house.

I didn’t know why, but when people walked into our house, they expected it to be covered in vests hanging upside-down from Dad. Sure we had upside-down vests, but only the important ones. And Creed’s eyes were on one of them right now.

“Downtown South Vipers,” I said, and his gaze came to me. “Dad was proud of it because it was his first takeover as president. He did it in trying times and to answer the obvious question you have—there are only two other upside-down vests in the house.”

He took the beer.

“Countless Chiefs and Headless Few. Dad took over both out of vengeance, and the reasons those vests hang in our house and not the clubhouse like the rest is because Dad did those takeovers without having a full table behind him.”

Creed stared at me like I was some magical creature. I just smiled as Kobra walked in.

“Food’s on the table,” Kobra said with his typical cold, hollow voice. His eyes were on Creed. Kobra did a polite thing and gave him a head nod before turning and walking back outside.

“Holly,” Creed spoke my name before I went to walk outside. “You sure this is okay?” he asked, waiting for me to freak out. Because it was a big deal that Dad was acknowledging Creed’s and my friendship.

But it was okay, wasn’t it? Creed and I? We were just friends, and this was what friends did, had dinner with their family.

“Holly?”

I blinked as I came back to the moment, my eyes on Creed. “Just try, okay?” I asked of him. Creed was a stubborn man. Not hot-headed, but he hated authority. He respected my brother and father, but I wasn’t sure if that was because the club expected that of him.

“You two coming?” Mum asked as she walked past, holding a whiskey glass. God, Dad was on the spirits. That answered my question to how he was coping with West out, and I couldn’t lie to myself and say that I wasn’t a factor of why Dad was drinking straight tonight.

Following Mum out, I saw Dad working the barbeque grill. His gaze left the meat and looked to Creed and me. My dad was many things—a biker, a ruthless man, quick to react, but he loved hard and always protected his family.

I couldn’t stop the smile as I walked to the outdoor table, which was set for dinner. I have learned that my dad is my strength. He got me through the dark days. He got me through what I thought I couldn’t survive. All my family did.

Dad’s expression showed shock at my smile, and he gave me a smile in return, but it disappeared when his eyes landed on Creed.

“Where’s the vest?” Dad barked from the barbeque

Oh, shit. Why the hell didn’t I remind Creed! I opened my mouth, ready to explain.

“Went to the valley. Didn’t want to bring extra heat on Holly by wearing it.” Creed didn’t back down from a confrontation. “Thought a couple of hours without it outweighed the trouble.”

Dad’s eyes remained locked on Creed. It was as if he were debating whether to make this physical. Kobra was standing at Dad’s side, and due to history, he was ready to get in the way of Dad and any target.

“Well, you’re not in the fucking valley now,”

“I’ll get it.” I was quick to speak before anyone said another word. I turned and walked back inside because I knew it was going to be tense until I got back. I opened the front door to head to Creed’s car, only to find the last person I wanted to see.

Fear flooded my body. I swallowed sharply. Dad and Kobra’s bikes weren’t out front, but I couldn’t stop thinking how West was fucking bold coming here. I wanted to scream. I went to slam the door in his face and lock it, but instead, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me out the door.

“Dad’s here.” My words trembled.

His grip on me tightened. “You fucking cost me everything.” It was as he pulled me down the porch that my fear kicked up a notch.

So I fought, trying to get out of his grip.

Just as I went to scream, the front door opened. It took Creed two seconds to react.

“Get your fucking hands off her.” As Creed’s words came out, he could see the tears in my eyes. I was quick to wipe them away, but Creed snapped. Before I could step in and tell Creed not to react, he had West by the shirt collar, forcing him against the boot of the Chevy.

“Maybe Hades hasn’t said anything, but I fucking will. Stay the fuck away from Holly.” Creed had this murderous tone in his voice as his knuckles went white and his grip tightened on West’s shirt.

“Creed, stop,” I said to him. But he wasn’t going to back down.

“I don’t answer to you, little boy.” West fought back, shoving Creed. My stomach dropped at West’s words. He didn’t know Creed, but I did, so I wasn’t even surprised when Creed’s fist connected with West’s jaw, and West being West, didn’t back down from a fight, either.

“Stop it!” I roared at them.

But these two, they were punching each other like they were trying to prove something and like they were made of steel because they weren’t stopping.

“Fucking stop it!” I screamed this time, but they didn’t listen. However, when a gun went off, they were forced to stop.

Dad was standing on the porch step, his eyes on both men. Then his expression tightened when he saw West. He lowered the gun, but I stepped into the path.

“Dad, he’s not worth it,” I said quickly, hoping and praying he’d listen to me and not his raging mind right now.

“Creed, Holly, head inside.” Dad’s eyes were locked on West. But I saw them flick to me, and for a split second, I saw it—pain and guilt blended into one appeared in my father’s eyes. The tears were gripping me, emotions flooding my body. The shame I felt in those moments was unexplainable.

I turned to look at West. “You said I ruined your life. Yet it’s my life that was torn to fucking pieces.” I said it low, hoping only he would hear me. I felt the tears burning my skin, and I knew this was as close as I was going to get. “You nearly killed me,” I added, and then I stared into West’s eyes. “And you know what is worse? Some days, I wish Dad hadn’t found me. Because what I feel every day is suffocating, and that’s all thanks to you.”

I turned, and I saw Creed’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t look at him. I knew Creed had heard my peace with West, which left me unable to look at him at all.

I spun on my heels and headed inside. Pausing beside Dad, I reminded him, “Kill him, and you kill this family.” Dad’s eyes didn’t lift from West as I spoke. I hoped he listened. But as Kobra stepped out the door as I headed in, I knew there was no chance they would handle this with a level head.

* * *

As I sat in my room, staring at the carpet, there was a knock on the bedroom door, and someone cracked it open.

“Invite me to dinner, and your old man ends up having to host me,” Creed said as he leaned against the doorframe with a small smile on his face. He scanned the room before looking back at me. “Don’t know what shocks me more—Hades telling me to go to his daughter’s bedroom or that this is my first time in here.”

He opened the door wider, casually walking in. His shirt ripped, dirt on his jeans, and his lip bleeding, I couldn’t stop myself from getting up, my hand going to his cheek as I examined the cut lip before meeting his eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” I didn’t even know how to express how sorry I was for dragging him into my mess.

He removed my hand from his cheek. “I threw the punches, Holly, not you. And for the record”—his eyes stilled on mine—“I’d do a lot more to any bastard that hurt you.” Still holding my hand, I saw nothing but pure honesty in his eyes.

The reasons I shouldn’t let Creed into my heart, well, they were disappearing.

And that was when I felt it, my lips parting, as he brushed my cheek with his other hand, using the back of his knuckles. Moving my hand in his, I linked our fingers, his rings cold against my skin, surprise rising in his eyes. Then I moved slightly closer to him.

“Please don’t hurt me,” I whispered. I didn’t even know why I said it. It wasn’t like we were a couple, and it wasn’t like I had just proclaimed my love for him. But, still, I felt like I had to say it. Though I said it so slowly, I was unsure if he had heard it when he dipped his head, forcing his eyes to stay locked with mine.

His knuckles paused on my cheek. “I’m sorry.” He said two words that caused my chest to tighten.

“For?” I asked the one word, expecting to hear him saying he can’t promise that.

“This,” he said before his lips crashed to mine.