Broken Songbird (Vicious Games #2)

36. Chapter 36

I juggle my water bottle and messenger bag as I unlock the door. Heavy galloping steps and deep barking echoes down the hall, coming toward me, and I scramble inside and close the door before Cookie slams into my legs.

“Hi, buddy,” I coo, as I shuffle further into the house, dropping my stuff on the stairs, and taking a seat on the floor.

Cookie drapes his body over me and headbutts me in the chin in his excitement, but I give him his pats.

Cookie greeting me at the door has been our routine for the last two months any time I left and returned home. In the beginning, it was almost like he knew about my injuries, so he would approach me sensibly, but as I’ve healed, his loving has gotten more boisterous to where he almost bowls me over the second I get through the door.

I absolutely adore it.

I hear another set of familiar, heavy footsteps coming from above.

“Hey, babe,” Creed says as he descends the stairs. “How was school?”

“It was great,” I say, still patting Cookie.

“Still running circles around the teachers?” he says as he picks up my things from the stairs.

I scoff. “Of course.”

He hits me with a dimpled grin. “That’s my girl.”

He knows the exact words to say to make my brain and body cease to function. Damn it.

“How was your day?” is all I manage to come up with.

He sighs. “The clean-up of the shop and bar is coming along slowly, but we’re still having insurance problems.”

“You know my mum’s firm can help you with that,” I say as I push Cookie off my lap and stand. “All you have to do is ask.”

“At this point we probably will,” he mutters, then reaches out his hand. “Come on. I have something to show you.”

I turn to Cookie and give him one last chin scratch, then take Creed’s hand and follow him up the stairs. I hear Cookie trot away further into the house—Creed taught him when we go upstairs, it’s time for him to return to Leslie.

As we arrive on the landing, I expect Creed to lead us to our room, but he pulls me towards the room I use as an office and wardrobe.

The trial night turned into a trial week, then that turned into Savage Wings packing up the apartment for me and moving my things here by the end of that week.

I’ve never felt so right about a place. About a person.

Creed opens the door wide and gestures for me to enter. I step to his side, reach out and flick the light on, then gape.

Gone are the clothes racks covered in plastic and the small desk I brought with me from the apartment which I didn’t have the energy to replace.

The room now has custom-built white wardrobes with glass doors around the perimeter of the room, and under the window sits a big desk with my school items. He even got me a comfy- looking desk chair. There’s also a huge, lush beige ottoman in the centre of the room with a black faux fur rug under it.

“This must have taken all day,” I comment, walking further into the room and inspecting the wardrobes.

“I had cabinetry installers come in today. They were exceptionally efficient,” he says, following behind me. “But moving things out and then putting things away took me and Rita a bit of time because Maya insisted we video call her, and she was very particular about where things went.”

The women of the club have been so generous with their time since I’ve moved here— even Alexis. They painstakingly packed all my clothes onto a lot of racks and made sure all the designer or vintage pieces were wrapped and transported carefully.

To show my gratitude, I let them have free rein on whatever they wanted. But even after their hauls, I still had so much to move, and they didn’t even bat an eye.

I turn and jump up, wrapping my arms around Creed’s neck and kissing him hard. “This is amazing. Thank you.”

He wraps his arms around me, holding me against him. “Anything for you, princess.”

Guilt prickles in the back of my mind. “I should thank Rita and Maya in person.”

“You don’t have to see them until you’re ready,” Creed says evenly.

It’s the same sentiment he and my therapist have said since I declined multiple visits from pretty much everyone.

The thought of them seeing me at my weakest, seeing any speck of pity from them, gave me so much anxiety that I’ve seen no one in two months. I didn’t even see Savage Wings people when they moved me in, I just stayed in the room, asking Creed to tell everyone I was sleeping.

The only person who hasn’t incited anxiety is Del. Not that she would take ‘no’ for an answer; she would have talked to me through the door until I let her in. But she’s my best friend—I would do the same if it were in reverse.

Plus, we share the experience of that house, so if anyone understands the mind-fuck I’m dealing with, it’d be Del.

She drove me to my first day back at school two weeks ago once my bruises were fully cleared, and I didn’t have to be conscious about my leg or ribs.

The first day was the worst ; the anticipation of the judgement incited so much anxiety beforehand, but no one knew what happened to me, so it was easy to be just another student.

Everyone at Savage Wings knows what happened. Most of them were there. And I know they mean well, but I needed to hide away from the world.

But I’ve been hiding for far too long.

“No, I want to see them,” I say with assurance. “Can we go today?”

Creed nods, but he frowns. “Your timing might be too perfect. Rita is hosting a baby shower for Maya tonight.”

My turn to frown. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

His face softens, his lips lifting on one side. “It’s a reluctant celebration. Maya didn’t want it, Rita said ‘tough luck’. It’s honestly just a club party. Savage Wings family only.”

I smile. “So I can see everyone, then.”

He frowns again. “Are you sure you want to go?”

Admittedly, seeing everyone all at once makes my stomach twist, but it’s time. I need this, need to take the leap.

I nod. “Give me an hour, and I’ll be ready to go.”

Creed bends down and kisses me sweetly. “We don’t need to leave for two and a half.”

Enough time to shower. I still have issues with showering, something my therapist said will take time to heal. But I’ve upgraded from needing Creed to shower with me every time to being able to use a detachable showerhead on my own. I can only go under the overhead spray if Creed is with me.

I grin. “Shower with me?”

Those damn dimples I love make an appearance. “Always.”

I tighten my hold around Creed’s chest as he drives his motorbike past the first warehouse of Savage Wings. He brings us to a stop at the next gate, waiting for it to open. His warm hand rubs over my leather-clad arm around him.

“Are you sure?” he asks, his voice coming through the intercom of my helmet. When we ride, we connect our phones to our helmets and start a call for easy communication.

I squeeze my arms around him. “Yes, I’m sure.”

His hand slips away as the bike moves through the gate, and we turn toward our destination.

Creed backs the bike into his usual spot at the end of the long line of parked bikes and then holds out his hand. I take it, using it as support to swing off, then pull my phone out and end the call between our helmets before pulling it off.

Creed is already off his bike, sans helmet, as he takes mine from me whilst I pull the tie from my loose plait and finger-comb through my long tresses. He loops both helmets along one forearm and drapes his other arm over my shoulder, pulling me to his side.

“Hey,” he says, his soft but serious tone making me look up at him. Honey-brown eyes search mine. “The moment you want to leave, we go.”

“I don’t want my bullshit to ruin anyone’s night,” I whisper.

“Your bullshit is my bullshit, babe,” he says. “I lean, you lean.”

I smile and stretch up on my toes, kissing him. “You’re so good to me.”

“And you’re good for me,” he says, presses another kiss to my lips, then pulls back with a sigh. “Shall we?”

I nod, pulling my patched leather jacket around me tighter, and then we walk up to the warehouse entrance. The first person we run into is Ink, standing in the undercover area by the entrance on his phone.

“Who are you hiding from?” Creed asks him in a low tone.

Ink’s eyes flick up from his phone to Creed, but he doesn’t move or say anything. He looks over at me, and his head dips a fraction, like an acknowledgement or maybe a greeting, and then his attention goes back to his phone.

“Nice to see you, too,” I grumble as we walk past him and into the warehouse.

Creed chuckles, stopping at the bar. “He’s probably hiding from Melissa. The woman’s infatuated with his ‘stone-man’ personality.”

His callous demeanour just now reminds me of the hall interaction between us at Two-Shot’s patch party. “So, he’s like that with everyone?”

“Pretty much,” Creed comments as he sets down our helmets on the bar. The heavy thump of the helmets draws the attention of the club hanging around in the kitchen.

“Cheese Thief!” Heartbreaker bellows with his arms out wide. “Welcome back.”

Rita, standing next to him, whacks him in the ribs, making him flinch and chuckle.

“ Really subtle,” Flash comments dryly, continuing to eat.

My whole body eases at Heartbreaker’s antics, Rita’s mothering, Flash’s commentary.

I’m back home.

“Nice to see you haven’t changed, Theo,” I comment as I cross over to the group, starting with Darwin in his usual spot at the end of the island bench.

I kiss him on the cheek, his eyes never leaving the car manual he’s looking at as he grunts a greeting. Next to him, Bull pulls me in for a strong bear hug, followed by Rita’s warm embrace and then Heartbreaker’s kiss on the cheek.

“When are you going to realise I’m the hotter biker and dump Creed?” he says, mischief twinkling in those pale blue eyes.

I sigh sadly and pat him on the cheek. “You know it wouldn’t work between us. We’d have to pick who was the pretty one.”

He nods in agreement. “That’s true. You’re way prettier than Creed.”

I grin widely, my eyes flicking to Creed. If he rolled his eyes any harder, he might hurt himself.

“Oh, thank god ,” a familiar voice announces from across the warehouse.

Fingers wrap around my forearm, and I spin in time for a heavily pregnant Maya to drag me away from the kitchen. I don’t fight her freakishly strong grip, and I wave greetings to the rest of the club as we walk past them toward the stairs.

At the first step Maya stops and groans in frustration, then changes her mind and drags me back through the warehouse, past the bar, and into one of the larger downstairs bathrooms, locking us in.

“Sit down, you’re stressing me out,” she says, pointing at the toilet as she paces in the tiled space.

I close the lid and sit as instructed, watching Maya. Her bump is a lot more prominent since I last saw her, and sitting much lower. She sways side-to-side when she paces, her beautiful face pinched in discomfort.

“Are you okay, Maya?” I ask softly.

“No,” she snaps. “I’m not.”

“How can I help?” I ask, keeping my tone soft.

“I—” Maya stops pacing and closes her eyes, both her hands going to her bump. She takes a few calming breaths and then turns to me, opening her eyes.

“I think I’m in labour,” she says slowly and calmly.

I nod, my face neutral. “Okay, good. We can—”

“No,” she says with that same calm. “Not good. It’s three weeks too soon.”

I hold on to my composure as my heart pounds a little faster in my chest. I comb through my internal knowledge and ask Maya a few medical questions, trying to gauge the situation.

Maya’s done this before, so she lists out her symptoms precisely as she paces again.

“And baby’s moving as usual?” I ask.

“Kicking me in the organs, yes,” she huffs.

“That’s good,” I say as I stand slowly and step into her path. I take her hands in mine until she looks at me. I give her a reassuring smile. “We should still get you to a hospital, my love.”

Her bottom lip wobbles, her brown eyes shiny with unshed tears. “It’s too early.”

“It is, but we need to confirm active labour and monitor baby.”

The tears escape down her face, and she leans forward, crying into my chest.

“It’s okay,” I coo, rubbing her shoulders. “Let’s get you some answers.”

Maya pulls back, wiping her face and sniffling. “I didn’t even want this stupid baby shower.”

I smile. “Pretty sure it was just an excuse to test the club’s liver tolerances.”

Maya snorts a soft laugh, and then winces, rubbing her lower back.

I unlock the door and open it. “Let’s sit you down. I’ll corral Flash.”

“He’s going to freak out,” Maya comments as she walks out.

“I got it,” I say as I dart into the club meeting room and take a chair, placing it against the wall, and helping Maya take a seat.

Creed notices us and heads over. “Everything okay?”

“Baby Flash might be making an appearance today,” I say softly.

His eyes widen, his mouth popping open in surprise.

“Flash is going to freak ,” Maya says again in a hushed tone.

“I’ll handle Flash. Do you have a hospital bag ready?”

Maya winces. “Mine is packed, baby’s is not. It’s at our house.”

Creed sinks to his haunches and takes Maya’s hand. “We can get it for you.”

“AJ’s upstairs sleeping,” Maya says to Creed.

“Rita will watch him,” he reassures her.

“I’m going to talk to Flash so we can get you on the road,” I say.

I walk over to the group and pull Flash aside.

“What’s wrong?” he says, immediately searching the warehouse. He spots Maya with Creed and takes a step toward her. I wrap my hand around his wrist, stopping him.

“Maya and I suspect she’s in the first stages of labour,” I say calmly.

His head whips between me and his wife. “Wait? What?”

“Hey,” I bark, getting his attention. “I know your mind is now racing with a million things, but I need you to focus.”

I wait until he takes a breath and nod.

“All you need to do is get your wife to the hospital. No stops. Go to emergency and they will take you to where you need to go.”

“But—”

“AJ is sorted, your bags are sorted. Hospital. Now. Go. Calmly .”

Flash nods, takes another breath, and then walks over to his wife. Creed claps him on the shoulder and steps away, leaving the two, and crosses over to me.

“Do they live far?” I ask as Creed wraps his arm around me.

“About twenty minutes.”

“We can ride back home and get your car, then head there.”

“Absolutely not,” Maya says, suddenly in front of me. Holding her husband’s hand, she grabs my arm with the other. “You’re coming with me.”

I stumble out of Creed’s hold. “What—”

“You said we have to go now, so let’s go,” Maya commands, heading for the exit.

I look back at Creed as I’m dragged away. He shakes his head with an amused grin. “I’ll meet you there.”