Page 11 of Creep (Vulture Hollow MC #2)

Harvey whistles. “You gave him your keys? Why did he—”

Prophet nips this mess in the bud. “Someone else, Harvey. Keep up. You know we vet people, Creep. Living in Vulture Hollow is a privilege, and definitely not for people who come here reluctantly .” He grabs a hunting knife from a display on the wall and while my heart stops for half a second, he cuts my ties.

I can’t listen to this anymore.

“Why are you talking to him as if he’s a child?” I ask, meeting Prophet’s gaze. Damn, he’s tall. “He knows all this. He improvised. And maybe I did say I want to stay. You didn’t even ask!”

I haven’t considered it, but thoughts tumble through my head at the speed of lightning.

If this is Vulture Hollow, then this is the one place Domino won’t visit.

And if Creep remains protective of me even after he’s found out I betrayed him, I might be safe here.

Just not in the fucking cave. Maybe after a month or two…

or three, Domino will forget my existence, find another sucker to corner into a shitty arrangement with strings made of barbed wire, and I’ll be free.

Creep glances at my feet, but that’s all I get. “I’d like him to stay.” It’s barely audible, but he does say it.

Prophet never looks away from my eyes, as if we’re having a staring contest. He might be able to break me in half, but this I can handle. “Well, and you? Did you just lie to him about wanting to stay like you did about the heart trouble? I warn you, I see through bullshit.”

Creep steps closer, hands balled into fists. “Do not talk to him like that. He’s fucking traumatized, can you not see?”

Harvey spreads his massive arms. “And whose damn fault is that, huh?”

“Not his,” I say more softly than I intend to, and my hand reaches to Creep’s jacket, because he is still my rock, and I refuse to let go of him. “I want to stay and get to know him better.”

Prophet squints at me as if he wants to tell me he thinks I’m lying, but I guess I did win the staring contest, because he slowly turns to Creep. “And you’ll be paying for his stay? You know there’s no free rides.”

Creep clears his voice. “I’ve got some savings.”

I feel so guilty over lying to him. So maybe he is a bit scary, but his heart is clearly in the right place, and I’ve used his weaknesses against him.

Prophet shrugs and approaches a wall by the door where lots of sets of keys hang from nails. “Your call, but you’re responsible for him,” he says and throws Creep a set of keys.

Just like that? I’m in? I’m getting a normal place to stay here?

I should have sought out this place a long time ago.

“Um…. thank you,” I say and clear my throat, but the truth is I don’t want Prophet and Harvey to keep ogling me as if they know something I don’t.

Creep glances at the keys, at Prophet, at the zip ties on the floor, anywhere but at me.

He nods and opens the door for me. “Let’s go.”

Tension oozes off him so much, it’s infectious, but what can I do at this point? It’s a fucked up situation. We never even talked about him licking me. Or why he really broke into my house. He didn’t ask me who Adam was. So much is left unsaid it’s driving me crazy. So I talk.

“I’m sorry. I’m grateful you saved me, but the abduction was a bit much. I just wanted to be out of the cave.”

Creep puts his hands in his pockets as he leads me out into the sun. Fuck, I’m so happy to feel its rays on my skin. I might not be out of the woods, but things are looking up for me.

Creep is slouching as he walks, so his black hair covers most of his face. “I understand. It was a smart move. I don’t blame you.”

Oh Goddess, why does it feel like he hates me?

Or do I just hate myself and project it on him?

More importantly, why do I care?

I blink, shocked by the amount of light assaulting my eyes. How long has it been? Only two sleeps, but who knows how much time passed while I remained in the dark?

When we reach the stairs, I’m shocked to see the two-storey house not only leans against a thick old tree, but is built several feet above ground, like a grown-up version of a treehouse.

From my position by the balustrade, I see a thatched hut by the lake, and numerous other buildings spread out between trees. Because we’re in the woods. This place legit looks like one of those lakeside vacation spots with log cabins, and I’ll be living here for a while? For free ?

People go about their business, not even looking our way much as Creep leads me away from Prophet’s impressive house.

The mailbox at the bottom of the stairs just says prez .

I’d call it all kind of cute if I didn’t know Creep is a full-blown killer.

Is it bad that I don’t care because he’s been nothing but nice to me?

The sun dapples the ground, warm yet not too hot, as spring in the woods should be.

“This is… really lovely,” I try making conversation as we follow a path leading to the side of a large building that smells of food, and then past a basketball court.

Its own little community. Nothing like the dangerous place the news described it as.

Have I… hit the jackpot?

Is this it? Someplace where I can rest, save money, and be safe from Domino? If I play my cards right, I could probably earn a living here as a hairdresser or something, and once I have enough cash, leave the state and reset my life with no sugar daddies to ruin my existence.

It does unnerve me a little when I spot a woman in a vest with patches on the back proudly announcing: Property of Howler under the Vulture Hollow MC logo.

Then again, she’s sitting on a low wall built around a playground and watching two kids.

She doesn’t seem trapped here, even though I know those things are impossible to judge that way.

I might have also seemed happy and enthusiastic next to my shitty exes.

“I’m sorry about the cave,” Creep says. “Could you… please not tell anyone about how it looks inside?”

I frown as befuddlement puffs up my mind. “What do you mean?”

“About the bed, the wardrobe… all of it.” He turns into a smaller, even more picturesque path between trees, and a gentle breeze makes my step lighter.

“You… don’t invite people?” When he shakes his head, I speed up and spin around, walking backwards so I can see his face. “I was your first guest?”

He is making it impossible to meet his eyes, but I get a better glimpse of his features in this bright light. He’s so pale it’s like milk spilled over his sharp cheekbones. He just needs some maintenance. “Well… yeah. It’s not exactly the Ritz.”

Why does my heart sink so deep whenever he’s sad? I’ve seen him murder someone, and I’ve spent only a couple of hours with him, tops.

“It’s a nice room. Clean, your furniture is well-maintained, and you have so many books. Do your friends know you read?”

He shakes his head. “Not really. Maybe Brigid and her daughter. You’ll meet them soon.” We approach a cute little log cabin with a dusty window. “You don’t have to lie to me. I live in a cave. I know what I am, and I know what I did to you, so the least I can do is offer to pay for your stay.”

I fall behind, watching his slumped shoulders as he walks past me. “I’m not lying. I swear that the heart thing was just a lie of desperation,” I say and once again jog up to him. “Thank you for wanting to take the risk and help me, by the way.”

Finally, a glimpse of his eyes, even if just for a split second before he walks up to the door.

“I couldn’t fucking stand him calling you names, pushing you around.

I know I shouldn’t have been there, I know it’s wrong.

But I’m not sorry I killed him.” He puts the key into the lock with a click of finality.

I swallow, embarrassed about what Creep heard the night Adam died, and this time it’s me who doesn’t want to meet his gaze. “He was a scumbag. But you’re good. Just a bit… socially awkward,” I add, trying to smile as I poke Creep’s chest. Will he smile back?

It’s as if my whole body is waiting for it.

Something cracks on his face, but it’s not a smile. A frown? I’m not sure with his hair in the way. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles and shoves open the door. “Here you go. I’ll bring bedding and cleaning supplies.”

And he… walks off. Just like that, without a goodbye.

“When?” I call out after him as my throat dries. Did I offend him?

Fuck .

He’s gone. I have a house. But also so many regrets.

But if I’m staying here for a while, I’m sure I’ll see him around soon. He’s a Vulture after all and they… mingle here in their village. No need to follow him like a creep.

The pun really doesn’t amuse me.