Page 44

CREED

T he news was coming, and I had time to prepare for it. That made all the difference.

Martin—my agent—had given me the heads-up a week ago. He told me, straight up, that the Clippers wanted me bad, and that Phoenix was willing to make the deal for the right price.

At first, I thought it was just typical trade rumors—whispers in the league that never actually turned into anything. I’d been one of the faces of the franchise, a six-time All-Star, a leader on the court. But loyalty didn’t exist in the NBA unless your name was Kobe, Dirk, or Tim Duncan.

Still, when Martin told me it was real, that the trade was actually happening, I wasn’t caught off guard like I would’ve been otherwise.

I had a week to let it sink in, a week to imagine myself in LA, playing for a team that was built to win a championship now. A week to think about how I’d be close to Cree, to Serenity, to family.

A week to figure out how the hell I was going to tell Jailah.

When the official announcement dropped, I was in Martin’s office in Manhattan, watching ESPN on one of his massive screens.

Breaking News: Phoenix Suns Trade Creed Langston to the Los Angeles Clippers in a Blockbuster Deal Worth $130M

I exhaled, shaking my head. “Damn.”

Martin leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face. “Hell of a deal, Creed. You wanted a contending team? Now you got one.”

The Clippers had given up two first-round picks and sent Travis Jordan and KJ Moore to Phoenix just to get me. It was a big-ass trade package, which meant they were all in on me.

I was excited. But at the same time? Phoenix had been my home for the first seven years. I had roots there. And now? I had to start over.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and immediately called Serenity. She picked up on the second ring.

“So,” she said, her tone amused. “Did you really think you were gonna be in LA without calling me first?”

I smirked, shaking my head. “You already heard?”

“Boy, please. My dad’s business partners are Clippers execs. I probably knew before you did.” I chuckled, rubbing my forehead. This woman… “How you feel about it?” she asked.

I thought about it. “Excited. I mean, I’m gonna miss Phoenix, but… this puts me closer to Cree.”

And you…

Serenity was quiet for a moment before she said, “She’s gonna be so happy, Creed.”

That was all I needed to hear. I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Hey, uh… listen. I’m gonna need a place to stay while I look for a house. Me and Gio.”

“You know you don’t even have to ask,” she said easily. “How’s Gio doing since everything with his mama happened?”

“Shit, he good. Since I’m in New York right now, he’s in Dallas with my mom.”

“Tell her to send him ahead. He has stuff at my house and is always welcome. We can get him enrolled in Cree’s school.”

I hesitated. “You sure?”

“Yes, Creed. About Gio coming early and you staying.”

I knew it was a dangerous move. Living in the same house? That never ended well for us. But at the same time? I wanted to be close to my daughter and I knew that if I had anyone take care of Gio while I was working, Serenity was the best option.

So I accepted the offer.

I waited until after my meeting with Martin to tell Jailah.

I had been dating her for almost a year, and she was the first semi-serious relationship I had since Serenity.

She was bad as hell—yellow bone, thick in all the right places, her long blonde hair always laid, her nails always done. She stayed draped in designer, always camera-ready. She was more like Gianna than Serenity, which confused the hell out of me sometimes.

Her place in Phoenix was always spotless. When I walked in, she was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone.

When she saw me, she grinned. “Baby, you’re trending.”

I dropped my keys on the counter. “Yeah. I saw.”

“You excited?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s a good move.”

She tilted her head. “So, what’s the plan?”

I exhaled. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I need to find a house out there, so… I’ll be staying with Serenity and Cree until I do.”

The smile disappeared from her face. “Excuse me?”

“It’s temporary.”

Her eyes darkened. “Creed, no.”

“Jai—”

“No, Creed.” She got up, crossing her arms. “You’re about to live with your ex? The one you still got unfinished business with?”

I exhaled sharply. “Jailah, she’s the mother of my child. That’s it. There is no unfinished business.” It was a lie, a lot remained unfinished between Serenity and me; but Jailah didn’t need to know that.

“And I’m your girlfriend,” she snapped. “So, what am I supposed to do? Just sit here while you’re playing house with your baby mama?”

I rubbed my temples. I never had to navigate no shit like this.

With Gianna and Serenity, Serenity was always understanding of my decisions when it came to Gianna as far as our son was concerned.

She knew we would see her often, have to deal with her, and not to say she was okay with it, but she tolerated a lot of shit.

I didn’t understand Jai’s beef with Serenity, seemed like she had one since the beginning of our relationship; often talking about her, wanting to know stuff about it.

If I didn’t know any better, I would think she was more obsessed with Serenity then I was.

She didn’t even question Gianna like that.

But Serenity, it seemed the beef was too personal.

“Ain’t nobody playing house. I need a place to stay, she has one. And, I need to be there for my daughter.”

Jailah let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, this is crazy. You got me so fucked up.”

I clenched my jaw. “I told you from day one—Cree comes first. Always.”

“And what about Gio?” she threw at me. “What if Gianna says the same thing?”

That’s when my stomach dropped.

I hadn’t told her yet.

Two days ago, I got the call that changed everything.

Gianna had been caught at the border smuggling drugs.

I thought it was a prank call when the call came through.

Somebody had to be messing with me. There was no way, Gianna, the mother of my child was in jail for some bullshit like that.

Now, she was facing serious time, and I had to step up. I had to get Gio out of Dallas.

When I visited her in jail, she was a mess—her hair disheveled, her eyes swollen from crying.

I sat across from her, my jaw tight. “Why, Gi? What was the fucking reason behind doing some dumbass shit like this?”

She sniffled, looking down at her hands. “It was good money and I needed it.”

“Needed it for what? I pay you, really good money every single month to more than take care of you and my son.”

“I just needed it.”

“You got a son,” I snapped. “You think being locked up is helping him? Or did that fuckin bird brain of yours not think that far ahead? You had to know you would get caught.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I fucked up.”

“Who you was doing this for?” she glanced up at me, her mouth opened but no words coming out before finally—“Nate.”

“Nate who?” I asked my eyes widened in shock.

“The only Nate we both know.”

“Naseem’s brother Nate?” she gave a short head nod. “Fuck.” I stood up from my seat and paced the small space we were allowed. “How long has that been going on?” she didn’t now that I knew about her involvement of Nate, I was just trying to see if she would lie.

“Not long, just the last year.”

Liar…

“You let Nate be around Gio?”

She didn’t answer.

I slammed my fist on the table. “Answer me, Gianna!”

Her lip trembled. “Yes.”

“Are you fuckin crazy? You had my son around that nigga? Knowing he do what the fuck he be doin? Yeah baby, you got me fucked up.”

“Creed, I’m so sorry. I just—I fucked up. But, I swear, you know I would never put Giovanni in harms way.”

“You already did the moment you started fuckin with that nigga. I’m taking Giovanni and you’ll be hearing from my lawyers.”

“Creed, don’t do this.”

I let out a harsh breath, shaking my head. “You’re lucky all I’m taking is custody.”

I moved to LA two days after my conversation with Jailah. With the way she handled things, there were so many red flags. Hell, there had been red flags for months, but that entire conversation was… awkward. And I knew that she probably wasn’t gonna last much longer.

Serenity welcomed us with open arms. When I first got here, she and both kids met me at the door. It was a crazy sight to see all three of my favorite people in this world waiting for me. It was a glimpse into the family life I really wanted.

Serenity was endgame, having a bigger family with her was my end goal.

I wanted to marry her, wanted to make more babies with her, raise all of our babies together and grow old together.

I wanted to build a life with her; had wanted to do these things for years. But, things didn’t work out that way.

Thinking back on it, thinking seriously about everything we went through in our entire friendship and eventual relationship, the things she said to me last time really resonated with me.

It took a long while for me to be receptive to that feedback, for me to accept it; but now at nearly 30 years old I understood.

I was in a relationship with Gianna for over ten years.

I molded myself into the man I thought I needed to be for her.

Then I met Serenity and molded myself into the man I thought she deserved.

The thing is, I was never the man I thought I had to be or deserved to be for myself.

Growing over these past few years, I figured out what he looked like, and he was me.

“Welcome home Daddy.” Cree and Gio screamed each holding up a small sign with depictions of me in a clippers jersey.