Page 57 of Creed

Viper shakes his head. “And what? Never see your kid because you’re in prison? Nice.”

I growl, moving toward him, but Dodge pushes me back.

“I get it, okay? You want to protect your woman, but she needs you more than that,” he says.

I turn away from both of them, staring out the door and away from the mess. It takes several deep breaths to calm my rage, and I only turn back around when I hear her soft footsteps coming back.

Morgan looks up at me, and her face makes me want to murder the son of bitch. Autumn cleaned up the blood, but the swelling and bruising have already started to bloom.

“Can we take you to the hospital please? The baby…” I whisper the last words into her temple.

She nods, and I blow out a shaky breath.

Her fingers clutch my shirt. “I can’t take the patrol car. He f-fired me.” I already suspected who, but hearing it drives my fury to uncontainable levels.

Dodge clears his throat. “We can take her.”

“That okay?” I ask Morgan.

She swallows and looks over at Autumn who gives her a sad smile. “Yeah.”

I walk her to the backseat, tucking some of her hair behind her ear before I yank the seatbelt and buckle her up. Her eyes—well, one eye that isn’t swollen shut—catch mine as her hand pushes at my arm, and she adjusts how she’s sitting. “I’m okay, Creed. I’m not that fragile.”

I keep my face neutral, trying to douse the flames of fury roaring in my head. I give her another nod and shut the door. I catch Dodge’s arm as he walks by.

“Dodge—”

He pats my hand. “I got her, brother. Just make sure you get to the hospital in one piece.”

My hand slips from his hold with a reluctant grin. I trust him. I trust my club to care for her. I hate that I have to leave her and walk back to our stashed bikes and catch up. I’m done with the bullshit. After today everyone is going to know Morgan Simmons is mine, and they’ll regret touching her.

Viper is at my side as we hurry down the street to the parking spot. “Sending Fox and Steel to help clean up her apartment.”

I nod, still too mad to talk, and feel like I can finally breathe when I’m on my bike again, taking off toward the main road.

Her words keep repeating in my head.

I’m not that fragile.

I’mnot thatfragile.

As if this isn’t the first time. As if she’s used to it, and that pisses me off even more. Who beats a woman? Their own daughter?

My hand tightens on the bars and my heart thunders in my chest. I know where that motherfucker lives, and the next street coming up takes me right to him.

I’m okay. I’m not that fragile.

Fragile.

She’s not. Morgan is strong, and she doesn’t need me to defend her. But she’smine.And nobody touches what’s mine.

I squeeze my throttle, taking off around the corner without warning anyone behind me. As soon as the road straightens out, I push my bike faster. I know it’s getting louder, drawing attention. I can hear Viper following me. As soon as the line of houses start to crest over the trees, I rev my bike even more, some of my front tire lifting off the road.

I let off just as the man of the hour comes barreling out his front door with a gun drawn, his face flushed. I don’t know if it’s from anger or alcohol with the way he stumbles a step. I don’t give a fuck. I let up on my speed, gunning straight for him and over the sidewalk, jumping and rolling off my bike, not caring where it lands in his large lawn.

“How dare you dirty fucking bastard come?—”

I lunge at him, taking him to the ground. He’s dazed enough that I can scramble to straddle his stomach, and I punch him right in the face. The same eye he got Morgan.