Taken By Creed ✔[Fan-Fiction]

Chapter 2 | Don't Ask, Don't Ask

I sat with Eddie at the diner down the street from his gym, in our favorite booth, scarfing down a hot helping of brisket, mac and cheese, turnip greens and the biggest slice of chocolate cake I'd ever seen. Our conversation wasn't as smooth as normal, it was choppy and short, mostly because of me. Could Michaels be right? Could Eddie Gathers be in love with me?  

My mind turned to mush at the idea of being his girlfriend and I stabbed a little too hard at a piece of brisket.

"You okay, butterfly?"

I didn't meet his eyes, "yeah, I'm fine."

"No, you aren't." His warm fingers wrapped around my chin, forcing my eyes to his. I stared at my best friend with new eyes. He was an attractive black man. A smooth edge up kept his short cropped hair neat and tidy, long eyelashes sat above his hazel eyes and full lips curved around the silly smile he had on his face. Eddie came in at a staggering 6 foot 4 inches tall and a stout 235 pounds of solid muscles.

His eyes warmed to a honey yellow as he stared back at me. I took a shaky breath and tried to smile back, a half smirk was all I could muster and I watched with disappointment as his smile lowered to close lipped half smile. Eddie always could read me like a book.

"Le, seriously, tell me what's wrong?"

I choked on the words and stuffed a bit of cake in my mouth, trying to buy time to build up the courage to speak. "I feel like there's something going on with you." I tried again, "you're different. I can see it. Your mother can see it."

"You know the last fight was hard on me, butterfly. Where's all this coming from?" Honey yellow swirled and changed to a light green, and the smile on his face completely disappeared.

I stared at him, exasperated. "The fight? Really?" I yanked away from him in anger, forcing myself back into the soft cushions of the booth before yell whispering, "we're lying to each other now, best friend?"

His lips pulled back from his teeth, exposing them to the low light. They were impossibly white and two straight rows, a far cry from the crocked broken mess they were when we were kids. I don't know how many he'd lost in street fights from kids even bigger than him, testing his limits and finding out too late that he never lost a fight.

"I'm not lying to you, Le. It was the fight." He broke eye contact with me and took a bite of his food, before clearing his throat to speak again. "I figured it was time to buckle down and get my life in order. I'm getting older and I want to be able to keep fighting, but what if something actually happens and I can't fight again? I need money to live."

His argument was sound, but I could tell by the look on his face that it wasn't the complete truth.

"So, that's what you're worried about? Money? We have plenty of money, Gathers."

"No!" I jumped when he shouted. "You have plenty of money. Not we."

I stared at him like he'd grown horns in the time as we sat here eating. "Yes, we, you know that everything I have is yours."

He stopped eating and leaned back, "really? Then tell me where all that money you have comes from, butterfly? I've never seen you work a day in your life and you're pretty much always free."

My arms crossed of their own accord and I dropped all expression from my face, meeting his gaze dead on. "I have my own business to take care of. We've talked about this before." I deadened my voice to sound uncaring, but it bothered me not being able to tell him what I actually do for a living.

"So, you're a fucking whore then? Sleeping with men for money? Is that what you do?" He leaned towards me and lowered his voice, it was all malice. And now I could see, heartbreak. "I could pay you a lot more than those other men and you'd have a safe place to call home. How does that sound?"

I slapped him so hard it turned his head. My body shot up from the table and gave him a blistering glare. Two words came out of my mouth, "fuck you." I was officially shaking with rage. "Since you have so much money, I'm assuming you won't have much of a problem paying for this food."

My white Jordan's were quiet against the pavement as I hurried towards my car. It was cold outside and the sun had gone down, Gathers was behind me leaning against me to keep my door shut. He had an erection, and I could feel his rage seeping out of his pores. I tried to elbow him, but was rewarded with a quick grab and switch. His arms banded mine behind my back as he turned me.

"Get. Off."

He leaned closer, "no."

"You're hurting me, Gathers." I lowered my voice and blinked up at him. Eddie was unbothered.

"I know." He twisted my arm further, making me cry out. "Answer my question, butterfly."

"What question?"

"The one I asked in the restaurant."

"I never heard a question." Eddie shifted against me again, pressing his erection into my stomach and forcing my arm further up my back.

"Are. You. A. Whore."

My sob was controllable. Seriously? A woman cannot make money without it involving sex? Since when had he formed this opinion about me? I shuddered against my will feeling the last bit of my willpower give out. I hung my head, letting my black curls spill into my face.

"No." It was just a whisper, barely loud enough to hear. "I've never even had sex, asshole."

He dropped to the ground when my knee came in contact with his balls, I kicked him in the face as hard as I could. The oddly crumpled mound of his body was the last thing I saw before I jump in my car heading towards my condo.