Kresslee dropped my hand, her hands going to her hips, “What the hell? You don’t need to be such an asshole.”
Creed lifted his lip in a sneer, and I stepped forward, “No. You don’t get to say something to your sister that will make her cry. I’m done with that today. You need to be very careful with what you say next.”
Creed lifted a brow, “What happened?”
Kresslee looked over at me, “Dad was outside.”
Creed sat up, “What?”
She shook her head, “Ridge put him in his place.”
Creed looked over at me, lying back in his bed, “What happened?”
I told him what I said to their dad, and Creed’s eyebrows rose with every word.
“Fuck.”
I nodded at Kresslee, “Give us a minute.”
She slowly nodded, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.
Creed’s eyes were on me when I looked back at him, “Why would you stick up for me? For us?”
“You know the answer to that Creed. You have always known. I love your sister. I have since we were teenagers and won’t stop until I’m gone. Even then, my soul will find hers in the next life and the next. She is mine. I will do anything for her, give up anything to have her.”
Creed sighed, “I hated you for so long, it’s hard to accept this.”
I nodded, “I know you have. I understood why you hated me then, but you have no reason to hate me now. I’m not your rival. Not in this. Kresslee has been my reason for living all these years. I have done all I have because of her. I wanted to make her mine so many years ago. But I let her choose you. That choice is over now. I want her to be able to choose us both. I want you in our life because you are her brother, but I also want you there because I know we are meant for more. To be friends, fuck, notfriends, but family. I believe we have earned the right to choose our family now. You are mine, Creed, whether you want to be in my family or not. Kresslee chooses you, so do I.”
Creed shut his eyes for a second, “I knew I wasn’t being fair to her all those years ago. My hate was so misplaced because with every loss, I got the shit kicked out of me. It wasn’t your fault, but I had to place the blame somewhere I could control, you know? I couldn’t hurt my father back, I wasn’t big enough, and as soon as I was, I knew I was wrong to hate you for nothing you did. You only played on the team that beat mine. That was it. I was just angry that my sister wanted more, and I believed it wasn’t meant for us. I’m sorry. I really am sorry for making her choose between us. For taking that from her. I won’t get in your way.”
“Creed, I want you there with us. I want you to be able to walk Kresslee down the aisle one day and not hate me when she does.”
Creed looked up at me, “I don’t hate you, Ridge. I haven’t for a long time. You never chose to beat our team. My father wasn’t a good man. He made his choices, and I lived with those for a long time. I never let myself have hope or dreams. But seeing that Kresslee finally has hers coming true, I want to see that. I want to be there for her. Forgive me.”
“I never thought you needed my forgiveness, Creed. Not then, and not now. I’m glad we can move on.”
“I am too.”
Kresslee walked back into the room. “I heard it all.” She rushed over to Creed, hugging him gently, “Thank you for letting me love Ridge. It’s about time.”
Creed smiled up at her, “It is. You better name one of your kids after me. After all, I helped set this in motion.”
I laughed, “Sure.”
Creed smiled over at me, and I walked to his bed, shaking his hand for the first time, shocked when he pulled me in for a hug, “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”
I nodded, “I will let you.”
He let me pull back, and Kresslee melted into my arms, where I kissed her hard.
Creed fake gagged, “Not in here. Get a damn room.”
I chuckled, “Come to my house. You need to recover.”
Creed slowly nodded, “Deal. But if I hear anything I don’t want, I will kick your ass.”
Kresslee went pink, “Gross. You will be on the other side of the house.”
