28. Avery

CHAPTER 28

AVERY

Creed was in the bathroom when my mother caught me in the hallway. She had that set look of determination, but there was an unspoken something lingering behind it.

"Avery, we need to talk," she said, her voice quiet but carrying an edge of urgency.

I glanced down the hallway toward the closed bathroom door where Creed was, then back at her. "Can it wait?"

She shook her head, her expression unyielding. "No, it can't."

A knot tightened in my chest. Whatever this was, it felt heavy. I nodded, falling in step behind her, each step downstairs feeling like it was leading to something I wasn't ready for.

Tension curled in my gut as Mother led me into the den, where Carl and my cousins sat, their faces drawn tight. My pulse picked up. Had they figured out that my relationship with Creed wasn't real? Did it even matter anymore, after everything that had happened between us?

I leaned against the doorframe, trying to keep my expression neutral, but my mind was racing. "What's this about?" My eyes searched their faces for any hint, any clue of what was coming.

Mother shifted, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Sit down, Avery," she said, her tone softening, but not by much. I hesitated, my skin prickling with unease, but I dropped into a chair, bracing myself.

Nathaniel and Joseph flanked me, their faces set in disapproving frowns. It was like some kind of intervention, but instead of a safety net, I felt like they were pushing me closer to the edge of a cliff.

"What's this about?" I asked again, trying to keep my voice steady. My gaze darted from one solemn face to another. My nieces were nowhere in sight, probably upstairs with Becca, playing with their new Christmas toys or glued to Frozen on the TV. But the rest of my family? They were here, looking at me like I was a problem that needed fixing.

Carl crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "It's about Creed."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I fought the instinct to shield myself, to deny them entry into whatever Creed and I had been building together. "What about him?"

Nathaniel exchanged a glance with Joseph, a silent message passing between them that made my skin crawl. Mother cleared her throat, but it was Carl who spoke again, his voice taking on that condescending tone he always used when he thought he knew best. "We... found out some things. Things you need to know before you get any more involved with him."

My stomach dropped, a cold dread pooling in it. "What the hell are you talking about?" The bite in my voice couldn't hide the sudden edge of panic. I wished Becca was here. She would've defended me and softened the blow of whatever this was.

Carl continued, his gaze fixed on mine like he was daring me to look away. "We used some of my contacts, pulled some strings, to get access to Creed's service records. It's... worse than we thought."

"What do you mean, you used your contacts?" My voice rose, and I took a step forward, anger rushing to the surface. "You went behind my back? You had no right?—"

Carl held up a hand, cutting me off. "Avery, you needed to know. He wasn't honest with you about his past. He was discharged from the military under... questionable circumstances."

My heart pounded in my ears, but I forced myself to hold his gaze. "You had no right to dig into his past. None. Whatever Creed's history is, that's his to share, not yours to pry into."

Mother stood, her brow creased, her expression as soft as stone. "We're doing this because we love you, Avery. We couldn't stand by and watch you get entangled with someone who might hurt you."

"He's not like that," I shot back, my hands shaking with the effort to keep my voice steady. "You think you know him because of some damn report? You have no idea what he's been through."

Nathaniel stepped in, arms crossed over his chest. "It's not just some report, Avery. It's about who he is. His discharge record was sealed, and that alone is a red flag. But Carl found out why."

Carl's voice took on a grave, almost smug tone. "He was involved in an incident in the DRC—something that led to the massacre of civilians. Children, Avery. That's what they're claiming he did."

The words hit me like a physical blow, leaving my chest tight. My vision tunneled, locking onto Carl as if he were the only one in the room. "What—what the hell are you talking about?"

Joseph's expression turned stony, disapproval pouring off him. "He's dangerous. He deceived you about his past. You need to open your eyes before it's too late."

I stumbled back, struggling to reconcile the gentle, steady man I'd come to know with the accusations spilling from my own family. Images of Creed's soft smile and tender touch clashed with the horrific picture they painted. My voice shook as I forced myself to meet Carl's gaze. "You're saying he... killed innocent people? Children?"

I scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to find some kind of foothold in the mess of thoughts crashing through my head. "How... how do you know it's true?" The words tasted bitter, like I was betraying Creed just by asking the question, but I couldn't help it. I needed to understand.

"I spoke to someone who saw the report." Carl's expression was stone-cold serious. "You need to distance yourself before he drags you down with him."

The weight of his words pressed down on me, making it hard to catch my breath. My mind fought against the images, against the possibility that the man I'd trusted could have done something like that. But beneath the shock and confusion, there was a deeper, uglier fear—one that whispered that maybe Carl was right, that maybe I'd let myself believe in a version of Creed that wasn't real.

But then I thought of Creed upstairs, the way he'd laughed with my nieces just hours ago, the way he'd looked at me like I was something good, something worth holding onto. And I felt a flare of anger beneath the fear, sharp and hot. I wouldn't—couldn't—believe it without hearing it from Creed himself.

"I need to talk to him," I managed, my voice rough, the words scraping against my throat. "He's not your business."

Nathaniel's mouth twisted into a sneer. "You brought him here, Avery. Made it our business when you paraded him around like he was part of the family."

I tightened my fists, nails biting into my palms until pain cut through the whirlwind of emotions. Anger, disbelief, a sense of betrayal—I fought against the urge to shout, to demand to know why they thought this was any of their business. My chest heaved, but I held back the words burning on my tongue. Carl's self-righteousness filled the room, suffocating any hope I had of being understood here.

I needed answers—from Creed, not from Carl, not from anyone else who thought they knew better.

Turning sharply, I made for the door, desperate for fresh air, for distance—when the door creaked open and Creed stepped inside. He froze, his gaze sweeping over my clenched fists, the rigid set of my shoulders. His expression shifted from confusion to something more wary, like he could sense the storm brewing even before a word was spoken.

Mother's voice sliced through the air, each word landing like a blow. "Creed, we know what you've been hiding. Carl found out about your past. What you're accused of. And I want you out of this house. Stay. Away. From. My. Son."

Her tone left no room for argument, her expression as cold as ice. But Creed didn't flinch. His eyes fixed on me, a desperate question in their depths.

"Avery. You really think that's true?"

I opened my mouth to say the words, but they stuck in my throat, a tightness gripping my chest. It felt like the walls were closing in, like the ground beneath me was shifting. I struggled to make sense of the accusations swirling around us, the accusations that seemed impossible but hung in the air like poison. But all I could do was stand there, gaping like a fool.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Creed's jaw clenched, his expression hardening like a mask slipping into place, shutting me out. He seemed to realize something in that moment—something that made his shoulders stiffen, the light in his eyes dimming as if I'd already given him my answer.

Carl stepped forward, practically trembling with rage. "You heard her. You're a disgrace, Creed. A liar. A killer. You think you can just walk in here and deceive everyone? Get out. There's a driver waiting to take you to the city. Don't ever come back."

Creed's gaze stayed locked on mine, steady and unflinching, even as Carl's accusations filled the air between us. His voice came out low, barely audible, like he was afraid of the answer. "Is that how you see me too, Avery?"

I swallowed hard, but the words still wouldn't come. My mind spun, but I just stood there, frozen, while Creed's face twisted with something that looked too much like hurt. And without waiting for more, he turned on his heel and walked out, leaving the room chillingly quiet.

The door clicked shut behind him, and the sound reverberated through my chest, like a blow landing right where my heart used to be.