Chapter 19 Georgia
It’s been two weeks since that first night I stayed with Griffin at the clubhouse.
Two weeks of pleasure like I’ve never known, late night laughter, whispered secrets, and me somehow ending up wrapped in his arms almost every night since.
We haven’t gone all the way yet, but I know it’s going to happen.
If Griffin pressed, I’d cave instantly, but he hasn’t.
Instead, we’ve spent time learning how to pleasure one another with our hands, our mouths and getting closer.
It's good. No, it’s better than good. I can’t get enough of him, and Griffin seems to feel the same—always making a concerted effort to end the day together.
Sometimes he stays over at Nana’s, and I swear those are my favorite nights.
The smell of his cologne surrounding me in my room is a comfort I didn’t realize I’d been craving my whole life.
Tonight, however, is different. I’m nervous.
I’m going to the clubhouse again—and I’m taking Nana.
This could be a recipe for disaster. I’ve gone through all the possible scenarios in my head and none of them end particularly well.
I’ve already warned Nana—more than once—that the clubhouse is not exactly the kind of place most grandmothers hang out.
She just laughed, waved me off, and told me, “Honey, I raised hell long before you were born.” Which, honestly, is exactly the problem.
It’s also the main reason I’m panicking as I walk her though the front doors of the Kings of Anarchy.
When we walk inside, I have a death grip on Nana’s hand like she’s a toddler that I’m trying to keep from running into traffic.
The noise of voices, laughter, and the faint smell of sex, leather and smoke hits me immediately.
Most of the club is in the main area already.
That means every head turns when we step into it. Eek.
Hades grins wide from his spot by the pool table and calls out, “Hey, Brushes!”
I can’t help laughing at the nickname the guys started calling me a few days ago. It seems to have stuck. “Hey, Hades,” I say as he walks over.
His gaze flicks to Nana. “You brought your grandmother to the club?”
Nana raises a brow, hands on her hips. “Am I not allowed here, boy?” she huffs, sounding more than a little peeved.
Hades doesn’t know it, but he just bought himself a world of trouble if he doesn’t find a way to placate her.
My Nana can be a cantankerous old woman—I’m kind of hoping that I’ll be just like her in my old age.
“Nana,” I hiss, mortified.
Hades’ lips twitch in a smile. “Not a thing, Nana. Just wondering if you play poker?”
She studies him for a second, then deadpans, “Is it strip poker? Because with all these fine specimens standing around here, I could get on board with that.”
C has moved up to join us and once he hears her, he nearly chokes on his beer. He barks out a laugh. “Nana, you saying you want to see me naked?” he questions, eyes lighting with mischief.
“Are you saying you have such little confidence in how you play the game, that you’re already saying you’re losing?” she shoots back, wiggling her eyebrows.
Now everyone’s laughing, and C grins at Nana, looking absolutely smitten. “Who is this woman? Because I think I’m in love.” I cover my face with my hand. “This is my Nana. Nana, this is Hades and C. They’re members of Griffin’s club.”
She grins up at C. “Since you’re in love with me, you can be my partner at poker. Wait—does poker have partners?”
“Not the kind we play,” C says, amused.
“And what kind do you play?”
“Five Card Stud.”
Her smile widens. “Well now, C, that sounds like my kind of game.”
“Are you sure, Nana? We play for money.”
“Now it definitely sounds like my game. Did your parents hate you so much that they only gave you a letter for a name?” she asks, wrapping her arm around C’s as if she’s claiming him—and she probably is.
C is grinning like a fool. “C stands from the name the club gave me. They call me Candyman, cause all the women think I’m sweet like candy and can’t wait to lick me.”
“No, no, no,” I whisper, already knowing what is going to happen next.
Nana pats his cheek. “Well, lucky me, Candyman, I do have a very sweet tooth.”
“Oh, God,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Shoot me now.”
C and Hades escort her to a table while she flirts with C and cackles the whole way. I’m wondering if I’m going to end up with a Nana in a Kings of Anarchy cut, riding a Harley when I feel strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Griffin murmurs against my ear, his voice low and rough against my ear, in that way that makes my stomach flip.
“My grandmother is flirting and laying her claim on C,” I say, not bothering to hide the horror in my voice.
He chuckles, lips brushing my neck. “It looks like she’s having a good time.”
I lean back against him, sighing. “Nana always does. Doesn’t matter where she is.”
“How was your day?” he asks, chin resting on my shoulder.
“Good. Finished my last project today—the diner’s mural is officially complete.”
He hums approvingly. “What’s next on the list?”
“Nothing really,” I admit, smiling up at him, just glad to be near him again. We were in different places last night and I couldn’t sleep without having his arms around me—that’s how much trouble I’m already in when it comes to this man.
He presses a kiss to my temple. “In that case, I’ve got a project for you.”
“You do?”
“Yep,” he says, as he looks toward my grandmother and several of the boys who are sitting at a table. “Hey, Nana! I’m going to steal Georgie for a minute. I want to show her something before dinner.”
Nana doesn’t even glance our way. “Now, Griffy, I don’t need to hear about your exploits with my Georgie, as long as you make an honest woman of her.
As for dinner, Candyman’s teaching me Five Card Stud.
We’ll just order pizza. You kids do whatever you want and don’t worry about this old woman.
I got some wallets to make lighter in this here club. ”
Scorpion, who is standing by the pool tables, chimes in. “I’ll order it, Nana. What do you like on it?”
“Throw everything but the kitchen sink on it, sweet pea! I’ll take off what I don’t want!” she calls back.
I glance up at Griffin. “We can just stay here too, if you want. To be honest, I’m scared of what kind of mischief Nana will get into if we leave.”
Griffin lets out a chuckle. “Alright, baby.” Then he yells, “Scorpion, get enough for everyone—me and Georgia are staying in, too.”
“You got it, Prez!”
Griffin takes my hand and leads me down a quiet hall to a plain red door. When I step inside, I stop. The walls are bare except for a massive flag hanging behind the table—a skull wearing a crown with an anarchy symbol burned into the design in the middle of the flag.
“This is where the guys and I meet,” he says. “Actually, the entire clubhouse is boring as hell. I want to see your magic everywhere around here. Still, I thought maybe you could start in here.”
“You want me to paint the flag on your wall?”
“Doesn’t have to be a flag,” he shrugs. “The club symbol is fine. Whatever you want to design really.”
I walk closer, running my fingers lightly over the flag’s edge. It’s bold. Dark. A little menacing—but that’s the club, I guess. I know the symbol is already tatted on Griffin’s back. He told me every member has it on their body as a show of family and loyalty.
“I can start this week,” I say quietly. “If you really want it. I’d like to try and get it done while my schedule is free. If I get a paying gig in the meantime, I’ll have to push it back.”
“Baby, you’re getting paid for this. This isn’t a favor.”
“You don’t have to pay me,” I protest. “You live here. I’d like to help.”
“I don’t plan on living here much longer.”
That makes me blink. “You don’t?” I ask, worried he’s already thinking about moving on.
He shakes his head. “I want to get a place of my own. Somewhere you and Nana can be with me. She needs a suitable bathroom and one story so she can access the entire house. She does great for her age, but I want her comfortable. Plus, we all need a home where we can be a family.”
I stare at him. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me, Georgie.”
“You want to move in together… and you want my Nana to move in too?”
He nods his head like it’s the simplest thing in the world and he hasn’t just rocked my world. “Of course. You two come as a package deal. We’ll find a house with a mother-in-law suite and a studio for you. She’ll love it—especially when we have kids.”
My whole body goes still. “Kids? Griffin, we haven’t even been dating a month.”
“So what?” he asks, completely unfazed. “I’m yours, you’re mine. That’s all that matters.”
“This is crazy,” I whisper.
“I’m getting tired of hearing that—even from your pretty little lips. Answer me this, Georgie,” he says, his tone soft but insistent. “When you think about your future—I’m talking ten years down the road—do you see me in it?”
My breath catches. I want to lie. I want to be practical. But when I picture the future—whatever it looks like—it’s him. It has been him from the moment I first met him.
I nod slowly. “Yeah. I do.”
He exhales like he’s been holding his breath for hours. “Thank fuck, because when I picture the rest of my life, you are front and center in every damn scenario, baby. I want you by my side. Hell, at this point I need you.
“Why in the hell should we delay? Life’s too short.
It sucks to think about it, but that damn bullet could’ve killed me the other day.
I could have left this world without having you in my arms, your sweet cunt on my tongue, and our child not growing in your belly.
That’s not acceptable to me at all. I’m not wasting another second without you, Georgia Cutter. ”
My heart pounds so hard I swear I can feel it trying to jump out of my chest. “You’re serious,” I whisper. He cups my cheek, thumb brushing along my jaw. “Dead serious. I’m planning our forever, Georgia, and I’m asking to start building it right now.”
I look up at him and realize, terrifyingly, beautifully, that I don’t want to slow down either. “Fine,” I breathe. “But you realize Nana is going to be hell on wheels house shopping for a new rental.”
He chuckles. “Not rental, sweetheart. We’re buying. Putting down roots—for our future kids.”
“You really want kids with me?”
“Definitely.” His hand slides to my stomach, warm and steady. “I can’t wait to see your belly stretched with our child safe inside. I’m already wondering how it will feel to feel him or her kicking against my hand when I touch you like this.”
I shake my head, laughing softly, feeling true joy. “How many kids do you want?”
“As many as you want,” he says. “I just want you happy, baby.” He lowers his head, and when his lips find mine, all my thoughts scatter like dust in sunlight. Just like they have from the moment I met him, everything falls away but Griffin.