24. Georgia
Chapter twenty-four
Georgia
I can’t stop pacing. My chest is so tight each breath is difficult to take. My eyes dart to my phone screen for what feels like the millionth time. Still nothing. Jackson hasn’t responded to any of my messages. Panic rises within me, and I quickly send another one.
Me: Please answer me. We need to talk about this. I know I should have come straight to you, but I panicked. Please call me back.
I wait. Nothing. Not even three little dots. He’s completely cutting me off. I clutch my stomach, but it’s the ache in my heart that’s truly unbearable. How could I have been so dumb? I should’ve gone straight to Jackson. But I didn’t, and now I’m in a heap of shit I can’t get out of. My phone dings and I almost drop it as I scramble to pull up the message.
Noah: Georgie, Georgie, Georgie. Why you fuck me up, Georgie?
Bile rises in my throat. Did Vince tell him? Does he know I didn’t get the ledger? I choke on a breath, forcing myself to reply.
Me: What are you talking about?
Noah: insert image
I zoom in on a row of shots.
Me: Noah, where are you? Why aren’t you at work?
I’m going to be sick. He knows. I’ve ruined everything.
Noah: Fuck work. And fuck my dad. I’m done with him.
Me: Come home. We can talk about it.
I watch the three little dots appear and then disappear. No reply. Fuck. “Fuck!” I toss my phone. It hits the table and falls, landing on the floor with a sickening crack. “Great. Just what I need,” I mutter.
What do I do now? I reach for my phone, trying to text Jackson again through the shattered screen. “Come on.” I squint, attempting to make out the letters, when the front door chimes. I rush downstairs as Noah stumbles inside.
“Noah.”
He throws his keys toward the table but misses, knocking a crystal vase to the floor. It shatters into a million pieces. “Shit,” he mumbles, rubbing his forehead.
“Are you drunk?”
“I’d say so,” he says, and a gust of laughter seeps from his chest. “Though, not as drunk as I’d like to be since I can still think.”
His words are a stab to my heart. “Oh, Noah. I’m so sorry.” I don’t even know where to begin. Sorry doesn’t remotely express what I am. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Noah sways up to me and cups my cheek, the stench of tequila assaulting me. “Georgie, it’s not your fault you don’t love me anymore.”
“Huh?”
“I hate it. Every fucking time I think about it, I hate what I’ve done. To you. To us. I had something good, and I fucked it up.”
“Noah—”
“Shhh…” He presses a finger to my lips. “Let me finish, okay?” I nod, holding back tears. How is he being so understanding? “We were good together once, right? It wasn’t always bad, right?”
“When it was good, it was good.”
“And when it was bad, it was bad.” Torment settles in his gaze. “I wish things were different. That I wasn’t so fucked up. That I hadn’t screwed this up.”
“Noah—”
“You gotta understand, I have a ton of issues. Shit from my past… it fucks with me. God, this makes me sound like a pussy, but I’m pretty sure I have mommy issues, and it’s all my dad’s fault.”
My skin prickles, every nerve suddenly alert at the mention of his dad. “Why is it your dad’s fault?”
He releases my cheek and steps back, brushing his hands down his face. “What’s not that asshole’s fault? Let’s see. He was never around when I was a kid. He loved his work more than his family and drove my mom away. She was supposed to teach me how to be soft, gentle, understanding… shit, she was supposed to teach me how to be a fucking gentleman. But no. She got sick of my dad’s bullshit, left, and never bothered looking back.”
“She just left you? I mean, I know she hasn’t been in your life. I assumed she died.”
“Would’ve been easier, knowing she never cared to see me because she was dead. Not even a goodbye. And my dad made sure she didn’t contact me. Drove her away and made sure she stayed there once she was gone.”
“Why would Jack—your dad do that?”
“Probably because he couldn’t stand the idea of someone walking away from him.” He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “If you haven’t noticed, my dad’s a control freak. No wife of Jackson Blake’s gets to walk away—not without consequences.” He shakes his head. “She wouldn’t have left me. She couldn’t. So the only thing that makes sense is that he gave her an ultimatum—leave and lose everything, even me. And she still walked.”
“Oh, Noah. I’m sure she loved you very much. She was stuck in a hard position—”
“She had a choice. She could have taken me with her. She could have found a way to see me. Write. Made sure I was okay. Just fuckin’ left.”
This time, it’s me who reaches out and cups his cheek. “You are who you are whether your mom was around or not. We can’t go through life blaming others. No one is going to fix our broken hearts. But you find people who can help fill that empty space.”
“That was you, you know.”
“It may have been at one point, but you and I both know we were headed for disaster. Two trains barreling toward each other without working brakes.”
That earns me a faint smile. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Me too.” I lean in and wrap my arms around him. We’re silent for a beat, and I worry he’s fallen asleep on my shoulder.
“Noah?”
“Hmmm?” he hums.
“What happened with your dad that made you so upset?” My heart is in my throat while I wait for his response.
“He’s just an asshole. I was worried about you and went to his office. I figured you’d gone home, but you weren’t answering my texts. He was a total dick, spewing how you’re not his problem and told me to get the fuck out.” He pulls away and rests his back against the entryway table. “I don’t know why it upset me so much, but… I just… I thought we were starting to find some sort of even ground.”
I almost pass out from holding my breath. His confession is not what I was waiting for. He doesn’t know. For now, he doesn’t know.
“Fuck—I think I might have overdone it.” He whips his hand over his mouth, and I jump back as he sprints up the stairs. I follow, running into his room seconds after I hear him vomit into the toilet. He throws up three more times before the faucet runs, and a few moments later, he stumbles out of his bathroom. “Shit, sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I’ll let you lie down—”
“Georgie, wait.”
“Yeah?”
“Will you lay with me for a bit? Until I pass out? It shouldn’t take long.”
His lips tip into a half-smile. I nod, slipping out of the room to change. A minute later, I’m back—barefoot and in something soft, and climbing under the blanket. He turns on the TV and lies on his side.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Did… did you ever love me?”
His question tightens around my heart like a vise. I turn onto my side, my voice barely above a whisper. “I loved what we could have been if we both weren’t so messed up. I’m just like you. But I guess I have daddy issues. My father died when I was really young, and my mom replaced him with a scheming asshole who liked to drink and hit women and kids.”
“I’d fuck him up for you if you want. I’d go right now—”
“It’s in the past. I got out before he could do any real damage. My bigger issues are with my dad. I loved him with my whole heart, and like your mom, he left me too.”
“George—”
“We were good because we needed that connection. But two wrongs don’t make a right. I’ll always be thankful for what we had.”
It’s not the answer he wants, but I can’t lie and say he's the one I'm in love with. My heart lies with a man I betrayed.
“Hey, don’t cry.”
“Sorry.” I didn’t realize I was. I wipe my cheek. “I’m fine. I don’t even know why that made me cry.”
“Because you’re fucking human. And the best person I’ve ever known. And that’s not even adding in the sex.”
I laugh. “Now you’re just blowin’ smoke up my ass. I’m sure there have been many admirers in mighty Noah Blake’s life.”
“Yeah. Well… one, but my dad ended up fucking her.”
“What?” There’s no hiding the jerk of my body at his statement.
“No joke. Caught them in his room. She was naked as hell. Who the fuck knows how long it had been going on. That was my last straw with him. Thank God I left for school shortly after. Can’t imagine what I would have done if I’d been stuck under the same roof any longer. I’m too pretty for jail.” As if his words hadn’t just shaken me to the core, Noah closes his eyes, and within seconds, his breathing deepens as he falls asleep.
“My dad ended up fucking her.”
“My dad ended up fucking her.”
“My dad ended up fucking her.”
His words echo in my ears. My heart races out of control. He’s done this before. I wasn’t his first temptation. He told me we would be done after the summer because he didn’t want any ties. I was a convenience. A body he could toy with. Control. This wasn’t about us or what had been growing between us. It was all a game to him.
How could he?
Noah’s door creaks open, and I look up. Jackson stands in the doorway. His eyes burn into mine for a moment before he turns and leaves without a word.
“Jackson, wait.” I rush out of Noah’s room and follow Jackson into his, slamming his door behind me. “Talk to me.”
“Get out of here.”
“No, not until you talk to me.”
He undoes his tie and tosses it on his bed with calculated ease, then finally looks at me, his eyes colder than I’ve ever seen them. “I’m not sure if I was clear earlier, so let me speak slowly. We. Are. Done. Get the fuck out of my—”
“Is this how you ended it with Noah’s last girlfriend too?”
His eyes go from icy to searing, and for the first time, a chill of fear curls through my spine. I take an involuntary step back. “What did you just say to me?”
“Yo—You heard me.”
“You come in here, spewing shit you know nothing about, after I find you in my son’s bed doing God knows what, after I catch you stealing from me—”
“I told you I was putting—”
“And what?” He steps forward, his movement predatory. “Were you hoping I’d hear you out, accept your lies and welcome you back in my bed? That you sucked my cock so good, I would allow you to betray me and still fuck you?”
“You’re being an asshole. I wasn’t trying to—”
Without warning, his hand snakes around my neck, his fingers tightening to a grip bordering on suffocating. I gasp, my breath caught in my throat. “You have some nerve, slut .”
This time, his words aren’t a turn-on. They fucking hurt. “Fuck you.”
“That’s what you want, isn’t it? To suck my cock? Have me cum all over this face like the conniving slut you are.”
I try to pull away, but he grips harder. “Stop calling me that.”
“Why? You like it. This whole time, you’ve never wanted me to be gentle. You’ve taken every filthy thing I’ve done to you with a smile on your face. The question should be: are you the one who’s done this before—?”
In a flash, my hand darts out and delivers a resounding slap to his face. My breath hitches, the rush of nerves racing across my chest. Jackson presses his palm to his cheek, his eyes narrowing. He licks the faint drop of blood that drips from his lip. “My little pet has grown some claws.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Being so cruel. This isn’t you.”
“And you know the person I am?”
“I know you’re not this. I never meant to hurt you. It’s why I was putting the ledger back. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t hurt you. I’m in love with—”
“Enough!” he roars, causing me to flinch. My eyes flicker to the closed door, worried the noise woke Noah, but before I can react, Jackson steps in, closing the already narrow space between us. His fingers tangle in my hair, and he yanks me forward with a breath-stealing force. The faint scent of bourbon lingers on him as he leans in, his words a low, guttural growl. “You know nothing about me. Now, get on your knees and be a good little slut and suck my cock like your life depends on it.”
He’s testing me. He wants me to falter, to shrink back, to run. Part of me wants to, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction. What we have isn’t just chaos—it’s fire. It’s passion. It’s something explosive, something rare. And I won’t let him push me away. Not like this.
I sink to my knees, my gaze never leaving his. Reaching out, I undo his belt, the metallic clink echoing in the silence, then reach into his slacks and pull his cock out.
“Well, what are you waiting for?”
I lean in, taking his crown into my mouth. I swirl my tongue, licking at the pre-cum surfacing, then suck him in. His hand sinks into my hair, and he thrusts forward, forcing me to gag as he hits the back of my throat. “Hungry thing, aren’t you? My son didn’t fulfill you?”
Not taking his bait, I slide my hands up his thighs and cup his ass, taking him deeper. “You think this is going to change what you did?” He thrusts, and I gag. My eyes water, but I still maintain eye contact, his hungry gaze igniting the fuel inside me. When a moan escapes my throat, he hisses and takes control, fucking my mouth with a vengeance. “Fuck. Look at you taking all of me. Your perfect mouth. Slobbering all over my fat cock like it’s your last meal.” I relax my throat and let him do the damage he wants to do. A growl of urgency erupts from his throat, and suddenly, he pushes me off him.
“Take off your fucking clothes.” I stand and do as I’m told. His clothes are gone just as fast, and he lays on the bed. “I want to taste your pussy while you finish sucking my cock. Be an obedient little slut. Sit on my face while you suck me off.”
Wetness drips down my thighs as I climb onto the bed and position myself. Before I can prepare, his hips drive upward, and I choke on his size. His tongue, hot and forceful, thrusts inside my throbbing pussy.
“Jackson,” I moan his name as he grips my ass, digging his fingers into my flesh.
“You come without my permission, I’ll punish you.”
Fuck, I’m already so close. “Your pussy is dripping, pet. Who’s this for?”
“You—always you.”
I cry out in pleasure as he slaps my ass cheek. He slides a finger along my slick heat, pushing it deep inside me. I’m panting and swollen as he licks up my arousal. “Jackson, I can’t—I’m going to come.”
He slaps me again. “You will fucking obey me, slut.” With his finger slick from my juices, he slides it along my crack and into my tight muscle. I moan around his cock.
“You want more than just my finger here, don’t you?”
I let out another moan, and he thrusts his hips. I gag around him, and he grips my hips harder, his tongue fucking my cunt while his finger fucks my ass. It’s too much. Not enough. “Jackson, more. I want more.”
“So. Fucking. Greedy,” he hisses. Another slap. My thighs quiver as I suck him with purpose, my saliva pooling over his cock.
“Fuck,” he grunts, working his finger faster. “What I wouldn’t give to see my cum seeping from your tight little asshole.” My body thrums. “Tell me you want my cock, pet. Beg for it.”
“Please, Jackson. I want your cock. I need it.”
“Where do you want him?”
“Anywhere. Everywhere.”
“Fuck,” he growls and pulls me off him, flipping me onto my stomach. His fingers dig into my flesh, leaving marks, and I lose my sense of reality. I pant, anticipating his next move. I’ve never done anal. I’m not scared, but I’m nervous about his size.
He drags his fingers down my back between my ass cheeks, and goosebumps pebble on my skin. He brushes his thumb over my tight hole, spreading my cheeks. “I choose this one,” he says, his tone laced with hunger, lust, and anger. There’s the sound of a drawer opening and closing, then warm liquid is coating my backside. Without warning, he buries himself inside me, and I cry out at the intrusion. His size is unapologetic, and my eyes burn at how he stretches me. “Breathe. Let me in, Peach.”
“I can’t. You’re too big.”
“Your body was made for me. Made to take all of me. So fucking take it.” He pulls out halfway, then inches back in. It’s still so tight, but the pressure slowly turns into pleasure, and I find myself lifting my ass to meet his thrusts. “That’s it. Let me stuff my cock in your asshole.” His dirty words blur my vision as he begins to pump in and out. My insides pulse with urgency. Electricity sparks between us, and I let out a hoarse moan. “So fucking tight. Fuck, take me deep.” My mouth falls open in pleasure. I pant and moan. Cry out when he pulls out, only to pummel back into my flesh. His thrusts are wild, untamed. I’ve lost all sense of reality, slamming into him, meeting him thrust for thrust.
“Jackson, I’m—”
“Beg me to fill your asshole with my cum.”
“Fill me up. I need your cum. I need all your cum.”
“Fuck.” He reaches around and circles my clit, hammering into me, and I detonate. Tremors erupt down my spine, and my orgasm coils through my body. “Fuck, I can feel you squeezing my cock. Fuck!” His growl is low and animalistic. His fingers break skin and his cock starts spasming, ropes of cum filling me.
I can’t breathe. What we just did. It was savage. Raw. Fucking perfect. His heart hammers against my back, and before I can say anything, he pulls out. The bed dips, and I look at him, bending down and grabbing my clothes. He tosses them on the bed.
“Get dressed.”
“What?”
“Get dressed and then get out.”
I hurry to sit up. “Jackson, why? I thought—”
“You thought wrong. One thing you should know about me, Peach—no one crosses me. I want you gone. You have until morning to gather your shit and get the fuck out of my house. One word to my son about any of this, and I’ll make sure you regret ever walking into my fucking room that night.”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes. I slip on my bottoms and throw my shirt over my head with shaking hands. Summoning any sort of dignity I have left, I slide off his bed and straighten. I raise my chin as I walk by him, refusing to let him see how deep he cut me. As I reach the door, I pause, turning slightly. My voice is steady, even though my heart is breaking. “Trust me, I already regret walking into your room.” Without waiting for his reaction, I walk out, each step feeling heavier than the last.
I don’t wait until morning to leave. I shove what little I have into my suitcase and call an Uber to take me to the nearest hotel. The moment I step into the room and lock the door, the weight of everything crashes down on me. My legs buckle, and I collapse onto the floor, my suitcase forgotten as my heart shatters into pieces.
The sobs come hard and fast, ripping through my chest and leaving me gasping for air. I cry for him, the man I fell in love with—the one I betrayed. I cry for the family I ruined. It’s not only about them, though. It’s everything. The loss of my father. My mother not protecting me. The shitty hand I’ve been dealt. If my dad hadn’t died, would things have been different? Would I be different?
Tears blur my vision as guilt and shame consume me. I feel lost, confused, and utterly broken. And beneath it all, there’s a deep, gnawing hatred—for myself. For the chaos I’ve caused. For being so damaged, I sabotage anything good in my life. The sobs keep coming, and I let them.
A guttural scream tears up my throat, hoping to release all the demons caged inside my dark soul. But I know better. They’re not leaving. They’re a part of me, burrowed deep. They live inside me. Time passes, but the tears don’t stop. They continue to flow relentlessly down my face. I reach for my phone more times than I can count to call Jackson, beg for him to take me back, to forgive me. Then I consider Noah. Right now, I need someone. Anyone.
The guilt churns my stomach, and I rush to the bathroom, heaving into the toilet, my body convulsing. I’m desperate, grasping for something to hold onto. Finally, I dial my mom, the only person left I can think to turn to. But the call never goes through. My phone dies in my hand, and only then do I realize—I didn’t grab my charger.
Willing myself to calm down, I crawl into bed, tug my knees to my chest, and close my eyes, praying the world takes me, and I never wake up.