CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Grey
Well, I honestly didn’t think falling for a girl and asking her to be mine was going to be on my holiday break bingo card, but here we were. Walking hand and hand into my mother’s gallery, an hour late. Also, Luca had a hickey on her neck that I didn’t notice until the sun hit it. This was either going to be a spectacular gift in my parents’ eyes, or a complete cluster fuck. Either outcome was fine with me, because both still left me with Luca at my side.
“Are we hard launching?” Luca held up our joined hands.
“I’m definitely hard.” I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. And now, knowing that she was mine to touch and kiss and fuck? I was going to need IV fluids by the time New Year’s Day rolled around. “Might as well rip the Band-Aid off though, don’t you think? I’m not letting you leave Dallas until you’re walking funny.” Actually, I wasn’t letting her leave Dallas at all, but that was a conversation for later, and preferably while I was also inside her.
She laughed, holding on tighter as I opened the door. Six heads swiveled our way. My parents, hers, and her grandparents. Smitty and Grand Dil. That’s what she’d called them, and I was clenching my jaw to keep from cracking up. Smitty didn’t look a day over fifty with tan skin and more muscles than I had. Grand Dil? She could be a total cougar if she felt so inclined. Not a wrinkle or pore in sight.
“There you are.” Luca’s mom came forward and dragged her into a hug. “I was starting to worry you two got lost.” I was still holding her hand. To be fair, she wasn’t trying to pull away either.
“Why are you touching my granddaughter?” Smitty could kick my ass for sure, but his tone wasn’t angry, more curiosity with a hint of suspicion. “Bleu, why is your son holding my granddaughter’s hand?”
“I’m Grey.” I held out my other hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. Luca has told me so much about you.” That wasn’t entirely true, but I was sure she would’ve talked more about her family if I’d let her come up for air.
He shook my hand, eyes narrowed and grip firm. “You’re still fucking touching her.” He squeezed my hand harder, making me wince.
“Smitty.” Luca grabbed my wrist and jerked it from his hold before wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing his bearded cheek. “Play Nice.”
My dad let out a nervous laugh. “It’s snowing. I’m sure he was just helping her inside. Right? Grey? You were helping her inside because there was ice and it was slippery and you didn’t want her to break her leg, and now you can let her go.”
“Nah, there’s no ice out there.” I used my hold on her to pull her close, kissing her temple when she melted against me. I might as well make my intentions clear, right? I liked this girl and I wanted so desperately to be with her. “I’m for sure going to keep touching her.” If me holding her hand was sending these people for a tailspin, I really hoped they didn’t notice that hickey. “We’re, like, together.”
“You’re like together?” Luca’s dad raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Since when? You’ve known each other for actual hours.”
My mom’s laugh matched my dad’s. Super forced. “He’s kidding. They’re friends, and they had a friendly night at the studio and I’m sure he was a perfect gentleman.” It wasn’t a friendly night, and I was the opposite of a gentleman. My mom was losing it. “And now she’s home, safe and sound, and not heartbroken.” She pointed at Luca’s face, her finger shaking. “She’s smiling. Not crying. Everything is great.”
I desperately wanted to point out to Luca that her satisfied smile was in fact a dead giveaway, but why kick a person when they were down. And by person, I meant my parents. “Do you need to sit down?” I glanced at my dad. “Get your wife a chair. She looks like she’s going to pass out.” Dad mouthed a threat to my life, but wrapped an arm around my mom’s waist all the same.
I cleared my throat, holding up Luca and my still clasped hands. I did this now, I held hands with girls. Well, with one girl.
“This is what the kids call a, what was it, baby? A hard launch?” I winked at her when she giggled. I loved making her laugh. I loved that she thought I was funny and not a complete dumb-ass. “Yes, we’ve only known each other for a couple of days, but from what I hear, when you know, you know.” I shrugged. “And I know. I really know.”
“Luca? Kiddo, is this true?” Her mom looked like she loved me a little less today than she did last night when she was all but shoving her daughter into my grabby hands. “You’re dating this boy?”
Boy? I leaned into Luca, whispering in her ear, “Would now be a bad time to correct your mom and let her know that you and I both know I’m all man?”
She elbowed me in the ribs with one of her beaming smiles. “Yes, we’re dating.”
“And she’s staying in Dallas.” Shit. I panicked. My plan to ask her later when she was naked and bouncing on my dick had apparently escaped me. I was really hoping Luca was into it and not mad at me for over stepping. “At my mom’s studio. So she can work.” I turned to look at her. “That sound good?”
“That sounds perfect.” She glanced past me to my parents. “If that’s okay with Maykin.”
My parents were standing side by side, silent and blinking. Confused. My dad spoke first. “Are you pregnant?”
Luca giggled, she fucking giggled at my dad’s inappropriate asinine question. “No. Not pregnant.”
“Are you being kidnapped? Held against your will? Blackmailed?” My dad was a real comedian today.
She shook her head, then leaned further into my side. “Nope. Hard launch. We’re together and I’d really like to stay, on my own volition.”
“Well, then sure.” My mom nodded, finally managing an expression that was somewhat normal. “If you would like to stay at the studio and work, I’d love for you to use the space. I would be thrilled, actually.” She let out a deep breath, like she’d been holding in air and tension for the last twelve hours. My parents needed to chill the fuck out, maybe I could hook them up with that guy that brought all the MDMA to my rave?
Luca’s mom and dad pulled her away from me, which I allowed because she’d said she was staying and that she was mine. I was feeling slightly calmer about the whole thing now. My parents seemed happy for me, and I still had two more weeks before classes started. I needed to run home and pack a bag so I could stay with Luca at the studio and—”
“I’m watching you, fucker.”
I whirled around. “Jesus, Smitty. You move like a ninja.” Shouldn’t his old-ass creaky joints have given him away?
“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.” His expression was dead-ass serious. Like not a trace of humor. “I’ll drive you to the bayou where I grew up and I’ll feed you to the ’gators. They’ll never find your body. And you know the rule, no body, no crime. Do you understand me, kid?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Luca came back to my side and I automatically wrapped my arms around her. Touching her wasn’t even a conscious thought. It was a compulsion.
“Smitty, are you being nice?”
“Of course I am, bebe.” Smitty completely transformed the moment Luca walked up. He was all smiles and crinkly sparkling eyes. I was pretty sure that was the mark of a sociopath, and I was utterly terrified. “You two ready for breakfast?” Smitty gestured with his hand for us to step in front of him. I winced when his hand gripped the back of my neck, giving me a shake. “I’m buying.”
ARE YOU READY FOR THE 3rd GEN STORIES?
GUESS WHO’LL BE NEXT TO FALL HARD.
PLAY LIST
Keep On Loving You - Cigarettes After Sex
It Will Come Back - Hozier
Cool About It - boygenius
Running Up That Hill - Placebo
Go Down On You - The Memories
Motion Sickness - Phoebe Bridgers
MISSION: ACCEPTANCE
EMILY MIMS