“Okay, rounds complete. Now the adults will get to sit and talk and we can get to the fun,” Willa said as she pushed me out the back doors.
“Wait, what about Greyson?” I asked. I wanted to at least get the chance to say goodbye.
“He has his own party to get to,” Mary answered.
It was going to be one long night.
Greyson
“Are you fucking serious?” I asked as I looked up at the name on the sign. Verge. It used to be one of my favorite haunts.
“What? I got us the VIP room.” Lenny said. He was one of my cousins and a guy I used to go out with.
Janson just crossed his arms and sighed. “I told him you wouldn’t like it.”
“No, it’s fine I could use a good drink.”
“Now that’s more like it,” Lenny said as he pulled me into the club. There were about ten of us all in tow every single one of them connected to the family somehow. Cousins of sorts.
“Greyson,” the bouncer said at the head of the club and I nodded at him. I’d been a couple months since I’d been by, but I was a regular before that. It was an easy place to find ass when I wanted it, and I never had to sample the same wares twice. Unless I wanted to.
And I almost never did. Except when it came to Joanna. I just wanted to be home burying myself into her with a nice buzz going on. I didn’t want to be here, pretending to live up the last night of my “freedom”. It wasn’t freedom to me.
This was the jail. This was the cage. Having to live like I didn’t give a shit about anything else.
The flash of lights in the club made me a little nauseous as we threaded our way through the bodies and towards the VIP lounge. Body brushed against me on the left and right, reminding me of all the women I’d danced with, ground up against. All the times I drowned my worries in alcohol and women.
It was a familiar taste, that’s for sure, but it wasn’t mine anymore.
No. I wasn’t the man I used to be. For better or for worse Joanna had changed that part of me. I didn’t want to take any of these women home tonight.
“Bunch of hotties, huh?” Lenny asked as he raised his eyebrows. I fought the urge to slap him on the back of the head and brushed past him.
“Yes. Hotties.” Janson said it in a singular disjointed way that made me chuckle. He’d never been one for places like this, and when he went it was only to act as my personal bodyguard. But any time he could get out of it, he did.
It was where I met his sister that one night. Why I ended up in on the rack for that well deserved beating. Without it I may never have met Joanna, or at least noticed her.
So many things had to happen for me to get to know her and I was thankful for every single one.
“Come on man, let’s get some bourbon and sit a spell, huh?” I asked as I found my way to our usual spot.
Sean was already there leaning against the bench seat with a drink in his hand. He was a good guy, a hard-ass, but a good guy.
This was my crew, the only one I had, and when it was my turn, when I came to power they knew that they were going to be promoted. That things would be different when I took over the family.
We didn’t talk much, didn’t need to.
“Greyson, hey hon. Haven’t seen you around in a while, what can I get you?” Millie, our server smiled at me with those knowing eyes of hers as she laid down the coasters.
“Bourbon tonight, doll.” I said with my usual charm.
“We’re celebrating tonight, bring your best,” Lenny betrayed us.
“Oh, whatcha celebratin’?” she asked, her eyes never leaving me.
She fucked me with those eyes every damn night but I never took the bait.
I didn’t want some bitch spitting in my drinks.
“Grey’s getting married, the son of a bitch.”
Her eyes widened. “I never thought I’d hear that happen.”
“People change,” I said slowly.
“Not that much,” Lenny countered. “You mark my words, man, you’ll have a sidepiece in six months tops.”
This time I did smack him upside the head.
“What the hell?” he asked rubbing his head.
“Shut your fucking mouth you fucking putz.” I glared at him.
“A round of bourbon for everyone,” Janson spoke up and handed her a couple of bills, “and buy yourself something too.”
“You got it, hon. Congratulations Grey, though I gotta say, that’s too damn bad.”
I clenched my jaw. “Maybe.”
“Lighten the fuck up, man, it’s your fucking stag party.”
“No, it’s drinks and then we go home,” I said slowly. I wasn’t fucking around.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Janson said.