Page 20 of Deception (Deranged Drifters MC #22)

Chapter Twenty

Griffin’s Beach Gracie

“ A re you sure we should be doing this now?” Gracie asks as she holds Kent’s hand outside the clubhouse. “Maybe it would be a better idea to tell them after the vote.”

Things with Kent have been beyond amazing. With him, she feels cared for and safe. So safe that she fell asleep in his arms, and when she opened them the next morning in a panic, he was right there next to her. He pulled her into his arms and whispered, with his eyes closed, that he’s still there.

She worries that putting their relationship out there will pop the little bubble they’re currently in. It’s so great right now, and bringing others in can ruin it. She hasn’t been this happy in a long while, and so much could go wrong.

“Kid, I’m pretty sure they already know. You’ve spent the night at my apartment more than once now, and they know we’ve gone on dates,” Kent says and looks down at her.

The smile he gives her makes her melt, and she can’t believe this hunk of a man is all hers. His calm attitude settles her. A little. “Okay, let’s do this.”

“And when we’re done, we’ll head back to your place before your parents get home.”

Butterflies flutter in her stomach as she imagines what he plans to do. “Nolan’s spending the night with Hailey and Gavin. We can go back to your place.”

“I want to sleep in your bed. After I make you cry out my name over and over again,” he whispers in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “With my fingers, my tongue, and my cock.”

He’s gotten a lot more seductive since she gave herself to him, and she struggles to understand exactly what it is he sees in her. Whatever it is, she feels a bit more confident in herself.

“As long as you let me return the favor,” she says with a smile before licking her lips and pinning her bottom one between her teeth in the way she quickly learned drives him wild.

“Fuck me,” he murmurs.

“Who the fuck is holding my daughter’s hand?” Ky calls as he steps outside.

Gracie jumps, but Kent just squeezes her hand. “What’s up, Ky?”

“So, this is an actual thing now?”

“Yes, sir.”

Her father narrows his eyes. “And this wasn’t a thing before Nolan, right?”

Groaning, Gracie shakes her head. “No, Dad, Kent isn’t Nolan’s father.”

“My dad around?” Kent asks.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure…” Ky stops as Melanie’s cries fill the air, and Gracie laughs when her boyfriend shivers. “I’m pretty sure he’s fucking his girlfriend on the roof of the clubhouse.”

He sighs. “Seriously? He has an apartment.”

“Yeah, and you know how adventurous Mel is. Have fun with that,” he says, slapping him on the arm before heading inside.

They walk around the side of the building, and it’s hard to hold back her laughter when Kent closes his eyes and calls out to his dad.

“Kent?” Jace answers. “I’m a little busy at the moment.”

“If I waited until the two of you weren’t busy, we’d never have a conversation,” he responds. “It’ll only take a minute.”

Melanie’s frustrated groan makes it all funnier, and Gracie presses her face against Kent’s arm to help muffle it as they remain holding hands.

“What’s up?” Jace asks, both of them coming down the ladder with most of their clothes on.

“Ky already knows, but I wanted you to hear it from us. Gracie and I are together.”

“Are you the kid’s father?” Melanie asks.

“I wish, but no.”

Jace studies them for a moment. “Your dad’s okay with this?”

Nodding, Gracie smiles and squeezes Kent’s hand. How he can be so calm confronting both of their fathers baffles her. “He is.”

“And you’re being safe, right?”

“Totally covered,” Kent assures.

There’s no embarrassment, and she’s envious. She’s ready for the ground to open up and swallow her whole because her boyfriend just confirmed to his parents that they’re having sex.

“You know what I’ve told you about dating single mothers, right?”

His arm wraps around Gracie and pulls her close as he nods. “It’s not just her that I’m with. Trust me, I helped her bring Nolan into the world, and I plan to be there for every event that comes afterwards. Someone’s gotta teach him how to throw a ball. We saw Gavin in little league.”

Hearing Kent talk about the future with Nolan makes her heart flutter. Most guys shy away from talk involving the future, especially when they haven’t turned twenty-one yet, but Kent acts like three years from now is no different from tomorrow. It’s just natural for him.

“How do you feel about that, Gracie?” Jace asks.

“I think Kent’s attachment to Nolan is part of what made me fall for him. They’re friends. Well, as much as you can be with a one-year-old.”

“He and I are buds,” Kent says with a shrug. “Plus, I think his mom is hot, so it’s an added bonus.”

She giggles and hides her face from his father. Later, she plans to tell him just how attractive she finds him.

“The one thing I would change about you, though,” Kent says and bends to kiss the top of her head, “would be getting a bit more of your dad’s height. You’re too damn short.”

They laugh and walk into the clubhouse. Jace punches his arm playfully as he leads Melanie back to his apartment, and they spot Gavin.

“Hailey’s with the kids,” her brother assures. “I came to see if I could get any update on when the vote was going to be. Dad’s been avoiding my calls.”

“Did he give you anything?” Kent asks.

Shaking his head, Gavin sighs and leans on a table. “Just that it’s tomorrow. For all three of us.”

“At least the other Prospect is behind the bar tonight. He may not be my favorite guy in the world, but he’s not the worst to come through here,” he says. “Kind of entitled, but that’s easily overcome.”

She continues to hold his hand as they walk to the bar. “Why does he seem entitled?”

The moment her eyes land on the Prospect behind the bar, she freezes. Kent continues talking without noticing, and she feels like she can’t breathe. “Because he’s dating Colt’s sister.”

“Cole,” Gavin calls out, “this is my sister. Gracie, this is Cole Walsh.”

Kent offers him a fist bump, and Gracie’s mouth goes dry. Breathe, Gracie. Breathe.

Forcing a smile, she nods to him as he smiles at her. “You know, I should call Hailey quickly to check on Nolan. Make sure she’s doing okay with both kids. Get me a soda?”

The confused looks from both Kent and her brother don’t deter her, and she hurries out the back door, resting her back against the building as she gulps in air. I can do this. I can pretend to be normal.

“Look, I don’t want any problems,” Cole says before walking out from the shadows.

She jumps and looks at him. “Any problems?”

“I couldn’t try to join when I graduated. I made a promise to my parents to give college a try, but I’d really like to be cordial, Gracie.”

Her eyes narrow as she stares, dumbfounded. “Cordial? Of all the things you could say to me, this is the best you can come up with?”

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. How about asking how your son is? He’s great, Cole. Not that you care.”

“I told you, he’s not my kid. And if anything, I should be angry at you. You were going to try to ruin my life.”

“You’re the only guy I slept with,” she says, her voice low. “And how the hell was I going to do that?”

His jaw clenches. “We both know how you got around. You practically threw yourself at me, and I was a weak man. I gave in, but I shouldn’t have. But that is not my son.”

“I didn’t say anything because I found out afterwards that you were with Klaire, but you cannot join my father’s club.”

The smirk he gives her makes her want to reach out and scratch his eyes out. “Try to stop me. I’m dating the President’s sister. I’m as good as in, Gracie. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

The doors open, and Cole disappears into the shadows. Vomit rises in her throat, and she hurries to the dumpster as her dinner reappears.

“Gracie? Are you okay?” Kent asks, quickly at her side.

“No,” she whispers. “I’m far from okay.”

His worried gaze breaks her, and she bursts into tears. She moves to sit on the picnic table, and he rubs her back. “Are you sick? Is it dinner? Do you want to go home?”

Far, far away from here is where she’d like to be. “Yeah, actually. I know you wanted to hang out here tonight—”

“We have years to do that. Are you okay to ride, or do you want me to borrow one of the pickups?”

“I think the air will be good,” she says and walks towards his bike.

I have to tell him, but how? It was the one thing when the embarrassment of being led on and fucked by someone who left me and Nolan was a faceless man. It’s different admitting who he is. How can he join my family’s club?

They arrive at her house, and Gracie still hasn’t figured out how to tell him. Kent walks her to the door, and she can’t look up into his eyes. His concern is too much right now.

“Gracie, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

“Can we just… Can we go inside and lie down?”

“Sure,” Kent says, holding the door open for her.

She walks into her room, and she strips down to only her tank top and panties before crawling into bed.

Kent doesn’t hesitate, and he climbs in wearing only his boxers.

There’s no excitement as he presses against her, holding her tightly in his arms, while they lay together, but she appreciates the comfort.

“I have to tell you something,” she says, her voice shaking.

“What’s going on, kid?”

“Promise you won’t say anything to anyone.”

“Cross my heart.”

Swallowing, she fights the tears. “I don’t know what to do, Kent.”

“About what?”

Here goes nothing. “Cole can’t patch into the club.”

“You don’t like him, either?”

“No, I actually really hate him. And you will, too.”

“Why?”

“He’s Nolan’s father.”

His body stiffens, and she can’t look at his face. A part deep in her gut worries he’ll get up and walk right out because it’s terrible. Even though it would kill her, she couldn’t blame him.

“Cole’s the guy who talked you into giving him your virginity and refused to acknowledge it or Nolan?”

“Yeah. He was outside right before you came out, and I told him he couldn’t join the club. He told me I can’t stop him, and I can’t.”

“Sure you can. Tell your dad, and we’ll get to beat his ass.”

The tears fall as she shakes her head. “You don’t understand. If I tell anyone, Klaire finds out. I didn’t know they were together when things happened, and I can’t hurt her.”

He holds her even tighter, and she breaks down. Rather than leave out of disgust, he offers her silent comfort. It won’t fix the situation, but at least she’s not alone anymore. Kent Conway is the only other person who knows who Nolan’s father is.