Page 85 of How Not to Date a Griffin

The other office grabbed George’s wrist, and yanked it behind his back, before grabbing the other one. The metal clink of the handcuffs locking seemed deafening.

“What are you doing? Stop this right now! Do you know who I am?”

The officers ignored his sputtering, and the room’s scandalized murmurs grew in volume as he was led away.

Nolan tried to calm his nerves, turned his back on the curious throng of people. Reid clasped his shaking hand gently between his own for support. Before Reid could even get a word out, Nolan surged forward, pressing their lips together.

Reid was shocked into stillness for a split second before he wrapped his arms around Nolan, and Nolan’s stomach swooped, similar to the moment when he first took flight with Reid.

When they parted for breath, Reid’s voice was filled with disbelief. “I can’t believe you just did that. That was fucking awesome.”

“Me! You stopped—with your tail! And the cops. I—I don’t even know what to say,” Nolan stumbled over his words. “Holy shit.” He pressed a hand to his chest, heart still thumping. “Oh, god.”

“Hey, hey, just breathe. It’s over. You did it.”

It’s over.

Just like this week. Just like his father’s business.

But it was just the beginning of a legal battle, and he knew his father would come well-armed.

Reid had the proof, and it didn’t lie. But Nolan had a sinking feeling he wouldn’t be able to come out of all this unscathed.

His fear didn’t excuse him from taking ownership of the part he’d played in ruining those people’s lives, the ones whose businesses and livelihoods were plastered across the screen.

The best week of his life might be over, but he could guarantee the worst months of his life were about to follow.

“It’s just beginning, Reid,” Nolan responded.

Reid

Nolan’s hotel room was cold, the air cranked up to relieve them from the heat of the walk back.

Despite the chill, Reid tracked a bead of sweat trailing down his spine as he sat on the bed, staring across the room at the man who occupied it.

Nolan was packing, pulling each shirt from the closet and meticulously folding them before placing them in his suitcase. One by one. Even his boxers were manipulated into a tiny square before they went in their spot.

Reid curved his fingers over the edge of the bed, willing Nolan to look at him, to calm his hectic thoughts by saying… anything.

Anything was better than the oppressive silence that lingered.

Nolan was readying for his flight back across the country to his home. To a legal battle that would go on for who knew how long.

And then…?

Reid didn’t know whether to give into the rising panic in his chest, brought on by the idea of never seeing Nolan again. He was too scared to ask, unsure if he even had a right to.

What would he do if Nolan’s answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear? Beg him to come back?

The man had just seen his father arrested, effectively killing the family business. The last thing he needed to worry about was some guy in a city hundreds of miles away.

But Nolan had to be thinking the same thing, right? This whole week couldn’t have been for nothing.

But Reid also couldn’t let himself forget his role in all of this. Betraying Nolan, even if it had all worked out in the end.

He got to keep his restaurant.

Reid let his gaze land a little heavier on Nolan’s frame as he paced from the closet to his suitcase on the dresser and back again, a different item of clothing in his hands each time. He was methodical in his movements, precise and coordinated.