Before Us (The Next Generation Book 3)

by J. M. Walker

Brogan took that moment to sit beside him. “We’ve played.” She laughed. “Those were the days.”

  Jaron chuckled, sitting at the table across from them. The remaining seat was beside him. He pulled it out and patted the seat.

  Making nice, I sat beside him and regretted it the moment his big hand skirted beneath my dress. I grabbed his hand, stopping it from going any higher.

  “Brody has been sniffing around my gir … friends,” Jaron explained, loosening his hold on my thigh.

  My heart jumped. Was he going to say what I thought he was going to say?

  “The mayor can’t stop us from coming to town,” he continued. “But he can make our lives difficult. I met with him recently. I was supposed to bring back info to my dad, but I didn’t get anything. Just a threat. But…” Jaron winked at me. “Clearly that threat didn’t do much.”

  “No kidding.” Brogan laughed. “You’re worse than your father. You get told to do something and you do the complete opposite.”

  Jaron shrugged. “It’s in my blood.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me.” Coby rubbed the graying scruff on his strong jaw. “I would do the same thing. But we haven’t heard anything. The girls have been focused on The Dove Project.” He looked down at his wife. “Have you heard anything, little one?”

  “No.” Brogan sat back in her chair, crossing her arms under her chest. “You need to be careful though. Brody’s a good kid. Do I trust him? No. But I can’t see him hurting your …” She winked at me. “Friends.”

  My cheeks burned. Looking down at my lap, I pulled my dress up to my thighs so I could see Jaron’s hand. Was it always like this with him? Would it always be like this? Intense and powerful. All-consuming. I wondered if he could ever be gentle.

  As if he could hear my thoughts, he gave my thigh a sharp pinch.

  My gaze shot to his.

  “I asked you a question,” he said, his voice laced with annoyance.

  “What?” I snapped.

  “Has Brody ever said anything?” Jaron demanded. “Anything at all.”

  “No. Why would he? That’s all his dad. He’s said he wants nothing to do with politics.” Speaking of, Gigi was probably wondering where the hell I was. “He’s at the party tonight. Drive me there and I can listen, to see if he says something or not.”

  “I don’t fucking think so.” Jaron turned back around.

  “She has a point,” Brogan said gently. “Brody won’t hurt them. I don’t think he has a mean bone in his body.”

  “Those are the ones you have to watch out for,” Jaron muttered. “Do you trust him?” he asked me.

  “I …” I paused. I never really thought about it before but now that I did, Brody was kind of odd. “He’s awkward.” I sat back, crossing my ankle over my knee which made Jaron think he had the invitation to cup my pussy. I waited, thinking he was going to do some taboo shit and finger me in front of his aunt and uncle, but when he didn’t, it confused me even more. It was almost like he was letting me know that he owned me in a way. “I can’t explain it. Brody gets along with all of us. Maybe he gets along with everyone too well.”

  “Interesting.” Coby stood from the table. “I’ll call Lucas,” he told his wife, brushing a hand down her cheek. “Meet me in my office when you’re done.” He glanced our way. “It was good seeing you two. I’ll get this shit underway. Any new information, let me know.”

  Jaron nodded. “I will.”

  ***

  (Jaron)

  I liked her. Fuck, did I ever like her. Piper was everything that I wasn’t. She pushed and pulled and took everything I had to give her and more. She made me feel good about myself when I felt worthless half the time. It never made sense when I had a good upbringing. I wasn’t abused and all that shit. But I had always felt … off. Like I didn’t deserve happiness.

  Cyrus and Sammy lost both of their parents at a young age. I almost felt guilty for being happy. It stopped me from embracing anything more than just sex with Piper. It didn’t make sense. Not one fucking bit.

  Piper and I walked back to her car after leaving my aunt and uncle’s place. Knowing I would get the information I was looking for and rather quickly, I wasn’t surprised when my phone started vibrating in my pocket.

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  “You’re just like your father.” Uncle Coby chuckled. “Anyway, my contact couldn’t find anything on Price.”

  “You were able to get information this fast?” Even though I knew he could get information quickly, I still wasn’t expecting it so soon.

  “I did. My contact is good. Retired, of course. Has to keep his nose clean and shit now that he has a family of his own. Anyway, the mayor is fucking clean. Which doesn’t surprise me at all. And Brody’s record looks almost too clean.”

  I stopped.

  Piper glanced over her shoulder, frowning. She came toward me.

  “What do you mean?” I asked my uncle.

  “He volunteers, helps others, blah blah fucking blah.” He grunted. “If anything, it’s like he’s hiding something. I’ve been around long enough to know when something seems too good to be true.”

  “Could he not just be a good person?” It was unlikely, but I had to ask anyway.

  “Not when his father is the way he is. The apple doesn’t usually fall far from the tree and shit.”

  “Did you know Brody volunteers?” I asked Piper.

  “He does?” Piper’s brows narrowed. “I’ve never heard him mention anything about volunteering. He usually complains when his dad tries to get him to do stuff like that and he ends up making an excuse to get out of it.”

  “Did you hear her?” I asked my uncle.

  “Yeah. Listen, Jaron, be careful. I know you’re like your father and hate being told what to do but if the mayor told you to get out of town, you probably should.”

  “No.” I gripped my phone tightly in my hand. “I get what you’re saying but something is off, and I refuse to drive away until I know for sure that Piper and our friends are safe from this shit. Price and Brody are both hiding something. I will find out what it is.”

  “Alright. That I can’t argue with. But please be careful.”

  “I will.” I said goodbye to Uncle Coby and stuffed my cell back into the pocket of my cut.

  “What’s going on?” Piper asked.

  “I’ll drive you to Gigi’s party.” I cupped her cheek.

  She covered my hand, leaning into my palm.

  My heart stuttered. If I didn’t have to find out what the hell was going on, I would take her back to my motel with me. I would spend the night savoring every inch of her. But that wouldn’t happen. And a part of me wondered if it would ever happen again.

  Piper

  ONCE WE LEFT Brogan and Coby’s place, my nerves were shot. I didn’t know what the hell was up with Jaron, but I found that I wanted to know more about him. What made him tick. What quirks did he have? Did he leave the cap off the toothpaste? Or did he leave the lights on? My heart picked up speed. I shouldn’t want to know these things because I knew while he could be gentle at one moment, he could also be a domineering dick a second later. But why the hell was I so attracted to him?

  “What are you thinking about?” Jaron asked, putting the car into park a few houses down from mine.

  “Are you like this with all the women you have sex with? Your crudeness and vulgar words?” I took a chance and glanced at him.

  “I’m a guy.” He shrugged. “We’re always crude.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “Not like you.”

  “Are you complaining?” he asked, his voice lowering.

  “I have no idea anymore.” I opened the door and went to leave the vehicle when his next words stopped me.

  “I like you, Piper. Don’t ruin that by asking questions you’re not ready to get the answers to.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Piper,” he said gently.

  “What are we doing, Jaron?” I asked, closing the door and turn
ing to him. “I know you said you don’t want a relationship. Hell, neither do I but I need to know.”

  “What do you need to know?” he asked, grabbing my hand. “You need to know that I’ve thought about you every damn second since Paris? You need to know that I would fight two of my good friends for you? You need to know that no matter what you’re wanting, I’m not good enough for you? Add to the fact that both of us keep saying that we’re not ready for a relationship but …”

  “But we’re only sleeping with each other,” I added.

  He nodded.

  “How do you know that you’re not good enough for me?” I asked, letting him pull me closer.

  “I …” He leaned his forehead against mine, sliding his hand to the back of my neck. “I just know that I’m not.”

  “You can’t know that,” I whispered.

  “I do, Piper.” He pulled away.

  “No.” I gripped his leather cut, pulling him against me. “You can’t know that at all.” Before he could protest again, I kissed him.

  His stiff body relaxed under my touch. “You calm me,” he said against my mouth.

  “You drive me insane,” I threw back at him.

  He chuckled, placing a soft peck on my lips. “I don’t know what it is about you, Piper.”

  “I can say the same for you,” I told him, brushing my fingers through his dark hair. “How are you getting home?” I would have to move my car later on once the other cars filed out from the party.

  “Don’t worry about me.” He kissed my forehead. “I have someone who will pick me up.”

  “Are you going to come to the party?” Please say yes.

  “I shouldn’t but that’s never stopped me before.” Jaron winked.

  I smiled softly, pulling away from him.

  His dark gray eyes met mine. They were warm and inviting, contradicting everything that made up Jaron Mercer.

  Everything in me screamed for him to continue driving. To have him spend the night with me or take me away from there, but he was right. I wasn’t sure anymore if I was ready for a relationship. We were both young. Still finding ourselves and all that shit. So I did the only thing I knew how. I left the vehicle and walked away.

  ***

  (Jaron)

  Piper asked too many questions that I didn’t know how to answer. At first, I wasn’t ready for a relationship. But now, I wasn’t so sure. Although she had been the only woman I ever fucked more than once, other men were involved. Men who were supposed to be my friends. But it wasn’t their fault. It was mine.

  A car drove past me, slowed down, and reversed. The passenger side window rolled down, revealing the very twins I was thinking about.

  “Hey,” I muttered, sticking my hands in my jeans pockets.

  “Hey.” Ashton nodded his head. “You’re not coming to Gigi’s party?”

  “Not sure yet.” I had to make a few calls and clear my head, so I started walking away from Piper’s house. Brody being there wouldn’t stop me from showing up.

  “I’m sure Piper would want you to join us,” Ashton said.

  Aiden smacked him.

  “What are you getting at?” I bit out, taking a step toward them.

  “Nothing really.” Ashton shrugged. “But we do know that you’ve been sleeping with our girl.”

  “Fuck,” Aiden growled, parking the car. He got out of the vehicle and came around to the passenger side. “Ignore my brother. He’s an ass. And she’s not our girl,” he corrected Ashton.

  Ashton grunted. “Whatever.”

  “What do you want?” I crossed my arms under my chest, ignoring their banter. “I feel like your brother is wanting to start a fight. Although there’s two of you, you both know I could kick your asses with my hands tied behind my back.” I proved it once. Ashton ended up with a broken nose and Aiden’s shoulder had been dislocated. That was over who was the strongest. But this was over a woman. A broken nose and a dislocated shoulder would be the least of their problems.

  “We don’t want to start any shit,” Aiden told me, leaning against the side of his black muscle car. The beast was a beauty, and it reminded me of my Aunt Zillah’s car.

  “Then what do you want?” I checked my wrist. “I’m late.”

  “For what? You’re not even wearing a watch, fucker,” Ashton threw at me.

  “Come out here and say that shit to my face if you have a problem, asshole.” I was sick of this. We were friends after having grown up together. Even though I lived a few hours away, my parents brought me to this town every summer for as long as I could remember. But right now, Ashton was starting to piss me off.

  “No.” Aiden pushed off the side of the car. “Listen. Whatever is going on between you and Piper, it needs to end. She deserves better.”

  “What?” I laughed. “Like both of you?”

  Aiden’s jaw clenched. “We just want her happy and we want what’s best for her.”

  “Right.” I scoffed. “Both of you are only worried about competition.”

  “Jaron,” Aiden said gently.

  “I am not having this conversation with you.” I didn’t kiss and tell. Paris was Piper’s and my little secret. Everything we did was between us only. Even though I kept pushing her away, I was man enough to admit that I had feelings for her. Hell, who wouldn’t? And clearly, I was standing across from two men who felt the same way.

  “Fuck it, let’s just get out of here and go to the party,” Ashton said.

  “So are we going to throw away years of friendship over some chick?” Aiden asked.

  “Aiden, we all know that Piper isn’t just some chick.” And with that, I walked away. They loved her. Or Aiden sure as hell did. I hadn’t want to ruin our friendship, but I couldn’t control myself around Piper either. I needed her like I needed my next breath, but I was too much of a pussy to admit that. I wasn’t ready to settle down. Was I?

  Fuck.

  Piper

  HEADING INTO THE party, I realized then that I forgot the bags of ice. They were probably melted by now anyway.

  “Hey, Piper.” Gigi stopped when she saw my empty hands. “Where’s the ice?”

  “I … uh …”

  She waved a hand in front of her. “No worries. We have lots. I just wanted some extra in case we ran out.” She pulled me in for a quick hug. “You okay?”

  I squeezed her. “I am.” I needed a drink.

  “Good. There’s a bottle of wine for you in the fridge. It’s your favorite.”

  “You’re the best.”

  She fluffed her dark hair. “I know.”

  I laughed.

  Grabbing the bottle of wine from the fridge, I poured myself a glass and brought the bottle with me out into the backyard. My name was called. I waved. Most of these people I had gone to school with. Being in a small town, we all grew up together, but I would never consider them friends. The only people I had been close to, were the ones I was raised with.

  Finding a large group of people standing outside, I made my way to the patio set. Sitting on one of the couches, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I looked around me just as the twins came closer.

  Ashton and Aiden sat on either side of me.

  “How’s it going, Piper?” Ashton asked, placing his arm on the back of the couch behind me.

  “Fine.” I was too tired to tell them to leave me alone. Thankfully, they didn’t hint for more or take it further.

  “We ran into Jaron,” Aiden told me, placing his ankle on his opposite knee.

  “Oh?” My heart jumped. “What did he want?”

  “Oh, you know. The usual.” Ashton shrugged. “To chitchat.”

  I scoffed. “Jaron doesn’t chitchat. What did you guys talk about?”

  “You, Piper.” Ashton ran his finger up the side of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

  I took a large gulp from my glass of wine and stood from the couch. “I don’t know what you guys want but you need to stop this.”

  “You k
now what we want.” Ashton looked at his brother before meeting my gaze. “You. Just you.”

  “What we did was a mistake,” I murmured, slumping onto a chair, putting some distance between me and the twins. “I never meant to lead you on.” Guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. At all. I just wanted Jaron. That was it. Even before Paris, I knew something was off with what I was doing with Ashton and Aiden. My heart had never been in it. It was fun. But that was it.

  “It was a mistake that we kept doing over and over again,” Ashton reminded me.

  My cheeks burned. I glanced down at the cup in my hand, running my finger over the rim. It was fun with the twins. We agreed in the beginning that it was just sex but now they wanted more. I had nothing against people who wanted to be in relationships with more than one person, and maybe it would have been my thing if Jaron wasn’t in the picture. But since he was, I wanted to be just friends with the twins. But I knew that would never happen. They were safe, where Jaron wasn’t. But he was who I wanted. I was addicted to the unknown. He was exciting and dangerous. It was what I needed.

  “I can’t wait for the day I get to play with that little masochist inside of you.”

  My body heated at the mere idea of what Jaron suggested. I wasn’t sure how we would explore that side of me, but I hoped that he was right. I wanted to play. I wanted to explore. And I wanted to embrace the dark side of sex.

  “You’re thinking about him.”

  My eyes popped to Ashton’s. “Did I ever tell you I wanted a relationship?”

  He frowned.

  “Did I ever hint for more? No. We got drunk. I had a shitty day at work after getting groped by dirty old men and you two made me feel better. I can’t deal with this right now.” I grabbed the bottle of wine and poured myself another glass. “Can we please talk about something else?”

  “Fine.” Aiden passed a glance at Ashton. “How’s Jaron?”

  I huffed, my cheeks burning.

  Ashton chuckled.

  “You guys are assholes,” I mumbled, rising from the couch. As soon as I turned, I bumped right into … My eyes widened. “Jaron.”