Before Us (The Next Generation Book 3)

by J. M. Walker

  “Right.” Price rolled his eyes. “And your father isn’t Greyson Mercer. Oh and the rest of the club you’re in isn’t tailing this place or just … hanging out.” He used air quotes for that last part.

  My jaw clenched but I kept my face impassive. There would be no way I would let this bastard know anything about my life. He only knew what he was told which was exactly what we had wanted.

  “Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I moved to stand when his next words stopped me.

  “I suggest leaving this town before things get really ugly. You wouldn’t want your little girlfriend and her friends to get hurt, would you?”

  “Is that a threat?” I growled. Bodies shifted around us, my men finally coming out in the open. Although my father was the president, I was the VP and he left me in charge when needed. He was also on the verge of retiring and making me president instead, so this was a test. And it was a test that I would win no matter who I had to kill in the process. I didn’t give a shit if the bastard sitting across from me was the mayor of this fucked up town. We would get the proof we needed to bring him, his son, and whoever else was involved down. We may have done some shady shit in the past, but we would never harm children or animals. And if we found out one of our club brothers was abusive to their partner, we made them disappear.

  “No.” Price rubbed the smattering of scruff on his jaw. “It’s a promise. Make sure you leave quietly too.”

  I sat back in my chair just as the waitress returned with his drink.

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” He grabbed her arm before she could pull away. “How about you come visit me in about ten minutes. I would like to order more drinks and maybe some of your services.”

  “I’m not a whore,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “You work here. You’re a whore. Now leave us.” He released her roughly before turning back to me.

  She shot me a look, almost pleading for me to help her.

  I would, but not yet. The piece of trash sitting across from me would get his. I guaranteed it.

  “To answer your question, Jaron.” The mayor sat forward. “Your club, as you call it, is fucking things up for me. I’m running for office again, as you know, so I need to keep this town clean. You guys being here is not helping.”

  I bit back a scoff. We weren’t the problem.

  “We’re not doing anything. I also have family here. There’s no law that says we have to leave.” I sat back in the chair, crossing my arms under my chest.

  “No.” Price rubbed his jaw. “But I need to make it look good, and besides your family and friends, there’s nothing here for you.”

  My family and friends were all I needed to make an appearance in this shithole town. I didn’t need any other reason to visit.

  “So, I suggest leaving. And soon too because I will know if you don’t.” Price took a long swig of his beer.

  “You going to have Brody watching?”

  “I thought you didn’t know who my son is?” Price waved a hand in front of him. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. Yes, Brody will be watching and report back to me. You’re not stupid. You’d know that even before I told you.”

  My jaw clenched. I hated being told what to do. It pissed me off to the extreme. I got that trait from my father. He wasn’t known as a hothead for no reason.

  Bodies shifted around us, waiting for their instructions.

  “So, what will it be, Jaron?” Price raised an eyebrow. “You going to be a good boy and listen to me for once?”

  I stood, resting my knuckles on the tabletop, and peered into Price’s eyes. “You’re lucky you’re the mayor of this shitty town.”

  “Yeah?” His brows narrowed. “Or else what?”

  I sneered. “You’ve heard the stories about my father. I’m worse. So much fucking worse than him. Believe it or not, Mr. Mayor.” I moved behind him, his men shifting and watching to make sure I wouldn’t do anything stupid. I leaned down, fixing the collar of his shirt. “You won’t always have your men with you.”

  I left the club with my men following right behind me. I needed air. My hands clenched into fists.

  “Hey.” Cyrus came toward me with his twin brother hot on his heels. He lit up a smoke and handed it to his brother before lighting another one for himself. “What did the mayor say?”

  Needing to get out of earshot, in case anyone happened to be listening in, I headed to my bike that sat at the outer edge of the parking lot. Turning to the twins, I nodded to the other guys that had joined me during my meeting with the mayor. “You can leave,” I told them. They revved their engines and left me alone with the twins, knowing I was safe and well protected. I was the president’s son and all.

  “He wants us out of town,” I told the twins.

  “Are you going to leave?” Sammy asked.

  I grunted. “Fuck no. He can’t do shit all. Doesn’t matter that he’s the mayor.”

  “Did you find out anything else?” Cyrus asked, puffing on his smoke.

  “No.” I glanced back at the club. “But I would bet on my fucking life that most of those girls are underage. I think the club is a front.”

  Sammy cursed. “I don’t understand these fuckers who get off on little girls.”

  “Neither do I, but we also have no proof.” And it pissed me off.

  “You should lay low for a few days,” Cyrus suggested. “Aren’t your friends throwing a party next week?”

  “Probably. Gigi always throws parties.” Just like my father. It was distracting in a way. So I got it.

  “Alright.” Cyrus butted out his smoke on the bottom of his boot. “So lay low. We’ll see if we can find out some more info.”

  “Yes,” Sammy added. “And we’ll report back to you.”

  I nodded. “Fine.”

  “Maybe you can go meet up with that hot little thing you were drooling over a week ago.” Sammy waggled his eyebrows.

  I smacked him across the head. “Leave her out of this.”

  “I’m just joking, fucker.” He rubbed the spot I hit, his dark eyes flashing with amusement.

  “Does she need protecting?” Cyrus asked, ignoring his brother’s playfulness.

  “If Brody, the mayor’s son, is friends with them like I’m assuming he is, yes. They all do.” I didn’t like that I couldn’t protect Piper myself but that would come in time. Cyrus was right; I had to lay low. And even though that would be hard for me to do, I would hole up in our motel room. For now.

  ***

  (Piper)

  It was finally Saturday night. Gigi was throwing a party and I was on a mission to get Jaron out of my head. Even though it had been only a week since the bar incident, it had felt like forever since I had seen him.

  I found out that he hadn’t left town like he said he would. I only knew that thanks to my friends keeping tabs on him. But I also knew that if he didn’t want me to know he was still around, I wouldn’t. We didn’t grow up in the biker world like he had. Although our moms were part of a club, they kept us out of it and us girls had no interest in being part of that life anyway.

  Unlike Jaron who was every bit a biker as his father was and the rest of the guys in his club.

  My body hummed, remembering the scent of his leather cut. My fingers tingled, itching to touch him. Just once, I would love to spend the night with him where it was gentle. Not that I complained when he took full control and used me good and hard, but I wanted to know what it felt like to make love to him. Love. I bit back a scoff. Please.

  Letting out a sigh, I scanned the items in front of me. I wasn’t even sure why I was at the store. Oh, right. Ice. And anything else I could think of for Gigi’s party.

  My thoughts traveled back to Jaron. I didn’t know what business he had in town, but he became broody. Everywhere I went, I could feel him watching me. I didn’t know why or how. Maybe I was losing my mind. How could I let a guy affect me this way? My parents taught me better. My mom especially.

  �
�Piper.”

  I jumped, spinning around, and found Aiden and Ashton Donovan coming toward me. Great. Just what I needed. Two more men to give me a hard time.

  “How’s it going?” Aiden asked, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His piercing blue eyes bore into mine. He was the quiet one. Compassionate and kind. While Ashton was the jokester and partier, Aiden liked to keep to himself. But it still didn’t stop either of them from touching me whenever they felt like it.

  I shivered, taking a step back. “It’s going fine.”

  Aiden frowned, his gaze slicing through me. I had called off our fling, but it didn’t mean the twins never tried to get me back in bed.

  “I leave on Monday.” Aiden nodded at his brother. “Ashton will take care of you while—”

  “No,” I snapped. “I mean … I’m going to miss you.” I took a breath.

  His eyes softened.

  “Of course I’m going to miss you but this—“ I waved a hand between us “—I told you it was over.”

  “I know.” Aiden glanced at his brother. “He’s still going to watch you.”

  “You can’t stop me,” Ashton added.

  Ignoring him, I headed back down the aisle. Aiden was being shipped out on his first leave after joining the Navy like our fathers. I would miss him. It would be hard not to but a part of me was thankful he wouldn’t be in town to press me for more. They wanted what I couldn’t give them. I never led them on, and I told them exactly what I wanted in the beginning, but it never stopped them from flirting.

  I continued walking down the aisle, forgetting why I had come to the grocery store in the first place. Ice. Right. God, get it together, Piper.

  “Why are you walking away from this?” Ashton asked, following me.

  “You know why. I told you guys that I’m done.” I felt guilty enough for fucking Jaron in Paris while I was still sleeping with the twins. Even though we never made anything official, it still wasn’t right of me.

  “Whether you like it or not, I’ll be around, Piper.” Ashton grabbed a case of beer from the bottom shelf. “We’ll see you at the party.” He leaned down to my ear. “You’ll beg for more. They always do.” He kissed my cheek and headed to the cash register.

  Aiden followed his brother but not before he gave me a look.

  I swallowed hard, turning away. As much as I didn’t like to admit it, Ashton was right. I had begged for more but that was before Jaron showed up in Paris. That was before I followed him back to his hotel room and spent the night in his bed. That was before I gave my heart to a guy who wanted nothing more than sex. It wasn’t Jaron’s fault. He never led me on. It was just my heart getting in the way of me actually enjoying myself for once.

  Did the twins know I had slept with someone else? I never gave them a reason when I ended things. I just said I was finished. It wasn’t good enough for them, but I refused to give them more. I cared for them deeply and didn’t want to hurt them in any way but when they started judging because they were pissed, my sympathy simmered.

  Letting out a hard sigh, I grabbed a shopping cart and filled it with bags of ice before I forgot again. Once I paid, I headed to my car only to find Jaron leaning against it.

  I stopped in my tracks, the tiny hairs on my body tingling under his intense scrutiny.

  He crooked his finger, indicating for me to go to him and, like a good little girl, I did.

  Jaron smirked.

  If I wasn’t carrying the bags of ice, I would have smacked that smirk right off of his handsome face.

  Without saying anything, he came toward me and grabbed the bags from my hands.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked him, unlocking the trunk to my car.

  “I told you I wanted to see you again.” He placed the bags in the back and closed the trunk.

  I looked around us.

  “Don’t worry. The twins are gone.” Jaron took the keys from my hand and opened the passenger side door.

  “What are you doing?” I didn’t know what his intentions were. Just sex?

  “I’m holding the door open for you.” His brows narrowed. “I’m being a gentleman. Don’t make me regret it.”

  I swallowed hard at the threat in his voice. “Fine. I was just asking a question.” I slid into the vehicle. “You don’t have to be a dick.”

  He chuckled, shutting me into the car.

  Letting out a hard sigh, I wiped my sweaty hands down my thighs.

  Once Jaron was seated beside me, he laughed.

  “What?” I frowned.

  “It’s funny.” He shook his head, his gaze sliding to mine. “I’ve never had a woman question me when I tell them I want to see them again.”

  “Have you ever seen the same woman more than once? Aren’t you a fuck ’em and leave ’em kind of guy?” I crossed my arms under my chest, lifting my chin. “Or is my pussy just that good?”

  The smile fell from his face. In a quick move, he grabbed my right arm and pulled me against him.

  “Sass me again, Piper.” His grip on my arm tightened.

  “Let go of me.” I struggled against him, but he only spun me around so I was facing the back seat of the car.

  “Do it,” he growled, lifting my dress to my waist.

  “Fuck you,” I bit out through clenched teeth.

  His hand landed against my ass.

  I yelped, the burn from his palm spreading over me.

  “Do it,” he repeated, his mouth brushing over my ear. “Sass me.”

  My body heated at the mere intensity of lust in his gray eyes. “Fuck. You.”

  His lips twitched, his palm connecting with my rear once again. “Again.”

  “Fuck,” I panted. “You.”

  Swat. Swat. Swat.

  An unexpected moan escaped me. I was shocked at myself, never knowing I liked any amount of pain. The twins were dominant but nothing like Jaron.

  “Again.” Jaron’s hot breath fanned the side of my face.

  “Fuck you,” I whispered.

  Swat.

  Spots danced in my vision, a soft gasp escaping me.

  “Hmm …” Jaron rubbed his hand over my ass cheek. “I can’t wait for the day I get to play with that little masochist inside of you.” He kissed my temple. “Now tell me you don’t want me again.” He released my arm. “Tell me that this pussy isn’t soaked right now. Tell me you’re not aching to be filled by my cock.”

  My core clenched, my thoughts racing over what just happened.

  “Say it, Piper,” Jaron demanded, his voice rough.

  “Take me home.” I sat back on the seat, my ass sensitive from the many times he spanked me, but it only seemed to heighten the desire I had for him.

  His steel eyes moved over my face. “You’re a fucking challenge, baby.” He sat back, put the car into gear, and drove us through my small town.

  Should I have been ashamed over what happened? Maybe if it were with anyone else I would have been, but with Jaron it was almost like I expected it.

  Once we pulled onto my street, cars lined one side. When Gigi threw a party, she invited half the town, which usually ended up stressing out our fathers but, thankfully, they stopped randomly dropping by.

  When we reached the house I lived in with Gigi, Meadow, and Luna, we ended up driving by it instead.

  My head whipped around. “What are you doing?”

  “Driving.” Jaron pulled his cell out of the inside of his jacket.

  “Why aren’t you taking me home?” What the hell was going on?

  “We have a problem,” he said to whoever was on the other end of the phone. “Yes. I’m with her. Yup. Thanks, man.” He hung up and put his cell away.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, my heart racing. “Jaron.” I punched his arm when he didn’t answer. “Tell me.”

  “There’s someone at your house who shouldn’t be.”

  “That doesn’t tell me anything. Who were you on the phone with? How did they know that you’re with me?” I let o
ut a frustrated cry when he didn’t respond. “Jaron. Please.”

  He grabbed my hand, bringing it up to his mouth. “Do you trust me?” He kissed my fingertips.

  “I …” My heart jumped. “I don’t know.”

  “Why?” he asked, pushing his thumb into the palm of my hand.

  “B-because you’re dangerous for my health.” If we weren’t in a moving vehicle, I would have climbed him right there. Screw my health.

  He winked, releasing my hand. “Are you friends with the mayor’s son?”

  “Brody? Yeah.” I frowned. “Why?”

  “Can you trust him?” Jaron cupped my inner thigh, but he didn’t hint for more.

  I blew out a slow breath, thankful for that. “We trust him. We’ve known him for years. You would know that if you actually came around once in a while.”

  “Careful, Piper.” He released my inner thigh. “I’ll spank that ass again until my handprint is permanently embedded on your fucking skin.”

  I shivered at the thought.

  He chuckled, leaning against the door, and rubbed the beard on his strong jaw.

  “You’re an asshole,” I muttered.

  “I am but you keep coming back for more.” Clearing his throat, he glanced my way. “Listen, Brody isn’t a good guy. You can’t trust him. And as much as it pisses me off, I can’t be seen by him either.”

  I frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because we’re not supposed to be in town. According to his father, anyway.”

  “How come?” I turned toward him, leaning against the door. “Were you a bad boy?”

  “Not overly, but I did fuck Brody’s fiancée, and apparently he didn’t like that too much.” Jaron shrugged like it was no big deal.

  “That was you?” I exclaimed. “He came over that night and got shit-faced with the twins, complaining about some asshole his fiancée had sex with. But he never mentioned your name.”

  “His girl did.” Jaron grinned. “Over and over again.”

  “When was this?” I tried doing the math in my head.

  “That was before Paris.” He cupped my center. “Don’t worry. Nothing beats this pussy, and I haven’t been with anyone since.”