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I was alive.
That much was clear anyway.
But my body hurt like a bitch. Time was lost on me, so I didn’t know when it was or even what day it was. I tried thinking back to the moment at the motel with Price. He was shady as fuck, popping off one of his own guys before shooting me, just to make a point. Truth was, he didn’t scare me. No. Instead, I had been terrified for my daughter. I didn’t want to call out Price on his bluff over the shit he had said about training her. Add to the fact that he had wanted Piper, something inside of me snapped and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital.
My parents had visited briefly once they found out I was awake. My mom cried. My dad choked back his own emotions. It was hard but warranted.
“How did you and Brynn end up in that motel room?” my dad asked me.
“Price’s men put us in that room. I must have passed out, but I woke up for just a second and saw them standing over me.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to ward off an incoming headache. “Price came into the room after them and shot one of the guys. I don’t know why he did it. With him, it was probably for no reason at all.”
My mom looked up at my dad. “Greyson, stop.”
Dad wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. But even though he had his wife close, I could still see the rage trembling through him. I saw it and felt it.
Nothing else was said about what happened. Instead, Brynlee was brought to me.
“Dada,” she cried out.
I hugged her close, kissing her little nose. She was beautiful. Just like her mama.
“Where’s Piper?” I asked my parents.
“She went to get some food with Cyrus and Sammy. She hasn’t eaten much while you’ve been here,” Mom said softly.
I must have passed out again because when I woke next, Piper was curled up in a nearby chair and too damn far away.
Everyone who visited was as quiet as they could be so Piper could sleep. The rest of the crew would come see me later, but my dad had said they were all there, waiting.
“Piper,” I croaked, my voice hoarse. I had been through a lot. Beaten within an inch of my life. Bitten by that fucker in jail. Shot. But waking up to that tube down my throat, would be something I would never forget.
Reaching for the Styrofoam cup, I took a sip of water and cleared my throat. “Piper.”
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. They landed on me, sending every nerve ending in my body on high alert.
“Come here,” I demanded, a little too rough.
When she didn’t listen, my blood boiled through me. She sat there, staring at me.
“Piper,” I barked. “Get your ass over here and into my arms.”
She rose from the chair but still stood too far away. “I considered leaving you,” she finally said.
“I would have left my ass long ago,” I told her. “But you didn’t because you are a good fucking woman. Now come here.”
“I was going to take Brynlee and leave.” She looked down at the floor, wringing her hands in front of her. “But I didn’t because I love you too much.”
“Piper, please.” My voice cracked and I didn’t fucking like it. Her words hurt. I got it. I understood. But it didn’t make it any easier to hear her say it.
“This was before you came home.” She met my gaze then. “I never told you because once I had you back, everything seemed right. It was perfect. We struggled and I’m sure we’ll continue to struggle but I wouldn’t want to struggle with anyone else.”
“Piper,” I whispered.
She closed the distance between us and threw herself around me. Finally.
I latched on to her, pulling at her clothes, trying to get her closer but no matter how close we were, it would never be enough. I hadn’t been gone for long, but it was long enough.
Piper’s body trembled against me, her shoulders shaking with her soft cries.
Fisting her hair, I captured her mouth with mine. Her tears coated my tongue, making my tastebuds tingle.
“Jaron,” she whispered, sniffing.
I pulled back, cupping the sides of her head and covering her face with soft pecks. “I love you, Piper. You’re the beginning to my end. The calm to my wild. The sanity to my crazy.”
She smiled, covering my hands, a soft breath shuddering through her.
“You have given me the greatest gifts a man could ever ask for. I’m sorry. For everything. For all of the pain I’ve caused you. But I’m not sorry for getting rid of Brody and I’m not sorry for going after Price. I know my temper gets in the way, but I promise, it’ll never be geared toward you, baby. Ever.” My hand moved to the back of her head, my fingers tightening in her hair. “I know that we’ve struggled but there’s no one else I’d rather do this with. Even if we need to go get counseling, take a trip, or just fuck it out, as long as it’s with you, I’m down for anything.”
A breathless laugh left her. “I didn’t leave because I knew then that I didn’t want to spend my life with anyone else.”
A sly smirk tugged at my lips. “Oh, I know.”
Her cheeks turned pink, her smile widening. “How are you feeling?”
“Now that our baby girl is home and you’re back in my arms, I feel fucking perfect.” I laid back down, pulling her into my arms until she was lying down beside me. The bed was small, but we made it work. “I’ll feel even better when I have your pussy choking my cock though.”
“Once you’re released, baby,” she whispered.
I looked down at her. Her eyes were closed, her breathing becoming deep and even. She hadn’t slept well since this whole thing started. I let her rest, finally letting out a breath of relief.
While Piper slept, I inched my hand beneath her top and brushed my fingers over her stomach. We would have to make an appointment for her to get checked out and make sure that the baby she was carrying was strong and healthy. Especially after all of the stress.
A light knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Even though the door hadn’t been closed, whoever was at it, still indicated their arrival ahead of time.
“Come in,” I called out.
Cyrus peeked his head into the room. “Are we interrupting?”
“No.” I tightened my hold on Piper. “Not at all.”
“Good.” Cyrus came into the room followed by Sammy.
“I’m glad you’re awake and well,” Cyrus told me, pulling up a chair beside the bed.
“Me too. Have you heard anything about Price?” I asked, not wanting to dwell but needing to make sure my girls were safe.
“Not at the moment. I have Rowan looking into it in the meantime,” Cyrus told me.
I nodded, noticing how Sammy stood back. “What’s up with you?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, his dark eyes locking with mine.
My stomach fluttered. I knew that look. He was plotting. “You leave that shit alone,” I ordered.
Sammy grunted. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Piper stirred, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “You know you can’t tell him what to do.”
“Maybe not but I am your vice president,” I reminded him.
“I’m glad you’re well, Jaron.” Sammy pulled a pack of smokes from the inner pocket of his cut. “You also have nothing to worry about. Take care of each other.”
I frowned. “Sammy.”
Instead of listening, he left the room.
“Don’t worry about him.” Cyrus stood, giving my arm a squeeze. “He’s upset that you almost died, that Brynlee was taken in the first place, and that Piper was in the middle of this shit.” He shook his head. “He needs time.”
“He better not do anything stupid, Cyrus,” I warned.
“Take care of yourselves,” he said, ignoring my comment. “We’ll stop by tomorrow.” And with that, Cyrus left the room.
“Sammy said he’s going to go after Price,” Piper told me, placing her hand on my thigh.
“I figured.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes.
“I’ll let you get some rest.”
My eyes popped open when she went to pull away from me. “Don’t you even think about fucking leaving.”
“But you need rest, Jaron. You need to heal and get better so I can bring you home and take care of you.”
Before she could leave the bed, my hand was wrapped around her throat.
A little gasp left her, making my dick twitch.
Pulling her forward, I stared directly into her eyes. “The only thing I need right now, is for you to lay down beside me.” I licked along her bottom lip. “I don’t give a shit that I just got out of surgery either. If you don’t listen to me, I will leave this bed and do what I do best.”
“What’s that?” she breathed.
“Fuck my girl.” I kissed her hard.
A husky laugh escaped her. “You’re not strong enough.”
“Try me, Piper.” Laying back down, I tugged her down beside me. “This is what I want right now. It’ll help me feel better.”
“Okay.” She curled against me. “As you wish, Sir,” she said, a teasing lilt to her voice.
“Careful,” I growled.
Her laugh deepened. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.” I kissed the top of her head. “More than you will ever know.”
Piper
Jaron was getting out of the hospital today. He had been stuck in it for almost a week and was on the verge of losing it. I had stayed with him while my parents and his parents watched Brynlee. They would bring her to us every day. She stayed for a few hours until it was time to be picked up.
Price was still nowhere to be found. Cyrus said his contact lost track of him but was continuing to look into it. I couldn’t understand how a person could just disappear like that. It didn’t make sense to me and while I didn’t like the fact that I felt like I had to constantly look over my shoulder, if Price disappeared for good and I never had to see him again, I was fine with it.
I went back to Jaron’s room after getting us a cup of coffee each, only to find him standing by his bed in gray sweatpants and nothing else.
“Geezus,” I heard a nurse say as she walked past me.
I laughed, shaking my head.
Jaron’s head turned, his slate eyes finding mine. “Something wrong?”
“No.” I went up to him and sat on the edge of the bed. “I think the nurses here are going to miss you.”
He chuckled. “They were good to me, so I made sure to leave a little donation to the hospital.”
“Oh, that’s nice of you.” My heart warmed at the thoughtful gesture.
Jaron slipped a white t-shirt over his head and smoothed down the material.
I handed him his coffee before taking a sip of my own.
“Thank you,” he said, watching me over the rim of the cup as he leaned against the wall.
I shivered at the intense scrutiny. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I’m thinking of all the ways I’m going to fuck your body when we get home.” His eyes darkened even more as the words left his mouth.
“You need your rest. The doctor said no strenuous activity,” I reminded him. “You’re still healing anyway.”
“I don’t give a shit. I’ll just lay there if I have to but I’m fucking my girl.”
My body burned at the idea but him calling me his, reminding me of something. “You told the doctor that I’m your wife.”
“I put you down as my next of kin after Paris. Once I was released from jail, I then put you down as my wife to make things easier for you if anything ever happened to me.”
I stared at him, letting his words sink in. “Really?”
He nodded. “I knew you were mine long before I found out you were pregnant with Brynlee. Maybe it was a little presumptuous, but I planned on dating you after Paris. When I saw you at that bar with the girls, I was struck stupid that you were there. My thoughts were messed up and I couldn’t focus on anything but getting back inside you. I should have asked you out first instead of being such an asshole, but my feelings for you fucked me up.”
“I had no idea. I wanted to tell you that I loved you when we were in Paris. I had been in love with you for a while...” I sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Jaron placed his cup on the table and stepped between my knees. “What’s in the past, stays in the past. We have each other now. It’s just you and me.” He cupped my jaw, tilting my head back. “I want to date you. Travel with you. I want to walk the journey of life with you. I want to raise Brynlee and this baby and all our future babies, with you.” He bent at the waist, giving me a soft peck on the lips. “I want to marry you, Piper.”
Throwing my arms around his neck, I deepened the kiss. “I want all of that too,” I whispered.
He shivered. “I need to get you home. Please, baby.”
I gently pushed him back and stood from the bed. “Take me home.”
***
With a firm grip on my jaw, Jaron held my head in place and licked up the length of my throat.
“I fucking love you, Piper.” His teeth sunk into my jaw. “But right now, I need...I need you so fucking hard. I want to hurt as we find us again.”
It was the first time we had been alone since getting Brynlee back. While we had our moments where it was just us two at the hospital, staff always interrupted us to make sure that he was fine and healing okay. Now it was the first time we had been truly alone since he came back to me. The first time we had been alone since he almost died.
This wouldn’t be making love. This wouldn’t be us reconnecting. This would be a rage fuck. We would take out our pain, heartache, and wrath on each other.
“Piper.” His rough use of my name slid over my skin. “Piper. Please.”
A soft gasp left me at hearing the desperation in his voice.
I turned my head, meeting his hard gaze. We were at home, finally. I had brought his things to the bedroom while he followed behind me. I could feel him staring at me, his body hard and begging for that release only I could give it.
I had suggested to him that he have a nap first, at least, but he refused. So now, there we were, about to do what we did best. Speak through our bodies.
“Sit up.” I wasn’t the dominant type but when Jaron needed that control from me, I was willing to comply. He had always taken over, giving me everything I could ever want and more. But it had been so long since we were together, I knew he needed this from me. It was a silent apology for leaving me. For leaving us. I knew why he had left. I understood. But it still didn’t mean that it hurt any less. And while we had our daughter back, we still didn’t know where Price was or if he would ever be back. I wanted to tell Jaron that I didn’t care, but I did. I wanted to tell him that we didn’t need to know, and we could just move on. But I didn’t. Because I knew that as long as Price was alive, the guys wouldn’t rest until he was gone. For good.
Jaron moved to the edge of the bed, his eyes not leaving mine the whole time.
My heart jumped. The hairs on my skin tingled.
The longer he watched, the wetter I became.
Sliding off the bed, I stepped in front of him and began stripping.
When I was finally naked, I stepped between his knees.
Jaron ran the back of his knuckles over my stomach. “I love you.”
I straddled his lap and ran my fingers through his beard. “I know.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, kissing my fingers as they passed over his mouth.
“I know that too.” I kissed his forehead, breathing in the fresh scent of him. Pushing him back until he was laying on the bed, I reached into his sweatpants and pulled out his thick cock.
He groaned, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. “Piper.”
I slowly lowered my body onto him.
His jaw clenched.
I moaned.
Once I was seated fully on his lap, I took a deep breath. His cock stretched me, making my body open to him completely. I wasn’t fully wet, but I didn’t care. I wanted to feel the burn of him being inside my unprepared body. I wanted to hurt. To ache. To be in agony as we made each other feel better.
“Piper,” he growled through clenched teeth. His fingers gripped my hips, digging into me, but he never took over. No. Instead, this was all for me. He was letting me be in control to make up for the fact that he left. It wasn’t enough but it was a start.
“Harder,” he pleaded.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” It had only been a week since his surgery. Sex was probably not something he should be doing yet but he didn’t listen.
“I don’t give a shit, Piper. I need you to ride me. Hard.”
Running my hands beneath his shirt, I lifted my hips up and down in rough moves.
“Fucking hell.” His dark eyes locked with mine. “Bounce for me, baby.”
“God, Jaron.” I placed my hands on his chest for leverage and picked up speed. Riding him. Fucking him. Giving him what he needed. What we both needed.
“That’s it,” he grit out. “Faster.”
His cock swelled inside of me.
His hands on my hips tightened, pulling me forward and back. His pelvis thrust up and down.
We worked up a rhythm. Fucking each other hard, rough, so damn deep, I could feel him through every inch of me.
“Piper,” he shouted out, his back bowing off the bed as his release spilled into me.
Once he calmed down, I slowed but his fingers tightened.
“Don’t stop. Don’t you dare fucking stop.”
Even though he was now soft inside of me, he continued to thrust into me.
“Get hard again, baby,” I told him.
He sat up, wrapping his arms around me and crushing his mouth to mine.
Getting the hint, I slipped my tongue between his lips.
His hands roamed down my back before cupping my ass.
I sighed, breaking the kiss.
“Marry me.”
I stopped moving, my eyes snapping to his. “What?”
“Marry me, Piper. Doesn’t have to be now. Or next month. Or even this year. I want you to promise me that you will marry me.” He pinched my chin, placing a soft peck on my mouth. “I love you. I love you so fucking much. I will make up for what I’ve done. I will prove to you that this is worth it. That we are worth it. I want you at my side. In my bed. In my life. Forever, baby.”
My eyes welled. “You...you want that? You want to spend your life with me?”
“Yes, Piper. I told you that at the hospital and I’ll continue telling you.” He linked our fingers and kissed my knuckles. “I promise to show you that we are meant to be. That we’ve always been meant to be. Your name is on my bank account. You have access to everything I own, Piper. What’s mine is yours. Literally.”
He spun us around and slid from my body. Wrapping his hand around his cock, he pumped until he became hard. Until he grew. For me.
“I am yours, Piper. All of me. Every inch. Every piece.”
I pushed my hands beneath his shirt, pulling it up his torso.
He pulled off the shirt, revealing his tanned torso to my feasting eyes. A bandage sat on his shoulder and another on his lower abdomen. He would have scars and they would constantly remind us for the rest of our lives of how he almost died.
We had so much to work through. We probably always would. Jail messed Jaron up. Brynlee being taken, messed us both up. But our love for each other would conquer all of the heartache life had thrown at us. It made us stronger apart and even stronger together.
“Remind me,” I whispered at the same time he sunk back into my body.
I sighed, spreading my legs even wider and taking his slow thrusts.
With his hand in mine, he consumed me completely.
“Jaron.” I ran my hands up his back. “I promise.”
He lifted his head, staring down at me, his hips stopping. “Really?”
I nodded. “But you hurt me. You broke my heart.” It had been the first time I voiced my feelings since he came home from the hospital. “Don’t leave me. Ever again. If you need to go, take us with you. We are a team, Jaron. Don’t forget that.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “I don’t deserve you, Piper. But I will spend my days showing you how much I love you. How much I need you. How deeply in love with you I am.”
“It’s deeper than love. Isn’t it?”
He kissed my nose and then my mouth. “It is.” He released me and stripped the rest of the way. Kneeling back between my legs, he took my thoughts and feelings and made them his. He owned and consumed me, making me forget all of the pain.
A couple of hours later, we were still in bed and his hands were cupping my head as he thrust his cock between my lips.
I enjoyed tasting myself on him. It reminded me that I in fact belonged to him. It also reminded me of how far we had come.
My tongue slid along the veiny ridges of his thick length. It slipped into the slit in the tip.
He groaned, his fingers tightening on my head. “Baby.”
I smiled around him. I loved when he became desperate and begged. It didn’t happen often but turned me on every time it did.
Lowering my mouth, I took him down my throat. I gagged around him but kept going. I couldn’t stop, knowing I needed to make him feel good. It made me wet the harder he became for me.
“Fucking hell.” His hips bucked. “Your throat is so tight.”
Releasing him, I kissed the tip and wrapped my hand around him. “You taste like me.”
He grinned, his eyes darkening. “I bet you taste like me too.”
A breathless laugh escaped me. “I’m sure I do.”
“Let me taste.”
Reaching between my legs, I slipped a finger inside of me before bringing it up to his mouth. I ran the wet tip along his lip.
His mouth parted, his tongue peeking out to lick along the soaked end of my finger. “Tasty.”
It was dirty but it was needed, and it was ours.
Piper
“Holy fucking shit,” Meadow exclaimed. “Our parents told us some things, but I didn’t know there was more to it than what they said.”
I laughed lightly, shrugging.
I had just finished telling Gigi, Luna, and Meadow everything that had happened and why I had disappeared again after the last time I saw them at Gigi and Vince’s place.
“I knew you two were struggling but I didn’t know...” Luna shook her head. “Wow.”
It had been a month since Jaron was shot and almost died. The next day after he was discharged, he went out and bought me a ring. He slipped the ring on my finger. I still gave him the same answer again and then he fucked me until I continued saying yes over and over.
We hadn’t left the house since and spent most of our time as a family. The only time we did end up leaving, was for my doctor’s appointment. Our unborn baby was strong and healthy, thankfully the stress of what happened had not caused any issues.
“I know.” I sighed. “I’m sorry. For everything. For not keeping in touch when Jaron was in jail. For not letting you know Brynlee as much as you should. I’m sorry for being a bad friend.”
“You are not a bad friend.” Gigi moved from her spot and sat beside me on the couch.
The girls had come over to my place while Jaron brought Brynlee for a playdate with Luna and Zach’s son, Benjamin. It was nice for Jaron to get reacquainted with his cousin, Zach, and I suggested that we do it more often.
“You’ve had it hard.” Gigi grabbed my hand, holding it tight in hers. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but I knew that you would come back around whenever you were ready.”
“She’s right,” Meadow said. “We all knew that. It’s why we never pushed. We often talked about how worried we were, but Shade reassured me that Cyrus and Sammy constantly looked out for you. It made me feel a little bit better.”
“I love you girls,” I sniffled. “So much. I couldn’t ask for better friends.”
“We love you too.” Luna moved to the spot on the other side of me. “Now we can all get married, so the guys can stop brooding.”
We laughed.
“I should have waited for Jaron to be home. For you.” Meadow moved to the spot in front of me and knelt at my feet. “I’m sorry we didn’t.”
“No.” I pulled my hand from Gigi’s and hugged her sister. “I get it. You and Shade lost...” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I understand.”
“I’m just glad you were there.” Meadow pulled back. “Shade told me that he’s heading over to Luna’s place with Andrew.”
Gigi laughed. “Vince is there too with Hannah.”
“Oooo, all the dads with the babies.” Luna tapped her chin. “Why do I find that hot?”
Another round of laughter erupted through us.
“Maybe we should go save them,” Meadow suggested, stifling another laugh.
“Nah.” Gigi leaned her head against my shoulder. “Not yet.”
While we continued catching up, I couldn’t help but realize how right this was. Jaron and I were happy and finally moving forward. We didn’t take life for granted anymore and took each day as a blessing. We made sure to say I love you and constantly gave Brynlee and our unborn baby, all the love we could. It was the little things. Jaron had gotten into the habit of picking me up a bouquet of red roses every Friday. I made sure to pick off a single petal from each bouquet he had purchased and slid the petal between pages in a journal.
He still had his moments where he became moody and withdrawn but with every little second that passed, I helped him through it. His nightmares were few and far between but whenever he had one, I consoled him back to sleep.
Later that evening after the girls had left, I was making dinner. The girls and I had promised to meet up again and soon, while the guys had their playdates with the kids.
The sound of the front door opening, sent a shiver racing through my body.
I stepped out of the kitchen and went to the hall. Jaron’s head turned, a slow smirk spreading on his face when his dark eyes met mine.
“Hey, Wifey,” he said, his voice rough and gravely.
I giggled at the new term of endearment he had given me once he slipped the engagement ring on my finger. “How was your playdate?”
“Good. We’re going to do it again next month to give you girls a break.” Jaron came up to me and placed Brynn in my arms. “I would like a playdate with you later once Brynn goes to bed.”
I laughed, smacking his shoulder playfully. “I don’t think you’ll have any issues convincing me.” I winked, placing Brynn in her highchair.
“I don’t think so either.” Heavy arms wrapped around my middle, pulling me back. Jaron kissed the side of my neck before turning me around. “You good?”
“I am.” I hugged my arms around his hard middle. “Are you?”
Jaron pulled out of my grip and grabbed my hands. He placed a soft peck on the ring on my finger. “I couldn’t be better.”
***