Page 47 of With Us (Next Generation 2)

I looked around him, seeing two other men leave the SUV and lean against the hood. One lit up a smoke while the other crossed his arms under his chest and kept his gaze locked our way.

I looked back at Tanner. “What do you want?”

“Like your little toy said, I suggest driving faster,” he told Sunny and pressed a button on the phone. Handing it back to me, he nodded toward his guys. “Be a good little girl and nothing will happen. My guys are hungry. They haven’t been fed in a while.”

“What do you want?” I repeated, my stomach twisting at what he was suggesting.

“To chat. But it doesn’t look like we have a lot of time.” He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a small white business card. “Come to my club.”

I laughed. “Yeah, because Sunny will approve of that.” Although I didn’t like being told what to do in any way, when it came to Tanner, I listened.

“I don’t give a shit if he approves or not. I have questions and I know you’re a curious little thing, so I don’t suggest making me wait.” Tanner turned on his heel and started walking away. He stopped, glancing at me over his shoulder. “Also, that little compound fascinates me. Be a good girl, do as I say, and I won’t make an appearance.”

My blood boiled through me. Fucking fucker. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Before I could stop myself, I stomped toward him. “You leave those people alone. They’ve been through enough without having you breathing down their necks or doing whatever it is you want to do to them.”

He chuckled but continued walking away from me.

I rushed to him and shoved him forward a step. “What are you even doing here? Isn’t it against some rule that you shouldn’t be in Hell’s Harlem territory?”

He spun on me, forcing me back. “Careful, Meadow. I’m not Sunny or Shade. If I say I’m going to rip you apart, I mean it. And to answer your question, this isn’t Hell’s Harlem territory. I think you’ve seen too many movies.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “I know how it works. They would know that you’re here. Wouldn’t that cause more issues for you?”

Tanner’s brows narrowed. “You ask too many questions. Now be a good girl and go play with your Barbies.”

“You don’t scare me,” I said as the sound of a car screeched to a stop behind me.

Tanner cocked his head to the side, a slow grin spreading on his face. “You’re lying.”

I scoffed, waving my hand between us. “You act all big and tough to make up for other shit you’re lacking.” I turned on my heel. “Go crawl back to your hole, Tanner.”

My head snapped up, finding Sunny and Shade coming toward me. Shade’s eyes zeroed in on me while Sunny looked over my head.

“Bring her to the car,” Sunny demanded, his voice rough, as he walked past me.

“Sunny.” I stepped in front of him. “Hey.” I placed my hands on his chest, expecting to feel his heart racing beneath my palm. But when it was calm, a shiver trembled through me.

A deep chuckle sounded from behind us.

“Looks like your little toy calls the shots.”

I glared at Tanner. Just when I was about to storm back up to him, arms wrapped around my middle. They pulled me back against a hard body.

Sunny took a step forward.

“Sunny, don’t,” I said, my voice as firm as I could make it.

Sunny stopped, glancing down at me and then back at Tanner.

Tanner lifted his chin, a slow smirk spreading on his face. “Looks like I’ll be making another stop to see your president tonight,” he said, heading to the passenger side of the SUV.

When all three men were tucked away in the vehicle and drove off, a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding, left me.

Sunny closed the distance between us, grabbed my hand, and pulled me away from Shade. Faster than I thought possible, his hand connected with my ass.

I yelped, the burn of his palm sending a wave of heat rushing through me.

He did it again.

Swat. Swat.

I opened my mouth to object, to scream, to yell, to demand for him to leave me the hell alone but something in his dark gray eyes stopped me. I wasn’t sure what all was going on in his head but what I did notice was that he was scared. For me. For him. For Shade. I wasn’t sure. But the fear that hid behind his eyes made all the words die on my tongue and give in to his punishment.

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