Page 78 of With Us (Next Generation 2)

Meadow

AFTER GIGI AND Iconsoled Piper, the female police officer came to take her to the hospital. Her parents were called, and they left with her. Brody didn’t get as far as he wanted to but he sure as hell tried. From the looks of Piper, it would still leave a mark on her and probably give her nightmares for some time to come.

I had texted Sunny and Shade, asking them to come over. I wasn’t sure how, but I needed them to make me feel better. To distract me and help me out of my head. I knew they had been close by but wasn’t sure why they never came over. They must have seen all of the cop cars.

The coroner had taken Brody’s body away while the cops continued searching Piper’s room for evidence. I wasn’t sure what they would find. Brody tried raping her. End of story.

Knowing it would be a long while before Piper would be able to sleep in that room, I had a feeling that she would be spending the next little bit at her parents’ place.

Once everyone left, I went out onto the front porch. The cops had questioned a few of us, asking if anything had been out of the ordinary. Jaron had confessed to something but none of us knew what it was.

The front door opened, and Gigi stepped out. “Piper texted and said they’re home from the hospital and she’s going to spend the night at her parents’ place.”

I nodded, pulling a joint and a lighter from my pocket. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s a mess.” Gigi sighed. “I didn’t know there was something going on between her and Jaron, but it all makes sense now. Do you remember a few summers ago when he and his parents came back to town for a dinner Mom and Dad were throwing? He was watching her. I was tempted to tell Piper, but she was always with the twins.” She shook her head. “God, I’m rambling.”

Sticking the joint between my lips, I lit it, and inhaled the sweet bliss. Holding it deep in my lungs, I waited a beat before blowing it out through my nose.

Gigi sat beside me, taking the joint from my fingers. “I hate rambling.”

I grunted. “I think you’re forgiven tonight.”

Under normal circumstances, I would have said something about my sister smoking, but this wasn’t normal. So I left it alone.

“Do you know what happened?” she asked, coughing and handing me back the joint.

“No.” But I knew that Sunny and Shade would find out. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, two bikes rumbled up the street and turned into our driveway.

Sunny pulled his helmet off first, his dark slate eyes finding mine. He nodded.

I shivered.

Both of them turned off their bikes, kicked the kickstands out, and put their helmets on the seats of those beautiful beasts.

I made a mental note to ask them for another ride. One day. One day when I wasn’t feeling so…lost.

“They good to you?” Gigi asked softly, stretching her long legs out in front of her.

I nodded again because what could I say? There were too many words to describe just how good they were to me. Men I’d only just met. Men I had let inside every part of my body. Men who had issues of their own but brought me into their little duo anyway.

Shade came toward me first. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his deep jade eyes searching my face.

“I’m going to…” Gigi stood. “I think I’m going to stay at Mom and Dad’s tonight.”

“Okay.” I rose to my feet and gave her a hug. “If you find out anything, let me know.”

“I will.” She leaned back, gave me a small smile, and released me before heading back into the house.

“Meadow.”

I caught Shade’s gaze, let out a soft sigh, and sat back on the bench. Sticking the joint between my lips, I inhaled the delicious smoke, but it did nothing to ease the nerves racing through me.

“What’s going on?” He sat beside me, pulling the joint from my mouth and sticking it between his own lips. He inhaled, the glowing ember on the end becoming even brighter. “Fuck me.” He blew the smoke out in small circles. “That’s some good shit, little lamb.”

I smiled, leaning into him. “I only get the best.”

“What happened here tonight?” he asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me tighter against him.

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