Page 82 of With Us (Next Generation 2)

Both of us turned as Eve came toward us.

My heart stuttered.

Bags sat beneath her eyes, her hands wringing together in front of her.

“Eve.” Greyson closed the distance between them. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“I…” Her chin wobbled. “I couldn’t sleep. I need to know what’s going on with Jaron. Is he going to jail?”

Greyson’s jaw clenched. “Yeah, I think he is, baby.”

A sob escaped her as she collapsed.

“Shit.” Greyson caught her, pulling her into his arms. “Catch,” he bellowed.

Catch Hunter, the vice president, poked his head out of the meeting room. “Yeah, boss?”

“Start without me,” Greyson demanded, his voice rough. “I need to take care of my wife.” He lifted her in his arms, cradled her against his chest like a child, and headed up the stairs to their part of the house. A door slammed shut a moment later, sucking away all the air in the room.

“Fucking hell.” I leaned against the wall, running a hand through my hair. Tension filled the house. It was so damn thick; a knife couldn’t even cut it.

“Shade.” A gentle hand landed on my shoulder.

My head snapped up. In a quick move, I pulled Meadow into my arms, crushing her against me.

She snaked her arms around my neck. “I’m here. I’m here for both of you. All of you.”

My body shook.

“Hey.” She leaned back, brushing her fingers down my cheek. “Show me where your room is.”

I nodded, grabbed her hand and led her to a door that headed down to the basement. Black and white pictures lined the dark walls. Some were of old members of the club, people who died or retired or just decided to move on with their lives. Which didn’t happen often. Once you were a member, you remained a member for life. If you were a good boy at least.

“Is that Cyrus and Sammy? The twins I met tonight?” Meadow asked, stopping in front of a picture of a woman, a large man and two small boys.

“Yeah.” Sammy was sitting on his dad’s shoulders while Cyrus stood in front of his mom with her arms wrapped around him. She was kissing his cheek and Greyson had caught the moment he laughed. My chest tightened. “That’s Butcher and Trixie. Cyrus and Sammy’s parents. They were murdered a year apart from each other when the twins were just boys.”

Meadow shook her head. “That’s awful.”

“It was. Sunny and I were just prospects at the time. We didn’t know them for long, but they were good people. Really good people.”

“That’s so sad.” Meadow squeezed my hand. “No wonder they have that look.”

“What look?” I tilted my head.

“I don’t know exactly.” Meadow chewed her bottom lip. “But I can feel it. It’s the same thing with Aiden. Something happened and now he drinks. A lot.”

“I’m not sure if the twins drink.” They were almost as secretive as Jaron and his father. But I had noticed that Cyrus was smoking more and having sex was his thing. Same with his brother.

Meadow continued walking down the hall, her eyes scanning the pictures. “Hey, it’s you and Sunny.”

I stepped up beside her. “It is.” I remembered that day like it were yesterday. “Sunny and I had just been patched in. The party was so fucking huge and lasted all weekend. I don’t remember much of it.”

Meadow laughed. “Sounds like a good time.”

“It was.” I waggled my eyebrows.

Her laugh hardened. “I can’t say that I’ve ever partied like that before. Even with all of the parties my sister has thrown over the years. I’m not really a drinker but I do like my weed.”

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