Page 31 of Being Us (Next Generation 4)

“Let’s get this shit on the road,” Sammy mumbled, forcing me from my unexpected thoughts and opening the back door.

I pulled away from Cyrus, thankful for the assistance but not knowing how to tell him so. I glanced at him over my shoulder, nodding slightly before I sat in the back seat.

Just when I thought he didn’t catch the movement, he nodded back and headed around to the driver’s side.

Busy took that moment to leave the SUV.

Cyrus closed the door, shutting me in with him.

Sammy stepped in front of Busy, mumbling something to her that made her brows furrow in the middle. Even though she was much smaller than him and definitely shorter, she placed her hands on her hips and stared up at him. Her lips moved over words that I couldn’t make out.

“He’s warning her against you,” Cyrus explained.

“I haven’t done anything.” Not recently anyway.

“Doesn’t matter. We can feel it.”

I wanted to ask him what he meant when Sammy opened the passenger door. He glared at me and slumped onto the seat. If he was that worried about Busy, he would have made her sit in the front. I wondered why he didn’t.

Busy joined me in the back. Clearly the twins wanted her to have nothing to do with me, but I savored the fact that she was so close just the same.

“Hi,” she whispered.

I gave her a small smile. A smile that was meant for only her. “Hi.”

“Greyson isn’t going to like this,” Sammy said, slamming the door closed. “I really wouldn’t want to be you right now,” he told me.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure you’re enjoying this anyway.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, turning back around to face the front. “You’ve done a lot of shit, Tanner. And then you just disappear. You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“And I’ll explain it all to your president. It’s no one else’s business.” My hackles rose, suddenly feeling like I was being backed into a corner.

“No?” Sammy’s head whipped around.

“Leave it alone,” Cyrus demanded. “Grey will deal with this shit.”

“Fine.” Sammy shoved a cigarette between his lips and lit it up, the sweet smoke billowing around us.

I braved a chance and glanced at Busy.

She was staring out the window, munching on her bottom lip.

My eyes dropped to her hand resting on the seat between us.

Reaching out, I ran my pinky along the edge of it.

A sigh left her, the tension on her shoulders dissipating at the small contact between us.

That’s it, Busy. Give me that stress. You let me worry about this shit.

A small smile splayed on her lips, almost like she could hear my thoughts.

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the back of the seat. I tried not to think about what Greyson Mercer’s reaction would be once I stepped onto his territory. He was a good man. He had spent years trying to clean up Hell’s Harlem messes. I just hoped that he would give me a chance and hear me out or I was good as dead.

Bee

WHILE CYRUS DROVE USto Uncle Greyson’s house, also known as the Hell’s Harlem clubhouse, I couldn’t help but wonder why the twins were on me when it came to Tanner. It wasn’t like I had any time alone with him to actually do anything. When Sammy gave me shit, all I could do was stand there and take it. I didn’t need it going back to my father before Tanner had a chance to talk to my uncle. I didn’t know what he needed help with, but I knew that it was something to do with what happened tonight.

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