Page 95 of Rescue Us (Next Generation 7)

She laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I only smiled.

“I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with Cyrus.”

My heart skipped a beat. I expected her to jump to accusations or demand to know what it was that Cyrus and I had, but when she didn’t, I only nodded.

“I haven’t seen him in a couple days because he’s been working a lot, but I talked to him this morning on the phone and...” Her smile widened. “God, Ainsley, he sounds so happy.” She came toward me. “I don’t know what you did but thank you. I love him and Sammy like brothers. They did so much for me and Brynlee while Jaron wasn’t home. I always felt guilty and as though I was preventing them from finding a love of their own.” She sighed, rubbing her swollen stomach. “I don’t expect you to tell me anything about what you and Cyrus are doing but I just wanted to thank you. That’s all.”

“You’re welcome,” I blurted, my eyes widening.

Her mouth dropped. “You...you just spoke to me.”

It’s no big deal,I signed slowly for her.

Before I could stop her, she pulled me into a hug. “I know you hate hugs, but I need to hug you and yes, Ainsley, it is a big deal. A very big deal.”

A lump formed in my throat. I wrapped my arms around her, returning the embrace.

A shuddered breath left her. As she released me, I saw a car pull into the parking lot out of the corner of my eye.

When the car stopped, Jaron got out of the driver’s side and Sammy got out of the passenger’s side.

I hadn’t seen Sammy in a while, but I knew the situation between him and his brother was getting under Cyrus’s skin. Even though he tried hiding it, I could sense that he was bothered by something. I just never knew what. I asked but he told me not to worry about it.

Jaron came into the building followed by Sammy. “Hi, beautiful, it’s almost time.”

She laughed. “It is time, but he doesn’t want to come out.”

“He’s safe.” Jaron wrapped Piper up in a hug and kissed her. The kiss bordered on inappropriate but before it could get very far, Piper pushed him back.

“God, Jaron.” She laughed, her cheeks flushed.

He chuckled, cupping her stomach. “How’s my boy?”

“Good.” She covered his hands and stared up at him with so much love, it took my breath away. “I think he wants to stay in there forever.”

“He’ll come when he’s ready but he’s safe and you’re safe, so that’s all that matters.” He kissed her forehead. “Both of you are safe.”

The hairs on the back of my neck tingled.

A throat cleared.

I ignored it and sat at the desk, pulling up my schedule for the next week. When the throat cleared again, my eyes shot to Sammy.

He smirked. “Nothing to say?”

My jaw clenched. I wondered how much Cyrus would get mad at me if I punched that smirk off his brother’s face.

I could feel Piper and Jaron looking our way, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to play into Sammy’s games because I didn’t want it to ruin what I had with his brother.

Sammy came around the desk and crouched beside me. “Look at me.”

I huffed but met his gaze.

“I don’t know what you have going on with my brother but if you hurt him in any way, whether it be big or small, I will find every single member of your family and kill them.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know that I will tell Cyrus about your silly little threats, right?”

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