Jaron
I craved her screams, her moans, her eyes telling me everything I needed to know about the woman I was in love with. Even though I had never voiced those words out loud, I didn’t need to. Piper Michaels knew exactly how I felt about her.
My baby was currently growing inside of her. A life that both of us created. We had so much shit to talk about but first, every male instinct inside of me wanted to gloat that I was the one who got her pregnant. That I was the one who she would spend her life with. Even though we hadn’t discussed our future plans, she was waiting for me. Knowing she had been with several other guys before me, I was proud of the fact that she was carrying my baby. I only wished I could have claimed her long before I slept with anyone else. Not that I would ever call what I did sleeping. I was curbing an itch that I couldn’t reach. Piper had been the only one who could ever scratch it. She was the one I needed to satisfy this hunger. This need. This desire.
Or so I thought.
Truth was, it only made this hunger fiercer.
More intense.
She would be about six months pregnant now. I got random updates from my dad whenever he came to see me.
The outside world changed when you were stuck behind bars. People went on with their lives, but prisoners? The only thing that changed was their appearance as they got older. But day in and day out, they followed the same routine. I tried keeping myself busy and out of trouble, but it hadn’t worked. Fights started. Lives were lost. Some were even my fault. It messed with my head, knowing I had a family to get home to. But the light I once felt, dimmed the longer I was away from those I loved.
My cousins, Sammy and Cyrus Butcher, would also keep me informed as to how Piper was doing. Thankfully, Sammy didn’t beat around the bush as much as my father had.
Bottom line, Piper was hurting.
The pain she felt only made me strive to get out sooner for her. I tried my best to be a good boy and keep my nose clean. But being the vice president and son to the current president of Hell’s Harlem, you ended up knowing people.
No matter how many fights I had been in, the memory of Piper’s smiling face kept me going.
I didn’t want to ask about her, knowing it would just make me miss her that much more. But I couldn’t help it. I needed to know. Even though I felt it, I needed to hear the words that she was waiting for me and that I was the one. Her one like she was mine.
“Please tell me how you feel,” she begged, her voice shaking on the other end of the phone.
“I can’t, baby. I need to see you when I tell you. I need to look into your eyes as I confess how I feel.”
A shaky breath left her. “I can’t wait for that day.”
My chest tightened. “I know.”
Truth was, I had fallen for her hard and fast. Even as a kid, I knew from the very beginning that I wanted her. She had been with friends. Both of us were young. Barely sixteen. She was nice to me while at times, I felt like an outcast because I didn’t hang out with them often. But much to my dismay, a twin set of boys were always with her. It was like they knew, so Ashton and Aiden made it so we could never be alone.
But no matter how hard they tried to keep me away, it didn’t work. No matter where she was on this earth, I would find her.
Take care of her.
Love her.
Piper was mine and I was hers.
Forever.
Piper
It was finally time.
I would be seeing Jaron Mercer again in only a matter of minutes. I had been stewing for the past few weeks. Probably driving everyone I knew absolutely crazy but my excitement got ahold of me.
Every nerve ending in my body came alive at the mere thought of seeing him again. It had been so long since I touched him. Since I had seen his handsome face with the dark scruff on his strong jaw and his slate gray eyes that looked like they were reaching down into the deepest pits of my soul.
It had been a long road between us. Everything was new. Fresh. Fun. Intense. So damn intense, one look from him and I was putty in his hands. He could tell me to jump and I would always give in. He knew it too. There was no sense in denying it. From the first look to the last kiss, I was his. He let the world know as well that I belonged to him. In every sense of the word. But even though that had been the case, we didn’t know each other. Not completely. Maybe we never would. But I wanted to at least try.
It had been so long since I had seen him, I wasn’t sure where we went from here. Whether we could make it as a family or even a couple. Could we move forward? After everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, could we finally be happy?
Leaning against my car, I waited. I checked the time on my phone, glanced around me. And waited some more.
My eyes flicked to the large sign sitting on the side of the building.
State Penitentiary.
Just the name gave me shivers. I never once in my life thought I would end up picking up a guy here. Let alone the father of my daughter and the man I was in love with.
I sighed, checking my phone again.
Sammy: He out yet?
Me: Do you see him anywhere?
Sammy: Geeze, girl. Just asking.
My cheeks burned.
Me: Sorry.
Cyrus: Ignore him. You can have as much attitude as you want.
Me: I love you guys.
Cyrus: We love you too, kiddo.
I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, ignoring the text coming into the group chat I had with the brothers. Cyrus and Sammy Butcher were twins and a few years older than both Jaron and me. They were his family and now they were automatically mine as well. They were good to me and my daughter. They didn’t have families of their own and at times I felt like I was taking them from having their own happiness, but they never complained. I often suggested they go out, have a good time, and not worry about me, but they shot those suggestions down rather quickly.
“Jaron asked us to look after both of you, so that’s what we’re doing,” Cyrus told me.
“Truth.” Sammy nodded. “Besides, I’m boycotting pussy at the moment anyway.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He scowled but he never responded.
“It means that there’s a woman he wants but she doesn’t want him back,” Cyrus explained.
“She’s delaying the inevitable and I don’t know why.” Sammy shoved to his feet and stormed into the kitchen.
That conversation had been a few months ago and I hadn’t heard of this secret woman since, but whoever she was, she clearly got under Sammy’s skin. I couldn’t wait to meet her.
My phone dinged again, making me jump.
Cyrus: You got this.
I put my cell into my purse and threw the bag in the back seat of my car.
Waiting for Jaron was enough to drive me mad. My body vibrated, my heart raced, my thoughts ran a mile a minute. So many questions bounced around in my head.
Did he change at all?
Did he still look the same?
What if we no longer got along?
Was he still as grumpy or worse?
Did he still love me?
What if we couldn’t make this work and had to go our separate ways?
Letting out a hard sigh, I opened the back door and reached for my purse. I was antsy and needed to check my phone to see if there were any updates. When I saw that there weren’t, a lump formed in my throat. I just wanted him. I wanted him to come out, smile at seeing me and we could drive off into the sunset and live happily ever after. But I knew none of that would happen.