After Us (Next Generation #6) - J.M. Walker Page 0,69
on Piper’s face. She laughed lightly at something Gigi had said and gave her a hug.
Her eyes caught mine.
I ran my fingers along my mouth.
Her eyes twinkled.
“You leaving?” Ashton asked, coming out of the house.
“Yeah.” Piper pulled away from Gigi. “We have to go pick up Brynn and then head home.”
I stood, preparing myself for whatever shit it was that Ashton had to say.
His eyes narrowed at me. “After all this time, you finally got her to admit that she loves you.” He glanced at her. “Do you think of us when he’s inside you?”
I’d had enough. I had no idea what the hell he was going on about, but I was sick of this shit. Grabbing his shirt by the collar, I shoved him against the wall.
Gasps sounded around us, but I ignored them.
“Stop being pathetic and man up, Ashton,” I bit out.
“Fuck you.”
Leaning down to his ear, I lifted him onto his tiptoes. “If you’re giving me shit because you want Piper for yourself, I suggest thinking again. Remember, I know where you live. I know where you sleep. If you’re not careful, my ugly face will be the last thing you fucking see.” I tightened my hold on his shirt. “I also heard that you gave my cousin a hard time as well. Is this your thing, Ashton? You can’t be happy without making your friends’ lives fucking miserable?”
“You’re not my friend,” he ground out through clenched teeth.
“No, I guess I’m not.” I leaned back, giving his cheek a light slap then releasing him completely. Without giving him or anyone else another look, I left the porch. When I was heading down the driveway, I texted Gigi and thanked her for having us.
My bones vibrated beneath my skin. My muscles ached. I needed to hit something, run, or fuck. Preferably the latter.
“Jaron.”
I spun on Piper.
She stopped suddenly.
Before she got a chance to ask me what the hell was going on, I closed the distance between us. “Why are you with me?”
“What?” Her eyes widened. “Why are you asking me that?”
I turned away and continued walking to her car.
“Jaron.” She rushed to my side, grabbing my hand. “Hey.” She stopped me. “What’s going on?”
“Would you be with him if I wasn’t here?” I didn’t want to know the answer but at the same time, I did.
Instead of answering me, Piper opened the passenger side door and slipped into the car.
I took a breath and joined her. When I was seated behind the wheel, Piper started laughing.
I frowned, slowly turning toward her. “What’s so damn funny?”
“This. Everything. Ashton is an asshole, Jaron. I don’t know what his problem is. I really don’t. I’ve tried coming around. Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe…”
“No.” I took her hands in mine, giving the tips soft pecks. “Everyone deals with trauma differently. People need to understand that.”
“Drive us to pick up Brynlee and then take us all home.”
I nodded, giving her fingers one last kiss before I pulled away.
“Ashton’s a dick,” Piper said softly, breaking the silence between us. She gripped my hand that was resting on her inner thigh. “I don’t know what his issue is.”
She had been friends with Ashton and Aiden since we were kids, and I could never control that part of her life or whether she was still friends with them. In bed, she was completely submissive but outside of that, she was the strongest woman I knew.
“I think Aiden’s drinking is messing Ashton up and he’s taking it out on everyone else. I’ve seen Ashton yell at his dad for no reason, but his brother is worse.” Piper sighed. “I’m sorry for how Ashton was.”
“I’d probably be the same way.” I had to admit it. Ashton liked her and I could only assume that Aiden still did as well.
“They slept with other women while sleeping with me. So them being jealous doesn’t make sense. We were never exclusive.” Her thumb brushed over the back of my hand. “I’ve only ever been exclusive with you, Jaron. I just wish that we would have started this thing a long time ago.”
“You mean before I got you pregnant,” I corrected her.
Piper turned her body toward me, her eyes burning a hole through the side of my head. “I don’t give a shit that you got me pregnant. What I do give a shit about is you constantly blaming yourself. For you shutting me out. I know we’ve come a long way since you’ve been home and…I love you.”