AFTER US - PROLOGUE

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.Jaron