by Mignon Mykel
He gave it back as the limo drove past the airport sign. As he settled beside me, I bumped into his shoulder and said, “I’m sure Lana said something to Emily and made her think something untrue.”
“I don’t believe she’d ever go back there willingly. She lost everything.”
“So had you, and she still found a new way to hurt you.”
“She can’t.” He kissed my hand. “Losing you hurt almost as much as losing Emily and my dad.”
My heart melted a little. I swallowed and whispered, “You had your sister back, and soon, she’ll be safe with you again.”
He met my gaze as we drove to the gates. “But not you.”
“We’re friends,” I said.
The limo stopped, and the boys all seemed eager as he whispered, “It’s not enough.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I squawked out, though my adrenaline raced.
With teenagers around us, the subject changed. We quickly formulated a plan where Jesse, Emily’s boyfriend, got a ticket and ran to the gate, as he had TSA pre-check. Stone agreed and took out his phone to get them tickets back to Pittsburgh on the next flight he could. Jesse jumped out, and Stone talked to his family. He texted with lightning speed, but I saw something about a private jet. The three teenagers were like point guards in the terminal right now, but I said as they returned, “Here they come.”
“Just stay with me.” He held me closer.
The door flew open, and the three rushed toward us.
“You trusted Jesse to go find your sister for you?” I asked Stone.
“The phone shut off like she was on a plane.” As they piled in, he said, “I’ve ordered the jet, so anyone who wants can come to Pittsburgh.”
He’d come a long way. We headed toward a different lot at the airport, and this time, the driver brought us much closer to the gate. As the teenagers hopped out, I clasped Stone’s arm and asked, “Can I get a ride with you?”
He didn’t move for a second then asked, “Back to your boyfriend? Won’t he wonder how you came back early?”
“No.” I swallowed back my confession. Maybe if we were on a plane for four hours, he would hear me out, so I stalled. He motioned for me to go with him, so I did.
Once we slipped out, I walked beside him toward the plane. “Part of me wishes I’d run off with you in that car without air conditioning. How did you survive in that moving to Florida?”
We checked in, and no one cared we had no luggage.
“It died not long after I earned enough to get a room near the gym.”
The teenagers in front of us were all talking to each other and didn’t seem to notice us. I ignored the sparks between Stone and me again and asked, “How long were you there?”
“Technically, I still live in Florida.” We walked up the stairs as he said, “Though my place now is much safer. I stayed in the room for over four years and spent every dime I could on training. I tried to stay there even after my contract was signed, as I’d never needed much except gym practice, but that became impossible once I realized women could pick the lock.”
The plane had seating area like a living room. It also had a dining room, and I imagined the room in the back was a bedroom. We took seats near the front, where there was normal plane seating.
“What?” I asked, tugging on my seat belt.
His muscles took more of the seat, and his nearness made me ache for more time like earlier. Then he pinched my leg, and his smile widened. “Don’t worry. No woman ever replaced you.”
His gaze narrowed, and my lips tingled like he might kiss me. My face heated, and I turned away, shaking my head. “Stone, we’re not alone here.”
Neither one of us said much more. Over dinner, we discussed how to get Emily at the airport, plans if she was at her stepmother’s house, and various plans to get her out. As the dessert was served, night became more apparent outside the windows. If we didn’t extract his sister at the airport, we would have to wait until morning.
My arms ached to hug my son again, but as Stone turned in my direction, I picked up my fork and said, “This is so nice.”
He seemed tense when he said, “The plane is well stocked with anything you want, though I’m not hungry. I hope we get my sister back.”
My mother’s voice grew in my head, telling me Stone would amount to nothing and I was better off without him. She’d been so wrong. If I could take away his pain, I would do it in a heartbeat. I reached out and patted his back like I would our son’s as I whispered, “Promise you won’t do anything rash tonight.”
His hands dropped into his lap like I’d caught him. “Lana is after money, and hurting Emily means my father’s entire estate goes to me. The lawyer at the wedding explained that will, but if she’s in danger…”
“Lana’s not stupid.” I dropped my fork and sat higher in the chair. “Your stepmother wants the money. She’s not going to physically harm her when she’s almost fulfilled the will’s requirement to take care of Emily until she starts college. She’s out to secure cold, hard cash.” I held his muscular arm, which was larger than my grip. “So don’t go and ruin your future when we can be smart about this.”
He let out a sigh. “I need you to distract me.”
“Okay, after you get yourself a local lawyer to go in there and get the police to go speak to Emily.”
“Vanessa.”
He’d asked for distraction, not direction. I sucked in my lips, and for a moment, my mind returned to when we were near the coatroom. I blinked the thought away and tapped my cheeks. “Let’s see… Indigo’s wedding was gorgeous.”
He traced my leg. “What about you? When are you getting married?”
Jolts of electricity crossed my skin from his teasing. My heart raced more. “I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine.”
He reached higher, and my pulse quickened. “But you have a fiancé.”
My stomach twisted. Soon, he would know the truth about me. I lowered my head. “Can I ask you a question?”
He held my elbow, and my skin was sending sweet signals that said I had what I wanted, which wasn’t true. I would never get to keep Stone.
“I’m an open book,” he said.
I sucked on my bottom lip, wishing maybe he’d changed. “Do you still have your ‘once someone lies, you can never trust them’ belief?”
He massaged the back of his neck. “For the most part, yeah.” He closed his eyes for a moment and held his breath. When he released it, he said, “Lana used every trick in the book with my father, and he never saw it. Fighting is raw but fucking honest. I can break someone’s nose if I flick my fingers the wrong way, but my opponent and I both understand the danger of the game.”
My face heated. I knew this about him. I ignored the tightness of my face as I said, “That’s what I thought.”
He tapped my leg with his own, and I glanced at him. “Though if you’re thinking about what happened between us, that’s not a lie.”
I’d never not loved him, if I was honest. I curled my lip. “It’s not?”
“No.” He leaned down and pressed his head to mine. “We’re acting on emotion that’s pure and honest.”
Yeah, it was. My heart beat a little faster as I narrowed my gaze. “So it’s okay when you justify what you want?”
His lips thinned like I’d insulted him. “You know that’s not true.”
There were no words left. Hopefully, we could be alone, then I would tell him about Rocky.
First, though, we needed to find his sister. As the plane descended, I realized I hadn’t told him my plan, but I kept him talking and not focusing on anything other than here and now for a few minutes. “We’re almost in Pittsburgh now. Where will you stay?”
The wheels raced against the tarmac. I clutched his hand tighter. I needed my son to know he was safe in my arms. I didn’t care how big he got; he was still my little boy. As we slowed, I became more rational and released Stone’s hand.
“I have rooms reserved fo
r everyone at Omni,” he said. “Want to stay with me tonight?”
Yes. If I were free and able to do whatever I wanted, I would. But I had responsibilities that he didn’t understand yet. “I’ll… I’ll go home after we find Emily.”
His smile widened. “Thanks. If I have to, I’ll break down Lana’s door.”
I sniffed the air. “No. You’re not being arrested. We talked about a lawyer, remember?”
“I ordered one.” The doors opened, and the teenagers were first to leave as he said, “She’s my sister.”
As we made our way off the plane, I took his hand to my heart. He had more than enough reason to be calm and smart. “Please trust me. Emily wouldn’t want that, and neither would I. We’ll devise a better plan together.”
He motioned with his head. My son would want me to be here for his father, and he had no idea I was so close to home. Tomorrow, everything would be different, but I needed to ensure Stone was clean and free to continue on his path. Whatever feelings I had for him didn’t matter. Whatever he said was all that mattered, but first he needed to know the truth.
7
Stone
Last night, I’d used Vanessa hard. She deserved better than to take all my pent-up frustrations as rough sex. Part of me still felt the five times I’d drilled into her. No woman had ever come close to fulfilling me like she could.
In the morning, I’d driven to survey my stepmother’s house, but Emily was already walking on the street. I stepped out of the car and called to her, “Emily?”
“She lied to me.” Emily hugged me. “She said she’d drop charges against you if I came home with her.”
“I’m fine.” I massaged the back of her head. “Never believe Lana. You should have waited to see the cops believed everything we said.”
She let me go and jumped into the car. “I was scared, but I ran out the door first thing in the morning. I wanted to find you.”
“Let’s go.”
I quickly texted Vanessa: I have my sister.
Thought bubbles kept me there, even though Emily closed her eyes like she needed to sleep. Vanessa then wrote back: I’ll get the others back to the hotel.
I want to see you, I wrote fast then started the engine.
She responded quickly: I’m here.
I tucked my phone into my pocket then headed back to the hotel.
Halfway through the drive, Emily woke up and asked, “So you and Vanessa again?”
“She’s engaged,” I said. As Emily gazed out the window, I added, “I’m just glad you’re safe, Emily.”
This time, she turned to me and smiled. “I have a great big brother.”
Great meant I was solely focused on her and that she would never have to return to Lana’s house. And this time, I had a lawyer to ensure Lana never bothered either of us. When she kicked me out, I’d been weak and an emotional wreck after coming home from my father’s funeral. I’d do better for Emily. For now, I shook my head to clear my mind, but we made it across the bridge and back to the center of the city, where our hotel was, as I said, “No, but I’m trying here.”
She pushed her hair behind her ear. “I still lost all my money to pay for expenses at Austen.”
We drove onto streets that I never would have thought I could afford when I was a kid. “It will be my pleasure to ensure you have what you need.”
As I drove toward the front door of the hotel, she said, “I had plans for years to be independent and start college.”
I stopped for the valet. The good part of wrestling professionally was I had more money than our father ever had, though he’d worked all our lives. And unlike most of my colleagues, I’d been trained to never spend unless I needed to, so splurging on Emily was easy.
“You still are. I’m training for the Olympics, and I have my professional wrestling job, so I can’t visit as much as I’d like.”
I tossed the keys to the valet and walked my sister inside. In the lobby, I saw Vanessa in jeans I’d bought and had delivered to the room. I whispered to my sister, “Go. I’ll check us in.”
Emily handed me her driver’s license so I could get her a room key, and she headed right to talk to Jesse and Coco, so I wasn’t sure she’d even heard me.
As I approached, Vanessa said, “She’s happy with her friends.”
My heart sped up near her. “I need you to stay a little.”
I gave Emily’s ID to the front desk to get her room, and the attendant checked Emily in for me.
Vanessa hugged her waist. “I shouldn’t.”
“Yes, you should.” I ran my fingers through her hair, which was now wild and free—and even more beautiful.
The attendant handed me the key for my sister, and Vanessa stayed right next to me. As we rounded a corner of the lobby, where no one was in sight, she cupped my face and said, “Look, I can’t.”
The one woman I needed didn’t feel the same. I lowered my forehead to hers. “I have a fight tomorrow, and my sister is free. I can be gentle with you.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, which was still slightly swollen from my kisses. “Don’t tempt me any more.”
I reached out and held her waist. “I won’t stop, Vanessa. I’ll never stop. You’re the only woman for me.”
She curled into my chest, holding me. “I… can’t promise more.”
I hugged her. “Stay.”
She stepped back but looked up at me. “Tomorrow, you’ll hate me.”
She was the only angel I’d ever had in my life. I raised my right arm like I was on the witness stand. “Never.”
She covered her lips and studied me. I hoped she wouldn’t tell me she was still going to marry some other guy. Adrenaline rushed through me, but then she said, “After you fight, I’ll come back here to your room and spill my guts.”
I waited until she stilled, as she seemed nervous, and then I said, “If that means you’re leaving your fiancé, I’ll let you talk on the phone a few minutes.”
She blinked, but someone passed our corner of the lobby, so I led her back to my sister, who was now talking to Jesse. I slipped my sister her key and her license.
Vanessa stayed with me, but as we passed them, she said, “It’s not that easy. Tomorrow, after the fight, you’ll see for yourself.”
When she let my hand go, I squared my shoulders and asked, “Do you have to leave right now? I’m treating them all to a nice lunch.”
“You’re addicting, Stone,” she said, but then she joined us as we headed to the hotel restaurant.
After we checked in and the teenagers headed toward the table, I kissed Vanessa on the cheek. “I never want to let you go.”
Her eyes were big as she studied me, but then she sighed and walked with me. At least she hadn’t left me yet. Maybe I’d convinced her that I loved her enough, and this time, I might never have to leave her side, ever again. I hoped she’d chosen me.
8
Vanessa
Soon I needed to go back to my real life. But I didn’t argue as Stone led me back to his room. I was addicted to him, though that made it sound different. He made me ache and forget myself, but my mother expected my destination-wedding vacation to end, and I needed my son again.
Stone cupped my ass as the door closed to his room, and I turned toward him and said, “I’m glad your sister is so happy.”
He kissed my cheek. “I’m just happy you’re still here.”
“Me too.” I folded my hands around my sides to hug myself as I stood in front of him. He dropped his wallet and phone on the table beside the bed as I said, “I’ll be expected home tomorrow, but I can go earlier. It’s time to talk.”
He nodded and sat on the bed. “Okay, hit me with it.”
I plopped on the other side of the bed, near the window, and stared out. Lunch had taken most of the afternoon, and the sun was absent from the window. “I have a secret.”
His muscles shifted on the bed, and I turned toward him.
“Tell me, and maybe we can fix whateve
r it is,” he said. “I don’t want to ever lose you.”
I curved my legs on the bed and scooted closer. “Why?”
He stilled, and his hands were almost in prayer as he said, “Because, Vanessa, I love you.”
My eyes misted. I believed him. I wished I’d handled our reunion better and had told the truth right away. My lips curled like I’d stop myself from crying and said, “Oh, Stone, I love you too.”
His smile grew wider on his cheeks, and his eyes brightened. “You do?”
No going back on the truth now. I swallowed. “You’re in my heart.”
His arms wrapped around me, holding me tighter as his lips met mine. Steam grew inside me. Then his fingers laced around my shirt. I should have stopped him, but I didn’t want us to ever end. He reached beneath my shirt and traced my skin, leaving a trail of sensations behind his touch. He cupped my breasts, and his nibbles went to my neck like I still held his only interest.
My heart strummed for him. He gently squeezed my breast, and I reached into his jeans and held his manhood. I kneaded him inside his pants and underwear to urge him to claim me again.
I was wanton and needy when he rolled my shirt off my body and brushed down my bra to suckle my nipples. I was on fire when he let my hard pebble go then broke the silence to ask, “So will you break up with your fiancé and be mine again?”
I held him, but this time, I had to tell the truth, so I swallowed and said, “I don’t have a boyfriend. I lied.”
“You…” I stilled as his eyes widened. “Why did you tell me that?”
My gut twisted. It wasn’t fair to be burning with need and guilt at the same time. I lowered my lashes. “Because you left, and I was alone and…”
He kissed the corner of my lip. “Shh.”
Then he unbuttoned my jeans and helped me out of them and my underwear in one shot. A thrill rushed through me. When I stepped out and his finger traced my inner thigh, he said, “I’m just happy that there is nothing standing in our way.”
