Julian (The Stone Society Book 9)

by Faith Gibson

  Julian stopped at an ornate, iron gate, rolled down his window, and said, “Open Says Me,” into a security box. When the gate swung inward, he pulled the Corvette into the long driveway leading to his house and said, “Welcome home.” Kat had been quiet on the ride from the airport, but when she saw what was hidden behind the wrought iron fence and tall trees, her mouth fell open and she asked, “This is where you live?”

  “Yes, and now it is where you do as well.”

  “I… Julian, this is incredible.”

  “I like it, but then again, Rafael designed it for me, so it is exactly as I wanted it.”

  “But…” Katherine frowned. “This house is as old as you are. How could your cousin have designed it?”

  Well, fuck. Julian was either going to have to tell Katherine the truth or remember to think before he spoke. “We are older than we look. I happen to be five hundred and eleven. Now, let us go inside and have a look around, shall we?” Julian said with a wink. Kat rolled her eyes at him, and he laughed, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing it.

  Julian was proud of his home. It wasn’t nearly as large as the manor, but it was plenty big enough for several kids. He prayed to the gods Kat wanted kids. “I decorated a long time ago, but hopefully things are not too outdated. If there is anything you would like to change, don’t hesitate to tell me. I want you to think of this as your home. If you don’t like the colors or the furniture or–”

  “Julian, stop. Your home is beautiful.”

  “Let’s go upstairs, and I will show you to your room.” Julian led her up the curved stairway to the second floor where all the bedrooms were located. “Here we are,” he said as he indicated the large bedroom across from his. Nik called Julian earlier to let him know Sophia had managed to get Katherine’s things from her apartment, and they had put them in the spare bedroom across the hall from the master suite. That was the logical place for her things, though Julian hoped Kat moved into his bedroom soon.

  “I asked Nik’s mate to gather some of your things together so you would feel more at home. I hope you don’t mind.” Julian opened the closet where Sophia had hung a good deal of Katherine’s clothes.

  “She went through my apartment?”

  “Yes. I should have asked your permission first, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “No, I don’t mind, it’s just… what if the Feds were watching my place? Wasn’t that dangerous for her?”

  “Maybe, but Nik was with her, and they were careful. They did not bother any of your things other than the essentials Sophia thought you would like to have. Anything else you need, I can get for you.”

  “That’s very thoughtful. Thank you. And, I guess I need to thank her too.”

  “I am sure you will be able to do that soon. Now that we are home, I doubt the two of them will be able to stay away long. They will want to hear about the rescue and find out how you are.”

  “Since we’re talking about my apartment, I don’t know what’s going to happen with my things. I doubt the landlord is going to hold it much longer since I haven’t been paying the rent.”

  “You let me know what you want out of it, and I will make it happen. Anything that is sentimental, we will retrieve. Things that we can replace like furniture, movies, books, we will replace so as not to draw any unwanted attention. We will need to do that soon in case the owner does decide to toss your stuff or give it to charity.”

  “I’ll make a list of what I’d like to keep.” Kat looked around the room before stepping into the private bathroom. “Holy shit!” she exclaimed.

  “What’s wrong?” Julian asked as he rushed to her side.

  “I forgot I was wearing this,” she said, pointing to the mask. “Is it safe to take it off now?”

  “Yes. You should keep it in case you want to get out of the house at some point before we clear your name.”

  Katherine removed the wig first, unpinning her hair so it could fall around her shoulders. While she removed the prosthetic, Julian reached out and touched a red strand, rubbing the silkiness through his fingers. When he looked up, Kat was staring at his reflection, her eyes on his fingers. “Oh, sorry.” He turned loose of her hair and shoved his hands in his pockets. “If you are ready, we will go see the rest of the house.”

  “I didn’t mind,” Kat whispered.

  “What?” Julian heard her, but he wasn’t sure of her meaning.

  “I didn’t mind you touching my hair. I’ve never had a man pay attention to me the way you do, so it’s a little daunting.”

  Julian removed his hands from his pockets and slid them underneath her hair, cradling the back of her head. “You will need to get used to it, Sweetheart. I plan on paying so much attention to you…” Julian slanted his mouth over hers, letting his kiss finish the sentiment. Kat grabbed onto the sides of his shirt, bunching it in her fists, pulling him closer. Julian’s beast was ready to take control.

  Take her. Now.

  Shut up. We just got her home, and she has been through an ordeal. We need to ease her into being around us.

  Bullshit. Take her and make her forget about her ordeal.

  No. We will do this when she’s ready.

  Kat moaned into Julian’s mouth, and his dick hardened. He couldn’t help the way his mate affected his body, but he could help how he behaved around her. Pulling his hips back so she wouldn’t feel his erection, Julian continued kissing Kat, only backing off when he felt she needed to take a breath.

  “Wow,” she mumbled.

  Julian kissed Kat on the nose and grabbed her hand. “Plenty of time for kisses later. Let’s head back downstairs.” It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss her, but if he didn’t get her out of such close quarters, his beast was going to win the battle. Once they were downstairs, Julian showed her the library, his office, and the den, before ending up in the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I can make us that breakfast I promised you.”

  “I am, but you don’t have to cook for me.”

  “Do you like to cook?” he asked.

  Katherine frowned and admitted, “I wouldn’t say I like it or don’t. I’m not very good at it. When I lived with the Praters, Lucinda always had supper fixed by the time I got home from school, so I never really got to watch her and learn. Living alone, I usually heat up a frozen dinner after I get home from work.”

  “Well, I love to cook. Unlike my brothers and cousins, I do not have a housekeeper or mate cooking for me, so I taught myself over the years.”

  “You said brothers as in plural.”

  “Yes, Geoffrey Hartley, the owner of Lion Hart Dojo, is also my brother.”

  “And your cousins?”

  “Gregor, as you know, is Rafael’s brother. They have two more brothers – Dante Di Pietro, the medical examiner, and Sinclair Stone, who lives in California.” Katherine stared with her mouth open. Julian probably should ease his mate into the information about his family, but he thought it best to go ahead and get at least some of the truth out there. “I can see I have stunned you. There is a lot about our family most people don’t know, and there is a reason for that. When you have had time to settle in, I will tell you all about me as well as my family. You will meet everyone in due time, and that includes the women and children. You are already considered a member of our family, so don’t be surprised when you are treated as such. If the situation in Texas hadn’t been so traumatic for you and we hadn’t been running from the government, Tessa probably would have taken you out shooting pool and drinking beer.”

  Kat sat down on one of the stools at the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area. “Don’t get me wrong, because I promise I’m not complaining. I’ve never had family with the exception of John and Lucinda, so being part of a large group will take some getting used to. I just don’t understand why.”

  Julian was thankful for the coffee pot Nik had bought him several years ago. He never used it, but Nikolas did when he came to visit. He fixed a pot for Kat while he talked. “T
here is something about you that I am drawn to. If things were different and you were not a fugitive, I would take you out on dates. Get to know you the proper way. We can still do that, if you wish, but you will need to disguise yourself.”

  “Maybe. For now, I’m okay hiding out here. The only place I’ll want to go is to see a therapist. I’m not naïve enough to think I won’t have trouble getting over what happened. I’m already scared to sleep,” Kat admitted. “And there are things from my past that don’t make sense. Things being under hypnosis brought to the surface.”

  “I will hire the best there is. If you want to get out of the house, I will take you to the doctor’s office. If you prefer to stay here, I will have them come to you for your sessions. I want to help you start the healing process as soon as possible, and I want you to be comfortable when doing so.”

  “I won’t be able to see someone using my insurance since I’m sure I no longer have a job. I have some money saved up, but–”

  “Sweetheart, I might not have made myself clear. You are mine, if you will have me. I know this isn’t how most people go about relationships, but I want you in my life. If you decide after living here for a while you do not want the same thing, we will deal with that then. Until that happens, I want to take care of you as if we were already an established couple. I am not trying to put pressure on you or add to your stress. If anything, I am trying to alleviate any stress I can. I have more money than our grandchildren will be able to spend, so please don’t worry about that.”

  Kat slid off the stool and stepped up as close as she could get to Julian, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Kiss me,” she whispered. Julian didn’t hesitate to lower his head to hers, sealing their mouths together. If his mate wanted to kiss him, he wasn’t going to turn her down. Kat licked at his lips, and he opened for her, melding his tongue with hers. Kat eased her hands between his shirt and skin, raking her nails along his back. Even though she couldn’t hurt him, the sensation caused by the motion sent an electric current through Julian’s body. His cock pulsed, so he pulled his hips away from her stomach. Kat wasn’t having it, though. She reached between them and unbuttoned his pants.

  “Kat,” Julian husked.

  “Do you not want me?” she asked, looking at him with hurt in her eyes. “Did you not say you wanted to pursue a relationship?”

  “Yes, but–”

  “A platonic relationship?”

  “No, but–”

  Kat continued cutting him off. “No buts, Julian. If you want this, us, then I’m ready to get to know you, in every way. I find you irresistible, and I’m tired of fighting the urge to touch you. To kiss you. To… do other things with you. I’ve never felt such desire for a man before, and I want you.”

  Julian picked Kat up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. As he carried her upstairs to his bedroom, she threaded her fingers through his hair and trailed kisses from his ear down his neck. Julian had been with countless females over the years, but never had one ignited a need so great. When he reached the bed, he gently set her down on her feet and began undressing her, pausing every few seconds to not only gauge her mood, but to also keep the beast under control. It was one thing to have sex with a random woman, but to finally be with the one the fates had chosen for you was beyond anything he could have imagined, and he hadn’t even touched her yet. Not in the way that mattered. If the simple act of removing her clothes had him this fired up, getting inside Katherine was going to be nothing short of an explosion.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kat had never held back when she wanted something. Not in her professional life, and now, not in her personal one. After what she’d been through these last few weeks, Kat felt like she deserved something good, and Julian Stone was good. She wanted Julian in the worst way, and if he thought badly of her for initiating sex, they weren’t going to work as a couple. She wanted something to take her mind off her predicament as well as the ache in her ear, and she could think of nothing better to do that than having sex with the god who was taking her clothes off. She reached forward and unbuttoned Julian’s shirt, pushing it off his shoulders so she could admire the muscles hidden underneath.

  She had dated some good-looking men, but Julian was an Adonis. Like his last name implied, he was chiseled perfection. Kat wanted nothing more than to run her fingers – or her tongue – over the planes of his stomach, exploring every indention until she traveled past the V pointing to the erection he was sporting. He had tried hiding his hard-on, but she didn’t want him to. It made her feel good knowing she had that effect on him. When Julian pushed his pants and underwear down his legs, her mouth fell open. His long cock was pointing at her, the tip leaking. Stepping forward, Kat touched a finger to the slit where the pre-cum was beading. She brought the liquid to her mouth and placed it on her tongue. It was a little salty but she liked it because it was Julian’s.

  When she reached out again, she wrapped a hand around his cock and slid it toward her body. She made the same motion with her other hand and began stroking his erection, fist over fist like she was dragging a rope to her. Kat hadn’t given many blow jobs in her life, because she hadn’t seen the appeal. She’d also never given a hand job, but Julian’s cock fascinated her. The soft skin over the hardness beneath beckoned to her. Had her mouth watering to taste him again. All of him.

  “Kat,” Julian growled. That was another thing she liked about this man – his animalistic sounds. She wasn’t sure why he was growling, but she wanted to hear it again, so she tightened her grip and twisted the head with each pass. Julian’s hips rocked into her hands as he fisted his own hands at his sides. When more liquid seeped out of the tip, Katherine dropped to her knees without thinking. As she slid his cock into her mouth, Julian grabbed her hair and pulled. The pain was minimal, but it was enough to have her core heating up, and she couldn’t wait to get Julian inside her.

  She closed her eyes and bobbed her head up and down, using her hand to create more friction since she couldn’t get all of him in her mouth. When her jaws got tired, she ran her tongue through the slit, giving herself a break. Glancing up to see if he was enjoying what she was doing, Kat caressed Julian’s balls with her free hand. The smolder in his eyes was proof enough he liked what she was doing. When her mouth was rested, she slid it over as much of him as possible, doing her best not to gag when it touched the back of her throat. Kat wanted to have him orgasm into her mouth. She wanted him to shoot his seed down her throat so she could know what he really tasted like.

  Before she knew what was happening, Kat found herself on her back in the middle of Julian’s huge bed with his mouth between her legs. “Julian,” she complained. “I wasn’t done.” She wanted to protest until he bit down on her clit, effectively shutting her up. Kat’s hips shot off the bed, shoving her mound into his face. Julian lapped at her folds, and she moaned long and loud. Ok, he hadn’t shut her up, but she was no longer complaining. She’d only had a couple of guys go down on her, and neither one of them had her breathing hard within seconds. As a matter of fact, neither one had her breathing hard at all. Julian definitely knew what he was doing.

  The man was relentless in his assault on her clit. “Oh, god, Julian… that’s… you’re… I’m…” Kat arched her back, pushing her core into his mouth as her orgasm burst through her. Julian continued licking until the last spasm left her. Only then did he insinuate himself over her body, rocking his erection against her sensitive flesh. He captured her lips, her essence lingering on his tongue. She ate at his mouth while pushing on his hips. She was beyond ready for him to slide his cock inside.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked, pulling away.

  “No. God, no. I need you. Inside me.”

  Julian nestled his hard cock between her legs, sliding back and forth. She raised her hips to meet his, rubbing against his erection. He lowered his head to her breast, squeezing it in his fist, pushing the pink bud closer to his waiting mouth. He teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue
until it was a hard peak. Kat couldn’t help but moan at the sensation. When Julian stopped teasing and sucked her deep into the heat of his mouth, Kat hissed. The slight pain shot straight to her core, and she whimpered, “More.”

  Julian released her breast, kissing his way up her chest, to her neck, and her ear, nipping her lobe. Kat tried to move so his dick was at her entrance. “Julian, please don’t make me wait.” Something sharp scraped against Katherine’s neck, but it wasn’t painful. If anything, it was erotic. It… “Oh, god…” Kat panted as Julian slid deep inside in one slick move. She had never been so full. Julian rose up on his hands and looked into her eyes as he moved in and out of her core, rolling his hips so he hit her clit each time he reentered her body.

  “You are so beautiful.”

  Katherine was too enthralled in what he was doing to her to answer. She grabbed hold of his biceps, pulling as his cock found its way inside, trying to get him to fuck her harder. The intensity on his face should have scared her. Julian Stone was a man possessed. With her. She couldn’t get enough of him. She pushed her heels into the bed, meeting him thrust for agonizingly slow thrust. “Julian…”

  “What do you need, Sweetheart? You can tell me.” Julian lowered his head and teased her lips with his tongue.

  When he stilled his body waiting on her answer, she husked, “Harder.” Julian’s green eyes darkened, and he tossed back his head as he gave it to her the way she wanted. The way she needed. Slow and gentle was good, but her body was begging for something more… primal. His animalistic nature was calling to hers on such a primitive level, Kat didn’t think harder would be hard enough. She needed for them to become one, and no matter how rough he gave it to her, it wasn’t going to fuse them together the way her soul was calling for.

  “Harder, Julian. I need you… deep,” she begged.