“I get it. Seeing European football become mainstream in the States was your grandfather’s dream. You’ve told me all the reasons why the soccer arena is important to you. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t advise you against it one last time.”
I glared at him.
“I’ve heard you – loud and clear many times. I’m not budging on this one,” I asserted.
“Okay, okay. It’s your money,” he conceded as he stood up to leave. “Oh, and one more thing. There is a discrepancy on one of the reports. Not with the business, but with your personal expenses. You were double charged for the Mandarin Day Spa. For some reason, it hit Justine’s expense account and your personal expense account.”
“Justine?”
“Yeah. I’m assuming that your sister went there last week.”
So did Krystina.
“Yes,” I replied absently, not sure what to think about the coincidence of Krystina and Justine going to the same spa. “Justine said something about planning a spa day with Suzanne.”
“It’s no big deal. I’ll just have Laura call the Mandarin and straighten it out.”
“Do you know what day Justine was there?” I asked, although I was fairly certain of the answer.
Bryan began riffling through his spreadsheets.
“She was there on Saturday. Two weeks ago. Why?”
“The charges are correct. Krystina was also there that day, and her expenses were charged to my account.”
Bryan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Krystina? Is that the name of the girl you were seeing? I didn’t realize it was that serious.”
“It wasn’t. And when you pass by Laura, please tell her to come in here,” I added dismissively.
I was suddenly in a rush to get him out of my office. A few pieces to the puzzle were starting to fit together and I was overwhelmed with a sense of urgency to put them all together.
A few minutes later, my PA knocked on the office door.
“Mr. Stone, Bryan said that you wanted to see me?”
“Yes, Laura. Two things. I want an update on the Westchester deal emailed to me by the end of the day tomorrow. Also, find the phone number for Allyson Ramsey. She works for Ethan DeJames, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to track her down. Once you have it, send it to my phone.”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
“No. That’s it. I’ll be leaving here shortly and may be tied up for the rest of the night. Route anything of importance through Hale and he’ll get in touch with me if it needs my immediate attention.”
“Will do. Enjoy the night, Mr. Stone.”
“Thank you, Laura.”
Once she was gone, I turned back to my computer and the video feed I had been watching. I backed up the footage by a few minutes and took a screen shot of the man that was harassing Krystina at Club O. After sending the image to my cell phone, I powered down the computer, grabbed my suit jacket, and made my way out to the parking garage that was attached to my building.
Climbing into the Tesla, I reached for my phone and was happy to see that Laura was able to obtain Allyson’s number so quickly.
Here goes nothing.
I dialed the number and hoped that my instincts were correct.
“This is Ally. How can I help you?” she answered.
“Allyson, it’s Alexander Stone.”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before she spoke again.
“I’m at work, Alexander.”
“I figured. We need to talk. Alone.”
“About what? I mean, other than the fact that Krys has been acting weird.”
“Weird? In what way?”
“She’s just not herself. Krys tells me everything, but she’s been really tight lipped. And then this morning, she took off for a job interview in Stamford, and I was like – whoa! What happened to Turning Stone? What’s going on with you two, Alex?”
“We had a bit of a...” I trailed off, feeling somewhat shocked that Allyson knew nothing about Krystina and I splitting. I tried to think of the best way to summarize things. “It’s a long story. And honestly, I don’t really know what happened.”
“Okay, buddy. Now you’ve got me worried. What did you do to her?” she accused.
Why is it always the guy’s fault?
I glanced at the clock. It was going on four.
“I can be to you by four-thirty. I might be able to shed some light on a few things. Maybe together, we can figure out what’s going on in that stubborn brain of hers.”
“Oh, so now she’s stubborn? You listen to me, Sto –,”
“Allyson, please,” I cut her off. “Trust me on this.”
I could sense her hesitation, but fortunately she agreed before I had to do something more drastic.
“Make it five o’clock. I still have a few things to wrap up here,” she informed me.
“Fine. See you then.”
****
I sat double parked in front of Ethan DeJames. Horns blared at me in frustration, but I didn’t give a rat’s ass. It was ten minutes after five. Allyson was late. I was normally a patient man, but I found my patience running thin at that moment. I tapped my thumb on the steering wheel in irritation.
When she finally came out of the building fifteen minutes later, it was all I could do to not lose my mind on her when she climbed into the passenger seat.
“Sorry. I was dealing with a temperamental model,” Allyson apologized as she climbed into the passenger seat. “They always think they know best. Geez, it’s freezing outside!”
She ran her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill.
“Here. Take my coat,” I offered, shrugging out of my suit jacket.
“Thanks,” she said, not hesitating to take the jacket from me. “It was warmer this morning. I didn’t know that the temperature would drop so much or else I would have worn a coat today.”
“No problem. We’ve been spoiled with the warm weather up until now,” I said casually, trying to ease into a conversation with a bit of small talk. “I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.”
Suddenly all business, Allyson turned and looked incisively at me.
“Cut the BS, Alex. What’s going on?”
A straight shooter. Good. I don’t want to pussyfoot around anymore than you do, sweetheart.
I went right to it and showed her the screen shot from the Club O video feed. Her face instantly paled, and I felt my stomach drop. The man in the picture was probably exactly who I feared it was, but I had to ask nonetheless.
“Who is this?” I asked.
“Where did you get this?” she returned rather than answer me.
“It’s a screen shot of the video feed from a club that I took Krystina to.”
“I don’t know who it is. You’ll have to ask Krys.”
She pressed her lips together into a stubborn line, stared out the windshield, and wouldn’t say more.
“Don’t play games with me. I have a master's degree in psychology and you’re a terrible liar. I can tell by your face that you know who it is.”
Allyson’s head whipped around so fast that I would be surprised if she didn’t strain a muscle.
“Don’t try to psychoanalyze me, Stone,” she bit out. “I say that you should ask Krys because this isn’t my story to tell. You want answers, ask her.”
“I believe that I already know the answer,” I replied calmly. “I just need you to confirm.”
“You don’t know anything.”
“Actually, I do. Krystina filled me in on her past and how she was raped.”
“She told you that?”
Her eyes flashed with hurt, and I instantly realized my mistake. Krystina told me that she never shared the details of her horrific experience with anyone else. And that included Allyson. I had been the only one that she told.
“Yes. It was difficult for her, but she did eventually tell me. Don’t look so hurt over it, though. There’s a r
eason why she did.”
“Really? Because I can’t think of why she would confide in you, someone who is practically a stranger,” she spat out accusingly.
She turned to look out the windshield again and crossed her arms. Whether it was in anger or because she felt wounded, I couldn’t be sure. I only knew that I didn’t have time to worry about her ego just then.
“Allyson, look at me,” I ordered. When she turned back, I was as blunt as possible in order to make her understand. “She told me because she was afraid that she couldn’t give me what I wanted – her submission.”
She raised one eyebrow at me, looking as if I had sprouted antlers. At the very least, her surprise told me that Krystina never divulged anything to Allyson about what we did behind closed doors.
She shook her head in disbelief.
“This is a flipping joke, right?”
“No, it’s not a joke. I’m a Dominant.”
“Oh, well doesn’t this just get better and better!” she exclaimed, tossing her hands up in the air. “How in the hell did Krys get herself mixed up with you? I can’t believe I didn’t know! Wait – I did know! But then she backtracked on what she said and… Either way, I dismissed it all. I wasn’t paying close enough attention to her. This is bad. I’m a terrible friend! To go from not dating anyone for years, to messing around with a Dominant! I’m sure she had no idea about what she was getting herself into!”
Interrupting the mini rant that she was having with herself, I held the phone out for her to see the screen shot again.
“Allyson, chill out. Krystina is a big girl and she can make decisions without consulting you first,” I said dryly. “I didn’t force her to do anything that she didn’t want to do. But now, I’m really worried about her. Especially since I now know that she didn’t talk to you about the night we went to Club O. Is the name of the man in this picture Trevor?”
She stared at the picture for a few moments before seeming to come to a decision.
“Yes. That’s him. Trevor Hamilton,” she finally said. “Now are you going to tell me why he was in the same place as you and Krystina?”
I exhaled the breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding. I had hoped that my suspicions were wrong about who the guy was in the picture, and I was overwhelmed with guilt over leaving Krystina alone to deal with that monster. I wanted nothing more than to get to her. To hold her. To tell her that everything would be okay.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the seat, not wanting to get into the long sordid tale of how Krystina was driven to walk away from me.
“It’s too long of a story, Allyson” I tried to dismiss.
“Well, it’s about a twenty minute drive back to my place. You can tell me about it on the way.”
I admired her tenacity, even if it was grating on my nerves. Knowing that I wasn’t going to put off this incorrigible woman, I didn’t hesitate with my response.
“You’ll get the abbreviated version. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Putting the car in drive, I merged into traffic and began giving her a brief synopsis about my relationship with Krystina, and how we came to be at Club O.
By the time we pulled up to the apartment building that Krystina and Allyson shared, I had come to the end of the story. Somehow, I managed to tell the tale without revealing the complication of my mother and father. I wasn’t going to get into that with her, especially since Krystina didn’t know the whole truth.
Once I had successfully squeezed the Tesla in between two cars on the curbside, I turned to face Allyson. She had been silent the entire time that I was speaking, but her expression was thoughtful. It was as if she were trying to piece it all together, just like I had been.
“After we argued for a few minutes, she got out of the car and walked away. I haven’t heard from her since,” I finished.
“That’s it? I mean, you didn’t go after her?”
“It was a difficult moment. She said things, and I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Have you spoken to her at all since that night?”
“No. Our only communication was a few texts that I sent her about the job at Turning Stone. I wanted to let her know that it was still on the table, but she never replied back,” I said and pursed my lips in annoyance. Krystina’s lack of response had infuriated me. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. I know that I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have let her walk away in the first place.”
“Yeah, dumbass. You can say that again,” she said, but there was no real heat in her words. Only sadness.
“I’m going to get her back, Allyson.”
“I like you, Alex. I don’t know why,” she said with a frown. “You’re nothing but one giant sack of bad news for Krys. But I can tell that you really care for her. Your eyes soften when you talk about her. She won’t be easy to win over again. She’s stubborn as a mule.”
I laughed at that.
“Trust me, I know it!”
“Wishing you luck won’t make a damn bit of –,” she was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone. “Well, speak of the devil.”
“Krystina is calling you?” I asked quickly.
“Yeah. So?”
“Don’t tell her I’m with you. I haven’t decided how I’m going to play this yet.”
She threw a strange look at me before pulling her phone out of her purse.
“Hey, doll,” she said into the receiver. After a few minutes she spoke again. “Time for you to dump that hunk of junk, Krys. But yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
She ended the call and tossed the phone back into her purse.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“Her piece of crap car broke down on I-95. I have to go and get her.”
Instantly, the play that I had been looking for fell onto my lap. I seized the opportunity.
“Let me go to get her.”
“Hell, no! Are you nuts? Talk about an ambush!” she exclaimed and shook her head back and forth rapidly.
“Allyson, I need time with her.”
“She’ll want to kill me!”
“And then she’ll get over it. Trust me.”
“Do you use that line on her? ‘Trust me’ with that smooth voice of yours?”
I smirked at her mocking tone, and for some reason she found it humorous.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Yes, Stone. I think I am. But you’re right. You and Krystina need to figure this thing out. I’m worried about her. She hasn’t been acting like herself for a while now. Go get her and I’ll deal with the fall out later.”
I smiled then, happy that I managed to convince her to my way of thinking. I knew that winning back Krystina’s affection was going to take some work, but Allyson may prove to be an asset to me.
“I’ll try to soften the blow for you,” I said with a wink.
She opened the door to climb out of the car. But before she shut it, she leaned back down, her face becoming serious.
“Take my advice, Alex. Go slow. Baby steps. As strong as Krys can be, she is also fragile. You’ll have to tread carefully on the stepping stones to her heart.”
CHAPTER 3
Through my review mirror, I saw headlights approach and pull off to the side of the road. However, even though it was dark outside and the rain had slowed to a drizzle, I could tell that it was not Allyson’s Jeep behind me. The headlights were too low to the ground. I started to get nervous when I saw a shadow of a man exit the car and head towards me. I quickly fished around in my purse for my can of pepper spray.
When I turned back, I was shocked to see Alexander Stone’s astonishing blue eyes peering at me through the glass. My heart crashed against my chest. I sat there, completely stunned, staring back at him. Seeing him again turned me into an unresponsive, trembling mess.
What is he doing here?
He needed to shave, which was uncharacteristic of him. And although the stubble was unusual, it did nothing to mask the handsom
e features underneath. That perfectly chiseled face, square jaw, and those intensely bright blue eyes – he was just as devastating as ever.
He must have recently come from work, because he was still wearing a shirt and tie. However, his sleeves were rolled to his elbows and his blue tie was loosened at the neck. It was damp and chilly outside today, and I absently wondered why he didn’t have his suit jacket on.
He made a motion for me to roll down the window, bringing me back to reality. I was relieved that there wasn’t a serial killer standing outside of my car, but I was still stunned to see that it was Alexander. I had to remember to keep my wits about me, as just the sight of him threatened every molecule of intelligence that I possessed to abandon me.
Don’t bend, don’t bend. Hold your ground. You can do it.
I gave myself a pep talk as I waited for the window to roll down.
“Why don’t you have a coat on? It’s cold outside,” I scolded.
“Starting a fight with me already, Miss Cole.”
“Well, er…no,” I faltered. “I – I was only making an observation.”
He flashed me a crooked smile and I just about melted into a puddle.
“Oh, angel. How I’ve missed you.”
I felt my heart flutter from his words. We stayed staring at each other, still and silent, his face remarkably impassive as he studied me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in an attempt to break the silence. “Where’s Ally?”
“I’m assuming that she’s at home, as that’s where I dropped her off.”
“Wait, what? You were with Ally? Why?”
“Always so many questions,” he chuckled. “I’ll explain it later. What seems to be wrong with your car?”
“I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. I’ll figure it out. I don’t need you to help me.”
“And just as stubborn as ever,” he laughed.
“Don’t mock me, Alex.”
“I would never,” he admonished, his eyes alight with humor. “So are you going to tell me what’s wrong with your car? Or do I have to stand out here in the rain until you let go of your pigheadedness?”
Stepping Stone Page 2
