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  “Are you saying I’m not tough?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “I’m not sure.” He turned my hands over in his, brushing his thumb over my palm. “You have callouses. You’re a nurse and you tattoo on the side. You shouldn’t have these callouses.”

  “There are things in your past you don’t want to talk about. That’s why I won’t ask about Luna. You can tell me when you’re ready. There are also things in mine I’ve tried to bury. I grew up in a rough neighborhood. My dad had me train with the best until I knew how to defend myself.”

  “Did he teach you how to hit and take a punch? Why would you have to train with the best for that shit?”

  “I ... I didn’t have to defend myself against other kids,” I told him. A part of me wanted to split myself open and lay everything out for him but then there was a part that couldn’t face him judging me. So, I kept it to myself. For now.

  “Where did you grow up?”

  I hesitated. Aria had warned me that Stone would try and fall within himself. Well, little did she know that I was the exact same way.

  “I’m from a small city in Japan. My dad married an American woman and we moved here when I was four. But we went back every summer.” I shrugged, trying to play it off that it wasn’t a big deal when really, it was. Stone didn’t know who I trained with. He didn’t know what my hands had done or how many lives they had taken. Or the pleasure I got from watching the life leave someone’s eyes knowing they very well deserved it.

  “That’s pretty fucking amazing, Creena,” he said, pushing his hands beneath my dress.

  “We’re done talking about heavy shit I’m assuming?” I asked, licking my lips.

  Stone leaned toward me. “Yes.” In a quick move, he pulled me into his arms and cupped my ass. “Every time she leaves, I get stressed the fuck out.”

  “What do you usually do when she leaves?”

  “I work out. Hard.” He kissed my jaw.

  “Oh.” A breath of relief washed over me.

  “Did you think I would fuck it out?” he asked, pulling back.

  “Maybe.” I shrugged. “Sex can relieve stress.”

  “Yes, it can.” He nipped at my bottom lip. “I fucked. I fucked a lot. But it didn’t do anything. I usually ended up just working out. It was healthier that way.”

  “Less clingy women I gather?”

  He chuckled. “Yes.”

  “Hmm.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Well, I’m up for fucking or working out or even talking. Not in that order, either.”

  A wicked grin spread on his face as he slid his finger from my tailbone between the crack of my ass and lower.

  I jumped, cupping his jaw. “Talk to me, Stone. Tell me what you want to do to me.”

  He pushed me onto my back and knelt between my legs. “I’ll talk to you,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ll talk so damn hard, you’ll feel my words fucking you.”

  I shivered beneath him.

  Stone made good on his promise and spent the next hour talking to me through the use of his body. He craved the screams on my lips, the sounds of pleasure that left me only making him use me harder.

  And I gave in willingly. Always.

  ***

  (Stone)

  I hadn’t seen or talked to Creena since I spent the night inside her a couple of days ago. It had been intoxicating, delicious and downright dirty as fuck. She never asked me questions about Luna. She didn’t demand answers or get upset I never told her about my daughter in the first place. She let me use her until we were both sore and exhausted.

  The woman had a mouth on her, the vulgar words falling free from her lips like they had a mind of their own.

  Everything she asked, I did and returned it just the same, if not more so.

  Creena made me want to submit and beg before I even knew what I was doing. Her dominant side made me go against everything I believed in. I wasn’t sure why, but I liked it.

  It wouldn’t last. None of my sexual exploits ever did. Women couldn’t handle my mood swings. Creena would be no different.

  A text from my phone sounded, reminding me I was at the market. Angel and Jay were having all of us over for a bonfire in their backyard. It almost seemed too normal for us. But I did as I was asked and picked up a case of beer and a bottle of tequila.

  My body stirred, all thoughts of Creena writhing beneath me coming to mind. I wanted to pass out in her arms with my cock hard and stiff inside her only to wake up and fuck her all over again. She was my drug of choice, and I couldn’t wait to get high off her again.

  A feminine voice pulled me from my fantasies. My cock twitched. Rounding the corner, I found Creena with a phone to her ear and a deep frown furrowed between her eyebrows. I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping. As much as I wanted to go to her and demand she tell me what was wrong, I didn’t. Something pushed me back and stopped me. So, all I did was watch and listen.

  “Do you even understand what you’re asking of me?” she whisper-yelled into the phone.

  My curiosity was piqued.

  “I need time, Kenny,” she huffed, brushing her fingers down a bottle of liquor.

  A surge of jealousy roared its ugly head.

  “No, you can’t do that. Kenny. Ken—” She pulled the phone from her ear. “Fuck.” Grabbing the bottle, she stomped right toward me. Her gaze snapped up, locking with mine. Her cheeks reddened, her mouth set in a grim line. “How long have you been standing there?”

  A ripple of pleasure slid down my back at the bite in her tone. “Long enough.”

  She inhaled a sharp breath and walked past me.

  “Creena.” I stepped in front of her.

  “Don’t, Stone.” She glared at me. “I don’t need your judgment or your questions. Not right now.”

  “My judgment?” I laughed. “Baby, you have no idea what the fuck I’ve done. You should be the one judging me.”

  She frowned, her beautiful eyes searching my face.

  “Who were you talking to?”

  “None of your business,” she ground out, pulling another bottle of liquor off the shelf.

  I snatched the phone from her hand, scrolling through her last known contacts.

  “Stone, give me my phone back.” She slapped my arm, attempting to reach for the cell.

  “Now, Creena” —I turned away from her— “you don’t want to cause a scene, do you?”

  “Vincent Stone, give me my damn phone.”

  “Using my full name, are we?” And fuck me, but hearing my first name leave her mouth sent a ripple of pleasure racing down my spine.

  Creena placed her hands on her hips. “Stone.”

  Ignoring her, I found her last contact and raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Kenny?”

  “No one.”

  My stomach twisted. “Boyfriend? Husband? Someone I need to fucking worry about?”

  “God, Stone.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s my brother. You don’t need to worry about not being able to get your dick wet again.”

  God, I loved the mouth on her. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I pulled her against me. “Trust me, baby girl. I was never worried.”

  ***

  (Creena)

  I never wanted to tell Stone who was on the phone. Between Kenny and him, I wasn’t sure who pissed me off more. The fact that my brother made me come out of retirement should have irritated the fuck out of me but, instead, it excited me. An unknown force inside of me pulled and tugged. It was a raging war of should I, or shouldn’t I?

  “What’s going on, Creena?” Stone asked, walking out of the store with me.

  I almost forgot he was with me. “Nothing you should worry over.”

  “When someone pisses off my friend, it doesn’t sit well with me.”

  Friend. We both knew we weren’t just friends, but I let that comment slide.

  Letting out a rough sigh, the air leaving my lungs did nothing for the mood I was in. “My brother is an asshole. Nothing new there.” I waved it off l
ike it was no big deal. He loved me. I knew that. And I loved him back. But I didn’t love his ways or what he was into. Our family business was corrupted and evil, it almost made the Organization we were dealing with look like kittens and puppies. My great-grandfather was a money hungry bastard, and Kenny was no different.

  Stone stepped in front of me, placing his hands on my shoulders and peered intently into my eyes. “Talk to me,” he said gently.

  “Are you going to talk about yourself, Stone? Tell me things you’ve never told anyone?” I continued when he didn’t say anything, “Exactly. Listen, I like you. I like our friendship and what we’re doing. But don’t ruin it by asking questions when you’re not ready for those answers.”

  “Who the hell are you?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer.

  I was just a girl trying to be good when my past was bad.

  “YOU NEED TO stop calling me, Kenny,” I told my brother. I paced back and forth, shielding myself at the side of Jay and Angel’s house. I had stowed away, hiding while my friends hung out by the bonfire.

  “If I don’t keep calling you, you will think I’m not serious,” Kenny stated. “Listen—”

  “No,” I snapped. “You need to listen to me. You need to give me time. I can’t just drop everything and do what you want. I have a good life here. I have friends. These people are my family.”

  “I’m your fucking family, Creena,” he boomed, his rough voice sending my nerves on edge. “Or do I need to remind you? Maybe I should have my goons, as you like to call them, show up there and force you to come home.”

  “I don’t have a damn home,” I said, my voice rising. “And you can’t make me do shit.”

  Kenny chuckled, the cold, evil sound sending a nervous flutter racing through me.

  “I’m happy,” I repeated. “Why are you trying to take this from me?”

  “I am your family and I need you. And are you really happy? Because every time I see photos of you, you don’t look it.”

  Squeezing my eyes shut, I counted to ten and let out a slow breath. “How long have you been watching me?” I knew it was bound to happen. It made sense. Kenny was a paranoid fucker. He said he trusted me when really, I knew he didn’t. He didn’t trust anyone but himself. And he would do anything and go through anyone to get to the top of the food chain.

  “I’ve been watching you from the moment you said goodbye and left the country.”

  The air in my lungs tightened. Sliding down the wall, I dropped my head in my hands. “I need time.”

  “These bastards won’t wait, Creena. You of all people should know that.”

  “We’re working on bringing them down.”

  Kenny barked a laugh. “I love you but even you’re not that stupid. You think your little club and those guys who fight for their fucking country can bring down an entity taking over this motherfucking world? Come on. Seriously. Use your head.”

  “Fuck you.” I rose to my feet. “You don’t know half the shit we’ve done. I don’t see your men killing off any of these fuckers.” Kenny didn’t say anything for so long, I thought he had hung up. “Are you still there?”

  “Who have you killed?” he asked, his voice taking on a dark tone I didn’t like.

  “I haven’t killed anyone,” I told him. “Not lately anyway,” I added for reassurance. “What’s going on with you?”

  “I have to go. Remember what I said.” Kenny hung up, the silence deafening.

  I looked at my phone, wondering what the hell just happened.

  “Creena,” Stone said as he came around the corner. “What are you doing back here?”

  “Trying not to lose my mind,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. Shoving the phone into my bag, I turned to him. “You going to demand answers again?”

  “Depends.” He crossed his arms under his chest.

  “On what?”

  “You going to demand answers from me?”

  “I ...” I huffed. “I haven’t asked you anything.”

  “Don’t get defensive.” He chuckled. “I was teasing.”

  “I don’t like being teased,” I grumbled.

  Stone closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, holding me against him. “I promise. No more teasing.” He leaned back and placed a soft kiss on my mouth. “But we need to make an appearance before I fuck you against the wall. I’m sure Angel and Jay wouldn’t be too happy about that.”

  “Hmm ... well ...” I tugged him closer, covering his mouth with mine. I needed to forget for a moment the shit with my brother. With everything. I wanted to just feel and lose myself in Stone.

  Brushing my hands beneath his shirt, I grazed my fingers up the length of his hard torso until I reached his pierced nipple. Giving the barbell a gentle tug, I swallowed his groan. My tongue slid along his, attempting with everything in me to control the kiss.

  “Baby girl,” Stone breathed, backing me up into the dark corner beside the house. “Fuck.”

  I released his mouth with a wet smack, leaning my forehead against his chest and breathed through the racing of my heart. “What are you doing to me, Stone?”

  He pulled my hand from beneath his shirt and kissed my knuckles. “Same thing you’re doing to me.”

  “Yeah?” I licked my kiss swollen lips. “And what’s that?”

  “Helping me live again.”

  ***

  (Stone)

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about Creena but I knew I needed more. I needed to know that I was it for her. That our darkness together could shed some light on both of our lives. We had secrets. Maybe we would never share the full extent of them with each other but I knew without a fucking doubt that I wanted to tell Creena as much as I could.

  No fear. No judgment.

  I wanted to strip myself completely and show her everything. Every inch. Every damn piece of my soul.

  “We need to ... We need to stop.” Creena blew out a slow breath. “This is fast, Stone. This is really fast.”

  “It is.” My thumb brushed along her bottom lip. “We’ve been friends for a while. It’s not like I just met you yesterday. I don’t know about you but I need this. It’s distracting.”

  “I need this too,” she whispered, pulling out of my grasp and gave herself a shake. “Let’s go before Brogan finds us and puts us in her chair.”

  I laughed, tapping her lightly on the ass. “You’ll come home with me?”

  “You really have to ask?” She stopped. “Actually, you’re going to come home with me. I forgot I have to work tomorrow and I live closer.”

  “Okay, baby girl.” I kissed her softly on the mouth. “Whatever you need.”

  “I need you.” She sighed. “Your kisses are going to drug me the fuck up.”

  “God, I love your mouth.” I kissed her again before leading her to the bonfire in the middle of the backyard.

  “It’s about time you guys make an appearance,” Dale teased, taking a swig from his beer.

  Max shook her head, leaning against him, and whispered to him.

  He chuckled, kissing her nose.

  “It’s nice to see you two getting along,” I threw back at him. Knowing what they had been through and how they worked through it together was inspiring. But Max was a better person than I was because I would have kicked Dale’s ass long ago.

  Dale raised a blonde eyebrow. “Checking me out, brother?”

  I grunted. “In your dreams, sweetheart.”

  Dale blew me a kiss.

  “Will you two stop?” Max laughed.

  He grinned, smacking a hard peck on her lips.

  “Where’s everyone else?” Creena asked, stretching her legs out in front of her.

  “Right here,” Angel said, sitting on a patio chair and pulling his wife down onto his lap.

  Jay kissed his cheek, muttering something only he could hear.

  “I know, princess,” he grumbled, giving her a sad smile.

  My heart jumped. “What’s goin
g on?”

  Jay met my gaze. “Nothing really. We’ve just been feeling off.”

  “We’re feeling it too,” Brogan said, coming up to the bonfire with Coby at her side. She sat on a blanket, pulling him down beside her. Every so often, she would smile at him and he would smile back. But what I noticed was that those smiles never reached their eyes.

  “Where’s Lian and Henley?” I asked, pulling Creena against me.

  “They mentioned something about going to a club tonight.” Dale shrugged. “Not sure.”

  “What kind of club?” Brogan asked, her eyes bright with interest.

  “Some club out in the middle of nowhere.” Dale finished the rest of his beer, looking pointedly at each of us. “What?”

  “You can’t leave me hanging like that.” Brogan sat forward. “What kind of club?”

  “Are all of you really that bored?” Dale chuckled, but the smile soon fell from his face when the air around us became thick.

  Truth was, we weren’t bored. We were just waiting. So, any new piece of information outside of our world, piqued our curiosity.

  “Listen.” Dale rubbed the back of his neck. “I heard them talking. Not sure where the club is. Not sure exactly what goes on there. But I know it has to do with BDSM of some sort.”

  “Sounds interesting,” Coby muttered, wrapping his arm tighter around Brogan.

  She grinned.

  “Don’t get any bright ideas,” Jay joked, poking Angel in the side.

  He whispered something to her, forcing a rosy glow to hit her cheeks.

  “I change my mind.” She kissed him hard on the mouth. “Think of all the ideas you want.”

  All of us laughed.

  The mere thought of bringing Creena to one of those clubs sent a shiver down my spine. My dick jumped in my pants, a low rumble permeating from my chest.

  Creena gripped my knee. “That sound is fucking sexy.”

  “Is it?” I brushed my nose along her nape. “How sexy is it?”

  “Extremely.” She shivered, wrapping my arm around her waist. “Stone?”

  “Yeah?” My lips grazed along the shell of her ear.