by S. Nelson
Stone
Copyright © 2016 S. Nelson
Stone/ S.Nelson.—1st edition
ISBN-13: 978-1533536747
ISBN-10: 1533536740
Editing by
Hot Tree Editing
Cover Design by
CT Cover Creations
Interior Design and Formatting by
Christine Borgford, Perfectly Publishable
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the publisher’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Stone
Dedication
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Nine
Forty
Epilogue
Coming Soon
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Other Books by S. Nelson
This book is dedicated to the many wonderful friends I’ve met during this amazing journey. Love of books reaches worldwide, from here in the States to Europe to South Africa to Australia (you know who you are my sweets).
“You just missed him, sweetheart!” Barlow yelled from the other end of the bar while tending to his next customer. Any sane person who laid eyes on the man would have been intimidated. He was in his late thirties, built like a brick shithouse and covered in tattoos. Hell, even his bald head was inked. I knew he was a teddy bear at heart, but maybe I was the rare exception, someone who knew he was a big softie underneath all that scary brawn.
Barlow was the regular bartender at The Underground, a bar owned by the Knights Corruption MC. My uncle Trigger had been a member since before I was born. His club was his life, and even though I visited from time to time when called upon for my nursing skills, and briefly interacted with some of the members, he didn’t want me to be a part of that life, a decision I readily went along with because it was quite dangerous.
Speaking of dangerous. . . .
“Hey, Addy,” I heard a gravelly voice call from behind me. I knew exactly who it was even before I turned around, the deep rasp of his tone already sending a tremor of lust shooting right through me. My inner thigh muscles clenched tight, desperately trying to suppress the desire to have him buried inside me. I’d dreamed of that voice whispering naughty things in my ear when I was alone, my fingers caressing my skin while wishing they were his instead. But I knew the scenes which internally bombarded me could be nothing but pure fantasy, simply because I knew it wasn’t in the cards for me to become involved with such a man. He was risky, in every sense of the word. A hothead who lost his temper at the drop of a hat. I’d seen it with my own two eyes on more than one occasion. Granted, the people who’d infuriated him had rightfully deserved his anger, but still . . . his reactions were never a good thing.
Slowly turning in my seat, I came face to face with none other than Stone Crosswell, the VP of the Knights Corruption. He stood so close I could smell his cologne—a subtle hint of the outdoors . . . and pure male. My eyes traveled over him from head to toe, taking him all in and committing him to memory. I would need it later when I was lying in bed, conjuring up his image in order to find my release.
When my eyes finally met his, he smiled wide, fully aware I was checking him out. A light blush crept over my skin at being caught, but I couldn’t help it. He did it to me every time.
Dark eyes entranced me, promising me passion and a whole lot more before I finally turned away. Taking the seat next to me, he bumped my shoulder before situating himself. I knew he did it on purpose and I wasn’t complaining, but he was only making things harder for me. He’d expressed his interest a few times, but I continued to turn him down. I had to give it to him, though—he was relentless.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, tapping on the bar to indicate he wanted Barlow to serve him a drink. If anyone was frightened by the bartender’s appearance, they would be doubly hesitant to approach Stone. The man was the epitome of strength and masculinity, a high dose of testosterone emanating from every pore on his well-toned body. Standing at six-foot-two, he was a solid wall of muscle, tattoos inking the majority of his torso. Of course, I could only attest to what I’d seen, which was quite an eyeful when he’d walked down the hallway of his club in nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips, banging into me as I emerged from another member’s room. My uncle had called me in to patch the guy up after he’d gotten into a fight, a knife wound sliced his skin open so badly he’d needed twenty-five stitches.
Stone’s face was ruggedly handsome, his sharp nose and high cheekbones drawing my initial attraction. But it was his entrancing eyes which fascinated me. Eyes the color of mahogany. Eyes which held secrets only a lucky few would ever be privy to. His second most captivating feature was his full lips, which happened to be in direct contrast to the rest of him, promising a softness I wasn’t quite sure was a part of his makeup. His mouth continually drew me in, countless minutes passing while I lost myself inside numerous daydreams.
“I was hoping to catch my uncle. I needed to ask him something.” When Stone locked eyes with me again, I lost all train of thought. His dark blond hair was longer on top than it was on the sides, almost like a Mohawk, but not quite. His beard was longer than I remembered, but so help me God, he looked amazing. His leather cut made a rustling sound when he turned his body toward mine, and I couldn’t help but take notice, yet again, of his muscled, tattoo-covered arms. His white T-shirt was the perfect contrast against his tanned skin, the detail of his artwork on the best canvas imaginable.
How I longed for him to wrap his arms around me and pull me in for the best kiss of my life. Of course, my fantasies remained locked inside my horny brain. There was no way I would give in to my desires; it wouldn’t work out well for either of us. He would end up breaking my heart, and my uncle would end up breaking his neck.
It was a big no-no all around.
So why did I keep fantasizing about him? Was it because he was essentially forbidden?
“What did you need to ask him?” he questioned, licking his lips while he continued to pin me with his stare.
“What?” I whispered, all my focus on that delectable mouth of his. Full and plump, begging for me to bite it
. Good Lord, Adelaide. Get a freakin’ grip.
“What did you need to ask Trigger?” he repeated.
The mere mention of my uncle forced me out of my own delusional head. “Why so nosey, Stone?” I smiled, but it faltered when he moved closer.
“Because anything having to do with you is my business,” he confessed, a stern look dancing across his face while he silently challenged me. What an odd statement. I would have liked to say it was the first of its kind he’d spewed at me, but it wasn’t. Whenever I was in his presence, which wasn’t very often, he’d made reference to me being his business, and that I was his, so to speak. I never read into those statements, simply thinking he was playing with me, albeit it was a weird way of flirting. But his words never alarmed me. In fact, they had the opposite effect. My lady bits tingled at the thought that he wanted to possess me in some way. I knew it was ridiculous and borderline insane, but I couldn’t help how my body reacted.
“Is that right?” I indulged him.
He made a play for my hand, and before I could pull back, he threaded his fingers with mine and pulled me closer, his warm breath kissing my lips.
“That’s right.”
I was a puddle of hormones around the man, and no amount of reasoning made any difference. My heart kicked up a notch and I suddenly found the air around me stifling . . . quite difficult to breathe.
Wrenching my hand free before something happened, I stood from my stool and grabbed my purse. “I have to use the restroom,” I blurted, hurrying toward the hallway before he could stop me. Every step I took away from the man invading my good senses was a step toward freedom. Freedom from my lust which held me captive whenever he was anywhere near me. I was growing weaker and weaker around him, and I knew it was just a matter of time before he caught me off guard and pounced.
Once I was finished talking to my reflection, warning myself that it was in my best interest to walk right past him and leave, I opened the bathroom door. I was two steps out when a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a solid wall of muscle.
“I can’t wait anymore,” he growled. It was dark where we stood, but I could still see his eyes. His dark, beautiful, lust-filled, eyes. “I’m gonna kiss you now,” Stone declared before leaning in to me.
Time froze.
I couldn’t move.
I could hardly breathe.
My pulse intensified, the thrumming of anticipation pounding inside my chest, the beat thumping against my skin and making me hyperaware of the creature holding me prisoner. I parted my lips to say something—anything—but no sound poured forth. Instead, his mouth covered mine, his desire authoritative and demanding, but he never pushed me further than I wanted to go.
My heart skipped a beat at the promising contact, and it wasn’t long before I was the one devouring him. Licking, biting and sucking at his mouth, hungry for his passion to envelop me.
To own me.
And so was the start of our dysfunctional story. He was arrogant and pushy, and I’d resisted as long as I could before inevitably giving in.
It was a constant battle between the two of us, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Well. . . .
Adelaide
“What’s your problem? Why are you acting like this?” One frustrated breath after another tumbled forth the longer he cornered me in the empty waiting room. My workload had been fierce, and the last thing I needed was an unnecessary confrontation with the man who’d been driving me crazy as of late, both in a good and a bad way.
“I wanna know why you won’t meet up with me later, that’s all,” Stone confessed, his rigid posture the exact opposite of his innocent question. He was poised for an argument, and no matter how many honest excuses I gave him, he saw them as just that—excuses.
“I told you I have to work a double tonight, and then I’m picking up an extra shift tomorrow for Carol. I can’t get out of it now, I promised her.” He’d backed me against the wall, and although he wasn’t touching me, he was still holding me hostage in a sense, his arms braced on the wall behind me. He knew damn well I couldn’t resist him when he was that close. And when my resolve slipped, he attacked, ghosting his lips over my own. I gasped from the sudden shock at his audacity, but I should have known he was going to play that card. When his tongue snuck out and stroked over my bottom lip, I was a goner. As I was about to give in, yet again, my name sounded over the intercom and knocked me out of my delirium.
Placing my hands on his chest, I tried to shove him back but he didn’t budge, instead choosing to try and kiss me again.
“Stone, I have to go. I’m still working, and someone’s looking for me.” My tone was curt but had faltered slightly. I wanted to be consumed by the big, bad, biker crowding my personal space, but duty called. Thankfully. I was weakening around him more and more each time, and it was becoming quite dangerous.
To us both.
Stone Crosswell was fierce, in every way imaginable. I had no doubt he’d done things during his life he wasn’t proud of, most of them probably illegal. I’d seen a few sides of him during the past year, our pseudo relationship—if you could even call it that—bringing out parts of him I was sure he didn’t show the rest of the world.
He was possessive to a fault, even though we weren’t technically together. We could never be, for various reasons. My uncle Trigger, for one. He would no doubt put a bullet in Stone if he ever found out the man was sleeping with his one and only niece, the apple of his eye. And although Stone had a condition where he didn’t feel pain like the majority of humanity, a bullet could still kill him. And I wasn’t going to endanger his life merely because he wanted to claim me publicly.
It was the thing we argued about the most. Sometimes he made me feel guilty for denying him, but other times he confessed he understood. He’d stated on many occasions how he didn’t want me involved in that life. Except for helping the club out from time to time with some medical assistance, I wasn’t akin to their lifestyle. My uncle wanted to keep it that way, as did Stone . . . depending on his mood.
Luckily, a lock of dark blond hair fell over his eye when he leaned in to kiss me again. When his hand swiped it back, I made my move. His large frame had been caging me in, but his small movement allowed me the room for escape I needed. Wiggling out from in front of him, I made it to the entrance of the room before he realized what had happened.
“I’m waitin’ for you, Addy, so hurry up,” he called after me as I ran down the hallway to find out why I’d been paged. I needed those minutes away to gather my senses, encouraging myself to stick to the plan I’d talked myself into earlier.
The plan to end things with the man I was falling for.
His club, although falling more on the legit side of the law as of late, was still dangerous. I’d seen some of the aftermath of their dealings with my own eyes. The most recent incident when I was called in to care for one of the nomad brothers, Tripp, after he’d been shot four times by a rival club. And then again when that same club kidnapped Sully, the president of the Knights Corruption’s wife. My new friend.
Further delving into their world would surely put my life in danger more than it probably already was, and I’d worked so hard during my short twenty-six years to have everything ripped away. And for what? A man who rocked my world in the bedroom? I did my best to trivialize our relationship, demeaning it down to nothing more than sexual compatibility, but deep down I knew it was so much more. Stone was the man my heart belonged to. Too bad my head was going to win out this time.
I knew he wasn’t going to take it well. I’d broached the subject a few times in the past, and he dismissed it altogether, telling me I was being ridiculous and that nothing bad would ever happen to me.
Although I believed he thought he was telling me the truth, I wasn’t naïve. I knew as long as I was close to him I would always be in danger.
Walking toward Brenda, an older RN I’d become friendly with when I started at St. Joseph’s Hospital two
years prior, she handed me the phone, a big smile plastered on her adorable face. Believing she was at least in her early fifties, I viewed Brenda as cute. She was shorter than my five-six frame, had a head of dark curls, and the most adorable button nose. Her lips were thin, but her smile was contagious.
“Thanks,” I said, putting the phone to my ear to find out who’d been looking for me. “Hello, this is Adelaide.”
A brief silence greeted me before a male voice traveled down the line. “Adelaide. Hi, it’s Dr. Weber. I had a cancelation and wanted to know if you could stop in for your annual, instead of waiting another two weeks. I know you said you were having some issues, so I thought you’d like to come in to put your mind at ease.” His light tone comforted me, and it was a no-brainer. The sooner he could see me, the better.
Dr. Weber had been my gynecologist for the past four years, and the fact I now worked in the same hospital as him made things much easier whenever I needed to speak to him on the fly.
“Yeah, that would be great. What time?”
“Fifteen minutes? Does that work for you?” he asked.
“I’ll make it work,” I assured. “I have a break coming up soon. I’ll just use it then.”
“Great. See you soon.” I hung up the phone and looked at Brenda for a brief moment. So many thoughts ran through my head. I was slightly worried about the unexplainable abdominal pains I’d been having. Ovarian cancer ran in my family, so I was at a much higher risk than normal. And although I was only twenty-six, I knew enough to realize I wasn’t too young for cancer to take hold and rip my life apart. Better to be safe than sorry.
Keeping my worries to myself was weighing on me. I couldn’t confide in Stone or my uncle, and my dad was the last person I wanted to burden. He’d lost his wife, my mother, to the awful disease five years back, and the last thing I wanted to do was cause him to worry over what could potentially be nothing at all.
I was lost in thought walking down the deserted hallway, completely forgetting there was a brooding man still waiting for me. A small scream tore from my mouth when big hands hauled me into the waiting room I’d escaped from five minutes prior.