Finding Stone (The Stone Brothers Series) (Volume 1)

by T. Saint John

  “I think you’re suppose to wear goggles when paintballing.”

  “I did wear them. I took them off when I left the course. Some idiot kept shooting.”

  “I am going to do my best here.”

  After I clean his eye and give him pain meds, I look at my phone to see Evan keeps texting me 911. My heart sinks. I hate that Maddox is a cop. I’m proud of him, but I worry about him. I quickly dial Evan’s number.

  “Hey. What’s going on?”

  “Just wanted to let you know, your girl is getting pretty drunk. The cocks are gathering.” FUCK!

  “How drunk? What’s she doing? What are the guys doing?”

  “Kerrigan said she cut her off with the shots. I don’t know how many she’s had. Apparently enough to be dancing and giggling with all the fuckfaces. She said tonight she plans to become experienced and not be someone’s dirty secret. By the looks of every guy out there, they are hoping she picks them.”

  “Shit. I can’t leave work; we are busy. Stay with her. Get her off the dance floor and punch any asshole you need to. Get her home and then call me.”

  “Will do. Maddox is getting her off the dance floor now. Damn. Her skirt is short man. It makes her legs look like they go on for miles. You know you’re a dumbass for screwing this up.” I hear the phone click. Dammit, he hung up.

  God! I can’t stand the thought of anyone else touching her or being inside her. I want to be the only one who is ever inside her. What is she doing to me? How has she gotten under my skin like this? I knew being inside of her would be my heaven and my hell. Right now, I am living in hell.

  Molly

  I’m having a great time; at least that’s what I’m trying to convince myself. I know that I am drunk and that I’m being loud. Right now, I am trying to dance. I close my eyes and feel the beat of the music. I feel someone’s arm wrap around me. He’s grinding into my ass. Dammit. I pull away; I realize I don’t want anyone else’s hands on me, just Noah. Why can’t even my drunk mind shut out Noah? For just one night. What the hell? Maddox is carrying me off the dance floor. He sits me on the barstool.

  “I think that’s enough, Molly. I’m calling an end to this night. I am taking you home,” Maddox demands. It shocks me because Maddox is always collected.

  “How about you get me another beer,” I slur.

  “Molly, you’ve had enough,” Evans once smooth voice is now angry.

  “What are you doing here, Evan? You going to kidnap me again? Leave me the hell alone.” I am getting pissed. These guys always ruin my fun. I feel his arm come over my shoulder.

  “If that’s what I have to do to keep my brother’s girl safe, then yes I will.”

  His brother’s girl? His brother’s secret I want to say. Lani speaks up.

  “Hey! We have her. I’m not drinking. I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”

  “Little girl, sorry, but you weigh what, ninety pounds soaking wet? I doubt you’d be able to get yourself home safely. A ten year old is taller than you.”

  “Look jerk-off, I said we have her.”

  “Alright, momma bear. Just so you know, I could easily throw you over my shoulder. Maddox and I are going to stay right here until you all are ready to go. Then we will make sure everyone gets home safely. That’s the way it’s going to be.”

  “Then you guys need to wait over there,” Kerrigan says pointing to an empty table.

  I raise my head from the bar and see that this night keeps getting shittier by the minute. Mr. Clean on Steroids is walking over. He is in his uniform and he looks like he is about to bust the seams of his shirt.

  “Well hey, Aaron. I see the nose is healing,” I tease.

  “Well hey, Molly. I see you’re still slutting it up at the bar. What, did the other guys finish with you?”

  “Shut up, asshole. You don’t know me,” I turn to Missy. “You ready to go?”

  “Absolutely, I am going to see if my cab is here. I need to get going. Thanks for the good time. I needed it. Hey, listen to the guys here, let them take you home so I’ll know you made it home safely.”

  “Sure, Missy. Thanks for coming out. See you at work. Take care.”

  I look up to see Aaron staring at me.

  “What’s your problem, Aaron? Have I done something, I mean besides break your nose - which you deserved?”

  He steps towards me. Maddox and Evan also step forward.

  “On that note, it’s time to go. I’ll walk you home. Come on.” Lani says.

  “Maddox, you trying to be a hero or something? Wanting to get her home and sample the goods?”

  Maddox doesn’t say a word. He just takes my hand and leads me to the door. Lani stands up.

  “You aren’t taking her anywhere. I will walk her home.”

  “Fine, we’ll walk with you then.” Maddox says.

  “I’m capable of walking her home. By myself!”

  Evan steps closer to Lani. “Are you trying to piss me off tonight? Cause woman, you are doing a spectacular job of it. We are fucking taking her home. You can either sit your ass down or you can walk with us.”

  “How about you get out of my face and step the hell back. You’re macho persona is grating on my last nerve. Now you can walk behind us.”

  Maddox starts laughing.

  “Told you, Evan. Women hate the caveman bullshit. I think I like this girl.”

  Lani and Evan start a pissing contest. They are bickering back and forth. Maddox pulls me to the side.

  “How you doing?”

  “Oh, someone wants to kill me. Your asshole brother is embarrassed he slept with me. How do you think I feel? All I wanted was one night to forget everything, to feel beautiful, to feel wanted.” I start crying.

  Maddox pulls me into a big bear hug. I start crying uncontrollably. I feel him stiffen. I laugh at remembering how uncomfortable a crying girl makes him.

  “Come on, let’s get you home.”

  Lani walks beside me the rest of the way home. Maddox and Evan follow closely behind. I make it into the apartment and get settled in for the night. I decide crying myself to sleep is the best therapy; short-lived therapy, because I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.

  Noah

  It’s been two hours since I heard from Evan. What’s taking so long? I can’t stand the thought of Molly being with another man. Thinking about it feels like a punch to the gut. My phone vibrates. Finally.

  “Hey. What took so long?”

  “Your girl and her bodyguard wouldn’t keep their yaps shut. She seemed pretty torn up about you. She said she just wanted to feel beautiful, to feel wanted.”

  What? Molly thinks I don’t think she is beautiful? She thinks I don’t want her? God. That’s a stab straight to the heart. I tried showing her and telling her that night how much I wanted her. How beautiful I thought she was. Then again, after it was over I told her we must remain a secret. I’m such an ass.

  Evan continues. “She’s pretty, she’s feisty. I think she’s going to be able to handle whatever you’re dishing out. She’s like a Chihuahua, keeps biting off more than she can chew. Still she comes back for more. That Aaron fucker showed up as we were trying to get her out of there.”

  “Aaron? The cop whose nose she broke? He didn’t do anything did he?”

  “Nah. He flexed his muscles. It was relatively harmless. Ran his mouth. I’ll say this. You’d never be bored with Molly in your life. She’s a spitfire.”

  Evan’s right. Even if my feelings are all over the place, I know I have them. She has unlocked what I’ve kept locked away for years.

  “Thanks for keeping an eye out for me.”

  “No problem. We still on for the Cubs game?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

  Molly

  Two weeks after I said goodbye to my V-card, I am five days late.

  I called Missy and asked if she would come over to my apartment for support. We have been spending time together. We both quickly realized that we needed
each other, the friendship that we could offer one another. I've met her son, Cade. She brought him to lunch one day. He is cute and quiet, just like his mommy. At work, it's nice to have someone like her. It helps my day go faster when she's there.

  She is quiet, but fun. She's my opposite. I guess the whole opposites attract thing is true. We have had such a good time getting to know each other. Just the other day at lunch, she said a swear word, the first I have heard come out of her mouth. Her eyes got big, she covered her mouth, and then we both burst out laughing. I haven't laughed like that since I moved here. It's been fun watching her come out of her shell.

  It's early in the afternoon when she arrives. Cade is at a summer day camp and we both have today off. I asked her to pick up a few things for me. She did so without question.

  "Hey. I brought it," she says with concern.

  "Thank you," I say.

  "Are your periods irregular?"

  "Nope, every twenty-eight days she shows her ugly face." Is this really happening?

  "Well, lets get it over with," she says and walks me to the bathroom.

  "Thank you for doing this and for being here."

  "Hey, I know the fear. When I had Cade, I was all alone. I found out the day of my high school graduation. Whatever this says, I want you to know I will be here," Missy says.

  I start crying. "Can you stay and watch me pee?" I say laughing through my tears.

  "Yes, but the nurse in me won't allow me to hold your hand," she smiles.

  Three minutes later, I know for sure. Dr. Hotty Asshole's baby is inside me. I sink to the floor and cry harder.

  "Who is the father?" she asks.

  "I can't tell."

  "Is it Brayden?" she asks quietly.

  "What? NO? He is in love with you." Oh, shit. I am a shitty friend. I didn't mean to blurt that out. I just didn't expect her to ask.

  "What? Wait, we will come back to this. This is your WTH moment. We’ll deal with yours first," she says.

  "Can we deal with yours? I need time to process," I say.

  "Brayden is in love with me? How do you know?" she asks.

  "Well I figured it out. He told me he has been in love with someone for three years. He didn't tell me who. The night at the bar when he saw you, I knew it was you. Later that week at lunch, he confirmed it." I explain.

  "He never said anything. Three years I've wanted him to make a move. He never did. I thought because I had a child he wouldn't want me," she confesses.

  "Where is Cade's father?" I ask, curious.

  "I don't know who Cade's father is." She looks ashamed. It dawns on me. My heart feels like it’s in my throat. I don't know what to say.

  "I'm so sorry. Want to join me on the bathroom floor for a good cry?" I laugh and cry.

  "Okay, we are both going to need a shower," she says and we both laugh. Dealing with our own world of emotions, we cry for her past. We cry for my uncertain future.

  Chapter 17

  Molly

  It's been two weeks since I took that life-altering test. I am still trying to find a way to tell Noah. Avoiding him has been difficult. Hiding morning sickness has been even harder.

  Dr. Hotty Asshole's baby does not want to be kept a secret. I'm feeling miserable and overwhelmed; I just want to cry. I have been thinking about moving back home to Kentucky. I will not let my child grow up being ashamed, not having his father in his life. I know that my Dad would help fill in that role. I want my child to have what I had in my life.

  I am sitting at the nurse’s station catching up on some charting when I see him walk into the supply room. Finding the courage from God only knows where, I decide to follow him and tell him. I push open the door.

  "Noah, we need to talk." I look up. That skank-nurse Avery is touching his chest. I turn around and walk out the door, letting the door slam behind me.

  "Molly, wait."

  Really!! He thinks I would wait for him. Screw him; I'm not waiting. I keep walking out the front door to get a breath of fresh, polluted Chicago air. Great, now I feel nauseous, too.

  "Molly, I said wait. Just fucking wait," he's frustrated, running his hands through his hair.

  "What Dr. Stone?"

  "I've been wanting to talk to you," he says.

  "Yeah right, I can clearly see you've moved past complicating your work and professional life."

  "What are you talking about?" he sounds confused. Guess I'll spell it out for him.

  "You tried to tell me. It's my fault. You want a one-and-done type of girl. I get it. I just thought you wouldn't flaunt your next one in front of me. God, Noah, or Dr. Stone, why her? Oh, I get it. She’s beautiful and someone you don’t need to hide."

  "What the hell are you talking about? I'm so confused." He just stares at me.

  "Sneaking in the supply room. Avery touching your chest. She seems to always have her hands on you! We aren't anything, so what's it matter."

  "Avery has always done that. She is always trying to find ways to touch me. I've never touched her. I wouldn't touch her. You walked in on her pretending to stumble. That's her usual MO. I didn't even know she was in there. She is always pretending to have to squeeze by me so she has to touch, pretending to fall into me. She's always doing shit like that. I hate her touching me. I don’t want Avery. I want..." I cut him off. I don’t need to hear him say he wants a secret.

  "You know Dr. Stone, for someone who hates it, you seem to let it happen an awful lot without saying a damn word." He comes closer to me.

  He starts crowding me. I need to get out of here.

  "I need to go." I walk off.

  "What did you want to talk about?"

  "It's nothing, nothing to concern yourself with. Goodbye, Dr. Stone."

  I start mumbling to myself, "I know I'm making the right decision."

  "What did you say? What are you talking about? Molly! Wait, don't walk away. God, you piss me off!"

  I turn around and yell at him, "Good, 'cause you piss me off too!" It's all I can get out because I’m about to cry.

  Noah

  I now know what heartbreak feels like. She looked so hurt. How could she think I was interested in Avery? I told her the truth when I said Avery pretended to stumble. She touched my chest trying to get a feel. Molly is right though I should say something. I haven't because I want her to feel ignored. Obviously, it hasn’t worked the last two years.

  I wonder what Molly meant when she said she made the right decision? I've been racking my brain for hours trying to figure that out. Maybe I can stop by her place after work? We need to clear the air.

  When I told Molly to keep it a secret, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. We'd talked about it. After talking to my brothers, I realize it was an ass thing to do. I realize that she and I were thinking of two different things when I said that. I just didn't want to deal with shit at work. She thought I meant that I didn't want to deal with her. I see that now. With the amount of thinking I have done over the last three weeks, I've come to a conclusion.

  The night I was with Molly was the first time I have ever made love. I have played that night with Molly over and over in my head. I have never treasured being inside a woman like I have with her. It scared me; it still scares me. I have needed this time to figure out what I want. Thing is, the moment Molly gave me her virginity I knew I could love her. It had nothing to do with the sex and everything to do with her trusting me.

  I broke that trust the moment I told her to keep us a secret. I just didn't realize it at the time. Now, I know. Now, I want to make things better. I want her to give me another chance. I want to make things right. Yes, I've decided. I will stop by her place tonight. I will make her talk to me. I will make her listen. She needs to know I am done with secrets. I want everyone to know that Molly is mine.

  Molly

  I walk out to the hallway by the nurses’ station and I see Missy kicking the vending machine.

  "Did it steal your dollar? I ask.

  "YES! Stupid t
hing. I just want CHOCOLATE," she says, giving it another kick.

  "Move over, let me try," I say, and smack the side and Cheetos fall out.

  "Well, it's not chocolate, but here you go. Lots of processed cheese, that's close enough, huh?" I laugh.

  "Stupid periods," she complains. I start cracking up; I wish I could say that. I sigh.

  "You girls need some anger management,” Brayden says as he walks up.

  "Hush Hulk boy! You're just as violent." I pinch his arm.

  "Do you need me to beat the shit out of it too? I will." He says jokingly. We all start laughing.

  I start to turn around and I'm instantly light headed. I don't feel good. I feel like I am going to pass out. I can tell the sounds are muffled. Shit. I'm going down.

  Noah

  I'm finishing up with a patient when I hear a bunch of yelling. Someone just scared the shit out of my eighty-year-old diabetic. I am thankful because it's the first bit of humor I've felt today. I step out into the hallway.

  "Dr. Stone, help her!" Missy yells.

  Molly is lying on the ground. I immediately run to them and start checking Molly's pulse and asking questions.

  "What happened? Has she been sick?"

  "She just fell over. We were joking around."

  She's starting to come around. "Molly, can you hear me?"

  "Brayden?" Okay, I am trying not to hate this guy, but it's nearly impossible. Brayden comes toward us with a washcloth and some juice.

  "No, Molly. It's me, Noah. What happened?"

  "I must have turned too quickly. I've been running all day," she explains. I extend my hand to help her up. She takes it. This is the first time I have touched her since that night. My whole body comes alive, only the feeling is short lived when she slumps over into my arms.

  I pick her up and carry her. "Gurney. Now," I shout. Brayden takes off in a run.