STONE
Copyright © 2016 Hilary Storm
First Edition
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under U.S Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Model: Burton Hughes
Cover Photography: Eric David Battershell
Paperback Cover: Designs by Dana
Editing: Julia Goda
Printed in the United States of America
STONE
By Hilary Storm & Kathy Coopmans
PROLOGUE
HARRIS
She’s perfect, and I haven’t been able to keep my hands off her since the day I first heard her sassy mouth. Hell, I never knew I needed her until I was blacked out from being shot. Waking up and dreaming of her only solidified that I needed her in my life.
“Come here, baby. Why are you hiding that sexy body?” I call her over to the bed where I’ve been watching her since our shower together. She’s been drying her hair and teasing me all over again while she walks around with a towel tucked around her tits. Not sure why she thinks she has to hide anything from me. I have every inch of her body memorized. The only struggle here should be which part of that full of sin, sweet flesh she wants to let me nibble on first.
Her smile turns seductive just as she drops the towel, only lighting another fire inside me. Her sexy walk toward me gives me the urge to go to her, but I stop myself and just count my blessings and take it all in. This is a life I can get used to. Mallory completes me, and right now in this moment, I can’t imagine being any happier or anywhere else.
“You’re so damn sexy.” I reach for her hand, only to have her beat me to it. She takes control, her tits teasing me as she climbs to position herself and straddles my already hard cock. Her pussy is slick and tight, and I can feel her heat as she glides herself down my shaft.
“I just want to be inside you every…” I thrust upward, going deeper inside her with every word. “Single…Second.”
“Oh God, Beau. You make me crazy.” Her lip quivers. I love how her body always reacts so passionately to my every move. She’s a livewire when I’m with her; it’s as if a bright spark goes off from a simple touch when we’re together. I’ve been with her many times and made it my goal to know exactly what she likes. We’ve definitely found some things she didn’t even know she liked, during our journey of familiarizing ourselves with each other.
Mallory likes me deep and she likes it when I take control even though she tried to start in control today. I let her play a little longer before I flip her onto her back and put her legs over my shoulders. I close my eyes and exhale as I roll my hips even deeper.
“Yesss. Just like that.” She leans her head back, and I watch her face while she takes my thrusts. I never take it easy on her. She has never let me. Her moans and begging always brings out the hunger in me, until I end up pounding her like I’m fucking for the very last time. Every time I thrust, we move closer to the headboard, sliding up the sheets and getting louder all the way.
If we hadn’t already had sex four times today, I’d take my time with her. I do love to savor her even though I like to fuck her hard, but I know we’re both dragging-ass tired and need to get our rest before our trip tomorrow. I begin to move faster, taking her legs and spreading them even wider. I listen to her moans rise and increase before she goes silent, bows her back, and comes all over my dick. Her warmth, her love for me is sending me straight into a stupor when I feel her clench tight around me, only making me send my cum straight into her.
I collapse next to her in the bed, pull her against my body, and take our usual position. She always lays her head on my chest, and I always hold her with my arm. It’s become the norm. I’m relaxed when her words force me to open my eyes once again.
“I need to talk to you.” She grabs my free arm, drags it across my body, and places it against her stomach.
“Okay,” I say with hesitation, hoping she isn’t going to tell me she needs a break from all of this, because that isn’t an option for me.
“How do you feel about moving in together?” I lift my head and think about what she’s asking. I’ve practically stayed at her house since the day I met her, so to me it’s as if we live together anyway.
“Sounds good. Your place or mine?” I smirk even though she can’t see me. I know exactly where she’s going to want to live. I sink my head back into my pillow as I wait for her response.
“Mine. It’s bigger. We’ll need an extra room for the nursery.” My head jerks, my ears echoing her words as I try to comprehend what she just said. I sit up with shock running through my veins, hitting me like a loud whirl of thunder. I roll her onto her back to see if she’s joking and try to compose my emotional energy that honestly, I can’t even explain. When I notice the tears running down her face in the moonlight, I know she’s serious. I shove back the shock and fear and give her the reaction she deserves from me. Holy fuck!
“Are you serious?” A smile spreads across my face the second hers lights up and she begins to nod yes while she releases a few sobs. “I can’t believe this. We made a tiny human!” She begins to laugh, and I can hear relief in her voice as she slows her movements. I lower myself until my face is over her stomach. Even though in the back of my mind I’m terrified, I’m excited beyond belief that this means I’ll forever be tied to this woman.
I place a kiss right above her belly button. “Hello there, little guy.” She starts laughing before I finish. “Don’t interrupt my one-on-one time with my kid,” I say seriously.
“You know it’s going to be a girl, so don’t even try.” She laughs as she tries to pull me up her body. I go willingly, kissing every inch until I come in contact with her lips.
“It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s healthy…and has a big dick between its legs,” I tell her between kisses. She stops and smacks my arm before she attempts to tickle me for the tenth time today. She’s determined to prove I’m ticklish when we both know I’m not.
“You’d better stop before you get the dick again. You know what this shit does to me.” I laugh at her antics. Call it crazy, but when she gets this way with her hands all over me, it turns me the hell on. She sits over me with a huge smile on her face and her hair hanging over her left shoulder.
“You know that’s why I do it, don’t you?” Her hands run over my stomach and up my chest before she lies down beside me. I pull her against my body and start thinking about just how different my life will be from this point on.
The crazy thing is, I’m excited as hell about it. This woman is having my baby, and I can’t fucking wait to meet this tiny human I created with the woman I love.
CHAPTER ONE
HARRIS
Nine Months Later
“Get up, damn it, Harris. I need your ass moving today.” The sound of Kaleb ripping my curtains open pisses me off even more than the sound of his voice does.
“Not in the mood for your bossy ass today, Maverick. Get the fuck out.” I’ve avoided him and the other guys for days, but apparently, he’s determined to get up in my face today. I’m not dealing with him and his shit, just like I haven’t for days. He can leave me the hell alone.
“I told the Army I’d take care of you, so that�
��s what the fuck I’m going to do. Get up. I want you around the table today. You know we have to put our heads together for this kind of shit. I need all hands on deck, so I’m going to need you to pull your shit together just long enough for us to get a plan.” I listen to his loud fucking voice barrel through the room just like it did back in Afghanistan. He needs to remember this is not the fucking desert and I’m not going to do every damn thing he wants me to just because he demands it. Those days are over.
I scoot against the headboard and run my fingers through my hair while I bite my tongue. I have to. What I really want to say to him, I know he doesn’t deserve. That’s the problem, there’s no one to blame.
“How many times do I have to tell you I don’t know anything? This shit is not my expertise. I don’t analyze shit. I fucking attack. You get me the damn information and then leave me the fuck alone to handle business once you know something.” I feel my heart contract with my words and can’t seem to shake the overwhelming desire to want to kill someone more each day. Hell, I need to do something very soon or the tiny fragment of my mind that’s still functioning is going to erupt, leaving me without a care in the fucking world. Not that I give a shit about a damn thing as it is.
“Right. You’ve said that. And you also told me you needed a few days before you’d get your ass out there. Well, it’s been a few fucking weeks.”
“You’re right. Excuse me for taking a few extra days to deal with shit that I need to deal with.” I yell, then throw the covers off of me and storm into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Fuck him.
“Shit,” I mumble as I lose my footing on the rug. I feel dizzy as fuck, and the pressure in my chest starts building again from the thought of helping them. If I hadn’t already dealt with this time and time again, I’d swear I was having a heart attack. Pain shoots across my back and down my arm before I can get another breath out. The thought of trying to be normal again is making me crazy. I feel like I’m about to explode. I want out of here.
I hurry to take a piss, then grab my shorts from the floor and slide them on over my boxers. I need to fucking run. I need to feel the air in my chest before I fucking blow up from this stress and anxiety of the damn panic attack that is heavily circling me.
When I open the door to find Maverick still sitting on the edge of the bed, it doesn’t make me feel any better. “Look,” he says. “I know this shit is hard, but you have to take the first step. Getting out of bed today can be your first step.” I can’t look at him. The last thing I want to do is show any more emotion about anything. I’ve already lost my shit a few times as I’ve been trying to figure out how to keep from drowning in the depths of blackness.
“Alright, I’m up. So mission fucking accomplished today. Will you leave me the fuck alone now?”
“Harris.” His voice is laced with sympathy, and his eyes mirror the same haunting expression I see when I look at my own on the days I can stand to look. He positions himself in front of me, trying to prevent me from passing by him. His serious glare is an attempt at intimidating me, but he forgets I have no reason to fear him.
I stop to face him and match his fierce stare, only to have him shift his look instantly. I hate this part of him. The caring and concerned Maverick has made his appearance. This is so much worse than his ruthless, driven personality. Ruthless I can handle; it’s all this emotional shit that is making me irritated as fuck.
“I’m here for you,” he continues to talk as I walk past him, even though he only allowed me enough room so I have to shoulder check him as I pass. “I owe you my fucking life. Shit, I owe you for so much more. So you’ll have to learn to deal with me helping you through this, brother, because I’m not going anywhere.” He moves in front of me as I turn around. I don’t respond, smile, or blink, and I definitely don’t fucking breathe until he finally takes a step back and gives me a foot of space. Anger is all I know anymore. I’m not even sure how I would respond to anything else, especially someone trying to help me when I don’t fucking want it.
“I won’t give up on you. Jade wouldn’t let me if I tried. So we both know that shit means you’re stuck with me.” He draws in a long inhale, and I can tell he’s still grasping for the perfect thing to say to fix me. He has to know by now there aren’t any words with that much healing power. He finally gives up, then grips my shoulder and leaves the room.
I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror above the dresser as I glance toward the door. I look like shit.
Good, because looking the way I feel makes me realize I really don’t care if my life has fallen apart. The dark circles under my eyes and the two-week scruff on my face only add to the horror of the reality of what’s going on inside of me. The turmoil, chaos, and constant swirling of a violent thunderstorm that’s been going on for weeks, months. I’m drowning, waiting for the day for it to pull me under for good. The thing is, all of them out there in that office care about me when I sure the hell don’t. But fuck it all if I want to deal with taking that first step to show I do.
Opening the door to the bedroom I’ve been staying in feels weird and foreign. It’s not like I haven’t stepped out to eat or drink; it’s the fact I’m stepping out not knowing what the hell I’ll find out here. The silence allows me to move forward knowing Jade isn’t in the kitchen or on the couch ready to pounce, cry, or try to talk to me. I can’t deal with anymore of her sessions to save me from myself.
I’ve been at the compound for weeks. At first I thought it would be the perfect place to come and try to get back to work, but now I’m not too sure that I haven’t made a huge mistake. I know my mind isn’t right to go back on duty, even though my shoulder is finally ready. The fucker is still stiff, but at least I’m back to lifting real weights again instead of the tiny barbells my physical therapist had me using. I swear to God every time I lifted my arms, I was more conscientious over the things flying out of my hand and going through the ceiling than I was over healing my shoulder.
Stepping out into the open living room, I watch Maverick out of the long window until he enters the main house of the compound, where he lives. It was great of Jade to push for me to use this back house that’s reserved for guests, but I can’t help but feel I’m not where I should be. The problem is, I don’t know where I’m supposed to be, because no matter where I go, I won’t be where I want to be.
Just as I reach for my shoes, I hear a noise behind me. I turn and inspect the room, finding it empty. But I can feel that something is off. Someone is in this house, and I sure as hell didn’t let anyone in. The guys know better than to surprise me, and so does Jade, so I know it’s not any of them. Who the hell would just come in unannounced?
Paranoia begins to set in, so I hurry to my room, grab my pistol, and begin scanning the house quietly for anything out of place. I can feel my heart racing as the feeling of adrenaline rushing through my veins pulls me back to the past. All of my senses are on full alert as I work to calm myself enough to go through this shit again.
Holding my gun with both hands, I make a sharp corner and glance down the hallway. I hear another bang and begin to move faster down the hall. Placing my ear next to the flat wooden surface of what should be an empty bedroom, I hear the sound of the floor creaking behind the door. Someone is fucking in there.
With me standing in the hall, they are blocked from escaping, left with only two options: go out of a window or come through me. Even though this is a two-story building, they would be better off taking the window option.
I’m not waiting around for whoever it is. I lift my foot and kick the door in. Instantly, I’m being screamed at by a woman without any clothes on while she attempts to cover herself without any luck. I keep my gun drawn and watch her go from covering her tits to trying to cover what’s between her legs.
“What the fuck? Put your damn gun down,” she yells while she begins to glare at me. One dainty hand barely covers her breasts as she attempts to hold them in place, while the other one is splayed over he
r crossed legs, just barely covering the necessities.
Not interested in what you have, sweetheart.
“Who are you?” My voice is loud, and I still haven’t moved the gun from aiming at her head.
“I swear to God if you don’t put that gun down, I’ll tell my brother to kick your ass. Or better yet, I’ll tell Jade to.” What the fuck, her brother? I start to lower my hands as the realization of who she is hits me. She’s Kaleb’s sister.
“Why are you in here?” I give her my back and have the decency to hide my eyes from seeing her. Honestly, I don’t want to see another woman. Mallory is the only one I want to see naked.
“My brother told me to stay in here until he gets the other house done. I can’t stand listening to those two moan at each other every night. I heard Kaleb tell you I’m staying in here last night.” She sounds frustrated, and I can hear her rustling around putting clothes on as she talks to me.
I don’t remember him telling me anyone would be staying in the house with me, but honestly, I haven’t been listening to anyone for weeks.
Damn. I don’t want her here. Being around Jade is bad enough. Now there’s another woman who’ll be up my ass and in my way trying to fucking talk to me.
Fuck me. There isn’t a thing I can say or do about it. This isn’t my place, and I’m sure as hell not going to stake claim on it and move in here permanently.
“Just stay out of my way,” I growl to her as I walk back to my room. This will be more of a reason for me to stay in my room and shut off the world. She can stay here, hell, I’ll never see her with the schedule I’ve had lately. Sleep, piss, sleep. Sleeping my life away seems to be the only way I can get through the day since Mallory left me.
I slam my bedroom door, toss my gun on the bed, and make my way into the bathroom. My entire body aches from not moving in days. Stripping out of my clothes, I step into the shower and turn the water to as hot as it will go. I feel numb just like I do every day. Taking a hot shower is my way of feeling at least the hot water scald me.
Stone (The Elite Forces Series Book 3) Page 1