Rebuilding Stone (The Stone Brother Series Book 2)

by Saint John, T.

  “Surprise,” she says.

  I’m not crying, but I have this emotion that’s rising in my chest. “I love you,” is all I can say. I do love her, more than life itself.

  We talk for a few more minutes before heading out to the rest of the group. She told me she had our wedding location set and that she was going to ask everyone today when would be a good time. I hope they say right now, because I don’t want to wait another second. God, Kerrigan in my arms feels incredible. I don’t want to let her go, and I swear I am not giving up Eli to anyone. He’s mine today.

  I notice when we walk back into the living room that everyone is starting to take their places at the table. We go ahead and join them.

  “So how do you like the surprise?” Molly asks.

  “Best surprise ever,” I reply.

  “I was about to burst. You were late,” she reminds me.

  “If I’d have known my girl and my kid were here, I’d have stayed over last night,” I laugh out.

  “I still haven’t gotten the chance to hold him. Lani has been hogging him,” an irritated Evan grinds out.

  “Sorry, he’s mine today. No one is getting him. Well, unless I need to use the bathroom.”

  "Start drinking a lot of water,” Missy says and we all laugh.

  “This is the perfect opportunity to tell you all something,” Molly says again.

  “So there was something? I thought this was it,” I say.

  “Oh, this just gave us a reason to do it sooner and it ensured we got to tell everyone at once,” Molly says.

  We all look at them, waiting for one of them to speak and finally, Noah does.

  “We’re having twins,” he blurts out. We all sit in silence processing his words.

  "I hope at least one is a girl,” Missy says.

  “Well, it’ll either be two girls or two boys. They’re identical,” Noah explains.

  Chapter 24

  Kerrigan

  The look on Maddox’s face when he saw Eli in that crib was priceless. I’m so happy I made the trip. Being here with him and our friends well, it feels incredible. Maddox gave me more than a son; he gave me an amazing life. I cannot wait to become Mrs. Stone. I’ve been looking at dresses in Kentucky, but I haven't found anything I love. So today, I’m going to ask the girls to go with me to look at dresses. Ari was unable to make it this morning. She has exams, so she was up late studying. She told me to come by this afternoon. I need to let Maddox know of my plans. I wonder what kind of dress he sees me in on our wedding day.

  “Maddox, do you mind watching Eli for a few hours?” I ask. He looks at me like it’s the dumbest question he's ever heard. I laugh.

  “Did you really just ask me to watch my son? The answer is always, yes, Kerrigan. Where are you going?” he asks.

  “I need to go dress shopping. I want to take all the girls with me and have a girls' afternoon.”

  Maddox smiles that cocky smile and bends down to my ear and whispers, “You do what you have to do with the girls. Tonight, I plan to set a record. We will make it eight times. Be ready, Kerrigan.”

  I instantly turn to liquid and feel lightheaded. I don’t need a wedding dress. My heart starts beating out of my chest. I need to change my panties; I’m so wet. Maddox must have noticed my reaction, I watch him adjust himself and hear him grunt in frustration. Unable to help myself, I kiss him. Again, he doesn’t kiss me back. I don’t take offense this time. I know he is close to losing it right now. He growls in my ear and whispers, “Do you want me to fuck you here? Cause I will take in you in the bathroom right now.”

  Yes! Who needs a damn wedding dress anyway?

  Maddox

  The girls have left and it’s just us guys with our miniature versions. Missy brought Cade and Brayden finally got to meet him. Watching Brayden with Cade is a cool sight. I don’t know where their relationship stands, but I do know given the chance, Brayden will make a great father. I’m glad the girls are gone because it’s the perfect time to talk about the Jackson Morgan situation.

  “Any news on where Jackson is?” Brayden asks.

  “Not a clue. He thinks he's above the law, but he’ll get caught. His fixation on Lani is going to be his fuck up,” I say.

  “She hasn't heard anything else from him. Hopefully, he realizes I have security on her,” Evan adds.

  Shit. I guess Lani didn’t share the fact that she's been receiving phone calls and emails. I’m torn on what I should tell him, only because it’s Evan. Lately, I’m seeing a side of him that I didn’t know existed. I know my brother and I know he's a good man. But after hearing him say he’d kill Jackson, I wondered if he wasn’t hiding a darkness I don’t want to know about. Yes, I believe in following the law. I've held on to the conviction that I wouldn’t turn a blind eye to anyone who didn’t follow it. This is my brother, though. As much as I shouldn’t think this, I would not turn my brother in.

  “What?” Evan looks questioningly at me.

  “Nothing. Just thinking,” I reply.

  “Maddox cut the shit. One, you’re not a very good liar. And two, I’m a lawyer. I see through even the best of liars. Spill it.” Dammit. I look at Noah to back me up. He doesn’t. Asshole.

  “Alright, you have to promise not to freak the fuck out,” I caution. Evan just glares. He hasn't promised anything, but I continue anyway. “Lani has been receiving phone calls and emails...the threatening kind.”

  “What does he say? We can trace the phone to find the location and we can see where the emails are coming from.”

  “The phone is always a burner with a new phone number every time. We’ve traced the emails and they're always from public computers. A few came from different Internet cafes, one came from a car dealership, and a couple from different libraries.”

  “What do the emails say?” he asks again. I guess he caught the fact that I'd avoided answering the question.

  “They mention what she’s wearing and some say their time apart is about to end,” I answer.

  Evan’s eyes go blank. I have no idea what he’s thinking. He doesn’t pace the floor like most nervous people. He stands with his arms at his sides, fists clenched.

  “Any mention of Cade?” Brayden asked. Cade is in the boys' room with Landon playing trains. Cade would make an excellent big brother.

  “No, and I don’t know if that scares or relieves me.” It worries me that I can’t figure out why he would mention it as a side note and not bring it up again. My gut tells me it’s because he's closer to making his move where Cade is concerned.

  “Evan, I’m looking at having Lani go into hiding.”

  “She's not leaving my side. Don't bring that up to her because she listens to you. I’m telling you, Maddox, if she leaves - you won’t like what happens.”

  “Listen to me, Evan. You won’t like what happens if she stays. You have security on her, but he still gets close enough to know what she’s wearing.”

  “Then I’ll go with her everywhere she goes. She can work out of my office. I’ll be on the lookout. Once my eyes make contact, I’ll put a bullet in him.”

  “Dammit Evan, you can’t be serious. Do you want to be arrested? Noah, be the voice of reason.” I again look to Noah for support.

  “Evan, I don’t want you to be arrested. Just let Maddox handle this. If for some reason he can’t, then aim for the shoulder. Please, don’t kill him,” Noah pleads. What the fuck?

  “I’m going to jump in here. If he gets near Missy or Cade, I’ll put a bullet in him, too. If that means I spend the rest of my days in prison...Well, I could live with that knowing they were safe,” Brayden opens his damn mouth.

  “Exactly,” Evan agrees.

  “You all have gone fucking mad,” I declare, shaking my head. I hope I get to Jackson first.

  After we argue for a few more minutes, I get up and walk around. I’m torn between my job, my sworn duty to protect the law, and the love of my brothers. I’ve only had to shoot to kill one time in my eight years on t
he force. That just happened to be the night Molly was attacked. I was trying to figure out a way to reason with Evan, but it's difficult after what he told me. Even if we find him and he’s arrested, Jackson will walk or just get a slap on the wrist. His father holds a lot of power. I know Evan’s right. I can’t believe I'm considering this, but now I’m trying to find a way to not get caught. In my heart, there's no question about it. When Aaron is released, if he gets within fifty yards of Kerrigan, I’ll put him down.

  Kerrigan

  After dragging Ari out of bed, we gather at the bridal shop. I’ve already tried on a couple of dresses. The first one was a princess ball gown Ari selected. I knew it was right for me, but I told her to put it on layaway for when she finds a man and gets married. The second dress is a maybe. It wasn’t a wow. I hear a knock at the changing room door. I open it and Molly steps in with a dress that I know isn’t my type either. It’s fitted lace with cap sleeves.

  “Kerrigan, I just saw this on a mannequin and I made the sales lady take it off. You have to try it on.” I laugh thinking the sales lady wasted her time. I decide to go ahead and try it on since the lady went through all that trouble.

  I slip it on and don’t bother looking in the mirror as I head out of the dressing room. When I walk out, all of my friends stare and their jaws drop. Curious as to why, I turn and look in the mirror. WOW. It’s a showstopper. All my life, I’ve been told I was beautiful. I never really felt it though. Standing here, looking at this dress that I disliked five minutes ago, I do feel beautiful. It’s sweet and classic. I look over and the girls all have tears in their eyes.

  “This is it,” I announce.

  “It should be. Kerrigan, it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful,” Lani says, grabbing a tissue.

  "Let’s go buy it,” I say and suddenly wonder how much it’s going to cost. I have a strict $2,500 budget. I’m not making much money and having a baby, well, diapers cost a fortune. Of course, Maddox puts money into my account, more than enough. But for some reason, I can’t spend it. At least, not all of it. I use it for out-of-pocket co-pays for doctor’s visits.

  “Someone look at the tag and tell me what the damage is,” I say, worried that it’s out of my budget.

  “Six thousand,” Ari announces and my heart sinks.

  “Shit, girls. Go find me a dress that looks like this under $2,500,” I demand.

  “Why?” Molly asks. She of all people should know why.

  “Because I can only afford $2,500,” I reply walking back into the changing room. I hate taking it off.

  I walk around the store a few more times and look at almost everything. I hear Maddox. What is he doing here? I hurry to the sound of his voice.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask.

  “Molly called. Said you loved a dress, but weren’t going to buy it. I’m here to buy it,” he replies. I am going to kick my future sister-in-law's ass.

  “No. We have a baby, we want to buy a house, and I’ll be out of a job soon. No, Maddox. Honestly, it’s alright.”

  “Go get the dress. I’m buying it.”

  “No,” I say stubbornly.

  “Molly, go get the fucking dress and take it to the counter. I’ll be there in a moment to pay.”

  I’m getting pissed right now. Yes, I loved the dress, but taking care of my family and our future is more important.

  “Maddox, think about it. Six thousand dollars is a honeymoon, a small bathroom remodel, the next three years of diapers and pull-ups.”

  “Kerrigan, I’m buying the dress. I’ve spent the last eight years saving. We're alright, and will always be alright.”

  I don’t like this one bit, but I agree because I do love the dress. I can always sell it afterwards. I never understood why people save their dress. It’s never worn again and then the day you die, your kids toss it. Plus, if I use my $2,500, then he only pays $3,500. I can live with that.

  “I’ll agree only if you let me use what I’ve been able to save.”

  “That works,” he says and pulls me close to him. I giggle a little as I feel his erection growing.

  “I’m going to go pay my part. Please hurry home. My dick is trying to bust out of my zipper.”

  After we leave the bridal shop, Molly offers to buy us dinner. I’ve got to admit, I wanted to turn it down and rush home to Maddox, but I’ve missed so much time with my friends. I know each of us are in a place that Aaron isn’t the first thought. We’ve all moved on. I remember thinking I’d always be broken, but I’m not. I was rebuilt whole. We decide to go back to Gigi’s.

  “I swear I’m going to start a collection to fix up this dump. Their food is amazing, but I can see why no one comes in,” Molly says, still knocking the place.

  “I think it’s perfect.” I do. Some people might look past this place, but those who give it a try find a hidden gem.

  We place our order and sit down. I decide now is the time to ask them to be my bridesmaids. I can’t pick between them for a maid of honor. They all mean so much to me. Ari is my sister, who over the past year has been there for me and never gave up on me. I love her so much. Lani, my long-time best friend, I draw strength from her. Molly, who barely knew me, offered me so much help and gave everything she could to make sure I was safe and happy. Missy and I don’t know each other that well, but I do have this connection with her. It’s like having a secret that only you two share, but wishing you didn’t know the secret.

  “Well, girls. I wanted to ask you all to be my maids of honor. You all can pick out the dress you want to wear. They don't have to match. Okay, I’m lying. I’d like for you all to either wear pink or purple.”

  They all say yes. They decide on purple and make plans to go shopping together. Now, we're onto the subject of men.

  “So Ari, how are you and Matt working out?” Molly asks. She saw what I did the night Molly went into labor. Ari was hooked on his every word.

  “Please, how can someone that handsome be a snore in bed? Honestly, I could’ve fallen asleep. We aren’t, which is fine by me. I have my final exams coming up.”

  “What about you, Missy? You and Brayden worked through your shit yet?” I ask.

  “Yeah, we worked through it,” she smiles.

  “What’s the smile for? It looks like the secretive kind,” I tease.

  “I’ll tell you later. After I’ve told him,” Missy responds.

  “You’re pregnant?” Molly asks.

  “Sssh. Don’t say anything to him,” Missy confirms.

  “How did that happen? Was it by accident?” Lani asks, but I wonder the same thing.

  “No, not really. We didn’t have the conversation of ‘let’s have a baby,’ but we didn’t use anything either,” Missy explains.

  “Ari, promise me you’ll never get knocked up. Please, don’t let me be the only one without kids. I love you all and your kids, I just think you all are nuts,” Lani says. I know she doesn’t want kids. She has never wanted them. She was never the one to oooh and aww over one. I think if she ever gets pregnant, that would change for her. I don’t see that happening, though, because she takes her pill like clockwork and makes all the men she sleeps with use protection.

  “I think I can promise that. At least for the next five years.”

  “That’ll work,” Lani says.

  We finish the rest of our dinner laughing about the Stone brothers. What badasses they think they are, only to find that they're puppy dogs the moment they fall in love. Even Evan has settled a bit. Lani confided in me during a recent phone call that she thought she had feelings for him. But living with him confirmed that he wasn’t for her. It made me sad knowing Evan is very much in love with her. I want to tell him to move on. Once Lani makes her mind up, it’s made up. But, I hope I’m wrong.

  Chapter 25

  Maddox

  I have to remind myself to never listen to Molly again. She had this stupid idea to rent an RV and drive everyone to Kentucky. First, fighting over the radio station nearly ended in so
meone’s death because Noah and Brayden listen to two different types of music. Noah is into rock and Brayden is into pop. We all died laughing when Brayden not only sang along with Britney Spears, but he knew all the dance moves as well. He totally got knocked down the badass chain. It was the longest eight hours of my life.

  We all got rooms at a local hotel. Well, except Molly and Noah who will be staying with her parents. We have so much to do in very little time. The guys and I are going to Brady’s today to help set up. Kerrigan is excited to show me everything she’s done and why she loves this place.

  Kerrigan warned me about the driveway, but I thought she was being ridiculous. It couldn’t be that bad. Well, I was wrong. One wrong move and you’ll plummet to your death. I have to admit, I was grabbing onto the oh-shit handle bar on the door. Brayden gave me shit about losing cool points in the badass department and I laughed. He’s right, I did.

  When we get to the top, I’m speechless. Kerrigan was right; it's beautiful. You can see for miles. Over the trees, you can see the river and into Ohio. I see the canopy going up and someone who must be Brady, waiting. When we get out of the RV, Brady is first to make the introduction.

  “Hi, I’m Brady. I’m assuming you’re Maddox,” Brady greets, extending his hand.

  “Yes. This is my brother, Evan. My friend, Brayden. And I’m sure you’ve met Noah.”

  “I have. Nice meeting you guys and good seeing you again, Noah,” Brady replies. He seems chill.

  “Kerrigan told me how beautiful this place was. I bet you do a lot of hunting up here,” I say.

  “You hunt?” he asks, sounding surprised.

  “Yeah, we used to go one week out of the year. Now with kids, it’s down to a weekend.”

  “Well, you all want to take the four wheelers out and look around?” Brady asked.

  “Heck yes,” Brayden says.

  “After you boys get everything set up, you can go. This can be your bachelor party, Maddox,” Kerrigan suggests.