Noah wraps an arm around her as best as he can.
“That means a lot to me," he tells her so quietly I almost can’t hear him.
He whispers something in her ear, and Ava nods.
My vision blurs, and suddenly I realize that I’m about to cry; my throat aches and my jaw clinches as I try to push it aside.
Nope!
I choke on the first sob and cry mercilessly until Corban sits beside me and wraps his arms around me, as Noah talks with Ava quietly.
Their bond, the one they always deserved, brings me to tears.
Tears I can’t control.
“So, not to ruin the party, but we should probably get to the hospital,” Corban points out once Ava seems about done.
We all take a deep breath as her eyes water, and her lips shake again.
“Let’s go," she nods.
Corban packs Ava and the bag into the car as Noah lingers, his eyes on his daughter.
He wraps an arm around me as I come up beside him.
“I didn’t think we’d ever have a good relationship," he tells me quietly.
“Why?” I ask him.
“Her mother, me, everything that happened to her. I thought she’d blame me for all of it. I was afraid to find her for years, on the pretense that I assumed she’d hate me. I never dreamed she would want me to be this much a part of her life,” Noah says quietly.
“Why wouldn’t she? You’ve been an amazing father, maybe not perfect, but what parent is truly perfect?” I ask him.
“You would be," he comments slyly.
“I’m far from perfect, and you neither of us is going to be perfect. There will always be ups and downs,” I explain.
Noah kisses the top of my head.
“Come on fiancée, let’s go meet our grandchildren,” Noah laughs.
“Can they call me Aunt Tinsley?” I hesitate.
“I don’t think I’m ready to be called grandma,” I laugh.
“Aunt Tinsley it is,” Noah smirks.
Athena arrives at the hospital a few hours after we do.
She’s dressed to the nines, in high heels, with her hair and make-up professionally done, but she came running from wherever she was the instant Noah called her.
“Have I missed it?” Athena asks.
“She’s one centimeter dilated,” I report.
“One?” Athena asks.
“I told you not to rush,” Noah tells his sister.
“Well, I don’t want to miss meeting my new nephews!” She scolds him.
Then she smacks him over the head with her clutch, and Noah laughs.
“I’d say go say hello, but last time I brought her ice chips, she was screaming something vulgar at Corban,” Noah winces for Corban.
“I can only imagine,” I glare at Noah.
“You realize this is going to be us in April, right? That I am pregnant?” I ask cheekily.
“I’m well aware. You can scream anything you want, and tell me it’s all my fault, I promise,” Noah says.
Then he takes my hand in his and kisses it.
“Oh, bloody hell, you two are as cute as ever,” Athena mumbles as she plops down beside me.
Then she spots the ring on my finger and gasps.
“Are you two?” Athena can’t even finish her sentence.
“Engaged?” Noah asks.
“Yes, are you?” Athena asks, her eyes wide.
“Yes,” I tell her.
I bite my lip and wait for her to blast us, maybe her mind has changed, and now she thinks Noah and I being together is not the most fabulous idea.
Instead, she pulls me into her arms roughly and squeezes me so tightly I can’t breathe.
“Athena,” I tap her on the arm.
“I can’t believe it! Thank god!” Athena says as she lets me go.
“You both deserve this after all the two of you have been through, you truly deserve to be together,” Athena says with a gracious smile.
“And here I thought she was going to yell at me,” Noah quips.
“Me too actually,” I conspire with my fiancé.
Athena smacks Noah on the arm playfully.
“Oh, come on Leviathan, I’m not all boredom and manners all the time, I can have a bit of fun once in a while. Speaking of which, can I have the keys to your Hampton’s house, or do I have to beg for them? I’d rather not stand around a hospital in a twelve thousand dollar dress,” Athena states as though this is the most natural thing in the world.
“By all means,” Noah gives her the okay.
Then he tosses her his keys.
58
Noah
January 2, 2017
“They’re so tiny,” Tinsley comments as she looks down at the baby asleep in her arms.
“They’re adorable is what they are,” Athena corrects her.
Grayson and Landon Stone.
I quite like the names Corban and my daughter chose for my grandsons.
They will both be strong, capable, smart men and with Ava as their mother, who knows what they will both accomplish in the coming years.
“I can’t believe they’re here,” Ava says, then she looks down at Landon in her arms.
At least I think it’s Landon.
They’re hard to tell apart.
Identical twins.
Two mirrors of each other.
“You want to hold him?” Ava asks as she looks up at me.
“Me?” I ask.
“Do you know which one this is?” Ava laughs.
“Landon?” I guess.
“Tinsley has Landon,” Ava corrects me as she transfers Grayson to my arms.
My grandson is wide awake with his little blue eyes focused on me.
So tiny, and brand new.
There’s a slight twinge of melancholy that I can’t place, almost like I wish Elizabeth were here to see these two little miracles.
“They’re something aren’t they?” Tinsley asks.
When I look up, her gaze is directed at me as the baby in her arms stretches and makes a little sound.
“Something,” I nod to her.
When our eyes connect, that melancholy is gone, and I know that everything, be it all bad or all good, has happened for a reason.
Maybe Corban and Ava would’ve met anyway.
But I know for a fact, that regardless of how things had turned out, Tinsley and I would’ve always fallen together, irrespective of the circumstances.
I wonder for a moment, if, had it been me her father wanted her to marry, how that would’ve turned out.
It makes me chuckle at the thought.
“Athena, you want a turn?” I ask my sister.
She nods immediately and takes the baby from me.
“Oh my god, they’re so tiny and cute, and perfect,” My sister is almost at a loss for words.
Almost.
“Do you think they’re going to turn out more like my brother, or you Ava?” Athena asks, with a wink directed in Corban’s direction.
“If they’re anything like my dad, they’ll be amazing,” Ava smiles at me.
When my phone rings, I just set it to silent.
This is too important to ruin it with work.
Tinsley beams at me when I silence the phone.
“Well,” I say.
“I think we’d better leave the happy parents,” I tell Tinsley.
I want to go home, and sleep, after all this time in the hospital.
Almost two days.
“Alright,” Tinsley pops up and gives Landon to Corban before kissing both him and the baby on the cheek.
“Have fun you two," she smiles.
“Oh, I’m sure we will,” Corban says.
The last image I see of Corban is him smiling down at his son like there’s no more magnificent sight in the world.
Tinsley and I walk hand in hand through the hospital hallway.
“So where to now?” I ask her.
“Fiji?” Tinsley asks.
“Or we
could just run off and get married,” I say.
“Where?” Tinsley asks automatically.
“Venice?” I offer.
Her smile lights up the room when I suggest this.
All those trysts in Venice, all that time ago, are not lost on me.
When I realized I couldn’t live without her in my life, even though I’d let her go, we were laying together in her hotel room in Venice.
The same smile is on her face like she’s always ecstatic to see me.
“Venice, “Tinsley agrees.
Tinsley is in the middle of her room, on a pile of clothes ready to tear her hair out as I watch from the doorway.
“You know, you can always buy whatever you need?” I mention.
She looks up at me with a smile.
“I know, I just need to find my passport in this mess,” Tinsley admits.
“Shit, mine’s in my safe at the office,” I remember now.
Everything necessary is in my safe, passport included.
“That means we have to go by the office, doesn’t it?” Tinsley asks a sour note to her voice.
“Not for work,” I promise.
By the time she finishes with everything she needs, we run the risk of seriously missing our flight, so I drive to the office instead of waiting for a car.
“Two minutes,” I promise as we walk towards the elevator hand in hand.
It’s a short ride up to the top floor, and we both make a bee-line for my corner office before anyone notices that I’m around.
“Are Vic and Evan still in Hawaii?” Tinsley asks as she lounges on the couch.
“I think so,” I say.
Evan has been radio silent since before Christmas.
I shuffle through the safe until I finally find my passport underneath my Will.
“Here we go,” I slide it into my carry-on bag.
“Are we ready?” I ask Tinsley.
“As ready as ever," she nods.
I take a moment to sit beside her, run a hand through her hair, and press my lips against hers.
Those sweet, soft lips that I get to kiss for the rest of my life.
We’ve got nothing but time now.
Tinsley wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer, both of us about to lose ourselves to each other when the door bursts open.
I look up annoyed as all hell, to see a police officer.
Wait.
This is no ordinary police officer.
Tinsley’s rights herself, a worried look suddenly in place.
“Noah Stone?” One of the officers asks gruffly.
There’s not just one, and there’s five of them.
And they’re not regular police.
This is the fucking FBI.
Shit.
“Yes,” I say.
“You’re under arrest,” the office states quietly.
“What!” Tinsley gasps.
I can hear someone reading my rights to me, as though any of that matters because whatever this is, it’s serious.
And it looks like I was about to flee the country.
A sudden trip?
Double shit.
“Noah!” Tinsley calls my name as they begin to lead me down the hallway towards the elevator, and I see various other employees in handcuffs as well.
My office is filled with FBI agents.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“The less you say, the better for you later,” The agent mutters to me.
“You’re not going to tell me what I’m being arrested for?” I ask to stall.
Tinsley reaches us.
“Noah, what are we going to do?” She cries.
Tears stream down her face, and I wonder what exactly has happened.
“It was Lauren or Elizabeth,” I tell her frankly.
“Call my lawyer!” I manage to yell.
“He’s got diplomatic immunity,” A man with an authoritative voice shouts over the din of the police arresting half my office.
“What?” The office turns, ready to shove me into the elevator.
“As Duke Whittaker, of the Royal Family, I have to inform you, that if you arrest Noah Stone, you will surely find yourself in a terrible pickle when it comes to your relations with the United Kingdom,” John Whittaker speaks to the officer calmly.
I feel my cuffs release almost instantly.
“Your Grace,” I acknowledge Duke Whittaker instantly.
“You’re the infamous Noah Stone?” John Whittaker says.
I nod as Tinsley comes to my side, and wraps her arms around me.
“Well, Mr. Stone, I believe it’s time to time to return to England, I believe you are finished in the United States, for now, seeing as your company has just been accused of funding terrorism,” Duke Whittaker announces.
My skin goes cold.
“Noah, what’s he talking about?” Tinsley pleads with me.
I don’t say a word as Duke Whittaker looks her over, from head to toe.
“You might be wise, to take your family with you, and follow me,” The Duke’s offer is there.
But his voice is cold.
Tinsley’s familial connection to the Duke may have just saved me.
But not my company, all of that is suddenly gone.
THE END
HEAT
The Stone Billionaire Series: Book Four
COMING JUNE 28 2018
HEAT
A STONE BILLIONAIRE SERIES NOVEL
BOOK FOUR
EXCERPT
1
Evan
December 23, 2017
Victoire came with me because she knows she can’t resist our games.
Her need to be submissive to my wishes certainly overcame whatever business she had in London.
“You look like you’re going to make a break for it at any moment, am I bad company?” I tease Vic with a crooked smile on my face.
I’ve had my pick of women, but Victoire blows everyone of them away, especially in the looks department.
Blonde hair, perfect body, gorgeous blue eyes, and an intensely passionate personality.
She challenges me; Vic keeps me on my toes and doesn’t let me get away with any of my usual bullshit.
Trust me there’s plenty of that to go around.
“I’m here, am I not?” Vic retorts.
“Okay, Vicky,” I retort back, with a much hated nickname.
“Don’t call me that!” She snaps.
I don’t see what’s about to happen next, and I should, because Vic smacks me over the back of my head with her magazine.
God forbid she throw her phone at me again.
When I start to laugh, her fury only increases.
“You’re insufferable,” Vic announces to me.
“That’s why you love me, dear,” I suggest.
“Evan!” Vic hisses at me.
But she has no follow up.
She probably does love me, she just won’t admit to anything further than the games we play.
Of course then the question bubbles up: do I want more?
I have my serious doubts about how anything with Vic will turn out.
Other than the incredible sex and my ability to fulfill her insatiable desires, I can’t tell if she cares beyond that.
That’s the hardest part, because the women I date wear their emotions on their sleeves.
Vic reveals nothing from those pouty red lips, that match the red bandage dress painted across the curves of her body.
With her legs crossed at the ankle, she appears demure to everyone else, but nothing about this girl is demure.
It makes me laugh a little.
One second she’s a proper lady, the next I’ve got her bent over my desk, fucking her mercilessly as she begs for more.
Well, more like begs for her orgasm.
Fighting is the best aphrodisiac, because she enjoys the punishment and denial as much as I enjoy dolling everything out to her.
My musing can take a back s
eat, for now, since the plane is ready to board.
Of course we are escorted onto the plane first!
I’m Evan Stone!
My father is a Manhattan legend, and I intend to follow in those large footsteps of his.
I’m not intimidated in the slightest.
I flew choppers for the military, and after that, nothing is going to intimidate me.
Not even Victoire.
“Mr. Stone,” The flight attendant declares.
Then the bottle blonde sends a sneaky little smirk in my direction.
Vic pretends not to notice, but I know she seethes with jealousy on the inside.
“These are your seats. Our finest first class accommodations. Both seats fully recline, with complimentary pillows and blankets. The TV is at your disposal as well. I’m Alice and I’ll be at your service for this flight,” Alice composes her little speech quite well.
“Thank you Alice,” I say.
Of course I have to return her seductive smile, then I slip her a tip.
“Christ, you’re just like your father,” Vic mutters under her breath.
Then she takes my damn window seat.
All the better to tease her with!
“I wanted the window seat,” I gripe.
Then I ignore her comment about my father, even if we are so much alike.
I prefer the aisle, but igniting her ire is worth it.
“Well too damn bad, why don’t you go fuck the flight attendant and leave me alone? Hm?” Vic’s voice is vicious, twinged with the jealousy I knew was coming.
“Maybe, I will,” I reply with equal intensity.
“Then you can join us, while a real woman shows you how it’s done,” I add harshly.
As I drop into the aisle seat beside her, I’m sure everyone within a ten block vicinity can probably hear our conversation.
Denial_A Stone Billionaire Series Novel Page 28