Stoned (The Stone Series)

by Berry, Kitty

  I continue to tell Dr. Klein the rest of what I remember. Mark was bounding Drea’s wrists in the car, she was screaming. Brittany was driving and Ryan was touching me. He was stroking my hair and telling Mark that I would be easy like I always was. He was bragging about not needing to bind me. I remember thinking that I should play along to keep free then if I had the chance I could try to lash out at him. I knew I couldn’t just get away and I couldn’t leave Drea. I remember the car pulled over and stopped and we were shoved out of the car. I recognized where we were instantly, The Society and my old neighborhood. Mark and Ryan pushed us through the doors. I still couldn’t understand how they had gotten in but I hoped that someone Damian knew would be there and we’d be saved.

  Damian tells us that they somehow hacked into the locking system then cut power to the building, turning off the security and camera systems.

  “The last thing I remember was when we got inside. Ryan panicked that I might have a wire on and he pulled open my dress. When he saw the wire he hit me, that’s the last thing I remember” I say as I cry through my tears and find myself crawling into Damian’s lap. “Shhh, baby. You’re safe. I’ve got you” Damian soothes me.

  “It took us about ten minutes to get to and inside the building so for those ten minutes that her wire was off I don’t know. Drea might” Damian speculates. Dr. Klein says he’s already spoken to her and that he can fill in the ten minute gap. Drea told him that Ryan ripped open my dress and found the wire, he looked demonic. He slapped me hard across the face causing my lip to burst open. I put my hand up to feel my lip as he tells us, Damian covers my lips with his and they instantly feel better. Dr. Klein continues to tell us Drea’s report of the story. “Sydney, Drea says that he grabbed you by your hair then he slapped you in the face and made your nose bleed. You’re lucky he didn’t break it.”

  Damian balls his hands into fists but manages to gently kiss my nose then he mutters under his breath, “Fucking douche bag pussy, hitting a girl.”

  Dr. Klein continues, “After that he flung you to the ground and kicked you, that’s how we’re guessing he broke your ribs.” I flinch as I remember the blows to my side. Damian puts his hands on my sides and leans in to kiss my forehead.

  “After that he pulled you into a room, Drea was left with Mark.” Damian adds, “He brought her into my room at The Society that motherfucker. He was going to rape her in my fucking room. He had her on the floor with her dress ripped open on the top and the bottom hiked up around her waist. He had pushed her thighs open and he was between her legs. When I got there he was undoing his pants. Mac entered the building with me and found Mark trying to rape my sister. Mac stayed to deal with him and I went to Sydney. The rest of the team was surrounding the building, dealing with Brittany and securing Parker and my family, we didn’t know what else they might have planned to do.”

  Dr. Klein asks if I was alert during any of what I just heard. I don’t know, I don’t remember any of it.

  “She was awake when I got there but she was; I don’t know how to explain it. She was not in her body, her body was empty, her soul was gone, and she was an empty shell” Damian tells Dr. Klein. “She slips under into what we refer to as subspace very easily for me; I know the look of her being there, this was not that. She was not enjoying what was happening, she was terrified and trying to self-preserve.”

  Dr. Klein agrees, he believes that I was trying to protect my psyche from the attack that I was anticipating. He believes that’s why I can’t remember any of it. He thinks I may when I’m ready or I might never. He asks Damian to continue.

  “I couldn’t get in the door to my room at first; the power was cut so my code wasn’t working. I shot the control panel to the lock. Ryan saw me when I entered and he smirked at me. It was like he was thinking about still raping her right in front of me. I ripped him off of her and we went at it. He got in a few lucky shots to my face. That’s how I got the shiner. He got my ribs a few times and bruised one or two but I beat the shit out of him. I should have just shot him when I walked in but I wanted to hurt him as bad as he hurt her all those years ago. She was only a little girl, she should have been protected, should have been safe. I wanted to make him pay for what he did to her, for what she still lives through every second of her life. I’m not a violent man unless it involves Sydney’s safety then all bets are off, Dr. Klein, I’m kinky as hell but I’m not violent. Tonight however, I wanted to feel him die in my hands but I stopped myself. I stopped and went to Sydney. Ryan was on the floor, I thought he was unconscious. Sydney, she was in a ball in the corner rocking and I knew she needed me to get her out of there. I bent to pick her up then he hit me from behind, I fell and he grabbed her. I had no choice; he would have killed her or raped her which would have killed her all the same. I shot him.” Damian says as he looks at me.

  “He’s dead?” I ask and Damian shakes his head yes. “You killed him?”

  “Sydney, I told you I would kill or die for you. I meant it when I said that.”

  “Why did you have a gun? How do you know how to use a gun?”

  “Baby, I’m a very wealthy man with a few enemies. I’ve held a gun permit for years. I shoot once a week but now that I have a security team I don’t usually carry my gun anymore. I only had it today for protection; honestly I didn’t plan to use it. If I was going to kill him I truly wanted it to be with my hands” Damian tells us.

  “What’s wrong with you? Why did you kill him? What if you go to jail?” I sob.

  “I’m not going to jail. He kidnapped you, broke into my building, beat you and was going to rape you. When I shot him Sydney, he was reaching for a gun, it was in self-defense, he would have shot me and then done God only knows what to you.”

  “I can’t lose you, Day. They can’t take you away from me. Promise me, they won’t take you away from me” I beg as I franticly burrow my body deeper into Damian’s.

  “Baby, it’s going to be fine” he says to me then turns to Dr. Klein, “She’s had a very long day and she needs to rest. I think I should get her home now. We’ll call you later in the day or first thing tomorrow morning and set something up for next week.”

  We exit the office and Damian and I find Jonesie and Dominick waiting for us in Dr. Klein’s lobby. Dominick tells Damian the police will not be patient with him much longer. Damian agrees to go see them once he has me home and settled.

  “Is Mac with my sister?”

  “Yes, she’s shaken but not hurt. Mac got to her in time” Dominick reports.

  “What happened to Mark?” I inquire.

  “Mac happened to Mark. He won’t bother you again.”

  “Is he dead?” I ask and Dominick looks first to Damian then back to me before he answers.

  “He is” is all he says and I decide not to ask how.

  We arrive back at the penthouse to find Drea on the couch in Mac’s arms and Alex sitting beside Parker. The rest of the people from earlier have gone. I’m glad to see Mr. and Mrs. Stone have left, I know I’ll have to deal with them soon but I can’t handle them right now. Mrs. Ford is nowhere in sight but she has left a breakfast spread out on the island and I’m sure she’ll reappear shortly to change it to lunch. The security team other than Mac, Dominick and Jonesie are down at the police station waiting for Damian. The NYPD left shortly after Damian and I did, Damian being the only one left they need a report from, he’s planning to speak to them on my behalf no doubt. I know he’ll do whatever he can to shelter me from reliving the experience yet again.

  Damian bends down to kiss his sister on the head and asks how she is.

  “I’m fine, Day but you have so much explaining to do.”

  “Syd will fill you in on us, I’m sure even in this turmoil that’s what you’re referring to, am I right?” Damian says while smiling at his sister whom he clearly adores.

  “Mmm hmm” she nods at him with the same look of admiration on her face.

  Damian asks to speak to Mac. Mac stands and kisses Dr
ea on the lips then him and Damian head into the office for some privacy. It’s the first time I am without Damian and I’m already feeling jittery. I sit next to Parker and she tries to lighten the mood. “It looks like we have a lot of catching up to do too!” she teases me. “Mmm hmm, yes we do but not right now, okay?” I beg.

  Mac and Damian return and Damian tells me that he has to go to police headquarters but he’ll be back as soon as he can. He says Mac is going to stay and he asks Alex to as well. I know the danger is over but I’m still scared not to be with Damian. I try to plaster a smile on my face when he kisses me but I know I fail. “I love you” he whispers into my ear before he kisses my forehead and inhales my hair. “Everything is going to be fine. Stop worrying about me, baby. It’s fine. They just need me to make a statement, that’s all. I’m not going to jail. I’ll be home within an hour. I promise.”

  “I have never seen him like this. He’s got it bad for you” Drea says to me after Damian leaves with Dominick and Jonesie. “You have no idea” Mac continues.

  “Good, I’m glad he has someone and is finally happy and acting like a normal human being. Well, as much as he can act normal. Maybe now he’ll leave us alone and not try to control my life so much.”

  “Don’t count on it” Mac, Alex and I say in unison causing Parker to look from one of us to the other then to the third.

  Not one of us can fall sleep no matter how tired we are. Drea suggests going to the media room where it’s dark but as soon as I hear the word dark I tense up and say I’d rather not. I agree to catch Parker up on my life seeing as now no one can fall asleep anyway.

  “Okay, we’ll let you girls have your privacy. I for one don’t want to hear the details of Stone’s sex life so we’ll be over there if you girls need us. Come on, Alex. Keep me company over a cold one” Mac says as Alex stands and follows him to the kitchen area leaving Parker, Drea and I in the living space.

  “Um, I’m not sure how much of my brother’s sex life I want to hear about either” Drea teases me.

  I promise to leave out the juicy details to Parker’s displeasure. I tell them how we first met in Alex’s office and about my blow job comment that went all wrong.

  “You said that to him, are you crazy. I’m surprised he didn’t take you up on the offer right there and then” Drea laughs. “You know, I’ve heard he has a bit of a kinky side.”

  I laugh for the first time since my kidnapping over that comment. If she only knew how kinky he was I don’t think she’d be making jokes about it. Then I wonder if I should ask who’s been saying he’s kinky. Instead I tell them about our lunch at Stone’s and before I can say anything about Damian’s other businesses Drea interrupts.

  “Holy fuck Syd, he owns Hard as Stone and he’s going to fucking flip if he finds out you dance there” Drea warns.

  “Yeah, kind of too late but thanks for that, both of you” I say as I point to each of them. “He found out last Saturday when he came in to see the new girl everyone was talking about.”

  “Oh shit, you mean you?”

  “Yep. It didn’t go over too well. I don’t work there anymore by the way, he fired me.”

  We all break into a small fit of giggles that feels good even though it physically hurts to laugh.

  I tell them about my job at S&S and how I designed the apartment on the first floor for Damian and that I’ve been living there since Parker left but that I’ve been spending more and more time here in the penthouse. I tell them about my past with Ryan, even Parker didn’t know. She always knew something went down between my family and I but she wasn’t sure what.

  She asks, “Are you going to speak to your mom now? Does she know about Ryan?”

  “I never told her and now that he’s dead and my boyfriend is the one who shot him I don’t know what’s going to happen. She’s never picked me over Robert, Ryan’s dad. She’s always sided with him. That’s why I never told her. Ryan always said no one would believe me and he was right, they wouldn’t have. Even Day’s parents didn’t believe me.”

  “He lets you call him Day?” Drea questions me.

  “Um, I don’t have to if it bothers you. He said other than me you are the only one he’s ever let call him that.”

  “No, it’s fine. It’s just…wow! He’s in love with you. I mean he’s never even had a girlfriend that I knew of.”

  “Yeah, I love him too and I just want Damian to come home so I know he’s okay. What if they arrest him for shooting Ryan for me?”

  Mac hears me and comes and sits with his arm around my shoulder. He tells me not to worry about Damian. Apparently he gives a large sum of money every year to the police; he attends their fundraising events and shoots with them at the range. Mac tells me that he was not wrong about Ryan plotting to kill me; apparently evidence to support this has been obtained. He says Damian was right, he did pull a gun and was going to kill Damian and then he would have killed me. I feel better but until I see Damian walk through the door and I can be in his arms again I won’t be able to calm down.

  “I know I’m harping on this but I’ve never seen my brother with a girl before let alone head over heels in love like he is with you. You really have a spell over him. I used to think him and Alex were involved” Drea says.

  “Wait, what?” Alex questions as he heads over to the couch again. “I’m not gay, Damian and I aren’t gay.”

  Mac has a good laugh over that. “Dre, believe me, your brother is not gay” Mac says through tears of laughter as Damian walks in the door.

  I jump up and fly into his arms as quickly as I can which is at a snail’s pace due to injures I sustained. Damian catches me up in his arms and inhales my hair. “What’s so funny?” he asks.

  “Your little sister here was just telling us how she always thought you and Alex were a couple man, you know a gay couple” Mac says while laughing.

  “Oh, did she now? That’s funny because I always thought she liked men her own age not her father’s” Damian retorts as he slaps Mac on the back in good humor. I like that Mac and Damian seem to be forging a relationship other than boss and employee.

  “Sorry to break up the party but I’m taking Sydney to bed” Damian announces. Alex, Parker, Drea and Mac use this as their opportunity to hoot and holler. “Oh, very mature. You all need to get some sleep too. Feel free to stay here if you want” Damian says to Alex and Parker.

  Drea takes Mac by the hand and starts to lead him to her room but he pauses and looks at Damian who smiles and nods his head. Alex offers to keep Parker company and watch a movie in the media room. They look cute together; maybe something good will come out of this whole mess after all.

  Damian and I go to his room and close the door. Damian pulls the room darkening curtains closed, the room is blanketed in darkness and I freeze. “I need the lights on” I holler and Damian rushes to turn them on. “I’m afraid of what I’ll see in the dark. I’m exhausted but I’m too scared to close my eyes. I know what images await me in my sleep.”

  “You need to take your pain meds. You are wincing every time you move and I hate to see you in pain but you have to eat something first. I’m going to get you something to eat and drink and bring you your pill. Then you will sleep safely in my arms, I promise.”

  Damian returns with cheese and crackers, olives, water and my pill. We sit together on the bed and he feeds me like he did that first day at Stone’s. “This reminds me of that first day at my restaurant” Damian says.

  “I was so nervous with you then. I liked you but I didn’t know what to do and I was scared of being with you.”

  “We’ve come a long way in less than a month” Damian observes.

  He stands up to clear away our snack and I struggle out of bed to take off my clothes. Damian comes to me and gently begins to remove my clothes while he kisses the top of my head. He runs his hands over my bandaged ribs and massages my shoulders. When I am standing in just my panties he pulls open the blankets and I climb in the bed. I watch as he undresses
and winces from the pain in his own ribs. He turns off the light and climbs into bed in one fast motion. He curls around me, once again inhaling my hair and even in the darkness I am safe.

  “Day, about the initiation party tonight” I begin.

  “Shh, that’s been cancelled. We’ll reschedule when you’re feeling better.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to step foot in that building again.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to. I’ll take care of everything, don’t worry.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He’s planning on selling the building or using it for something else. He’s moving The Society to a different location, knowing I would never be able to go back into the place where Ryan touched me. He asks me to design the new place. He wants his room to be our room; he wasn’t all that comfortable using his room at The Society with me in the first place. “That’s where I was with my subs. You deserve better than that. I don’t even need a room at The Society unless you want one. I mean, I don’t know. We’ll discuss this later. I need to sleep and so do you. Kiss me” he commands. I kiss him and feel him moan into my mouth as his erection grows and he presses it against me. But all we do is kiss, we fall asleep kissing.