Stepping Stone
Dakota Willink
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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.
Copyright © 2016 by Dakota Willink
Edited by Dakota Willink
Cover Design by Dakota Willink
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
eBook ISBN-13: 978-0-9971603-2-1
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0-9971603-3-8
To my husband…
My heart and the greatest man that I’ve ever known.
CHAPTER 1
The wind whipped around me, causing my hair to slap me across the face. I impatiently shoved it out of my eyes and fumbled with the credit card reader prompts at the gas pump.
No, I do not want a car wash. No, I do not want a receipt.
The only thing I wanted was to fill my tank and get out of the rain. It had been a long day. The drive that morning to Stamford, Connecticut from my apartment in Greenwich Village took longer than expected. Traffic out of the city had been a complete bear and I was hoping to make it back in time to miss the rush hour commuters.
“Card read error. Please see attendant,” said a computerized voice from the speaker on the gas pump.
“Dammit,” I swore. Hastily shoving my credit card into the pocket of my suit jacket, I hurried towards the main building of the gas station.
Once inside, I brushed the rain droplets from my sleeves, and was grateful to see that there wasn’t a line at the checkout counter.
“How can I help you, Miss?” asked the elderly gentleman that was working behind the counter.
“The pump wouldn’t read my card. I was told to come inside to pay.”
“I’m sorry about that. That one’s been acting up all day. Are you looking to fill her up?”
“Yes, please. Thirty dollars should do it.”
“Okay. Let me see here…” he trailed off in concentration, pulling his glasses down the bridge of his nose to peer at the computer screen before him. Taking my credit card, he began inputting my purchase into the register’s computer at a painstakingly slow pace.
I tapped my foot, trying to ward off the impatience that I felt. Using the merchandise displayed at the register as a distraction, I scanned over the assortment of candy bars, beef jerky, and chewing tobacco. A pack of Big Red chewing gum caught my eye and caused me to smile wistfully in remembrance of an innocent flirtatious gesture.
Almost instantly, pain lanced at my chest and I pushed the thought away.
Don’t think about it.
Acting on impulse, I grabbed the pack of cinnamon flavored gum and tossed it on the counter.
“I’ll take this, too,” I told the gray haired cashier.
After what seemed like forever, the man handed my credit card back to me.
“You are all set Ms. Cole. Have a lovely evening,” he told me, taking me by surprise. Living in today’s plastic society, I didn’t think that people paid much attention to the names on credit cards anymore.
I thanked the gentleman in return, pocketed my card and the gum, and then headed back outside to fill my tank.
When the gas pump came to a halt, I screwed the gas cap back on to the prehistoric old Ford and hurried to get back into the car. After fastening my seatbelt, I leaned my head back against the seat, dreading the long drive home.
Do I really want to do this commute everyday?
I knew the answer, but I didn’t have much of a choice. Marketing jobs in New York City were proving to be almost nonexistent. When I received the call yesterday for a job interview in Stamford, I didn’t think twice about it. I woke up bright and early today, risked my life on the I-95, and completely aced the interview with LD Marketing Solutions. I was offered a job on the spot.
The only thing left to do was accept the position.
As if on cue, my cell pinged with an email notification. It was from the lead coordinator at LD. I opened the email and quickly scanned the contents. It was a thank you letter with a formal job proposal attached. I didn’t have to open the attachment to know what it said. They already quoted me the starting salary and benefits package. It was a sweet deal.
Frustrated, I tossed my cell phone into my purse.
“I just don’t know what to do,” I said aloud to the empty car.
The reason for not immediately taking the offer from LD Marketing nagged at me as I shifted the car into drive and headed towards the interstate. Deep down, I knew that I was still undecided about the job opportunity with Turning Stone Advertising. However, the solution to that should have been obvious.
If I wanted to avoid seeing Alexander Stone, there was no way I could actually work at a company that he owned.
Don’t think about him. Separate it and focus on the job possibilities.
But despite the numerous lectures that I gave to myself, it was hard not to have the two coincide. While the offer from LD Marketing was a good one, the opportunity at Turning Stone was even better. I went from having zero job prospects to having two practically overnight. The problem was that the job with Turning Stone came with a major string attached to it.
Alexander.
Crossing his path would be inevitable, and I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to withstand him. In fact, I knew that I didn’t have the strength. Our short-lived relationship was proof of it.
He was like a drug to me – toxic and unhealthy, and so undeniably addictive.
During the few short weeks that Alexander and I spent together, something shifted inside of me. But I had yet to determine if it was for the good or for the bad. He uncovered parts of me that I hadn’t known existed, revealing dark desires that I had been unaware of. Nevertheless, I was confused over my newfound passion. I didn’t know if it was real, or if it was just something messed up in my psyche.
But how am I supposed to know? It’s not like I have a ton of experience.
My history with men was a short list, but it was a tainted one. The only long-term relationship that I had to date was with Trevor Hamilton; the controlling abusive asshole that had beaten and raped me.
I shuddered as the memories threatened to resurface.
I had stayed away from men all together after that disaster, and I had been happy.
But was I really?
I thought that I was until Alexander Stone came into the picture. Our chance meeting had changed everything for me. I had been drawn to him from the moment I saw him. There was no refuting the carnal need that burned between us. With only one look from him, the air in the room would hiss and crackle, like the wick of a time bomb waiting to explode. So I decided to take a chance.
However, Alexander turned out to be more than I bargained for. Even then, I was willing to give it more time – to give us more time. But then Alexander took me to the BDSM nightclub. I received a slap in the face from my ugly past that night, sparking a knee-jerk reaction. I wasn’t sure if that night was a blessing or a curse.
I mean really? I hadn’t seen Trevor in two years. What were the odds of seeing him there, of all places?
No matter what the odds were, in that instant my past and present collided. The lines became blurry and I no longer knew who I was. So I did the only thing that I could do to survive. I said goodbye to it all.
Including Alexander.
Until I could sort things out, I had to put some distance between us.
D
istance?
I snorted out loud at the term.
I pretty much ran from Alexander that night at Club O.
In the days that followed, I considered going back to my shrink, but decided against it. I thought about talking to Allyson, my roommate, but there was too much that she didn’t know. I eventually came to the conclusion that I didn’t need anyone else to tell me what was wrong. I already knew. My past was interfering with my ability to be in a healthy relationship. I was the only one that could work that out. If it meant being alone for a little while longer, so be it.
The thought of being alone again tore at my heart and a feeling of melancholy settled around me.
Snap out of it, Cole. It’s in the past.
The check engine light for the car flickered on. I tapped the dashboard to see if it would go off. Usually that worked, but for some reason it wasn’t this time. I pursed my lips in annoyance.
I really need to get this car in to see what’s going on.
The only reason I hadn’t yet was because I rarely drove the thing. Public transportation was easier and cheaper in the city so there hadn’t been a need. However, if I decided to take the job in Connecticut, I would have to look into getting a more reliable set of wheels sooner rather than later.
I continued the drive in silence. I didn’t dare turn on the radio, as every song that I heard seemed to remind me of Alexander in some way or another. Quiet was better, as I could use the time to simply think.
Not about the past, but about my future.
CHAPTER 2
I drummed my fingers on the desktop in anticipation of the video footage that should be arriving in my inbox momentarily. I had been waiting to receive it for a full solid week. But now that I knew it was finally being sent, edginess was beginning to get the best of me.
Why I was so hell bent on seeing it was beyond me. I already convinced myself that what happened was for the best. I knew that Krystina Cole and I were not cut out for one another. We were incompatible in more ways than I could count – she was nothing but a ball of sass, and I was the man that failed to dominate her. But I also knew that I had to have answers for why she so suddenly took off on me.
You’re an idiot, Stone. Just let it go.
I spun in my office chair and stared through the glass wall at the Manhattan skyline. I wanted to let it go, to let her go. But even after two weeks, she was still at the forefront of my mind. It was making me restless. Irritable.
But worse – I felt empty.
I have always been so sure of who I was and what I wanted out of life. But now, here I sat, not knowing a damn thing. I didn’t know how I had let some woman fuck it all up.
Because she wasn’t just another woman.
She was Krystina Cole.
My angel.
A stab of regret sliced at my heart, annoying me beyond all belief. Regret was a sign of weakness and failure.
That’s not who I am.
My inbox finally pinged with the arrival of the much-anticipated email and broke me away from my thoughts. Turning back to the computer, I clicked on the link that would take me to the video feed.
Convincing the owner of Club O to give me the video from the night that I took Krystina to the exclusive nightclub had required some major finagling. For the privacy concerns of the other members, he had been reluctant to give it up. I had to call in more than just a few favors in order to obtain it.
Thankfully the footage wasn’t that long, as we had only been in the Club for about two hours that night. The hard part was going to be locating Krystina amidst the crowd of hundreds.
I scanned the grainy black and white video and took note of the time stamp.
21:43. That was around the time we entered The Dungeon.
I fast-forwarded the feed to thirty minutes later, knowing exactly where we had been at that time. We were on the platform, watching a staged BDSM scene unfold below us on the dance floor. Within seconds, I was able to point out Krystina. She was leaning back against my chest, her lush curls rippling over her shoulders as she took in everything that was happening below.
I watched her face, mesmerized by her beauty, and I felt my heart constrict. I reached out and touched her face on the computer monitor.
Fuck me, I miss her so much.
Despite the poor quality of the video, I was still able to make out her facial expressions. She went from curious to astounded in the blink of an eye, her conflict causing me to feel another pain of regret.
I shouldn’t have brought her there. It was too much for her.
I shook my head, dismissing the thought that I had been repeating for two weeks.
What’s done is done. There’s no changing it.
I advanced the video a little more, bringing it to the time when I walked away from her to use the restroom. This was the part that interested me the most. For when I returned, Krystina had changed. Something had happened during that time I stepped away. I was sure of it.
I watched her sip her drink and tap her foot to what I assumed to be the beat of the music that could not be heard in the silent video. After a few moments, a man stepped up behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at him, but when she turned back her face was panicked.
I hit pause and zoomed in as much as I could without distorting his facial features. He was the man that Krystina and I had run into as we were exiting the club.
The asshole.
Who the hell is this guy to her?
I resumed playing the video and watched when Krystina turned back to him. From this angle, I could no longer see her face. However, I could see his smug expression as plain as day and it pissed me off.
He reached out to touch her and she jerked away, causing her drink to fall out of her hand and splash all over the floor. She didn’t even seem to notice it as her arms waved about angrily.
And he – he was obviously laughing at her.
What did he say to her?
I slammed my fist onto the desk, angry that I hadn’t been there to help her. Angry that she didn’t tell me who this guy was when I asked her. And angry that she had walked away from me.
Why?
A knock at my office door interrupted me. Bryan, my accountant, popped his head in.
“What’s up, Bryan?” I snapped, annoyed at the disruption.
“I just finished running the last two weeks of expense reports. It isn’t pretty, Alex,” he told me.
I sighed and shook my head. As much as I wanted to tell him to get lost and that I didn’t give a flying shit about the expense reports, I knew that I needed a diversion from the video before I started a full out man hunt for this stranger that upset Krystina. I was ready to snap, and forced myself to take a calming breath before speaking again.
“You’re such a miser. You never think it’s pretty.” I turned back to my computer, paused the video, and switched off the monitor. “Come in, and let’s get this over with.”
Bryan laughed.
“That’s why you pay me the big bucks. Somebody has to keep an eye on you,” he joked, claiming the seat in front of my desk.
“Say what you want, wise guy. But I managed just fine before taking in your sorry ass,” I told him.
My accountant and long time friend was brilliant with numbers. If the truth were told, he was better with them than I was. I had the business head, but he was the one to keep the many financial pieces in place. Hiring him was one of the best decisions that I ever made.
“The design consulting fee came in from Kimberly Melbourne,” Bryan began. “It’s insane. I don’t know why you use her.”
“You know why I do,” I quipped.
“I know, I know – because she’s the best. But even so, this is just for the consultation. You haven’t even gotten the final bill yet.”
I waved him off, not caring about the damn bill. Making sure that the offices for Turning Stone Advertising were top notch was the concern, even if I didn’t have Krystina to lead the team.
At least for the
moment.
“You’ve made your point. What’s next?” I asked, ready to move on.
“The property in Westchester. What’s your interest in it?”
“I haven’t decided yet, but the price was good.”
“You do know that it’s zoned residential, right?”
“Of course I do,” I snapped.
“Just checking,” he said, hands held up in mock surrender. “I know you had Laura working on obtaining the details for it. I just wanted to make sure she didn’t miss that one key fact. Lately, your focus has been on commercial properties only.”
“Laura wouldn’t miss something that important.”
Bryan looked pointedly at me and leaned back in his chair.
“Hey, man. Look, let me stop being your accountant for five minutes. You’ve been in a foul mood for over a week now. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“That’s a load of bullshit. Matteo mentioned that you were seeing someone. Is she the reason why you’re so wound up?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, warning him to back off.
“Matt has a big fucking mouth. I said that I’m fine. Besides, I’m not seeing her anymore. Just drop it,” I added with finality.
He looked at me skeptically, but picked up his file again and didn’t push it further. He thumbed through a few papers and resumed where we left off.
Thirty minutes later, we finished going through the rest of the reports.
“I hesitate to bring up this last thing.”
“Just get it out, Bryan. As you pointed out, I’m already in a foul mood, so it can’t get much worse.”
“I know this is important to you, but the money that you’re shelling out for Stone Arena is making me nervous. And before you go off half-cocked, allow me to clarify. It’s not the investment that concerns me. It’s the hefty price tag for the naming rights.”
“We’ve been through this at least a hundred times,” I said, pursing my lips in irritation. If Bryan wasn’t my friend, I may have fired him for the sole reason of bringing the subject up again.
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