The Rebel's Redemption

by Kira Sinclair

  She belonged there and if he had anything to say about it, she’d be staying. And not simply because her place was dangerous.

  Stalking across the room, he barely paused to toss his keys into the bowl on the entrance table before wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her into his body. Piper relaxed into his hold, resting her head on his shoulder as she twisted so she could gift him with a soft smile. “How’d your meeting go? I assume everything turned out okay since you’re here and not back in prison.”

  “Yes, smart-ass.” Stone’s hold tightened as he grinned down at her. “My meeting was fine. My parole officer is pushing me to make a decision about what I want to do since technically I should have employment. My situation is unique, but he’s still concerned I don’t have a purpose.”

  Piper laughed. “The man really doesn’t know you, does he?”

  “Not so much.”

  “Although, I suppose he isn’t wrong since you’ve been out less than two weeks and have already broken one of the major rules of your release.”

  Stone leaned down and sealed his mouth to hers, pulling them both deep for several seconds before whispering against her lips, “Shh, that’s our secret.”

  “Mmm,” she murmured back. “I’ll add it to the list.”

  Her words had Stone pulling away. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. I made dinner. Wasn’t sure when you’d be home so it’s keeping warm in the oven.”

  Stone decided to let Piper’s comment pass. He really wasn’t in the mood to fight, not after the last few amazing days they’d shared. Together, they pulled down plates, finished dinner prep and settled in to share a meal. They fell into the easy pattern they’d developed on the island, perfect and comfortable.

  Closing up the apartment for the night, Stone grasped Piper’s hand and led her slowly into the bedroom. The moment felt pure and right. Like they’d been together this way for years instead of for days. Slowly, Stone undressed her, savoring each inch of skin. The way Piper stretched into his touch, chasing after more. The feel of her hands running over his body, the heat of her mouth as she rained kisses over him.

  Sex with Piper was always good, but almost better tonight was curling up beside her, tucking her into his body and falling into a deep sleep with her next to him.

  The next morning was easy and relaxed. They fell into an unspoken routine, getting ready for the day and sharing space. After Piper cooked breakfast and Stone cleaned up the kitchen, they headed out to Piper’s place so she could pick up some more things.

  Stone couldn’t even remember what they talked about on the drive over. It didn’t matter. What did matter was the happiness filling his chest. Happiness that if you’d asked him several months ago, he would have said he’d never have the opportunity to experience. Especially with her.

  That happiness was shattered twenty minutes later.

  Stone was sitting at Piper’s kitchen table, a steaming mug of coffee in front of him, while she packed a bag in her bedroom.

  He was in the middle of composing a text to Gray when her front door flew open, bouncing off the wall with a bang loud enough to be a gunshot.

  Stone vaulted up from the table, coffee spilling across the surface and dripping off onto the floor. Down the hallway, he heard Piper’s startled yelp. He should have had a weapon handy. Given everything going on, why hadn’t he been prepared?

  All these thoughts rampaged through his mind. His heart nearly bruised the back side of his ribs.

  And nothing inside him settled when he realized Morgan was slamming through Piper’s front door. Not when the man’s expression looked like his child had just been murdered again.

  Rounding the table, Stone tried to cut him off. He had no idea what was going on, but his assumption was that it had something to do with him. Maybe Stone’s relationship with Piper?

  What else could send Morgan into such a frenzy?

  But Stone’s hand pressed against Morgan’s chest barely slowed him down. Like a bulldozer, the older man simply tried to run right over him. Morgan was on a mission and only stopped when Piper appeared in the doorway.

  Stone knew the minute she came in, not just because Morgan stopped fighting. He always knew when Piper entered any room.

  “Is it true?” Morgan wheezed, his voice hard and utterly destroyed.

  The question was clearly directed at Piper, but Stone had no intention of letting her take the brunt of whatever was going down.

  “Listen, man, I don’t blame you for being upset. But Piper and I have cared about each other for a very long time.”

  Morgan’s head jerked sideways, his gaze scraping across Stone’s face with wild eyes. “Upset? I’m more than upset, Stone. I’m devastated that Piper’s lived alone with this for ten years.”

  Okay, Stone was obviously missing something.

  Confusion had the pressure he’d applied to Morgan’s chest slackening. Taking advantage, Piper’s stepfather scooted around Stone and stalked across the room to where she was rooted to the floor. Wrapping his arms around her, Morgan pulled her tight against his body, the hug so hard her toes lifted off the floor.

  Burying his face in her hair, Stone watched as the man murmured, “I’m so sorry,” against her head and simply held her, rocking back and forth as if she were a child. His child.

  Stone stood, helpless, as Piper simply crumpled. She collapsed into Morgan’s hold, letting him take her full weight. After several seconds, she mumbled, “How did you find out?”

  “How did he find out?” Piper’s mom’s shrill voice punched through the room. Stone had been aware of her presence, but until that moment she’d simply been a quiet bystander.

  Stalking across to them, she thrust a tablet into Piper’s face. “What did you think was going to happen?”

  Fourteen

  Piper grasped her mother’s wrist, holding the screen steady so she could actually read the bold words. The minute she did, her stomach dropped to her toes.

  Rapist Stepbrother Murdered by Billionaire Boyfriend

  Eyes racing, Piper scanned the text of the article. And the more she read the more she wanted to throw up. The story contained details only a few people knew—her, Stone and... Carina.

  Holy hell, her best friend had sold her out.

  As if that realization wasn’t devastating enough, she didn’t have time to deal with the fallout of that discovery. Not with her wrecked stepfather and wild mother in front of her.

  Grasping her by the arms, Morgan pulled Piper’s full attention back to him. Bending at the knees, he stared deep into her eyes. “Is it true?”

  Piper swallowed. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She’d cried enough about what happened.

  “Yes.”

  His expression crumpled and his grip on her tightened to the point of pain. But it was clear the pinch she was feeling was nothing compared to the anguish consuming him. Piper could see it, filling his gaze in a way that made her chest tight.

  She’d had ten years to deal with the reality of what had happened to her. He’d only had a few minutes.

  “Piper, I know it’s not enough, but I’m eternally sorry for what Blaine did to you.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “It is. It was my responsibility to protect you. You’re my daughter and have been since the day I met you. I knew Blaine wasn’t quite right, but never could I have imagined him capable of something so heinous.”

  Piper shook her head. “Blaine was a master at showing people what he wanted them to see.”

  “I’m learning that.”

  A noise caught Piper’s attention. She jerked her head in time to see Stone tossing the tablet her mother had been holding onto her kitchen table. His gaze swept across them both, cold, hard and dead in a way that had icy panic swallowing her.

>   Oh, no.

  She opened her mouth to explain to him about her conversation with Carina, but her stepfather stepped between them, interrupting. “Thank you for protecting her when I didn’t.”

  It was a simple statement, but shot straight to her core. Gratitude, devastation, anger and hope. She didn’t think her emotions could get any more tangled until Stone responded, “I loved her and would do anything to protect her.”

  “I know,” Morgan responded.

  Piper’s entire body went red-hot before blanching cold again. Across her stepfather’s shoulder, Stone’s dead gaze swept over her from head to toe. Then, with her heart in her throat, Piper watched him turn and walk out her front door.

  Without a word.

  It was clear, without knowing of her conversation with Carina, Stone thought she was directly responsible for the details hitting the media.

  He was doing it again. Shutting her out and cutting himself off. Without giving her a chance to explain. Without even the courtesy of a conversation.

  No, she wasn’t going to accept that this time.

  Before, she’d been a scared, damaged girl who hadn’t known how to fight for what she wanted. Now she was a strong woman, certain about what she wanted and determined enough to do whatever it took to get that.

  And what she wanted was Stone in her life.

  He might not understand—or forgive her—for making the mistake of trusting Carina, but she wasn’t going to let him simply walk away from her believing she’d purposely betrayed him.

  But before she could move to follow Stone, her mother stepped right into her line of sight, cutting off her path to the door. Piper braced herself for a confrontation. Being an outsider to Morgan’s social circle, her mother had always been protective of her reputation, and Piper’s by association. The negative media attention surrounding Blaine’s death had nearly sent her into a tailspin, which had been difficult for Piper to watch. It added to the guilt she’d already been carrying.

  But instead of hysterics or accusation, her mother stared at her with watery, pain-filled eyes. Her gaze bounced from Piper to Morgan, still standing behind her, before her mother whispered, “I’m so sorry, Piper. Why didn’t you tell us?”

  Shaking her head, Piper swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to find the right words to explain. “I was afraid.”

  “Afraid of my reaction?” Morgan asked, stepping beside Piper.

  “He was your son. Why would you believe me?”

  Morgan grasped her hand, squeezing. “And you’re my daughter.”

  The lump grew. “It all happened so fast. I was in shock. Devastated. Broken. Stone told me to leave that night, tell no one what had happened, and I was so numb I didn’t even question why.”

  “You did what he said,” her mother murmured.

  Piper closed her eyes, reliving those first few days. They were a fog, but she distinctly remembered the devastating push and pull of trying to decide what to do. Wishing she had Stone to talk to.

  “Blaine was gone. Stone was in jail and bringing up the truth at that point seemed...futile. By the time I realized what he was doing he’d pleaded guilty, gotten a reduced sentence and was already on his way to prison. What would it have changed?”

  “Nothing. And everything.” Reaching out, Morgan wrapped his arms around Piper. “It would have helped us understand. And you wouldn’t have had to deal with this on your own for so long.”

  Her mother joined them, wrapping her arms around both of them. Sandwiched between her parents, Piper sagged into the shelter of their love and support.

  She’d worked hard to heal herself over the last ten years. But there was no replacement for that kind of acceptance and comfort. Piper whispered, “I love you both.”

  A weight that had initially lessened when she shared the truth with Carina became even lighter knowing she was no longer keeping this heavy secret from her parents.

  But she couldn’t fully put the burden down. Not until she fixed things with Stone.

  * * *

  Stone was so angry he couldn’t see straight.

  He didn’t remember driving back to his place, but he definitely was aware when he walked through the front door, snatched up the first thing he could find—a potted plant—and threw it against the wall.

  The loud bang and shower of potting soil were hardly cathartic. In fact, the mangled pile of leaves and dirt reminded him of the mess his life had just crumbled into.

  The headline kept scrolling across his mind, the one word highlighted in red.

  Murderer.

  Certainly, he’d already carried that label. But Piper hadn’t. Now her life would forever be linked with Blaine’s death. With the stain on his own soul. How could they move forward and build a life together when it would forever be tainted with what he’d done?

  They didn’t have a future. He’d known that from the moment he’d killed Blaine, but the last few days had made him forget. Had almost convinced him they could move past it all. But now...

  He’d explained to her why keeping silent was important to him, but it didn’t matter. Or not enough to outweigh her damn idea of setting them free. Something he could never be.

  Didn’t she realize now neither of them would ever be free?

  At her place, Stone had felt the familiar coldness he’d had to adopt in prison slowly crystallizing through his body again.

  And he’d hated it.

  The only way he’d been able to do what needed to be done for the last ten years was to distance himself. To find a deep, dark well of indifference. It had accompanied him home, and right into that damn library where she’d cracked the protective exterior.

  As he’d walked out her door, Stone embraced the familiar sensation. Welcomed it. He was going to need the numbness in order to get through the next days, weeks...hell, years without her.

  But the minute he’d stepped inside his home to see the sweater she’d draped over one of his kitchen chairs, that numbness had fled, leaving him with the ache of grief and pain. And a shattered pot.

  Stone had no idea how long he stood there, staring at the mess. But the next coherent thought was the realization someone had just walked in his front door. Only a handful of people were on the list downstairs to be let up. And even fewer had the code to his front door.

  But he’d given it to Piper just this morning.

  Stone didn’t bother turning around. He knew it was her the minute she crossed into the room. Even if the mingled scents of spice and vanilla hadn’t teased him, he’d have known. Just as he was aware when she stopped several feet away from him.

  “Stone.”

  A part of him wanted to ignore her, like a kid with his head stuck under the blanket to protect from closet monsters. But he hadn’t been a kid in a long time. And part of him knew there was no way she’d let him walk away without a confrontation.

  Maybe better now than later.

  Spinning slowly on his heel, Stone faced her. Even with disheveled hair and a tear-ravaged face, she was so beautiful. Would always be that way to him.

  The anguish in her gaze was real. She watched him warily, as if she expected him to go off like a pinless hand grenade.

  None of that changed anything for him.

  With all her talk of honesty, she’d made certain he could never distance himself—and them—from what had happened. And part of him felt betrayed because she obviously didn’t understand.

  “There’s nothing left to say, Piper. You said it already. To someone else.”

  “I didn’t,” she said, shaking her head.

  “I read the article. I didn’t speak with anyone and considering the details, that just leaves you. Tell me the info in that piece didn’t come from you.”

  Piper opened her mouth, but shut it again. Guilt clouded her expression, admitting what she couldn’t
seem to find the nerve to say. He’d have respected her more if she’d simply owned what she’d done and told him to go to hell.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  Stone shook his head and turned to walk away from her again. Why was it getting harder and harder each time he had to do it?

  But this time, he didn’t get two steps before Piper’s hands grasped his arms and jerked him to a stop. She spun him around and, before he could draw a breath, plastered her mouth to his.

  The kiss was hard and deep. All-consuming. Stone couldn’t stop his body from responding. From wanting her. From betraying him.

  Desperation filled the connection, hers and his. Stone tried to pull back, but she wouldn’t let him. And then he simply gave in. Stone let every speck of the anger and torment fuel him. He grasped Piper’s arms, pulling her up onto her toes and jerking her harshly into his body.

  He devoured her. His hands tore at her clothing, trying to find skin. Stone heard a seam rip, but didn’t care.

  Until she pushed at him. Her hands scrabbled against his chest, fighting for purchase and space. “Stone, stop.”

  Even through his anger and heartache that was all he needed to pull back.

  But Piper didn’t let him get far. She grasped his face and held him still, bringing her nose inches from his own. Staring into his eyes with those pale blue pools that always slayed him.

  “I didn’t talk to Madelyn Black.”

  Her statement was harsh and definite, leaving no room for him to question the truth behind it. Then she continued, “Yesterday, Carina came over while you were gone and I did tell her what happened. Not only did she deserve to know the truth about what happened to her fiancé, I realized I had no right to push you to tell the world about what happened when I wasn’t willing to share the truth with the people closest to me. There was no way for me to know she’d turn around and sell the story to a reporter, which is my assumption about what happened.”

  Piper’s words sank into his brain. Hope spread, warm and deep, through the center of his chest. She hadn’t spoken to the media. Yes, she’d shared with Carina, which didn’t make him happy but...she hadn’t ignored his wishes either.