Page 13 of Dr. Stone (Billionaires’ Club #9)

TWELVE

Jace

The sun was setting over Montecito, casting everything in a soft, golden light that made my parents’ estate look like a painting.

White roses lined the terraced gardens, a string quartet played something elegant under a canopy of wisteria, and crystal glasses never sat empty for long.

It was precisely the kind of celebration my parents would throw—quietly extravagant, flawlessly executed, and dripping in old money tradition.

In other words, whispering their wealth, not boldly proclaiming it.

I stood near the edge of it all, a glass of whiskey in hand, taking in one hell of a scene. While I stood in conversation with Sebastian Aster, his fiancée, Darcy, and the Mitchell brothers and their wives, my gaze drifted across a sea of tailored suits and couture gowns.

It was a damn fine night to be single, especially while surrounded by stunning women gathered to honor my parents, Everett and Victoria Stone—the kind of power couple who sparkled in old-money circles.

If only they knew the truth behind those mansion doors.

I smiled into my whiskey, certain most of these “happy” couples were just as miserable.

“Penny for your thoughts, Stone?” Jim questioned, the one man in the group who could always tell when one of us was drifting off into la-la land like I was.

“Meh,” I shrugged, uninterested in sharing how my parents were a fucking sham, yet we were all dressed to celebrate our envy over their true love. I smiled at Jim, “Trust me, my thoughts aren’t worth the penny you’re offering me to share them.”

“From the looks of it,” Sebastian said, bringing my attention to him, “you are feeling how I felt at my parents’ fiftieth wedding celebration.”

I chuckled after Seb offered a knowing grin before taking another sip of his drink.

“That it’s all a facade, a beautiful illusion masking the truth about how those two have loved money more than each other for fifty years.”

He raised his glass. “Precisely. And if my late wife, God rest her soul, were still here,” his face grew somber as his eyes roamed the crowd of elegance, “this would’ve been my future, too.”

I watched Sebastian’s gaze soften as it settled back on the woman who’d stolen his heart over a year ago.

It still threw me every time—seeing that kind of tenderness from the man I’d known all my life.

The eldest Aster son, his father’s namesake, he’d been born to shoulder the weight of a family empire when his father could no longer.

Sebastian had always been a ruthless bastard, and then he married Melissa—a cold, calculating match in every way.

Before she passed, they were set to become the next-generation power couple of our elitist world.

After Melissa, he met Darcy, and everything changed.

She hadn’t erased his edge—he was still kind of a dick—but she’d sanded it down, made him… human.

“Do you ever—” I caught myself and shook my head. “Forget it. Another time.” I took a slow sip of whiskey, hiding the question I’d nearly let slip.

Why the hell would I ask if he’d ever second-guessed marrying someone who didn’t come from this world, especially with her standing right there?

Still, I couldn’t help wondering. Sebastian was so rooted in our upbringing that I’d never imagined he’d cross the invisible line we’d all been raised to obey.

We came from the same world, but we’d lived it differently—especially in how much control we gave our parents.

My father had spent years grooming me to be the perfect heir, ready to take over the family business.

That was never going to happen. I’d sell it off in a heartbeat before letting him write my story.

My life was medicine. Without it, I’d be dead inside.

Sebastian’s voice broke into my thoughts, dry with humor. “Do I wonder what life would be like if I picked my next wife from that crowd of lovely young women?”

“Yeah, although I completely understand why you didn’t,” I offered Darcy a playful wink.

“Ha,” Darcy said, somewhat bashful with the attention on her. “I don’t think either of our hearts would’ve allowed things to be any other way.” She smiled vibrantly at me, “Trust me, we tried pretty hard to reject each other, but it only resulted in wasted time and misery.”

“Well, I stand corrected in my quiet assumptions about love, then,” I said. “I guess there is such a thing; however, in my case, I’m just unwilling to take the chance and end up with the wrong one.”

“That’s all in your mind,” Jake interjected. “Just wait until your heart takes the wheel, and we all stand back and listen to you bitch like a little girl the next time you see Andie out on a date with someone else.”

I frowned at the thought. “I don’t know what got into me last night,” I said, still baffled at my reaction to seeing Andie with another man.

“We all know what got into you because we went through the same shit,” Jim said.

“I wasn’t looking for love or marriage. I was already married to my fucking empire, and the next thing I know, the woman I insisted on bringing to my English estate wound up becoming the woman I obsessed over until I found her again. ”

“Yeah, be grateful that you know where to find your lady, Jace,” Avery chuckled. “Jim almost lost me for good. It’s strange how fate brings you back where you’re supposed to be, though.”

“It’s because she’s your soulmate,” Ash interjected. “That’s what happens when soulmates meet, you know?”

I grinned at Jake’s wife, who was always going on about all kinds of new-age hippie stuff.

“Yeah,” I hung onto that word. “Unfortunately, my scientific mind doesn’t work that way, Ash. And so, while it’s fluffy and cute, I don’t buy into it.”

“They all say that, but you will,” Ash grinned. “Trust me, you will.”

“Can we shift the focus back to how Jim’s shocked he even got an invite after outbidding my dad for that private charter company?” I said, trying to drag the conversation back where it belonged.

I wasn’t thinking about Andie. I wasn’t talking about her. She was a great time—one of the best—and that was all. This wasn’t my heart overruling my head. I’d never let that happen. I was just stuck on a flawless night with a stunning woman. Nothing more.

“Stone.”

That deep, smooth voice—laced with a Spanish accent—could only belong to one man. I turned to see Titus, immaculate as ever, grinning like the world belonged to him.

“Thank God your parents got married fifty years ago,” he said, shaking my hand. “I can’t imagine surviving this hellish life without you.”

“It’s been a while,” I replied, returning his grip. “I saw you at Seraphina last night.”

And just like that, jealousy sucker-punched me.

I’ll have you know she’s mine , I thought, grateful I kept it in my head—especially when I saw the knowing curl of his mouth.

“You should’ve said hello, hermano,” Titus said easily.

“Though I might’ve been… distracted. I was enjoying a perfect dinner with a truly remarkable woman.

” His gaze flicked to Ash while everyone else’s eyes slid to me.

“Ashley, thank you for your graciousness at your lovely gallery. Your director guided me to the perfect piece—and was kind enough to let me take her out afterward. She intrigues me.”

Oh, fuck. Titus didn’t get intrigued—not by anyone. If she had him using that word, then whatever happened between him and Andie was more than I wanted to picture.

“Andie Miller is… intriguing,” I said evenly, ignoring the knowing smiles flashing around our circle.

“You’ve purchased art from her as well?” Titus asked, oblivious—or pretending to be—that he’d just crossed into enemy territory. We were both intrigued by the same woman, and that made him my problem.

Jake shot Jim a look that said, Is that what they’re calling it these days? Titus didn’t notice.

“No.” I kept my voice steady. Claiming her in front of her friends would make me look like a jealous idiot. “She and I had drinks on Jake’s yacht.”

That was all I was giving them. And from the flicker of irritation on Jake’s face, he’d been hoping I’d spill more—maybe even planning for it since the night Andie and I hooked up.

“Just drinks?” Titus pressed, his tone dripping with amused disbelief, like I was some rookie.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not one to kiss and tell. You know that.”

Which was a joke—everyone here knew I had no issue swapping hookup stories. My friends’ muffled laughs confirmed how unconvincing I sounded.

Titus scanned the group, his smirk pure Hawk—cocky, amused, and utterly sure of himself. “Well, that’s a blatant lie.” His gaze lingered on me, curious now. “Makes me wonder why you won’t share when it’s obvious there’s more to tell.” He almost looked pitying. Almost.

“That’s the million-dollar question, Hawk,” Jake said, finally stepping into the ring.

Because why not? That’s what best friends are for—piling on when you’re most exposed.

“Ah,” Titus said, eyes calculating. Too calculating. This was a natural-born shark circling.

“Nope.” I shook it off like it was nothing. “We’re not doing this. Andie is, as you proclaimed, very intriguing.”

“And that’s all?” His tone was all assessment now, like I was a deal he might invest in.

“That’s it,” I lied through my fucking teeth, refusing to give anyone the satisfaction.

“Very good, then,” Titus said smoothly, “because if you did care for her more than you’re admitting, I’d immediately cancel our plans in Catalina next week.”

What the fuck?

I forced a smile, the opposite of how I felt. Goddamn it. Why was I downplaying this woman so hard?

“She must have really charmed you,” I said, aiming for casual and hitting somewhere near defensive. “I’ve never known you to plan another date with someone so far beneath your circle of wealth. Hell must’ve truly frozen over.”

“Douse the flames of hell and let the ice take over, hermano, because I am extremely charmed,” Titus replied without missing a beat. “She is remarkable. Enjoyable company.” His gaze flicked to me. “As you already know after your cocktails on Mitchell’s yacht.”

My pride and ego were immovable, even if it meant letting Titus keep his plans with the one woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. Of all the women in the world, why did it have to be her?

Titus got pulled aside by a cluster of men—probably to talk business or whatever—and I was left staring across the manicured lawns, still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened.

“That was your moment, dude,” Sebastian said. “Why the hell didn’t you just tell him you’re interested in her, too?”

“No harm in keeping quiet if you don’t care,” Jim added, voice dripping sarcasm. “Now you’re free, she’s free, and Titus doesn’t have to cancel his date.”

“In Catalina,” Jake tossed in, like the punchline to a joke.

“You know what? I don’t fucking know, okay?” I shot back. “Maybe I’ll just let Andie decide who the better man is. A little competition never hurt anyone.”

Jake’s grin widened. “And now we’ve got some action, finally.”

“There’s no action,” I countered. “I’m just not letting Titus beat me at my own game.” I turned to Ash. “She’s your gallery director, right?”

“She is. And she’s also someone I care deeply about,” Ash said, her tone cutting through the testosterone.

“I don’t love the idea of you and Titus treating her like a prize.

But…” Her mouth curved in a slow, knowing smile.

“My girl Andie is on fire lately. Watching her bring both of you cocky assholes to your knees could be entertaining.”

“I’m not playing games,” I said automatically. “And I’m not going to hurt her.”

Jake snapped his fingers, delighted. “Oh, this is gonna be good. My money’s on you, buddy.”

Laughter rippled through the group, but my head was somewhere else—half in disbelief, half already plotting. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I just wasn’t sure if I’d come out of it with the win…or with my pride intact.

That night, I drove out of Montecito like my damn life depended on it. I needed to untangle my mind and figure shit out, and the only way I knew to do that was on my sailboat. That’s where I always found my answers and sanity, and I knew I’d get that tonight.