Page 27 of Stone (Claimed and Protected #3)

The woman never ceased to amaze me. She’d been the one to challenge my anger about my father, even mentioning she’d wished her father was more like mine. It had taken me a full six months to understand why. “You want to know the truth?”

“Absolutely.”

“They’d amassed a fortune. You’d never know it by how they lived.

Sure, they exchanged the beat-up trailer for a small house, but both the vehicles they drove were fifteen years old.

They never took vacations and they rarely went out to eat.

I had no idea how much money Dad had earned until it was too late to remind them to enjoy the spoils of all his hard work. ”

“They wanted to leave you a legacy. That’s very special. I’ll also venture a guess you followed in your dad’s footsteps, investing and playing the stock market.”

“Now, why would you say that?” The glint in her eyes allowed me to grin.

Shrugging, she scooted further away before answering. “I might have noticed your stack of mail while you were out.”

“Now you’re a gold-digger?” She had no idea how much money had been given away. It had felt like the right thing to do.

“Would you still love me even if I were?” She instantly realized what she’d said. Talking was so easy with her, yet it was so damn difficult to chip away at the shields we both had wrapped around us.

“Darlin’,” I said in a sexy voice to break the tension. “I’d love you if you took every dime I had and gave it to charity.”

She finally snorted for the first time since reconnecting.

The sound had been a favorite when we were younger while letting me know she was happy.

“Hmmm… If money meant anything to me, Stone Bellows, then I would have taken my father’s bribes all those years ago.

I chose to walk away instead.” She was trying to be funny on purpose, but she wasn’t embellishing.

I’d figured her father had tried to bribe her to stay the hell away from me.

There was a hint of indignation in her tone and I couldn’t blame her. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Dani.”

“You don’t need to say anything. But… You make a good point. Use some of your money for the greater good. Food banks. Rescue shelters. Art programs for underprivileged children.”

She’d always been the dreamer.

“Hmmm… Art programs. Is that something you’re interested in participating in after all these years? I mean since you’re famous and all.”

She’d bent her knees and had her arms wrapped around them, resting her head as she peered at me.

“Me, famous? Not really. Actually? I’d still love to work with people, especially children.

But let’s face it. I’m an artist with a creative block; I doubt I’m going to have my pictures hung in the Louvre. ”

“You never know.”

“Trust me,” she giggled. “I do okay, but I’ll never create a masterpiece. But I could see teaching what I’ve learned to kids.”

“You know what?” Now I was treading on thin ice and wasn’t certain why.

“Maybe we can make that happen if you’re serious.

There are so many children in need in Hawaii, not just on Lanai.

Families are suffering due to the high cost of living.

Hawaii’s poverty rate is typically higher than any other state in the country.

” When she lifted her head, I laughed. “What’s wrong? ”

“I don’t know. You surprise me, Stone. Very few people do any longer.”

“Well, you’re lucky. People typically shock the hell out of me.”

She slowly turned her head, her body rocking as she concentrated on the picturesque view.

“We’re all alone here, huh?” she asked. Why did her words need to sound so salacious?

“We are.”

“Mmm…”

“I know that tone. What do you have in mind?”

“Well, I was wondering about where to change into my bathing suit. The water is nice and warm.”

A lump formed in my throat that I did my best to swallow. Her heated gaze drifted to my Adam’s apple and her mischievous grin returned. “Nice try. You can sunbathe and wade up to your knees, but no deeper. Do you hear me?” I gave her a stern look, which caused her to pout.

Meanwhile, I planned on surfing just to tease her as she’d been doing with me.

“You are such a mean man.” She rubbed her pinky down my extended arm, smiling wider as she noticed the prickles developing on my skin. “But… I’ll be right back. Don’t run away on me.”

“Somehow, I think you’d hunt me down.”

“Don’t put anything past me.”

She slowly lowered her gaze until she was staring at my crotch. Damn if my cock didn’t twitch at that very moment. “Bu you’d be forced to find me and I can be resourceful.”

“Yes, you can.”

Giggling, she quickly jumped to her feet, sauntering away with her hips swaying from side to side. I was forced to adjust my cock to keep from writhing in pain. She was so beautiful I couldn’t breathe.

When she was a few feet away, I pressed my hand against my chest and took a deep breath. No other woman had created such an intense need to do terribly filthy things.

I wrapped my arms around my knees, dropping my head.

Yeah, I needed this woman more than before. In my bed. Writhing underneath me. Calling out my name.

I attempted not to pay any attention to what she was doing, grabbing a bottle of water and keeping my dirty mind and my gaze off her enchanting body. But the slightest rustling sound automatically drew my attention. That’s when I realized she should be finished changing by now.

Suddenly, I found myself searching for any sign of her, scanning the perimeter when I didn’t see her immediately.

Where the hell had she gone?

Having the sense of protection, the need to keep her safe was innate given my former profession.

But with Daniella, the need was ingrained to the point where my overprotectiveness had created the distance between us.

I jerked to my feet, instantly crippled from anxiety.

Without thinking, I took long strides toward the direction of the Jeep, berating myself for not bringing a weapon.

I never went anywhere without one, usually keeping a handgun in the glove compartment of the Jeep whenever I left the house. I’d stored it in the safe after accepting the various jobs just so I could create physical distance between us. My carelessness could get her killed.

“Dani? Where the hell are you?” I pushed through the trees, unable to see her anywhere.

Turning in a full circle, my chest tightened.

I headed toward the pathway where we’d driven in, checking to see if there were any different footprints in the sand. There weren’t. That didn’t mean someone hadn’t followed us, parking a few yards away. With the sound of the water, it was entirely possible I wouldn’t hear anyone’s approach.

Especially if they were soldiers trained to keep in the shadows and remain silent.

I started jogging into the thicker part of the forest, constantly scanning the trees. “Dani! Where are you?”

After turning in a full circle, I fisted my mouth, now nearly out of my mind.

“Dani!” My God. What if something happened to her? What if I’d been so fucking busy paying more attention to her body than to the surrounding area that I managed to endanger her life?

Just when I was ready to head back to the Jeep to search using the vehicle, I caught sight of her peeking from around a tree. I stormed toward her, yanking her from her hiding place.

“What in God’s name did you think you were doing?

” I could tell by the look on her face I was hurting her.

I released some pressure but continued to hold onto her.

“Talk to me. You ran off. I thought something had happened to you. Haven’t I told you not to leave my sight?

Haven’t I warned you what could happen? There is no sign of Matis.

Not a single one. Your life is in danger. ”

Her eyes were saucers, her mouth slack, and I could tell I’d put the fear of God into her. “I… I was just… I was just teasing you, being playful.”

“You just don’t…” I pulled away, spinning around and slapping my hands on my hips. The woman was the most frustrating person I’d ever encountered in my entire life. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“Calm down, Stone. I’m fine. I’m right here.”

“Yeah? I should turn you over my knee right now, right here and give you the spanking of your life. As a matter of fact, I think I will.”

“What?” Her tone of horror only fueled my decision.

I was angry with her and needed to calm down. Nothing searching for the perfect switch wouldn’t accomplish. “You’re coming with me.”

“Why? Are you seriously taking me home?”

“I should, but nope. You’re going to be taught a lesson now.”

Her mouth remained slack, but now those saucer eyes were full of venom.

“Go ahead and change. I’ll wait.”

“Then what?”

“Then I’m going to punish you for disobeying me.”

“You can’t be serious. You are kidding. Right?”

I took a single step towards her, allowing some of the fury to fade. “Not. In. The. Least.” When I pointed toward the trees so she could change in privacy, she narrowed those pretty little eyes of hers, likely planning my death.

For a dozen reasons I shouldn’t be as aroused or as excited as I was, yet my cock was stiffening from just looking at her. I had to remind myself she was a menace to herself and needed a firm hand.

After a toss of her hair, she turned around, heading away from me and deeper into the trees.

“Don’t go too far.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Why did I have a feeling she was planning on testing my patience?

I paced the sand, grumbling under my breath and a minute or two later, I knew my instinct had been spot on. At least this time finding her was easy.

She gasped and jerked the dress she’d tossed by her feet to her chest. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping an eye on you. Obviously, you need it.” When our eyes met, she defiantly stared back at me, and the flirtatious looks from before were long gone. Another wave of both uncertainty and annoyance replaced the playfulness.

I couldn’t read her to save my life. I was frozen on the spot, feeling more like a stalker than her protector.

She softened, only turning slightly before resuming sliding into her suit.

“I was worried something happened to you before.” The excuse sounded weak even though it was true.

“What can happen to me here? I’m not going anywhere, Stone, because you won’t allow it.”

“You’re right. I just don’t trust the system. I also still believe you’re in danger.”

“Go surfing. Go swimming. Go amuse yourself. I’ll be fine.”

Why was it that just being around her created such significant dilemmas in my life? A shiver rolled over my skin and while the dark craving for her continued nagging at whatever decency I had left in me, I couldn’t ignore the concern regarding her safety plaguing my mind.

If my instincts were correct, a storm was brewing and I didn’t like the odds of survival.

“Not going to happen until you learn your lesson.”

She appeared in front of me seconds later, the defiant expression on her face one of the first things that I’d remembered during long nights alone.

“Here I am, safe and sound.” With a graceful turn, she presented herself as if a gift to be opened and enjoyed.

She had no idea how much I wanted to do just that. However, necessity trumped desire.

“Come on. We’re going hunting.”

“For what?”

I grinned when I answered her. “A switch.”

“You are a terrible man.”

“Maybe that’s something for you to keep in mind.

” I led her into the forest and I knew instinctively the perfect wood to use.

The Koa tree. Fortunately, I found the perfect specimen, the tree providing what I called low-hanging fruit.

I found the right-sized limb easily and was thankful I’d brought my pocketknife with me.

She remained incredulous that I would do something so drastic. Her stare was hard and cold, but I also sensed she was tingling all over.

When I pulled out the knife and showed it to her, she harrumphed as if I wouldn’t go through with the promise I’d made.

But when I cut the stem free, she lifted her eyebrows, wrinkling her cute little nose when I held out both the knife and the twig.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“This is the correct wood to use and a knife so you can strip the bark to prepare the perfect switch.”

“What do you want me to do with them?”

I leaned closer, incapable of keeping a smile off my face. “You’re going to prepare the piece of wood for your spanking.”