Page 31 of Stone (Claimed and Protected #3)

D aniella

“What do you think?” As soon as I walked into the living room, I spun in a circle.

I had no idea what to wear to a luau other than what I’d seen in glossy magazine ads and television shows.

My choice of attire? A red sundress that I’d yet to wear.

I’d purchased it on a whim after arriving, uncertain why other than even then, I’d wanted to entice Stone into remembering what we’d shared all those years ago.

Silly of me? Yes, but I couldn’t stop the dreams or visions of the past any more than he could. Only his memories were riddled with an entirely different level of agony than I could imagine.

“Fuck,” Stone hissed and threw his head back.

I immediately stiffened.

The electricity in the air was different, a substantive switch from desire to rage. He’d never been good with hiding his anger only now, he was consumed with emotions. I could clearly see the fury on his face, his jaw clenched to the point I was certain his teeth were ground to points.

“Stone?”

He stood with his phone in his hand, staring at the screen even after I’d waltzed in like some prom queen.

When he lifted his head, the late afternoon sun provided a perfect golden halo around his entire body.

So much strength and power emanated from him that I was momentarily lost in enjoying my private view.

Seeing him in light trousers and a sea green body-hugging tee shirt, I was given a front row to how muscular he’d become.

Even the thick cords in his neck seemed more pronounced.

Maybe that was from the way he was gritting his teeth, his jaw clenched so tightly I could easily see his popping veins. Whatever he was looking at had pulled his mind into some dark cave. Yet his stern expression couldn’t take away from his ungodly chiseled body.

If we didn’t need to be somewhere in a few minutes, I’d beg him to have his way with me.

Somehow, I didn’t think I could convince him to toss me over his shoulder and take me barbarian style into the bedroom. Although he had provided me with some beautiful examples of his animalistic tendencies on a couple of occasions since our wicked fling at the beach.

Everything had changed that day, now what seemed like a lifetime ago instead of forty-eight hours.

Now he was being reflective all over again and I didn’t think I could handle it if he locked himself in the penance box all over again.

I could easily tell he’d been punishing himself for something and after some reflection, I didn’t think it had anything to do with the nightmare he’d told me about.

When he remained quiet, I became concerned. I was no fool. He wasn’t telling me something and I’d seen the same look on his face that day at the private cove. Time was ticking away and he was definitely growing more agitated that Matis hadn’t been captured.

I know Stone well enough to know he was also housing some irritation with me. “What’s wrong?”

“You haven’t spoken with your father.”

“I left him a message days ago that I was alright, but I have no intention of talking with him directly. Not now, likely not ever. I told you that before.”

“Yeah, well, as usual he’s not taking no for an answer. You need to call him.” He was being his typical commanding self. That was the one thing that annoyed me about him. He truly believed he was in control of every situation and, in turn, of me.

I folded my arms in response, keeping my distance on purpose.

“You know the last time I checked, you weren’t my father and you have no right to demand I do something.

” As soon as he opened his mouth, I threw out my hand.

“Hold on. I know what you’re going to say.

Yes, you are my protector and I will do what you say with regard to having my life in your hands, but as far as my father goes, that’s off limits. ”

He took two giant strides toward me, pinning that angry glare on me, but I also knew that his fury had nothing to do with me.

“I just had a ten-minute conversation with your father since you’ve refused to talk to him.

Now, I don’t mind telling you that wasting a minute of my time with that man pisses me off. ”

I took a single step towards him. “And you don’t think the way he treats me doesn’t piss me off?

He acts like I’m some child in need of being given direction just like he did when I was still living with him.

Well, he’s nothing in my life because he took the two most important things away from me and I’ll never forgive him. ”

He sucked in his breath, his gorgeous eyes narrowing. “You will call him, so he’ll get off my back.”

“You don’t need to take the call, unless you feel obligated to the man who paid you.

” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I shook my head.

Meanwhile, the damage had already been done.

Stone’s face went blank, completely devoid of emotion.

Yes, I’d seen the huge deposit. I’d snooped and discovered just how much I was worth to my father.

What I hadn’t expected as that Stone would either take or ask for such a huge sum.

Then again, my father was a conniving son of a bitch.

At least he didn’t storm away like normal, instead closing the distance.

“You’re right. Your father offered to pay me anything I wanted to bring you back.

Now, if your father was anybody else, I’d say he loved you so much he was willing to sacrifice his entire world to get you back, but it’s your father we’re talking about. ”

I thought he’d be furious with me, but seeing the glint in his eyes, I could tell I’d thought wrong. “So how much did he pay you?” His aftershave was even more intoxicating than before. I could easily become drunk in his masculinity and I’d yet to have a drop of alcohol.

“It’s not what he paid me. It’s what I charged him.”

“Hmmm…” I pressed my hand on his chest. “And how much was that?”

“Twenty-five million. But since you were checking my bank statements, you already knew that.” He grinned and not only did his expression make me laugh, but hearing the dollar figure was a hoot. I should be furious, but the fact Stone had extorted money from my father was absolutely fantastic.

“You should have gone for thirty. No, fifty! That would have been perfect. My father went along with the blackmail?”

“Is that what you think I was doing?” He rolled his hand over my shoulder. The move was extremely possessive and brought my nerves to the surface.

“Blackmail. Extortion. Whatever you’d like to call it. So, you’re even richer than before. I applaud you.”

“I didn’t keep the money, Dani.”

“What do you mean?”

“I paid for the expenses, but I split the entire amount between Kage and Maddox.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“No. I don’t want a single dime from your father. I was insulted he thought he could buy me…” He stopped short and sucked in his breath.

“What? What were you going to say?”

“Nothing important. Your father just angers me with his typical demands, but you do need to call him. Just to put an end to him hassling us.”

“Fine, I’ll call him. That’s a lot of money. What are your friends going to do with it?”

He scrubbed his chiseled jaw, which as usual made me swoon. “Kage owns a horse sanctuary and Maddox runs a dude ranch. Don’t even get me started how he got himself involved with a goddamn dude ranch, but he did. They can use the money.”

“Very generous of you and I’d love to visit both. Maybe…” I picked at his shirt, batting my eyelashes on purpose.

The growl he issued sent yet another wave of tingles through me. “Maybe. If you’re a good girl.”

“I’m always good. I guess we should get going.”

“Wait a minute. You asked me my opinion on how you look.”

“I did. What do you think?” I took a step away, pirouetting, but as usual, Miss Graceful I wasn’t. I pitched forward and straight into his arms.

“I think,” he said as he held me upright, “that there needs to be a change.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just not quite right.”

I brushed one hand down the dress and looked down. “Do I look terrible in it?”

“Nope. But…” With his voice deepening, he curled his fingers around the hem of my dress and in one swoop, yanked it off my body completely. “I think you look much better without it.”

His laugh filled the room and he gathered me into his arms with my breasts right in front of his face. “You are so bad. What are you doing?” My sandals tumbled to the floor, the hard thud creating a mischievous look on his face.

“Well, I am a little hungry.”

“Isn’t there food at a luau?”

“Not the kind of food I prefer.” He carried me out of the living room and into his bedroom, one he’d never slept in to my knowledge.

As soon as he dumped me onto the bed, he leaned over, sliding his fingers under the elastic of my thong.

He was obviously famished since he wasted no time yanking it completely off.

When he crawled onto the bed, I tried to scramble away, but he jerked me down by one leg, immediately bending both my knees.

“You’re not going anywhere.” He remained on his knees, lowering his head while still keeping his heated gaze on my face. “Not until I’m fully satisfied.”

I covered my face with my hands, giggling like I used to as a young girl while he blew across my pussy. With my toes pointed, every muscle tense, I raked my hand through his hair. “Oh, yes, you’re so bad. Just so…”

My words were cut off as he buried his face into my wetness. The single lick of his tongue around my clit brought a series of intense vibrations.

“Oh, my God. Oh, my…” I closed my eyes as the first wave of pleasure rolled through me.

His tongue was magical. I spread my legs even wider as he thumbed my pussy, driving the thick digit inside.

With his tongue swirling around my clit and his heated breath tripping against my tender tissue, it only took seconds until I was completely lost in the moment.

I wondered how I would be able to walk or even stand up straight after he was finished with me.

He dragged his tongue all the way down my pussy, sliding it beside his thumb and lapping my juice. I wasn’t certain if I could be any wetter.

I tossed my head back and forth, amazed goosebumps had already popped down my arms. He knew exactly what he was doing, his orchestration of my body a thing of beauty.

Within seconds, he brought me to the edge of nirvana by sucking on my clit. When he drove two fingers inside, flexing them open, I jerked up from the bed.

“Fuck. You’re going to make me come.”

“Not until I tell you you’re allowed.”

“You are just so mean.”

He laughed. “You haven’t seen anything yet, baby.” He buried his entire face into my pussy, his licks slow and easy while he fingerfucked me. A third finger was added then a fourth and I was certain I wouldn’t be able to obey his command.

I was lightheaded, every nerve ending seared.

With my breath skipping, I bit my lower lip to keep from screaming.

The sensations were that incredible. He pressed down on my thigh, pinning my knee to the comforter.

Did he really think I would dare try to get away from him?

Not a chance. I knew he would make good on his promise to hunt me down.

Not that the thought of him chasing me wasn’t delicious.

With my eyes still closed, I fisted the bedding, allowing myself to fall into the sweet feeling of bliss.

My body hummed from electricity and with a few additional swipes of his tongue, there was no holding back the sweep of vibrations as an orgasm hit me like a tidal wave.

“Oh. Oh. Oh!” Shaking uncontrollably, I jerked up from the bed. There was no chance of focusing on anything. He continued feasting greedily, holding me down as he took his fill. Being lightheaded had never been so incredible.

Even as I started to come down from the intense high, he continued licking, alternating with pressing open-mouthed kisses against my inner thighs. I was suddenly ticklish, reaching for him as I laughed in a low and husky voice.

“Too much,” I managed.

“Never enough.” He sucked on my clit again and I was shot onto another plateau, shocked to my core as another climax rushed through me. He was masterful with his mouth, the only man capable of bringing me so much pleasure.

With vibrations cascading over every inch of my body, I was completely drained, incapable of putting a coherent sentence together.

He chuckled and lifted his head. “Sweet putty in my hands.”