Page 40 of Stone (Claimed and Protected #3)

I shifted so I could face him, pulling my hand free and cupping his chin.

As I rubbed my thumb across his growing beard, he nuzzled against my hand.

“I never wanted you hurt under any circumstances. I didn’t know Tyler was alive.

When the doctors told me he’d developed a heart condition, there was no reason for me to question them.

Except I wasn’t allowed to see him. Not once.

They told me it was because I’d be too upset since I was already close to being hysterical. I just… I guess I believed them.”

“Like I said. Your father is very convincing.” He took my hand into his again, bringing my palm to his lips.

“I thought you’d hate me.”

“I could never hate you, but no more secrets.”

“Trust me,” I told him. “I don’t have anything left. What now? What are we going to do?”

“Now, we learn the truth about our fathers and the connection with Matis.”

“If there is one.”

“Trust me. There is.”

I believed him. Whatever was going on was ebbing and flowing all around us. Maybe I couldn’t think as clearly as I should be doing, but I knew one thing. My father was out of my life completely.

“Are you alright?” I asked him. If he felt anything like what I did then the answer was easy yet painful.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to answer that, Dani. How could anyone be alright with having the entire world as they know it turned upside down? He’s our son, yet he’s someone else’s son. Do I hope we’ll be graced with getting to know him? Of course. But it’s his choice.”

“Remember, he found us.”

Stone nodded and I could tell by the look on his face he was concerned the reason Tyler had been led to us wasn’t about family bonding.

I thought about my father’s voice, the urgency in his tone.

If I knew my father, he’d realized his dark secret was about to be outed and he’d wanted the opportunity to provide some crazy excuse that he had no idea Tyler had been alive.

Maybe he’d blame the doctors or pretend like he’d been conned.

Whatever the man had to say I didn’t want to hear.

“I know, but right now, I don’t know what I can offer him.”

“You. Your knowledge. Your instinct. Your love of the island. Your love of family. Just be you.”

“Maybe the problem is that I don’t know who I am any longer.”

“Maybe the problem is that you’re too hard on yourself.”

“You’ve spent way too much time around Kekoa.”

I laughed. “Or not nearly enough.”

Hearing a rustling sound, I glanced over my shoulder. Tyler had walked down the stairs. His hands were shoved into his pockets and he approached tentatively.

“We have a son, Stone. He’s just like you. Strong and handsome. Just like I knew he’d be.”

“Yeah, he is, but he’s much better looking because of your blood. I know this might be too difficult for you, but did you pick out a name for him?”

“I did. Stone junior.”

He laughed. “Well, maybe it’s good he wasn’t saddled with being in my shadow.”

“He’ll always be in your shadow because he’s your son. Nothing can change that. Not my father. Not Matis. Nothing. Maybe now we’ll have the opportunity of getting to know him.”

Stone lifted his head toward Tyler.

“You surf?” Tyler asked.

“Yeah, I do. What about you?” Stone was doing a good job of controlling his emotions.

“Nah. Other than right now, I’ve been to a beach twice. Just Virginia Beach.”

I glanced at Stone. Virginia Beach. The night we’d spent when I’d realized I was madly in love with him.

“Well, I’d be happy to teach you,” Stone told him.

“I’d like that.” Tyler sat down facing the waves. His jaw was clenched just like Stone always did when he was uncertain or tense. “I heard you were a hero Navy SEAL.”

“Who told you that?” Stone was surprised.

“I did my research when I found out who you were.”

“When was that exactly?” My question forced Tyler to shrug.

“I dunno. A little over a week ago. Something like that.”

Stone and I looked at each other. Around the time I’d been kidnapped. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Yeah, I served for years. Loved it. Hated it. Wouldn’t change a thing.” Stone half laughed. “Well, a few things. Still, it was an honor to serve my country.”

“I was thinking about enlisting.”

Tyler’s comment brought surprise to Stone’s face. “You need to be fully committed before you make that decision. It’s hard work and very dangerous. While honorable, the military isn’t for everyone and there’s no shame in that. Do you go to school now?”

“Yeah, Virginia Commonwealth University.”

Oh, my God. To hear he’d gone to the same university was like another knife pricking at my heart.

“What are you studying?”

“I’m in the arts program. I like to draw including on the computer.”

I bit back a sob. Did karma hate us?

Stone and I looked at each other again. After the hospital I’d never thought I would get to feel the pride of a mother for her child. But I was.

“I’m an artist,” I told him.

“I heard that too, so I found your work online. You’re an amazing painter.” Tyler was more animated than the night before.

“Some days I question my talent. I’d love to see your work sometime.”

“I can do that.”

“Tell me about yourself,” Stone suggested. “What do you like to do? Do you have a girlfriend?”

As Tyler began to answer Stone’s questions, I studied the man I’d never stopped loving. He remained in quiet reverence, taking in the news and processing the time lost.

We were both in a strange limbo that couldn’t easily be controlled or contained. But as I watched the two interact, I wanted to believe that everything truly did happen for a reason. The one who’d stripped away twenty years wouldn’t be allowed to take any additional time away.

“When do you leave to return back home?” I asked when there was a lull.

“Tomorrow. I just took a quick break from school, but I have exams coming up.”

I glanced at Stone again. “Then why don’t we make a day of it?”

“What do you have in mind?” Stone asked.

“You do own a boat. Right?”

He laughed softly. “That I do. Do you get seasick, Tyler?”

“I won’t know until I’m on a boat.” Tyler was more relaxed. How strange it must be for the young man to be around us. How difficult it must be to understand why we’d given him up. And yet, he hadn’t asked.

I don’t know what that said about us if anything at all.

One thing I knew in my heart; I would never forget this moment, or the reason Tyler had been born into this cold, cruel world.

Because of love.