Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve AFTER their eventful morning, Stone watched Lily cook in silence. They ate, then she lost herself by trolling through her favorite pop culture websites and another book she’d found at the cottage before she opted for a nap. He tucked her in with a kiss and told her to rest up. If he felt gutted by everything she’d admitted to him today, she must be fucking exhausted. Once he knew she’d drifted off, he rang Jack, who picked up almost immediately. “What’s going on there?” Tons, but nothing Jack needed to know. “Not much. You have something to report?” “I talked to Thorpe an hour ago. Axel is still sleeping. Sean gave him a little something to help that along so he’d stay out of your hair for a while. Sean told me to say ‘You’re welcome.’” “I owe him big.” “He’s going to head over to Lily’s old apartment soon. He has to let the police presence over there die down. And the press are crawling everywhere, speculating about the reason for the car bomb. I’ve heard them say the cause was everything from a vengeful ex-lover to al-Qaeda.” Stone sighed. “But nothing about Canton?” “Thankfully, no,” Jack assured. “Still can’t find the bastard?” “It’s as if he’s dropped off the face of the earth. I don’t like it.” Stone didn’t either. Anyone capable of raping a girl or torturing a little boy deserved to be gone from the face of the earth—and not on his own terms. But he squashed his homicidal leanings—for now—and prayed they could figure out how to end this nightmare for Lily. He’d ten times rather meet the guy in a dark alley and dust him without having to involve her at all. But she was right; he’d probably end up doing more hard time. Scuttling his urge for vigilante justice sucked, but going through legal channels was the only way he saw for him to have any sort of future with her. Besides, he couldn’t deny that going back to prison was the last fucking thing he ever wanted to do. “Keep looking and tell me how I can help. Please,” Stone said. “Lily has been through even more than you know, man. She needs this nightmare to be over.” “You’re in love with her.” Jack didn’t ask, and Stone didn’t bother to deny. “I think I always was. These last couple of days have made that really fucking clear for me. She comes first, period.” “That’s how it is, you know. You find that perfect woman and bam. You’d do or say anything to make her happy and keep her safe.” Absolutely. When they got out of this shit, he was going to call his father, make up for the past, then put a ring on Lily’s finger and live a life so wonderful she couldn’t do anything except be happy. Until then, he had to tie up every single loose end. “Exactly. So why was Canton never arrested in connection with the murders of Lily’s mom and brother?” “Canton himself had an airtight alibi. The kid didn’t live long enough to ID anyone. The crime scene didn’t produce any physical evidence or witnesses. It happened fast. Based on what I read, I’d bet they took the family by surprise and subdued them within seconds because there didn’t appear to be much of a struggle.” “But the kid managed to tell the cops that his killer claimed to be one of Erin’s friends who was looking for Lily, right?” “Sure, but he didn’t know the guy’s name. The police suspected that Lily might know who the assailant was, but they never could find her. She’d already fled.” Shit. As much as Stone didn’t like the truth, it made sense. “Did you ever track down the rest of Erin Gutierrez’s family? Maybe they could shed some light. The girl had a mom and an older brother who took Lily in when she was a teenager. They must have been devastated by what happened to Erin and wanted justice.” “I just started looking for them yesterday. Here’s what I know so far: Renee Gutierrez left Los Angeles. She got picked up for DUI in Seattle about four years ago. She skipped bail. I’ve heard rumors she crossed into Canada, but they’re unconfirmed. Corey found himself in and out of juvie for a bit. Someone made an attempt on his life, and they transferred him out. I’m double-checking some facts but I think he wound up enlisting and fought in Afghanistan. He’s currently listed as MIA, but I’m trying to track down the details. I’ll let you know.” “That would be great. Thanks. I need one more favor.” Stone swallowed, trying to choke down the lump of grief on Lily’s behalf that clogged his throat. “What’s that?” Jack asked. Stone hated having to ask anyone for anything but he couldn’t protect Lily if he was focused on too many other things besides keeping her safe. “Can you look for a burial place for Regina Rose Taylor? She would have died as an infant.” Jack didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Lily didn’t have a baby sister, did she?” “No.” “Fuck, man. I’m so sorry for her. As a parent, I can only imagine what that poor girl must have gone through.” “She’s . . . an amazing fighter. But everything that happened damn near ruined her. I’m determined to give that woman some happiness.” And babies. They would get married and raise children and live happily ever after, damn it. “But the baby died as the child of an indigent single mother. At best, she got a pauper’s burial, most likely courtesy of Los Angeles County. For Lily’s sake, I’d like to give Regina Rose something more.” “Yeah. I’ll get right on it.” “I know that’s not your usual thing. You’d rather knock heads together than scan the Internet, but I’ve got a lot going on here, so thanks.” “You’re welcome. While I’m doing that, you want to know how you can help? We can’t find Canton, so you need to stop tiptoeing around Lily and ask,” Jack insisted. “Point-blank find out what she knows about this guy.” Stone gripped the phone tight. He’d rather hunt down the violent shit stain without involving Lily. “Whatever information she has about the man and his running buddies or habits is seven years old.” “But it’s still knowledge we don’t have. It may be helpful. It’s certainly better than nothing.” The idea of shoving more upset and upheaval on her right now bugged the hell out of Stone. “Damn it . . .” “I know. I get it. Sometimes, protecting your woman from the bad guys lurking outside her door is much easier than shielding her from what’s hurting her on the inside.” Stone couldn’t have summed up his concerns any better. They rang off, and he mulled over Jack’s suggestion. The guy was probably right. Tracking down the enemy would be so much easier with insider information. And as much as he wanted to protect Lily from more emotional pain, he had to prioritize her safety first. Fuck. Determined to see if he could find Canton first, Stone grabbed her computer. He would have preferred his own. He had it all set up just the way he wanted with software and tools that hers lacked. Her hard shell of a pink case with the matching keyboard overlay certainly didn’t say “badass.” But he found a beautiful irony in using Lily’s computer to try to bring down her tormentor. Unfortunately, nothing he tried panned out. The guy hadn’t used his credit cards in almost a week. He hadn’t flown on a commercial airline or rented a car. He hadn’t even used an ATM. No hit on his license plate. His phone had been upgraded to a software version that made it virtually impossible to access without the password. Anyone that paranoid would have taken steps to ensure that if someone tried to change his password, he’d receive not just an e-mail but a text, too. Stone didn’t want to tip his hand and send Canton scampering into hiding, so that was a dead end. He discerned Canton’s cell phone carrier and tried to ping a database of towers but only received back a signal that told him the device was turned off and hadn’t been active in days. More than likely he was using burner phones. No fucking way to trace those. With a curse, he sighed and tried another tactic. Canton had social media accounts, but they all made him look like a family man and a hometown hero who’d avoided street gangs as a kid and put himself through college. Since graduating and opening his first dry cleaner’s, he’d been using his business for good in their lower-class neighborhood and taking his own profits and time to open teen centers and after-school care for children whose parents had to work long, hard hours to make ends meet. He’d received awards at the community and state level for standing against violence and drugs. Stone shook his head. This guy sounded like a fucking saint. He’d fooled pretty much everyone around him. Canton was wily and knew how to hire the right people to spin some good PR. He’d especially stepped up his game in the past twelve months, probably about the time he had decided to make a run at the state’s top office. Stone closed out the open windows on those dead ends and tried police reports next. He made a mental note to let the LAPD know later that they really needed to upgrade their cybersecurity. First, he prowled through their e-mail servers and available incident reports. The police had been called out to Canton’s home and business multiple times, and he’d always managed to spin everything to make himself appear like the victim of unsavory elements in the neighborhood who wanted crime to flourish. Reports from more than five years back appeared to be archived elsewhere, which made Stone curse. But he did manage to collect a list of Canton’s known associates. Unfortunately, running them up didn’t prove to be any more useful. Just a bunch of garbage, none of which Stone believed. There had to be some avenue or clue he was missing. Resolving that he wouldn’t give up, he made another cup of coffee and combed through all the details again. Still, he came up empty-handed. As much as he hated it, answers probably lingered in some long-forgotten corner of Lily’s head. Like Jack had said, he had to persuade her to dredge them up and give them over—then pick up the pieces if she fell apart.

* * *

THAT night, Lily said almost nothing. She’d withdrawn into herself, and Stone suspected she was still thinking about whether or not she would testify. A part of him wanted to sit her down and make her see that might be her only option if she wanted a future. Another part of him understood she had to come to this decision on her own—no matter how much waiting and gritting his teeth he had to do. Until then, he had to figure out what she knew about Canton. He hated to add to her mental burden, but they were running out of options. He pushed his empty plate away and turned to her. “I need to ask you some questions.” Lily straightened in her chair. He could almost see her gathering her defenses, raising her walls. “About what?” “Canton. His habits. His associates. Where he might run and who might help him. We’re not having a lot of luck. What do you remember about him?” “Besides him being a terrible, violent sociopath?” She sighed as she pondered. “I don’t know.” Stone hated feeling as if he were plowing through her psyche with a screwdriver. “You said Erin was gang-raped. Who was with Canton that day?” “Um . . . a guy he referred to as Killer Mo. Another he called Reaper or just Reap. The last guy answered to Mafia. I didn’t get real names, so I don’t know if that’s even helpful.” It was more information than they’d had. Stone jumped up from the table and retrieved her laptop, tapping on the keys and accessing the Internet in seconds. “Hey, how did you get into my computer?” She frowned. “Oh, yeah. You’re a hacker.” Slanting her a glance that suggested she get serious, Stone scoffed. “Baby, I can do that in a blink.” He dug around a bit more for the identities of Killer Mo, Reaper, and Mafia. He narrowed his search, adding places, dates, details he knew. He came back with a trio of suspects and pictures. Then he turned the screen around to Lily. “They look anything like these guys?” Color leached out of her face. She turned the same shade as a slab of cold marble. “That’s them.” Stone squeezed her hand before he turned the computer screen back in his direction. “I’m doing this to give Jack and the other guys some information. I’m not dredging up the past to upset you.” “I know.” Lily nodded, trying to hold it together. “I can still see their faces. Killer Mo and Mafia held Erin down while . . .” She fell silent, shaking her head and holding up a hand as if she couldn’t say more. “It’s okay. You’ve given me some information to work with.” Stone performed a slightly different search, waited for results, hacked back into the LAPD, trolled through its database, then ultimately scrolled through some county and state records. Finally, he found what he needed. “Killer Mo died at the ripe age of twenty in a drug-related shoot-out about six months after you left LA. Mafia was twenty-two when he went down for twenty-five to life after the rape-murders of a pair of sisters, fourteen and twelve, who lived down the street. Reaper got caught dealing just before he turned eighteen. He was put on probation and his parents moved him to Iowa. Apparently he’s been ‘born again’ since then and is now a youth minister at a local church.” Lily absorbed that information with a thoughtful nod. “So . . . none of those thugs run around with Canton anymore?” “No. From what I can tell, he’s distanced himself from everyone who’s got a record so he can look like an upstanding citizen with a slightly checkered past who’s risen above, blah, blah, blah. He’s married now with three fancy cars, two kids, and a partridge in a pear tree.” Her face wasn’t giving away much, and he was dying to know if she was all right. “I’ll send all this information to Jack so he and some of the others can track the surviving dudes down. Do you feel better, knowing they won’t come back for you?” She shrugged. “They only helped destroy Erin. They didn’t plan or instigate. Canton is still out there.” “Yeah.” Stone rubbed at the back of his neck. “Since he’s dropped off the grid, we have to find him. Can you think of anything else that would help us? Habits? Places he liked? People he’d reach out to?” “One of the things that disturbed me most after Erin’s murder was Canton’s dogs. He had these two puppies, and he took them with him everywhere. He was always walking them. I remember Erin screaming and fighting . . . and the dogs scratching at the door of the warehouse to get in. As soon as Erin lay bleeding out and dead, Canton opened the door and the puppies loped in. He bent and petted them, smiling as they licked his face, as if he was the best guy in the world and the dead girl in the corner meant nothing. He probably still has those dogs.” As she talked, Stone sent a text with the information to Jack, who wrote back quickly that they would query the campgrounds and state parks again looking for a guy with a pair of mutts. “He also had this habit . . . According to Corey, who used to deal for him, when Canton was nervous or excited, he’d suck on a Tootsie Pop. He liked the grape.” She shrugged. “He was sucking on one when he entered the warehouse that day.” Lily closed her eyes as if she didn’t want to remember more. She clenched her fists, fighting to hold it together. Stone threw his arm around her. “It’s a lot to remember, I know. Everything you can recall is helpful. I’m here if you need someone to lean on.” She clutched him. “Thanks.” When she broke away, Stone texted the rest of the information she’d given him to Jack. It might not be a lot but every bit helped. “Oh,” she added. “He has a son by a former girlfriend. Matt, Mike, Mark—something with an ‘M’. The kid’s mom went by the name Sherra. The boy would probably be about eight now. But back in the day, Canton was a devoted daddy. Went out of his way to buy him cool stuff and give him the best of everything. Maybe he still sees the kid?” “That’s great, baby. We’ll definitely use that information to try to track down this asswipe. If you think of anything else—” “I’ll let you know.” She stood. “I think I’d like a few minutes on the patio alone. I’m sure the mosquitoes will eat me up but I’m starting to find the swamp surprisingly peaceful. It’s definitely quiet. I can think out here. And no one will find me.” After she let herself out, Stone cleaned up their simple dinner of hamburger steaks and potatoes, totally secure that she wasn’t going anywhere. She knew the gators and the outside world were too dangerous for her to flee. Ten minutes later when Lily slipped back in, gnawing her lip, she looked a million miles away. No, she looked as if she were still in that warehouse, reliving the horror of Erin’s death. He wished like hell he could calm and divert her mind. He’d tried to give her an ear . . . If she truly trusted him and wanted him as more than a protector, wouldn’t she be telling him her thoughts, her fears? Hell, right now she wasn’t even looking at him. As he rinsed off the last of the dishes and set them on the rack to dry, he watched her as she paced the room, arms crossed protectively over her body. When she stared at a spot on the far wall and frowned, hugging herself tighter, Stone had seen enough. Even if Lily couldn’t—or didn’t want to—share her feelings with him, she was too far up in her head, burying her past and worrying about the future. Talking to the woman only went so far. Time to try something new. Stone suspected he knew how to fix her while working on their trust. He turned off the faucet and dried his hands, then snagged her when she crossed the room again. “Get ready.” She blinked, her dark eyes finally focusing on him. “For what?” “We’re going to the playroom. You have five minutes. Come naked.” As he turned away to make preparations, she grabbed hold of his arm. “Stone . . . I’m not in a good place tonight.” “You’re not. We’ll fix that.” “I can’t focus on sex now.” If she imagined for one minute that he couldn’t redirect her gloomy thoughts into something more pleasurable, she was sorely underestimating him. “Who said anything about sex?” She flushed a pretty rosy shade. “Well, if you want me naked in a room designed for sex—” “A playroom isn’t always about sex.” He sent her a chiding glance. “After working at Dominion, you know that.” With a nod, she conceded the point. “True. But you—” “Have no idea what I’m thinking, baby.” He slanted a commanding gaze her way. “Do you?” “I assumed it was sex,” she murmured, dropping her gaze. “Sorry.” And there was her pretty, submissive side. Stone couldn’t call her wrong precisely. He did want sex. With her, he always wanted it. But he was capable of thinking about more . . . mostly. “Have I given you any reason not to trust me?” “No,” she admitted, her voice approaching a whisper. He crooked a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze. “I’m not bringing this up to make you feel guilty. I want to talk about what you’re thinking and feeling. I want you to open up. You don’t have to do anything about Canton tonight. You also don’t have to do anything about him without help. So don’t think about him now. Five minutes.” With that reminder, he left and headed to the playroom, scooping up some items he might need along the way. At the moment, he wanted to thank Jack and Logan for his last three months of BDSM training because he had ideas running through his head that he couldn’t wait to test. Stone took a few minutes to prepare the room. As he finished, he glanced at the time on his phone. Lily’s five minutes were up. Before he could haul out to hunt her down, she appeared in the portal, looking uncertain and sexy as hell. She hadn’t heeded him exactly, but she’d added more kittenish black liner to her eyes, refreshed her siren lipstick, then donned a pair of white thigh-high stockings with lacy bands and a pair of chunky red heels. She wasn’t wearing a single stitch anywhere else on her body. Oh, holy shit. He’d never seen a woman look hotter in his life. “You’re on time,” Stone forced himself to praise. And even though he didn’t want to chide her, he couldn’t let her choice to rebel pass. “But you didn’t follow instructions. I said naked.” She opened her mouth to argue, closed it. Then frowned. “You don’t like it?” “I do but that isn’t the point. You disobeyed, and that comes with consequences.” He narrowed his eyes at her, a litany of all the possible reasons she might have disregarded his instructions flipping through his head. “Did you hope to distract me so we wouldn’t talk about your past or the fact that you’ve been letting it stand in the way of your future? Would you rather give me your pussy than your truth?” Lily’s face flamed with a guilty flush. “I’ve told you pretty much everything.” Stone turned those words over in his head. “Except what you’re thinking right now.” “I’m trying not to think about anything but you.” “But I know there’s more rolling through your head.” He quirked a brow at her, daring her to deny it. She didn’t. “Either kneel here and face me or leave the room. If you choose the latter, I’ll know you’re not ready to trust me. If you stay, I’ll want to test that you’re serious, and I won’t make it easy.” “Why?” She looked torn, confused. “I’ve done everything I know to prove that I’m here for you in every way, yet you keep me on the outside looking in. I need to know if you’re with me.” Lily’s expression crumpled. She stood frozen for a tense moment before she crossed the room and lowered herself to the mat and knelt. “I only put on the stockings to please you. I never meant to make you feel as if I don’t want to be here or don’t want to be with you. I’m just so used to thinking through my problems alone. I’ve never been that great at sharing how I feel and . . . Yes, I know I’m not the only person here. I’m sorry if I’ve been selfish.” He softened. “You went through something way harder than I can imagine. You haven’t worked through your trauma because you don’t have any resolution. I’m not implying that you’re selfish. I’m asking you to work with me. Let’s put your life back on track together.” She bowed her head and drew in a shuddering breath. He could practically feel her thinking. Stone clenched his fist, itching to lend his support by stroking her crown and caressing her jaw. But she had to reach some conclusions alone. “You want me to testify.” Lily looked as if the idea terrified her. “I understand why. I know I probably don’t have a future unless I do. I get that you want me to talk to you about it. I just . . . For seven years, I’ve tried to do everything myself. I let Axel understand my feelings as long as I didn’t involve him too deeply in my past. That was my burden to bear.” When Stone prepared to launch into his argument, Lily held up a hand to stop him. “I know you want to help. And I’m more touched than you know. But I’d be lying if I said that changing my mind and facing Canton after all these years is simple. I’m still thinking about this. It’s not a quick decision. Can we talk again tomorrow?” Tomorrow wasn’t good. Tomorrow, Axel might be rolling down the highway to get in the middle of this shit in the name of protecting his former sub. Tomorrow might be too late. But Stone couldn’t exactly force her to make a decision right now. He could only keep working on their trust and hoping that their future was important to her, too. “All right. We will be talking at first light. Understood?” “Yes,” she murmured. “That gives us hours to play, baby.” Her gaze snapped up, meeting his. Then a surprising coy feminine power transformed her expression. It was as if knowing that tonight she didn’t have to think about the past anymore flipped a switch inside her. Suddenly Stone understood. She’d become a pro at deferring the tough decisions ahead because she’d been doing it for years. That would definitely stop tomorrow. Lily smiled at him and sat back on her heels, thrusting her breasts up. “That’s good to know. Do you see something you want?” Oh, she wanted to toy with him? Stone couldn’t help a rueful smile at her sensual, playful tone. He enjoyed this side of her. Game on. He took a step closer and anchored one palm on her head so she had nowhere to look but his zipper and his throbbing cock imprisoned behind it. “Look straight ahead, right at me. What do you think?” “You’re hard.” She almost sounded proud. “Damn straight. But you know what, baby? When you look at me, I think you see something you want, too.” Lily licked her lips nervously, staring at his cock straining against his jeans. “I do.” To his shock, she leaned forward and nuzzled her cheek against the fold covering his zipper, nudging his bulge. The contact was like an electric bolt firing his blood. It shot straight to his dick. Crap, the woman was driving him out of his mind. He had to take control of the situation. Fighting for a steadying breath, Stone stepped away. “Stand up.” “You didn’t like the way I touched you?” She batted her lashes. “I think you know better,” he pointed out. “And we’ll get back to that, but I have an agenda tonight. I’m going to give you instructions. You’re going to comply without question. If you need clarification, I’ll provide it. Otherwise, I expect immediate obedience.” As his tone changed, so did her demeanor, and she lowered her gaze. “Yes, Stone.” Even her voice sounded submissive, and it did something to the man in him. Since direct confrontation wasn’t loosening her up, Stone had chosen a form of communication Lily was familiar with. According to Thorpe, Axel had used it to make completely different points with her, but she knew this game was serious. Stone intended for her to listen and obey. When she slipped into submissive mode, she didn’t want to disappoint. Right now, Stone would use whatever he could to make her see he was right. “Good. Before we get started, let’s cover a few reminders. What’s your safe word?” “Lunar.” “That’s it. I will push your boundaries. But you’re free to use your safe word if I’m actually hurting you or you feel as if you cannot handle what I’m doing. Make sense?” “Yes, Stone.” “Good.” He couldn’t stop himself from caressing the crown of her head, letting her know that he both heard and appreciated her compliance. “Have I ever done anything to actually hurt or endanger you?” “No, Stone.” “Will I?” The question came out automatically because he knew the answer: never. But how hurt would she be if she heard about the deal the feds had tried to cut him? Very. She’d feel utterly betrayed. He wished he didn’t have to accept it to have a future with her. But with trust so tenuous between them, if he tried to explain the situation to her right now, every bridge he’d tried to build with her would crumble. He’d tell her soon; he had to. After tonight, when he hoped they’d be stronger. Then Stone realized Lily was still silent. It only reinforced all his worries about their trust. She’d given him all her other answers quickly, almost as if instinct had provided her replies. This one she thought about a few moments longer. While he understood, waiting for her to weigh her trust nearly ripped his guts out. “I don’t think so.” She lifted her gaze to him, her lower lip trembling. “I’m just being honest. Remember, I’m slow to trust. This is the fastest I’ve ever just . . . believed in anyone.” On the surface, it didn’t seem as if she had put much faith in him. But given what she’d been through and what he knew about her habits with Axel, he realized she’d put a lot of trust in him already. He needed to be worthy of it and be patient. She was staying with him in an unfamiliar place she couldn’t easily escape. She slept in his arms every night, too. Then . . . there was the sex. Thorpe had hinted that Axel hadn’t reached that point with Lily for months. Even more, Stone realized, she’d trusted him with her whole tragic, terrible story. She’d shared shame and danger and helplessness. Even now, she knelt in front of him with big eyes that pleaded with him to understand that she was giving her best. “I know, baby. Just like I’m trying to be patient. Being a pushy bastard is in my nature, but I’ll keep trying to stifle that side of me and be reasonable.” He caressed her cheek. “To be totally clear, I will never hurt or endanger you. I want you to remember that tonight.” “A-all right.” She sounded worried but didn’t argue . . . yet. With a satisfied nod, he pulled out his phone and launched the app to stream radio, choosing a mellow station that played ballads. He wanted her relaxed, calm. What he planned wasn’t romantic but held gravity. Stone needed her to feel it. “Put your hands in front of you, palms up, shoulder width apart.” Instantly, she complied, and he couldn’t miss the shudder that went through her. Yeah, she liked complex, adult Simon Says–type games. According to Thorpe, she enjoyed the challenge and played to win. Stone turned and retrieved a pair of cuffs, then stopped in front of her again. “I’m putting these on your wrists. Don’t flinch. If they’re too tight, say so.” “Yes, Stone,” she replied in a breathy whisper. Without hesitation, he buckled the leather cuffs, one around each wrist, and checked to make sure he could still fit a finger—but no more—under the wide strap. “Turn your palms down.” Again, she obeyed. The O-rings on top of the cuffs winked in the overhead light. Stone whirled around to the table behind him and reached for a long snap hook. He closed the little metallic device up in his fist. “Hands behind your back.” A bare hesitation later and she complied, winding her arms around her and grabbing the fingers of her left hand with her right. “Like this?” With slow steps intended to drum up her heartbeat, Stone circled behind her, pretending to consider whether to give his praise. “That’s correct. Hold still.” “Yes, Stone.” Her voice sounded a little lower, a little more remote, as if she were beginning to feel more and think less. Exactly what he wanted. He fastened the two-headed hook to her cuffs, one end to each of the O-rings. Then he rounded her again, staring down at the way the position thrust her breasts out. He wouldn’t be a heterosexual man if that didn’t get to him. But he couldn’t let her know that the very sight of her beat the shit out of his self-control, so he kept his groan of appreciation to himself. “Do your shoulders hurt?” “No.” “Good to hear. Tell me about the tattoo on your shoulder blade.” She dragged in a shuddering breath then spoke in the softest whisper. “The wren flying from its cage symbolizes Regina leaving the pain of this earth to be free. The rose in its beak is both for her middle name and because I wanted to give her a token of my love as she left me.” So simple and poignant. Something hot stung the back of his eyes. Tears. Shit, both her grief and her tribute moved him. How amazing that she’d chosen to honor the little girl’s memory this way. “It’s perfect. Now close your eyes. You don’t need to control anything here. I’ve got you.” He would remind her again if that would ease her along, but right now she needed to hear the assurance and the authority in his voice. With a little nod, Lily snapped her eyes shut. “Yes, Stone. Sorry.” He circled to her front again and grazed a fingertip over her cheekbone. “You’re forgiven.” And now it was time to put this game into overdrive. With a few clicks of a button on his phone, he turned up the music. On bare feet, he crossed the floor, exiting the playroom. He dashed down the hall, grabbed a few things from the fridge, then headed back. He sneaked up on the portal and stuck his head around the corner, trying to catch her peeking or otherwise giving him a sign that she didn’t trust him. But he found Lily exactly as he’d left her—head bowed, shoulders back, the long line of her spine an enticing view above the heart-shaped ass sitting on those fuck-me red heels. Sucking in a breath, he grabbed a refrigerated can and shook it, stopping before her again. “Open your mouth, tongue out.” Lily pressed her lips together for a moment. Thinking it over? Gathering her courage? Before he could bark at her about trust and compliance, she did as he’d bidden. Stone stood back and stared. Like a child sticking her tongue out to catch the rain, she waited. The way she sat back on her heels, eyes closed, awaiting his next move, undid him. She was fighting for this composure, but Stone had no doubt she did it because she wanted to please him. That realization was heady shit. He flipped off the top of the can and turned it upside down, right over her outstretched tongue. Then he pushed his finger against the red plastic dispenser. A soft whoosh filled the air. Whipped cream piled on her tongue. She managed to curl her tongue up in a little smile. Stone bit back a curse. Wouldn’t he like to put his cock right there? “Swallow,” he instructed. He didn’t have to tell her twice. She closed her mouth and sucked, smacking her lips with a widening grin. “Tongue out again.” Happily, she complied, almost comically eager for more. Stone couldn’t take his eyes off Lily, looking ready, breath held, anticipation rolling off her. Her nipples peaked. Her skin looked so damn luminous in the light. Goddamn it, he wanted to fuck all the games and make love to her. But she needed to trust him. She needed to feel the comfort of something familiar with him. She needed levity and joy in her life. What he wanted right now didn’t matter two shits. Stone approached the bench with his goodies again and set the whipped cream aside. He grabbed a couple of things that made him grin. He couldn’t wait to see what she made of this. He broke off part of a strip of bacon left over from breakfast and placed it on her tongue. She smelled it before she tasted it and started moaning impatiently. “Wait,” he demanded. She wriggled as if she had ants in her pants . . . despite the fact that she wore no pants at all. Popping off another plastic top and lifting the spout, Stone squeezed the bottle. As he watched honey coat her tongue, his cock got harder by the second. “Taste it, then swallow.” Lily drew her tongue past her lips and almost instantly started moaning. “Bacon and honey? You are a genius. Oh my god . . .” Stone grinned. “When I was a kid, my grandma made this casserole every Christmas morning with those two ingredients. It was always my favorite.” “It’s to die for. What’s next?” She sounded completely eager. “Not food. Hold still.” Her breathing stuttered. Awareness crept across her face once more as she remembered they were playing a game. He grabbed the next item he’d set aside from the table, then approached her from behind. That gorgeous ass bracketed by her red patent pumps and almost innocent white stockings turned him the fuck on. He bit back a moan and focused. “You’ve done really well so far. Keep your eyes closed and remember I’m here to protect and guide you.” She swallowed as if she knew he intended to challenge her boundaries. “You know I’ll try.” “Nope. In the immortal words of Yoda, ‘Do or do not; there is no try.’ And yes, I grew up a Star Wars nerd, so no talking smack.” Stone hoped his teasing would set her at ease. Lily gave him a shaky nod, then slid her eyes shut. Stone braced himself for the worst, even as he hoped for the best. Then he dropped the blindfold in front of her face, settling it over her eyes, and waited. She stiffened and sucked in calming breaths, clearly fighting her instinct to panic. Though she did well, Stone sensed she was losing the struggle and redirected her. He quickly tied the scarf off, then laid his palms on her shoulders and bent to murmur in her ear. “This is no different than having your eyes closed. You have a safe word, remember?” “But with my hands restrained, I can’t take the blindfold off.” “If you need to see, communicate with me.” “Blindfolds make me panic. I was never able to handle one with Axel.” She sounded anxious. Stone got the feeling that something terrible had once happened to her while she was blindfolded. If that was the case, he would try to erase that torment for her, make some good memories to counter the bad. “We will, you and I. Just stay with me.” Lily hesitated for a long moment. She trembled and struggled for air. Stone watched and worried and waited. Finally, she nodded. “Okay.” “I’ve got you. Now open your mouth.” She was familiar with this exercise, now comfortable giving him this access. Quickly, she stuck out her tongue, almost as if she’d decided that the faster she complied, the faster he’d remove her blindfold. He unwrapped a square of chocolate he’d found in the groceries Jack brought and set it directly on her taste buds. It began to melt almost immediately. She inhaled, taking in the scent, and gave him a groan of delight. “You can eat it.” He smiled at her excitement. Still licking her lips, she moaned. “Do you have more?” “Little glutton,” he teased. “No.” He had something else ready for her, and he was dying to know how Lily would take it and if she would enjoy it. “Open your mouth. Wide,” he demanded, reaching for the button of his jeans.