Chapter Two

Chapter Two THE moment Lily Taylor had been dreading for nine months had finally arrived. Around her, the emergency room buzzed. People in white coats and scrubs scurried around the freezing, sterile space wearing grim expressions. Because they knew how much she was giving up? The pain wracking her body barely penetrated her head. They’d injected something in her IV finally. Now she felt as if she were floating off the table. Vaguely, she wondered if her mother would come or if she’d decided to wash her hands of her teenage daughter after all. Normally, it wouldn’t matter. She had her bestie. Erin had agreed to hold her hand. Her friend’s brother, Corey, had sworn he’d back her up, too. In one terrible afternoon, everything had changed. “Push!” a woman in bloodstained blue scrubs shouted at her. Where was the doctor? Still, the urge wouldn’t be denied. She bore down, one push flowing into the next until time had no meaning beyond the pain gripping and the sweat drenching her. Pressure pulled and tugged at her middle, nearly crushing her. She screamed, then clenched her teeth as she struggled up and gave a mighty push. At once, the agony and the stress ended. Lily wilted back but stayed awake to savor the very few moments she would get with the most precious person in her life. A nurse bent to her, filling her line of vision with a clinical expression, but her eyes held pity. Around Lily, machines beeped. Everyone else bustled to cluster around a table a few feet away, shouting at one another. Stress charged the room. Anxiety filled Lily, replacing the languid feeling of accomplishment. “What’s going on?” She didn’t hear the sounds of a baby crying. Panicked, she tried to climb off the table, but the nurse who wouldn’t answer her shoved another needle in her IV. Then nothing . . . With a gasp, Lily opened her eyes and sat up in the dark, empty room, tangled in the damp sheets. Her heart raced. She looked around the shadowed room and heaved a sigh of relief. Present. Dallas. Dominion. Another time, another place. After seven years, she wished the goddamn nightmares would stop. Tears welled in her eyes—pooling in the corners—but she couldn’t quite spill them. She trembled, fought for air. Would she ever have a normal life? Lily needed to bury her past and stop being afraid of the future. Stand on her own two feet. Her head acknowledged all that. That scared girl who’d lost everyone she’d ever loved had no idea how to make that happen. Hating herself for her weakness, she reached for her cell phone and started to dial her friend and former protector, Axel. Before she completed the call, she remembered that he was in London with his new fiancée. Eventually they would return, but he had his own life and a future he couldn’t wait to begin. He deserved more than to keep dealing with her broken past. With a sniffle, she climbed out of bed, a bit embarrassed that she’d fallen asleep on the job. But she couldn’t seem to drop into slumber in her solitary apartment these days, so she came to work exhausted. Lily rose and smoothed out her clothes, then patted her hair back into place. For years, she’d felt almost secure here at Dominion. Until recently, she’d stopped looking over her shoulder quite so much. Yes, she’d always known her past hovered there, breathing down her neck. But now she feared it had come back to haunt her. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she would swear she’d seen a guy watching her at the grocery store one day, then bumped into him at a fast food joint the next. Another girl might write it off as mere coincidence or think he was following her because he was interested. But she didn’t believe in coincidence, and he hadn’t flirted with her at all. In fact, he had watched her with a dissecting stare that made her anxious and afraid. He certainly hadn’t ogled her as if he couldn’t wait to strip her bare the way Stone Sutter had. Maybe it was time to pack up, move on . . . just in case. She’d been in Dallas for years now—plenty of time for Canton to have caught on. According to Axel, when she was feeling scared or overwhelmed like this, she was supposed to call Thorpe. But her employer had his hands full with Sean, Callie, and their coming baby. Lily refused to dump her personal problems in Thorpe’s lap. Hell, he still called her Sweet Pea or Misty—just like Axel—because she’d never told any of them her real name or her real truth. Setting him straight would be an uncomfortable conversation after all these years. Not that she’d put him or any of her friends at risk. The only person she might have told what she was feeling? Stone. He’d sucked her in with a single burning stare and made her tremble. His seemingly devil-may-care attitude and the rocking tats on his bulging biceps had intrigued her. He was quick with a smile or a quip. He seemed gentle on the surface. He came across like someone who might understand. She’d been so damn giddy to spend time with him. Lily bit her lip against the ache that bloomed in her belly. What a fool she’d been. She hated walks down memory lane, but her mind trekked the path anyway, taking her back three months, to the night they’d met. Zeb had led her to a well-lit playroom. Stone had been waiting inside. He’d zipped his gaze around to zero in on her as Zeb ushered her through the door. Dark eyes narrowed, body coiled, Stone had given Lily the impression of a male animal on high alert as he sized up his prey. After quick introductions, Zeb had smoothed a hand across the small of her back and bent to her ear. “He asked to meet you.” Lily had no idea why. As she looked into Stone’s face, she’d seen hunger, the kind that made both uncertainty and excitement jet through her blood. She’d blushed because despite being twenty-three, she’d had sex with exactly two men in her life, and neither had really made her breath catch or her heart race. With just a glance, Stone made it clear that he intended to seduce her and give her pleasure until she screamed. In that moment, knowing Axel was in love with Mystery and that she had to start looking forward, not back, she’d met Stone’s hot stare. “Hi, there.” Even his husky voice sent tingles of excitement racing across her skin. Lily’s chest tightened as if she couldn’t breathe properly. “Hi.” The word had come out barely a whisper, but he gave her an encouraging smile. “She’s a little shy, our Sweet Pea,” Zeb supplied with the sort of watchful glare she’d expect from an older brother. “Talk to her about pop culture and she’ll relax.” Lily blushed again, this time in embarrassment. Most men didn’t care about celebrity crushes and breakups. She loved keeping up. Their lives seemed so bright and interesting. Taylor Swift didn’t hide in the shadows. Jennifer Lawrence wasn’t worrying about her past. They had so much confidence, and Lily hoped that someday some of that would rub off on her. “I don’t know much about it,” Stone said, that voice of his like a caress. “But I want to hear about everything that interests you.” “We can talk about something else.” “Remember, no sudden moves and nothing sexual,” Zeb warned as he backed away, hovering at the door. She tried not to roll her eyes at his overprotective spiel. Thankfully, Stone ignored him and approached her slowly, towering so she had to crane back her head to study his hard, chiseled face. Then he cupped her shoulder and she barely managed to bite back a gasp. Hot, sure, electric, his touch wasn’t like anything she’d ever felt. Zeb had laid his palm on the small of her back just moments ago and she’d felt nothing. Why did Stone affect her so differently? Lily peered into his dark eyes. She didn’t have to ask if he felt the pull between them. He made no attempt to hide his desire to get her naked and put his hands on her. Was being romantically interested in someone supposed to feel like this? She really wouldn’t know. He walked her across the room, to a bench usually used for sub restraint. Long and somewhat narrow, it wasn’t the most comfortable but still one of the few places in the room to sit. After Stone helped her down, he perched beside her, his thigh nearly pressed to hers. She experienced that difficulty breathing again. As if her body were a divining rod, all her senses seemed attuned to him. Her stomach knotted into a nervous ball. “You okay here?” he asked softly. “Do you need me to put more space between us?” Mentally, she probably did. But she answered him instinctively. “No. Tell me about you.” He shrugged. “Not much to say. I’ve been living in South Texas for a while but I’m working with Jack Cole on a technical project now. I’m a computer guy. I saw you a few weeks ago, the night of Thorpe’s birthday, and I thought you were one of the prettiest women I’ve ever seen.” Heat crept up her face again. The curse of having a fair complexion. She had to get control of her reactions and start acting more like a normal woman if she ever wanted to have a normal life. Stone might not be a forever guy—who knew?—but maybe they could try dating or something. “I remember seeing you that night, too,” she admitted, not quite meeting his intense, dark stare. He curled a finger under her chin. “Look at me.” Once she complied, he smiled. And Lily wasn’t sure she’d ever felt more connected to another human being. Her skin sizzled, her body trembled—and she didn’t even want to think about what his mere gaze did to her girl parts. “Tell me about you,” he murmured. “I’ve been Dominion’s receptionist for the last few years.” And . . . what? She couldn’t tell the man her past. She had no idea what to say about her future plans or aspirations since she couldn’t look ahead knowing Canton might catch up to her. “Like Zeb said, I follow pop culture. I also like to read.” She rolled her eyes, tried to poke fun at herself, and not think about the fact that she felt like a high school girl with her first crush. “I’m shy.” “You’re doing great,” he praised. “Do you have a favorite sport or hobby?” “I’m not so good at anything that requires a ball, but I sew a lot of my own dresses.” She fluffed the full red skirt of her swing dress; then she realized how many men didn’t care about sewing. “You must think that’s boring.” “No. I wouldn’t be any good at it.” He shrugged. “But I find it interesting that you can measure out cloth and put pieces together to make something to wear.” “No, you don’t.” “Seriously,” he vowed. “It’s probably like me telling you about the web codes I unravel.” He had a point. “Yeah, I don’t know how you do it, but it would be cool to watch.” Stone smiled wide. “Exactly. So . . . what would be a perfect date for you?” “I have no idea.” To be honest or not? Lily gnawed on her lip. If she ever saw him again, she would already have to lie about so many other things. She’d rather tell him the truth where she could. If he thought she was a freak, then he was never going to like her for her anyway. “I’ve never been on one.” That took him aback. “Never? Baby, why not? Have all the men in your life been blind?” She laughed. “I left home young, and at first I was just figuring out how to make ends meet. When I came to work here, the environment was a little intimidating at first, you know?” He grinned. “I have to admit my first trek through the doors was more than I bargained for.” “You don’t . . .” How did she ask a virtual stranger who seemed to give off a Dom vibe if he’d ever topped anyone? “I’m intrigued and I’d be willing to look into it, but so far, no.” He took her hand, his thumb grazing her fingers. “What’s the deal with you and Axel?” She squelched her grief that Axel was no longer her protector. It conflicted with the excitement she felt around Stone. Which confused her. Besides, Axel needed to move on with his life and embrace the woman he loved. “We’re not together anymore. And we didn’t really date, per se.” Stone frowned as if he didn’t quite understand. Truthfully, her relationship with Axel wouldn’t make sense to most people. And it didn’t matter now. He had his future. Maybe Stone could be a part of hers in some small way, even if only in her fantasies. “Um . . . What else? Until a few months ago, I had a cat. A male. I took him in as a stray but he got cancer and I had to put him down. I named him Bongo because he liked to bounce around the house like a drum,” she added, then shook her head. “Do you have a pet? Sorry I’m babbling. You make me nervous.” “Sorry to hear he died.” He squeezed her hand. “No pets. And I’ll be honest. You make me a little nervous, too.” Lily couldn’t help the smile that widened her lips. “You’re just saying that.” “No. Here.” He lifted her hand to his chest and placed it over his racing heart. The hard, rapid thump under her palm made her insides jump with delight. “You feel that?” She nodded earnestly. And as if she couldn’t control herself, her gaze dropped to his lap. His heart wasn’t the only thing filling with blood. Lily closed her eyes and stifled a grin. “I do.” She bit her lip as she withdrew her palm. “My heart is beating fast, too.” Was that admitting too much? She looked down at the hands she wrung in her lap and realized that her skirt had ridden up on the side and exposed her black thigh highs. Lily yanked the skimpy fabric down and looked up in time to see Stone’s stare glued to the sight. “That’s embarrassing.” His face tightened as he swallowed. “Not at all, baby. You’re sexy.” He gave her a deep rumble of masculine laughter. “Forget I said that. I asked Axel to set up this meeting so I could get to know you, not so I could talk you out of your clothes. At least not yet.” He winked. “So you work for Thorpe?” She accepted the subject change but couldn’t wipe the pleased little smile off her face. Big, attractive Stone thought she was sexy. He didn’t seem to care that she didn’t know what to say and fumbled over her words. “I do. I don’t think he really needs a receptionist, and I try to help with inventory, organization . . . whatever he can’t get to. I’ve also pitched in with the tasks Callie used to complete. She’s had a tough pregnancy at times.” Lily smiled fondly. “But every time she’s sick or tired, Thorpe and Sean are both so attentive, I can’t decide who’s more over the top in taking care of her. She’s had a terrible past, so I’m happy for her.” “That’s thoughtful. They’re lucky to have you.” “I like to help. Thorpe has given me so much . . .” She shook her head. Stone didn’t care about that, either. “So you do technical things for Jack?” He shrugged. “I’ve been helping him with a case. It’s been complicated but successful.” “Jack is great. All the guys here are. Thorpe only grants membership to people who have a really positive vibe. He and the Edgington brothers are some of my favorite people.” “But you never dated any of the members?” Lily wasn’t sure how to answer that. She came with a lot of baggage, and even if the men of Dominion didn’t precisely understand, they knew it was heavy. Of course, they’d chosen women who could give them their hearts, souls, and bodies. Because she probably couldn’t, she should stop wasting Stone’s time. “No. I should go.” She stood and fluffed out her skirt, then held out her hand. “I enjoyed meeting you.” “Why are you leaving?” He wrapped hot fingers around her wrist. She could have escaped if she wanted but the second he put his hand on her, Lily ached to ease closer. “I drove over five hours just to meet you. Don’t go.” She bit her lip. The excited girl inside her wanted to cave immediately. She was flattered and she liked him, probably more than was smart. On the other hand, she’d never felt this way about a man and he scared the heck out of her. “If no one told you, I’m not typical.” “I’m not, either. So maybe that makes us a good match. Is there anything wrong with seeing if we are?” When he put it like that, no. But . . . “I’m a project.” He seemed to mull that over as his grip around her wrist tightened ever so slightly. “That term indicates you think there’s something wrong with you. Maybe there’s just something wrong with the people you’ve been with in the past. Maybe they simply weren’t right for you.” “You think you are?” she asked, more breathless than she’d like. He shrugged. “How do we know if we don’t try?” Another good point. “It takes a long time for me to trust.” After this confession and admitting that she’d never dated, she didn’t want to go for the trifecta and blurt out that she was afraid of sex. Lily wanted to be at least somewhat honest with him, but that was more than she could make herself say just now. “Let’s take it one day at a time. I’m attracted to you. I think it must be mutual because you keep eating me up with those pretty eyes.” Oh god. She probably was. Lily felt heat scorch her cheeks. When she tried to tug from his grasp, he held firm but his expression gentled. “That’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I like you. I’m hoping you could like me, too. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that right now.” Lily thought of a hundred objections, mostly centered around her insecurities. She didn’t want to seem like a head case, and she liked the way he made her feel both beautiful and adored with just a glance. “I guess not.” Just then, the lights in the room went black. The hum of the air conditioner ceased. For a moment, her heart stopped. It was probably paranoia, wondering every time something out of the ordinary happened if Canton had found her. “Sweet Pea?” Stone called as his firm grip on her wrist turned reassuring. He wound his other arm around her and anchored his hand protectively on her hip. “You okay, baby?” “A little scared of the dark.” She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to remember why. Stone’s voice and presence was a balm. Surprisingly, instead of fearing the big man, she had the sense that he’d protect her, and she edged closer. “That’s it. Come here.” Gently, he guided her down onto his lap and nestled her against his chest before he wrapped his beefy arms around her. “I’m sure it’s nothing. But I won’t let anything happen to you.” Across the room, Lily heard Zeb opening the door. Not a sliver of light entered the room from the normally bright hall. “Thorpe?” the Dungeon Monitor called out. “The power probably surged or something.” Stone soothed her as he caressed her hair and eased her head onto his shoulder. “Breathe. I’ve got you.” She almost felt safe. Maybe his words or voice had calmed her. Maybe it was the way he’d brought her close as he’d reassured her. This felt like being with Axel . . . but different. His nearness didn’t merely comfort her. For the first time, being close to a man excited her, too. Lily let herself melt against him. Zeb apparently stepped into the hall but left the door open. She could hear him and Thorpe calling back to each other. The breaker had tripped. They’d be able to restore power in a minute. Problem solved, Lily let out a huge sigh of relief and drank in the moment of feeling like a normal woman enjoying alone time with an interesting guy. Then Stone cupped her cheek and led her face down, her mouth close to his own. His warm breath feathered over her lips. She froze and fought the impulse to lunge forward and close the distance between them. “I don’t think I can wait another second, but stop me if you’re not ready for me to kiss you,” he whispered. Lily didn’t have the will to resist him in that moment. As a freshman in high school, she’d first kissed Rick Mensell because he’d been the cutest boy and every girl had wanted him. As a grown woman, she’d first asked Axel to kiss her because she’d needed to know if she could bear a man’s touch again. Neither guy had made her feel a tenth of the thrill that having Stone Sutter’s mouth hovering over hers, teasing her with his almost-kiss, did. She didn’t think she could speak, so she tilted her head instead, positioning her mouth perfectly against his, and dropped a brush of fingers on his shoulder. That was all the encouragement he needed. A heartbeat later, he settled his lips on hers. He didn’t experiment or bother to test their fit. He kissed her as if he already knew how thoroughly he intended to take her mouth and how good it would feel. For a delicious eternity, Stone cupped her jaw and held her exactly where he wanted her. She couldn’t misinterpret his touch, which said he intended to take every bit of her that she’d surrender. He nudged her lips apart. Something shockingly alive dashed down her spine. A dizzy euphoria filled her head. Lily clenched her legs together, feeling an ache tighten there that could only be desire. With the tender press of his fingers against her face, he guided her as he dove deeper into the kiss and slid his tongue against her own. She’d kissed Axel this way before. But it had never made her feel antsy and hot, like she wanted to writhe against him, strip her clothes off, and beg him to touch her. She barely knew Stone. They had no history. Why did she ache for him so desperately? Suddenly, the lights flicked on, glinting behind her eyelids. Lily tried to ease away and survey the situation. Stone only held firm, stroking her jaw with his thumb, and kissed her with more urgency. She let him. As he possessed her mouth, the world and all its problems melted away. She forgot to be scared or worry that he would want more than she could give. She didn’t even think about the fact that they were virtual strangers. Instead, she sank against the warmth of his substantial body and into the fantasy of being normal enough to interest a man who seemed both incredibly masculine and kind. And god, he smelled good. Lily gathered her nerve and slid her hand down his shoulder, over the defined muscles covered in ink. He must have a high threshold for pain. She’d screamed and held in sobs through the first twenty minutes of her lone tattoo. Pushing that memory away, she focused on his kiss. On him. She wrapped her hands around the mind-boggling girth of his biceps and trembled, pressing closer. He grabbed her tighter, his fingers sliding down her nape as he gave her lip a playful nip, pressed a kiss just under her jaw, and smoothed a palm around the curve of her hip. She wanted to ask him to peel his shirt off just so she could drink him in. She’d bet the sight would make her daydreamy and tingly. He certainly knew how to kiss. With a simple press of his fingers, he guided her head back, then shifted the angle of the kiss, maneuvering her into opening completely to him. Little by little, Lily found herself willing to cede her control. “That’s enough.” Zeb’s hard voice from the doorway broke their cocoon. The lights had returned, illuminating his scowl. “Axel promised you a meeting, not a gropefest. Let her go.” Stone stiffened but pulled back, looking into her eyes as he pushed one of her chestnut and fuchsia curls from her face. “You okay?” A half-drunk smile wobbled across her mouth. “Yeah.” She slid to her feet, but he wrapped an arm around her as if he didn’t trust her legs to hold her upright. Good instinct. The second she tried to stand, her shaking thighs wobbled. A druglike weakness still pumped through her veins, infecting her muscles. And when she looked at him, she could hardly catch her breath. He sent a megawatt smile down at her. “You look pretty with your cheeks flushed and your lips swollen.” Lily felt pretty, too. She felt like a woman, not a broken responsibility someone always had to pick up and care for. “I don’t know what you did to me but . . .” She sighed, unable to put this feeling into words. It felt like those times as a girl she’d gone to the park and put her arms out, spinning around and around until she’d fallen down, giggling and happy. “Something I can’t wait to do again, baby. Let me take you to dinner.” That sobered her up a bit. She blinked. “I-I’m supposed to be working. I came in to see Axel tonight but when we decided he should move on, I asked Thorpe if he needed me. I have a few tasks to complete. Sorry.” Stone didn’t say anything for a long minute, just brought her closer to him and drilled down into her with a dark stare that made her knees threaten to give way. “How about this weekend? I’ll drive out. We can eat and talk. Or we can stay here and talk. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable.” “I’d like that.” She tried not to let her giddiness show too much. Maybe he’d even kiss her again. “I want to see you more, Sweet Pea. Tell me what will set you most at ease.” “I’m not really sure. I mostly saw Axel here.” “Since you two didn’t date. Got it.” When she nodded her agreement, he slanted a speculative glance her way. “But he was your Dom?” She swallowed. Would that turn Stone off? “And my protector. He helped me feel safe.” “Didn’t you say he just left you?” He sounded annoyed on her behalf. She’d let Axel go with a heavy heart, knowing she had to stop dragging him down. “It was time. I’m fine.” Lily knew she might be lying. She wouldn’t pine for Axel as a lover. But she would very much miss her friend. “I should be a good guy and tell you I can wait until you’re sure. But after that kiss, I don’t even know if I can wait three days to see you again. I don’t know if I’ll stop thinking about you between now and then.” She didn’t think she would stop thinking about him either but hearing him say that made her feel so coveted. “Here.” Lily plucked out a pen from the deep pocket of her full skirt and reached for his hand. She dragged the ballpoint across his palm and wrote her number in purple ink. “Call me if you feel like it. Okay?” “I will.” And despite Zeb’s glare, Stone leaned in and brushed a lingering kiss on her lips. “Be thinking about what you want to do Saturday because I will come for you.” She merely smiled his way. He gave her one last heated glance and turned, heading for the exit. Zeb watched him leave and shut the door behind Stone with a shake of his head. “What’s with the disapproving-brother bit?” Lily frowned at Zeb, fists on her hips. “I know you and Axel are friends, but I’m not cheating on him or anything. We were never exclusive.” Axel had merely watched over her and kept away any man who came on too aggressively or clearly had a booty-call agenda. “That guy, Sutter? He isn’t good for you.” Zeb scowled, his mouth twisting under that infamous dark beard of his. “Why would you say that? He seemed nice.” “He buttered you up with compliments.” Was Zeb saying she didn’t deserve them and had been dumb enough to fall for his lies? “He came all the way from Lafayette to see me.” “And he damn near peeled your clothes off, too. He knows you aren’t with Ax anymore. I don’t want him thinking that means you’re not surrounded by people who will step in if he crosses the line.” Now Zeb was being beyond overprotective. Stone would have stopped with just a word from her. “What do you think he’d do to me?” “With his kind, you never know. But I’m watching him. I’ll make sure Thorpe does, too.” Lily reared back. “This is the first time I’ve liked a guy. Romantically liked. And you’re trying to scare me away from him?” He shrugged. “You’re better off without that dude. Since he just came from the big house, I assume that means he plays in the big leagues. I don’t think you’re ready for that.” “The big house?” He couldn’t have meant what Lily thought he had. “Yeah. He’s a fucking felon fresh out of prison. Some of the guys around here might pull a prank now and then or party a little harder than they should, but no one breaks laws. I heard he beat the shit out of some guy while he was away and got put in solitary for a month. He’s bad news.” Stone was an ex-con? A criminal? Lily gaped, trying to reconcile the man she’d just kissed, the one who’d made her feel special, with a violent thug who’d spent time behind bars. Canton was the worst sort of offender. He’d just been smart enough never to be convicted. And he surrounded himself with the violent gangbangers who liked a side of rape with their murder. Was Zeb saying Stone was the same? Her entire body iced over. She stumbled, falling onto the bench. In her pocket, her phone began to vibrate. Lily pulled it free and glanced at the display. A number she didn’t recognize, area code 337. Lafayette. Most everyone who lived there and would call her she’d programmed into her contact list so their name would pop up on her display. This was just a number, and her spine tingled, telling her that Stone was already ringing. A criminal. A felon. A man who, under that smiling facade and polite demeanor, might be capable of terrible, heinous acts that would give her nightmares for another half dozen years to come. Trembling and holding in a cry, she declined his call.