Stone (Knights Corruption MC Series Book 2)
Stone
Copyright © 2016 S. Nelson
Stone/ S.Nelson.—1st edition
ISBN-13: 978-1533536747
ISBN-10: 1533536740
Editing by
Cover Design by
Interior Design and Formatting by
Christine Borgford,
Perfectly Publishable
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the publisher’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Table of Contents
This book is dedicated to the many wonderful friends I’ve met during this amazing journey. Love of books reaches worldwide, from here in the States to Europe to South Africa to Australia (you know who you are my sweets).
“You just missed him, sweetheart!” Barlow yelled from the other end of the bar while tending to his next customer. Any sane person who laid eyes on the man would have been intimidated. He was in his late thirties, built like a brick shithouse and covered in tattoos. Hell, even his bald head was inked. I knew he was a teddy bear at heart, but maybe I was the rare exception, someone who knew he was a big softie underneath all that scary brawn.
Barlow was the regular bartender at The Underground, a bar owned by the Knights Corruption MC. My uncle Trigger had been a member since before I was born. His club was his life, and even though I visited from time to time when called upon for my nursing skills, and briefly interacted with some of the members, he didn’t want me to be a part of that life, a decision I readily went along with because it was quite dangerous.
Speaking of dangerous. . . .
“Hey, Addy,” I heard a gravelly voice call from behind me. I knew exactly who it was even before I turned around, the deep rasp of his tone already sending a tremor of lust shooting right through me. My inner thigh muscles clenched tight, desperately trying to suppress the desire to have him buried inside me. I’d dreamed of that voice whispering naughty things in my ear when I was alone, my fingers caressing my skin while wishing they were his instead. But I knew the scenes which internally bombarded me could be nothing but pure fantasy, simply because I knew it wasn’t in the cards for me to become involved with such a man. He was risky, in every sense of the word. A hothead who lost his temper at the drop of a hat. I’d seen it with my own two eyes on more than one occasion. Granted, the people who’d infuriated him had rightfully deserved his anger, but still . . . his reactions were never a good thing.
Slowly turning in my seat, I came face to face with none other than Stone Crosswell, the VP of the Knights Corruption. He stood so close I could smell his cologne—a subtle hint of the outdoors . . . and pure male. My eyes traveled over him from head to toe, taking him all in and committing him to memory. I would need it later when I was lying in bed, conjuring up his image in order to find my release.
When my eyes finally met his, he smiled wide, fully aware I was checking him out. A light blush crept over my skin at being caught, but I couldn’t help it. He did it to me every time.
Dark eyes entranced me, promising me passion and a whole lot more before I finally turned away. Taking the seat next to me, he bumped my shoulder before situating himself. I knew he did it on purpose and I wasn’t complaining, but he was only making things harder for me. He’d expressed his interest a few times, but I continued to turn him down. I had to give it to him, though—he was relentless.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, tapping on the bar to indicate he wanted Barlow to serve him a drink. If anyone was frightened by the bartender’s appearance, they would be doubly hesitant to approach Stone. The man was the epitome of strength and masculinity, a high dose of testosterone emanating from every pore on his well-toned body. Standing at six-foot-two, he was a solid wall of muscle, tattoos inking the majority of his torso. Of course, I could only attest to what I’d seen, which was quite an eyeful when he’d walked down the hallway of his club in nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips, banging into me as I emerged from another member’s room. My uncle had called me in to patch the guy up after he’d gotten into a fight, a knife wound sliced his skin open so badly he’d needed twenty-five stitches.
Stone’s face was ruggedly handsome, his sharp nose and high cheekbones drawing my initial attraction. But it was his entrancing eyes which fascinated me. Eyes the color of mahogany. Eyes which held secrets only a lucky few would ever be privy to. His second most captivating feature was his full lips, which happened to be in direct contrast to the rest of him, promising a softness I wasn’t quite sure was a part of his makeup. His mouth continually drew me in, countless minutes passing while I lost myself inside numerous daydreams.
“I was hoping to catch my uncle. I needed to ask him something.” When Stone locked eyes with me again, I lost all train of thought. His dark blond hair was longer on top than it was on the sides, almost like a Mohawk, but not quite. His beard was longer than I remembered, but so help me God, he looked amazing. His leather cut made a rustling sound when he turned his body toward mine, and I couldn’t help but take notice, yet again, of his muscled, tattoo-covered arms. His white T-shirt was the perfect contrast against his tanned skin, the detail of his artwork on the best canvas imaginable.
How I longed for him to wrap his arms around me and pull me in for the best kiss of my life. Of course, my fantasies remained locked inside my horny brain. There was no way I would give in to my desires; it wouldn’t work out well for either of us. He would end up breaking my heart, and my uncle would end up breaking his neck.
It was a big no-no all around.
So why did I keep fantasizing about him? Was it because he was essentially forbidden?
“What did you need to ask him?” he questioned, licking his lips while he continued to pin me with his stare.
“What?” I whispered, all my focus on that delectable mouth of his. Full and plump, begging for me to bite it.
Good Lord, Adelaide. Get a freakin’ grip.
“What did you need to ask Trigger?” he repeated.
The mere mention of my uncle forced me out of my own delusional head. “Why so nosey, Stone?” I smiled, but it faltered when he moved closer.
“Because anything having to do with you is my business,” he confessed, a stern look dancing across his face while he silently challenged me. What an odd statement. I would have liked to say it was the first of its kind he’d spewed at me, but it wasn’t. Whenever I was in his presence, which wasn’t very often, he’d made reference to me being his business, and that I was his, so to speak. I never read into those statements, simply thinking he was playing with me, albeit it was a weird way of flirting. But his words never alarmed me. In fact, they had the opposite effect. My lady bits tingled at the thought that he wanted to possess me in some way. I knew it was ridiculous and borderline insane, but I couldn’t help how my body reacted.
“Is that right?” I indulged him.
He made a play for my hand, and before I could pull back, he threaded his fingers with mine and pulled me closer, his warm breath kissing my lips.
“That’s right.”
I was a puddle of hormones around the man, and no amount of reasoning made any difference. My heart kicked up a notch and I suddenly found the air around me stifling . . . quite difficult to breathe.
Wrenching my hand free before something happened, I stood from my stool and grabbed my purse. “I have to use the restroom,” I blurted, hurrying toward the hallway before he could stop me. Every step I took away from the man invading my good senses was a step toward freedom. Freedom from my lust which held me captive whenever he was anywhere near me. I was growing weaker and weaker around him, and I knew it was just a matter of time before he caught me off guard and pounced.
Once I was finished talking to my reflection, warning myself that it was in my best interest to walk right past him and leave, I opened the bathroom door. I was two steps out when a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a solid wall of muscle.
“I can’t wait anymore,” he growled. It was dark where we stood, but I could still see his eyes. His dark, beautiful, lust-filled, eyes. “I’m gonna kiss you now,” Stone declared before leaning in to me.
Time froze.
I couldn’t move.
I could hardly breathe.
My pulse intensified, the thrumming of anticipation pounding inside my chest, the beat thumping against my skin and making me hyperaware of the creature holding me prisoner. I parted my lips to say something—anything—but no sound poured forth. Instead, his mouth covered mine, his desire authoritative and demanding, but he never pushed me further than I wanted to go.