Chapter 13 #2
“I worked my way up to the top,” he said.
“Did a lot of shit I ain’t proud of. A lot.
Made more money than I could count. Over the years, the game changed me.
Turned me cold. Distant. Because I had to be that way to survive.
You can’t show no weakness in this life.
You can’t let too many people in. ‘Cause the second you do, they’ll use it against you. ”
He paused, his eyes locked on mine.
“I ain’t never taken a woman seriously,” he said. “Never claimed anyone. Never let anyone get close. You the first woman I ever claimed as mine.”
I was stunned. Completely speechless. Stone—Maximus—had just opened up to me in a way I never thought he would. He’d shown me a piece of himself, a vulnerability I didn’t think he was capable of.
And I wasn’t even sure how to respond.
“I’m sorry,” I said finally, my voice quiet. “About your parents.”
Stone nodded, acknowledging my words but not saying anything else. Then he looked at me, his gaze intense.
“Tell me about you,” he said.
I went quiet. Processing. Trying to figure out where to even start. Then I took a breath and let it out.
“My mom was an alcoholic,” I said. “My whole life. She was never really... there, you know? I had to take care of myself. And Ish. From the time I was a kid, I was the one making sure we had food, making sure we got to school, making sure we were okay.”
Stone listened, his expression unreadable.
“When she died five years ago,” I continued, “I became Ish’s legal guardian.
I was twenty years old, and suddenly I was responsible for a kid.
I had to work my ass off to support us. Bartending, dancing when I had to, doing whatever it took to keep us afloat.
I busted my ass to get us into that condo.
To give us something stable. Something safe. ”
I paused, my throat tight.
“I always wanted to be a fashion designer,” I said. “That was my dream. I used to make my own clothes, customize shit, just...create. But I never had time to focus on it. I was too busy taking care of Ish. Too busy surviving.”
When I finished, Stone was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke.
“You ain’t gotta worry about money ever again,” he said. “I’ma take care of you. And Ishmael. Y’all are good forever.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. Didn’t know how to process it. So, I didn’t say anything. I just leaned forward and kissed him.
The kiss started slowly, but it quickly deepened, became more intense, more desperate. Stone’s hands slid down my body, gripping my hips, pulling me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him, losing myself in the feel of his lips on mine.
He pulled back just long enough to strip off his clothes, then mine. And then he was on top of me, his body covering mine, his weight pressing me into the mattress.
But this time, he didn’t flip me over or put me in some crazy position. He just stayed there, looking down at me. His eyes locked on mine. Then he slid inside me, slow and deep, and I gasped.
He wrapped my legs around his waist and started moving, his strokes steady and deliberate, his forehead pressed against mine.
“This pussy feel so good, baby,” he murmured, his voice rough. “This the only pussy I need.”
I moaned, my nails digging into his back.
“You mine,” he said, staring into my eyes. “And you ain’t going nowhere.”
“I ain’t going nowhere,” I whispered, my voice breathless.
“Say it again,” he demanded, his strokes getting deeper.
“I ain’t—ooh, fuuuckkkk—I ain’t going nowhere!”
“That’s right,” he said, his lips brushing against mine. “You belong to me.”
It didn’t feel like he was just trying to claim me. It felt like he was connecting with me. Like this wasn’t just about possession or ownership. It was about something more. Something I couldn’t name.
And that shit scared me.
We moved together, our bodies in sync, our breathing ragged. And when I came, it wasn’t just physical. It was emotional and raw. It was overwhelming.
Stone came right after me, his forehead still pressed against mine, his lips capturing mine in a deep, passionate kiss as we both climaxed together.
When it was over, he didn’t pull away. He just stayed there, holding me, his body still covering mine. And I realized something.
This felt different. He was different. Or maybe I was. I didn’t know.
All I knew was that something had shifted between us, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
By the time we got cleaned up and dressed, dinner was ready. We went downstairs and found Ish already sitting at the dining table, scrolling through his phone.
He looked up when we walked in, his eyes flicking between me and Stone.
“Y’all good?” he asked, his tone cautious.
“Yeah,” I said, sitting down across from him. “We’re good.”
Stone sat at the head of the table, and Brady brought out the food. Steak, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, all of it perfectly prepared.
We ate in relative silence, the three of us just existing together. It felt almost settled. Like something I wasn’t used to but didn’t want to question. That thought made my stomach twist because I didn’t know what we were. Didn’t know what this was.
But sitting here, eating dinner with Stone and Ish, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Safe.
Later that night, after Ish had gone to his room and Stone had disappeared into his office to handle some business, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow, I’d get to see Aurora.
Finally.
After weeks of being trapped, of not knowing if she was okay, of wondering if she thought I was dead, I’d finally get to see my best friend, and I couldn’t wait.
I didn’t know what I was going to tell her or how to explain everything that had happened. But I knew I needed to see her. Needed to hear her voice, see her face, feel that connection to the life I used to have. The life before Stone.
I closed my eyes, a small smile tugging at my lips. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.