Chapter 23
Indie
I woke up to the feeling of Stone’s tongue between my legs.
My eyes were still closed, my body still half-asleep, but the sensation was unmistakable. A moan escaped my lips and my eyes fluttered open. Stone was between my thighs, his hands gripping my hips, his face buried in my pussy like it was his last meal.
Our eyes locked, and the look on his face made my breath catch. It was full of raw, unrestrained need. Like he could never get enough of me no matter how hard he tried. I loved that look.
“Good morning,” I whispered, my voice thick with sleep and arousal.
Stone didn’t respond. Didn’t say a word.
He just kept eating me with even more passion, his tongue moving in slow, deliberate circles around my clit before dipping inside me. His eyes never left mine.
“Oh my God,” I moaned, my head falling back against the pillow as my hips rolled against his face.
Stone groaned against me, the vibration sending shockwaves through my body. He was devouring me. Consuming me. My thighs started to tremble, and I knew I was close.
“Stone,” I gasped. “I’m gonna—”
He sucked my clit into his mouth, hard, and that was it. I came with a cry, my back arching off the bed, my thighs clamping around his head.
I felt myself gush, wetting his face and the sheets beneath me, but Stone didn’t stop. He kept licking, kept sucking, drawing out every last wave of my orgasm until I was shaking and gasping for air.
Finally, he pulled back, his lips and chin glistening with my wetness. Before I could even catch my breath, he climbed on top of me, positioning himself between my legs. And then he was inside me in one deep, hard stroke that made me cry out.
“Good morning, baby,” he said, his voice low and rough.
He started moving, his strokes deep and deliberate, hitting that spot inside me that made my toes curl. The sound of him diving inside my wet pussy filled the room, turning me on even more.
Stone pressed his forehead to mine with his eyes locked on my face as he pounded into me relentlessly.
“You wet my face up, huh?” he growled. “You gon’ come again on this dick?”
“Yes, daddy!”
He gripped my hips, pulling me closer, driving deeper inside me.
“That’s right,” he said. “Give it to me, baby. Come on this dick like a good girl.”
A few moments later, I felt it building again. That familiar pressure low in my belly.
“Stone,” I gasped. “I’m—”
“I know,” he said. “I feel you. Come with me, baby.”
And then we were both coming, our bodies trembling, my breathing ragged. Stone groaned my name, his hips stuttering as he released inside me. I clung to him, my body shaking with the force of my orgasm.
Stone kissed me deeply, passionately. And just like always, he wasn’t even breathing hard. Meanwhile, I was laying there gasping for air.
Stone chuckled against my lips, then started planting kisses all over my face and neck.
“You good?” he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
“I feel like you just fucked a good night’s sleep out of me,” I said, laughing weakly. “I’m tired now.”
He smirked. “That’s how you supposed to feel.”
I smacked him playfully on the chest. “Shut up.”
He kissed me again, then pulled out and climbed off the bed.
“We need to get on the road,” he said, walking toward the bathroom.
I groaned, rolling onto my side. “Can’t we just stay in bed all day?”
“Nah,” he said, looking back at me with a grin. “You got plans with Aurora, remember?”
I sighed. “Fine.”
***
We showered together, Stone’s hands roaming over my body the entire time. By the time we got out, I was already turned on again, but we didn’t have time for another round. We dried off and went to our separate closets to get dressed.
I pulled on a pair of black leather pants that fit like they were made for me, paired with a cream silk blouse tucked just enough in the front, the rest falling loose behind me. A Gucci belt cinched my waist, and I slipped into a pair of Zanotti ankle boots to finish it off.
I put some diamond studs in my ears, my Cartier bracelet on my wrist, and a diamond Cuban link at my neck. My hair went up into a sleek ponytail, a few curls left out to frame my face.
Satisfied, I walked out of the closet and into the bedroom, where Stone was already dressed.
I swear, that man didn’t need a suit to look like power.
Dark denim sat clean on him, paired with a fitted tee and the custom jacket I’d made thrown over it. The chain at his neck rested against his skin, his watch locked on his wrist, everything subtle but expensive.
His waves were fresh, his beard lined up clean, and there was that familiar scent on him. It was a sharp and expensive smell that lingered just long enough to pull me in.
Stone’s eyes roamed over me slowly, taking in every inch of my outfit.
“Come here,” he said, his voice low.
I walked over without thinking. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me softly.
“You ready?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
We headed downstairs, where Brady had already prepared breakfast. Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, fresh fruit, and toast.
Ish was sitting at the kitchen island, finishing up his plate.
“Morning,” he said, looking up at us.
“Morning, lil’ nigga,” Stone said, sitting down next to him.
I sat on Stone’s other side, and Brady set a plate in front of me.
“Thank you, Brady,” I said.
“Of course, Indie,” he said with a warm smile.
We ate in comfortable silence, the only sound the clinking of forks against plates. When Ish finished, he stood up and grabbed his backpack.
“Aight, I’m out,” he said. “See y’all later.”
“Have a good day at school,” I said.
“Be safe,” Stone added.
Ish nodded and headed out the front door. A few minutes later, Stone and I finished eating. He stood up and held out his hand.
“Come on,” he said.
I took his hand, and he led me outside, his other hand resting at the small of my back. The black SUV was already waiting in the driveway, Javion behind the wheel and Troy in the passenger seat.
Stone opened the back door for me, and I climbed inside. He slid in next to me, and Javion pulled out of the driveway.
***
The drive to LA was long.
Stone and I didn’t talk much. He just sat there with his hand on my thigh, his thumb rubbing slow circles against my skin. It was comforting, grounding me in the moment.
Javion was playing some song by Mozzy—everyone knew that was Stone’s favorite artist.
I leaned my head against Stone’s shoulder, my eyes drifting closed. I felt safe, protected, and most of all, loved.
Eventually, we pulled up to the crash pad. Stone kissed me deeply, his hand cupping my face.
“Have fun with Aurora,” he said.
“I will,” I said, smiling.
“I love you,” he said, his eyes locked on mine.
“I love you too,” I said.
He kissed me one more time, then climbed out of the SUV and walked over to grab one of the cars he kept there. As the SUV pulled away, I reached for my phone and called Aurora. She answered on the second ring.
“Bitch, where you at?” she said, her voice excited.
I laughed. “I’m on my way. I’ll be there in like twenty minutes.”
“Okay, good! I’m so excited. We haven’t hung out since St. John.”
“I know,” I said. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, boo. Hurry up!”
I hung up and started scrolling through Instagram, not really paying attention to anything. Just killing time. I wasn’t paying attention to where we were going. Wasn’t paying attention to our surroundings. Until Troy’s voice cut through the silence.
“Where you going, nigga?”
I looked up, confused, and that’s when I saw it.
Javion had pulled a gun. Before I could even process what was happening, he shot Troy in the head. Point blank. Blood and brain matter splattered across the dashboard and windshield, some of it even hitting my clothes.
I screamed.
A raw, primal scream that tore from my throat.
My phone slipped from my hands and clattered to the floor. I lunged for it, my hands shaking, my heart pounding. I needed to call Stone. Needed to tell him what was happening. But before I could reach it, the back door of the SUV was yanked open.
Javion grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out.
“No!” I screamed, fighting against him. “Let me go!”
But he was too strong.
I kicked and clawed and screamed, but it didn’t matter. He was dragging me toward a white van parked on the side of the back road. The back doors of the van opened, and I saw men in black ski masks with guns in their hands.
“No!” I screamed again, thrashing harder. “Please! No!”
But they were too strong and there were too many of them.
They grabbed me and threw me into the back of the van.
I tried to scramble to my feet, tried to fight, tried to do something.
Before I could even get my bearings, one of them hit me over the head.
Pain exploded through my skull, and then the world went black.