Chapter 1 Stone
ONE
STONE
I expected my mind to whirl with chaos after the day I had, but honestly, I felt completely at ease as I walk through the door of my condo.
My roommate, Jace, nods at me as he comes into the kitchen where he’s pulling bottles of liquor down for the small house party we’re throwing in a matter of minutes to honor our tattoo business’s five-year anniversary.
“Hey, I invited my girlfriend’s roommate. I think you two would get along.”
“Girlfriend? You’ve known this chick for a couple months.”
“Six months, and so what?” Jace fires back, joining me.
He stacks red solo cups on the bar cart that separates the open kitchen and living room.
“Seems a little fast, don’t you think? What happened to that one girl? Clara or Clarissa-”
“Anna and we went on one date six months ago. I haven’t seen her since.” Jace’s light brown eyes flash with annoyance, glowing against his dark features. He runs a hand over his ebony braids that he keeps tied back.
“Just give her a chance.”
“I have! I’ve met your girlfriend. Plenty of times. She’s fine. Annoying, but fine.” I tell him.
“I meant her friend.”
Dropping a hip to the counter, I shake my head.
“When will you realize I’m not built for relationships.”
Jace sighs and turns to face me. “Dude, that’s just some bullshit you tell yourself to avoid growing up.”
“He gets one girlfriend and all of a sudden he’s an adult.” I scoff.
“Whatever, bro.”
A knock sounds at the door. Jace answers it, letting the first wave of guests into our condo.
While he engages them in conversation, I sneak back to my room to shower and rid myself of the stench of death.
By the time I’m finished, my living room is littered with people, and I decide it’s officially time to get fucking wasted, but a muffled fit of giggles distracts me. Lifting my gaze from the bar cart, I find a group of girls huddled on the balcony taking selfies.
I might have told Jace that I’m allergic to relationships, but a quick fuck? That has my name written all over it.
I weave my way through my living room and toward my new endeavor for the evening.
As I slide the glass door open, I flash a dangerous smile at the women.
“Want a photo?” I offer, leaning against the door frame.
The red head in the middle returns a shy grin and nods. Stepping forward, she hands over her phone and as I take it from her palm, I let my fingers glide along hers. A feral blush colors her face, painting it nearly the same color as her hair.
I let them take their time posing, ensuring to capture the silhouette of the New York City buildings behind them.
Breaking from the group, she swaggers over to collect her phone and as she does, she bats her thick lashes.
“Thanks.”
“Any time.” I peer down at her for a moment before asking, “Want a drink?”
She nods and follows me inside, leaving her giggling friends behind. With my hand on the small of her back, I guide her to the kitchen to finally make that drink.
“Gotta name?” I ask, pouring vodka into a cup.
“Maddie.”
Maddie.
How… bland?
“Stone.”
“I know. You tattooed me and a couple friends last year.”
She extends her wrist and shows me a little heart.
“Ah, yeah.”
“You remember?” She asks hopefully.
“Of course. How could I forget?”
Easily.
But I can’t imagine that answer will get me laid.
As I pretend to listen to her run through her life resume, an onyx cloud of doom catches in the corner of my eye.
The intriguing shape forms into a small woman when she’s finally in the center of my sights.
Clad in a black latex mini dress and combat boots, she looks like she would step on my balls and force me to thank her for it.
The thought makes me chuckle to myself.
“Excuse me,” I interrupt, walking away. She scoffs and saunters back over to the group of girls still watching us from the balcony.
Before the woman that stole my attention can approach the bar cart, I cut her off, stepping in front of her. “Hey.”
Eyes, both the color of soil and grass find mine, heavily rimmed in kohl. As dark as her dress is her hair with an under layer of lavender. It peeks out and splays past her shoulders landing below her breasts.
Her mouth parts to speak, but an excited squeal causes us both to cringe.
“Oh my god, hi!”
Jace's girlfriend runs up to us, tossing an arm over both our shoulders. “Stone! Ohmygod, perfect timing. This is my roommate, Vanna Taylor. Van this is Jace’s roommate, Stone Carter.”
Slowly, I remove Daphne’s arm and place it back at her side. She nearly slumps over on Vanna, giggling.
Blond hair sticks out from her braid, and her make up is smudged. She lifts the neckline of her tight, pink tank top as she double checks that her breasts aren’t still spilling out.
When I look to the right of me, I notice Jace approaching. He’s zipping the fly of his black, ripped skinny jeans, not even bothering with the four undone buttons of his grey flannel, proudly displaying the tattoos littering his chest.
They just fucked.
“Babe, babe. This is the guy I was telling you about.” Daph attempts to whisper in her friend’s ear.
Vanna cringes, “You do know that you’re not as quiet as you think you are.”
Daphne giggles again and gives her friend a whoops before turning back over to the alcohol. We watch as she makes a vodka soda and hands it to Vanna.
“Thanks.” She mutters, taking the cup.
I find myself transfixed as I catch sight of her delicate throat bobbing with the long gulp of liquor.
Hardly an hour ago, I had no desire to be set up, especially with Daphne’s friend.
It’s not that I don’t like Jace's girl, she’s fine.
It's just that she’s exactly like all the other women that I’ve met before. Nothing special.
But something tells me that this creature here before us is a different breed. There’s something off about her. Maybe it’s the void that echoes in her eyes or the armor she wears that makes her seem stiff.
Whatever it is, an urge to crack her open and fill her with life swells in my gut.
“Ten O'clock. Ten O’clock. Don't look. Van. Vanna!” The blond whisper-yells some more.
Wide, round eyes cast a bewildered look to her as if to say shut up at some point, but it only causes her to shrug.
“Daph, I don’t know what ten o’clock means. It’s already past ten.”
“Your ex is here.”
Something stirs in the cavity of my chest. An ex of hers is here at my house…
As I turn to the tanned, dark-haired man approaching us, I decide I won’t let him ruin my night. Besides, by the way Vanna’s reaction to his presence is anything but pleased, I would say I still have a chance.
When the guy reaches us, Jace shuffles over to Daphne’s side and slips an arm around her waist. The move makes room for another person to join our conversation.
“Hey.” The guy nods his head toward her.
“Hunter.” She quips.
He’s plain compared to her. Where she’s a dark forest of complexity, he’s grainy wheat bread. The two couldn’t look any more awkward together.
“Cool place.” He tells my roommate before turning back to Vanna. “Can I steal you for a moment?”
“Actually,” I cut in, “I was just about to give Vanna a tour, but I’ll return her in one piece.”
The guy attempts to ignore me; his gaze glued to his ex as he waits for her to follow him. Only she doesn’t. She pinches her lips and eyes me a moment, considering her next move.
Hesitantly, she takes a step to join my side, silently agreeing to take this tour.
I fight the triumphant smile threatening to break loose on my face and slip my hand into hers.
“Come on.” I whisper into her ear, then drag her through the crowded living room and down the hall toward the studio.
When I open the door and let her in, her shoulders drop and her gaze glimmers with awe.
“Damn.” She breathes. “This is amazing.”
“Right?” I smirk.
She plants herself in one of the clientele chairs and leans back, admiring the ceiling.
“Gothic sea creatures. I like it.”
I take the stool and roll over to her.
“Yeah?”
She nods.
With our bodies so close together now, I admire the stark differences.
The subtle tan of her skin, covered in shaded tattoos while mine is pale and alight with colorful designs.
I picture us together, like two opposite ends of the color spectrum coming together with her black hair and my platinum blond.
I imagine what it would be like to have someone so small beneath me, taking me.
I watch her as she closes her eyes. “The studio is one of my favorite places to be.”
“Well, we have that in common.” I tell her.
She looks so comfortable lying there on the chair and my thoughts drift off into the future. I can see her here a year from now, two years, ten.
It’s funny how the mind can change in an instant. Up until this very moment, I despised relationships. Variety was my savior, and routine was a form of agonizing torture. Yet, here I sit, staring at the rest of my life.
“Thanks for that, by the way. Saving me from my ex.” I nod and she continues. “I think our roommates are trying to get us together.”
“Maybe.” I chuckle. “Although, I can’t blame them. Look at us, we’re hot as fuck. We’re bound to happen.”
She snorts, opening her eyes fully now and it’s as if my heart follows, seeing her unfold for the very first time like an ephemeral flower.
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
“I don’t even know you.”
“Then, let’s change that.” I suggest.
She purses her lips, then nods. “Okay, you go first.”
Chuckling, I drop my head and look to the floor in thought. What do I want this girl to know about me? Do I ease her in, or do I lay everything out here and now?
“Let’s play Never Have I Ever.”
“What are you? Sixteen?”
“Come on, it should be fun.”
“You don’t have a drink.”
She’s right, but I can easily fix that. Standing from the stool, I head over to the mini fridge next to my desk and pull out a chilled bottle of tequila. I don’t drink while I work, but on occasion, Jace and I partake after we close.
“Done.”
She rolls her eyes, “Fine.”