Dragon Song (15 page)

When they were in a darkened area of the hallway behind the main stairs where no one could see them, Stone backed her into the wall, and imprisoned her with his body. Tielle pretended his sexy hardness meant nothing. She turned her head, but Stone turned it back to face him. He lifted her chin.

“Don’t pout, Tielle.”

“Kiss my ass,” she muttered.

He lowered his head and nuzzled her ear. “That will have to wait until tonight. I need to talk to my father.”

She shivered.
“Stop being nasty.
You’ve never kissed my ass.”

“No?” He took on a thoughtful expression while his hand snaked up her dress to invade her panties. Tielle fought to keep her senses straight. She was pissed off at him. He had no right to make her want to wrap her legs around him. “Why are you so angry with me?”

“Like you don’t know?”

He nibbled her bottom lip. Tielle’s mouth opened, and then she snapped it closed, almost capturing his lip between her teeth. She wished she had. “You ignored me the entire time we were at lunch. I guess you, your cousin, and Noah were speaking English, but for real, I couldn’t understand a word. It’s like all of your accents got thicker, and you all were using words I’d never heard before.”

“Kind of like when you and Jamie get together?” he asked.

She sucked her teeth. “Oh, so this was payback?”

“No, of course not.
I apologize. Noah and I do not get along for reasons I won’t go into, but we were rivals most of our lives, and for a while we fought over Monica.” When her nostrils flared, and she tightened her lips, he withdrew from that line of conversation. “We were friends once upon a time, and every now and then, we can forget our differences and reminiscence. That’s all it was, and I sincerely apologize for leaving you out. I am at all times aware of your presence. I promise you that.”

He ran his hand down her cheek, his thumb brushing the side of her lips. Tielle couldn’t resist him for long. She closed her eyes and kissed his fingers. Stone replaced his hand with his mouth, slanting it across hers before pushing his tongue deep into her warmth. She moaned, welcoming him in. He drew her closer to his body until her feet left the floor. She clung to him, desperate to be nearer to him, to be possessed by him. But all too soon the kiss ended, and Stone set her down.

He drew back and smiled at her. “I will make it up to you. We’ll spend all evening together. I expect my father to keep me awhile. Don’t feel neglected. It won’t be on purpose.”

“Okay, I forgive you.” She grinned and ran a hand down over his chest before twisting away from him. Over her shoulder, she said, “You better know what you have and don’t do something stupid to lose it.”

Stone’s hot stare had lowered to her ass. Tielle gave it an extra shake as she walked away, and she laughed knowing he’d have to do some adjusting of his pants if he was going to see his father. If Tielle didn’t know anything else, she knew how to work Stone up and have him panting for more of her body. She loved having that power over him. Stone could command her, act like the big man on campus, whatever. When she gave him a certain look, moved a certain way, or spoke teasing words that set him off, he was putty in her hands.

The problem with that of course was the opposite was also true. Tielle loved Stone to the point that she couldn’t imagine life without him. After so long, she knew what it was like to fall in love, and it hurt to think that feeling wasn’t reciprocated. She felt vulnerable and insecure. With a jetsetter like Stone, at some point he would get bored with her. He’d want a new woman to meet his needs. What in the world would she do then? She had no doubt she could survive. She wasn’t some melodramatic woman thinking she’d die if he left her. But without him, nothing in her heart or her life would be the same—
ever
.

Chapter Nineteen

Noah raked his hands through his hair uttering curse and after curse as he stood at his window. While he was gone, he’d contacted a guy who did a few jobs for him, a man who hadn’t yet let him down. The man had one task, find a local who would not mind spying on the Hughes family, someone with that fresh face look, all honesty and integrity. Noah shivered at the disgusting thought. What pissed him off was that his man had not been able to find one candidate to bribe.

Instead, the fecking peasants had given glowing accounts of how wonderful his cousin Stone was, what a great man he was. What the hell had Stone been doing to brainwash them all? He threw his window open and spat. Grumbling and wondering how he would get what he wanted with that damn bodyguard following Tielle, Noah looked down and found his luck. The object of his desire had come strolling out of the castle and entered the courtyard. Not far behind was Jimmy, hands shoved into his pockets, head lowered.

Noah grinned. All of a sudden, he knew just how he’d get her. All women, no matter how beautiful they were, were insecure in some fashion. He’d tested it out with Tielle at the lunch table, encouraging his cousin and Monica in chatting about old times. Each time, the lovely Monica chirped up with some shared memory to Stone, Tielle seemed to grow more annoyed. Noah needed to play up on that. She needed to believe she was the last woman Stone would be allowed to marry. If he could provoke her enough, she would play right into his hands.

Not wanting to miss this chance, Noah pivoted on the ball of his foot and hurried to the door. He took the shortest path down the back stairs to the courtyard. When they were children, he, Stone, and Monica explored and hid all over the castle, him more than the other two. He knew it like the back of his hand.

When he reached the door leading to the courtyard, Noah slowed his gait and after passing through the doorway, he clasped his hands behind him. Dragging in a deep breath, he stared at the sky like he was just out to enjoy the fine weather alone. A small exclamation alerted him that Tielle had spotted him. He affected a start and looked around. “Oh, I thought I was alone.
Hello, again.”

“Hey,” she muttered, seeming less than pleased that he was there. Noah tamped down his annoyance and strolled over to her. Jimmy blocked his path. Noah held up his hands, eyebrows
raised
.

“Wow, I didn’t realize you were under lock and key. I apologize,” he said, taking a step back.

“I’m not!” She glared at her guard and gave him a shove. “Jimmy, go over there please. We’re in the courtyard for Pete’s sake, and Stone’s cousin isn’t going to do anything to me.” When he hesitated, she put her hand on her hip. “Do you need this job, because…”

Jimmy paled and backed off. “I’ll be watching from over there. You know Mr. Stone doesn’t—”

“I know you’re not about to lecture me,” she interrupted.

Jimmy scuttled away like a whipped puppy. Noah chuckled and clapped, taking on the personality he’d adopted at lunchtime. “You are so good with him. Do you do that with my cousin too? I bet you have him wrapped around your pretty little finger.”

Tielle fell into step beside him, and they began to stroll along the paths. Jimmy walked after them, just out of earshot.

“No, I don’t think it’s possible to have that man wrapped up.” She shrugged. “We do okay, though. I’m not complaining.”

He nodded, linking his hands behind him. “Mm, I guess it’s temporary for you, this relationship. I mean Stone, like every other Hughes, doesn’t keep a woman long. He knows what is expected of him.”

Her eyes narrowed. He sensed she’d taken an instant dislike of him, and hated that he couldn’t charm her. Under normal circumstances, he could bring any woman under his control. He didn’t need the dragon song to seduce, but his time was limited as far as he was concerned.
 
His patience had run out, and because of that, charming her was out of the question. The faster solution was to trick her, to prey upon her weaknesses. That he could do all day and night with minimal effort.

“I’m sorry. I offended you. I didn’t mean to.” He offered a silly smile. “I tend to put my foot in things. That’s why Stone has no patience with me. You saw he cast those dark scowls my way when I arrived.”

“I thought it might be because you tried stealing his woman once or twice,” she said with a bluntness that surprised and pleased him. He liked it. In different circumstances, he might have liked pursuing her as a lover.

“Ah, well yeah I did make a play for Monica in the past, but that is water under the bridge.”

“Their relationship?”

He suppressed a smile and pretended interest in a bird making a nest in a nearby tree.
“My interest in her.”
He shrugged. “Einin has reared her for Stone. They’ve been lovers for years, and when he’s ready, he’ll make her his wife.”

“You mean
were
lovers,” Tielle spat.

If she were lighter-skinned, Noah imagined her face would be bright read right about now. “Come on, Tielle. You’re a big girl. You know Stone. Does it seem like he’ll tie himself down to someone like you? On top of that, Einin always gets what he wants. He’ll never allow you to marry his son.”

“Who said anything about marriage?” Her voice wavered.

“A woman like you will always desire marriage, especially from the man she’s fallen hopelessly in love with.” He paused, allowing that to sink in. She’d probably thought no one noticed how lovesick she was for his cousin. If he’d noticed, it was for sure if Einin hadn’t, someone else reported it to him. Tielle was not just another lover for Stone. What Noah banked on was that she didn’t know the feeling was mutual. His cousin was lost. Every report he’d received of their activities, the pictures his man had taken of them together, even his cousin going all caveman with her when Noah dared to approach her, proved to him that Noah loved Tielle. The pain suffusing her now told him she had no clue of Stone’s feelings for her.

“You don’t know me,” she told him, defiance in her bearing. “You just met me, and yet you stand there and judge my relationship with Stone and what I want?” Spinning around, she began to walk away when he stopped her with his next words.

“Einin’s not the type of man to let you stand in the way of his goals.” Her stiff shoulders told him his words had hit home. “As I said, he gets what he wants. You standing in the way
is
a problem. I’m sure you’ve heard how ruthless he is.”

She faced him. “Please. I’m a blip on his radar. He’ll assume Stone will kick me to the curb before next month.”

“He can’t afford to take that risk.”

She frowned at him. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. This woman was no idiot. He didn’t have to spell out everything to her like he did with Monica or some of the other women he’d bedded.

“What makes Stone so special?
Because he’s Einin’s son?”

“Oh, it’s much more than that.” Noah forgot his guise enough sneer. “Stone is the prize in this family, especially after my father died.”

Her eyes widened.
“His uncle.
I remember Stone mentioning him. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Her words were insincere. At least Noah assumed so since he didn’t give a rat’s ass about his father. He’d hurried the old lizard along to his grave.

Noah strolled closer to Tielle and raised a hand to touch her. He caught Jimmy’s disapproval and drew back. Not because he was intimidated by the muscle-head, but because he wanted to play his last card that would draw the sexy Tielle into his waiting arms. He lowered his voice. While no one was nearby, he didn’t want to take chances.

“Einin would ruin you in a heartbeat before he let you stay with Stone.
Would you like to know why Stone is valued above all else in the Hughes family?”

Her small mouth opened and closed. He knew she wanted to know but was afraid of the truth. That’s how he wanted her.
Afraid.
“Money?
The family business?” she guessed.

He chuckled. “This goes way beyond money. Intriguing, isn’t it? I will let you know the details only when you’re sure you’re ready. You can come to me day or night.”

With those cryptic words, Noah spun away from her and headed inside. He could not have played things better if he tried. Half of him expected Tielle to come running behind him right away, but when she didn’t he knew she struggled with trusting him. Tielle didn’t want to know that there was some deep, dark secret Stone hadn’t shared with her. However, her insecurities would drive her to find out for sure. Because she delayed in demanding to know what he hinted at, Noah believed her fears would grow. With each minute, hour, or day, she’d become more afraid. And when she couldn’t take it anymore, she would come to him.

Noah couldn’t wait for that time. How he loved manipulating others. Just thinking about how close he was to having the power to do so on a grander scale gave him a hard-on. Whistling his joy, he headed back to his room. He would change into something more appropriate for seducing a young woman, who should know better than to trust a man like him.

* * **

No matter how she tried, Tielle couldn’t stand Stone’s cousin. The man was oily. The truth of his damn personality rolled off him in waves, and when he smiled that nasty smile meant to make someone think he was this happy go lucky idiot, she disliked him even more. She knew the type even if his family couldn’t see it. Manipulative, a liar, he’d say whatever he needed to go get what he wanted. Because he was sexy as hell, she bet he had women eating out of his hand too. Well, she wasn’t the one. Like she was going to believe whatever he told her about Stone. The man might as well have “low-life liar” written across his forehead.

But then again, he had hit a nerve talking about Einin and about him not liking her. Since she’d been there, she hadn’t seen him once, and she had the feeling that was on purpose. Einin wasn’t hiding out scared, but he thought she was beneath his meeting her. Tielle had heard from Betsy while her maid washed Tielle’s hair that Einin had ruined people’s lives who got in his way. He was that powerful. She’d confessed that the whiskey business might be what people knew and respected best about the Hughes family, but their holdings were extensive. The townspeople loved Stone, but they feared Einin. He had no conscious.

Even with those facts in her ears, Tielle wouldn’t let it run her off. What she and Stone decided about their relationship was their decision alone. But was there more? Was Stone involved something illegal? She wouldn’t believe anything Noah told her without proof, but remembering how Stone refused to go to the hospital the night of his injury, and the way he didn’t want her talking to the police, still played in her mind. What did they have to hide? Were they gun-runners or drug smugglers?

She shook her head as she entered the house. No, not Stone, right? She knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t do that, would he? The memory of his eyes, sometimes ice cold, ran through her mind. He claimed to be a lot like his father, although she had been the one to deny it. Was he heartless underneath it all?

Tielle groaned. She hated second-guessing him, pissed at Noah for causing her to doubt her lover. That’s what he intended all along. The man lived to make his cousin look bad. Some families were like that, rich or poor. Sisters, brothers, or cousins would try to outdo one another. It was an age-old struggle.

Figuring enough time had passed for Stone to be out of his father’s office, Tielle decided to go in search of him. Maybe spending some time with her lover would get her emotions back on an even keel. She laughed.
“Yeah, right.
That’s just asking for more turmoil.”

When she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, she found she had taken a wrong turn somewhere. She stopped and scanned the hall. No sounds reached her of servants working nearby.

“Great. Now I’m lost.”

A few more turns brought her out in a hallway that seemed similar to the one where the dining room was, but the décor was different. Huge portraits graced the walls, of men and women who had features similar to Stone’s family. Oddly, the last one in the line was not of a person, but of a dragon. Tielle stopped in front of it and stared up. Done in shades of jade, the painting almost radiated power. The yellow eyes of the dragon seemed to stare down at her, judging her inferior. She shivered and moved on. As she neared the end of the hall, voices reached her, and Tielle picked up her pace. Whoever it was could tell her how to get back to her room.

Outside a closed door, Tielle lifted her hand about to knock, when the shouted words beyond caught her attention.

“When will you get it through your head, Stone, she’s not for you? And to be fucking her in public is an outrage. You have the Hughes reputation to uphold. Have your whores, but as I’ve always told you, do it in private,” Einin commanded.

Tielle’s hand dropped to her side. If she had been unsure of Einin’s thoughts about her, she was crystal clear now. She should walk away, but her feet wouldn’t move until she heard Stone’s reply.

“What I have with Tielle is none of your business, Father. That’s between Tielle and I and no one else.” She grinned with satisfaction at Stone’s response.
That’s my baby
. He went on. “She’s for right now, and if you think you can intimidate me or shout at me to change my mind,
then
think about how many times that has worked for you in the past.”

All Tielle’s relief at Stone’s sticking up for her went flying out the window.
For right now?
He had her in his life—
for right now?
That meant he didn’t give a shit about her, and when he was done, he’d toss her aside. Feeling nausea come over her and tears flooding her eyes, she turned away from the door with the two men still yelling at each other. When something shattered inside the office, she froze. Flurried movements in the room made her look back.

“Damn it, Father, what did you do?” Stone bellowed.

Terror gripped Tielle’s chest. Had his father attacked him? She started back when the door was wrenched open. Stone barreled out yelling for the chauffeur. His eyes locked on her.