Lie to Me (31 page)

Even though her honesty delighted him, anger simmered in his gut. He didn’t rehash the argument of his innocence, that he never betrayed her. She’d believed he had. That was all that mattered. Had the lies of another encouraged her flight? Would their lives be different had he insisted on walking out of the auction at Kella’s side instead of following protocol and allowing her to be brought to him?

He kissed her neck, while giving a silent vow he would teach her to trust him by starting with the fucker who turned her against him. “Who told you something different?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

Stalling had him deducing the person’s identity was someone close to him. “Kella, I can’t earn your trust if you won’t give me the rope to hang myself.”

“Reaper told me to earn your trust by fucking you.”

“He’s a wise man.”
I’ll pay the bastard back for that piece of counsel.
The fucker. As far as advice went, it was sage. Stone wouldn’t hesitate to employ the same tactic if he thought it’d advance his position—with someone other than Kella, because he played for keeps with her. He would pursue justice against the asshole because he suggested the ploy so she could escape once more. Guess he’d have to convince Reaper of his good intentions too. That Stone was the only man for Kella. They were one heart, one soul, and he would die so that she breathed. Stone would rise to the challenge they presented. He was aware she’d changed the subject, so he prodded. “Tell me who turned you against me and what lies they told you.”

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E
xposing his father as the one who’d tipped her over the edge to flee warred with her sense of guilt. She didn’t want to be the one who came between him and his parent.
If
he believed her. Regent Jones sure as hell wouldn’t take her word over another of higher status. Stone very well might not. It
was
his parent. Even if he did believe her, he might choose to do nothing about it. In the end, she decided she had nothing to lose. And if nothing else, she’d know the caliber of her husband.

She was too comfy nestled in his embrace. Felt safe. What she was about to say shouldn’t be uttered in a safe environment, so she sat up and rested her hands, palms down, on her thighs. Touching him while confessing Peter’s betrayal felt wrong, and she wanted to distance herself, shift off his lap, but his clasp on her hips anchored her in place.

She struggled to hold his gaze, but she owed him an unflinching stare as she made the claims against his father. After taking a deep breath, she said, “Your dad.”

Stone reacted as if she physically struck him. His face fell, only for him to catch himself and blank his features. They lost eye contact as he looked over her shoulder. He nodded, a slow movement as he digested the bomb she detonated.

“Tell me exactly what Dad said.” The hard edge to his tone left her even more uncomfortable in her position on his lap. She wiggled to exit his seat, but his grip tightened. “I want you here.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I don’t want any secrets between us.” He slithered an arm around her waist, holding her snug against him. “Tell me everything.”

“I could be lying.”

“You’re not.”

He sounded so sure, and she hated the idea of being predictable. “You can’t know for sure.”

“You have tells, sunshine.”

She did
not.
Reaper would’ve told her. “No, I don’t. What are they?”

“I’m not revealing my one advantage.” His grip left her hip and curled around her nape. With his eyes open, he tugged her against him, his mouth claiming hers in a kiss that curled her toes and left her core tingling...and he never stopped watching her. That he watched her was hot as hell. “Tell me what happened.”

“You think those kisses get you everything.” She would’ve never predicted kissing could be this fun or arousing. Praying the wetness between her legs wasn’t noticeable against his pants, she dove back in for another kiss.

“Not even close.” Stone’s hold on her neck firmed as he Eskimo kissed her, his blue eyes holding hers. “
You
are my everything, Kella. My sunshine, the center of my universe. I don’t have everything until you admit you’re mine.”

Emotions overwhelmed her, and she jerked into a seated position and looked away, blinking away the sudden onset of tears. She’d never make it eight months before she lost her heart. She’d be lucky if she lasted a month.

“I won’t ask what brought on those tears because I’m afraid you’ll lie and piss me off.” He cupped her chin and turned her head to face him. “I’ve not contacted my parents yet about finding you. Tell me what happened so I can decide how to proceed.”

Kella swallowed hard, and his thumb trailed the bob down her neck. “Your dad had the sigil put on me.” Stone’s fingers traced the tattoo, but remained silent. “He said I was a slut and the tattoo would keep me honest, remind others who I belonged to.” A hard glint entered Stone’s eyes, but again he said nothing. “He said you planned to have a few babies with me and if we timed it just right, I could pop out a couple before my eighteenth birthday. Then you’d be free to find a woman more suited to your station to marry. He said you were delighted to discover I was a Xeno. You could screw me without losing respect among your peers because the privileged didn’t slum with the dregs.”

“Kella—
fuck
.” He leaned his head back against the chair and ran his palm down his face. “I never thought that way about you. Never.”

She nodded. She’d believed that until Peter destroyed her world with the claim.

“You have to believe me. I was planning your birthday party, baking your rainbow cake with the help of your mom when I got the news. I was horrified and wanted to go to you, but I was shut out of the X-gene compound on Peter’s orders. Your mom tried to hide her devastation, but I saw it. I didn’t want you to experience anything that the Xeno’s endured. James and I went into action the moment we found out.”

That perplexed her. “Why’d James care?”

“Why wouldn’t he care? You were his friend too.”

“Satan’s got a funny way of showing his friendship, Stone.”

God, she found him sexy as sin when that slight curve hit his lips. “He gives you hell because he likes you. And because I claimed you as mine, he took responsibility for you too. I wasn’t his only charge. He felt he’d let me down when we thought you died. Anyway, I tried to talk Dad into exempting you from the auction, but he flat out refused. Claimed his hands were tied, but I knew he just didn’t care to alter the system. I’ve always thought he preferred the system the way it was. Easy money, you know? So I went to Mom, told her I wanted to buy you so I could keep you safe. She knew you meant too much to me to let some stranger get their hands on you. Ask her, Kella, she’ll tell you I planned to offer you the deal. If you can trust anyone, you know it’s her since she’s responsible for your escape.”

Kella nodded again because she couldn’t think of anything to say. Was she a fool for withholding her trust? He’d been straightforward and honest with her as kids. But then his dad made his claims, and she doubted everything they’d had. All eight years of their friendship. Had she lost out on the last eight years due to a lie?

“It’s okay, sunshine. I can outlast your distrust.”

“It’s not okay. I want to believe you, want to put my faith in you, but everyone I know in authority is so...
wicked
.” She shook her head and berated herself for doubting him. Stone had forgiven her defection. Only a good man did that. Had he been anything like Regent Jones or his father, he’d have made her suffer physically, not shown understanding. She cupped his cheeks between her hands. “How’d you turn into a good man, Stone, when you’re surrounded by corruption?”

“I’m pretty sure if you hadn’t shown up in my life, I’d be just like them.”

“That’s not true.”

“Don’t you know you’re the only person that ever questioned my choices? Demanded more from me, made me culpable for my actions? Mom didn’t even do that. You made me see things through a different set of eyes. Sunshine, the day you entered my life, I was determined to show you who was boss because
I
was superior to a dreg. I believed it. And you were unimpressed by my status. It didn’t take me long to realize you are special, required my protection, and
you
are my better.” She shook her head, but he sat up straight and wrapped his arms around her, cuddling her against him. “I shut down the clinics in my Quad. I’ve given equality to the dregs, provided housing, technology, and education. It’s mandatory for all children to attend school. Every change I made after your death was done in your honor. I wanted our dreams to mean something, to make you proud of me even in death.
You
made me a better person, no one else was responsible for that.”

Kella swiped moisture from her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He caught her hands and kissed the tears from her cheeks. “You did what you felt you had to do. I regret the years we lost, that I somehow failed you—”

“You didn’t.”

“—and I can’t even
think
of the horrors you probably endured, how you struggled alone and unprotected. I want to focus on our future.”

Throat thick with emotion, she pushed through the ache. “I can’t promise a happy ending, but I can give you me for eight months. Just me uninhibited and yours.”

“
Kella
.” His mouth took hers again, his tongue fucking her. Not only had she just made the biggest decision of her future, she felt like the embrace sealed their deal. “I won’t let you regret this choice.”

She chuckled between his kisses. “Stone,” she came up for air, tilting her head back so she could speak and mentally groaned as he took advantage of her new position to kiss along her neck. “You can’t control what I regret.”

“I can if I don’t give you a reason to regret anything.” He flashed her a playful grin and then groaned. “Unfortunately, I can’t keep hogging you. Your gift is eager to see you.”

“You’re not making sense.”

“I will in a minute.” He set her on her feet, laced their fingers together, and led her to the adjoining door. The one Reaper had departed through earlier.

Tugging her to his side, he pressed a kiss to her temple as he opened the door. On the other side another woman stood dressed in a skirt and sedate blouse. Her black hair was secured out of her face.

“Kella?” The older woman said, her voice trembling.

Kella shot a stunned glance at Stone.

He smiled. “Surprise.”

The subsequent bear hug she found herself wrapped up in caused the waterworks to return.

“Momma,” she said as her mother’s familiar scent struck her. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Kella didn’t know how long they stood hugging one another and crying happy tears together, she just knew they were alone when they finally broke apart. They talked into the wee hours of the morning. She laughed inside when her mom scolded her for running away from her problems instead of facing them head on, and for putting Stone through the misery of her death. Through her mom’s recounting she realized how much Stone had mourned her. She fell asleep with that realization going through her head.

She didn’t know what time it was when Stone woke her by sliding into bed beside her, spooning with her, and drawing the covers over them.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice groggy.

“My pleasure.” He kissed the back of her neck, his hot breath against her skin causing desire to curl in her belly. “Go back to sleep. You’ll need your rest. We have a video-call with my parents in the morning after breakfast.”

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K
ella woke to a soft knock on the door. Mid-stretch she realized she was alone in the bed with Retro at her feet. The snick of the door opening, the muted tones of Stone greeting the server, and plates rattling on metal had her opening her eyes.

Stone’s hair was damp. He was shirtless, and a pair of well-worn jeans hung low on his hips. Barefoot, he joined the bellhop at the table and nodded at the fare delivered. When the worker departed, Kella sat up, realizing she remained fully clothed in the leather pants she’d been wearing last night. Same shirt and bra too.

“Morning.”

He looked up. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

She glanced at the clock. Eight-thirty. She was normally up before the crows. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“There’s no rush. Did you enjoy your night with Judy?”

“Very much.” Kella rolled off the bed and joined him at the table. He poured a mug of coffee and handed it to her. “Thank you. She wants me to show her my dig, office, my house, and anything else so she can get a sense of my life these past years.”

“How much of your life did you tell her?” Eying her over the rim of his drink, he sipped.

“Not a lot.” Kella ran her fingertip along the handle of her mug. “I didn’t want to see the look in her eyes when she realized what I’ve become.”

“You’ve nothing to be ashamed of, Kella.”

“Yeah.” Hard to believe that when she felt shame. “Thought I’d take her to the dig today, maybe the house if we have time.”

“Take Reaper with you. Jones is still a threat.”

“She sure is a fan of yours.” She sipped the brew after stirring in sugar and cream. “Did you pay her to sing your praises?”

He chuckled, and she shivered at the sexy sound. “Wish I’d thought of that.”

“Thank you for being there for her...since, you know, I wasn’t.” Kella hadn’t given much thought to how hurt her mother would be. Not until last night. She’d been a selfish little girl, seeing her own misery and thinking of no one but herself.

“Of course. She was there for me too,” he said as he heaped food on his plate. “Get that look out of your eyes.”

Startled by the abrupt change in his tone, from mild to stern, she gaped at him. “What look?”

“Guilt. She forgives you. I forgive you. We’re both just thankful you’re alive.”

Kella slid him a sideways glance. He was either too good to be true or he’d pull the rug from beneath her feet soon. Time would tell.