Stone Cold Charade (A Stone Family Novel) (40 page)

“My job. The security end of the company is
responsible for the band’s safety so I came to see how everyone was getting
along. Since I was here, I thought I’d see how you were holding up,” he said
truthfully, he’d just left out the part that his real job was taking care of
Alex for the rest of her life.

“That’s a long way to come to check on
something you probably can do over the phone,” she pointed out.

She wanted to believe he was here for her. When
she first left the ranch she had secretly hoped he would come after her. As
each day passed and he hadn’t, it dawned on her that he didn’t care enough. It
had broken a piece of her heart off every day that passed.

“Alex, I’m trying here. You need time to get
over the nausea. Do you really want to go into it now?” He looked at her
pleadingly.

“Whatever it is, just tell me now. Do you have
the papers from the attorney for me to sign, is that it?” she prodded, unaware
that she was holding her breath. She felt her heart stutter at the possibility
of that being the reason he had finally sought her out.

“No, I don’t have papers.” Realizing how
distressed she was becoming, he saw her grip on the glass lessen as he spoke.
He reached out and moved the hair from her eyes, watching as she closed them at
his touch. If she had pulled away, he knew it would be an uphill battle. Maybe
it wasn’t such a bad idea to talk now. With her under the weather, she at least
couldn’t bolt. The way she was feeling could work to his advantage.

“Why didn’t you just tell me the truth from the
beginning about who you were?” watching her closely and seeing her eyes flare
at the question.

She dodged his eyes by starting to pick at the
crumbs on her t-shirt. She always started to fidget when she was nervous, her
actions made him smile.

“Because I didn’t see the point, you saw me as
some misfit. At first, it was just because I don’t tell people as a rule. And,
I was on vacation. I like who I am as Alex, and Fire is just a persona, a
masquerade. The press is always hounding me as Fire, as Alex I have some peace.”
She lifted her shoulders in a lopsided shrug.

He reached down and raised her chin to look in
her eyes. “After we were married you should have told me, baby. I knew you were
keeping something from me, but I thought it was that you were in love with
Steven.” He watched her eyes flare with amusement.

“I never lied to you. Ty, you’re the one who
thought the ‘mystery man’ in my life was Steven, I just never corrected you.”
Alex looked smugly back at him.

Ty shook his head at the look. He should be
yelling his head off at her as she sat there like a nymph smiling at him. He
smiled back at the little she devil.

“Why did you leave the ranch? Was it the
reporters, or was I getting too close? I saw the videos, got quite a collection
now actually. Seems they help me to sleep at night, at least if I couldn’t have
you beside me I could hear you and see you. They were pretty enlightening
though,” he returned smugly, it was his turn to have the upper hand.

It was dawning on her that he knew she was
still in love with him, and it was causing her heart to pound. Was that why he
was here, because he felt sorry for her? She couldn’t stand it if all he felt
for her was pity.

“I wrote a lot of the songs before I left home,
some after with Steven and the band, the story line just happened. It wasn’t
something I planned with each song, it just seemed to click and the guys in the
band loved it so who was I to object?” her tone was flippant, as if there was
no significance in any of her lyrics.

He could see she didn’t want to admit how she
felt, she was still scared that he was going to hurt her; it always came down
to the past. They needed to deal with it if they were ever going to make their
marriage work.

“Alex do you remember the summer you turned
seventeen and your grandfather had a talk with me about us arguing?” he
questioned, not letting her look away from his penetrating gaze.

“Yes, it was the summer you starting dating
Amanda. I remember.” Her eyes flooded with pain and jealousy.

Ty could see she was unhappy talking about that
time when they had feuded, but it was time they finally dealt with it.

“Alex your grandfather threatened me with
marriage, but what you don’t know is that I was waiting for you to grow up. I
used Amanda to throw you off the scent. She was just a smoke screen, I never
slept with her. How could I when I was in love with a leggy red head?” He
watched as her eyes filled with tears. He reached for her, pulled her tight
against him, and kissed the top of her head. He stretched out on the bed,
pulling her with him, holding her close.

“The summer you graduated from high school, I
went to your grandfather and I asked him for his permission to date you, well,
to marry you.” Ty heard her suck in a quick breath. “Your grandfather told me
he would disown you if you married me. I didn’t have anything to give you
honey, I knew I would have to let you go. I couldn’t ask you to give up your
family and their security for me,” he explained, stroking her back, holding her
close to his heart.

Seeing things from a different angle, she
finally understood that he had cared for her more than anyone ever had or ever
would. He had given up his own happiness to make sure she was safe. She pulled
out of his arms to gaze at him in wonder. It was like seeing him for the first
time. That’s why he had married her. It’s what he’d wanted all along. Her
innocence had made it so he couldn’t just sleep with her, his conscience and
principles would never have allowed him to just walk away. Alex started to
remember what he and her grandfather had said at the wedding, something about
Max changing his mind and disowning her. Ty was too proud to take money from
Max unless he earned it.

He reached out and grabbed a strand of her
hair; it almost looked like a flame lying against his palm, and felt like silk.
He could feel his body beginning to respond to being so close to her after
their time apart. He planned to keep her in bed, all to himself, for at least
the next week.

“Ty, why did you take my grandfathers offer? I
know you. It wasn’t the money was it? You were after something else?”

He released her hair and shifted so he could
see her face, he looked at her for one long moment before pulling her up his
body until she was stretched out over him.

Threading his hands in her hair he brought her
face to just a breath away from his, locking his eyes with hers he breathed,
“You!” Dropping a kiss on her nose, still holding her close, he continued, “I
made a deal with Max that I would do the security, but my way. No interference
from him. I had a few things to get up to date and to go over with Frank at the
main office before I could come after you. The security network for Maximillion
Enterprise was a headache waiting all the way around and Frank and your
grandfather knew it. It’s why Max was so adamant about me taking the job. Plus,
once I had it up I could track you if you ran again, or if something else
needed my attention. Now that it’s all in order, if anything comes up while I’m
with you I can take care of it from here,” he whispered as he brought her mouth
toward his.

Alex leaned into him, opening up to him as he
gently deepened the kiss, and it was heaven being in his arms. She was finally
home. She felt all of the pain start to melt around her heart. He had wanted to
come after her; he just couldn’t because he had made a deal with Max. He pulled
back and started to stroke her back while folding his other arm behind his
head.

“The deal with taking over the security was so
you could still have your privacy as Alex, I never wanted you to give up your
job. We just had to find the right compromise,” he said watching her face. When
he saw she hadn’t figured it out yet he enlightened her. If I’m in charge of
the security end of the company, then when I’m around Fire no one will know
why. The Media will just think it has to do with her protection. I’ll be looked
at as just one more member of Fire’s security detail, while Alex Stone is known
as my wife, that way I get to be in both worlds. And when we need a break, we
just disappear as Ty and Alex. That way we're both not swamped all the time by
the media. And the fans get their happy ending, because I’m sure Fire will let
her fans know that the ‘mystery man’ is back and isn’t going anywhere. They may
never know who he actually is, but they’ll get their happy ending.” He rolled
her onto her back and rose up to look down into her radiant face.

Alex started to stroke his cheek and he
couldn’t resist turning his head to kiss her palm.

“I didn’t want to leave. It almost broke my
spirit to leave you.” Her eyes once again filled with tears. “But I knew I
wasn’t the same girl you knew. I grew up and conquered my fears. I thought you
wanted her, who I used to be, not me. Fire is such a part of me now, I can’t
change that and I wouldn’t want to.” She looked so passionate as she explained,
he couldn’t resist nibbling her fingertips, quietly trying to show her that he
understood and loved her passion. “I really believed you wanted me to give up
my career and everything else I know to be with you. I couldn’t stop thinking
of when you pushed me away before, and how I was able to lose myself in my
music, ease my misery. What if I had given it up to be with you this time and
you decided you didn’t want me anymore? I would have nothing. Developing my
music, getting lost in it, was the only thing that saved me after I left home
the last time. What I didn’t realize this time was that without you, the music
is still there but it doesn’t bring me any joy or happiness. You’re part of me,
the other half of me. Without you in my life it makes my music meaningless. I
love you Ty. I have since I was sixteen and I will until the day God takes me
from this world!” She laid her palm over his cheek, crying quietly and feeling
so fiercely full of love and conviction she couldn’t keep the tears from rolling
down her cheeks.

Ty felt as if he would choke on the
overwhelming emotions her words built deep in his chest, threatening to erupt.
She had so obviously spoken from her heart he couldn’t find any words to
express himself. So, he reached for her, pulling her under his mouth showing
her without words how much her trust in him meant. He knew everything would
work out. They had their love to get them through.

Remembering Alex wasn’t feeling well, he
reluctantly broke the kiss, pulling gently away. As he leaned back he saw her
look up at him with questions brimming in her eyes.

“You’re not feeling well remember? Why don’t we
just lay here and rest while I hold you?” he coaxed as he relaxed against the
pillows, still clutching her in his embrace. She started to laugh as she threw
back her head and rolled on the bed.

“Ty, I haven’t felt well since they day I left
the ranch. Now that your here and I’m coming back to myself again you want me
to sleep? Darling, I think it’s you who needs sleep! If you want to take a nap,
I’ll go down stairs and keep working on the album. When you want me just let me
know.” She started to roll off the bed.

Ty grabbed her before she could raise herself
even a foot from the bed. He drew her over him, placing her thighs on either
side of his waist. Leaning back and placing his hands behind his head, he
smiled as she glanced down at him.

“I want you. I need you, but… I think you need
to be put over my knee,” he said gruffly. She gasped, straightening over him as
she looked down at him.

“What for this time! I didn’t shoot out any
tires, I haven’t ridden a horse… what possible thing have I done now?” she
snapped angrily.

He loved it when her eyes shot sparks! She
glowed and practically vibrated with her inner fire.

“You ever think about leaving me again,
especially when I don’t know where you’re going, and I will put you over my
knee!” He delivered his deadly threat.

“Okay you have my word. No more running away,
but if this is going to be the torment every time I mess up, can I have a list
of punishable offenses? That way I’ll know ahead of time what not to do, and
what I can do?” she said mischievously.

“One, no more love scenes with Steven! Two, no
late night romps with eligible bachelors. Three, no riding Stardust for awhile.
Four…”

“Alright, alright, I get the point! Just write
it all down!” Bending down she kissed him. He felt the surge of desire they
always ignited in each other rising. He reluctantly pulled back. He wanted to
give her a little more time to make sure her stomach wasn’t upset anymore.

“Why the name Fire?” he inquired huskily.

“Oh, I think you know, if you’re upset I’m
sorry, but at the time it just popped right out of my mouth.” Alex watched his
face as he tried to figure it out. “Play with the big boys and you’ll get burned…”
she supplied in a gruff impersonation of his voice while quoting his own words
back to him.

Ty looked at her, stunned that he was
responsible for her name. He started to laugh. It had been right there all the
time, it figured with her sense of humor. Of course she would throw his words
back at him by naming herself Fire.

“Fire can burn body and soul, care to burn me?”
he said huskily, a devilish gleam in his eyes.