Stone (Knights Corruption MC Series Book 2) (28 page)

Being financially sound was something I’d always been grateful for, now more than ever. The fact I could provide for all of us for the rest of our lives was more than comforting. The majority of my money had initially been from illegal activities, but what I’d done with that money was certainly legal.

Investments.

Lots of them.

The majority of the club’s members had followed suit, investing in up-and-coming businesses as well as dabbling in the stock market from time to time, securing their futures as best they could.

“Where are you going?” I asked, watching her walk past me toward the front door. Quickly chewing the remainder of my ham and cheese sandwich, and washing it down with a quick gulp of water, I rose from the couch and approached her before she turned the handle.

“You know where I’m going,” she sulked. I remained silent, knitting my brows as an indication I was lost. With a huff, she threw her purse over her shoulder and gave me a sassy glare. “I’m going to the hospital to give them my two weeks’ notice.”

Two weeks? Oh, hell no.
I’d told her today was the day she quit. For good.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, drawing closer while wiping the remnants of food from my mouth. “Two weeks? No, that’s not what we agreed on. You’re supposed to tell them you quit. End of. Meaning you’re no longer going to work there. Like starting immediately.”

“First of all,” she started.

Great . . . here we go.
I swore if I didn’t love her as much as I did, I’d be beyond annoyed with her mouth. Truth be told, she kept me on my toes, constantly pushing back, my stubbornness and temper just a few traits she battled against. But she wasn’t innocent either. Her attitude mixed with her mouth were enough to drive any man crazy, and while I was pushed to the brink most times, she turned me on when she acted like that.

It meant she was feistier in bed.

And I had no complaints there.

None whatsoever.

I cut her off before she riled herself up. “Listen, you’re not gonna win here. I’ll drive you in, you’ll tell them you’re quitting, and then we’ll come back here and enjoy each other.” I smiled, a devious twinkle in my eyes as I challenged her. The look on her face was priceless. She was flabbergasted, feigning as if she wasn’t interested in what I’d proposed, and for some reason she felt like she had to fight me on it, just like she did with everything else. The woman wasn’t the easiest to get along with, but she was mine and I cherished her more than she would ever know.

Pulling her close, her big belly bouncing against my stomach, I leaned down and captured her lips before she could argue. Again. Teasing her mouth, I begged for her to open up and let me taste her warmth. It was only a few seconds before she complied, her lips parting and meeting my tongue with her own. Passion danced around us, swirling our need for each other so intricately I never wanted to part from her.

My hand snaked around the back of her neck, holding her firmly in place while I promised her everything with the sweep of my tongue and the press of my lips.

“How about you just call in and tell them?” I panted, breaking away briefly to make my plea. “Then we don’t have to leave at all, and we can continue this in the bedroom.”

She backed away, keeping her hands on my chest while she looked into my eyes. Before she spoke, I took the opportunity to admire her newly acquired body. I loved Addy’s figure before the pregnancy, but it was nothing compared to the way she looked while carrying my son. Her hips had filled out, her womanly curves calling for my touch every time I saw her. Normally, her chest was on the smaller side, something I never minded; in fact, I loved that she fit into the palms of my large hands. But I had to admit I was just as turned on at the sight of her plump tits, sitting high and full, begging for my lips to wrap around her pink nipples.

She’d complained she could no longer fit into her jeans. When I suggested she purchase actual maternity clothing, she’d dismissed me with a roll of her eyes, holding on to the idea that she could still wear what she wanted, which was why she’d switched to loose-fitted dresses. I didn’t care. Whatever she wanted to wear was fine with me, as long as she was comfortable and it made her happy. Plus, the clothing she wore only meant easier access for me. No buttons and zippers to contend with, just a simple lift of the material and I was well on my way to fucking my woman.

“You know you look amazing right now, don’t you? It should piss me off that your tits are on full display and you were gonna show them to every man at that damn hospital, but I can’t help but want to tear that dress off you and take them into my mouth until you’re begging for me to ruin you.” I’d completely switched it up, ignoring the fact she was arguing with me a few seconds before, now trying to entice her to let me have my way with her.

“Oh, stop it,” she said, playfully slapping my chest before trying to take a step back. When I kept my hold tight, she challenged me, her eyebrow arching impatiently and waiting for my release. Finally, I gave it. She parted her lips to speak but quickly closed them, throwing her hand over her mouth at the same time her beautiful blue eyes widened.

She was gonna be sick.

She was too far from the bathroom so I hauled over the empty garbage can, her gratitude speaking volumes while I held her loose blonde curls behind her head. Expelling the small breakfast she’d had earlier, her complexion paled after she’d finished. It was right then that she stopped fighting me about quitting, about feeling the need to travel to the hospital simply to tell them the news.

Helping her lie on the couch, I placed her favorite throw over her after removing her sandals. “I’ll be right back,” I promised, moving away only after she nodded. Quickly cleaning out the can, I brought it to rest beside her in case she felt the need to be sick again. I also brought her a small glass of ginger ale. Because of the chemo treatments, she hated taking any additional medication for nausea, so the soft drink was her only slight reprieve. I made sure to stock up on it as soon as she told me it helped.

“Here,” I said, handing her the phone. “When you feel better, make the call and tell them.” It wasn’t a suggestion and she knew it, too tired and sick to even try and argue. She knew I was right, even though she would never admit it.

The rest of the day passed easily enough. She’d only been sick one other time, quickly recovering enough to hold down a small dinner of chicken and carrots. She loved pizza and pasta, but her body rejected the overly starchy meals more often than not. Actually, I was surprised she was able to gain weight with the amount of times she threw up, but she and the baby received a healthy diagnosis along the way, so I forced myself to not worry as much.

Most days, it worked.

Adelaide

The next few days passed better than the previous ones. I’d been able to hold down my meals, as well as eating a little extra to make up for what my body lacked. At least it was the way I justified it, gobbling down bowls of ice cream and indulging in some weird cravings—Oreos and pickles, to be exact. I guessed it was the combo of sweet and salty.

I’d followed Stone’s advice—rather, his
demands
—and quit my job. For the time being. I would beat this rotting disease inside me, give birth to a beautiful baby boy, and then decide how I wanted to proceed. Helping people had been my calling and I didn’t want to give it up altogether, but I did agree that I had to focus on both my health and my child for the next few months or so.

Not being able to financially contribute to the household drove me nuts, even though Stone refused my money while I was still bringing in a paycheck. I had a small amount in savings, but I didn’t like that my cushion wasn’t growing each month. Instead, I had to rely on Stone to provide for everything—food, utilities, baby items, even my clothes. He promised he had more than enough to take care of us for the rest of our lives, but I didn’t want to take advantage.

He rebuked my arguments each time the conversation came up, until one day he laid it all on the line for me, confessing he had millions saved, the interest on that money more than enough for us to live on.

Admittedly, I felt a little better after hearing a figure, but I still couldn’t stand being hindered in some way.

As far as my cancer went, I hadn’t told anyone but Stone. Worrying my father and uncle was the last thing I wanted to do, and I chose to wait until after the treatments were finished to decide what to do next. Hopefully, the therapy would work and there would be nothing to tell, but until I received the results, I was keeping my mouth shut.

“How ya feeling today?” Stone asked, tracing my arm with his fingertips. We were still lazing about in bed, the early morning sun dancing through the window, trying to entice us to rise and enjoy the gift of the day.

“Why? You have something in mind?” On my last word, I backed my ass into his groin, eliciting a soft groan from his throat.

“Keep doin’ that and I’ll be inside you before your next heartbeat.” Gingerly continuing to stroke my arm, his warm breath cascaded over my neck, shivers shooting through me with deliciousness.

“What if I want you inside me?” I prompted. “I’ve missed you . . . so much,” I moaned, rocking against him again. It’d been days since we last had sex. Between me not feeling well and the time he had to spend at the club, we hadn’t had much quality time together, and when we did, I was exhausted. Stone had been very patient, but I knew it was driving him insane that he couldn’t touch me the way he wanted to.

Hell, it was driving
me
insane.

“Don’t tease me, woman. I don’t think I can handle it.” Seizing my hip, he pushed his thickness against me, rubbing himself in sweet anticipation. Craning my neck, I locked eyes with him, and with a simple look I gave him the go-ahead. Licking his lips, he grabbed my jaw and turned me toward him so he could capture my mouth.

Teasing and promising.

Torturing and relieving.

“Stone,” I moaned, my sudden need for him almost too much, weighing down on me so heavy the only relief would be when he filled me and destroyed the ache cresting inside me.

“It’s Stone? Not Lincoln?” he teased, nipping my bottom lip before kissing me again.

“We’ll see what happens in a few minutes.” I smiled, but it disappeared as soon as his fingers found my nipples. My breasts had become super sensitive since becoming pregnant. A couple months before, he’d been able to make me come just from playing with them, sucking and kneading the pliant flesh until I rocked into bliss. It was a first, but it certainly wasn’t the last. Once he realized how responsive I’d been, he teased me unmercifully whenever we were alone, no matter what we were doing. Watching a movie, cleaning up after dinner, simply passing by each other after a shower—any time he could get his hands on them, he was game.

I knew he’d loved my body before I’d become swollen with his child, but his appreciation for my new curves certainly made me feel like the sexiest woman alive.

“You like that?” he asked, gently twisting the erect buds between his fingers.

“You know I do,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out before my body bucked under his touch. Gripping his strong thigh, I dug my nails into his skin, unable to hold back the orgasm slowly cresting to life. “I can’t . . . Oh, my . . . Yessss.”