Page 1 of Jaxon

CHAPTER 1

JAXON

"That's it, darlin', let that bikini top drop right down." I held my breath. "Jackpot and those were worth the wait, baby." The seagull floating next to my WaveRunner stared at me suspiciously. "Not talking to you, buddy." I motioned with my head toward the sleek, luxury yacht anchored offshore. "Talkin' about that doll." I'd cut short my race when I noticed the most incredible sight, a hot, bikini-clad woman standing on the sunning deck of the boat. I'd circled around once to let her know she had an admirer, and she seemed to approve.

The woman's shiny black hair floated around her as she stretched out, belly down, on her towel but then propped herself up high enough for me to get a nice glimpse of her tits. And they were fucking incredible. She lifted her sunglasses and favored me with a slight smile before dropping her head back down. A guy was up on the top deck behind the helm holding a drink and staring down at the sunning deck. He looked like an asshole.

Stella leaned down over the handlebars of her WaveRunner trying to avoid the cold spray of salty water as she raced over the choppy surface. We'd started the ride on calm seas, but an onshore wind had kicked the water into angry ripples. My sister bounced wildly on the seat as she turned the throttle to pick up speed. She reached me and eased off the gas. The front end of the jet ski dropped down and the back lifted as the machine came to an abrupt stop. A small wave from her wake rolled up over my leg.

"It's crazy out here. You should be wearing that life jacket you have stored so uselessly under the seat." She pulled her goggles down so they hung around her neck. "These racing goggles work great. I knew they were a brilliant idea. Oh, and that reminds me—I win and you lose, but what else is new." Stella smiled smugly at me and turned her motor off. Her jet ski was parallel with mine. Stella, or LaLa, as we called her, had her long brunette hair hanging down her back in a thick braid. According to our mom, Stella and I had been competitive since the womb. Mom said we used to have full out brawls before we even popped out. I managed to squeeze past Stella first, and I always liked to hold that over her.

"It's a hollow victory because I dropped out of the race." My focus was still on the sunbathing beauty.

"I would have won anyway." Stella looked out toward the boat. "Shit, that's a nice one. I'll bet it's fucking fast."

"Huh?" I asked. "Oh yeah, guess there is a boat underneath her."

Stella kicked water at me. "You one-track minded fuckface."

"I'm a Stone. It's part of our genetic makeup." My gaze stayed locked on the woman.

"I'm a Stone, too, but apparently, I'm just more evolved."

"Tie up that bikini top. You've got gawkers!" the man yelled down to the woman. She lifted a hand and flipped him off.

My spine stiffened as he slammed his drink down and marched down the steps to the bathing deck. The woman heard the angry steps and sat up hastily to tie her bikini top.

"Well done, Jax. Now he's pissed, and it's your fault." Stella kicked more water at me. "Let's go, gawker."

I stayed put. "That asshole better not lay a hand on her," I muttered between clenched teeth.

Stella laughed. "What are you going to do? Ram his big boat with your jet ski?"

I loved my sister, and I'd protect her with my life, but sometimes she was an annoying little shit.

My hand hovered over the start button. I wasn't sure what I'd do, but ramming the side of his nice, shiny boat seemed like a good place to start.

"Seriously, Jax," Stella's voice pierced the fog of anger surrounding me. "Shut down that fucking temper. You're at the disadvantage here."

"Stones are never at a disadvantage," I muttered. The asshole reached the woman. She was on her feet now. She crossed her arms around herself defensively as he leaned his face right into hers and said something—something that made her bristle. He spun on his heels, flipped me the bird and stomped back up to the helm.

"There, happy ending or whatever. Let's go. I'm starved, and this choppy tide is killing my tailbone." Stella turned her motor on. The smell of gasoline mingled with the briny sea air. She was right. The fun was over. The woman disappeared below deck.

I turned on my motor and took one more glance toward the boat. One thing I knew for sure, that fucker didn't deserve to be anywhere near that angel. Stella turned her jet ski around to head back home. As I turned mine around, the sun glinted off something shiny. I turned back and looked at the yacht. The woman was holding a gold watch over the side of the boat.

The asshole jumped to his feet. "Don't you fucking dare!"

His words caught Stella's attention. She spun around. "Holy shit, is that his watch?"

The woman dangled the watch from her fingertips and then let it drop into the ocean. The man stormed down from the helm. The woman shrieked in fear, climbed up on the railing and dove into the water.

"What the fuck?" Stella said under her breath.

The woman popped up and started swimming toward me. I turned my jet ski and headed in her direction. The man stood at the railing with fist in the air. "Fucking get back here, Bridget!"

Stella's machine still rumbled behind me. "Take off, LaLa. I'll be right behind you," I blurted over my shoulder.

"But Jaxon?—"

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