Page 87 of Stone
Unable to resist her, I took her hand from my shoulder, pressing kisses across her knuckles. “What?”
“That I know Matis’ name and not just from the news.”
As soon as she offered the statement, I lifted my head and opened my eyes. Kekoa’s suggestion came to mind. “Any idea from where?”
“No, and that’s just it. It’s bugged me since realizing he was the kidnapper.” She moved around so I could see her, even sitting on the edge of the desk.
She’d prepared and brought in drinks. The woman never ceased to amaze me. “Kekoa suggested that I was going about my discovery process the wrong way.”
“Okay, then what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking this has nothing to do with his politics, but something in his past.”
She shrank back and cocked her head. “Okay. But why? And how?”
“Are you ready to play investigator?”
Her grin brought complete arousal to my system. “You bet I am. Nancy Drew at your service.”
“Don’t go off halfcocked. You’re not getting a weapon.”
At least we could laugh when all I wanted to do was to burn down the world to keep her protected.
CHAPTER 24
Stone
“I asked you this before about why my father disliked yours so much. Do you know the details about them growing up together?” she asked after we’d been searching the internet for a few minutes.
“Bradford certainly didn’t elaborate and neither did my father, but it stems from the fact my dad was in prison.”
“I remember you telling me about that twenty years ago. Manslaughter?”
“Yeah. Something happened in a bar. That’s all either one of my parents said. He only spent eighteen months, but it was enough to destroy his reputation. The only reason he returned to his hometown was because his and my mother’s family remained there. But you know by growing up there how small towns can be.”
“No one really said anything when we were kids.”
I shrugged and sat back, concerned I hadn’t heard anything from Kekoa. “Maybe because so much time had passed. Dad wasn’t proud of what happened but was determined to move on and care for his family.”
She squeezed my shoulder. “He did an amazing job.”
“Yeah, he did. He struggled, but everything he did was all about Mom and me. Why are you asking?”
“I was just thinking about what Dad said when he told me to stay away from you. He said you were a bad seed. One time I threw it in his face that Carter Bellows had more integrity than he did. You can imagine how well that went over.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, your dad thought I’d end up in prison just like Pops. God, I hated your father for the way he treated my dad.”
“I don’t blame you, Stone. I hated him and still do for the way he treated you and your entire family.”
“Is that the sole reason you’ve removed him from your life?”
When she didn’t say anything, I lifted my head to where she remained standing over me. “Not the sole reason. He hurt me personally as well, trying to tell me what to do in my life. He held my trust fund and college tuition over my head. I, um, didn’t tell you, but I never went to London.”
“What? Your dad?”
“One of many reasons. I was able to go to VCU, but art classes were few and far between. I appeased him with taking criminal justice courses as well. I suffered through his control while attending college, but the moment I had my degree, I left town and eventually made my way to Paris. It was crazy, I know, but I couldn’t take it any longer.”
There was something about her pinched face that bothered me. “Something else happened. Didn’t it?”
