Stone In Love

Chapter 13

Vincent's phone rang at three twenty-five a.m., give or take, and he stood from the couch to answer it, leaving me sleeping. At least, he thought I was sleeping as he padded to the bathroom and closed the door. Of course, that wasn't going to do a damned thing. I barely had to strain to hear him.

"They won't attempt a break-in, Colin. I don't care if Manny was the king of Egypt, I don't need fucking backup. Yes, I told her about the domus, but she doesn't know everything. I can't just drop it all on her at once, not in her condition. No, I haven't asked about him. As soon as I can approach the subject without raising her suspicion, I'll let everyone know where to look. We'll probably find him in Baltimore. That's where she lived before she moved here. The sooner we take the bastard out, the sooner she'll feel like herself again. Christ, you need to get over it and think about what's best for Reese. If she was attracted to you, you'd know it. And I haven't had sex with her. Give me some goddamned credit."

In her condition? Take the bastard out?  

What kind of crazy shit had I gotten myself into? When the bathroom door opened, I pretended to be asleep, but my heart was traveling faster than a roadrunner on steroids. If Vincent returned to his previous position, he would know I was awake. Either that or think I was having a heart attack in my sleep. Thankfully, he detoured to the fridge and helped himself to a bottled water. I heard the plastic lid snap loose before he swallowed a large quantity, which made me thirsty, but I continued to play dead as he walked over and took his seat, lifting my feet onto his lap.

"Are you thirsty, Reese?" 

Damn. He knew.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, trying to keep the guilty grin off my face. "Actually, I am."

He handed me the bottle and I sat up to accept it, bringing the cold beverage to my lips. Knowing his mouth had just been on it had me aroused. Or, it might have been the way he was watching me. His eyes lit up the dark living room like a cellphone screen, and I stared at them as I handed the bottle back. I rubbed my face with my palms, feeling strangely alert despite the meager two hours of sleep I'd had.

"I assume you heard my conversation with Colin," he said.

"Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I don't always eavesdrop on purpose."

"Feel free to ask questions. I want you to know everything. Just bear in mind, there's a lot to know, so it's going to take a while."

How much did I want to know? I'd heard ignorance was bliss. If I asked if he was with the mob, would he answer me honestly? And if I knew the truth, would I be locked-in for life? "Who is this bastard you need to take out? Is it the guy who's stalking me?"

Vincent's body went rigid, and he closed his eyes for a moment. Clearly, I'd chosen a topic he wasn't ready to discuss. Granted, my brain had already decided he was talking about Heath, but I wanted to know why and how Vincent and his family were involved.

"You don't have to answer that now, Vincent. I'm not sure I want to know anyway." I snuggled against him, burying my face in his cotton shirt and listening to his heart thrum beneath his muscles. He was a masterpiece of human craftsmanship, and despite my worries about his motives, I was glad he was on my side.

"No, I do have to answer it. We need to get everything out in the open, but the conversation may end up with us taking a shower again."

"That's fine with me. I was going to suggest we ditch our clothes first."

He shook his head as he released a nasally breath. "You wreck me, Reese."

"And you don't think it's been difficult for me? Every time you kiss me, I nearly..."