Page 5 of Stone Cold Sinner

“Good to see you too, big brother,” Nash fired back as he ran his hands through his tousled hair. “What’s it been? Five… ten years?”

“Keeping track, huh? You miss me?” Coy chuckled.

“Not even a little bit.”

“You smell like stale booze. Seems your priorities are in the right place,” Coy accused. “Good to know some things don’t change.”

“Hence the not even a little bit,” Nash said, looking ahead at their brother, Cutler, who stood behind a black casket as he gave their mother’s eulogy and glared at his brothers, who were causing a scene.

“You two knock it off,” Devyn, the youngest Stone sister, scolded. “You’re embarrassing all of us, and Mama would be ashamed of you.”

“He’s late to his own mother’s funeral because he’s been drinking,” Coy defended. “That’s embarrassing.”

“What can I say? I’m grieving.”

“Yeah, grieving the bottle you polished off,” Coy teased.

“Well, I’m here now.”

Coy patted his brother’s shoulder. “Bravo, little brother.”

“I’d never show up late on purpose. My phone died, and so did my watch. I didn’t have a charger, and I lost track of time. You, on the other hand, big brother, just never show up.”

“Wow. Someone’s a big boy now, taking on the other big boys. Maybe you have grown a bit,” Coy continued.

“Yeah, grown enough to whoop your ass as soon as we’re done here. Maybe you should’ve drank a little, too, Coy. You need to loosen up.”

“I prefer responsible and sober, kid. But you do what feels right. I’m sure Mama knows you loved her in your own special, albeit late, way.”

“You son of a bitch,” Nash whispered. “You’re lucky that?—”

Their sister, Dillon, leaned across Devyn to address both of them and whispered, “You’re both lucky that we’re in the middle of a funeral. Our Mama’s funeral, I might add, or I’d whoop both y’all just to shut you up. Show some damn respect.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nash knew full well that his sister didn’t mince words or make promises she didn’t intend to keep and promptly shut up.

“I swear, just because you two were raised on a farm doesn’t mean you two need to act like animals,” Devyn, the youngest Stone sibling, said, gritting her teeth.

“Ditto that,” Dillon added.

“Excuse me? Dill, you showed up with… with… an entourage. Are you kidding me?” Devyn went on, lambasting her sister, too. “And you better make good on that promise and deal with both these boys when we’re done here.”

“Entourage? They’re the Secret Service. I can’t go anywhere without them. My husband is the President of the United States, and since he’s here, there’s more of them here than usual. I can’t exactly shake them. Ransom loved Mama and wouldn’t miss paying his respects for the world, Secret Service detail or not. And I promise to deal with these two properly once we get home. It’s been a while since I had a round with these two brothers.”

Dillon Stone, middle child of the five, feisty as can be, and married to none other than the President of the United States, Ransom Wyatt, is not your typical First Lady. A BK Security operative, Dillon's life took an unexpected turn when she was assigned undercover to protect Ransom, unbeknownst to him at the time. Their initial meeting sparked a connection that defied all rules, breaking the cardinal rule of bodyguard operatives: never fall for your client. Yet, their bond was undeniable – fiery, fast, and rooted in their opposite natures. Ransom, a war hero accustomed to handling himself in any situation, found himself drawn to Dillon's strength and resilience. When threats emerged against him, Dillon was placed on the case, her cover as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill providing the perfect guise to gain access and ensure his safety.

“Mama just passed, and you want to fight?” Nash asked, perplexed.

“We all grieve in our own ways, baby brother. You like booze. I like to fight.” She grinned and offered a wink. “You both have it comin’.”

“Both?” Coy questioned. “What did I do?”

“You started it,” Nash whispered.

“You showed up drunk to Mama’s funeral,” Coy fired back.

“I’m not drunk, asshole.” Nash straightened as he saw their older brother, Cutler, headed straight for them after opening the floor to guests who’d like to speak about the late Delilah Stone. “Maybe a little hung over, but definitely not drunk.”

“Here comes Cut. You’re in for it now.” Coy grinned.

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