Page 38 of Stone

“Were you?” I snipe back, knowing his past is just as turbulent. When he discovered his long-lost girl was having a relationship with his foster brothers and was harboring dark secrets from her past, he had no choice but to be ready too.

“No,” he replies.

I stare back at him. “Do you regret it?”

He lifts his chin. “Never.” The determination in his eyes is full of his arrogant, confident self, and I smirk.

“Then help me,” I implore, holding his gaze.

He turns to face Cole and lifts his chin. “Make the call.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Stone

They say the truth will set you free, but will it really?

I rap my knuckles on the table nonchalantly, with my features schooled. I look the epitome of at ease, just the way I’ve been trained. While Cole and Jace study me intently with worry gleaming in their eyes, I push back on my chair enough to kick my feet up onto the table and chuckle at how quickly they both jump to their feet as if on guard.

“Chill the fuck out, you’re making me angsty,” I admonish.

“Angsty? You’ve no fucking clue who is about to walk through that door, have you?” Jace rushes out as if he’s been holding his tongue.

“No fucking clue.” I shrug. “Hence why I’m sitting here waiting for someone to tell me.”

Cole laughs. He’s the joker of the two—or three, if you count the other guy in the equation with their little family setup.

“My girl has always been intrigued by you,” he says, and I narrow my eyes on him. “She said you’re all mysterious and shit.”

I scoff.

Mysterious, my ass. I’m a mystery to myself, at least.

The outside door to the gym chimes, and the guys share a look while I settle back in my chair and place my hands behind my head, doing my best to act as cool as a cucumber when inside I’m boiling with a pent-up need to unleash hell on someone. I just need to direct it to the right person. At that point, the door opens and in walks the serious-looking guy I almost killed, and behind him, a giant of a man so tall he rivals me. Still, I remain seated and act unfazed despite knowing the chances of me getting out of here unharmed are slim, but what do I have to lose?

“You can leave us,” Mr. Personality says, and my lip twitches at my new nickname for him.

Jace’s gaze darts to mine, then back to Personality. He broadens his shoulders like a pitbull, one I could tear apart with one hand despite seeing his epic cage fighting skills. “You don’t own this place, and we’re doing you a favor. A thanks would be nice.” He lifts his shoulder and gives a cocky smirk.

The guy behind Personality stares. I can feel those blue eyes studying me, but I feign knowing and stare ahead at the wall, like the dark spots of old blood splatter are more interesting than him.

“Thanks,” Personality grits out like it killed him to admit it, and I smirk. He really is a jackass.

“No problem. Come on, Jace, let’s go get drinks.” Cole elbows Jace, then steers him toward the door.

“I’m not a fucking server.” His grumbles can be heard as the door closes behind them, and my attention is drawn to the mountain of a man who pulls out a chair, swings it around to face me, then falls into it with a wince.

I eye him up and down. He has to be in his forties, with a short buzz cut similar to my own, and those haunting blue eyes I only now realize are also like mine.

My heart stops at the thought and my boots fall to the floor with a heavy thud as I stare back at a man I know I should know, yet I don’t.

Pain slices across my forehead, and I try not to react.

He sits forward and places his hands on the table and steeples them, letting me know he’s not a threat.

“Do you know who we are?” His gruff voice fills the room, authoritative and concise. He’s used to being in control, a leader.

“No.”

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