Page 106 of Heart of Stone

“I don’t have any issues with our topics of discussion. Do you?”

“Not at all, but you know all sorts of stuff about me. I think it’s only fair that you give me a little something in return.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked, albeit cautiously.

“Well, I told you about where I grew up. What about you?”

“I already told you that I lived in New York my whole life,” he told me, evading specifics and shifting his gaze back to his plate.

“Details please, Alex. It’s like pulling teeth with you sometimes,” I muttered.

He silently chewed his food, eyes weary. I could almost see the struggle inside of him. Seeming to come to a decision, he put down his fork and leaned back in his chair.

“You know that I have a sister named Justine. Our childhood was spent in a run down house in the Bronx. Definitely not a good neighborhood for kids, that’s for sure. But we survived. We lived there until I was fifteen, and then we moved in with my grandparents.”

My fork froze midway to my mouth, shocked that he had willingly divulged so much in just a few sentences, although he had barely said a thing. For me, it was like he had opened up Pandora’s box, causing a million and one thoughts to twist around in my mind. I had trouble deciding which question to ask next.

“Why did you move in with your grandparents?”

“Now that, my sweet angel, is the million dollar question. One that I’m not going to answer. My parents are off limits, remember?”

“Okay,” I acceded. I didn’t want to risk pushing him too far. I wanted him to keep talking. “Are your grandparents a safe topic?”

His face noticeably softened then, revealing a small smile.

“I can tell you about them. They were good people. My grandmother was a very kind woman. Not a nasty bone in her body. My grandfather was a stubborn Englishman, but he had a tender heart, and he loved my grandmother fiercely. I’ve never witnessed such devotion between any other couple.”

“That’s so sweet,” I awed, smiling at his brief synopsis. My bitter heart softened a bit. It was nice to know that it was possible, at least for some people, to live a life surrounded by the coveted white picket fence. But then again, his grandparents were from a different generation, from a time when commitment actually meant something. It was a shame knowing that the world had changed so much.

“When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother was never quite the same after. She died in her sleep a few months after his passing. My sister says that she died of a broken heart.”

“How long ago did they die?”

“A little over ten years ago. I was in college. I wouldn’t have what I have now if it wasn’t for them.”

“Were they well off?” I asked, assuming he was referring to his wealth at such a young age.

“Not so much, but my grandfather was a smart investor. That, combined with a substantial life insurance policy, my sister and I inherited a decent chunk of change. My sisters ex-husband gambled hers away,” he told me, his face momentarily turning into a scowl. “As for me, I bought my first apartment building when I was twenty-one. After six months, it paid for itself, and I found that I had a knack for scoping out profitable real estate. I bought a second building later that year. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“You’re either extremely fortunate, or brilliant,” I remarked after he finished his tale. I was awestruck by how easily he was able to obtain his fortune.

“I’d like to think both,” he surmised with clever eyes, his mouth tilting up in a sexy lopsided grin. “Real estate is like a game of chess. You need to be able to read your opponent and know how to achieve checkmate. I’m good at winning, Krystina. And I always get what I want.”

“Apparently, you do,” I agreed, choosing to ignore his double meaning. I didn’t want to acknowledge how quickly I surrendered in this complex game of strategy.

“You’ve finished your dinner.”

“I have,” I agreed, eyeing him curiously.

“At the risk of sounding cliché, I’m ready for dessert. You can use the bathroom off of my bedroom to freshen up before I jump on you, as you so aptly put it earlier. But, when you’re finished, I expect you to come out of the bathroom naked.”

My stomach constricted nervously. I should have seen this coming. His body language had changed a few moments before, and his statement about winning had been a subtle clue as to where his mind was headed. So caught up in the story about his grandparents, I had forgotten about how he expected me to sport my birthday suit at the dinner table.

A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes, before evolving into something deeper. Darker. I knew in an instant that Alexander would not hold back tonight.

He was going to test my limits.

“Okay…” I said, my voice coming out shaky. “Do you want me to come back out here? To the dining room?”

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