Page 109 of Sterling Stone

[Stone]

As my sister drags me toward the bar, I glance over my shoulder at Taxi who gives me a wary look.

“Let’s grab a drink,” Vale mutters, pulling my attention back to her.

“I already had one,” I tell her, because I drink responsibly and I planned to sweat out the alcohol by dancing with my date.

An angry vibe that rarely exists inside me is tickling over my skin. First Emory and her nonsense. Now this.

“What is going on with you?” Vale asks once we reach the bar, pulled away from our respective dates.

I sigh and glance back toward Taxi and Cortland, who remain on the dance floor another second, facing one another.

“Nothing,” I lie, uncertain why I’m so worked up, but not taking my gaze off Taxi and Cort.

“Stone,” she groans.

“Vale.” I force my gaze away from my girl and stare at my sister. I’ve missed Vale, but I have not missed these moments when she tries to mother me, even though I’m twelve years older than her.

“How’s Hudson?” I ask, leaning one arm on the bar and glancing back toward that dance floor where Taxi’s fists are clenched at her side. Her gaze narrowed on Cortland.

“Don’t deflect,” Vale demands. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her hands go to her hips.

“What was with the sharp tone toward Cort?”

“Vale,” I groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. Cortland is the last person I want to discuss right now.

“You know he’s concerned about you,” she continues.

I tip back my head. I do not want to hear these things. Not now. Not tonight. I drop my head and glance back at Taxi. My heart hammers harder for some reason.

Does Cortland want her? It shouldn’t be the first thing I think. He’s engaged. To. My. Sister. But he stole a woman from me once and I’ll be damned if he tries to steal Taxi.

While the thought further rattles me, I quickly shake it away, especially when Taxi turns in my direction, meets my eyes, and strolls toward me. Like she’s tethered on a string, pulled in my direction. Roped and lassoed. It’s how my heart feels when she looks at me like she is right now.

Like she’s here for me. She’s mine.

While I still have mixed feelings about Cortland Haven, I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, which means believing he wouldn’t cheat on my sister, wouldn’t desire another man’s girl. I can’t be held accountable for my actions if he did it again.

And I’m confident in Taxi, and the way she’s moving toward me.

I’m her choice.

“You know when you aren’t your stoic self, giving off brooding alpha vibes, and interfering in all our lives⁠—”

Whipping my attention back to Vale, I interject, “I don’t interfere.”

I let Judd fight until the others wanted to stage an intervention.

I let Knox run away when I wanted him to stay and seek counseling.

I watched Ford fulfill his dreams, and Sebastian fail before he picked himself up.

And I don’t brood, or give off alpha, or even act stoic.

“This . . .” Vale points at my face. “Looks good on you.”

Slowly, my forehead loosens and my shoulders lower. I lean more heavily into the bar beneath my arm, like it’s holding me upright.