Heart Of Stone (15 page)

***

While Matthew slept Donnella eased herself from the bed. It had been too long since they had been together and it was like the first time all over again. Her walk was going to be permanently changed, if she wasn’t more careful, she mused, waddling to the washroom.  When she returned she found Pepper in the bed, beside Matthew. She looked at the clock. It was just after five. She might as well be awake, but Matthew looked like he needed the sleep. Taking her cue from the dog she closed the door and headed down the stairs to the main part of the apartment. It looked even more trashed in the rising daylight. “How could he put up with the mess?”

Looking through the cupboards she found a box of black trash bags and started in the kitchen, determined to find his Coffee Maker and Espresso machines.

***

TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER
…

Donnella shimmied up into the stool at the kitchen island counter, and sipped her Cappuccino, pleased with herself for having cleaned the whole downstairs, and making the foaming milky concoction without blowing anything up. All she did was look it up on YouTube on her cell phone. It was relatively easy from there. She made a pot of regular coffee for Matthew, and was now slowly simmering some bacon she found in the fridge in a ceramic pan. Hoping the smell would wake him up as when she had tried half an hour prior, Pepper had actually snarled at her.

“Do I smell something that isn’t water burning?” Matthew’s voice came from above.

“You do. Now come down before its bacon burning. I’m not sure quite when to turn it, YouTuber’s disagree too much for a final analysis!” She smiled as he came down with Pepper who now came over wagging her nub, with a big happy grin. “Oh sure now you like me. You know she snarled at me while you were sleeping?” Donnella told him, rubbing Peppers face watching as he popped several pills into his mouth with a chug of Orange juice.

“Oh yeah? That’s strange, she loves you.”

“Apparently not while you’re knocked out she doesn’t. What was that you took?” She asked in an uneasy tone afraid she already knew the answer.

“A couple Oxy’s for my hand.” He wiggled his fingers at her, coming over and kissing her before checking out the bacon in the pan.

“Do you really still need them?”

“Not every day, but when I’m working vigorously and after last night.” He roguishly rounded on her with a grin. Taking her in his arms, for a deeper kiss.

She pushed him off gently. “We’re gonna burn the food.” She forced a laugh, masking her concern. “You did promise at one point to show me how to cook, in place of some rather racy pictures if I remember right.” She nudged him in the hip playfully.

“Okay, you’re right I did.” He came up behind her, taking the spatula and put it in her hand. “Fortunately in this pan bacon never sticks. But typically you gotta give it a little
tug
, so it releases from the pan. He nudged her from behind on the word tug. “Then if too much fat fills up you can pour it off and save it for cooking later.”

He retrieved a glass measuring cup from a cabinet and using the spatula to hold the bacon in place poured the excess fat into it. “See, easy. When the bacon gets brown and crispy on the edges you turn it over. Wait a few more minutes and then I usually flip it again, I like mine well done, but not black.”

She flipped the bacon, with a little shriek as it popped and sizzled.

“Careful. It can burn, pretty bad.”

She pulled back her hand as a splatter hit her fingers. “Owe, owe... Fuck.” She shook out her hand.

Matthew put the bacon off the flame and turned off the stove. He took her over to the sink, and ran the cold water over the burn.

“Better?” He smiled, gently. Taking her hand out from the water and inspecting it. There wouldn’t be a blister. She’d be fine. She nodded as she leaned into him and he held her hand. “You ready to try eggs? They don’t spit if you scramble them.”

“I think we should forgo the scrambling of eggs and do something about this…” She ran her hand up his thigh to his lengthened and hardened cock. “Apparently he likes to see a woman in the kitchen.” She laughed reaching into his boxer briefs as a sudden knock came to the door followed by Pepper’s aggressive snarls and barks.

Matthew put himself back together and closed his robe, going to the door. As he opened it, he found himself faced with two men in dark suits. “What?”

“We’ve come to retrieve Miss Stone. She has an appointment with her doctors, she cannot miss.” One of the men answered. Behind them was Cordell, who seemed to have a frown on his usually stoic face. The two men pushed by Matthew in to the apartment. Finding Donnella picking at the bacon on the stove with her fingers.

“What are you doing?” She asked alarmed as they reached for her.

“We were given strict orders to make sure you got to your appointment this morning on time, Miss Stone.”

“Fine, but you needn’t barge in like this. I know where I need to be and when. I’ll go get dressed,
Anthony
. You can unhand me now.” She pulled from his vicelike grip on her forearm.

Matthew went to follow her and Anthony tried to get between them. “Unless you want your balls in a vice I suggest you get out of our way.” He warned, Pepper growling at his side. Anthony side stepped. “You two can ge the
fuck
out of my house, now. She will be a long when she’s ready.” Matthew went up the stairs leaving Pepper at the foot of them.

***

“I’m really sorry.” Donnella sniffled as she slipped out of one of his band t-shirts and into a bra from her drawer. “I wasn’t supposed to leave the penthouse, but I couldn’t go another night without seeing you.”

“If I’d have had access, I’d have come to you a long time ago.” He watched her, as she turned to him, pulling on a thigh high panty, his eyes traced the pink scar from her surgery at her bikini line. The stitches were long gone, but the discoloration was still very fresh. He had felt it during their encounter the night before but couldn’t really see it in the lighting. Now he wanted to lay her down and kiss her there. Tell her it was alright. Let her know she’d earned that stripe.

“Can I come with you to the doctor?” He asked as she straightened up, heading for the closet.

“I don’t think-” Her voice muffled as she pulled a top over her head. “That’s such a good idea.” She came out in a red long sleeved cowl necked sweater dress that came down to her mid-thigh. Which she topped off with a skinny shiny black belt with a silver buckle. She sat on the bed as he stared at her. “I mean with all the rumors and accusations about us flying around…”

“That’s sort of my point, really. If we’re not seeing other people, and you’re not shopping around for anyone, what’s the harm in just being like yeah, we’re dating? It would get them off our backs. Hiding is what gets them going. Give them truth and the rumors fade out. Right now they think I’m some sex slave here in the Tower, that either knocked you up or out.”

She let out a light chuckle. “I kind of liked the one about you being my slave...”

“As you wish…” He mouthed walking over to her as she smiled. “I’m coming with you. You’re going to show your face for the camera, and when they ask the nature of our relationship I’m going to kiss you. At that point we are getting in the car and going to the Doctor. Does that work for you?”

“No, but something tells me I’m going to be doing it anyway.” She sighed. “You do know this is an OBGYN appointment.”

“I don’t care if you were getting your teeth cleaned. I’m coming.”

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

***

When they arrived in the Lobby the media circus was waiting. The security detail did its best, but Matthew pushed himself in front of Donnella, his arm wrapped around her securely. The car had been sitting idle and the cameras were blocking the entrance. Then Cordell and the other two guards muscled their way over, parting the sea of flashes and murmuring leeches. The tirade commenced immediately; “How long have you two been an item?” “Is it true you dated Claude Gentry?” “What was the altercation at the Governors Ball about?”

Matthew did as promised. He turned to the crowd, and taking Donnella’s face in his hands he tenderly kissed her for the cameras. “If you want more, too bad. Yes we’re dating, like normal people. No strings, no hand cuffs. Just boring dinners and nights in front of the fire. Now if you’ll excuse us we have an appointment that doesn’t involve all of you.” He helped her into the car followed by the security detail. One in the back and two up front. As Anthony slipped into the back with them Matthew noticed something that raised all his warning flags.

He kissed Donnella’s neck, whispering into her ear. “Why are these guys packing guns all of a sudden?”

She squeezed his arm tenderly and kissed his mouth. “Later, okay?” She looked into his eyes with earnest pleas.

15

“Are you sure you want to come in with me? You don’t have to. You’re still being a good, boyfriend just for being here.” Donnella grinned.
Boyfriend
. Did
that
word actually come from
her
mouth? She hadn’t had an actual
boyfriend
since Tommy Vargas when she was twelve and he had dumped her after she wouldn’t blow him in the closet at a party. Twenty minutes later he was getting a hand job from Molly Peters in the pool and Donnella was calling her mom to come get her. That was the first boy she had totally liked. The second had been Donavan Kelly. He’d popped her cherry on her twentieth birthday. They’d been dating for over a year and in that time he’d been sweet, charming and understanding that while she was more than willing to do everything else actual sex scared her. So he made sure she was a master at the things she did do. He had broken her heart as well as he had broken her in, ultimately handing her over to his friends who would take her on drunk and stoned, two, three at a time. She liked the attention, she liked the drugs, and the booze. She liked the hard rough sex. At least for a while. Eventually she grew tired of the scene, the whips and straps were boring to her. She was sick of being on the bottom. When she told him she wanted some control, he agreed to show her how, instead he set her up for a gangbang, which left her pregnant and broken at a frat party with no choice but to call her father, it was also the night her mother died. Now here she was taking that chance again. Throwing out the rules that had been protecting her for the last ten years. She begged God that she wasn’t making the same mistake again.

“I know that, and yes I’m coming in.” He kissed her hand tenderly as they called her name and she stood up.

***

“Okay, Miss Stone, you can take off your clothes and put on the gown. The Doctor will be in in a few moments.”

Donnella nodded, beginning to undress. “This is the hard part.” She smiled, as Matthew took her clothes from her and she put on the paper gown.

“Doesn’t leave much to the imagination does it?” He said standing off to the side, and behind her. “I don’t think I could do this job.”

“I think you’d get used to it.” She chuckled.

“I don’t mean it like
that
. I mean women come in here after surgeries like yours waiting to find out if they are okay… Sometimes they’re not. I don’t think I could bare to tell them that. I suck at things like giving bad news…”

“Saying good-bye.” She whispered.

“Exactly.”

She sat on the cold table her feet swinging as the doctor came in.

“Hello, Donnella.”

“Doc, Tonka.” She smiled as a nervous shield.

“So we got you’re bloodwork back and you’re hormone levels appear to be regulating well.  Which is a great sign. So we just need to do the physical. Okay?” She looked at Matthew with a raised brow. “Is this the young man I’ve been reading so much about? The one you mentioned in our phone conversations as well?”

She nodded, with a swallow. “I um, yes.”

“Have we been abstaining as was directed?” She stared an accusing hole through him now.

“Actually, um last night, we might have…” Donnella dropped her head. “But we were careful, used a condom, mostly finger play. Heavy mouth.” She insisted.

Doctor Tonka, sighed heavily. “If you wind up with another infection… Let’s just hope that everything has healed up by now. It’s been oh, nine weeks since you’re celiotomy so you should be fine.”

Donnella laid back and put her feet in the stirrups, sliding down the length of the table.

***

“So that was a little bit awful.” Matthew half laughed as the doctor left the exam room. “They just leave you here legs in the air, to clean
yourself
up.” He took the paper towels from her, and ran them under some cool water, then came back over to her. “Hold still.” He wiped at her gently, noticing that she hadn’t waxed in a while. “I have a silly request to make.”

“You’re wiping lube off my messy vagina, which I’m sorry about by the way. But wanna ask me for a favor?” Donnella laughed, holding her tummy down. Looking down at him with twisted eyes. “What’s your request?”

“It’s actually about the mess down here… Would you stop with the full Brazilian?”

“Thought guys liked it.”

“I prefer the stripe or the upper triangle to be honest. And with you being a natural red head.” He helped her into her panties. “I just think a little hair is natural, more grown up and super sexy.

“Well, I suppose. I mean I’ve got an appointment for a wax later. If you want to come for that too. You can show her what you want it to look like.” She smiled sitting up with his gentle pull.

“That could be
interesting
.” He smirked, holding her dress out for her.

“You really are going to stick to me aren’t you?” She questioned stifled by the dress.

“I promised myself I would take care of you. If you would let me.”

“Just until I go back to work though. Okay? Which is
soon
.”

“I can agree to that.” He kissed her and she smiled as he helped her into her knee high boots.

She hopped down from the table, straightening everything out. “Let’s go see what the Doc, found. Hmm.” She took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

He pushed a curl from her face with a nod then kissed her once more as they went through the door.

***

“So, it turns out the other ovary and tube is okay. She’ll still be able to have kids. If she wants.”

“That’s great, Matty.” Mary answered through the phone. Matthew had called his mother as soon as Donnella had gone into the restroom he couldn’t contain himself knowing that she was going to be okay. “Give her my love.”

“Okay, ma. I will. I gotta go. I love you.” He hung up the phone.

“Was that Mary? Tell her I said hi…” Donnella came out, wiping her hands down her jacket. “Stupid paper towel dispenser was empty. They throw a dozen at your crotch but can ‘t keep five for your damn hands.”

“She sends her love.” Matthew laughed as he pulled Donnella around the corner of the office hallway.

She giggled. “What
are
you doing?”

“I want to know about the suddenly gun packing guards. Before we’re surrounded by them again.”

“Yeah…
That
… Those are Anthony and Jacob. Two of the men who work for my father. You’ll also see that Cordell is armed now too. I prefer non-lethal violence. I think a fist can make as much of a statement as a bullet. My father disagrees.”

“It comes back to him…”

“
Always
.” He has powerful friends. But also powerful enemies. People who would love to see something sad happen to us, so that they could take control of the bids we have in the city. The projects we have our hands in stand to make a lot of people a ton of money. Even the charitable ones.”

“I thought you owned the controlling interest?”

“I do, but there is a stipulation in the contract that gives him some wiggle back room should his health improve enough to come back. So far he just stays away.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know. He says he’s only here to see that I’m okay and to see his doctors. Then he’ll be leaving. But I just don’t know.” She looked to the floor, worry lacing her voice. “I’ve never thought he’d take the company back. I hope he won’t I’ve worked hard to make it the legitimate business it is now. I don’t want his ties back to it.”

“You mean the loan sharking they accused him of in the eighties.”

She nodded. “It was all true of course. But I’ve spent ten years dissolving all of that and building the Stone name into a formidable empire. I rub elbows with Trump, Hilton, Rockefeller, all of them. I scratched for it with my blood, my body…”

“When will it be enough Ella? When can you sit back and say I’ve got what I want?”

“I-” She picked up her head seeing a flash. “Fucking reporters.” She hissed and stormed in the direction of the lighting, Matthew fast behind her. “Come here you fucker.” She grabbed the camera man by the shirt sleeve.

He pulled away only to have Matthew wrench the camera from him. He screwed the lens off and ripped the SD card out, palming it as he deleted the main memory.

“That’s private property. I could have you arrested.”

“Try it. You’re
on
private property.
Trespassing
, ya dumb shit.” Donnella spat. Shoving the guy away. Matthew tossed the camera at him and he fumbled to catch it missing and it hit the ground shattering.

“Oops.” Matthew half laughed grabbing Donnella’s arm as they ran to find Anthony and get out of the doctor’s office.

***

“You know what I realised?” Donnella whispered as they sat in the back of the car, approaching The Stone Tower.

“Hmm.” Matthew answered, his eyes closed, his arm around her. Waiting around while she got her hair, nails and a bikini wax done apparently having exhausted him.

“With everything that has happened I never gave you your
actual
Christmas present.”

“Oh, I found it in the back of the closet.” He half-smiled.

“You opened it?”

“No, I said I
found
it. It is still in the back of the closet. Right next to your Valentine’s day gifts, since we missed that too.” A large smile lit up his face.

“You know you’re too good to me.”

“That’s impossible. I’m hardly good enough
for
you, let alone
to
you.” He rubbed her side. Donnella nuzzled into his chest, with a glance to Anthony who looked away with a soft smile on his stern face.

***

“What do you have to report?” Harmon Stone asked of his men when they returned leaving Donnella with Matthew. Cordell stationed outside the apartment.

“Mister Mayfield appears to show a genuine interest in Miss Stone’s wellbeing. Escorting her into the Doctor’s office, asking pertinent questions and the like. He also caters to her ego, in ways that she requires but doesn’t realize. Pushes her out of her comfort zones to experience things that appear to be for her betterment. Sir. That is my assessment, so far.”

“Yes, but does he love the girl?”

“Love, Sir? If I had to wager it Sir… I would say yes… Hopelessly.”

“Let’s hope so… Because if I know Donavan Kelly life is about to get far harder for both of them.” Harmon began to cough violently, taking a large dose of his inhaler.

***

“I didn’t thank you for cleaning up the apartment earlier.” Matthew smirked as he took off his jacket. The weather was warming, and the apartment seemed to be stifling. Pepper was gone and a note was on the fridge from the walker saying they were at the park. Which meant the apartment was completely empty. “You know… We’ve never had the whole place to ourselves.”

“You’re right.” Donnella stretched in that way that made him think of her as a kitten, with her entire body, when they stretched so far they lost their balance a little. It drove him just a tiny bit mad. He swept her up into his arms and spun her round. Kissing her passionately, he unbuckled her belt, and inched the dress up and around her waist. She wrapped her legs around him, as he put her to the wall for support, she pulled her arms through the dress and took it off tossing it aside. “Question? When I cleaned up, whose clothes were those? Cuz they weren’t yours and weren’t mine.”

“Models, and props. When I couldn’t get access to
you
I started working like a fiend.” He answered through heady kisses, down her chest and up her neck. She dug her nails into his back and he let out a short growl.

“You don’t like pain? Cuz I like a little…”

His eyes narrowed and he dragged his teeth up her neck, biting her in the shoulder. She let out an excited little yip, digging in her nails deeper. He pulled at her panties roughly, and she dropped a leg so he could wrangle them off. His fingers pushed against her, and she let out a moan as he kissed her driving in to her with a hard thrust. His fingers wrapped under her ass, as he bucked under her fast, hard. She held on to the framework of the wall, to keep from hitting her head as he assaulted her breasts with his lips, tongue and teeth. He sucked hard, and she held his head in place and as she came suddenly he slid a finger into her ass. She threw her head back calling out his name. She shivered and quaked, but he wasn’t done, he kept pumping at her, long fluid strokes, slowed mercifully down. He pulled down until he was almost completely out of her, and she could feel her body release, then he would pull her back down pushing back up, to fill  her completely and she opened up to him with a gush. She could feel the stickiness running down her backside as he pumped his fingers now against her anus. Feel them as he tickled her from both sides.

They slid down the wall. His legs trembling as he started to come. He pumped into her hard a few more times and she shook on him again, this time soaking his abdomen. They laughed, when she realized it, he’d done it again.