Heart of Stone ~ Book 1 Read online

  Heart of Stone

  Karmen Madison

  S&M Publishing

  Copyright © 2020 Karmen Madison

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: S&M Publishing

  To my husband, for always believing in me. My life was in complete darkness until you. You shone your own light on me to help guide my way and I will be forever grateful to you.

  Chapter One — Dahlia

  Death taunts me. There isn’t much more fight in me, yet here I am clinging on for dear life. I’m swimming against the tide that is my darkened existence. Pretending I’m OK has become the norm. It’s easy. Second nature. I look at my reflection in the mirror and heave a sigh. It’s all there staring back at me like a giant middle finger.

  I push my earphones in and turn my music up to full volume. Block it all out and lose myself. I head out without a second look in the mirror and make my way to school. New town. New school. New start. That’s the plan at least.

  Oakfield isn’t all that bad but it’s a far cry from where I come from. That’s probably a good thing though. Despite the run-down houses, the pothole roads, and the obvious criminal activity, I already prefer Oakfield over Spring Acres. It has a real community spirit vibe going on. Neighbors aren’t neighbors around here, they’re family.

  I don’t have a car and my new school isn’t too far, so I decide to walk. The idea of sitting on the bus with a bunch of kids I haven’t met yet isn’t how I want to start my day. I hate meeting new people and at least this way I can delay the inevitable for a little longer.

  I arrive at Oakfield High twenty minutes later and as I push my way through the crowded halls, I stay focused on my music and block out the stares and the whispers of the new girl in the fancy clothes. I’m not hiding, and I’m not scared, so I keep my head held high.

  Confidence is key right?

  I know I stick out like a sore thumb because everyone here in Oakfield are scraping the bottom of the barrel and even though I’m now at the same level as them in financial terms, I don’t look it. My outfit would probably be four months wages to the people of Oakfield. Dirt poor girls don’t wear Gucci or Louis Vuitton. Dirt poor girls who were once rich and can’t afford to replace their clothes do.

  I didn’t want my mom to pull out money we don’t have for new clothes just so I can fit in, so I just stuck with what I have. I tried to pick out my least expensive looking outfit but it’s still way fancier than anything anyone else here is wearing and I scream money.

  I don’t feel intimidated, despite the stairs and whispers, in fact most of the people watching me just seem curious. I see no malice in their eyes, which makes me breathe a little easier.

  It’s a nice school. Aesthetically, I mean. I have no idea if it’s nice in other ways. Yet. To be fair, anything would seem nice in comparison to my old school. My old life. I shudder at the memory and quickly push it away.

  This is supposed to be a fresh start, Dahlia!

  Its small in comparison to my old school but it appears to be better maintained and there’s a

  warmth about the place, I think it has something to do with that community spirit vibe I

  mentioned earlier. I think I’m going to like it here. At least I hope I will.

  As I round the corner, I’m stunned by a large body slamming into me and knocking me to the floor in a delightfully grotesque way. My arms and legs flail as I grasp at air in a futile attempt to save myself from falling on my ass.

  Feeling slightly mortified I look up and find a mountain of guy towering over me, all scowls and muscle. He’s glaring at me with cold eyes that send a shiver through me, but he doesn’t speak. There’s no emotion on his face but I can tell by the tick in his jaw that he’s pissed.

  “Who the hell are you?” he snarls puffing out his chest in a macho show that has me rolling my eyes so far into the back of my head that it hurts.

  I push myself to my feet, shove my earphones into my pocket and stand up straight. I lock my eyes on his and he cocks his head to the side as if he’s not used to someone staring him down. Inside I’m shaking with nerves but I’m not letting it show. Not this time. I refuse to let someone push me around again.

  “I asked you a question” he throws out when I don’t answer.

  Don’t let him scare you. Don’t back down.

  “I heard you” I start, with a confidence that surprises even myself. “I’m just not interested in answering the rude Neanderthal who just tried to plummet me to the depths of hell.” I hear a few gasps around us as some of the other kids gather to watch our battle of wills.

  Is it a battle? Maybe it’s a showdown. Or a standoff. I don’t know.

  Yeah because that’s the part to focus on Dahlia!

  What I do know is that I am done being pushed around. Done with being nice. Done with guys who think it’s okay to treat girls like me like dirt.

  He edges closer but I stand firm, placing a hand on my hip and tilting my chin so I can see him better.

  “Plummet you to hell?” he asks with a straight face.

  “Hmmm” I nod examining his unmoving features, trying to decide if he’s really human. “My fat ass nearly went through that damn floor thanks to you” I say, nodding my head in the direction of the floor, as if he didn’t already know where it were.

  “Maybe if you were paying attention your….” He looks me up and down and smirks. “Ass. You would have remained upright.”

  Interesting. He completely skipped over the fat remark. Maybe he just knows I’ll take him down in a fine delicate swoop if he dares say it. Not that I actually think I’m fat, in fact I quite like my figure. I’m slim but I have curves in all the right places and my ass is actually one of my best features.

  “You’re in my way” I say rolling my eyes. “Can you move so I can continue on my journey to awesomeness?”

  “I don’t think I will.” He smirks again. “You aren’t from here.” He looks me up and down and I know he’s wondering why someone dressed as I am is attending Oakfield High.

  “Wow. You’re soooo smart. Did you figure that out all on your own or do you have a little guy on your shoulder whispering in your ear?” I lean forward slightly and pretend to check his shoulder. I have to stand on my tiptoes because he’s taller than me but when I’m satisfied there’s in fact no little guy perched on his shoulder, I resume my position in front of him and grin.

  He narrows his eyes at me as if he’s trying to figure me out, but I give nothing away. I am a closed book. One with a fabulously beautiful cover of course. His eyes sweep over me as if he’s scanning me. Assessing me. Pissing me fucking off.

  “Are you done checking me out?” I ask after enduring a few more seconds of his silent stare and catching his eyes drift downwards more than once. “Can you get out of my way now?”

  He lets out a mocking laugh. “I wouldn’t check you out” he sneers in disgust as he moves around me and disappears down the hall.

  Well okay then Mr. Cheerful. One less lech to worry about.

  “Nothing to see here” I say putting my hands up to the students who have gathered to watch our exchange.

  What is it with people wanting to watch altercations as if it’s a fucking movie?

  I almost bounce to the Principal’s office as I bask in my monumental triumph. I stood up to someone for the first
time ever and it felt good. Slightly terrifying, but good.

  After a few pretty pointless introductions and some boring as hell paperwork, I finally head to my first class in my new school. I take a seat in the back. I choose that spot so I can see everyone. I don’t like having people behind me, I like to be able to see people, know what they’re doing.

  A few minutes after I arrive a pretty brunette girl walks in and her eyes widen to the size of flying saucers and she practically hurtles herself into the seat beside me. She’s short but her skinny jeans give the impression that her legs are longer than they are and she’s wearing a tank top that shows of her huge…assets.

  She’s staring at me like I’m both equally fascinating and deranged.

  “You know you’re crazy right?” she whispers, and I’m rendered momentarily speechless. I look behind me to make sure there isn’t someone lurking that I missed when I first sat down.

  “Are you talking to me?” I ask with an eyebrow raised.

  “Yeah.” She’s still whispering as if this is some top-secret mission. “You know you’re crazy right?” she repeats.

  “I imagine you’re probably right but please enlighten me with your keen observation.” She has my attention but what she says next will determine how long she can hold it.

  “That was Stone” she says as if I have any idea what that is supposed to mean.

  “Yeah, I’m gonna need a little more to go on here” I say shaking my head in confusion.

  “Devlin Stone!” I look at her blankly waiting for more.

  Does this girl always talk in riddles?

  “He’s only the hottest, toughest guy in the school.”

  “Riiiight. Who are we talking about?”

  “The guy you were arguing with in the hall” she sighs in frustration at my apparent inability to grasp the obvious.

  “Oooh. We weren’t arguing” I point out. “I was merely expressing my frustration at his blatant disregard for the other humans walking in the hall.” I shrug and she sighs again. “Also he was not scary.”

  I can’t deny he was hot because even I’m not that good of an actor.

  “You probably just made yourself an enemy you know” she says pointedly, her eyes wider than they were before, if that’s even possible.

  Something tightens in my chest, but I keep my expression blank, giving the impression that I don’t give a damn when really, I’m panicking.

  Did I mess up on my first day?

  I shrug. “Shit happens.”

  “I like you” she smiles pointing a perfectly manicured figure at me.

  “I aim to please” I smile back.

  “I’m Beth.”

  “Dahlia.”

  And that is how the most fantabulous friendship in all of history began.

  Chapter Two — Devlin

  I watch as the new girl all but skips away. How can someone so tiny be so god damn….irritating. She clearly doesn’t know who I am. If she did, she wouldn’t have spoken to me like that. Or maybe she would have? She’s like a fireball, and hell if I don’t need a bit of entertainment right now. Shit’s gotten boring around here.

  I watch as she slips into the Principal’s office and the buzz in the hall dissipates before I make my way to homeroom.

  “Can someone tell me who the loudmouth hellhound is who decided to start my day off on a low point?” I ask as I chuck myself down into my usual seat, resting my legs on the desk in front of me and crossing my feet at the ankle.

  “Did we miss something?” Caleb asks looking at Darrius and Aaron for an explanation before they all turn to me with expectant looks on their faces.

  “Ah nothing. Some new girl with a stick up her ass. Not important.”

  “Yeah she handed you yours” Lacy laughs dropping down in the seat beside Aaron and flipping her dark hair in that annoying way that she does.

  “What? No she fucking didn’t” I throw back at her in irritation.

  “She really did Stone” she laughs again, and I have to fight the urge to kick her chair over.

  “Damn, I can’t believe we missed that.” Caleb huffs out.

  “Is she hot?” Darrius adds and Lacy smacks him playfully around the head.

  “No” I say bluntly. It’s a lie. A big fat one. She was fiercely hot.

  “What? She was totally cute.” Lacy corrects and everyone looks at her as if waiting for more, but she doesn’t give it. Usually Lacy goes into great detail about what she wants to do to a girl if she thinks they’re cute, but the guys look on in disappointment when she just winks at me.

  “I didn’t think so” I shrug and Lacy just shakes her head, a smug smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

  After home room I head to math, sauntering in late in true Stone fashion. I throw a shit eating grin at Mr. Marsden and he pinches the bridge of his nose when he sees me.

  “Are you ever going to be on time to one of my lessons Mr. Stone?” he asks with a disapproving look.

  “Hey, at least I’m here” I deadpan.

  “Sit down Devlin” he huffs out. He’s given up arguing with me. He knows it’s pointless. He also knows that even with my tardiness and my bad attitude, my grades are on point.

  I throw him a fake salute and head to me seat, in no rush. That’s when I see her. The beautiful red headed hellhound and she’s glaring ferociously at me. I curl my lip into a scowl and slam into my seat.

  “See” I hear Beth mumble from beside the hellhound. “He’s pissed.”

  I’m not pissed. In fact I’m pretty damn impressed that a girl so tiny could hold her own the way she did. I’m not going to let anyone know that though.

  My seat is on the far end of the class, one row down from the hellhound, so I position myself so I can see her and paste on the most threatening look I can muster. Everyone sees me staring and they probably think I’m plotting her demise, but she doesn’t flinch.

  When she catches me looking, she rolls her eyes then flips me the bird and I have to fight the urge to smile. All the while Beth is muttering for her to stop and looking nervous as hell as she squirms in her seat.

  “Mr. Stone can you stop trying to intimidate Dahlia and turn around” Marsden groans.

  Dahlia. The hellhound has a name.

  “He couldn’t intimidate a fly trapped in honey with its wings cut off” she scoffs, and I hear a few people gasp and snicker.

  “If you knew what was good for you, you would keep your mouth shut” I snap.

  “And deprive the world of my absolute brilliance? That would be criminal.”

  Fuck, she is brilliant!

  “Okay okay enough of the flirting you two” Marsden interjects, and I want to throw something at him. Instead I grunt and she makes a gagging sound while Beth pales beside her.

  ∞∞∞

  Lunch can’t come quick enough; I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday and my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut. I settle on a burger and fries then join everyone at our usual table. The six of us have sat together at the same table since we first started at Oakfield High, today though Beth doesn’t join us. She sits with the hellhound instead.

  Fucking turncoat.

  “What’s Beth sitting with her for?” I ask through gritted teeth as I throw daggers with my eyes in their direction.

  “It seems the new girl has impressed her” Aaron says as he slurps loudly at his soda. “Her ability to irritate you caught Beth’s attention.”

  Yeah that caught my attention too and I’m not even sure if I mind.

  Chapter Three — Dahlia

  “He’s staring at you again” Beth says hiding her mouth with her sandwich. I look up and sure enough he’s staring. No not staring. He’s boring his eyes into the depths of my soul. I throw down my food, stand and march over to where he’s sitting at the far side of the cafeteria. All eyes are on me as I move towards him and silence surrounds us.

  “Why are you staring at me…again?” I demand placing my hands on the table in front of him. He looks
up and continues to eat keeping his eyes on me. He doesn’t speak. His friends are watching intently. I sit opposite him and he straightens up his brow furrowing.

  “What are you doing?” he growls.

  “I’m sitting down, what does it look like I’m doing?”

  “Not there you’re not” he looks murderous. This guy is clearly used to getting what he wants and having people bend to his word, but he doesn’t know me. Yet.

  “I think I just did” I say matching his stare. “Are your eyes still not functioning correctly?”

  “Why are you sitting there?” he asks through gritted teeth, ignoring me.

  “Well you see. I was sitting over there” I turn and point to where I’d just been sitting with Beth. “I saw you were staring. A lot. And I thought with that terrible eyesight of yours I’d come and sit here just so you can get a better view.” His friends start snickering and he glares at them. They instantly silence and I roll my eyes at how easily intimidated they are.

  I lean over and take one of his fries and pop it in my mouth. He watches the action as if it is the most diabolical thing he has ever witnessed. It probably is. I’d have stabbed him with my fork if he dared to steal my food.

  “Leave” he snarls, his fists clenching on the table in front of him.

  “You know, I don’t think I will. The way I see it, I’m doing you a service.” I fold my arms smugly across my chest.

  “A service?” I can see the anger burning in his eyes and I delight in it.

  “Well I wouldn’t want you straining those dead eyes of yours trying to see me from all the way over here.”

  “Who are you?” I suspect he doesn’t really want an answer, but I give him one anyway.

  “Ah, now that is an interesting question” I say leaning forward slightly like I have an amazing story to tell “One that has many fabulous answers. However I don’t think you have earned the right to hear such fascinating information.” I sit back smiling smugly again.