Stolen Jewel by Alexis Abbott
Jewel
My legs feel heavy as lead as I trek along the trail back to the cabin. The forest looms and lurches around me, the trees stretching out their shadows to spindly lines crossing my path in the glow of afternoon. The sun doesn’t stay out long this time of year, and the light is already starting to fade. The wind picks up and howls through the branches. The woods which felt so cozy earlier have twisted into a frightening backdrop for the way I’m feeling. My mind whirls around in a million painful directions. No matter which way I look, there’s something horrible waiting for me to unlock. Pieces of a lifelong puzzle notching into place to create a picture so disturbing, it makes me question everything I ever knew.
I lay a cold, trembling hand over my chest to feel my heart beating a mile a minute. My stomach churns with nausea, and I’m so dizzy my head is swimming. The very fabric of my reality is being ripped down in long shreds, and I am helpless to stop it. Dread and denial blare like police sirens in my head. I can hear the muffled crunch-crunch of Stefan’s footsteps a short distance behind me. He’s keeping my pace, his footsteps almost matching up with mine. He’s close enough to keep an eye on me for safety’s sake, but he’s far enough back to give me a little space while I spin out of control. He may be brusque sometimes, and things get lost in translation, but even Stefan knows what kind of a bomb he just dropped on my head. He knows to expect some kind of emotional reaction out of me, and he’s trying to be tactful about it.
“Ugh!” I groan in frustration, my fingers clawing at my face.
I’m so damn angry at Stefan. First of all, for suggesting that my own father could be the one responsible for all this pain and suffering. For uprooting my life and throwing me to the wolves. For sending Stefan and me down a narrow path to destruction. Stefan just informed me of the one thing I didn’t want to consider: that my dad set the order for me to be kidnapped, or worse, killed. I remember the word ‘eliminate’ and how it frightened me to my core days ago. I blamed Stefan. I blamed his bosses. I thought the problem was the mafia, not my own family. How the hell am I supposed to square this information with the fact that I do love my dad, that I respected and trusted him all these years because what else was I supposed to do?
More than that, though, I’m mad at Stefan because he’s so goddamn considerate and gentle with me, I can’t even stay mad at him. The truth is, I know deep down it’s not his fault at all. Stefan is simply the messenger, not the problem itself. I should be thankful to him for giving me an almost straight answer finally. But God, I don’t feel gratitude. I feel betrayal. I feel fear.
I emerge from the treeline and storm straight up to the front porch. I bound up the steps, still spurred on by indignant fury, and burst through the front door. As I step into the cabin, I’m already fighting back hot, bitter tears in my eyes. I bite my lip, trying not to let those tears fall. Stefan is just a few steps behind me. He opens the door and walks in just as I’m storming into the kitchen. He trails after me and stays silent. He’s trying to be patient with me, but I’m all out of patience myself. I stand on tiptoe to take down a glass tumbler from a cabinet. I spin on my heel and glare at Stefan. I hold out my glass.
“I need a drink. Now. I know there has to be something alcoholic in this kitchen somewhere,” I snap.
“Of course,” Stefan says quietly.
He grabs a half-full bottle of whiskey from a high-up cupboard and pours me a glass. He fills it way beyond the standard serving size, which is just what I need. I toss back a big gulp, then push past him back into the living room. I walk over to the fireplace, which is starting to dwindle down to the coals by now. I watch the licks of smoke wafting from the gleaming embers while a battle rages on inside of me. Stefan comes over and dutifully starts adding little logs to the fire. I pace back and forth across the living room while he tends the flame.
I just can’t believe it. My own father betrayed me in the harshest way possible.
“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I am here,” Stefan reminds me in a low, sweet voice.
Something about the kindness in his tone shatters my already-tenuous composure. I burst into tears and a jagged sob rips from my throat. Tears roll down my cheeks as my face flushes pink. I take another swig of whiskey and blanch at the bitter taste.
“I just don’t understand it,” I sniffle. “I-I don’t want to understand it.”
“Come on, Jewel. That is not you. We both know you have a drive to understand things-- everything. All the time. It’s why you’re so curious, why you make such a good lawyer,” Stefan reminds me gently.
“But this isn’t some random criminal. This isn’t an interview with an interesting person. It’s family shit. It’s betrayal and heartbreak and so much pain,” I confess tearfully.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, malyshka,” he says, looking over at me from the fireplace. “I wish I had better news to tell you.”
I keep pacing as my mind spins wildly. “I mean, it just… some of it makes sense, but some of it doesn’t. He’s my father. He’s supposed to love me and protect me, right?”
“Yes. That was supposed to be his job,” Stefan agrees.
My feelings leap back and forth between wanting to defend him as my father, and wanting to be realistic and decry him as the villain of my own story. But if I don’t have him, what do I have?
“All my life, it was just Dad and me. Well, us and a long succession of nannies and tutors,” I add bitterly. “I had an aunt, but she died when I was little. I don’t even remember her anymore. Dad was the only one around, and he hardly ever was. God, he missed so many of my birthdays I stopped wishing on my candles for him to show up. I was probably nine years old when I finally realized no birthday wish was going to make him want to be there. When I was little, I used to think he was just really busy. A man with too many important business deals going on to pay much attention to his daughter.”
“That does not sound like a fair relationship,” Stefan says.
“You’re right. It’s not fair. I was always waiting on him to show up, to answer me, to listen, to tell me what I needed so badly to hear. I was willing to do backflips for his attention. He’s the only family I really have, Stefan. The only anything,” I whimper.
Stefan looks pained, as well. I can tell he’s feeling my agony secondhand. There’s something in the way he looks at me that says he understands. He’s willing to listen, and for me, that’s something I rarely get in my life. Certainly not from Dad, and barely ever from my friends, either. Nobody ever wants to listen to me. Until Stefan. He stands by the fire, watching me intently and waiting to swoop in when I need him. I feel a rush of affection and appreciation for this strong, charming, kind man who lets me talk things through.
“He always kept me at arm’s length,” I go on, still pacing. “But at the same time, he wouldn’t let anyone else get close to me either. God, he’s kept me so isolated my whole life. I grew up in that big empty house with a bunch of strangers taking care of me. They never lasted long. As soon as I would start to bond with somebody, Dad sent them away. He fired my first nanny, the closest thing to a mom I can remember, on my sixth birthday.”
“What an awful thing to do,” Stefan growls.
I sloppily wipe my eyes on my sleeve. It starts to drizzle outside, the sky going dark.
“He said I was getting too old to need someone the way I needed her. I remember feeling so ashamed for wanting a parent to be around all the time and love me and play with me. Dad made me feel like I was immature, a stupid crybaby,” I sniffle.
“You were six,” he reminds me gently.
“Yeah. It’s crazy how you don’t realize how fucked up your childhood is until you’re way out of it,” I sigh. “I used to spend so much time alone. I must have read a thousand books as a kid. Growing up, it was the closest to friendship I could find. Dad didn’t really let me play with other children very often. He said we were better than them. He said it wasn’t safe to mingle with our neighbors, even though they lived in the same nice neighborhood as us.”
“It sounds like he didn’t want any outside influence on you,” Stefan notes.
“I tried to ask questions about everything, too. You know how I am,” I point out. “I asked about my mother, about what I was like as a baby. I wanted to see an album of baby pictures, like everyone else has. But he rarely answered me. And when he did, he lied. He told me not to trust anyone. He tried to teach me to be tough, but I guess I failed him there. I turned out too soft. I care too much about other people to really be successful.”
Stefan frowns. “Is that what he told you?”
I nod sadly. “Yeah. All the time. He was so disappointed in me for going to law school to learn how to defend the defenseless. He said I was wasting my time and his money. He said the only good lawyer is a good liar, but I always wanted the truth. I just couldn’t get it right.”
“Sounds to me like you had it right all along, Jewel,” he assures me.
I stop pacing and stare into the fire. The flames flicker orange and hot, slowly consuming the wooden logs. I sigh. “You know, if I look deep down, it makes a little sense. My gut tells me it’s true. Dad really did orchestrate this whole thing, didn’t he?”
Stefan nods. “All signs point to that.”
“I tried to stop him, you know. I tried to keep him from becoming a monster. When I was a little girl, I idolized my father. I thought there was no man smarter, stronger, or cooler on the planet. Nobody was tough on crime like Dad. Nobody got shit done like Dad. But I couldn’t be tough like him. When he said horrible things, I tried to argue with him, but he wouldn’t have any of it. He wouldn’t listen to me. He just yelled over me and made me feel worse,” I admit. “Deep down I knew he was a bad man, but he was my father, too. I had to make it fit.”
“That was all you knew to do,” Stefan comforts me. “You tried, Jewel.”
He stokes the fire as the rain outside turns to hail. The icy stones pummel the roof, making me jump. It’s like the weather is mirroring my emotions as they spiral out of control. My whole world is falling apart at the seams faster than I can pick up the scraps.
“I wonder how long he was planning this,” I mutter. “I wonder if he was counting down the days until he could finally be rid of me. God, I was so stupid to ever trust him. I was just a pawn in his game. All my self-worth was tied up in trying to make my father happy. Trying to make him accept me, God forbid actually love me. But now I think he might not even be capable of love. I was just a means to an end. Maybe a fun toy to play with until he got bored when I didn’t turn out like he planned. When I was useful to him, he used me. Otherwise, he ignored me. I’m alone in the world, and I always was.”
Hot tears roll down my cheeks. Stefan walks up to me and takes my whiskey glass. He sets it on a side table and turns back to put his large hands on my slumping shoulders. His dark eyes burn with passion as he looks into mine.
“You aren’t alone, Jewel. Not now, and never again. I know we’ve had our ups and downs. The way we met-- I wish I could change it. But believe me, malyshka, you can trust in me. I will never again do anything to hurt you. You say you’re alone, but you’re not. You don’t need a father; you need a guardian. You need someone who will defend and protect you against the whole world. I will guide you. I will take care of you. I promise, Jewel, you will never have to walk alone again,” Stefan says fervently.
I crumple under his touch and his beautiful words. The tears course down my face, but I feel different now. The heartrending pain of being betrayed by my own father abates when Stefan gazes into my eyes like this. He pulls me in slowly, enveloping me in his strong arms. He kisses the top of my head, my nose, then finally my lips. I melt into the kiss as my pain turns to ecstasy. Stefan caresses my face while his tongue pushes into my mouth. I moan against his lips.
His hands slide down to my shoulders, then to hold my hands. We rut against each other while our bodies are flush together. I can feel every rippling muscle and swell of his cock. Panic turns to passion as we start peeling off our clothing bit by bit. We kick off our boots and start pulling down our pants. He tears off his coat and shirt, tossing them aside. I do the same.
Goosebumps pop up on my bare arms as he dives in to hold my naked body. His hands explore my ample breasts, my stiffening nipples, my flat stomach. I cling to him with my fingernails digging into his broad, powerful back. He plays with my tits while I reach down to stroke his hard cock between us. I lick my lips at the heat and hardness of his shaft. I wrap my hand around his thickness and start to pump up and down. He feels velvety smooth on my palm, and my pussy aches to be filled next. I need this-- I need him. Right now, more than anything.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” Stefan growls.
“I trust you. I believe you,” I pant.
He pulls me in for another intense kiss. His hands smooth down the gentle slope of my back and down to grope my plump ass. He grabs each cheek by the handful and pushes against me. His hard cock slides against my achy mound and I whimper with need.
We slowly fold to the floor. Stefan pushes me flat on my back and climbs on top of me. His hands roll up my arms to interlace his fingers with mine while he leans in to kiss me. His powerful frame keeps me perfectly pinned down as his lips trail from my mouth to my jaw. He kisses a winding line to my ear, where he gently breathes in and out to tease me. I shudder and twinge with ticklish delight at the feeling of his soft breath on my skin. He takes the opportunity to gently graze my neck with his teeth before biting down slightly. I gasp, and he kisses the same spot. He sucks and scrapes with his teeth, bringing blood just under the surface to make a beautiful wine-colored mark. Proof that he’s been here. Proof that I belong to him.
Still pinning down my arms, Stefan’s lips move down to my chest. He flicks his tongue over my perky pink nipple, which makes me gasp and twitch. I feel the spiraling heat straight down between my legs. I arch my back to push against him while he licks and suckles my nipples. I’m helpless under his strength, but I’m exactly where I want to be.
“I want you. I need you,” I whisper.
“I’m yours,” Stefan grunts. “All yours.”
“Give me what I want. Fill me up, Stefan,” I beg him. I rock my hips so that his hard cock brushes over my slick, swollen pussy. I let out a little whine of desire. “Please.”
“Anything for you, malyshka,” he growls.
With a grunt, he rubs the head of his cock around my slick hole. The ring of sensitive nerves there go haywire and I buck up into him. Still holding one arm down, he pushes inside of me with one swift, forceful movement. I gasp at the onslaught of sharp pleasure tinged with delicious pain. His thickness stretches my pussy, and I feel myself clenching around him. He slides in deep, knocking against that fleshy, soft spot inside me that makes me dizzy with pleasure. His cock strikes my g-spot over and over, and I revel in the sensation of his hard cock pummeling my insides.
Stefan grabs my thighs in his hands and pushes them out, spreading me wider. His cock is so massive, I feel completely stuffed when he’s inside of me. He slides in and out rapidly, fucking me with unbridled passion. Both of us need this so badly, especially after the emotional rollercoaster we’ve been on for the past hour. My heart is still hurting, but nothing cures my pain like the mind-numbing pleasure Stefan shows me. I feel more love, more honesty in our feverish fucking than I ever have before. He knows how to satisfy my needs before I even know. I give myself completely over to this magnificent beast of a man. I trust him. I respect him.
And as I gaze into those dark, passionate eyes, I realize with a jolt that I’m really falling for him. We aren’t just a pairing of convenience or forced proximity anymore. We’ve crossed into something so much richer, much more genuine. There’s no guard up when he looks at me. There’s no restraint when he touches me. We are two broken people who have walked winding, scary, painful paths that led us right where we needed to be: here. Together.
“Don’t ever leave me,” I gasp between forceful thrusts.
“I never will,” he grunts.
“I’m so close, Stefan,” I whimper.
“Me, too, printsessa. I’m going to fill you up. This pussy is mine,” he snarls.
“God, yes. I belong to you only,” I encourage him breathlessly.
Stefan fucks me harder, his hands caressing me all over while he loses control. His body is tensing up. His flawless muscles tighten and he grits his teeth. The ball of tension inside of me grows bigger and tighter until I can’t hold back any longer.
“Ohhh, Stefan!” I cry.
“My Jewel. My precious Jewel,” he croons back.
My pussy gushes sweet, hot honey all over his fat cock as he explodes deep inside my cunny. I shudder and clench around him, my fingernails digging into his shoulders. He kisses me hard on the mouth while he pumps into me a few more, ragged, intense times. He empties himself entirely inside my womb, and I cling to him tightly through the waves of afterglow. We gasp and hold each other by the crackling fireplace as the sky pours hail on the cabin.
Slowly, sweetly, we come down from the immeasurable high. We float back down to Earth together, the same as always and yet forever changed. Because now, when he lies down beside me and gazes at my face, something is different. That great question that used to loom up between us is gone. I know now that there is only one man in this world I can truly trust, and he’s right beside me. Naked, tangled up, sticky with each other’s come, we hold each other close. Stefan strokes my hair lovingly.
“It’s going to be hard from here on out, isn’t it?” I ask softly.
He nods and kisses my hand. “Da, malyshka. Very hard. But now I’ve taught you how to defend yourself if you must. Either way, I will defend you to the death.”
“Do you think it will come to that?” I question.
“I don’t know, my Jewel. But I know that we are equals now. Partners in everything we do. We went rogue together. We escaped together. And now, we will walk back into the fire together. I won’t let you down, malyshka. We can do this,” he assures me.
“Then let’s do it,” I agree firmly. “Let’s burn the whole thing down.”