Stoned (The Stone Series) Read Free Page A

now has his own lucrative security company that he runs with his ex-partner and best friend, Jonesie. Mac looks to be in his thirties, over six feet tall with blue eyes; Marine close cut brown hair and cocoa skin. Mr. Stone tells me that Mac’s company provides the security for his cousin who’s in the music industry and that’s how Mac came to work for him. I don’t ask what he does that he needs security but just knowing that he needs it makes him even more intriguing.
     
    When we arrive in front of my apartment Mr. Stone announces, “Trendy hood, do you like it here?”
     
    I tell him it’s my friend’s apartment and that I’ve been staying with her through school but now that the lease is up she’s thinking about going to Paris so I’m kind of looking for a new place. 
     
    “Parker, my roommate, she’s a model for the top agency here in the city and they want to send her to Paris. She wants to go but she’s holding back because of me and I don’t want her to do that so I have to find a place of my own in the next month. I keep putting it off with finals and everything, I’m just kind of busy” I babble.
     
    “Well, if I hear of any place I’ll be sure to keep you in mind. Why don’t you give me your number and I can contact you if anything catches my eye. I have some real-estate contacts that I can call.”
     
    I give him my cell number and thank him and Mac for the ride. Mr. Stone gets out of the car and walks around to my side opening the door and covering me with his umbrella, those gentlemanly manners doing something to my insides again. He walks me into my building and takes my hand in his. His hand is big and warm and it wraps around mine holding it tight. He raises my hand to his lips, turns it over and gently kisses the palm of my hand. It is a very intimate gesture and it makes the hair on my nape stand at attention.
     
    “Thank you again Mr. Stone” I say and turn to head to my apartment when he catches my arm and turns me around.
     
    “Please call me Damian. I hope to see you again Ms. Cooper.”
     
    “Sydney” I say.
     
    “Bye…Damian.”
     
    ************
     
    Damian gets back in the car. “I found a connection; the best friend is a model at my agency, Parker. Look into her as well” he demands.
     
    Mac begins his background check on Ms. Sydney Cooper when they arrive back at the Upper East Side cooperative building’s penthouse suite. He writes his report and delivers it to Damian before turning in for the evening.
     
    Damian is sitting at his desk in his home office when he learns that Sydney Cooper is an only child who was born on December 12, 1991 in New Haven Connecticut. “Hmm, New Haven, something in common” he thinks. He double checks to be sure that she gave him her correct address and phone number, he’s glad to see that she did. He learns her social security number and her banking details. She has a large sum of money, a very large sum in an account that she has never touched. He is informed of her status as an interior design student with a GPA of 3.8. She is at the time unemployed with no political or religious affiliations. She is not married; he wickedly smiles at the last piece of information. He’ll ask Mac to find out more about that money and her relationship status or hopefully lack thereof tomorrow but for now he’s going to try to find out some information on the friend, this Parker that she lives with.
     
    Damian goes to his guest suite where his sister is staying until she leaves for Paris in a few weeks and taps gently on her door. She opens it a crack, not allowing him full access. She’s hiding something from him like she did as a child when she stole his Halloween candy or borrowed and ruined his clothes.
     
    “Hey, Drea. Can I ask you a favor? What do you know about this girl Parker from Hot Stones?”
     
    “Uh, Day I’m kind of in the middle of something right now; can we talk about this tomorrow? And she’s my friend so