Meant For Stone, page 1
meant for stone
NATASHA MADISON
about meant for stone
Ryleigh
Growing up in Hollywood, I was surrounded by liars and phonies.
So when I got my law degree, I knew I wanted to work as a district attorney.
Busy days turned to long nights—I was on my way up the ladder.
Then he happened.
Bullied his way into my life as if there was no choice.
Suddenly everything I thought I wanted wasn’t as important.
Stone
I had one thing on my mind and that was never going to change: The game.
The only goal I had was beating the records set by my family.
I didn’t have time for anything else.
Until she walked in the room.
The earth shifted, just like the stories said it would.
I said it wouldn’t happen—not to me.
I didn’t have the time, but now she was the only thing on my mind.
I knew it was her.
Now I had to convince her.
dedication
To all the independent women out there who do it all.
You know who you are!
Keep slaying and don’t apologize for who you are and what you do.
family tree
STONE FAMILY TREE FAMILY TREE!
Hockey Series
SOMETHING SO SERIES
Something So Right
Parker Grant & Cooper Stone
Matthew Grant (Something So Perfect)
Allison Grant (Something So Irresistible)
Zara Stone (This Is Crazy)
Zoe Stone (This Is Wild)
Justin Stone (This Is Forever)
Something So Perfect
Karrie & Matthew Grant
Cooper (Only One Regret)
Frances (Only One Love)
Vivienne (Made For You)
Chase (Made For Me)
Something So Irresistible
Allison Grant & Max Horton
Michael (Only One Mistake)
Alexandria (Only One Forever)
Something So Unscripted
Denise Horton & Zack Morrow
Jack
Joshua
Elizabeth
THIS IS SERIES
This Is Crazy
Zara Stone & Evan Richards
Zoey
Stone (Meant For Stone)
This Is Wild
Zoe Stone & Viktor Petrov
Matthew (Mine To Take)
Zara
This Is Love
Vivienne & Mark Dimitris
Karrie
Stefano (Mine to Promise)
Angelica
This Is Forever
Caroline & Justin Stone
Dylan Stone (Formally Woods) (Only One Forever)
Christopher
Gabriella (Made For Romeo)
Abigail (Made For Us)
ONLY ONE SERIES
Only One Kiss
Candace Richards & Ralph Weber
Ariella
Brookes
Only One Chance
Layla & Miller Adams
Clarke
Only One Night
Evelyn & Manning Stevenson
Jaxon
Victoria
Only One Touch
Becca & Nico Harrison
Phoenix
Dallas
Only One Regret
Erika & Cooper Grant
Emma
Mia
Parker
Felicia
Leo
Matthew
Only One Mistake
Jillian & Michael Horton
Jamieson
Bianca
Bailey
Only One Love
Frances Grant & Brad Wilson
Stella
Logan
Only One Forever
Dylan Stone & Alex Horton
Maddox
Maverick
Maya
James
MADE FOR SERIES
Made For Me
Julia & Chase Grant
Made For You
Vivienne Grant & Xavier Montgomery
Made For Us
Abigail Stone & Tristan Weise
Penelope
Payton
Made For Romeo
Romeo Beckett & Gabriella Stone
SOUTHERN TREE
Southern Family tree
Billy and Charlotte
(Mother and father to Kallie and Casey)
Southern Chance
Kallie & Jacob McIntyre
Ethan (Savannah’s Son) (Southern Sunrise)
Amelia (Southern Secrets)
Travis
Southern Comfort
Olivia & Casey Barnes
Quinn (Southern Heat)
Reed (Southern Sunshine)
Harlow (Mine to Have)
Southern Storm
Savannah & Beau Huntington
Ethan (Jacob’s Son) (Southern Sunrise)
Chelsea (Southern Heart)
Toby
Keith
Southern Sunrise
Emily & Ethan McIntyre
Gabriel
Aubrey
Southern Heart
Chelsea Huntington & Mayson Carey
Tucker
Southern Heat
Willow & Quinn Barnes
Grace (Mine To Keep)
Charlie
Southern Secrets
Amelia McIntyre & Asher
JB Normand
Southern Sunshine
Hazel & Reed Barnes
Sofia (Mine To Take)
Kaine
Denver
Mine To Have
Travis & Harlow Barnes
Charlotte
Theo
Mine To Hold
Shelby & Ace
Arya
Mine To Cherish
Clarabella & Luke
Zander
Mine To Love
Presley & Bennett
Cadence
Charleigh
Mine To Take
Sofia and Matty
Reed Cooper (R.C.)
Mine To Promise
Stefano & Addison Dimitris
Avery
Anabelle
Mine To Honor
Levi & Eva
Cici
Mine To Keep
Grace Barnes & Caine Griffin
Meadow
copyright
Copyright © 2024 Natasha Madison. E-Book and Print Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons or living or dead, events or locals are entirely coincidental.
The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ Use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.
Cover Design: Jay Aheer
Photo by Wander Aguiar Photography
Editing done by Karen Hrdicka Barren Acres Editing
Editing done by Jenny Sims Editing4Indies
Proofing Julie Deaton by Deaton Author Services
Proofing by Judy’s Proofreading
contents
Dedication
FAMILY TREE
1. Stone
2. Ryleigh
3. Stone
4. Ryleigh
5. Stone
6. Ryleigh
7. Stone
8. Ryleigh
9. Stone
10. Ryleigh
11. Stone
12. Ryleigh
13. Stone
14. Ryleigh
15. Stone
16. Ryleigh
17. Stone
18. Ryleigh
19. Stone
20. Ryleigh
21. Stone
22. Ryleigh
23. Stone
24. Ryleigh
25. Stone
26. Ryleigh
27. Stone
28. Ryleigh
29. Stone
30. Ryleigh
31. Stone
Epilogue One
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Books By Natasha Madison
CHAPTER ONE
stone
I look out the window at the city below us. “Flight attendants,” the captain announces on the speaker, “thirty minutes until landing.”
“Are you done with that?” I look over at the flight attendant, her finger pointing at the glass of water on my tray table.
“I am.” I hand her the almost empty glass. “Thank you.” She nods at me as she moves along to the person behind me. After putting my tray table up, I look back out the window at the city bustling below me. Leaning back in the seat, I watch as the city comes closer and closer before the plane jerks as we land. Pulling my phone out of the pocket in front of me, I turn it off Airplane Mode. The captain comes on the speaker. “Welcome to Dallas.” He continues to tell us what the local time is and all that stuff. The phone vibrates in my hand, and I see a text coming in from my cousin Christopher.
/> Christopher: What time do you land?
He sent the text about an hour ago.
Me: Just landed, on my way to the gate. You?
Christopher: An hour ago. When you said let’s surprise them together, you didn’t mention you would be arriving an hour after me.
I laugh at his message, shaking my head.
Me: I told you my flight number. It’s not my fault you didn’t look it up.
Christopher: You’re a dick.
Me: See you soon. I think it said gate 83, but I’m not sure. I could have misheard.
Christopher: I’ll meet you at baggage claim. I’m the one holding up the Welcome Back from Prison sign.
I’m about to answer him when the ping for the seat belt light turning off sounds, and everyone stands. I get out of my seat and turn to open the overhead bin to grab my black duffel bag, waiting for the door to be opened. The phone vibrates in my hand again, and this time when I look down, I see it’s my sister, Zoey. She’s named after my aunt Zoe, but my parents added a Y. When she was young, everyone used to call her Zoey with a Y, so that’s how she’s stored in my phone.
Zoey with a Y: Remind me never to travel with Mom and Dad again.
Me: Why?
Zoey with a Y: I caught them making out when I went to the bathroom. It looked like he was going to jump her. I threw up a little in my mouth.
Me: He always looks like he’s going to jump her.
Zoey with a Y: You aren’t helping. I need to pour tequila in my eyeballs.
I’m about to answer her when the sound of the door opening makes me look up. The two people in front of me move to disembark the plane. “Thank you.” I nod at the two flight attendants who smile at me before walking out and feel the heat hit me right away. My white T-shirt sticks to my body as I make my way down the gray carpet toward the gate. As soon as I step into the terminal, an announcement is made about some flight as I look right to left and see the Baggage Claim sign.
Besides New York, I’ve been to this airport the most in the past couple of years. It’s probably because the family is spread out in two places: New York, where I was born and raised. My uncle Matthew played for New York and then became the GM. His first big deal was acquiring my father from Dallas. The deal was easy, especially for my father, who fell in love with my mother, Uncle Matthew’s younger sister. Their love story is one for the books, really. I’m reminded of it every single time I walk into our family home because it’s framed on the wall in the middle with our family pictures around it. They didn’t meet in the conventional way people meet. Nope, not with my mother. My mother decided to tweet him to crash her ex’s wedding, following up with hashtags that will forever be ingrained in my brain; #myexhasapencildick was my favorite.
He was traded to New York, and that’s where he retired. I lived there until I was sixteen years old, when I was drafted to the Ontario Hockey League. Moving from my home to Canada was definitely something I wanted but actually having it happen, and then being away from them, was a tough time. I want to say it didn’t show on the ice, but I would also be lying. My game suffered, but not that much. The scouts still noticed me, but that had to do with my name and the dynasty surrounding it. Not only was my father top dog but it also didn’t hurt that my grandfather was the best thing that happened to the sport. He held all the top records—well, most of them. My cousin Dylan was giving him a run for his money. Needless to say, I finally got my groove back the year after, and I was drafted to Las Vegas. I opted to go back to school instead of going straight to the NHL. I attended the camp, and even though they were ready for me, I wasn’t ready. Luckily, I had everyone’s support until the year later when they traded me to Nashville. It was the name of the game. I’ve seen a couple of family members being traded over the years, so I knew it was always a possibility. I’ve been with Nashville for the past six years, and I have two more years left on my contract.
I spot Christopher looking down at his phone while I walk down the stairs toward him. “Where is my sign?” I question, and he looks up at me and glares.
“I’ve been waiting an hour for you,” he huffs before he pushes on my shoulder.
“Ouch, that hurt,” I joke with him. “Have you been hitting the gym?”
“Don’t even,” he sneers at me. “Now let’s get the car.”
“You had an hour,” I mumble, walking out with him. We’re dressed almost the same in jeans, a T-shirt, and, of course, the staple we always wear, our baseball hats backward. We walk toward the corner, and I look up. “What are we doing?”
“We have to take a shuttle bus,” he grumbles, looking at his watch. “They come every ten to fifteen minutes.” I clear my throat, trying not to laugh out loud as he hisses.
“How about I rent the car, my treat?” I offer, and his head snaps up. “I’ll even put you down as a co-driver.”
“When was the last time you ever rented a car?” Christopher asks.
“Umm.” I look up at the sky. “I think a couple of years ago when we decided to go backpacking in Europe.”
“Do you even know how to rent a car?” he asks, and I laugh.
“It’s an airport.” I stretch my arms to the sides of me. “You’re telling me they’ll be sold out of all cars?”
“Yeah,” Christopher gasps, “that’s what I’m saying.” He shakes his head and pulls out his phone. “You had one job,” he mumbles as he puts the phone to his ear. “Yeah, should we use a car service or take a cab to Gabriella’s house?” Gabriella is the only reason we’re here. She has a huge night tonight, and we have come to support her. Christopher has no choice since it’s his sister, but since we grew up together, we all feel like siblings.
“Who is that?” I whisper, and he puts his phone on speaker.
“Where are you guys?” The sound of my uncle Matthew’s voice fills the air.
I slap his arm. “Why? Why would you do that?” I hiss, pointing at the phone in his hand.
“Stone and I are at the airport,” he says as I shake my head.
“Of all people, why would you call him? I could have called Zoey,” I ask, and he presses the mute button.
“Because he knows everything,” Christopher states. “Is it better for us to get an Uber or get a car service from the airport?”
“It’s better to get an Uber,” he says. “No way can you schedule a car service now. Amateurs.” He chuckles right before he hangs up.
“You had to call him,” I hiss, pulling out my own phone. “I’ll get the Uber.” I pull up the app. “What’s her address?”
“How?” Christopher puts one hand on his hip. “How did you even get here?”
I laugh at him. “I can book a plane ticket to just about anywhere,” I inform him and check the email my cousin Gabriella sent out a month ago, inviting us to her housewarming party. “Also, I got the address,” I gloat, putting it in. “You’re welcome.”
He doesn’t say anything to me as we get into the SUV that arrives four minutes later. “Isn’t this better than renting a car, anyway?” I look over at him. “Now we don’t have to return anything.”
“Whatever,” Christopher responds as he looks down at his phone, texting someone.
