Stone Cold

Stone Cold A PARANORMAL GARGOYLE ROMANCE HB JACKS Copyright © 2023 by Hattie Jacks All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Cover: Reva Book Cover Design Editing: Polaris Editing Header design: Anthar Wolfen Created with Vellum To Britt For helping me spend all my money on covers since 2021 Contents All the Things Join Me Lara Garaz Lara Garaz Lara Garaz Viriroz Lara Carrarr Lara Viriroz Garaz Lara Carrarr Viriroz Lara Lara Lara Garaz Viriroz Lara Lara Lara Garaz Lara Viriroz Carrarr Garaz Lara Garaz Lara Lara Viriroz Carrarr Garaz Lara Garaz Viriroz Lara Carrarr Lara Garaz Lara Lara Viriroz Lara Lara Garaz Carrarr Viriroz Lara Lara Garaz Viriroz Lara Garaz Carrarr Lara Viriroz Lara Viriroz Lara Lara Garaz Garaz Viriroz Lara Garaz Lara Viriroz Lara Lara Garaz Lara Viriroz Carrarr Viriroz Lara Garaz Lara Viriroz Lara Carrarr Epilogue Lara Also by HB Jacks About the Author All the Things This book contains monsters. It contains sexy situations with monsters. Often more than one at a time. Swords will be crossed. Monsters and a human will be *railed* thoroughly. These are all consensual situations. If none of this appeals, this gargoyle polycule romance probably isn’t for you. Full TW are on the author’s website www.hbjacks.com - or you could consider it a shopping list. I’ll leave that decision up to you. Love HB Join Me Find out more about me at www.hbjacks.com Sign up for my newsletter to get a free book. Join my Patreon to get extra content Or lurk in my Facebook group And if you’re really shy, stalk me on Instagram Love HB Lara I stare at my computer screen. It’s what I’ve been expecting. Only I didn’t expect it to hurt this damn much. THIS COMPUTER IS LOCKED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR It’s been like this since I came back from lunch. I’m not prepared to just walk out. If he wants me gone, he’s going to have to tell me. In person. “Miss Roberts?” I look up to see Dave, the genial older security guard from reception, standing next to my desk. “Really? He sent you?” I shake my head. “Coward.” “I’m to see you off the premises, miss,” Dave says quietly. “I’m sorry,” he adds, and by the look in his eyes, he genuinely is. After all, they could have sent Security Susan, who hates everyone and would happily “see me off the premises” with the maximum amount of force and fuss. I’ve already put the few things which belong to me in a box, so I pick it up and lift my coat from the back of my chair. I flick my long, dark hair over my shoulder and glare around at the cubical prairie dogs. The secretarial pool at Winners and Son Solicitors is in a large open plan area, and the other secretaries and paralegals are an enormous bunch of gossips. I know several of my so-called colleagues have been dying for this moment. Dying for my fall from “grace,” if that’s what you could call my relationship with Christian Winner. The son in Winners and Son. But appearances are often deceptive. Behind what appeared to be a carefree aura was a man driven by personal demons far darker than anyone could know. Except I know them. And he wants me gone after I ended our relationship last week. Finding out he’d been sexting random women on the internet was bad enough, but it was what I found on his hard drive which was the last straw for me. Things he can never know I know. It’s taken me years to get to where I am now, on the cusp of qualifying. After I lost my parents and my world fell apart, I dragged myself up inch by agonizing inch. I’ve fought for my position. So, what attracted me to such a man, rotten to the very core, I have no idea. In many ways, it’s a relief as I walk through the office, Dave at my side, carrying my little box, the obligatory plant poking out of the top (Plastic of course. I can’t keep houseplants alive). Yes, everyone is staring. Yes, this is ultimate humiliation. But if Christian thinks he got rid of me, then maybe he’ll leave me alone. I pass his glass fronted office. The blinds are drawn, but I know he’s in there. I know he’s watching just like all the others. I thank my foresight for not agreeing to move in with him last month. I might have lost my job and income, but, for the time being at least, I have a roof over my head. A place to lick my wounds and work out what I’m going to do next. Just as I’m about to leave the office, a tiny blond woman rushes up and throws her arms around me. “Hey! June!” I gasp. I wasn’t expecting anyone to break ranks in this way. Especially mousy little June, the quiet one who sat in the corner of the break room at lunchtime knitting. The main reason I used to sit next to her was because of the peace and quiet. Zero bitching. Plus, I loved watching what she was making slowly take shape. June was even going to teach me to knit. “I’m so sorry, Lara,” she pants as tears stream down her face. “I can’t let you go like this.” She presses an envelope into my hands. “What they are doing to you is wrong. A few of us had a whip round.” For the first time since I realized everything was going to shit, tears prick at the back of my eyelids. I promised myself I wouldn’t cry, and I’ve managed so far. “No, June. You don’t need to do this,” I choke out as