Page 27 of Stolen Love

“Yes,” Rebel says.

“Baby, no.” I stare Rebel down.It won’t take much more to make her run to Nicole, if she thinks doing so will stop this madness.

She dashes out of the room, her skirt swishing with the fast pace.

Rebel winces. “That’s not—"

“Oh, hell no.” I won’t let her put a wall up between us. Not now. Not when we need each other more than ever. Ignoring him, I chase after her. I snag her elbow before she gets more than a few steps toward the foyer. “You are staying right here. Right by my side.”

Her eyes shine when she lifts them to my face. Pain and terror war in those pretty orbs. “Rebel’s right, though.”

“No, he isn’t.”

“We both know he is.” Her voice is watery.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say.

“I can’t let you—"

“You don’t have a choice,” I tell her. “I chased you long enough to be able to tell when you think you have no choice but to run. When you think that your only option is to put yourself in harm’s way for the sake of others. But that’s not happening this time. You are not facing off with your family.”

She brings a shaky hand to her forehead. Her voice is choked. “Marty died because of me. And we both know Nicole won’t stop there. But if I do what she says—”

“I understand how guilty you feel over Marty. I feel it too. But Nicole is the only one responsible for her death. Giving in to her isn’t going to bring Marty back. And it’s not going to save me.” Jaw tight, I press her palm to my heart. It beats only for her. Has since the first time I locked eyes on her that day I was shot and she helped me escape. How different things were back then. The only danger I had to worry about was getting close to the wrong women, and my biggest fear was falling for the mysterious girl in a princess costume. “You need to understand that you’re what I care about. No matter what she throws at us, I can only face it as long as I know that you are free of her.”

She steps back. “She wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Yes, she would.” My jaw bunches as I stare over her head. I don’t want to think about it and I don’t want to scare her but she has to be aware... “She absolutely would. If you do what she says and she gets what she wants… then you’re no longer worth anything to her.”

“I could end up like my dad.” She blanches. “That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?”

“That’s my biggest fear.” I already know what it feels like to lose her. Watching her bleed out almost broke me. I can’t let her get hurt again. “The only way out of this is to bring her down. Together.”

“So then what do we do?”

“We keep working the angle Marty was working. She had to be close to getting the answers we need. Otherwise Nicole wouldn’t have risked so much public awareness. I just wish I knew what her next move was after she met with the man who killed…”

“My dad.” Ivy’s shoulders slump. The ache in her eyes becomes even deeper.

“Right.” Knowing how he really died is causing her grief to well to the surface. I hate that no matter what happens she has to hurt. “Do you want me to tell Adira?”

She shakes her head. “It should come from me. I just hoped I’d have more information first. But now… I’ll tell him today. And I’d… I’d like to visit my dad’s grave too. Do you think that’s possible?”

I press my lips to her temple. “We’ll make it possible.”

Ivy startles when someone clears their throat behind me. I glance over my shoulder. I have no idea how long Rebel’s been standing there without interrupting. “What?”

He holds up my phone. I must have left it on the bar. “Doc wants to talk to Ivy about her test results.”

Chapter Twelve

Rogue

Ivy’s breath sharpens and she turns pale while she stares at my phone like it could grow legs and fangs at any moment. Her hands automatically move to rub at her upper arms. “Now?”

I lift the device to my ear. “Hey, doc, could you please give us a minute?”

“Sure,” the doctor says. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

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