Page 98 of Stolen Love

I long to caress his face. Even with that ugly thing on his lip. I sink against the pillows. “That’s good.”

“It’s been quite the adventure, huh?” He covers my hand with his huge one. “Dizzy’s your sister. Alec isn’t your brother.”

“No, he’s…” I’m still groggy and it takes an effort to put it together. “Yours.”

“Unfortunately.” Rogue’s smile widens.

“I’d never have suspected you’d smile about being related to him.”

“Yeah. But all that matters is that you’re not.”He presses his lips to my forehead. “Which means, as soon as you are better and I’m cleared of Mark Anders’s death… I am going to marry you. And there is not a damn thing anyone can do stop us.”

“Hey.” The doctor walks into the room. “You’re awake. And looking a little better, I see.”

“Feeling a lot better.” I smile at Rogue as he moves back to the chair. When he takes my hand, my heart blossoms.

The doctor checks his tablet and makes adjustments to whatever is in my drip.

“It’s a good thing we caught it when we did,” he says. “You’ll recover. It’ll just take time.”

Rogue clears his throat. “The other test, doc?”

The doctor refers back to his tablet.

The nurses ran a pregnancy test while they were treating me. It most likely wouldn’t be viable after what Jackson did to me, but we need to know.

“There isn’t one, is there?” I ask and my voice cracks.

His friendly face grows a bit more serious. Sympathy fills his eyes. “You’re not pregnant. From what I see here I think all your symptoms were from the overload of heavy metals you ingested.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Rogue says when I can’t form words.

I should be relieved. I should be more than relieved. But all I feel is overwhelming sadness. I wanted it. I was starting to believe it was real. And now that I know Rogue and I are not cousins and we have a future together… My tears overflow.

I can see being a mother so clearly, which is funny with a role model like mine. But I know love from the people I choose to surround myself with, and I know how to give love too.

“I’ll give you some privacy.” The doctor exits and shuts the door.

Rogue lies down beside me and pulls me into his arms. He tucks my head under his chin. I can feel the hitch in his breath. All the emotions he’s trying to keep under control while I let mine become a storm.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispers as he strokes my hair. “I’m so sorry. I wanted it too. With every breath in my body I wanted it too.”

I don’t know how long I cry in his arms. Until my eyes are swollen. Until I have no more tears to shed. It’s better this way, but that doesn’t make me less sad.

“We’ll try.” He kisses the salt from my skin. “We’ll start trying as soon as you want to. We have a future Ivy, you and me, together. One where you get to choose your destiny. A career. Family. A whole football team of kids, if that is what will make you happy. We have a million nights to spend wrapped in each other’s arms. Making love. Talking. Laughing. And crying. We’ll do it all… we’ll live this life in all it’s good bits and bad bits together. We’ve already been through so much. Nothing can stop us as long as we have each other.”

“You’re right.” Everything we’ve been through has only made us stronger. I wipe the tears from my eyes. “I love you.”

“My love for you is indestructible, princess. Always remember that.” His lips seek mine, and I meet him with an urgency that leaves me breathless as he bites on my lip and parts my teeth with his tongue.

I burrow my hands inside his sweatshirt and over his heart while we kiss and kiss and kiss. He finds my bare thigh under the blanket and the hem of the hospital nightgown, trailing his fingers up the back of my leg to my ass.

A knock and the door swings open, interrupting us. Adira’s head pops through the crack. “How’s my bestie?”

“Uh.” My cheeks turn hot as Rogue grumbles and climbs off the bed. “Better.”

“I can see that.” Adira smirks as he opens the door and three more Maddoxes and Dizzy follow him into the room.

“Did you tell her we’re not cousins?” Rebel asks Rogue.

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