Page 14 of Stolen Love

“Of course not. How could you?” Dizzy’s sympathetic voice rings out.

I turn to see my friend with her hands out like she was holding something. She drops them quickly and wipes her palms on her pink mini skirt.

I haven’t seen her since before the wedding disaster and Rogue’s arrest. Well, there was that vivid dream about meeting her brother and going to Narnia. I wanted to help Rogue so badly it must have seeped into my dreams. My subconscious telling me the only way to do that is by remembering what happened with Alec that night I almost died. Although I’m not sure it would really help when it’s my mother who is intent on making my life hell. “What are you doing here?”

“I was worried about you. With everything they’ve been reporting online… you’re like a sister to me. My best friend. I had to come,” Dizzy says. “Jackson let me in.”

He nods when I glance at him for confirmation. “She’s on your approved visitor list.”

“Right. Of course.” She is. I put her there. I trust her. It’s just… I’m rattled. And there’s the roses.

“I’m so sorry I scared you.” She steps over the mess. The points of her pale pink heels have darkened where water splashed them. “That wasn’t my intention. You were with the doctor. And everyone else was busy. I didn’t want to get in the way so I thought I would wait in the dining room. I needed to call my brother anyway. And that’s when I noticed the roses. I was trying to get rid of them before you saw them.”

“Where’d they come from?” Rogue barks. “I thought I said no roses in the apartment.”

“I didn’t see them get delivered.” Jackson narrows his gaze on Dizzy. “Otherwise, I would have disposed of them.”

“It wasn’t me.” Dizzy twirls a candy pink tendril around her finger. “I was just moving them because I know how much they affect Ivy.”

I stare at the broken ceramic pieces of the vase and bent stems of roses that have come loose from the arrangement. Snowy petals with crimson tips are littered across the floor. Strands of blood red seed pearls have broken and scattered. So far every arrangement has been accompanied with a threat from my mother. “Is there a card?”

Summer steps around the scattered petals and beads and carefully moves the stems until she retrieves a small white card.

“What’s it say?” I start to shake.

Summer straightens and scans the card before clearing her throat. “To my dearest daughter… Tick. Tock.”

“That absolute bitch,” Adira snaps. “Why can’t she just leave you the hell alone?”

Rogue wraps his arms around my shoulders as I fall against his chest. He smooths my hair away from my face as he speaks low enough that I only I hear. “Everything she’s doing is to get between us. Don’t let her do that. Don’t let her get to you. We can beat her if we just stick together. Tell me you know that.”

“Yes. I know that.” I want to believe him so badly.

“Remind me again why we’re not reporting these threats to the police?” Riot asks.

“We thought she’d get the message when Ivy didn’t do what she wanted.” Rogue exhales a labored breath.

We thought she’d give up when I made it clear that I wouldn’t leave Rogue. I still don’t understand why that’s not the case. Why she’s so intent on hurting me.

“And now with the assault… the timing… the cops won’t believe us,” Rogue says flatly. “Or if they do it’s probably because Nicole owns them.”

“What?” I sniffle.

Rogue turns rigid. “I want to know how those roses ended up in here.”

“It’s possible it was a member of the security team,” Rebel says. “Right? A couple of them were up here a little earlier.”

“Yes, sir. That’s the most likely explanation.” Jackson straightens. “I’ll check with everyone on shift right now and make sure they understand this isn’t to happen again.”

“No,” Rogue snaps, his tone as dark as his scowl. “I’ll see to it myself.”

“Should I come with?” I ask.

He shakes his head, his eyes softening. “Visit with Dizzy. It’ll be good for you to have some time with your friend. And there’s someone I want to talk to about Marty.”

Dizzy bounces up and down and claps her hands. “We should totally have a girls’ night…” She makes a face as she realizes we’re stuck in a fortress surrounded like Saturn by rings of security and media reps. “…in? Pajama party? You’re already in your jammies.”

“How about an hour or two?” Rogue suggests with a kiss to my temple. “I hate to be a grumpy asshole like my brother, but you’re not well. And I was hoping to have you all to myself at some point tonight.”

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