Page 38 of Stolen Love

Adira’s gaze sharpens on my phone. “Oh my God.”

Chapter Sixteen

Rogue

“I can’t believe it didn’t fucking occur to me.” I lock eyes with Adira. “We’ve been looking for a lead and it’s been right in front of our faces the whole time.”

“I was so against you spying on our girl,” Adira says, his thought process on track with mine.

“What the hell?” Ivy glances from me to Adira and back again.

“Lover boy had tracking software put on your phone before he gave it to you,” Adira tells her. “I made it very clear that I would kick his ass if he used it for anything less than a kidnapping.”

“You were spying on me?” Hurt flashes in her eyes.

“It was for your protection,” I argue. “In case Nicole tried to kidnap you. Because she wants you so badly that I couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t just take you. She’s a killer, baby! Don’t be mad at me because I was protecting you. And after what she said today about you not having a choice, I’m glad I did it.”

“Tell me you haven’t used it,” she demands.

“Once,” I confess. “When you took off on Jackson at Mojitos. We didn’t know where you were or if something had happened to you. I was so fucking scared that she’d gotten to you.”

“And he had a point. You walked your ass right into the lion’s den that night,” Adira says.

Her lips form a thin line before the tension eases from them. “Tell me how you wanting to spy on me helps us.”

“Because you can stalk people on Google Maps if you know how.” Adira picks up his phone and starts tapping on the screen.

“Uh.” Ivy’s nose wrinkles. “How do you know that?”

“I’m not stalking anyone, if that’s what you’re asking.” Adira smirks.

“Will the location data go back far enough? We’re not talking weeks here.” I want to touch Ivy so badly, reassure myself that we’re okay, but when she glares at me I thread my hand through my hair instead.

“The data can be held indefinitely. It’s retrieving it that will be our problem. But if we can, we’ll know where Big Dick went in the days before he died.” Adira lifts his device to his ear.

“Do it,” Ivy says. “It’s the only lead we’ve got.”

He nods as his call connects. “Hey Sweets, I need you to do a little hack job for me.”

Ivy slips into my arms. Her sugar cookie shampoo seeps into my senses. “If we find out where he was then we can work out what he was doing. We can follow his last days. If there’s anything that could help us…”

There’s hope in her voice and that hope settles beneath my ribs. Perhaps I won’t have to kidnap Alec and string him up by his feet like he’s mistletoe.

That was my epiphany while my cock was deep inside her in the back of the Range Rover.

I never set out to be a criminal, but if they’re going to make me out to be one, I am going to get my hands dirty first. And I sure would like to get those hands on Alec Hawthorne for all the things that he’s done to my girl.

And to Ro.

And because it would straight up be a pleasure to make Nicole hurt, and for some reason the heartless bitch loves that sociopathic prick like she should have loved Ivy.

But I couldn’t tell Ivy that I’ve decided to kidnap her brother when she’s so hellbent on saving my soul. She thinks I’m a good man, but any good man can be pushed right over the edge for the right reasons. And she is my reason. My sanity. My life.

So yeah, If I have to, I’m going to kidnap her brother. I’m going to string him up like a boxing bag and beat that piece of shit until he looks like Mark Anders did before he died. Then I’m going to send Nicole photos of her baby boy with a warning about what will happen if she tries to force Ivy to do anything she doesn’t want. Hell, I’ll let my little bro get his hands dirty too. Rebel’s already had his turn. It’ll be the whole Maddox trifecta, swinging blows like we expect candy to explode out of Alec if we just hit him hard enough.

“What are you thinking?” Ivy stares at me curiously.

“Nothing, baby.” I shove my darker instincts deep below the surface and wrap an arm around her neck. I kiss the back of her head. “How about we buy a Christmas tree after we finish here. Take it home and decorate it. I know Christmas hasn’t been the best holiday for you in past years, but this is our first one together, and I want to make memories with you that will obliterate every bad one you have. I want you to plan a birthday party for Christmas Eve too. Let’s celebrate your emancipation.” I want to surround our love with positivity. When I wake up on Christmas morning it will be to her tucked in my arms. Her beautiful smile. I refuse to believe there is any other possibility. And if I plan for violence in the meantime… well, there’s no harm in being prepared for the worst.

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