Page 66 of Stolen Love

“I care about you, Ivy.”

“No you don’t. If you did you wouldn’t be working with my mother.”

He makes a frustrated sound. “Sometimes you don’t get a choice.”

I feel that way about my whole life. And all it does is make me more determined to fight for the right to make my own decisions. I won’t let him and Nicole take any more of my choices away. “I will fight you every step of the way. I will not be your wife, Nathaniel. Surely you knew that the only reason I agreed to marry you was to buy time.”

“I know you think you can handle the real world, Ivy, but you can’t. You’re not prepared for it.” He pulls out a book and flips it open to the middle. Lifting the envelope hidden there he holds it out to me. “Your dad left you this. It should help.”

I stare at my name written in his handwriting on the front. Snatching it from Nathaniel’s hand, I hurry to the door. “I have to go.”

“You think you can find a happy ending with Rogue Maddox. But you can’t.” He sounds sad. When I glance back he shakes his head. “I’m so sorry, Ivy. I won’t tell Nicole you came here today, but this is the way it has to be. You just don’t have any idea—"

“Because he’s mine and Alec’s cousin?” My fingers are wrapped around the handle.

“What?” He leans on his desk.

“You didn’t know?”

He shakes his head. “I—"

“Well, now we both know.” I open the door as Jackson falls in behind me. “And I still will not marry you.”

He calls after me as Jackson takes point and we make a beeline for the exit. “I’m just trying to keep you safe, trying to keep you both safe…”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ivy

Nathaniel doesn’t follow us, and by the time I make it to the elevator my curiosity over the envelope in my hand is too much to ignore. Jackson presses the call button, and while we wait for the elevator, I rip open the letter.

Dearest Ivy,

On the eve of your wedding,

If you’re reading this note then I unfortunately won’t be there to see you walk down the aisle. But I’m sure you will make a beautiful bride. As lovely as your mother was on our wedding day.

You have to know that marrying your mother was one of the best days of my life. She was my sunshine. And then you were born and our little family was perfect. We had everything. Happiness. Love.

If only I had known what was to come. Or realized it sooner than I did. I would do anything to change our past.

I can only pray that by now you know everything and you understand why I made this deal.

Trust Nathaniel.

The man you are marrying is one that will fight much harder for you than I did for your mother. He will make you feel loved. He will ensure you have all the happiness you deserve.

Yeah, right. Dad obviously didn’t know Nathaniel was working with Nicole behind his back.

The doors slide apart and before I can enter the box, the open space is immediately filled by tattoos and feral blue eyes. Jackson jerks back as he works out which triplet it is. He reaches for his weapon, but it’s already too late.

Jackson crumples to the ground as I stumble back. My bodyguard is unconscious and West is looking at me like… like…

I spin around to run.

West drags me back by my hair before I can make it two steps. I don’t get a chance to scream, as he wraps his hand around my neck and shoves me back against the wall so hard my head bounces on impact. Spots dance in my vision as his fingertips squeeze my windpipe. The letter falls to the floor.

For a second I have several moments of clarity…

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