Stolen Love (Beauty in the Stolen 3)

For now.

I’ll take it one day at a time until I find a new direction.

For now, it’s hugging Ian back and comforting the man who’s lost a baby. For now, it’s feeling something other than impulses based on instinct. It’s suffering pain but realizing I’m strong enough to get through it. It’s caring for someone else more than caring for myself. It’s being honest, acknowledging my love. It’s grieving and moving on so that both of us can survive.

It’s holding on to a purpose.

It’s finding Wolfe.

Sniffing, I say, “In five days, your brother’s staff will be back. We need to decide where we’re going and how we’re handling Wolfe.”

“Don’t worry,” he says, stroking my hair. “I have a plan.”

Chapter 11

Ian

Holding Cas in my arms, I hate myself. The fact that we can’t have children is my fault. If she never met me, none of this would’ve happened. She’d be working in a bank in Rustenburg. Her biggest concern would’ve been making her rent, not being on the run for crimes she didn’t commit and chased by a cop set on killing her. Maybe she would’ve met a nice guy, got married, and had those kids she can’t have now.

Fuck. That thought hurts with a force that twists me inside out. I don’t show her what’s brewing inside me. I don’t want to load more weight on her frail shoulders. This isn’t about me. I’m going to fix what I can. It’s too late to give her a baby, but I can give her peace of mind. I’ll be damned if I let her look over her shoulder for the rest of her life. I’m going to eliminate the man who threatens her, and we’re going to live happily ever after. End of story.

She breaks free from the vise of my arms, pushing away a little. “What’s your plan?”

I blow out a breath, considering how much to tell her. I’ll be going after Wolfe alone, and my feisty girl isn’t going to like it. “I’m setting a trap for Wolfe.”

She studies my face. “How?”

“By doing another heist.”

She goes rigid. “What kind of heist?”

“Diamonds.”

“What?” She shifts to the edge of the bed, out of my reach. “Where?”

“Rustenburg.”

Her lips part. “Rustenburg? Are you out of your mind?”

“It’ll be like having the advantage of playing a match on home territory. Wolfe lost the match there twice, once against me when I evaded him after the heist at Sun City and once against you when you slipped through his fingers. It’s where he killed Nick. He has a bad connotation to the place. Bad connections create negative feelings, and negative feelings create mistakes.”

“Where are you planning on finding these diamonds?”

“Your ex-boyfriend owns the biggest jewelry franchise in the province, and his head office is in Rustenburg.”

“Mint?” she exclaims. “He’s not my ex-boyfriend.”

“Just as well. At least I don’t have to kill him.”

“Don’t joke.” She purses her lips. “It’s not funny.”

“No jokes.” She better believe it. I still feel like offing the moron for how he treated her. “I’d say he deserves to lose more than his Porsche.”

“You can’t be serious.”

I give her a level look.

“Ian!”

I shrug. “What?”

“You’re talking about stealing diamonds from a store in Rustenburg and putting the whole of the police force on our tails.”

“Not the whole force, just Wolfe. He’ll know it’s me. He’ll come. When he does, I’ll be ready.”

“Hold on.” She drags her hair into a ponytail at her nape. “You’re using I a lot in this plan of yours. What about me?”

I tell her in no uncertain terms. “You stay with Damian and Lina. I’m not putting you in danger.”

She hops off the bed, prowling at the edge like a feline. “No. I may be personal to Wolfe, but he’s personal to me too. He killed Nick.” She pushes a thumb on her chest. “He shot me.”

“Cas.” My tone holds a warning. “Let me take care of it.”

“I’m a good tracker. I’m a great shot. I’ve been training for a year.”

“Training to kill me, you mean,” I say with half a smile.

She licks her lips and looks away. “Yeah, well, I didn’t know all the facts.” Looking back at me, she adds with more fervor, “I’m ready.”

“No.” I get off the bed and stand in front of her, my height towering over her smaller frame. “I’m not making a criminal out of you. My hands are already dirty.”

She props her fists on her hips. “I have news for you. I’m already a criminal on the run, or have you forgotten?”

“You haven’t crossed that line yet, baby doll. I have no intention of ever letting you.”

Her pretty features contort with anger. “Don’t you dare coddle me. My father never did. He knew my worth.”

“You’re wounded.”

“I’ll be stronger in a few days.”

“Cas.”

“I’m coming with you, Ian. End of discussion.”

Fuck, she’s hardheaded. I want to use the conspiracy of finding Wolfe to keep her with me, meaning figuratively at my side, not to drag her right into the middle of the danger.