Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
His phone buzzed, and Steele moved carefully to grab it and look at the screen. Storm. The manager at The Hangout had allowed him to view the security tape. A van had pulled close to the dumpster, and the sack had been tossed inside. The van was gone in a flash. The license plate showed in the tape, but something covered the letters and numbers, making it unreadable.
There are hundreds of white vans in the city, Steele thought to himself. They’d have to find them another way. Quickly, he texted his instructions:
Check to see if there are any security cameras on the buildings on the path from the bank to the bar. One focused on the bank parking lot would be the most beneficial.
A thumbs up symbol appeared and Steele knew Storm would look into all possibilities.
CHAPTER
FOUR
“Officer, I’m sorry I can’t give you a better description. If I heard their voices again, I know I’d recognize them,” Ivy commented.
She’d moved to sit on the edge of her bed when they’d walked in. Steele had quickly corralled the billowing fabric of her hospital gown to keep her from flashing the officers. Curiously, Ivy hadn’t been embarrassed to have Steele take care of her. She’d felt better when the large man had stood by her side.
“If you remember anything, even something that doesn’t seem important, call us,” the detective requested, handing Ivy his card.
“I will. Promise!”
“We’re concerned about your safety as these guys are still out there,” the other police officer warned.
“She’ll stay with me,” Steele said in a tone that brooked no arguments.
“At the Guardians’ compound?” the first questioned.
“Yes.”
“You can’t get any safer than that,” the second detective assured. “We did stop at the bank and got the video footage.”
“The bank! I haven’t even called them,” Ivy said, raising a hand to whack herself on the forehead for being a dunce.
“None of that, Little girl,” Steele corrected, grabbing her hand before it could reach its target.
“Looks like you’re in excellent hands,” the second officer noted. “We’ll be in touch. We have your purse and phone from the back entrance of the bank. They’ll be held for evidence for a while.”
“Thank you, detectives,” Ivy said quickly as they left. It was a funny feeling to be glad she had Steele in her corner. She had the impression the officers’ hands would be tied in how much they could do.
Peeking up at Steele, she guessed he would operate outside the law. “Why do you want to help me?”
“It’s what we do, Little girl. The Guardians are here to protect the vulnerable in Shadowridge.”
She bristled at that statement. “I’m not vulnerable.”
“Someone has decided you are. Just think of me as your backup. Everyone needs someone to have their back.”
“Is that what the other members do? Are they going to be okay with me staying with you? I don’t want to invade a men-only cave.”
“There are other women there, Ivy—old ladies and daughters are welcome in the compound.”
“Like grandmas?” she asked in fascination.
“Old ladies have nothing to do with age. It’s a wife or a long-term girlfriend of a member of the MC.”
“Oh!”
“Um, Steele?” she added.
“Hmm?” Steele asked, rubbing the muscles in the back of her neck with one hand.
“Do you have an old lady?”
“I don’t. I’ve been looking for someone special. My own Little girl.”
“You have a daughter?” she asked, puzzled.
Steele shook his head before grinning at her. “A Little girl with a capital L for Little. That’s different than a daughter.”
Suddenly, her scrambled brains clicked into place. “Like a submissive?” she whispered.
“Yes. A special kind of one.”
“You’re a Daddy?” she asked, mentally capitalizing the D.
“Ivy! We’ve been so worried about you,” a smooth polished voice announced loudly from the doorway, making her grimace as it echoed inside her skull.
“Talk quietly,” Steele ordered.
The suited gentleman in the doorway looked taken aback for a second before he continued to talk to Ivy in a slightly softer tone. “When the police showed up at the bank this morning to obtain the video footage, we understood why you neglected your duties and didn’t show up this morning.”
The rebuke in his voice was tangible, making Ivy respond immediately, “My apologies, Mr. Harris. I should have called.”
“Mr. Harris, is it? You understand that Ivy was abducted, abused, and her life was in jeopardy because of the lack of security at your bank?” Steele said, the judgement in his tone ringing clearly.
“Well, definitely, Ivy should have followed the security protocols. Nevertheless, I was concerned to hear that you had been injured,” the man answered, sloughing off any responsibility.
“I did nothing wrong, Mr. Harris. I checked the viewfinder before leaving. I didn’t share the new security codes and ended up tied, bagged, and thrown into a dumpster to be crushed,” Ivy said defensively. Her headache flared back into excruciating territory as her blood pressure rose. She closed her eyes and pressed a hand against her forehead as she swayed.