Stealing the Thief

By Alexa Riley

Sadie loves her dad, and all she wants is for him to be happy, but her mother is making the divorce a nightmare. When Sadie finds out there's a detective snooping around, she decides to break into the detective's office and find out the real dirt. Turns out not only is she a terrible thief but she might have gotten herself kidnapped in the process.  

 

Ari's brothers have taken off and left him to run things on his own. When a late night alarm goes off and he finds a little thief hiding under his desk, he never imagines what he's capable of. Stealing Sadie wasn't on his to-do list, but one look at her and he's never letting go. 

 

Warning: Is kidnapping a love language? If so, these heroes are fluent! Pack a bag and stay a while because these guys aren't letting you go anywhere

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alexa Riley
• Release date: May 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223878636

Alexa Riley

New York Times bestselling author Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes. They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you! www.AlexaRiley.com

Book preview

Chapter One

SADIE

M y eyes! I drop the books I’m holding to cover my face. For a second, I almost didn’t believe what I saw but now it’s burned in my brain.

Oh god, Olivia gasps.

Shit, my dad grumbles.

I spin around so that I’m not facing them even though I can’t see anything. In all my twenty-one years of life, I don’t think I’ve seen my father make out with anyone. Which is kind of nutty because he’s been married my whole life.

Although he’s not been married to Olivia.

I didn’t know you were stopping by, sweetheart.

Clearly, I laugh and peek over my shoulder to make sure they’ve gotten themselves together. My father's shirt is a bit wrinkled, and I see Olivia putting her heels back on. She’s been my dad’s secretary for the last year, and right now, her face is cherry red. I’m sure mine is too, but I’m not mad. How long has this been going on?

I’m sorry, I should go. Olivia runs her hand through her short, blond hair. She’s pretty and has always been super sweet to me. I think she’s the same age as my mother, but the two couldn’t be more different.

Maybe I’m the one that should go, I offer. I think I walked in on something more than a heavy makeout session.

My dad is blushing now, and it’s all really adorable. Good for him. He’s been separated from my mother for a while now. The divorce should be finalized soon, but my father never gives me any details. If my mother knew about Olivia and Dad, she’d lose her freaking mind.

I don’t typically enjoy her meltdowns, but this one I think I would. I can’t remember how many times my mom would tell Dad he could never find someone better than her. You could throw a rock down the street and likely find a better person than Megan Delanito. My mother might be beautiful but that’s all she has going for her. I also know she’s had a string of affairs over the years.

Dad stayed with her for some reason, and I think I might be why. He said he wanted me to finish college first, even though he could have done it after high school. He stuck it out, but I think something big happened that sent him over the edge to finally file for divorce. Part of me wants it to be because he fell in love.

He would have legally separated from my mom before he acted on it, though. It’s the kind of man he is. He reminds me there are still good ones out there even if the ones at my college are douchebags. It could have something to do with me being in a major that is male dominated, so I’m stuck with them a lot.

No, stay, Olivia says quickly. You came all the way across town. Can I get you anything to drink?

I’m good but thanks. She gives me a smile, and I return it before she leaves. I wait for the door to close before I start with my questions. So how long? I ask my dad as I sit down on the corner of his desk.

About a month. He runs his hand through his graying hair. I should have waited till the divorce was finalized, but you know—

Know my mother is a blood-sucking bitch and will make this painful if she can? I finish for him.

Sadie. He shakes his head at me but doesn’t say I’m wrong. What are you doing on this side of town?

Spring break. I thought I’d spend it at home and that you might need the company, but it looks like you have some already. I live on campus on the other side of the city but don’t make it back as often as I used to.

Damn, I wish I’d known, honey. I have a work trip and I’m leaving tonight.

Is Olivia going with you? I wiggle my eyebrows, and he actually blushes again. I love my dad. He’s a sweet man, which is probably how my mom sank her fangs into him. My mother can play nice when she feels like it.

Yes, Olivia is going. She helped me with some of the plans.

Designing something fancy? He’s an architect but not for homes. He does buildings and bridges.

When I was little I would watch him design them, and it always fascinated me. As I got older, I realized the part that I loved most was the engineering of it all. My dad might design and craft the layout, but it’s the engineers that oversee the entire design to completion. Hence why I’m an engineering major. After spring break is over, I’ll only have a few more months until I graduate.

You want to see? He turns his computer screen so I can see the plans he has pulled up.

I love how you wrapped the top part to come together. It’s not only a bridge, it's a piece of art too.

Thanks. He turns his monitor back and shuffles some of the papers on his desk around. That’s when I see a business card with a name on it I know, and I snatch it up.

Reins.

You know Mom used that company, right? It’s a detective agency that finds dirt on people. I overheard her a few times on the phone with them. Okay, I might have been eavesdropping.

I know what they do. He tries to take the card from me, but I pull it back. Sweetheart, don’t worry about it. Everything is fine. I let him take the card back and watch as he puts it in his desk.

It’s not like he would tell me if things weren't fine. I wonder what the Reinses think they have on my father. Is that why the divorce is taking so long? Maybe my mother has got something she’s holding over his head.

Are you going to stay at the condo? I don’t want you spending spring break at an empty dorm.

Yeah, I’m gonna hang around.

Maybe I could move my trip.

"No! I’ll be fine. I use the word against him. In a few months, I’ll be out of school completely, and you’ll be stuck with me until I can find a job."

"You have a trust,

Reviews for Stealing the Thief

[AnIncrediblyGinormousBookaholic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable book about one of the three brothers. She is the daughter of Megan Delanito, the nutcase from the first book who hired the private detectives but was very silly. We meet Mr. Delanito with his new squeeze right off the bat.