Page 23 of Stolen Dove
“No, because I fucking need her. I knew it the second I saw her. I didn’t buy her because I was so hard up for pussy. It’s her that I want, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to let someone else there soil her. I almost walked away and then someone put his hands on her, wanting my woman.” I stop in my tracks and then screw up my eyebrow. “Wait. How do you know about it?”
“How I know is that as the treasurer, I saw my brother remove that much money and you come back with a wife. It doesn’t take much talk to hear you didn’t make a deal with Avanti for anything other than that woman,” he confesses.
“Who told you?” I want to know how this got out. The thought of people thinking ill of Dove pisses me off. I don’t give a fuck what strangers think of me or my motives.
“Mama told me.”
My face pales. “Mama?”
“Yes. She overheard some conversation while out shopping about your request for a full feminine wardrobe and everything in the house. She knows you met with guys like us, like Father. She put it together herself.”
“She thinks so little of me.” I sigh, falling back on my leather sofa, laying my head over the arm.
“No, she hopes not, but we know you’re not like Father. Still, how does this girl feel about this?”
“My wife’s not in love with me if that’s what you mean, but she doesn’t resist my touch. She loves it.”
“So she’s attracted to you. That’s good.”
“But she’ll never love me.” Wow, I sound fucking weak as hell. What happened to me?
“Whoa. You’re already in love with her, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am. There’s no other reason I’d do what I did.”
“Then show her. Maybe she’ll come to love you. It’s only been a day. Fuck, has it even been a day?”
“No. It hasn’t. I moved mountains to make her mine, and now I’ve trapped her just like our mother was.”
“Just prove you’re not our father.”
“Wait. Mom knows.” Fear drains all the color from my face. Will she help Dove leave me?
We storm out of the room and go in search of them. Vicente points to the kitchen. I swing the door open and accidentally hit my wife. “Shit. Dove.” I catch her before she hits the ground. “Amor, are you okay? I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine,” she says, moving out of my arms.
“We were just making some lunch. Since when don’t you know how to open doors, Victor Miguel?”
“Oh shit. She used your middle name.” Hector laughs.
“You’re next. Are you well, mija?” She cradles my wife’s shoulders.
“I am.” Suddenly her stomach grumbles loud enough for us to hear.
“Starving your wife?” My mother tsks, wagging her finger at me. She takes Dove and brings her to the kitchen island and hands her some chopped apples. “Eat these while I finish the food.”
“We have a cook, Mama,” I remind her as I move close to my wife.
“I know, but I like my cooking. Besides, I have him running to the store for us.”
“Victor is correct, Mother. You should be resting,” Hector says, putting his arm around her.
She nudges his arm away as she works on making tortillas de patatas. “Dejame. I’m fine. Now, either sit and behave, or leave us.” Both of us look at her, feeling like little boys again, which makes Dove smile. Fuck me, she’s gorgeous. I’m so fucking lost, it’s pathetic. I have an empire to run.
Just then, my phone rings. “Serrano.”
“You kidnapped my daughter.”