Page 28 of Stolen Dove
"Thank you. I don't know how long I'll be in here, so you don't have to follow me anymore. It's not like I'm going anywhere."
"Just doing my job."
"Well, I don't want to be disturbed." It may come off rude, but seriously, I'm a little annoyed that he's up my ass. I know Victor doesn't trust me, and that's why he has his minions following me like puppies. Still, I find it irritating.
"Call out if you need anything." He nods and turns on his heel in the opposite direction we came from. This house is practically a castle. It definitely has that historic charm. I open the double doors like I'm in Beauty and the Beast and to my amazement, the library is massive. Two floors with a walking path on the second. It's beautiful. I close the door behind me and then walk to the nearest bookcase and run my fingers along the spines of the books while breathing in the scent of paper. A happy sigh escapes my lips, and then I scan the titles. There are so many titles that I'm not sure which one to pick.
I randomly grab a small stack and sit on the most comfortable chaise ever. It’s heavenly.
I pick up the first book. It’s A Tale of Two Cities, which I immediately put down. The next is Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. This time, I read at least a page before setting it on the table beside the head of the chaise. Next is Dracula by Bram Stoker. Unable to stop myself, I dig in. Page by page, I devour the story until there’s a knock at the library door.
“Yes?”
“Señor Serrano has pulled into the driveway.”
“Thank you.” I don’t care. I look at the clock on the wall, and it’s already six thirty. I grumble the time to myself and go back to my book. I refuse to look up when he enters the library.
“If that’s the greeting I get when you’re engaged in reading, I’ll just have to take this back to the store.”
“You’re late,” I hiss, refusing to look up from the book.
“Oh…well. I was busy working.” I turn and look at him, and he’s wearing a different shirt.
“Working? Why is your shirt different?” I question, narrowing my eyes so he knows damn well I’m not stupid.
“I spilled wine on it.”
“Oh, work. Wine?”
“Dove, we own a winery,” he says.
“A winery?” Well, I didn’t know that.
“Yes. An entire vineyard as well. I’ll take you one day if you’d like.”
“That sounds good.” I stare at him and wonder why he had wine and why he spilled it on himself. “Do you keep extra clothes just lying around?”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous.”
“Not in the least. I’m just curious.”
“I do, actually. I hadn’t planned on getting dirty, but sometimes that comes with the business.” I don’t know which business he’s actually referring to, and I’m not going to ask. “So anyway, wife. Any more questions, or can I give you your tablet?”
“You got it for me?” I gasp, shocked by it.
“Of course I did. I couldn’t get you a Kindle, although I can order you one from Amazon, but I was told you can download the app on here and it works the same.” He hands me a Samsung Tab A. “Oh, and you’ll need this to go with it.” He hands me the latest Samsung, or at least I think it is. I don’t know about phones other than the multitude of ads I saw on the bus in the city or on the TV sometimes. I used to have the first Samsung Galaxy they ever made, or at least it felt that way.
“Thank you! I’ve never had a new phone or a tablet before.” I throw my arms around him again today for spoiling me. We might not have a real marriage made from love, but he’s not doing a bad job on some of the aspects of being a husband. It’s better than being trapped doing nothing. At least I think I can play games on this thing.
“That’s much better. I have to leave again, but I will be back around midnight. I picked this up at the store. You can use it to order your books.” It’s a hundred-dollar Amazon gift card. Wow. “Let me know if you need more. I can set up an account. I’ll be back.” He takes my lips fast and hard before rushing back out of the room.
I forgot to ask him about the phone. Then he comes back in. “Oh and there’s no point in calling the cops. They won’t come here to get you, okay?” His mouth is on mine once more before leaving. Damn, I hadn’t even thought about the cops. I set everything down and go back to my book. I guess I’ll be having dinner on my own while he’s out doing God knows what and with who. I don’t think he’s cheating. He’s gone through too much trouble and he’s fucked me way too many times in the past twenty-four hours to need his dick hard again.
I sit on the chaise and continue my book until there’s a knock at the door half an hour later. “Mrs. Serrano, I’m sorry, but dinner is ready. Would you like it served here, in the dining room, or in the kitchen?”
“The kitchen, if you don’t mind.”
“This is your home.”