Page 34 of Stolen Dove

“She can’t.”

“No.” I whip out my phone and use her phone tracker. She’s not in the fucking house.

“I’ll call the security gate.”

I try her phone, but she doesn’t answer. “Let’s get back now.”

Fernando’s on the phone and then hangs up. “Well?”

“Danny said when he got back to the security gate after a ten-minute bathroom break, Vicente wasn’t there to switch off like he was supposed to and his car was gone.”

I pull up the front door security and watch around that time, and there is my wife exiting the house, moving toward the back door of Vicente’s car, but he opens the front door. Startled, she moves to it, but then he slides his hand on her waist. She freezes and gasps before getting in the car.

“He’s a dead man.”

“Yes, he is. I’m tracking his phone. He’s at the market with her.”

“Let’s get there as fast as we can.” I check the rounds in my gun, itching to put the entire magazine in his head. Dove, what the fuck are you playing at?

“Damn it. I knew she wanted to go out, but hell, why lie to me?”

“Because you’d say no. She’s young, and you haven’t given her a reason to stay.”

“What the fuck? Aren’t you supposed to be my right-hand man?”

“Yes, and I’ve seen you more than she has. She’s lonely and bored. Vicente’s closer to her age. Maybe…”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I’m not saying she wants him, but maybe she knew he’d understand and help her spend some time out. It could be innocent.”

“You call this innocent?” I show the video of his hand on her, but what happens next tells me exactly his intentions for my wife. He adjusts himself and bites his lip before getting in the car.

“Shit, but she doesn’t seem interested.”

“Like you said, she’s bored and, well, she hates me.” It hits me that I left my wallet out. Shit. I open it, and my Amex is gone.

“Hey, bro. I thought you were at the party.”

“I was, but Dove cut out. Can you track my Amex?”

“Yes. Give me one minute.”

“It’s last used at the market at the dress shop.”

“She’s out shopping.” A sigh of relief hits me. She’s not leaving. She’s just sneaking out to spend my money. It’s all my fault, but this isn’t going to stop the spanking she’s going to get. “I’m about twenty minutes from landing.”

“Okay. I’m at the doctor with Mom. Do you want us to go to the house afterward?”

“Yes. I need to deal with this prick, and I can’t just leave Dove home alone. We’ll be back there in an hour.”

I turn to Fernando and say, “Make the call.” We’re going to have Vicente pay for his betrayal. He knows I wouldn’t have let her out in this dangerous climate. My enemies are everywhere, including in my home. She doesn’t understand the danger she’s really in.

The helicopter lands, and I summon two men to follow Fernando and me. They’re to follow Vicente when he runs and bring him to the warehouse.

As the vehicle races to the market, my blood rages thinking about his hands on my wife. Worse, what if she enjoys his touch? We pull up to the curb and search for them. I spot her easily. He gets too close for my liking and hers it seems, as well. I see that nervous stance of hers and then I’m a foot from them when he does the unthinkable.

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