Page 78 of The Bloke

There was no way to avoid disclosing my wife’s involvement with the LVSF, seeing as she would be dead right now if she hadn’t been.

However, knowing her history with them made it easier to prove that she was coerced into working with them instead of willingly.

Nick: How long ago did she work for them?

Me: Three years… Why now?

Nick: There could be more behind the organization that Jameson works for if the LVSF is interested in keeping him alive.

Me: Dustin won’t accept that as a reason for her failure.

Nick: I’ll see what I can do before your meeting. Hang tight.

Me: Thanks, Nick. I owe you one for this.

Nick: Don’t thank me just yet. Your wife is still a target until Dustin says otherwise.

“Colby?” Sienna groaned as she stirred in my lap, rolling onto her side and burying her face in my shirt.

I stroked her hair, eyes still closed, and wished everything would be okay after tonight. I’d give anything for a second chance to love her without complication.

I gave my wifeanother hour before waking her to leave for Dustin’s mansion. Her body was still recovering from the gunshot wound, and it was consuming all of her remaining energy.

To see someone so fit and agile, now wounded and weak, was heartbreaking.

When we pulled up to the mansion, I parked outside the main doors, noticing Nick’s Lamborghini already there. A black Escalade was parked beside his, unfamiliar to me, but I assumed it belonged to Dustin—although, why would he park in the front of his mansion?

I escorted Sienna up the steps, my arm wrapped tightly around her waist for support as she insisted on walking herself.

“You don’t need to coddle me, Colby; I’m highly capable of getting myself into this mansion on my own.” She elbowed me in the ribs with a low growl, determined to piss me off.

That was my wife, ever the challenger of my sanity and patience.

“You were shot in the chest less than forty-eight hours ago, and I don’t know what to expect in there, so let me fucking help you,” I grumbled through a low hiss, squeezing her waist even tighter to get my point across.

I was nervous about this meeting; I had been since the incident at Neon Palms. Nick had given nothing to reassure me of her safety, and the thought alone of what I would be forced to do to her made my stomach turn sour, and bile burn the back of my throat.

I had known of a handful of men over the years who had been forced to end the lives of their wives, all because they couldn’t handle the task set before them.

I’ve seen a broken man and wasn’t ready to become one tonight.

Sienna huffed, relaxing her body against mine as we continued up the steps and through the double doors.

Upon entering the grand foyer, we were met with Dustin’s butler.

“Mr and Mrs Bryce, I presume? Please follow me to Master Slate’s office.” He greeted us before turning on his heel and making his way down a long corridor to the left of the foyer. When we approached a large open black door, he stopped beside it and gestured us inside, addressing Dustin directly: “Your guests have arrived, Sir.”

“Thank you, Avery. That will be all for now.” Dustin replied with a wave of his hand as he turned to face us.

I guided my wife into the room and gestured for her to sit in the empty spot on the black leather loveseat beside Nick, who had his arm fanned out over the back, looking far too comfortable. I glanced at him for any sign of hope as Sienna tookher seat, but all he did was return a grim-looking smile and a subtle shake of his head.

“Colby…” Dustin sighed, running a hand down his face before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Excuse my language tonight, but do you have any idea just how fucking badly your wife fucked up?”

Not what I had expected of his first words for me, but they were better than the alternative of getting straight to the point.

“Dustin—”

“Before you attempt to sway me into giving your wife a second chance, Nick has already done most of that work for you.” Dustin cut me off, and I crossed my arms over my chest to stand my ground, not willing to give an inch without a fight when it came to her life. “What I didn’t account for was someone else speaking up on your wife’s behalf as well…”Wait, what?

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