Page 24 of Walking the Bird

“Now, we let Diablo come find us.”

* * *

“Please let her be here.”Alex prayed as he gently slid the keycard into the slot, holding his breath as he struggled to be quiet. Helping Slate took longer than anyone had anticipated, and in hindsight, he wished he’d stayed on the boat with the wives. He’d come to realize doing the right thing didn’t only apply to fighting enemies and rescuing innocent victims, it also applied to keeping the promise he’d made to his wife on the day they married. He loved Eleni, more than life itself, and he’d failed miserably at showing her.

Peeking around the door, Alex scanned the room, his heart hitting the floor as he took in the empty bed.

Tossing the card to the bedside table, Alex sat heavily on the corner of the bed. “Goddamn it, Eleni!” Spearing his fingers into the crown of his head, he dropped his gaze to the floor. He needed a solid plan in approaching her, take her to a place where neither one of them could be distracted.

Lifting his head, Alex fixed his gaze on the ocean outside their room. Standing from the bed, he crossed the space, sliding open the door and stepping onto the deck. Leaning against the railing, Alex gazed out into the darkness, the pinks of a new day beginning to color the horizon. “You’re in motherfucking paradise, you stupid bastard,” Alex chastised himself. He needed a shower, a few hours of sleep, and a clear head before trying to approach her. Thinking back to what the drunken lady at the bar had said, he decided he would approach Eleni during her run. If this guy was with her, he’d confront him too. Turning to head for the shower, Alex groaned as his cellphone rang, dragging his feet as he made his way to the bed.

Snatching the phone off the bed, Alex considered letting the call go to voicemail but thought better of it as he swiped his thumb across the screen.

“If you’re in fucking jail little brother.” Alex didn't agree with his brother Nick’s choice in going to work for their cousin Stavros.

“Shut the fuck up with that shit, Alex. I wouldn’t call your fucking ass if I were.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Alex considered hanging up. “Then why the fuck are you calling me so late?”

“I don't need you, bro, I need to talk to your wife. I’ve been trying to reach her for over an hour and my call goes straight to voicemail.”

“What the fuck do you need with Eleni?”

“To let her know Stavros ordered a watch at her office, and Autumn is staying with me at my condo.”

“Wait, who the fuck is Autumn, and why are you watching Eleni’s office?”

Alex listened as Nick told him of the woman Eleni hired, a newly graduated accountant who’d moved across the country, and rubbed him the wrong way from the moment he’d met her.

“Sounds to me like you want to fuck her.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d seen the girl I was with earlier.”

“Listen, I’d love nothing more than—”

“Are you and Eleni getting a divorce?”

“No!” Alex practically shouted into the phone, his heart dropping at the thought.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. Why?”

“Because the girl I was with tonight is a legal secretary, said she’d worked on a petition for divorce involving a couple with our last name. Besides Mom and Dad, you’re the only married Nakos in the state.”

Alex’s knees gave out, his body dropping to the floor. He could feel his world crashing around him.

“I’m sure this girl is mistaken; Eleni and I are fine.” The lie burning a hole in his chest.

“Maybe.” Nick tossed back, his tone less than convincing. “But if I were you, I’d button shit up before you come home. Stavros has officially declared war on Abernathy, and I’d hate to leave Eleni unprotected if she’s no longer a member of the family.”

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