Page 15 of Bittersweet Revenge

“Come in.”

Benjamin walked in and took in the keys in my hand. He never missed a thing. He’d been in the background since before I was born. To have seen all the things he’d seen and still be around was rather astonishing.

“I’m guessing you’re going out, sir.”

“What do you need?”

“Miss Esmeralda expressed the wish to dine with you tonight, sir, but I shall inform her of your unavailability.”

“No, I’ll go out later. Dinner is fine.”I didn’t like the elation I felt at the idea of having dinner with her. I also didn’t like how easily I'd set aside a chance at mind-blowing sex with a woman much too eager to please me for dinner with a traitor who would end up giving me the cold shoulder at best.

I thought I saw disapproval on Ben’s wrinkled face, but it was gone as soon as it'd appeared. “Very well, sir. It will be served in the main dining room at eight as usual.”

I looked at my watch. That gave me thirty minutes to get ready. Why should I even care and yet – I rubbed my jaw, feeling the sprinkle of my five o’clock shadow.

I decided not to dwell on the reasons why my chest was lighter when I went to my room to take a shower I didn’t need and shave my face clean.

When I walked into the dining room, I was taken aback to find Esmeralda already standing there, looking at the flames crackling in the grate of the oversized fireplace. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress and flat shoes, showing how tiny she really was. Did she know blue was my favorite color? Was she trying to look small? Defenseless?

“There is something strangely soothing about looking at a fire burn,” she said, keeping her back to me. Her hair was up in her trademark messy bun, revealing her delicate, graceful neck and the small mole resting at its base. I looked at it every time she had her back to me. It was almost hypnotic and every time I had to fight my instinct to brush my lips against it. I could almost see her shiver, as if she could feel that phantom kiss.

“It is mesmerizing because it is a perfect contradiction,” I replied, walking to her with my hands in my pockets. "It looks so beautiful, but if you get too close it will destroy you…”Just like you,I added to myself.

“Why did you decide to join me for dinner tonight?” I asked as I stood beside her, looking at the flames. She was right; it was strangely soothing.

“Because you gave me the WiFi and phone back.” She shrugged. “I called Taylor and it was nice, so thank you.”

“And you thought that gracing me with your presence would be the right way to thank me? A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

Her complexion turned the loveliest shade of pink at my comment. I would rather remove my own tongue than let her know what was already so infuriating to acknowledge myself – that looking at her and her alone, provided me with a sense of peace that my soul didn’t deserve.

“I- No, that’s not it. I thought–”

“Sir, madam, dinner is served,” Benjamin announced, breaking her flustered response, and it frustrated me. I enjoyed seeing her squirm.

I was surprised that the table was set in a more intimate fashion than was customary. When there were only my parents, usuallythey’d be sitting at both ends of the table which was built for twelve. Even that though was rare as they avoided each other beautifully well when there were no witnesses to their downfall except for me, their useful-yet-insignificant son.

But this time the plates were set across from each other. I threw a look toward old Benjamin as he set the warm bread rolls on the side plate. I wasn’t sure what his endgame was, but we needed to discuss this.

“This looks delicious,” Esme said to Benjamin with a small smile. She was always just so…kind to them, when she didn’t need to be.

Benjamin bowed. “I will let the chef know. He will be pleased.”

“The fact that he has a job is a testament that he is adequate,” I replied firmly. “Compliments are not necessary.” This was not the type of household to recognize talent. It was best for them not to expect recognition. I never did and I was better for it.

Benjamin left the room as Esmeralda sighed. “That was unnecessary.”

“I’ll deal with my staff the way I see fit.”

The lightness of her face started to fade and the living, breathing contradiction I had become since she'd walked into my life was apparent again. It annoyed me that she reacted so negatively to my presence even if I was causing that reaction on purpose, but I was also somehow pleased to at least have an effect on her, just as she had an undesired effect on me.

“When are your parents coming back?” She asked, changing the subject. She didn’t want to fight tonight that much was clear, and that too was a little disappointing. I enjoyed seeing the angry Esmeralda, the fire in her eyes, the red on her cheeks. It was when she was the most beautiful… Well, if you didn't count her drunk with desire in my bed – at that moment she’d been a goddess.

“Why does it matter?” I asked back, resting my cutlery on the table, detailing her face, trying to find her tell. Once I had the key to decipher her, she would stop being such a mystery to me and I was sure that her appeal would lessen.

Her eyes sparked with frustration. “It matters because I live here, because I deserve to know, because I'm down here trying to make polite conversation, and you’re doing your utmost to be the biggest asshole in the world. Congratulations, you are succeeding.”

Ah, finally, she was letting go of her mask of cool indifference. I liked the untamed Esmeralda, even if I’d take death before admitting that fact.

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