Page 51 of Bittersweet Revenge

She pursed her lips and crossed her arms on her chest. “Why are you like that?”

I rolled my eyes. “We’re the elite. You think your brother is better? Think again. But no, there is something about her.”

“Antoine said she didn't have any online presence at all.” She twisted her mouth, chewing on her bottom lip. “He says she is not good enough to be in Brentwood.”

I couldn't help but grin at her. Antoine’s findings were confirming my suspicions. I was just that fucking good.

“Here we go,” she said. “An ego boost you didn't need.”

“We’ll find out who gave it to you, I promise.”

She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. Then walked away to her classroom, leaving me frozen in the corridor like a first-class idiot.

We were making one hell of a team, her and I. Too bad it couldn’t last.

Chapter 12 - Esme

“Do we really have to take them?” Archie asked with a childish pout as Antoine and Taylor settled in the back seat.

“He’s the specialist, Archie. Who will explain to Ben how to use everything? What if he has questions?”

Archie grumbled, but dropped the subject. I kind of felt bad for breaking up the little boys’ group they'd had before I’d arrived. They’d seemed united. Well, by hate and deception, but at least they’d had each other.

“What did you tell Caleb?” Taylor asked as if she was mirroring my thoughts.

“Nothing really. He doesn’t seem to care that much.” Maybe he was faking it; I wasn’t sure. Whilst he was not throwing me death glares anymore, which I considered progress, he still kept his distance. The only exception was at home where he’d been making good on his word to take me everywhere I wanted to go whenever his father was around. I hoped that wouldn’t last forever though, as I still had to investigate their house.

“I told him I was going with Archie to Port Harbor for some shopping. He gave me this.” I retrieved the black and platinum credit card with my name on itfrom my phone pocket and waved it over my head to Taylor.

She whistled. “Damn, the boy gave you an Octave.”

“Okay?” I looked at the card. It looked just like any piece of plastic to me.

Archie sighed. “It’s a very exclusive credit card, Esme. It has no limit and you can only get it if you have ten million or more in your account.”

“Oh.” I looked down at the card as if it was a treasure and in many ways it was.

Caleb had walked me downstairs just before Archie had come to pick me up. He’d handed me this card as if it was not a big deal and maybe it wasn’t. He’d looked as stoic as he always did, but his voice had been a little bit deeper, warmer, when he’d asked me to be good. I’d wanted to remind him that I was neither a child nor his belonging, and what would be considered ‘good’ for either of us would be diametrically different, but his eyes had reflected real concern, even a little fear, and so I’d backed down.

When I’d promised him I’d behave, he’d chuckled. “Your brother’s going to watch you like a hawk. I’m not too worried, but you know.” He pointed at the card. “Just use it if you want a corduroy dress, a hot chocolate or some angel wings,” he added, keeping his eyes on my bare neck. I had not worn his necklace since I’d been back. I wasn’t sure why because God knew how much I loved it, but it felt like showing him how much I cared and I didn’t want to be more obvious to him than I already was.

I sighed, wishing the memory away.

“I won’t use it,” I said, my voice a little wistful at the memory of my day with Caleb. That was the day my heart had cracked open for a version of Caleb I’d rarely seen since.

Archie threw me a side glance. “I know you won’t. If you need anything, just tell me. I'm happy to buy it for you.”

“Or me,” Taylor piped in.

“Oh, I see we’re all doing it? Fine, or me.” Antoine added, making me chuckle. I turned around on my seat to give him a grateful look.

“So you told Astor you were going with Archie. What if he finds out Antoine and I joined you?”

“So what? It looks like it is a double date.” Antoine shrugged dismissively.

“Sure…” I scrunched up my nose. “A date with my twin brother. Please just park here until I vomit.”

“We could always switch,” Archie offered with a noncommittal shrug, but I could see how much he wanted to as he glanced at Taylor in the rear-view mirror. She continued looking out of the window as if nothing had been said.

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