Page 58 of Bittersweet Revenge

“He said ‘Fuck you, Forbes’.” Taylor piped in, way too happy to assist.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s amazing all the tech, right?” I commented, trying to redirect the conversation.

“Yeah, it's like in the films!” He showed me a small round see-through sticker. “Can you believe this is a listening device?! Just stick it on his phone and bang! We hear it all.” He looked at it with amazement. “I feel like we’re in Gattaca or some shit.”

Antoine nodded. “Most of what I’ve given you today is priceless, created for the highest level of our– your intelligence. These are not toys.”

God, was he serious when he talked about his spy stuff.

Ben nodded. “Yeah, got it. It’s easy. There won’t be a problem.”

“Do you have any other questions?” Archie asked, looking at his watch. “We really appreciate everything you're doing for us, but we won’t be able to stay much longer.”

“No, no questions, and I'm not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Esme,” he added, keeping his eyes on me, the heat in them unmissable.

“Uh huh…” Archie's eyes narrowed into slits. “That’s nice.” His tone was so cold I shivered.

“Okay guys, why don’t you wait for me out front? I’ll walk Ben back to his bike,” I offered before Archie could say something mean yet again. “You don’t mind, do you?” I asked Ben.

“No. Actually, I’d like to talk to you alone too.”

“Okay.” I took a step forward. “Let’s go.”

Archie caught my wrist. “Esme, maybe I should come with you. It’s not like–”

“No, don’t, Archie, please. Don't be like Caleb or Father. Don’t try to control me. Not you.”

He let go of my wrist as if I’d burned him. I knew it hurt him to be compared to them, most of all our father.

“Esme, no, never.”

“And yet–” I pointed at Ben who was waiting by the door, the little bag of spying devices secured in his hand. “He is my friend, someone who has always been there for me. I’m just going in the back for a few minutes to have some alone time with my friend. This is not something you should consider as an issue. Archie, don’t smother me. I wouldn’t survive it.”

He looked pained and took a step back. “Never. We’ll wait out front. I love you.”

I smiled back. I knew how much it cost him to say those words, especially in public. “I love you too.”

Ben and I walked outside, remaining silent until we reached his bike.

“Your friends are...interesting.”

I laughed. “That’s one way of putting it.”

He leaned against his bike.

“You know, you don't have to do it if you don't want to,” I said. “It can be dangerous and New York’s not close.”

“What are you saying? Don’t you think I can do it?”

“No!” I shook my head. “Of course you can. But I feel guilty, you know? I keep putting people in danger with this.”

He raised his hand to stop me. “If your mother was murdered and I didn’t help you out, I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror. Plus, as I said, I was going to New York next week anyway.”

“You were? Why?”

Ben blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been contacted by NYU. They are offering a full ride.”

“Oh! Oh my God, Ben, this is big!” I threw myself at him to hug him. I was lucky he was so big as I almost took him and the bike down with me.

---