Page 81 of Bittersweet Revenge

“Fine, later.” He gave me my phone.

“Brother!” I smiled as I answered.

“I’m in front of the gates. I’ve got news.” His voice was cold, preoccupied...and it suddenly burst my loving bubble and sexual satisfaction. Someone had died, someone that should have been me.

“Archie is here.”

Caleb sighed with a nod. “Yeah, it was too good to last.” He jerked his head toward the door. “I’ll keep him occupied. Go take a shower.”

I looked down and blushed furiously at the proof of our lovemaking on my skin. I jumped up off the bed and wrapped my shirt around me. “See you in a bit.”

“Wait,” he called as I reached the door.

I turned around with a questioning look. He walked to me like a man on a mission, caught my face between his hands, and kissed me passionately.

“Don’t be too long,” he growled against my lips after breaking the kiss.

I staggered on my feet. “I’ll do my best,” I replied breathlessly, unsure if I could even walk back to my room after everything we’d shared. The wicked smile forming on his face clearly showed that he knew it too.

Chapter 17 - Caleb

I still couldn’t believe that everything could change so much just in the space of a few hours. I’d been so determined to let her go for her own good, but then when I’d thought I’d lost her, I’d felt a pain sointense, so raw, that I knew I couldn’t. I shivered at the reminder. Some residual pain still echoed in my chest as I retrieved my discarded shirt from the floor.

But the impossible had happened. She had shown me that she cared, truly – although maybe not in the obsessive way than I did. She had also shown me that she hadn’t betrayed me. That was worth all the pain I’d experienced

“Where’s my sister?” Archibald asked as soon as I met him in the small library.

“Taking a shower. She’ll join us in a moment.” I gestured him toward one of the maroon leather chairs surrounding the rectangular coffee table.

Archibald detailed me. His mouth turned down in a disgusted pout. “I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with you defiling my sister.”

I sighed. I was going to be the mature one and not say that if it was my decision, I would ‘defile’ her in every room of this house.

“And I can’t say I like the light in your eyes at whatever you’re thinking, but–”

“But?”

He shook his head, sitting on the chair I’d pointed him toward. “But I’m glad she has you. With what’s to come, she’ll need all the help she can get and I saw it today. You love her.”

There was no point denying it, but I wouldn’t confirm it either. She deserved to be the first to hear it.“What happened?”

“Let’s wait for Esme.”

I rang for tea and coffee just as Esmeralda walked in. How was it that she looked breath-taking with her face bare of makeup and her body clothed in a simple pair of jeans and sweatshirt?

“You look grim, brother,” she said, giving him a hug before coming to stand beside me. It felt so good to have her stay by my side.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Archibald looked at both of us and sighed. “Your car was tampered with Esme. Your brake line was severed.”

I froze as she tensed beside me.

“What did you say?” I asked slowly.Please tell me I’d heard wrong.

“Somebody’s really trying to kill her.” Archibald’s eyes reflected the dread I was feeling inside.

I pulled her closer as if I could shield her by making her a part of me.

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