Page 113 of Bittersweet Revenge

Bile rose in my throat. James had been a sick man.

“I had the journal delivered by the janitor. The cleaning crew is always invisible everywhere you go. I did that before I'd known my husband would try to marry you into the family. Once Caleb started to show an interest in you, and I saw it at the engagement party during your dance, I knew he would go to the end of the world to bring you back. There was no saving you. It was too late. I never expected you to be reckless enough to try to solve this murder, though.”

“I’m deeply in love with him. I’ll make him happy – as happy as he’ll allow himself to be,” I admitted, running my hand over the engagement ring.

She looked down at the ring and nodded thoughtfully. “You are obviously quite enamored with my son and he is quite passionate about you as well. It gives me hope that you will be his beacon of sanity, his safety net in the world he is about to navigate. He doesn’t yet comprehend the weight of responsibility and obligations thrust upon his shoulders, but he can do it. He is strong enough to do it and with you by his side, maybe he will prevail.” She moved her hand and let it hover over mine, unsure. Or maybe it was simply unfamiliar for her to offer kinship.

She finally decided and rested her hand on mine. “You’re kind. You befriended and cared for Theo. You love my son despite his shortcomings and for that I’ll forever be grateful. This is the last we’ll speak of the past and of my doubts and apprehension for the future ahead. Caleb is strong and overwhelming in so many ways. He will undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with. He will be what his father never could - all-powerful, but without letting it swallow him in the process.” She squeezed my hand. “I know he would never do it willingly, but this life has a tendency to dim the light in people. Don’t let it happen to you because your love for my son will know some dark days. He will not always be easy to love, but you will shine through.”

I turned my hand to squeeze hers back. “I will. I promise I will. I have enough love and hope in me. I know he loves me. I have no doubt, but thank you for helping me, for telling me the truth about my mother. I’m glad that, despite all of it, she had an ally she could trust.”

As if on cue, Caleb walked in. He still had his dark funeral suit on, but his tie was undone, dangling on the side of his neck.

The beautiful smile that was on his face disappeared the moment he saw his mother. His eyes narrowed at the sight of our hands clasped together.

“Mother, I thought you would be back at home entertaining our guests during the wake.”

She stood, smoothing her dress and nodded toward me. “Esmeralda, if you’ll excuse me I have the simulacrum of the grieving widow to play. I shall see you very soon.”

“You will. And thank you again for everything.”

“What did she want?” Caleb asked. His voice had a coldness that he had not used with me for a long time.

“Caleb.” I extended my hand toward him. “She is trying. Let her. For me.”

He sighed. “For you.” He kissed me. “I have good news. I met Dr. Willis in the corridor. He is preparing your discharge papers.”

I smiled, so happy to go back home, to my shower, to our bed. “How was your chat with the board?”

He shrugged. “We will know more in a few days. They are giving me a little while to mourn. You know...respect and all.” He snorted. “But I’ll face every challenge.”

“Yes, you will.Wewill, together, because I’ll be by your side every step of the way.”

“Where you belong,” he added.

“Where I belong.”

Chapter 23 – Caleb

The days following my father’s funeral were anything but fun. They were a succession of classes followed by lengthy board meetings that set up my role and established my legitimacy.

I had to make hard choices to ensure I would not be challenged – not that I could lose the empire my family had built. I could though lose the role of CEO, at least temporarily, and this was not something I could ever allow. Astors had been in control of our conglomerate for over a hundred and seventy years – this was not about to change today.

Some choices had been harder than others, but one thing was certain – coming home to Esmeralda made the weight lighter. But tonight was a bit more difficult because I was about to impose a directive on her. I’d always tried to give her options, but this time choice was not possible. I hoped she would see that.

I walked into my room just in time to see my beautiful fiancée stepping out of the bathroom, fresh out of the shower, a thick towel wrapped around her goddess-like body. I would have never thought I could ever be jealous of an inanimate object and yet here we were.

My hands twitched at the impulse to rip the towel from her body. I wanted to make love to her for the next few hours, worshipping every inch of her skin.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, her voice a little deeper than usual. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her right now.

“I’m thinking about how much I want to bend you over the bathroom cabinet and show you how much I miss touching you,” I growled. She crossed her legs under due to the heat of my gaze and the dirtiness of my words. She wanted that too.

“Abstinence is getting hard,” she agreed, her gray eyes turning steelier. I recognized that color perfectly. Her eyes always looked like that when she was angry or aroused.

Doctor Willis had discharged her on the condition that she would limit any physical exertion for the next few weeks. Esmeralda had offered to go back to her own bedroom for the time needed. I had scoffed at the sheer stupidity of the proposal – as if I ever wanted her to sleep anywhere other than in my arms. I was never going to let her go.

“We’re not animals,” I'd replied. “We can sleep together without sex. I just want you with me. You keep the nightmares at bay.”

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