Page 118 of Bittersweet Revenge

Kill me now.

“You and me both,” Esmeralda whispered and I realized I’d spoken out loud.

“How?” He sat on the chair by the door, clearly here to stay.

Esmeralda went to him and kneeled by his side. “How what?” she asked kindly, taking his hand in hers.

“How am I supposed to let her go? How am I supposed to let her forget when all I want is for her to be mine?” His voice was thick with emotion. His pain was so close to the one I’d felt, it still resonated in my chest. “I love her, Esme. I think I always did and I fear I always will.”

Esmeralda threw me a helpless look and I sighed, looking heavenward.

“You’ll be fine, brother,” I said. It had been years since I’d called him that, but yet it still felt right. “It will hurt like a bitch. I won’t deny that, but you won’t be alone. You’re going to come with Esmeralda and me to Yale. We’ll do the whole college experience and who knows what will happen. Maybe you’ll move on, but maybe she’ll realize you are it for her too and she’ll come back.” I took a step closer. “But you’ve got a support system, man. You have your sister and you have me.”

“You want me to...come with you?”

I looked at Esmeralda and the look of gratitude she gave me took my breath away. She made all sacrifices, all hard choices, worth it.

“Of course!” I scoffed. “They’ll need kings to rule over them and two is better than one. Plus, you’ll need to help me keep your sister in check and stop her from being the campus saint or she’ll bring home all the strays she can find.”

She glared at that, but it lacked heat.

Archibald nodded. “Yes, I’ll come with you guys.” He leaned toward Esmeralda and kissed her forehead. “Being with you will help me hurt less. I’ll feel less alone. And maybe you’re right, maybe it’s what we both need – some distance.”

I nodded and sighed with relief when he finally stood up. I needed my alone time with my future wife.

“Okay, well, I’ll go home now. I think it’s for the best and you can go back to…” He gestured toward us with a grimace. “Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You think he’ll be okay?” Esmeralda asked as soon as I’d closed and locked the door. I wouldn’t be foolish and make the same mistake twice.

“I think so. It’s going to be hard, but he won’t be alone. He’ll have you, the brightest, most loving woman in the world, to help him.” I took her in my arms and kissed her deeply.

“Thank you,” she whispered against my lips.

“What for?”

“For taking him with us, for knowing that I needed him close.” She wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’ll love you forever, Caleb Astor.”

“I love you always,” I answered before laying her gently on the bed.

I made love to her that night, slowly, sweetly, reverently. Archie’s pain had awoken the memories I had of losing her, of the uncertainty over whether she’d ever be fully mine.

But she was mine, fully, completely… Just like I was hers. Forever - until our last breath and even beyond if I had any say in the matter.

Epilogue – Caleb

Six months later

Life was good, really good – in ways I’d never thought it could be, in more ways than I deserved it to be. But my heart was lighter than ever and so full of love for the petite woman now standing in the kitchen of the three-bedroom apartment we shared with Archibald. I had not been particularly excited to share our love nest with her brother, but he had taken me up on our offer to join us at Yale. I had thought he would take his own place, somewhere not too far away, but I didn’t have it in me to separate them. If he wanted to torture himself with all our PDA and our nightly lovemaking, that was his problem, not ours.

I was tired. Recent days had been hard, what with finals and the demands of the board. But it was going to get better now; I had officially been named CEO.

I regained some energy as I watched Esme without being seen. She looked so endearingly ridiculous with her messy bun, black leggings, multicolor woolen socks, and duck-covered apron, along with flour on her cheek and a trace of chocolate on her neck.

I approached her slowly, then wrapped my arms around her, making her jump.

“Oh, you’re home early,” she huffed.

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