Page 10 of Bittersweet Revenge

“Esmeralda, if you don't come now and stop acting like a spoiled brat, I swear I will treat you like the temperamental child you seem to be. You will not be allowed outside of this house. I will take your WiFi away and alter the mobile signal to your room. You will be cut off from the world.” My chest was heaving under the rapid breathing my anger caused.

“Do what you need to do,” she replied so coolly I wanted to break the door down.

“Fine! Starve! See if I care,” I shouted, rushing back downstairs. “She is not to leave this house!” I ordered Benjamin, pointing at the stairs.

“Sir, I’m not sure this–”

“Nothing, Benjamin! If she wants to act like a victim, I’ll treat her as such!”

How was it she was turning the tables on me? I wanted to unsettle her, grate on her nervesand she managed to get me to unravel.

I needed to distance myself; she was my kryptonite.

Chapter 4 - Esme

The funny thing about hunger is you get hungry and then you reach a level where you are so hungry you don't even feel it anymore.

It’d been two days since I’d moved in with Caleb and I had yet to exit the room. He’d kept his word though, and I’d lost internet connection and phone signal impressively fast.

It wasn’t a big deal. I was busy rereading my mom’s journal anyway. I’d been lucky it was in my bag when Caleb had appeared at the café. I’d been expecting them – it had been the reason I’d called Ben. Why Ben though? I feared I’d got him on Caleb’s hit list given he was being territorial as shit. He clearly didn’t want me anymore and yet he hated the idea of anyone else having me. This was Spoiled Child 101: I don't want my toy, but it doesn’t mean you can have it either.

I’d thought that calling him would make the slip-up more believable. A young woman inlikewith a boy is more likely to make mistakes. I knew I had made lots of them with Caleb… Ben, I had no choice other than to say ‘like’ because it was not love. It couldn’t have been love – not when Caleb unraveled me with a look much more than Ben ever could.

I rolled my eyes at the thought of Caleb. It had to be the lack of food making me confused... Yeah that was it.

I closed my eyes and turned to the side, ready for another snooze. At least when I was sleeping, I was not thinking too much.

I opened my eyes as my door opened. How did that happen? I was sure I’d locked it.

“You need to get up, sister of mine,” Archie ordered, but the deep affection in his voice and loving smile made my heart constrict in my chest.

I shook my head. Wasn't it too early in the starvation process to be suffering hallucinations?

Archie walked to the window and opened the heavy blackout curtain, letting the unforgivingwinter sun enter my room and making me hiss like a pissed-off vampire. No, it was definitely real.

He chuckled. “You need to chill, Lestat; it's only a little light.”

I glared. “I’m not Lestat. I'm a girl.”

He leaned against one ofthe carved posts at the foot of the bed. “With the way you look right now? I'm not sure.”

I rolled my eyes, nestling more comfortably into the feather pillow from heaven.

“Why so sullen, sourpuss?”

“I went from Lestat to sourpuss? Damn brother, I love you too.”

He grabbed my foot and nudged me. “Come on, twin. Talk to me.”

“I came back to deal with…” I looked around, not sure there wasn't a bug in the room.

“I know why you came back.”

“And I’m stuck in this room. I need to do something, solve this. Caleb forbade me to go out.”

“Maybe it’s because you are refusing to eat and stay locked in your room.”

I frowned. How did he know that? And how did he even manage to–

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