Page 12 of Reckless Love

Chapter 5

“William!” Marie gave him a hug. “How are things?”

My brother was a quiet man, generally. At least I thought he was. Honestly, I didn’t know the guy all that well. Yes we grew up together, but William was older than me. He went off to college early just like I did.He rarely came home until he completed his MBA. By then I was gone. I always felt that he was in my corner and that I could call him if I needed him, but at the end of the day he chose to work for Edmund and that made me want to forget him.

The boy I knew hated our father and the way he treated our mothers. I still didn’t understand why he accepted the job...unless it was all aboutthe money. Maybe William was more superficial than I realized.

Tonight he wore a black suit with a black tie. It made him appear grim, especially when combined with his nearly black hair, dark eyes, and broad shoulders. He reminded me of Orson Wells when he played Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre.

He cracked a sardonic smile for Marie. “I’ve seen you more in the last six months than Ihave in the last six years.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“That things are going well.” He gave her shoulder a brotherly tap. “How’s that bastard treating you?”

“Greg might be a bastard but no one dares to mess with me. They’re all too afraid of him.”

“Good man.” William nodded before turning to me. “Sister dear, and how are you?” He folded me into a quick butwarm embrace that gave me hope one day we’d find some sort of strange sibling equilibrium.

“Until about fifteen minutes ago I was doing very well.”

All traces of happiness disappeared from his face. “I’m sorry.”

I believed he was sorry. What I couldn’t understand was how he could be part of all this. Or maybe I was the extreme one, going to criminal lengths to separate myselffrom it. “It’s fine. In a couple of hours I’ll go back to my real life and forget tonight ever happened.”

I was probably a bit too flippant and sarcastic because William stiffened.

Marie shifted uncomfortably. “Well I’m pretty sure that’s my cue to leave. I’ve had this conversation enough times to know what happens next. William, I hope I’ll see you later?” He nodded. “And Esme I’llsee you in a minute.” She glared at William. “And if I don’t I’m coming for you first.”

My brother found her threat incredibly amusing. “Is that so, half pint?”

Marie rolled her eyes. “We’re not ten anymore.” Then she flipped him the bird and walked away.

We both watched her walk away. I had no idea what to say or what could possibly be resolved between us at a party likethis. So I waited, hoping my big brother had some wisdom to share.

Turns out he had a confession instead. He swallowed hard and fiddled with the button on his jacket. “I don’t know what to call you.” He shrugged. “That’s why I keep calling you sister. You were always Rosie but now everyone calls you Esme. I want you to be comfortable but I don’t how to change your name in my head.”

That was really kind of sweet. “You can still call me Rosie. I’m still your sister.”

His right eye twitched at the corner. “But you’re not, are you? You changed your name, you don’t come home, you treat me like a stranger.”

My name and my clothes were my armor but did any of that matter with my brother, the only person who was in the trenches with me, even if it was only for ashort time? “You left for college and never came home. I learned how to survive fromyou.”

He winced. “I never apologized for that. I feel like I abandoned you to him and caused this whole mess.”

“Edmundcaused this whole mess. This is his world.” I waved at the room filled with nicely dressed athletes and agents. “He’s the one who goes through women and discards them. He’s theone who cares more about money than being a father. He’s the reason I left.”

William’s jaw flexed. “I know.”

“I won’t be a part of it. He can summon me to as many parties as he wishes but I’ll never work for him again.” God, how I hated that I was here now. If I could grow wings and fly away I would.

“Again?” William repeated slowly. In the blink of an eye his affection forme was replaced by rage.

Pure. Wild. Rage. And I didn’t know why. “Yesagain.” I waved my hand through the air as if the action would magically transport the years of memories into William’s brain.

Oddly, he didn’t get the unspoken information and instead grew even angrier, hovering over me as he growled, “When did you work for the company?” He practically spit out the words andI had no idea why this information made him so angry.

“I didn’t work for the company. I worked forEdmund.”

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