Bittersweet Legacy (The Patricians Book 1)

by R. G. Angel

  He pushed me against the bathroom sink with a low growl and my heart accelerated to the point I felt it would explode as fear induced adrenaline pumped through my system.

  “You stole my freedom from me!” he spat, detailing my face as if he was looking for something. “I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were trouble. I knew, damn it! I knew you’d be my downfall,” he barked angrily; his eyes unfocused.

  I wasn’t sure if he was even talking to me anymore.

  “I know,” His nostrils flared with fury.

  “I’m not sure what-” I stopped as he caught my face between his fingers, tightening just enough on my jaw to make it hurt.

  He pushed me against the sink and pressed his body against mine before slamming his lips on mine, it was a hard kiss, punishing, it was bruising and somehow, I didn’t hate it. The realisation mortified me; I bucked my hips in an attempt to push him off but the growing, hard part of his body against my hip showed that he actually enjoyed a little fight.

  He caught my bottom lip between his teeth and nipped. Not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to show he meant business.

  “Let me in,” he growled, running his tongue along the seam of my lip.

  Yes, he did enjoy the fight way too much. I stopped fighting and gasped as he pinched my butt, giving him the perfect opportunity to invade my mouth.

  His kiss was like a lost war, there was no battle of dominance as he conquered my mouth with his tongue, tasting me, and I found myself kissing him back with almost as much fervor.

  He groaned when I returned his kiss, pressing his hips even more against me, rocking in a very suggestive matter, his penis erected against my hip, his body taking over the lesson he was so determined to give me.

  I could lie, pretend I was kissing him back just to be done with it, but truthfully, I enjoyed the passion behind it even if it was born from hate instead of love.

  He broke the kiss as suddenly as he started it and despite his stoic face, his ragged breathing showed me that the kiss affected him as much as it affected me.

  He kept his body against mine, scrutinising my face, running his thumb back and forth against his bottom lip as if he was trying to figure something out.

  “Why did you do that?” I whispered, not trusting my own voice. I hated all the conflicting feelings rushing into me at once, I enjoyed a kiss I never should have enjoyed – It was an assault, he attacked me and yet all I could see was his anger and desperation and all I could still feel was the dark passion this kiss started to kindle in me.

  “We had to seal the deal, didn’t we?” He smirked, damn I hated that smirk. “Not too bad.” He took a step back, then another giving me back my space, allowing me to breathe more freely.

  He turned around to leave but turned toward me again. “Oh, also I would rather that our new engaged status remained between us for the time being.”

  I snorted. “Yeah, like I want the world to know.”

  I recoiled at the anger I saw flash in his eyes, Caleb Astor was certainly not as aloof as he was pretending to be, that much was clear.

  “We’ll tell when I’m ready to tell and not before.”

  “You need time to let your girlfriends down gently? I understand.”

  He laughed at that, a laugh that made me shivered at the similarities to my father’s. I couldn’t marry a younger version of my father; I would not survive it.

  “I don't do girlfriends, Esmeralda, I do hook-ups and I’m not planning on telling them goodbye, not now – not ever.”

  I nodded – the message received loud and clear… Faithfulness was clearly not his intention but I wouldn't argue – not now, anyway. He was just as stuck as I was in this simulacrum of an engagement, he was maybe trying to find a way out, not something I was against.

  He looked at me a little longer, was he expecting a fight? We both wanted freedom, I was just not going to admit it.

  He opened the door and walked out without a look back. So much for manners.

  I rolled my eyes, following him to my fathers’ office.

  He knocked sharply and didn't wait for an invitation to walk in, I understood it was a little provocation I wasn’t sure what was really happening between the Astors and the Forbes but there was no lost love there, and a lot of history.

  His father stood up from his seat, clapping his hands together. “We were just done discussing your engagement party.”

  Engagement party. I thought, trying my best to keep my face blank.

  “Are you done?” he asked Caleb.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  His father winked to mine. “The lovebirds needed a bit of alone time.”

  I didn’t manage to stop my eyeroll this time and was grateful my father was looking at James instead of me, but Caleb was looking at me and his glare deepened.

  “This will remain between us until the official announcement in the Times, is this alright?” my father asked, but his tone didn’t leave any place for argumentation.

  “The New York Times?” I asked, horrified at the thought.

  My father nodded. “This will be done the day of the party – Saturday, two weeks from now. Can you keep a secret until then?”

  “No problem,” Caleb nodded.

  William chuckled, “if the lovebirds can keep their hands off each other.”

  “I’m sure we’ll be okay,” I scoffed.

  William missed the sarcasm but not Caleb and my father based on their eerily similar glares.

  I bit my lip and looked down. If I didn’t manage to control myself for just an hour what hope did I even have to make it out?

  “Perfect,” Father clapped his hands together. “We can discuss more later. I have a phone meeting with Australia in a few minutes,” he said in an overly polite way to dismiss us.

  I was engaged? Engaged to Caleb Astor? I wasn’t sure how things could get worse.

  Chapter 9

  I was walking down the corridor, head low, pretty much the picture of a prisoner walking down the green mile.

  Two days ago, I thought I could run away after graduation and never look back – now I was engaged to someone whom I suspected was a sociopath.

  Taylor had tried to warn me that once you were in there was no real way out, but now my evil father had threatened not only me but the people I cared about. I hadn’t told her about the engagement yet, I didn't even know how to. It was already too hard for me to acknowledge, saying it out loud would be admitting it was true.

  I looked up as I stepped out of the school, expecting my brother’s Maserati to be gone but I gasped when my eyes locked with dark brown ones.

  The dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin and easy smile… No, it couldn’t be true, it had to be a dream.

  “Ben…” I whispered, taking a couple of steps down.

  Ben Deluca was at the bottom of the stairs leaning against a stunning black bike. He was dressed in riding pants and a leather jacket, he looked even more intimidating and massive in these.

  What could I even tell him? I was now dressed in that fancy uniform, with these fancy shoes, this fancy make-up. I wasn’t the Esme he once knew. I mean part of me still was, but I was still miles away from the girl he used to know. There was more and more Esmeralda in me than I cared to admit. I was Esmeralda Forbes and nothing could change that.

  “Hi beautiful.” His grin widened, opening his arms in an invitation.

  I let out a tearless sob and ran the remaining steps straight into his waiting embrace.

  I sighed, closing my eyes, enjoying the familiarity. I knew I missed him; I knew I missed my old life but seeing him here… I realised I missed them even more than I thought. My heart ached in my chest.

  Ben chuckled, squeezing me against him. “If I’d known you’d react like that I would have come earlier but since you didn’t even bother with a text for over two months.”

  I pulled away to look at his face. “Ben, how do you – how did you- what is…Ah!”

  He ran his h
ands up and down my arms soothingly. “Okay, I know. One question at the time. How did I know you were here?”

  I nodded. “Yes, Yes. How did you know?”

  “I went to see your father, Esme…. Or should I say uncle?”

  I grimaced.

  “I was worried out of my mind when I didn’t see you at school on the Monday, especially after what I witnessed. I managed to catch him before he moved out.”

  “I know, I’m sorry.”

  He waved his hand in the air dismissively.

  “Did he tell you everything?”

  “I don’t know if it’s everything. But he told me a few things, things that I have a hard time believing. You’re an heiress!”

  “Yeah…” I trailed off uncomfortably. “Well my family is, I’m not even sure I can call them my family. It’s more these rich people that I live alongside I – I don’t know.” I looked heavenward. “Believe me Ben, I’d rather I wasn’t. It came with a price I was reluctant to pay.”

  “Oh God, I missed you Esme. I should have said things, done things.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t believe you rode all the way here.”

  He shook his head. “No, not all the way. My uncle lives in Port Harbour. I had to come for a few days, and you know Alice, my cousin?”

  I nodded, remembering the photos he showed me of her. “She is working in a clothing store on the shore.”

  “Okay?”

  He nodded and reached into his backpack, pulling out a little bag with ‘Oceanview’ written on the side. “She said you’d like it.”

  I smiled. “I’m sure I will.”

  Ben grinned again. “I borrowed a bike from my uncle and came here. Your phone doesn’t work anymore, and I don’t have your new number.”

  “Actually, I don’t have a phone. My father, ah…Let’s say he’s a bit anti-technology as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Anti-technology?”

  “Yeah.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “I don’t understand.”

  “No, just – just don’t try to understand, Ben. I’m just happy you’re here. I’m just happy to see you, to know you’re okay.”

  “I would be better if you were back home, with me. We’d have so much fun in school this year… you know with me being captain of the football team, you being my favourite groupie.”

  “Umm not sure we can call it ‘groupie’ with football, can we?”

  “Ah well, you’d be MY groupie.”

  “You’re silly,” I chucked.

  “Will this get me another hug? I rode over an hour for this, make it good.”

  “Of course!”

  I was about to step into his arms again when somebody grabbed the back of my blazer and pulled me back so harshly, I stumbled back, almost falling.

  I turned my head to look at an extremely angry Caleb Astor.

  “No!” Caleb's commanding voice came from beside me.

  I looked up with incredulity, Caleb had never even addressed me in public other than to mock me since I moved here, even less touched me.

  Ben’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, before his facial features turned to anger. He was not the kind of guy to allow women to be manhandled. Well he was in for a treat with Caleb, that was for sure.

  “Excuse me?” Ben glowered, standing straight in a clearly attacking pose.

  Caleb detailed Ben slowly from head to toe, an eyebrow arched and his face full of disdain – as if Ben was less than the mud on the sole of his shoe and knowing Caleb the way I did, he probably felt that way too.

  “What do you mean, No?” I asked Caleb.

  “No means no. You’re not touching another guy.”

  Ben chuckled. “Umm yeah, just calm down here dude. I’m not sure what’s your deal but I’m a friend and –”

  “No.” Caleb interrupted him again. He turned to me. “Get into the car, Esmeralda.” He continued, ignoring Ben.

  I looked around and my eyes locked on his dark blue Aston Martin DB11. Did he expect me to get into a confined space with him? Especially when he looked ready to murder me at any minute?

  “I don’t think so.”

  I thought he looked angry before, but the look he gave me now made me recoil.

  “You need to chill, dude.” Ben took a tentative step toward him. “Esme’s my friend and-”

  “You’re not her friend, you’re nothing. You’re going to get on your little bike and never come back.”

  “Uh yeah, I don’t think so,” Ben laughed looking at me, probably thinking it was some kind of joke.

  And yet Caleb had the power to make it happen, he just didn’t know that.

  “You won’t like what happens if I see you speak with her again.”

  “Is that a threat?” Ben asked, his brow furrowed. I couldn’t blame him; we were not used to such an insane reaction.

  “A threat?” Caleb shook his head, pulling me against him. “No, it’s a promise.”

  “Caleb, please stop.” I rested my hand on his arm, trying to soothe the volcano in him, but I knew it was pointless, Caleb didn’t care what could happen to me, why would he care about me asking him to stop? “It’s just my friend Ben,”

  “I said no, Esmeralda! You’re to be my bride. I don’t want you to go around making a fool of me.”

  Ben's smile faded. “Bride?”

  “Ah she didn’t tell you, did she?” he chuckled. “Yes, I asked her to marry me and she said yes. We’re to be married after graduation.”

  “Esme, you’re going to marry… him?”

  “Him?” Caleb sneered. “How dare you talk about me in that tone?” Caleb barked, pulling me tighter against him. “Do you know who I am?”

  “I don’t give a fuck, rich boy.”

  “Ben, it’s a long story, it’s not really what it looks like.”

  “Not what it looks like?” Caleb asked tightening his hold on my hip. To outsiders it would look like two lovers cuddling but it was all appearances, the tension of his body, the hard grip on my hip – There was no love there, only hate and resentment. “I beg to differ Esmeralda. I asked you to marry me and you said yes. I’m not sure how the story could be clearer than that.”

  “It’s…” I let out a weary sigh. “Just… Ben.”

  “Esme, I’m sorry to have barged into your life like this,” Ben said, visibly crestfallen. “I thought, I thought-”

  “I don’t know what you thought,” Caleb shot back before gesturing to the bike dismissively. “But I’ll say it again, leave and never come back.”

  Ben turned toward me. “Esme?” He said and his eyes conveyed his questions. Was everything true? Was I okay with the situation?

  I looked upward, feeling the tears at the back of my eyes. It was better for him to leave and never come back. I was doing this to protect him, to keep him safe, but he couldn’t know that. Now he would hate me, hate me for what I was doing, hate me for turning my back on everything I used to be. If only he knew, if only I could explain why I’d made these choices. But he would know one day, I would tell him even if it was the last thing I did. Why I was going to marry a hateful boy who hated me, maybe even more than I hated him. But today I had to keep him safe, make him go away.

  “Yes, Ben please, just go. I’m with Caleb and we’re going to get married. I think it’d be for the best if we cut ties now.”

  “Esme, you can’t mean that.”

  “She told you what you needed to hear. Now leave,” Caleb added with exasperation.

  “Esme, we’ve known each other for years, this isn’t you.”

  I nodded. “Yes, this is me. You knew the girl I thought I was, but I’m not her, not anymore. Go and be happy Ben, I know I am,” I said knowing every word was nothing more than a filthy lie.

  “I’ll leave now, and I’ll never come back.” Ben warned, his anguish probably mirroring my own.

  “Good riddance” Caleb barked, grabbing my hand and pulling me to follow him. “To the car now, Esmeralda.” he ordered, walkin
g quickly to his Aston Martin.

  I turned around, meeting Ben’s eyes hoping mine conveyed all the regret I felt. “I’m so sorry” I mouthed but I wasn’t sure he saw as he was already putting his helmet back on. Great! He probably thought I was an entitled bitch now – who could blame him?

  Caleb opened the passenger door. “Get in.”

  I wanted to argue, but I knew it was pointless, even dangerous in the mood he was in and I didn’t expect my father or brother to stand up for me.

  As I sat in the car, he grabbed the bag from my hand, slammed my door shut and made a show of dropping the bag in the trash can before rounding the car and sitting in the driver’s seat.

  I looked at him, mouth agape. “How dare you –”

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He glared at me with all the hate he felt.

  He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot furiously, his driving mirroring his mood.

  As he exited the parking lot, I realized it was actually the first time that we were alone together, without anyone around to call for help, in the two months I’d been here, it was almost laughable to realize it was the first time I was alone with the cold young man I was to marry if I wanted to keep the people I loved safe.

  “You won’t make a fool of me Esmeralda,” he growled, driving way too fast.

  “Can you please slow down?!” I begged, seeing the speedometer creep up to 100mph. “And I wasn’t trying to make a fool of you, Caleb, please.”

  I as grateful when he decelerated a little. “You’re my fiancée, Esmeralda, you can’t go around throwing yourself into other men’s arms.”

  “It was innocent.”

  He glanced at me in a ‘don’t-bullshit-me’ way.

  “And nobody knows we’re engaged, anyway.”

  “It doesn’t matter, you’ve committed. You owe me some respect, I’m not one of your poor friends from whatever crap town you crawled here from.”

  “It was not a crap town, it was a good place with good people.”

  “Yeah well, I couldn’t care less. All I’m saying is that you won’t be seeing these people anymore.”

  “Or what?” I challenged him.

  “Or you don’t want to know.”

  “Umm, I’m pretty sure I do. Try me.”