Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 13680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 68(@200wpm)___ 55(@250wpm)___ 46(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 68(@200wpm)___ 55(@250wpm)___ 46(@300wpm)
"Oh yeah?"
I take off after him. The chase takes a while but at last I tag him then he's after me again. I dive under and swim away then surface. When I turn towards where he was he's gone. I spin around and then he's right in front of me. Water streams down as he breaks the surface, his perfect chest rising up out of the water inches away from me. Wet sprays into my eyes and I lean away from it.
Ben laughs and then I'm laughing. He rests his hands on my shoulders. "You're it ... again."
He smiles and his face lights up. The mask cracks and I see my brother again for the first time in years. The face I know, not the facade he shows the world. I touch his face like I did as kids. When it was he and I against the world. Ben was my savior, my protector, my knight in shining armor.
"I've missed you," I say.
He starts to say something then stops his face growing serious again. He blinks water from his eyes then he nods.
"I've missed you too Vic," he says.
I lean in towards him. I want to keep this closeness, to feel his arms wrap around me protecting me from the world. I kick my legs to close the small distance but he moves back to keep an arms length between us.
"The sun's setting, we should get back for dinner. You know how Ezz gets," he says.
He swims for the shore. I watch him go feeling lost again.
Chapter six
Esmeralda is an amazing cook and the house is filled with the smells of dinner. I finish dressing quickly my stomach growling in anticipation. Dinner is a semi-formal affair most nights here at the villa. That's the way we were raised. A time for family and for friends, but also training for proper society. I check myself in the mirror one last time before heading to the dining room.
It's brightly lit with fresh flowers down the middle of the table and along the walls. Food is set up at one end as there's only the two of us dining tonight. Ben stands behind the chair at the head of the table dressed immaculately in a dark gray tuxedo. As I walk in the room he looks over and then he smiles. My heart skips a beat. I pause in the doorway both for effect and to recover my composure as a rush of blood makes me feel faint.
"Vic ..." he says.
I smile as he looks me up and down. I walk over to my seat to the right of his and he moves to pull my chair out helping me and pushing it in. Then he takes a seat himself. The food is amazing and we talk sparingly as we east.
"Would my young masters like dessert?" Esmeralda asks.
"Yes, please. The food was wonderful as always Ezz, thank you," Ben says.
I had intended to pass on dessert but Ben takes charge. He smiles at me and I know he's aware I would have passed. His finger traces the rim of his coffee cup and he stares into the dark liquid.
"How have you been Ben?" I ask.
He looks up at me with a half smile. "I find I miss her," he says chuckling.
"I do too," I say reaching out to rest my hand on his arm.
He stares at my hand but doesn't move away. I feel that connection between us and somehow it finally seems to bridge the chasm of years that sits between us.
"Remember when you broke your arm?" he asks.
"Yeah, that kind of stands out in my memory," I say a phantom pain flashing where it broke.
"I told you not to do it."
"You told me not to do it in such a way you knew damn well I would!"
"Me?"
"Yes you! You know I'd have done anything to impress you."
He covers my hand with his free one. Our eyes meet and everything is just the way it was before he left. There's no more distance between us. There's no pain, just us. The way it should have stayed.
"I know," he says.
"Why did you leave?" I blurt it out.
He stiffens then removes his hand from mine setting it on the table. His finger starts tracing that familiar pattern and his gaze breaks from mine.
"Do you remember what happened?"
I nod slowly. "Of course I do?"
"All of it?" he asks sharply.
"Of course I do."
I'd almost been raped. Ben stopped it. I remember it well, he carried me home that night. We'd been in my bedroom when dad came in and the two of them fought again.
Ben stares, something unknown behind his eyes.
"Why did you and my dad fight so much?" I ask to break the silence.
Ben shrugs. "I don't know."
I can see the lie. Ben's an excellent liar so what is he holding back from me?