¹𝙎𝙋𝙀𝘼𝙆 𝙉𝙊𝙒 | Bridgerton ✓

18

WHISKEY AND ICE, SUNSET AND WINE, Bellatrix was ruining Anthony Bridgerton's life by owning his heart. And no matter how much he drank, how much he tried to think otherwise, his memory traveled back to his confession and their almost touch of their lips to one another. He hated it, despised the fact that her essence was glued on him, as a tattoo.

Meantime he watched his brothers play pool at one of the reserved game rooms of their residence, spirals of smoke in the air, circling around and escaping through the window, echoeing with Colin's laughs. Benedict Bridgerton did not seem in the mood either, he gulped one drink after another, as if he had pains of his own to heal with alchohool.

"Have you not heard? The viscount believes in hurrying things along these days."Colin mocked his brother as he analyzed the last balls left. "First the wedding, now his drink. I hope, for Bellatrix's sake, the tendency stops before the honeymoon." He chuckled.

"You're disgusting" Benedict rolled his eyes and missed his target.

"Says the man who stares at naked models all day long." Anthony scoffed, looking outside the starry night across the window, the stars shined even more when he was drunk. "That has always been the privilege of not being the firstborn. You both get to choose your passions and adventures, while I, on the other hand, must fulfill my..."

"There he goes again." Colin already saw it coming. He did his move, allowing Benedict to rethink his strategy not to fail so miserably. "Tell me, dear brother, once you marry, will your duty finally be fulfilled so you can stop reminding everyone of it?"

"I believe the reminders are also my duty, so no." Anthony snapped back, realizing his glass was empty already.

Benedict sighed annoyed, flexing his fingers against the pool table, trying not to think too much about the subject. "You speak as if marrying the princess is a burden." He commented bitterly.

Anthony stopped for a moment, his gaze at the floor, thinking. A burden? Maybe, yes, maybe it was, hence he would be stuck to the woman he loved for eternity when he swore not to fall for her. Burden indeed, but how to explain it? They would never understand, no one would ever understand the weight he carried on his shoulders and the sin of always being less than his father, he'd never outlive Edmund, so it was better to leave no strings attached.

"I'm not simply marrying a woman, brother." Anthony glanced at him, noticing a hostile look in his eyes. "I'm marrying the crown, I'll raise the royal heir." He nodded. "So yes, it is of great responsability."

Benedict scoffed, trying to hide his anger. "You do know she is not only the mother of the future heir, right?" He glanced at his brother. "She is a woman. She is a person."

"There goes the poetic, Benedict again." Colin laughed as he got another ball in. "Yes!" He celebrated.

Anthony on the other hand did not like much that tone. "I am well aware of that, brother." He stated. "Bellatrix and I have a deal and I..."His words escaped him from a moment, his face red by the drinks. "...I shall honor it..."He spkke with a bit of uncertainty.

The two brothers looked at him, noticing a strange expression on his face. "Do not tell me you are having secomd doubts now, brother." Colin took a step next to him.

Anthony didn't answer right away, and that idea made Benedict anxious. Maybe in some depth of the artist's mind he had that stupid hope to make Bellatrix's his, take her away from that scene and paint a better horizon for both of them.

But he knew he couldn't do that, and he knew that whatever Anthony planned, he couldn't allow him to ruin her.

"He wouldn't be so foolish to do so." Benedict said, holding the bitterness in his throat. "After all, Anthony has the most perfect, composured, beautiful, intelligent and responsible lady eager to marry him." He finished his drink at once in an aggressive sip tilting his head back, and exhaling an "ahh" not minding the drink burning inside. "Isn't that right, Anthony?"