Foolishly Falling for You

36

Lance

When I arrive him after a long and tiresome talk it's Michael, I note the carriage in the driveway with the Duke's insignia. Surely he cannot be that stupid. I enter my home, and pause at the foray to listen to the conversation being had between my wife and her father in the kitchen.

"Did you think you could keep me away?"
"He will return soon." She protests, somewhat weakly.
The Duke chuckled. I edge closer grabbing my gun from the drawer.

"Do you think I won't punish you for your insolence? I knew you should've married the Prince. He would've kept you in line. That boy is too lenient."

"You mean you wish my husband would beat me like you did?"

I weigh my options. I can erase this demon forever and face the consequences or risk him showing up over and over to haunt her.

"It was discipline. You needed it."

It's quiet for a moment while I weigh my decision. Given enough time, I could frame him. Or find some dirt, some unsavory activities and have him put away. But how much damage will he do until then?

"Like my mother?"

I didn't even know Anita knew her mother. I never hear about her. I assumed she was a maid.

"You keep your mouth shut girl."

"I'll never not be me. I'll never stop fighting to get away from you. So you might as well kill me. Kill me...like you killed my mother."

That's it. It solidifies my decision. He will keep haunting her threatening her with death by her hand or his. If I'm going to protect her...he's got to go.

I enter the room finding his hand raised. "Don't you dare."

Anita looks up at me, relief flashing in her eyes.

"Didn't I tell you not to come back here," I frown as he turns around looking down at the gun in my hand. He scoffs. He's not afraid. He thinks money can save him. He has never looked death in the face. He has never been on a battlefield.

He is not a man.

"You're not going to use that device. You know better than that. You'd be hanged in an instant."

"Come here, Anita."

She edges closer to me, hiding behind me. He scoffs as I pull her in front of me, putting the gun in her hands, putting my hands over hers, leveling it against her.

"I will take care of this. I'll hang for it if it's comes to it. But you will not have peace unless you see him dead."

Anita shakes but her hands are steady. Duke Castillo finally feels fear. He shifts stepping back.

"Y-You don't know what you're doing girl! You'll hang for this!"

He already knows he is not going home alive tonight. He begins shaking like a leaf, saying random things, trying to talk over his fear. I ignore him.

"Let me do this for you. Let me free you of this monster," I whisper.

Anita nods softly. I put my finger over hers, pressing it against the trigger. The shot goes off, and the Duke, the untouchable monster of her nightmares takes a final gasp, his hand over his heart, to stubborn toll the very end to admit that his daughter, his pawn may finally act against him, to move. The shot resounds and in bursts Carlos. He's not alone. Constables are on either side of him. I push Anita away.

They look at the situation at the smoking gun in my hand, and my weeping wife, and haul me away. The room is quickly abuzz with Espinoza's finest but my eyes are on my wife. I wonder if I've become the monster in her nightmares now? But she stands, as we near the door, running toward me.

"What on earth are you doing? Unhand him! Unhand him this instant," She screams, pulling at my arm.
"Madam we understand you are hysteric—"

"Who's hysteric?" She hisses, standing straight. "Do you know who that is? That is Admiral Lance Mendoza, a war hero who is out from an injury he sustained on the front lines!"

The officers look at me and back at her. "He just shot your father."

"Nonsense. It was simple accident. He was showing us the gun he used to take down the English and it fired in his hand. My father jumped in the way to save me."

"You're not believing this bullshit are you?" Carlos protests.

"Well—"

"I was here," My wife proclaims. "He was not. And the servants can attest to it as well. So if you have no proof or witnesses that my husband murdered my father you will unhand him, or I will have words with the King."

She's never met the king! But she's so convincing, the constables, confused, let me go and nod to her.

"Sorry...for the mixup and your loss."

Carlos scoffs. "I will have you charged for this, both of you! I will bring it before the nobles directly!"

He storms out and the coroner takes the Duke, one last time, away from this home. After all the drama has died down it's just the two of us.

Anita sits next to me, at the bottom of the stairs.

"He'll come back. He needs me out of the way for the inheritance."

I nod. "I'll deal with it. You don't have to worry Anita."
She sniffled, tears finally falling down her cheeks.

"Why did you do that? Don't you know you'll hang?"

I kiss her head. "I love you. I have killed a thousand men in a war I don't know the cause of. What's one man in the war for your soul?"

Anita throws her arms around me, sobbing into my neck. I close my eyes holding her to my chest, trying to console her. She just sobs harder.

"I can't lose you. Not you too, you're all I have now." Her hands shake as she holds my face.

"I'll be okay. You'll be okay. You'll have the house. All the money. The servants. Freedom, Anita. At least—"

"I want you," she whispers against my lips. "Damn it. This is all my fault—"

"Shh...don't say that," I whisper. "I want to make you happy. Don't cry. Rejoice."

"How could I?"

I taste her tears, bitter sweet. I was always going to die, most likely in the line of duty. I am just fulfilling my destiny. Dying in the line duty—to my wife. To this life of hers I helped ruin. It's the least I can do.

"Dry your tears, my love," I smile, kissing her softly.

"We must discuss what to do when he returns. You must give me up. Tell them I told you to lie."
She shakes her head but I continue.

"You mustn't harm yourself anymore. Though I am not there to demand you not. Do it in my honor. It's all I ask."

She sniffles and kisses me back, our lips and her tears mixing. "He will be here in the morning to take you away. Let's spend this night together."

I follow her to my bedroom, trying to remember the sight of her.