AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maxim looks out at the horizon like his brother, his knees drawn up. His tank top full of sand.
"We both fell in love with you. Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted you to be mine. It sounded weird coming from a five-year-old but seeing your mom pregnant, I knew you would see it one day. My love for you was not about sex or none of that dirty shit people think. It was about you. You were so pretty when you were born. I hated my brother, he got to play with you more than I did. But you were too young for me, and your grandfather said I couldn't have you when you were of age. He said Santiago was the better match. My mother and your mom thought it would be cute to raise you both like the rest and pair you all. Create a legacy between powerful families. I was the odd one out. Santiago fell in love with you, too, and on your thirteenthbirthday, we couldn't decide who would have you. I hated that my brother was the same age as you.''
"We didn't give a fuck about your dad or grandfather," Santi adds.
"We fought the night before. I was eighteen, and I was fighting over a thirteen-year-old girl. I would wait until you were older, but Santi said that was impossible."
"We decided no one would have you. Not even me," Santiago says.
I can't believe this. Maxim knew, and he didn't tell me. He took the opportunity to…
"Is that why you slept with me, Maxim?" I say with a sniff.
"I made love to you, Elena. Because I love you and want to be the man of your dreams."
"You betrayed our pact, youpinche desgraciado."
I turn to Santiago. "Both of you lied, Santi. You made me hate you…you hurt me, and Maxim, you lied."
"But you loved me, Elena. I did everything for you and pushed you away because I'm loyal to my brother. Me loving you hurt him, but he didn't think about that when he was fucking you.''
Maxim gets up, and I rush in front of him. "Don't you touch him, Maxim. He has a right to be upset. Whatever this crazy thing you two have, I want to break it right now. You went to the east because of me, wasn't it?''
He looks at me, and I see the truth. It had nothing to do with his dad. He stayed in the east to be away from me because being in love with a teenage girl in high school was wrong. And I get it.
"It's true. Now you know why we don't get along. He got to be with you while I had to forget you, and, in the end, he hurt you. Those scars on your beautiful skin feel like someone is skinning me alive."
''You think I don’t feel the same,pendejo. I didn’t know I…''
"Dig it out," I demand, pointing at the spot where the box is buried.
Santi gets up, looks at me, and then glances behind me. He walks over and grabs a shovel from the outdoor closet and walks over and begins to dig out the black box.
When he's got it out, the sand blowing in the wind revealing the skulls. It's bent and grey.
Santi hands it out to me and says, "Open it. All the answers you have been wanting are in this box."
I plop down on the sand and cross my legs. Everything started with this box. My love. My want for Santi. My dream to marry him while his brother secretly loved me from afar.
I look up. Maxim gives me a nod. "Open it. He's right. Everything you want is in there."
My eyes dart to Santi, and he is standing with the shovel in his hand, waiting. "Open it, Elena."
I take a minute, but I get it open. "I look inside, and there are three pieces of paper. I recognize mine, Santi's, and the third is Maxim's.
Tears slide down my cheeks. When I read what I wrote.
My heart belongs to Santiago Cortez.
Santiago reads,
My heart belongs to Elena always and forever.
Maxim reads,
My greatest wish is for Elena to know that I love her and she has my heart forever.
"If you ever wondered if I was heartless, I am. It was because I gave my heart to you a long time ago but had to bury it all in that box with our love for you. I'm sorry and I promise to treat you like the queen that you are.''
