Page 8 of His Beguiled Bride

Her bronzed curls thump against her back and she’s walking fast. Too fast. One moment she’s upright and the next she slips on the frost, her body falling backward, her arms lashing in the air for something to grab onto but I’m not close enough. There’s not enough time to catch her and she drops and her head hits the asphalt.

I turn cold. Numb. Dead.

My world slows down, stops rotating and an agonizing scream builds up inside of me but I make no sound.

I’m aware of my body lunging for her in an abnormal speed but it feels like I’m wading through cement and I throw myself down, my knee scraping against the asphalt but I barely notice.

“Beloved...” I rasp, trying to control the panic and I’m scared to touch her. I don’t want to move her in case she broke anything. “Beloved, open your eyes...please. Look at me.”

Her lids shudder and she moans something and I cup her face. “Are you alright. Please tell me you’re okay... I need to call an ambulance.” I fumble for my phone when I feel her fingers on my hand.

“There’s no need. I’m okay.”

“Does your head hurt, are you bleeding...?” When she shakes her head, I gently press against the back of it, searching for a wound but there isn’t one. She’s wearing her knitted hat and the hoodie on her coat cushioned the fall just enough to avoid damage. I discourage her from sitting up but she seems determined. I keep my hands behind her back just in case she turns dizzy and she blinks up at me.

“Is that my name?” she asks, looking at me like she’s seeing me for the first time. “Beloved?”

I freeze.

“Your name is Madlen Coral Lore. Don’t you remember?”

“N...no,” she stutters and her eyes are wide. “Are you a friend of mine?”

The pounding of my heart increases. “Do you not remember anything? Anything at all?”

Her eyes turn glassy, confirming my suspicions. Amnesia. Full blown amnesia. Hell...

Rubbing a hand down my face, I stop when I catch her watching me curiously. A flush spreads over her cheeks and she repeats her question. She asks me who I am.

Dark thoughts begin swirling in my mind again. Possessive thoughts. Desperate ones. Ruthless ones.

“I’m your husband,” I hear myself say and my voice sounds like a devious undertone in my mind. “Your husband soon to be and you’re my bride.”

Madlen’s jaw slacks in shock.

“Your bride,” she whispers and my throat burns. I didn’t even realize how much I want her to believe this. “But...” she looks down at her finger in confusion, “I’m not even wearing a ring.”

“You left it at home. You cleaned it and left it to dry before you went out.”

Her brows knot but she slowly nods. “What’s your name?” she asks.

“Maker Darden.”

Something lights up in her eyes. “That sounds a little bit familiar at least.”

My pulse jackhammers at her words. She couldn’t remember her own name but she thinks that mine sounds familiar? There’s only so much love for a woman that a man can take and I slide my hands under her body and lift her up.

“I can walk,” she whispers against my throat but her arms are tight around my neck and I pull her closer. I’m not letting her go even though I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. I’ve just told her the lie of the century, deceived an ex patient of mine because that’s how bad I want her and I’m praying this won’t backfire.

Her memory could come back sooner than expected and then my actions will come back to haunt me. If I haven’t lost her yet, I sure will lose her once she finds out what I’ve done. It’s not too late yet, I still have a chance to set things straight and confess my wrongdoings.

But I’m simply not the kind to do that.

I stop a cab and put Madlen in first, then climb into the backseat and I tell the driver my address. Pulling the seatbelt over Madlen I make sure she’s safely tucked in and I can feel her eyes all over my face. They feel like little caresses, like being kissed by an angel and I raise my gaze.

“What?” I rasp and her cheeks turn round like two peaches when she smiles at me.

“Nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have someone like you in my life.” With those words she leans her head against my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her. This is the closest she has ever been and she is only this close because she believes she’s my bride.

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