The Bodyguard (Book 1 in the Original BOC Series) ✔

Chapter Thirty

Mara glanced away as her cheek rested against Edward's chest.

He had pulled her to him and was caressing her shoulder as he sighed, happily, "You looked so beautiful today. I am the luckiest man to have such a pretty little thing as my wife."

Mara said nothing.

She felt so numb, like she wasn't in her own body.

After the wedding, there was no reception.

Edward had brought her to what was now their room and he had a candle lit dinner waiting in the middle of it. He smiled all throughout dinner as he tried convincing Mara that she would be so happy with him. He explained how they could take trips anywhere she wanted, do anything she pleased, and have anyone she's like over.

And as much as she wanted to be happy about the freedom her husband was giving her, Mara couldn't break away from that damned sparkling ring on her left hand.

Once the servants vacated the room with what was left of their meal, Edward walked across the room to lay on their bed . He crossed an ankle over the other, tucking an arm behind his head and used the remote on his nightstand to turn on the TV. He patted the bed beside him when he saw that Mara remained by the bedpost.

She had the side of her head leaned against it with her fingers wrapped tightly around the rounded belly of the post. She didn't want to move when he motioned for her, but pulled herself from it anyway to climb on and that was when Edward grinned, pulling her into his side.

Now Mara was staring at her hand with the ring on it. She saw how much it sparkled, even in the dim light, and it truly was beautiful despite how expensive it must have been.

She felt that he had stopped caressing her shoulder and Mara frowned, her eyes glancing to the side wondering what she may have done. She lifted her eyes upward in his direction before lifting her head.

Edward frowned at her, "Are you alright?"

Mara swallowed, nodding. His eyes squinted in a curious manner to which Mara sighed with her eyes closed, "I'm just... this is new to me is all."

She opened her eyes to see him smile and sit up to comfort her.

"Mara. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. As every day comes, we will get to know one another and I'm sure that I will be falling in love with you in no time."

Mara wrinkled her nose and glanced away, muttering, "Promise?"

Her husband laughed and she looked at him frowning. Edward took his hands to place them along her jaw, shaking his head, "I don't understand what good that will do, but just breathe and we will take this marriage one day at a time."

Mara stared at his handsome face and knew that this was actually real, and this man was actually her husband. He didn't even know how to comfort her properly whenever she asked that simple word. And it tore at her heart the more she thought of the expectations Edward had to live up to.

The moment the TV was shut off, Mara glanced at the blank screen with a sense of discomfort cementing her spine straight. Her eyes looked back at her husband who was shyly eyeing her in the nightgown he asked her to change into before dinner.

Edward looked away before he returned his gaze on her, "Mara... you know this is our first night..."

Mara blushed, looking down, and froze with her fingers gripping fearfully to the sheets underneath her when his mouth kissed her shoulder.

"But I won't hurt you." He promised.

She closed her eyes and looked away as his fingers slowly lowered the spaghetti straps of her nightgown off her shoulders, and then with a light push he laid Mara onto her back. Mara's heart was racing with fear as he was looking down at her in the same loving manner as earlier in the wedding. He kept her gaze as his fingers braced the front of her nightgown and slid it downward. Her breathing hitched from the fear, making her husband mistakenly think it was a good thing probably.