When Saturday finally came, everyone was more than excited. Elizabeth was thrilled. One of her best friends was getting married. It was a big day. She met Samantha on her first day of college, in their first class. What made them click instantly was shared love towards Russian romanticism and the English Victorian era. One discussion led to another, and before they even knew it, they were spending more and more time together. Martha was already Lizzy’s best friend, and soon Jenny started hanging out with them since she was already friends with Samantha. Marie actually used to work at a local cafe where they used to spend their free periods, so in time she just fell into the group. Now, five years later, they were glued together. So when one of them was getting married, it was like that was their own wedding. It was important.
“Are you nervous?” Lizzy asked Samantha.
“Nooo, why would I be? It’s just the most important day of my life till now,” nervous sarcasm was seeping out of her.
“Sam, look at me,” Elizabeth said in the most serious voice that she could master, standing right in front of her friend. “Today, you are getting married to the most amazing guy you have ever had a chance to know, a love of your life. John loves you more than his life, and you have a bright future in front of you. And now that man is waiting for you down the aisle. Are you ready to go to him?” Samantha just nodded in response. “OK. So now take a deep breath,” she said, motioning her hands up and down, “and exhale. Right. Again... Better now?” Samantha again just nodded.
“Oh, you are all still here?” Sam’s father entered the chapel. “Go. Now! Take your places. I’ll take it from here.” he quickly hugged his daughter and, taking her hand under his, headed to the door out of the chapel and into the church.
Just a couple of seconds after Elizabeth and the other girls took their places, the Wedding march started, and at the far end of the aisle, Samantha and her father showed up. At that moment, all Elizabeth could think about was the feeling of being watched again. ‘Well, this is getting uncomfortable...’ she thought, but she shrugged the feeling, thinking that she was in a church full of people, someone was bound to look at her even though everyone was supposed to look at the bride.
And then she saw him. Sitting on the far end of the bench, there was that guy from Monday morning, the guy she couldn’t stop thinking about. He was staring right at her. Throughout the whole ceremony, Elizabeth felt the stranger’s eyes on her. It was becoming uncomfortable. She couldn’t focus on what the priest was saying, she barely heard vows. She snapped up when the bride and the groom kissed and headed towards the exit. Her friends caught her by her hand and pulled out to the car waiting to take them to the restaurant where the reception was supposed to be held.
Jenny tirelessly took pictures of them in the car that she immediately posted on her social media platforms. In their group, she was that kind of freak who kept documenting everything.
“Oh, my God, did you see that guy that was staring at Lizzy the whole time? He is gorgeous!” Jenny asked.
‘God, I hoped no one saw that,’ Elizabeth thought. That guy gave her the creeps.
“Yeah, we saw him,” Martha and Marie said in unison.
Reluctantly, Elizabeth squeezed through her teeth, “That is actually a guy from Monday morning, the one that spilled coffee on me, remember? I told you.”
“If you don’t bang that tonight after the reception, I am personally going to set you on fire as an example and take him home!” Jenny squealed. “Yeah, and I will join her,” Martha added.
“Join her in what? Setting me on fire or taking him home?” Liz asked sarcastically but still laughing, “I don’t know ... he is giving me a bad vibe. I am not sure what it is exactly, but my instinct is telling me to stay away from him.” she frowned.
“No, I don’t want to hear that excuse again. It’s always the same with you. No, not this time. You are going in there, and you are going to ask him for a dance. And ok, you don’t have to take him home right away, but you are going to find out his name and get his number. And that is an order!” Jenny fussed, “You are my best friend, and I want to see you happy. I want to see you live a little. You can’t be a nun for eternity, for heaven's sake.”
At that moment, their car stopped in front of the restaurant, and they left the vehicle and headed towards the reception. They ate and drank and had a good time but all the along Elizabeth felt that stranger’s eyes on her, she didn’t even have to look, she knew it was him.
After the toast, when there was a time for the dance, her girlfriends left her at their table to join a celebrating couple on the stage with their partners. She was the only one in their bunch that was single, so she stayed at her place for the moment.
Movement on her right caught her attention, and she turned to come face to face with that guy again. ‘I would have to stop calling him that guy,’ she thought.
“Well, we meet again.” she heard his husky voice. He offered her a hand and asked, “Would you do me the honors and allow me to dance with the most beautiful girl here?”
She accepted his hand and rose slowly from her seat.
“May I know your name, sir?” she asked quietly.
“Henry. My name is Henry Johnson.” the guy answered, keeping his gaze on her eyes while he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
The second his lips touched her skin, she felt like an electric current struck him and fireworks erupted inside her. ‘What the hell just happened?!’
‘She felt it, I know she did,’ Henry thought to himself while he led his mate to the dance floor. He could see it on her face, she acknowledged the sparks that were meant to exist between two soulmates, and she seemed entranced with his eyes like he was with hers. He saw her pulse quicken on her neck, and her breath seemed to have picked up a pace. But on her exterior, she seemed calm and collected, the recognition was so fast, and it disappeared from her as quickly as it came. If he was not focused on her every blink, he would have missed it. But how she managed to hide it all and act like she didn’t feel it, it was a mystery to him.
After Henry left the reception, he got into his car and went to the street where Elizabeth lived. He knew he couldn’t wait any longer. His inner beast was itching to get out and to grab its mate and fly away. He thanked heavens for the day that he decided to buy a black SUV with tinted glasses a few years back when he came to New York instead of the Porshe that he was eyeing. It will make his job so much easier now.
Henry knew he shouldn’t have drugged her, but he panicked when Elizabeth started screaming. He knew he should have calmed her, made himself not seem like a threat, but he just couldn’t think rationally. It looks like when it comes to Elizabeth, he can not make a single right decision because everything that he has done so far was wrong.
“I am what?... What are you talking about?” Elizabeth was confused. Why would a guy that she sees for the third time in her life call her his? It makes no sense. Unless he is a nut job, yeah, that would explain it. “Don’t you feel it? I don’t understand how you can ignore it. It’s not supposed to be possible.” Henry looked at her like he wasn’t actually seeing her, but like he was looking through her thinking about something she couldn’t comprehend. “Feel what exactly?” “What exactly?” now, h
Henry ended up untying Elizabeth’s hands. She did have to use the restroom, and she for sure would need to use her hands to eat. He doubted that she would let him feed her, although it would be a great pleasure for him. He wrecked his head, thinking about what he should say to her, to explain things, to make it easy for her to understand, to make her accept him, and let him just enjoy her presence. Henry wanted to call his brother for help to ask him what he did and how he handled his now-wife when he found her, but he knew that wouldn’t make much of a difference. Every story was unique in its own way, and every couple had its road to travel. He just had to find theirs. He already had so many feelings in his heart for her that made him want
Elizabeth finished her meal in silence even though she lost appetite after his bitter words. She was engulfed in her own thoughts that were confusing her more than anything. A strong urge to explain herself was not leaving her alone, and that was the part that confused her the most. Why would she feel the need to defend her actions? Why would she feel the need to console him? She didn’t even know him for God’s sake, and after all, he kidnapped her. Took her against her will. But those eyes... she wanted to put her hand in his dark hair and comb it with her fingers. It looked so soft and invitingly tempting. Darkness slowly crept into the room, and now the only thing Elizabeth could see was Henry’s eyes that were shining like nothing she had
Henry had a small, sad smile on his face. “This wasn’t supposed to turn out like this... You shouldn’t be scared of me. But I understand why you are.” “I am sorry, but I can’t help it. You drugged me. Twice. You kidnapped me. You are keeping me locked in a weird black cabin in the mountains somewhere, and you talk crazy...” Elizabeth was amazed by her courage to talk this freely. “Honestly, you didn’t strike me as a kind of a guy that would not take a no for an answer and would go to this lengths... ”
Elizabeth stayed in the shower as long as there was hot water. She liked hot water for as long as she could remember, it always had some sort of calming effect on her. This time though, not only did she want that therapeutic effect, but she also wanted Henry to freeze in there. She could not do anything else to him anyway, so this little thing was to count, right? She pulled on his sweats and shirt that were way too big for her even though she was of average built and height. She had to roll the top of the sweats a few times to stop them from falling. In the cabinet, she found a spare toothbrush, and she helped herself with it as well as she helped herself with his shampoo and soap.