Novels by Eze precious onyinyechi

Serena’s PovOne hour. That was all the time we had. Nate’s phone still glowed with the message, but I didn’t want the words to own the morning. I stepped in front of him, took the phone from his hand, and set it face down on the counter.“Look at me,” I said softly.He did. His eyes were tired and fierce at the same time. I rose onto my toes and kissed him, slow and deliberate. His hands settled on my waist like they belonged there. When we pulled apart I kept my forehead against his.“We’re married,” I whispered. “That’s the part I want to feel right now. Not the meeting. Not the threats. Just us.”Nate’s breath left him in a long, quiet sigh. He wrapped both arms around me and held on. “You’re right. Come here.”He led me back to the bedroom. We didn’t speak for a while. We just stood close, forehead to forehead, breathing each other in. His thumbs stroked the sides of my waist. My fingers rested against the warm skin at the back of his neck. The simple contact was enough to steady

Nate’s PovThe message sat on the screen like a cold hand on the back of my neck. Serena was still warm against me, her bare shoulder under my palm. I set the phone down and turned fully toward her before anything else.“Stay here,” I said quietly. “I’ll check.”She caught my wrist. “We check together. I’m your wife. That means I don’t wait in the bedroom while you walk into something alone.”The word wife still hit me hard in the best way. I leaned down and kissed her, soft and sure. “Together, then.”We pulled on the first clothes we found. I kept her hand in mine as we walked down the short hallway. The living room looked the same at first glance. Curtains closed. Lights low. Then I saw it.A small white box sat in the center of the coffee table. No card on the outside. Just a clean lid and a single ribbon.Serena’s fingers tightened around mine. I pulled her closer so her shoulder pressed against my arm.“I’ve got you,” I said. “Whatever it is, it doesn’t touch us.”She nodded. We

Serena’s PovThe photo glowed on the screen between us. Someone had watched us kiss on the sidewalk. Someone had taken the first moments of our marriage and turned them into another warning. I felt Nate go still beside me, but I didn’t let the fear settle. I set the phone face down and turned fully into his arms.“We’re married,” I said quietly. “That’s the only part I care about right now.”Nate’s hands came up to frame my face. His eyes searched mine. “You’re my wife. Nothing on that screen changes it.”“Nothing,” I agreed. I leaned in and kissed him, soft and sure. He kissed me back like he was choosing me all over again. When we pulled apart I stayed close, my forehead against his.“I don’t want to give them any more of our day,” I whispered. “I want this time to belong to us.”Nate nodded. He stood and held out his hand. I took it. He led me to the bedroom without another word about the message. Inside, he closed the door and pulled me straight into his chest. I wrapped my arms a

Nate’s PovThe paper sat on the table between us. The words were clear and cold. Acknowledge the blood relation. Waive any claim. Sign, or the marriage is void.Serena stood close enough that I could feel the warmth of her shoulder against mine. I didn’t look at the man across from us. I looked only at her.“Hey,” I said softly. “Look at me.”She did. Her eyes were steady even though I could see the shock in them. I took both of her hands in mine and turned so my body blocked most of the room. For a moment it was just us again.“I don’t care what that paper says,” I told her. “I don’t care about inheritance or company control or any name they want to put on us. I care about you. I care about walking out of here as your husband. That is the only thing that matters to me right now.”Serena’s fingers tightened around mine. “I care about the same thing. You. Us. Not the rest of it.”I lifted one of her hands and kissed the back of it. “Then we decide together. No one else gets a vote.”Sh

Serena’s PovMorning light slipped through the curtains and settled across the bed. Nate was already awake, watching me the way he always did when he thought I was still sleeping. His hand rested on my waist, warm and steady. I smiled before I even opened my eyes.“You’re staring again,” I whispered.“I like staring,” he said. His voice was rough with sleep. “You’re the best thing I wake up to.”I turned toward him and rested my forehead against his. For a moment neither of us spoke. We just breathed the same air. His thumb moved slowly back and forth on my side. The simple touch made my chest feel full.“Today might be the day,” I said quietly. “If we decide to go.”Nate’s hand slid up to cup my face. “Only if you still want it. No pressure. No one else’s schedule. Just us.”I kissed him softly. “I still want it. I want to be your wife. I want the word to be true.”He kissed me back, slow and careful, like we had all the time in the world. When we pulled apart he kept his forehead ag

Nate’s PovThe message sat on the screen between us. Serena’s body was still warm against mine. I set the phone face down and turned fully toward her. Whatever game someone was playing with the courthouse could wait. Right now I needed her closer.I pulled her in until there was no space left. She came easily, her leg sliding over mine, her hand resting over my heart. I kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, then the soft place at the corner of her mouth.“I don’t care what name is on any schedule,” I said. “The only wedding that matters is the one where you walk toward me and say yes because you want to. Not because someone else arranged it.”Serena’s eyes were still heavy with sleep but full of trust. “I already said yes. I keep saying yes. Every time you look at me like this, I say it again.”I kissed her properly then. Slow and deep. She melted into it, her fingers curling against my chest. I held the back of her neck and let the kiss say everything I didn’t have better words for.