Her Substitute Husband

Chapter one

Charmiene

He had no business being here , not in my life, not in my heart and definitely not tonight on my wedding eve.

What are you doing here Malihor. I say to him grabbing my crimson satin robe from my bed. Longing and petulance neatly mixed in my voice.

As I dress myself I feel his intense gaze on me. I look up to meet that gaze and I see that his bambi eyes are teary and he is biting his lower lip. He looks like a child ,one that had finally found what he had been searching for.

He ignores my question and instead he walks close to me. His steps are refined and deliberate. And his eyes never leave mine. As he covers the space between us I can't control the desires that are eminent in my heart. I want to hug him, kiss him. I want him to touch me ,feel me. I want him to do whatever he wants to me .I want to yield to him if he would do the same for me.

I've come to get my bride. He says to me, His rich baritone voice fills my ears ,his breath is cold and minty and I want to taste his tongue.

We're no longer betrothed to each other. Ammitel Aetheris is my soon to be husband. Please leave Malihor. I say to him,

It was only right for me to send him away now before things escalated. Although sick with resistant tuberculosis, Ammitel Aetheris held the whole of New York. He was the political God and true ruler of New York. Every politician answered to him , even the president. He was a formidable force we couldn't fight against. Eloping with Malihor was all my heart wanted but I knew better. Ammitel would find us and kill us ,then my father and my whole family. I won't let my passion stop me from fulfilling my duty.

Look me in the eye and tell me you want me to leave and I will. He says.

I try as hard as I can but I can't look him in the eye. Tears well up in my eyes and before I know what's happening he pulls me in a forced embrace. I try to fight him as well as myself. I try to talk morality into my wild heart but none of that works. I long for him. My whole being acknowledges that.

What are we going to do? They'll kill us. I say to him in-between sobs. He holds me firmer, pressing my head against his heart. I hear it beating loud and hard. He's afraid and so am I.

I was about to start a propaganda,a little disobedience to my father for us but your mother gave me a better idea. I have everything sorted out. We will travel to Malaysia and lie low for a bit.

What do you mean my mother?. I ask him looking up to meet his gaze.

Diana called me here , she's how I could evade your father's men and come right here for you. He says

Joy fills my heart, since the marriage proposal came my mother had been quiet she stopped coming out of her room and was practically invisible. I didn't know what she thought about all of it. But now hearing she wanted me to elope with the love of my life gave me hope. She was the best step mother I could ever ask for.

I have a car parked close to the old oak tree adjacent to your house. Your mother will show us the way to get out of here. He continues. I nod happy tears rolling down my face.

Kiss me please. I say to him impulsively.He doesn't hesitate he kisses me. It's long , passionate and beautiful. Tears are streaming down my eyes and so are his.

Oh for fuck sakes Santo boy you don't come into my property to harass my daughter. An old croaky voice says. Fear fills my heart and a thick lump appears in my throat. What was my father doing here?.

Malihor turns to him sharply hiding me behind him. I clench tightly to the sleeves of his suit. Praying that this is all a dream.

She was mine from the beginning you don't have any fucking right to sell her off to another man. For fucks sake sham she's your daughter not some property you sell when things are tough.

Malihor says anger evident in his voice. The harshness of his words hit me. That was all I was a tool to move up politically. A property to be sold off to the highest bidder when things were tough. I was sold off to Malihor too when we were little but we fell in love. Now that Ammitel Aetheris was oddly interested in me he called off our alliance and decided to marry me off to Ammitel instead.

Shove that half arsed advice down your fucking gut. She's my daughter and I do whatever the fuck I want with her. Charmiene come here now!!!. My father bellowed. My legs start to move on their own but Malihor stops me

Trust me your father can't harm you not when I'm with you. I'm sure he remembers who my father is. Malihor says reassuring me. I choose to trust him to listen to him over my father.

I won't repeat myself again come here !!!. My father thunders I ignore him clinging tightly to Malihor.

She stays with me. You rather marry off your daughter to a sick man, a man with resistant tuberculosis than me. Where the fuck is your loyalty Sham. Malihor says to my father.

He's silent for a while before he starts to speak again.

You leave me no choice Charmaine

My father says digging his hands into his pocket and retrieving a revolver

I'll kill this fucker if that's what it takes. He continues.

You don't have the guts Sham. Malihor replies calmly to my father unafraid. His charisma was one of the things I loved about him. Even now when there was tension in the room he remained calm and collected.

You're right I don't have the guts but Ammitel's buddy here has it all from guts to brutality. He says a wild smirk on his face.

Just then a tall formidable man appears. His face is covered with a balaclava and his body is covered in tattoos. He is wearing a black singlet and black sweats. He is terrifying and just the sight of him made me feel something sinister in the deep of my stomach. He pulls out his gun and pulls the trigger. The echoes of the gunshot resounds in my ears. Suddenly I feel cold air brush against my face followed by a loud thud. I look down and horror fills my soul.