My Arranged Marriage to Alex Gaskarth

Eden jolted out of a nightmare and felt sweat prickle her forehead, her eyes moved around the white room which smelled like sanitiser. Hospital, she was at a hospital…
“So it wasn’t just a nightmare” Eden whispered and touched the side of her face, the pain that jolted through her tender flesh, confirmed that what happened the night before had been very real.
Eden felt an uncomfortable sense of panic seize her heart, what if they found her again? What if Conrad looked for her or worst, what if Conrad killed Dayne the men who saved her…

Eden’s heart started pounding hard and fast in her chest, she felt it hard to breathe and gasped, the heart monitor next to her head started beeping quickly and quick tears filled her eyes. Eden squeezed her eyes shut to at least try and calm herself down but it only made it worst as Conrad’s face flashed behind her eyelids leading her to feel acute panic as she saw his salacious green eyes that had perused her with unconceivable horrendous intentions.

Horror that’s all she felt, she had almost died the night before, she wanted her mother to be here, her father and she wanted Alex…where was Alex!? Eden felt a sob breaking out through her lips.
Beep, beep, beep, beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeppppp, beeepppp, she heard the heart monitor accelerate.

Eden could faintly hear the nurses hurried voices telling her to calm down, but for the life of her she couldn’t calm down, all she thought about was Conrad’s foul lips that defiled her, his large hands that had struck her, his disgusting breath that had feathered her neck as he tried to accomplish his evil intents, Eden was at the point of breaking down, she hadn’t been struck by a man in one and a half years.

Yes her first boyfriend had physical abused her, until Pierre came and beat her ex- boyfriend senseless…no one ever knew apart from Pierre but now with Conrad’s appearance, the resemblance they held to each other just made her panic even more. It was worst now that all the memories she had repressed had once again resurfaced with a vengeance.

“Mrs. Gaskarth you must calm down” She heard a feminine voice say urgently, probably a nurse and then more voices entered her room, but all she heard were a blur of words but one distinct voice jolted her to reality.
“Eden! Honey calm down” Alex’s voice broke through her hazed and troubled mind and her heart skipped; she felt his hands cup her cheeks and she cried even more.
“Perhaps we should sedate her” Another person said,
“That won’t be necessary” Alex’s sweet and worried voice replied as he pulled her into his arms.

Eden threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck; Alex’s arms engulfed her in a safe cocoon, a cocoon which she never wanted to break free. He nuzzled the top of her head and started to sing in her ear;

Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too

When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
I won’t let anybody hurt you
I'll stand by you

Eden’s breathing started slowing down as Alex sang in his melodious voice, even if the song was so uncommon to hear Alex sing, the lyrics made her heart tremble, her tears stopped and all that was left was the trembling of her body in his arms.
“Eden…?” Alex whispered and she felt him pull away, she started sobbing again…boy she was a wreck.

“Please don’t leave me” She hiccupped but panic came back and made her hold on to him for dear life, Eden’s red-rimmed eyes found Alex’s and an emotion flickered in his beautiful brown eyes.
Alex held on to Eden a kissed her forehead,
“I’m not going anywhere sweetheart” He whispered to her and she melted against him.
Alex felt his heart skip, tumble and roll over, that was the effect she was having on him.
“You’re a miracle worker” One of nurses said watching them in awe, Alex gave her a small smile as his eyes caressed his wife’s sleeping face.

“I…just…Love my wife” He breathed out and the nurses eyes soften and she nodded while walking out, Eden unconsciously snuggled deeper into Alex’s arms. His finger traced the bruise on her face, his touch as light as a feather; he felt tears well up in his eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you sweetheart, but I won’t ever let anybody hurt you, I’ll stand by you, from now until forevermore, I love you.” He whispered knowing she probably wouldn’t hear any of it but he had to say it, Alex leaned down and kissed her gently on her forehead.
“My Eden…my beautiful Eden” Alex repositioned them so they were both lying on the hospital bed side by side. Alex took in her features…and he knew he had to tell her he loved her when she was conscious but how would he do it, what if she didn’t feel the same way?

Therefore Alex knew that he needed to do everything in his power to make her love him, even though his heart told him he didn’t deserve someone as precious and beautiful as Eden, Alex didn’t think he could let her go. Little did he know was that Eden was already in love with him.