Elijah Carter's POV

Today is the day.

I'm getting married in about 10 to 20 minuets and I already know I'm going to find it extremely difficult.

Not because I don't love her, or I don't have the balls to be a responsible father...

If I'm not ready now, I better be ready in the next 10-20 minutes.

I only have one concern.

My fiancée does not love me.

With my background, I always knew that an arranged marriage was a possibility.

I always thought that I would do it, so that Ade wouldn't have to.

But that idea went to shit as soon as Matéo, his father and the useless half of my DNA, agreed to have her married.

She seems happy.

But I will never be happy with how it came about.

I think back to Eleanor.

I love her.

Despite all she has done, I love her a lot.

I want to hold and protect Eleanor. Care for her and make sure nothing ever happens to her or my unborn child.

My kid...

I don't want him to live in the kind of house, where we have to pretend to love each other.

Or, one of us anyway.

He needs a man to show him how to be a man.

And that's what I plan to do.

There needs to be a balance and I intend for it to be that way.

The love of a mother and a father.

Even if they don't love each other.

It has to be done.

Or else, should they decide to, they can't take over, when I'm gone.

I don't want Amos to refer to them as the bastard, like he does to Alfonzo.

If he dares, I'll kill hun and ask questions later.

What am I even going to call them?

What are we going to call them?

"Elijah, it's time" I hear Adeline's voice say, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I smile at her.

She looks beautiful!

She has a long flowing baby-pink dress that flows down to her feet, with flowery accessories in her hair.

She is such a beautiful young woman now, and I'm proud of her.

She hugs me tightly.

"You've got this Elijah" she tells me kissing my cheek.

I hold her hand.

"I love you sis" I tell her.

She pouts.

"You're gonna make me cry" she tells me.

I smile at her.

"I love you too Elijah" she says.

She is my best girl, because I refuse to have a best man.

We originally planned to elope, but we instead decided to have a small ceremony so that our family members can gather.

Well, my mother, some gang members, my siblings, Matéo, Ricardo and Joshua.

My dad won't show up, because I don't want him there.

If he couldn't be bothered with Adeline's wedding, he can't come to mine.

I walk to the front of the chapel and wait for Eleanor to get here.

Oh my God, what if she doesn't show up?

What if she runs off?

With my child!

My thoughts are cut off, when the organ starts to play, and the huge and heavy doors open.

I look up and my breath immediately abandons my body.

Woah...

^^ Eleanor's dress

She wears a light blue dress, that shows the slight swelling of her baby bump.

I knew she didn't want a traditional dress, but this is...

Different.

In a good way.

Her dark hair has been slicked back into a low ponytail and her skin is glowing.

She walks towards me and gives me a small smile.

I don't return it, but I look away.

Now is not the time to panic at how good she looks.

She stands beside me and the priest instructs us to hold hands.

We do as we are told.

"We are gathered here today, to witness the joining of souls between Elijah Kwame Carter and Eleanor Leah Valdez...."

Throughout the whole service, I avoid all eye contact with her as much as possible.

I can't look into her eyes, or else she will know exactly what I'm thinking.

And God forbid I slip up and say something.

Even when the time comes to kiss her, I make it quick, so that I don't get the chance to deepen it as much as I want to.

From the start to the end, where we are congratulated by everyone, I stay distant.

I'd rather die than embarrass myself like that.
***

As soon as we get home, I almost run to my room, closing the door right behind me.

I flop onto my bed for a while, then I get up and head to my bathroom, in the corner of the room.

I strip down and get into the bath for a long and cold shower.

After about 30 minutes, I step out of the shower and go into my room, towel wrapped around my waist.

Now where the hell is my Cocoa butter?

"Elijah" I hear a voice say.

I spin around to see Eleanor, standing in front of my closed bedroom door.

For fucks sake.

Up to now, she is still wearing the dress, but instead, her hair flows loosely at her shoulders, framing her face beautifully.

She is holding my Cocoa Butter in her hands, away from my reach.

Well, not really.

I am taller and larger than her, so I could walk over there and take it from her easy.

Except, moving from this spot is looking mighty impossible right now.

"What is wrong with you?!" She asks me.

She looks livid.

"What are you talking about?" I ask coldly, as if my heart isn't pounding in my chest.

"Elijah, you didn't look at me once today!" She yells, walking up to me.

She looks cute when she is angry.

I chuckle softly to myself and look away.

"What the fuck do you mean?" I ask, playing dumb.

She grabs my jaw in her hand and makes me face her.

"Like that!" She seethes.

"You have been constantly avoiding me, yet you are the same idiot, who told me to make this whole thing look believable!" She tells me.

I look into her eyes and I can tell that she is really hurt by my actions.

I look at the ground.

"Stop" I whisper.

"What?" She asks me.

"Drop it Eleanor" I say a little louder.

"No!" She yells.

"I will not drop it, because despite, what I've done to you, you couldn't make me feel any worse! Elijah, I'm sorry! For the millionth time, I am sorry that I hurt you!" She begs.

"But I need an answer..." she says.

"Are we going to ignore each other for the rest of our lives or what?" She asks.

I try to move past her, but she isn't having it.

She pushes me hard and my lower body hits the top of my dressing table.

I wince a little, but she seems totally unfazed.

"Elijah, why wouldn't you look at me?" She asks.

Her body is so incredibly close to mine.

Her breaths are soft and gentle on my bare chest.

"It's hard to look at someone, who doesn't love you, the way you love them" I admit in a small voice.

"Elijah, you fuckin' idiot!" She says.

I look at her face.

She has a small smile on her face.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm in love with you, you fucking idiot!" She tells me.

"Isn't it obvious?"

I chuckle.

"Are you really?" I ask.

She grabs my shoulders and pulls me closer, planting kisses on my neck and shoulders.

"Yes, Elijah I do love you" she tells me.

"Then why did you try to kill me?" I ask her pulling away.

"Elijah, I couldn't!" She sighs, exasperatedly.

She tells me everything, from top to bottom.

How her 'father' found out about us and got angry.

How the choice was between me or our baby.

The way she intentionally shot me in the side instead of the chest or my head.

I listen to her patiently, rage building up in my chest.

I yank off my towel and pull on some boxers, before I pull on a pair of pants and a shirt.

"Where are you going?" She asks, worriedly.

"Too kill that son of a bitch" I tell her calmly.

She grabs my arm.

"No! Elijah, don't" She says firmly.

"Eleanor, he put both you and our kid in harms way and you want me to do nothing?"  He asks.

"Elijah, please" she sighs.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill him" I ask her.

She slips her hands down to my waist and pulls me closer to her using my belt to pull me closer.

"Well... It's our first night together, knowing the full truth... And I want to celebrate it with you" she says, tracing her fingers down my stomach.

"I- celebrate, how?" I ask, suddenly interested.

She chuckles.

Well, since, I am Mrs Carter now... I get to do things to you, that I've been waiting to do" She tells me, unbuckling my belt.

"Like what?" I ask, giving her an amused grin.

She smirks back and puts her hands down my pants, grabbing me, through my boxers.

"Well you've been torturing me for months now" she purrs in my ear, biting my earlobe.

I nearly groan.

Pay back.

And I've never been more excited to learn of it.

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Hey guys!

I know that there weren't any heated scenes in this, but I will make it up to you, I promise!

How did you guys find this one anyway?

Tell me in the comments and don't forget to vote!

Until next time....

~ Xo