MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Noah took a hot drink out of the vending machine and handed it to Nancy. She had his jacket over her shoulders and his shoes on her feet. She looked incredibly silly.

They had been sitting on a bench for the better part of the night, and as the sky began to lighten, she said, "The sun will be up soon.

If Noah had not come after her, she would have been alone all night, and without the shoes and jacket, she might have frozen to death. Luckily, Noah was wearing a warm sweater, and his socks were extra thick.

Noah smiled and said, "Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"A hotel. You can have a rest. When you wake up, I will tell Miss Smith to pick you up."

Nancy did not expect that would be so thoughtful. She wanted to thank him, but she had thanked him a million times already. "Alright," was all she could think to say, and when he offered her his hand, she took it, and she allowed him to lead her to the hotel.

****

A black RV was lurking around the corner from a cathedral. Vic was sitting in the driver's seat, and Nathan was sitting beside him. Nathan coughed, and Vic frowned. He said, "You haven't eaten for days, Sir. The doctor said that your stomach is in bad condition. You need to take your medicine!"

Nathan coughed again. He was in rough shape. Vic had been with him for many years, and this was the first time that he had seen him looking so haggard.

The car was parked in a secluded place, where they could see the movement of the partitioners. "Are you sure that this is where Eric and Crystal are to be married?" Nathan asked. His heart ached at the thought of her marrying another man.

Vic nodded. "So says the internet." 

"How dare she!" Nathan hissed.

"I don't like it any more than you do," Vic muttered.

****

Crystal began to scream with one hand covering her eyes, forcing her head down, and another pursued the elastic on her panties. She began to writhe in agony as cold fingers slipped beneath the fabric. They passed through her pubic hair like a medium-toothed comb, and then they applied pressure to her vulva.

Invisible lips kissed her, and a familiar tongue forced its way into her mouth. It's Nathan! - she realized, and she was horrified. "Did you miss me?" He chuckled and said, "I think about you all the time. You are mine. You can run, but you cannot hide. I will always find you!"

Nathan bit into her shoulder, and Crystal's eyes snapped open.

It had all been a dream. Clark was snuggled against her. She had been having these dreams recently, but that is all that they were dreams. She was safe, and Nathan had no idea she was here.

****

Crystal was stroking Clark's sleeping face with the back of her hand when, without warning, a bodyguard pushed open the door and rushed in. "What do you want?" she shouted. She looked around and was unsettled by the fact that Nancy was nowhere to be seen.

Clark sat up, and the bodyguard grabbed him. Crystal reached out to stop him, but he pushed her away. The boy began to cry for his Mommy, but his tears did not seem to faze the large man.

"Please..." Crystal begged.

The bodyguard sighed and said, "I am only doing my job. If you do not like it, then take it up with Mr. Burnett." 

"Where is Nancy?" she demanded.

"I don't know."

****

Crystal followed the bodyguard to the master bedroom. He opened the door, carried Clark inside, and shut it behind him. She began to knock, but two other guards appeared, and they drove her away. "What is this about," she asked as they shoved her.

The smaller of the two thought for a moment, and then he said, "I'm sorry, Miss Smith. Our young master is still resting. This is not a good time. He wants some alone time with his son. I am sure you understand."

Crystal frowned. She did not know what to do, so for a while, she just stood there. It was not long before the next door opened, and Eric walked out. "Why are you awake so early?" he asked. "Why don't you go back to bed?"

"Never mind that," Crystal replied. "Did you hear anything last night?"

Eric chuckled and said, "I heard a lover's quarrel. I would not mention it, though. Paul can get rather pissy when people stick their nose in his business."

Crystal scowled and said, "If that Rat, Burnett, did something to my friend, then it's my business. Don't you think so?"

Eric's face turned white, and he was momentarily speechless.

"Anyway," Crystal continued. "Your response doesn't surprise me. After all, that rat is your friend!"

"If you call him a rat, I can only imagine what you call me behind my back," Eric muttered.

"Do you have to make this about you?" Crystal hissed." My friend is missing, and I'm quite sure that your friend is responsible."

"Come on." Eric sighed and said, "I know what you're worried about, but Noah took Nancy to a hotel. We can go there now if you'd like."

"Did she move out?" Crystal was confused.

"Did Paul let her leave?"

"I don't know." Eric shrugged and said, "Even if he didn't, eventually, he will have to. Mark my words: Michelle will not tolerate her presence forever."

Crystal nodded, but she was not convinced.

"Don't think about it for now," Eric said.

"Come on. Get dressed quickly. You must be hungry?"

"Alright. I could eat." She turned towards the room she had been sleeping in, but she only made it halfway down the hall when a thought occurred to her. Her face turned white, and she turned back around. "What about Clark?" she asked.

"He's Paul's son. He'll be fine."

"But we don't know if he abused him," she said. There was a fire in her eyes. "I don't trust him any further than I could throw him."

"And you don't need to." Eric chuckled and said, "Rest ease. Children are safe around men, whether they are good or bad. It's the women that you need to watch out for."

Crystal frowned. She was dissatisfied with

Eric's reply, but she let the matter rest. Even if he was wrong, there was nothing that they could do about it.

***"

There were three days till the wedding, and the radio stations were abuzz with gossip. Already, the cathedral had been lavishly decorated. The mystery was: Why had nobody been invited. Apart from the journalists, it looked like it would be a closed affair.

Crystal was surprised that Eric would invite so many reporters, but when she asked him about it, he said, "I want the whole world to see your happiness so that women all over the world may look upon you and admire you." He looked like a prince in his white suit. It matched his tended luxury car, and he had countless bodyguards deployed around it.

There were fireworks set up on both sides, and they would be set off as Crystal and Eric drove past them as the road competed to bloom where the float passed.

Crystal did not know that Eric had secretly invited every person he could think of, including everyone that resided on the island, and since he had promised an open bar, he was sure to get a good turnout.