Loved from Afar by Stephanie Street

Author:Stephanie Street [Street, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-04-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Amelia sat at Brand’s feet, gazing up at his handsome face, wondering what she had done in this life to deserve a marriage to such a man. He had saved her from the abuse she had suffered for as long as she could remember. But she had loved him long before that day. Now, it was her deepest desire to have a true marriage born of love and commitment to Brand- to one day sit, hand in hand, as their children played at their feet. Her heart filled with love for him as he gazed down at her.

“Amelia.” Brand brushed her cheeks with his thumbs as he began to speak. “Honey, you’ve lived your whole life trapped, feelin’ like there were no choices you could make on your own. No string of beau’s beatin’ your door for you to look over and say ‘I want that one forever’. And I come along, asking for ya, when you couldn’t even think straight.” Brand paused.

Amelia gazed at him, sure her confusion was showing on her face. What was he saying?

“What I’m gettin’ at darlin’, is I want you to have a choice. I don’t want to take any more from you than has already been taken. You should have had that string of beau’s.”

Amelia shook her head between his hands as they held onto her face. A thrill of fear rippled through her body. He didn’t want her! Her eyes stung with fresh tears.

“No, no, no,” she whispered. Amelia pulled away from his grasp and rose to her feet.

Brand stood, his gaze fixed on her. “Amelia.”

“We’re married, Brand.” Her voice was broken, just like her heart. He had told he wanted her. It was why she agreed to marry him. And now, and now, he was taking it back. She couldn’t endure this pain, this pain that was unlike any she had experienced before.

Brand’s jaw visibly clenched with some undefined emotion.

“We are married, but I haven’t truly taken you to wife, Amelia.”

And then her heart, which she had already thought broken, shattered into a thousand pieces. How could this be happening? She thought all her dreams were coming true. And now he was ripping them out from under her.

“Why, Brand? Why are you doing this?” Amelia attempted to pull herself together, to gather some semblance of strength.

“I want you to be happy, darlin’. In your moment of doubt and confusion, I offered you a solution- a way out. I don’t want to confine you to another prison- one you didn’t really want to choose.” Brand took a deep breath, and Amelia saw it- saw the pain he was valiantly seeking to hide.

What did it all mean? Was he just trying to give her a way out? Or was he looking for one of his own? Amelia turned away from him, unable to think with him so close. In her heart, Amelia knew this would take all of her courage. Could she admit to her feelings for him? Was it worth the possibility of his rejection, to expose herself?

Amelia steeled her resolve.

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