No escape

The light in the room flickered, and the air got more chilly as the breeze blew the window curtain open. The white bedsheet appeared whiter from the glow of the bulb, and the bedroom seemed mystic because of the sophisticated furniture.

“I will take the guest room, and you can take this bedroom,”  Carmen said. She anxiously stood there, waiting on his reply. Her heart kept pounding, and she seemed tense. With every passing second that Liam did not answer, Carmen felt more uncomfortable. 

She hugged herself tightly and stared at a well-built man sitting in a chair, gazing at her like some prey he could not wait to devour. Her sleeveless nightgown did not make her feel comfy at the very least. Carmen wished Ala didn't persuade her to wear such revealing clothes on her wedding night, and now she hated herself for wearing them.

“We are a married couple. Why do we have to sleep in a separate room? Isn't this what you wanted by forcing my grandpa to marry you to me. You want to act innocent when you dress in such a manner. Don't pretend to be a virgin when you are actually a slut. Ha! What a joke.” Liam coldly said.

Every single word he spoke felt like a knife stabbing into Carmen's heart. She pulled her dress down, but it came back to its original length. 

"Yes, I did ask my grandfather to ask your grandpa to get us married. But I did it because I thought that's what you wanted." Carmen nervously mumbles.

"What did you say?" Liam harshly asked as he got up from his seat.

"Nothing," Carmen cried and turned her head to the left, trying to avoid his soulless gray eyes.

She stood still as she heard his footsteps approaching her. A second passed and Carmen felt the toughness of his manly hand on her thigh. She tightens her eyelashes together while Liam's hand when further up her nightgown. The cold air did not stop Carmen from feeling his warm lips upon her skin as his tongue licked her neck.

“Do you still want to sleep in the guest room?” Liam said before his other hand pulled down her nightgown hand and fiercely kissed her body, leaving bite marks all over her skin.

“Ouch! No! Yes! I mean, I think we should sleep in a separate room since you don't have feelings for me.” Carmen mutters. She could hardly get the words out. Liam was touching places on her body that made her feel uncomfortable, yet excited.

“That's not for you to decide. You wanted this marriage, and now that you are in it, there's no escape for you!” Liam angrily said. He grabbed Carmen, lifted her, carried her to the bed, and threw her on it.

'I've made him mad.' Carmen thought. She bit her lip as she watched Liam remove his shirt, then unbutton his trousers. Her eyes felt wet, and she held the blanket tightly, knowing what would happen next. Carmen refused to open her eyes, even when she felt his weight above her. 

With every passing second, her body trembles when Liam roughly touches her. Carmen could now sense his fingers rubbing against her bosom. The tension from his touch had Carmen's body in pain.

"Ouch!" was the only word she kept repeating. Then Liam suddenly stopped, and Carmen could not feel his movement anymore or sense his presence on top of her.

'He didn't put it in.' Carmen thought as she slowly opened her eyes. She turned her head to the right and watched Liam wear his clothes. When Liam felt her eyes on him, he stopped buttoning his shirt and gazed at her.

“As you said, I don't love you. So I think its best not to have sex with you. I will take the guest room. You can keep this one since the bedsheet is already filthy with your scent.” Liam said.

Carmen's mouth felt dry and her heartache when she saw Liam walk out the door. At that moment, nothing made sense to Carmen, and her mind was filled with confusion. She did not know why he claimed not to love her when he was the one that sent the love confession note to her. 

“Liam, you are misleading me. Why can't you tell me why you stopped loving me. Instead of making me wait on you to love me back.” Carmen mumbled. She got out of bed and went to their closet. Her nightgown slid down to the floor, and she removed her legs from in it and put them in her pajama pants.

After closing her shirt button, Carmen climbed back into bed and cried herself to sleep.

Liam entered the guest room and slammed the door. He felt restless, angry, and turned on inside. His heartbeat raced as though it could burst from the rage and passion he was undergoing.

“Damn it, Liam. You can't fall for her tricks. You can't allow your heart to beat for the woman that took away the chance for you to be with the love of your life. Carmen is a selfish person, and she does not deserve your love.” He told himself, yet his heart did not play along with his words.

Liam aggressively rips his shirt off his body and heads into the bathroom to cold off. The water pulls from the shower with force and beats upon his skin as he tries to relieve himself of the sexual tension.

A few minutes later, Liam came out of the bathroom with only a towel tied around his wrist. After drying his hair, his phone rang, and he answered it.

"Congratulations, you are now a married man." A lady's voice echoed through the phone.

"I wouldn't be if you didn't force me to do so." He replied in a calm tone.

"As long as your heart is mine, I don't mind Carmen having you. You still love me, right?"

"Yes, I do!" Liam softly answers.

After their call ended an hour later, Liam laid in bed under the darkness of the night, gazing at the shadow ceiling with the images of Carmen's hurt expression replaying in his mind, and he did not know if he could keep on pushing her away.