The Alpha King's Contract - Bride

Amber's POV No, please let me go, I beg you. Get off me now! You're hurting me, Papa. Please. I whimpered and stirred in my sleep, my face screwed up in a pained expression of misery, and my arms thrashed against the soft duvet covering my body as if I were trying to reach out for something invisible. My lips moved, as if mouthing words, but no sound came out. I was reliving the memories that made me this way. Beads of sweat trickled down my face as I jerked and let out a low moan. I won't let you go ever. You belong to me now and forever. Don't you ever think of leaving me again? Is that clear!? A wicked peal of laughter erupted from the conjured image in my dream. A knock jarred me from the dream as I awoke immediately with a loud gasp eliciting from my throat. I wrapped around my legs and knees pulled close to my chest as a form of protection. 4th of July. That damned day lived rent-free in my head. These terrible nightmares had resurfaced again after a month. My mind had a sickening way of replaying the incidents of that day. I would begin therapy soon, I couldn't continue this way, especially now that I was expecting a baby. Just when I thought that they had gone. When I thought that I was free, they came back. The effects of growing up in foster care had never really left me and the the dark memories still haunted my dreams almost every night. My swollen body trembled like leaves in a gale. The sweat that soaked through my nightgown felt cold and prickly even as it clung to my skin. The dark memories still haunted my dreams almost every night and sometimes I prayed for amnesia to ease me of its tainted burden. Why was I so unlucky with men? I let out another frustrated sigh. Why did the dreams have to come back after a month? Maybe it was because I was stressed. Working two jobs was a lot and I wished I could quit one. However, I had no choice but to do it or he my baby wouldn't have some basic necessities after delivery. Brady didn't give me money for the baby. He never cared about it anyway. It was as if I had impregnated herself. My pillow was drenched in sweat and my head pounded with a throbbing ache. And that damned knock came again only that this time it was real. I hopped off the bed immediately and made my way to the door while wondering who could be visiting me since I didn't have a lot of friends. It had to be one of my husband's minions who never did anything meaningful than gamble on their payday. "George. Good morning." My brows creased in confusion when I saw him on my doorstep. However, I made way for him to come in since he was Brady's friend and just maybe they had planned a meeting which I would never know about since Brady didn't tell me things. He breezed past me violently into the living area. "There is nothing good about the morning. I need the money that loser owed me. And do not even think of offering me that seat because that is the least of my worries!" His growl frightened me and my heart skipped. "He should have known better than to die just after gambling away my hard-earned-" "Calm down George. I don't understand what you are saying and Brady isn't even home yet so-" I rubbed my forehead. Migraine nibbled at the edge of my brain and raw pain coursed through my head. I pressed my hand to my belly hoping I wouldn't have morning sickness again. "You haven't heard the morning news right?" George narrowed his eyes at me, his lips unmoving as he directed his gaze to the Tv. "What news?" I asked as I bent to reach for the remote control on the small table by my side. There was a head-on collision on the I-95 expressway thirty minutes ago. A truck driver driving the truck ABCD32 collided with another car. The police said the accident occurred as the truck driver lost control of the truck and ran into an oncoming car. That was my husband's truck number and except there was a fault somewhere they were talking about him. I paused to take in the remaining headline. The occupants of the vehicles have been identified as Gabrielle Montgomery, Elle Montgomery Ethan Montgomery, and Brady Walker. Was I imagining things or were my eyes and ears playing tricks on me already? My lips parted in shock and I flicked my gaze back to George. His face confirmed my fears. There was a survivor, every other person died instantly in the crash. The survivor has been taken to the hospital and he is undergoing treatment currently in the ICU as we speak. More updates will come in later. "Oh no." I whimpered as I swallowed hard. The impact of the news was so strong on me. No, it couldn't be true! A small gasp emanated from my throat as I dashed to the room to get my phone. This had to be another dream. Muttering a silent prayer, I dialed his number as I walked back into the living area where George remained standing. "Hello, this is Brady. I am unavailable at the moment but you could leave a message for me." It said, "Damn! Please pick Brady. Pick up and tell me this is a joke." I cursed and redialled the number. I dropped my phone and gripped the counter hard for support as I swallowed. Breathe. In, one, two, three. Out, one, two, three. It didn’t work. Oxygen couldn’t bypass the knot in my throat, and tiny pinpricks of black swam across my vision. This was too much for me to bear. "I do not care about your tantrums at the moment because I have a more pressing issue at hand. Brady borrowed a thousand dollars from me last week and I need it. You have two days to pay me my money or we shall meet in court!" George stormed out of the house in anger. My lips quivered and the tears finally poured down my cheeks in torrents as I sank to the floor. Curling into a ball on the cold granite floor, I darted my eyes to the tv. Those words echoed in my ears and somehow I knew that my fears were true. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as my hands clutched at my swollen stomach trying in vain to stop a new wave of pain from taking over me as soon as they did. The room was spinning around me making it difficult to focus on anything around me. Where would I start from? Would my life never know any peace? Brady had died leaving me all alone to fend for our unborn child pregnant and what was worse? My dead husband had left me neck-deep in debt. Could my day get any worse?