The Substitute Bride: Making Memories Of Us (Lois Stone)

Ayla's body was pressed firmly on the couch making it difficult for her to ignore Brian's probing eyes.She looked away instead to evade his questions.

"Why don't you answer me? Does it hurt?" Brian asked as he searched her eyes for answers that her mouth wasn't willing to give.

Bending his head down, he gently kissed Ayla's scar.His lips left a trail of moisture that was impossible to ignore.

That scar would remain etched on her skin for a lifetime and it was a Clear representation of what he owed her.  

"It hurt," Ayla nodded.

No matter how painful the physical wounds were, they all belonged in the past now.

What kept her hurting was the emotional trauma he put her through.  "I'm sorry."

Brian spoke softly.

He remembered how she got that scar and no amount of apologies could turn back time and erase it.

Still, he wouldn't give up easily trying to win her heart.Biting her lower lip, Ayla pleaded, "Why can't you set me free? Why?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, a mixture of pain and anger that she couldn't quite release.

"I can promise anything else, except this one,"

Brian said with finality.  Ayla gasped in horror and exclaimed, "You devil!"

"So don't ever try to escape from me.Now that you're here, I will never let you go again.If ever you try to leave, I will come find you, understand?" he repeated as he gazed at her pointedly.

There was no sense arguing with him at this point.

Ayla broke free from his grasp and plucked the torn dress from the floor to cover her body.

Brian draped his suit jacket on her shoulders and said, "I'll ask someone to bring clothes for you here."

"No, thanks.There's no way for me to afford it," she countered to decline the offer.

Ayla didn't want to be regarded as a sexual partner.

She tried her hardest to recover from her bitter past and becoming like this would only waste her sacrifices.

"Well, if you hate me that much, it means that I'll be always in your heart." Brian grinned at her.

At the back of his mind, he thought, 'You can hate me.It is better to hate me than to forget me"

turned to him with blazing

I be grateful that you agreed to let me have that operation? Need I remind you that no matter how many times we have sex, I won't bear another child ever again and that's because of you," she stated as a matter of

shackled to him, she

was at a loss for words as he stared at her unbelievably.He thought Ayla just wanted to stir up trouble and provoke him.Wasn't she afraid that he would shoot

to be done.You

black suit jacket off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.She didn't need it or anything

out dressed

lesson because of how stubborn she was being, but he chose otherwise when he saw the fresh bruises on

her torn

what do you want me to

his arms and reminded her possessively, "I'm the only one who can see your body.Do you understand

would ever touch her, much less lay a finger on her!  Ayla chose to keep her mouth shut, not

plopped down on the couch and not long after, Brian came

dressed.I'll take you to

shook her

prefer to eat

if

clothes for dinner as well, but

she put on the new clothes, he said,

out of the

slurped on the noodles, the awkward silence in the room

had a few bites and Brian went on his

finally relaxed the moment

like a huge boulder was lifted off her chest

second, she headed to the bathroom

trash can where

the bathtub, hoping the water and soap would cleanse whatever he left on her body.  She didn't

if he really wanted to continue with this? ‘Isn't there anything I can

who would sleep with many men the

he hated, so he could finally let her go? If so,

worth it in the

it all.  Meanwhile, Lucas drove to Ayla's apartment.He was a bit hesitant to go at first, since he wasn't sure if he should pay her a visit.He actually missed her so much,

reached the building, he craned his neck

you hold on like you did before? Or will you come back to Brian

been with

hurt her, she

saw that Brian's car had just driven away from the