Midnight Bride The CEO’s Temptation

"Fine, then," Crystal growled. She glared at Eric and said, "If you insist on acting this way, our marriage will never be consummated - That, I guarantee!"

Eric's pupils dilated, and when he spoke, his voice was cold. "You do not fulfill your obligations to me, I will not lay a hand on you. Instead, it will be your family and friends that feel my wrath. You should think carefully about what you say next, because it may come back to haunt you.

"If you break your vows, then I can also break mine, and without me, what will happen to Nancy and Clark or your ailing father? And Carlos?"

Crystal's eyes went wide. "What does any of this have to do with Carlos?"

Eric burst into laughter. "I will give you time to think about that," he said. "I am sure that you will figure out what I'm talking about."

****

In the lounge - Since Nancy and Noah had left the auditorium before Nathan made his attack on the cathedral, they had no idea about the chaos that had ensued after their departure.

The newlyweds had a few drinks, and then he took her up to the room that they had reserved for the night. Once the door was closed behind them, Noah put Nancy on the bed. He was cool and calm, she was anxious and nervous.

"It's okay," Noah said. "We can take it slow." He ran his fingers through her hair, and just as he went to kiss her, the phone rang. He picked it up, and Crystal was on the other end of the line. She said that there was an emergency and that they needed him in the sanctuary. "I'm on my way," he told her, and he hung up the phone.

When Nancy heard that, she began to cry. "Please," she whined. "Don't leave me." With everything that had happened, she felt helpless and alone, and Noah was the rock that was keeping her anchored to reality.

Noah sighed and said, "Nancy, someone has been injured. I need to go. I'll come back soon."

"Don't'¦"

Noah frowned. "I have to," he said, and he opened the door to leave. Before he could take even one step, though, Nancy had jumped out of bed, ran to him, and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Just stay with me for a while," she begged. "If you stay for ten minutes, or even just five, then I will be okay. Please, will you stay?" She was afraid that if he left her alone, she would die. At this point, she did not even care about Clark, let alone some stranger in the sanctuary.

Suddenly, the wardrobe opened, and Paul stepped out.

Noah and Nancy were completely gobsmacked.

"Bravo!" Paul began to clap. There was a wicked grin on his face. "Behold! The great wh*re of Babylon - the Mother of prostitutes and her bastard lover!"

The sight of Paul, and the sound of his mocking them, caused Nancy to tremble.

"You are an abomination on this earth, Paul continued, "a succubus whose appetite knows no bounds - and by tomorrow morning, the entire world will see you for what you truly are."

Nancy recognized his words from the Book of Revelations, and they terrified her. "What are you doing here?" she cried. Please, get out of here!"

Noah looked at Paul, and then at Nancy, and for a second, she was sure that he was going to stand up for her. Thus, it felt like her world was crashing in on her when he walked towards the door instead.

"Look at that!" Paul laughed. "Even he doesn't want anything to do with you."

As Noah passed Paul, though, he punched him in the jaw. Noah had been fighting since he was a child, so he was strong, and his fists were like iron.

The force of his attack almost shattered Paul's bones; he swayed backward, and it looked like he would regain his balance, but then Noah pushed him, and he fell hard on his ass. "Oomph!" Paul groaned. "Why did you have to go and do that?"

Noah hovered over him. His face was grim and cold. "I have had enough of you," he said. "Now that Nancy is my wife, I will no longer stand by and let you continue to mistreat her."

Nancy was terrified. She had seen Paul at his worst, and she knew what he was capable of. "Stop," she yelled. "Noah, stop! You can't beat him..."

Noah turned and looked at her in dismay. He could not believe that she didn't believe in him. "I've got this," he whispered. "You'll see." While he was distracted, though, Paul's leg shot up, and his shoe planted itself in his groin. All the air burst out from his lungs, and he keeled over.

Paul tried to punch Noah, but he blocked it and landed a successful counterpunch.

As they fought, Nancy shrank into the bed and tried her best to stay out of harm's way. Noah was a good fighter, but Paul's cheap shot had given him the upper hand, and it quickly became apparent who the winner would be. Finally, Nancy crawled to the end of the bed, and in the act of desperation, she grabbed Paul's arm.

"Please!" she begged. "Stop fighting! You're killing him!"

"If I killed him, would you feel sad?" he asked.

"Of course, I would," she shouted. "He is my husband!"

Paul's face darkened, and he shoved Nancy away with all his strength. Then he turned his attention back to Noah, and he began to wail on him mercilessly with his fists.

Noah gasped. He was quickly losing his strength, and the will to fight had long since left him. Paul hit him in the mouth, and two teeth flew across the room. Blood seeped from his lips and streamed down his chin.

Noah fell backward, and he hit his head on the floor, and if it were not for Paul kicking him in the ribs, he might have passed out, maybe forever.

He is going to kill me - Noah realized, and with the amount of pain he was in, he almost didn't care. From somewhere far, far away, though, he thought he could hear Nancy begging for his life.. His eyes focused on Paul's right leg, and he thought, I am not going to die like this'¦.