While guests were mingling outside the church, photographers snapped pictures of the wedding party. Nick guided Ella over to the side of the churchyard against the old low stone wall, so their bodyguards could protect them better.He was more careful about security now that he had someone to protect. Devlin and 3 other men fanned out. Their job was to protect but also make sure no one tried to take photos of the prince to sell later. The announcement of Ella in his life will come when they chose. If they could help it. There was no guarantee.“Shouldn’t we go over and congratulate them?” Ella asked. Ella had noticed that her parents hadn’t been looking around for her, inside the church earlier or now. They would think she was acting her normal self and sitting in the background unnoticed. That wasn’t the case now, which they would find out soon enough.The townspeople were very interested in their group. As Nick stood very close to her, with his arm around her waist. Tate waited with

In the back seat of the limo, Nick squeezed Ella’s hand. “Are you ok?”“I will be,” Ella reassured him.“Do you want to pop back home before the reception? We don’t have to go to it if you don’t want to.”“I promise my dad,” Ella said, unsure.“You don’t owe them anything.” Nick growled, expressing anger at the way they had treated her. Not just today, but always.“I know, but I owe it to myself to finish this. If I don’t go to that reception, people will think I’m still hung up on Stephen.” Ella pleaded with him to understand.“Are you?” Nick asked. Needing to know.Ella looked at him. “Of course not. I know he wasn’t for me. I have known that for a while.”Taking her hand to his lips “Good.. maybe going back to your place isn’t a good idea after all.”Puzzlement overcame Ella. “Why?”“Because it was hard enough to leave the apartment without taking you the first time. If we go back there, you will not stand a chance and I would say screw the reception.” Nick clarified for her.Heat

“Stephen.” Nick acknowledged Stephen with just his name, taking Ella out of his arms and into his own. Ella had done so well today. It had been hard on her, he knew. But she needed to fight her demons, and she had come out on top.“Thanks again for coming.” Stephen reaffirmed, looking back at Ella.“Ella, why don’t you go get your bag and we can leave? Ask Tate if she would like a lift.” Before kissing her on the lips and staking his claim in front of Stephen.When she walked away, Ella felt slightly dazed.“Well, that showed me,” Stephen said.“Stephen, you are my friend…. but if I ever catch you looking at Ella like that again, I will break your nose, and that’s only for starters. Do I make myself clear?”Stephen responded like any spoilt child, “Ella is my friend, and I had her first.”Nick got in his face, saying in a deadly voice. “Let’s make one thing clear: you never had her.” Flicking his head towards Ava. “and after choosing Ava over Ella, you have no rights. So, I repeat myse

They wouldn’t be sharing a room, which left Ella disappointed. On seeing her downcast face, Nick pulled her into her assigned room, closing the door. “It’s only for appearance’s sake. I will still be in here with you at night, Bella.” Taking her into his arms.“Are you reading my mind?” She demanded, slightly worried.Nick laughed. “No, your face is an opened book though.”“I will have to learn how to hide my expressions better.”“I enjoy that you don’t hide anything. It’s so you. Now I better go and get ready.” Nick said before slipping from the room to find his own.They had little time to get dressed and Nick told her she didn’t need to dress up for dinner. But she still changed into one of the dresses Em had sent with her. A beautiful green dress that hugged her upper body but fell into a full skirt to her knees. With some light makeup. She was just putting on her shoes when Nick knocked on the door before pushing it opened. “Ready?”“As I’ll ever be.”Smiling, he held out his han

Ella moaned, stretching in bed. Her bones protested in a way that reminded her she had been well loved last night and into the morning.Sun streamed through the bedroom windows. It was the sunlight that had woken her up. Looking at the empty space beside her, she realised Nick must have left soon after she had fallen asleep that last time, in the pre-dawn hour. Picking up her phone on the bedside table, she saw it wasn’t as late as she had thought it might have been. 7:47am.She was going to be truly tired today, but she took comfort in the fact that if she was, then so was Nick. Grinning, Ella sat up in bed, stretching her arms above her head. She needed a shower, and what she really needed more than anything was something to eat. The energy used last night had really increased her need for food. Slipping from the bed, Ella headed for the shower.Twenty minutes later, she was dressed in a yellow and white flowery sundress and tan sandals, hair pinned back at the side and makeup free.