Captured Hearts Book 1 in the Heart Series - Wattys 2015 Winner

Chapter 3

Jenna let out a loud gasp, and sat up suddenly in bed, her tears pouring down her face. Tonight’s nightmare was as vivid as ever, and as she sat there shaking, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, she began to sob. Her mom always came in when she began to cry. Where was she!?

“Jenna?”

She almost screamed from fright as she felt someone stir next to her, and as she made out Hudayfah’s face in the moonlight, she remembered where she was and who he was; her husband.

“Jenna, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice coming out husky, and she shook her head, wiping her eyes.

“I had a nightmare.” She whimpered before bursting into tears again, and as she bent over the mattress, sobs wrecking her body, she felt him sit up next to her. He was quiet for a few seconds, before he gently put a hand on her back, and she practically flew out from under his grasp, panicking slightly.

“Don’t touch me!” she exclaimed, her breathing heavy and fast, and he just sat next to her a bit stunned until her cries subsided slightly and when she sat back up, he looked at her in concern.

 “Better?” he whispered and she attempted to give a watery smile, her whole body trembling still.

“A little.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I know you aren’t supposed to tell your bad dreams, but maybe I can help.”

She shook her head.

“Thank you but there is nothing to tell. My mom is usually the one who calms me down.” she said rubbing away the rest of her tears, and he frowned.

“You get these a lot then?”

She hesitated before nodding.

“Yes.”

“What are they from?”

She shook her head again.

“I am sorry, but I don’t really want to talk about it.”

He watched her for a few more seconds before nodding.

“Okay.” He shifted slightly so he was sitting against the headboard. They were quiet for another few minutes, before she cleared her throat.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.”

He shrugged.

“It’s not a problem. As long as you’re okay.”

She nodded, before sliding back down under the covers. She felt him watching her for a few seconds, and she waited until he had turned off the light and lay back down, before opening her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were falling again.

She had been having these dreams for so many years, that you would think she would have gotten used to it by now. But each one was as fresh and terrifying as the first one she had had, and without her mother’s soothing embrace, she was still shaking. She lay there for another fifteen minutes, until she heard Hudayfah’s breathing even out. She focused on the sound of it, realizing that it was helping her to calm down, and suddenly she found herself moving her hand so it was resting lightly against his, and instantly, the contact made her feel better.

***

Ya Allah she was beautiful.

Hudayfah stared at Jenna’s face, resisting the urge to touch her cheek. He had awoken to find her hand tucked into his, and he had felt a rush of pleasure flood through him. She looked so serene, trusting and innocent in her sleep, and he had been surprised by the rush of possessiveness he had felt looking at her. He wanted to protect her and keep her safe. In that split second, when he was looking down at her sleeping form, she suddenly became the most important thing in the world to him. He had already committed himself to taking care of her, but it had been emotionless, a job that he had taken on. Now, there was a fire in his heart. He was angry at her brother for getting them into this mess in the first place, angry at the people who were threatening her and her family. He was even a little bit angry at himself for not being the person she wanted to be with.

If only she would give him a chance, he would be. He would try to be everything she had ever hoped and dreamed of in a husband. He already was planning on giving her anything and everything her heart could ever desire. Allah knew he had more money than he knew what to do with, and it would be all hers.

He would be hers if she let him.

He froze as she shifted slightly in her sleep, and his heart began to beat fast as she rolled over, and nuzzled into his chest, letting out a soft sigh. He knew that if she woke up and found them like that she would freak out, after all she had almost had a heart attack when he had touched her before, and it would set them back a million steps. So after a few more seconds of watching her, he pushed away one of her curls from her forehead, and moved her until she was laying on her side of the bed. She muttered something that he couldn’t understand, before curling up and turning her face towards him. He laid down and kept his eyes on her, until eventually her breathing evened out, and he watched her until he fell asleep himself, the image of how angelic she looked fresh in his mind.

A few hours later, his alarm went off for Fajr, and after another few minutes of watching her, he gently stroked her cheek.

“Jenna?” he whispered, and immediately her eyes flew open, looking at him first in panic, then confusion, and finally recognition.

“Oh. Hi.” She said, and he felt his stomach clench at the nervousness in her voice. Even though she had been asleep, it had been so perfect when he was watching her. He could almost imagine that his wife didn’t hate him. 

“Hey.” he said back, and she sat up, her black curls cascading down her bare shoulder. He shook his head to clear the image from his mind, and gestured towards the clock.

“It’s time for Fajr.” he said, and her eyes widened in surprise.

“You pray?” she blurted out, and his eyebrow raised in slight amusement, and slight offense.

“Of course. Why do you think I didn’t?”

She gave an embarrassed shrug.

“I don’t know. I guess I just,” she hesitated, taking in the hurt look on his face before closing her mouth. He roughly pushed the blanket away from him and stood, not meeting her gaze.

“You don’t need to explain. I get it. You have painted me as such a monster in your head that I guess you forgot I am a Muslim. And human.” He muttered under his breath, before shoving his feet into his slippers.

“Hudayfah,” she began, but he held up a hand.

“Save it Jenna.” He said before angrily stalking into the bathroom and slamming the door. He glanced at himself in the mirror, trying to scold himself to not be hurt by her words. He had let his emotions get in the way. He had set himself up by starting to care for her, and they hadn’t even been married a whole day yet! Where would he be in a week? A month? A year? What happened to the carefree young man who didn’t let anyone get under his skin? Or in his heart?

He took a few breaths to calm himself, before starting to make Wudu.

He just cared too much. That was his problem. Those that he cared for, he was fiercely loyal to for life. But he had never had to deal with someone who not only didn’t care for him in return, but hated him, and didn’t want to be with him. He would still give her everything and he would still protect her.

But he now realized that he would also have to protect his heart from her.