Whispers From A Paper Heart Amara Blue Knight 7

Chapter 7 

Raymond woke the next morning to a splitting headache and a foreign, uncomfortable weight against his skin. 

His eyes snapped open. Marina was curled in his arms, naked and fast asleep. 

The sheets were a tangled mess, and the air hung heavy and sweet. 

His mind was a blank slate. The last thing he could recall was a glass of soda water from the night before. 

In his dazed state, he failed to notice his communicator on the bedside table, pulsing with an urgent light. 

“Mr. Dawson, are you in there?” 

Before he could gather his thoughts, the silence was shattered–broken by the electronic chirp of the door override. 

It was his deputy, sounding frantic. 

Before Raymond could answer, the door swung wide. 

Under the Organization’s emergency protocols, they had authorization to breach. 

The deputy and several team members rushed in, only to freeze in their tracks, staring at the bed in shock. 

Marina woke with a stifled shriek. She clutched the duvet to her chest, her face flushing scarlet as she cowered behind Raymond. 

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Yet, beneath her feigned modesty, a glint of triumph lingered in her 

eyes. 

Raymond went rigid. 

The situation worsened the moment Travis entered slowly behind the 

team. 

Travis swept his gaze across the room, his expression shifting from alarm to palpable disappointment. 

“The team received a distress signal from your communicator. We tried to reach you countless times and assumed the worst.” 

Travis said quietly, though his words carried a crushing weight, “I didn’t expect to find you sleeping here with a woman instead.” 

Raymond opened his mouth, but his voice failed him. 

“The Organization doesn’t police private affairs,” Travis continued, cutting off any potential excuse. His stare was intense. 

“It’s already happened. Now you face the consequences. Before she left, Katherine put Marina under your watch. As of today, Marina falls directly under your command. You’re fully accountable for her from here on out. 

The air left Raymond’s lungs. He wanted to defend himself, but under Travis’s knowing gaze, he remained silent. 

The team members exchanged glances Elizabeth stepped forward, beaming. “This is wonderful news. Why wait? We should follow protocol and hold the ceremony immediately–in the next day or two.” 

Raymond closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. When he opened them again, only resignation remained. 

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The following day, he was ushered into the internal hall and stuffed into an ill–fitting suit. 

Looking at Marina, who was playing the part of the shy bride perfectly, he felt trapped in a surreal nightmare. 

Elizabeth served as the officiant. 

“Raymond Dawson, do you take Marina Lowell to be your wife, to 

stand with her, protect her, and stay loyal to her, for better or for worse, until death do you part?” 

Raymond looked at Marina in her wedding dress, but in his mind, he saw Katherine. 

The images blurred and overlapped. Marina’s affectation made his stomach turn, and he gagged involuntarily. 

Marina’s smile faltered. Hidden by the volume of her dress, she pinched his arm viciously and whispered, “What are you doing? Everyone is watching!” 

Raymond wanted to run, but seeing the familiar faces of his team and Travis’s stoic expression, he felt utterly powerless. 

He forced the words past his parched throat. “I do.” 

At the reception, he drank on autopilot, but the alcohol did nothing to wash away the nausea. 

He eventually bolted to the bathroom, dry–heaving over the sink long after his stomach was empty. 

Late that night, he was helped back to the bridal suite, but paused when he heard hushed laughter coming from inside. 

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It was Marina and Elizabeth. 

“Liz, I owe this to you. If you hadn’t set all this up, I never would’ve ended up marrying Ray.” 

Marina said, her voice dripping with triumph. 

“You played your part well, too,” Elizabeth replied, her tone slightly ingratiating. “Katherine was talented, but she was too solitary. Too arrogant. She acted like she had no equal, 

“It’s true she saved my life once, but I got sick of her acting like a savior.” 

Marina scoffed. “So what if she was arrogant? She’s dead to Ray now. 

“Guess my childhood sickness did me one favor. I don’t remember much from back then, but claiming PTSD makes for a useful card to play.” 

Elizabeth laughed, “You’re officially the Executive Officer’s wife now. You’ll have to look out for me when it comes to mission assignments and resources.” 

“Don’t worry, Liz. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.” 

Outside the door, Raymond froze. A brutal pain hit his chest all at once, and a chill washed through him. 

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