Love Struck (The Taylor Brothers Book 4)

Annalise walked to the restaurant the next day. Her aunt had quietened down after Dean's support last night and she had gone back to ignoring her again like yesterday. Nelson noticed her strained face and sensed that something was up but he really couldn't deduce what. Annalise walked up to him and pulled him with her to Nelson's office. She closed the door and just hugged him tightly.

"What's wrong Alise? Tell me please? It's killing me to see you so upset about something, " said Nelson.

"Aunt Emily's forcing me to marry her best friend's son," said Annalise, trying to scale it down a little so that he didn't react fiercely.

Nelson stilled and held her face, turning it upwards towards his. "How can she force you? You have every right to choose who you wish to marry," said Nelson, feeling angry with her family. "Do you want me to talk to your family?" Asked Nelson.

"Not now, Nelson. I told her that I love someone else and I can't marry Colton, " said Annalise. Nelson went red with anger hearing the name of the man.

"I'll beat the shit out of that as*hole. No one else gets to marry you. If things get serious, Alise, I won't listen to you. I'll talk to you uncle and aunt," he said shaking with supressed anger.

"I won't marry him so relax. If you get furious at the drop of a hat Nelson, I won't tell you anything in future. And no, you won't fight with Colton. He hasn't done anything," said Annalise, frustrated at his reaction.

"So now you can only see faults with me. If Colton is so good, then I need to murder him. How can you support him, Annalise?" Said Nelson, his eyes flashing with fury. The way he pronounced her full name indicated how mad he really was.

"I don't want to talk about this now. If you're planning to spend the rest of your life in jail, then go ahead and do what you want. I have work to do," she said pushing him and going out. She knew that he would overreact and he did. Why did she have to tell him?

The rest of the day, she was busy with her work. Susan was feeling to sick to continue and left early. After her duty, Annalise slipped out and went home. She didn't want to fight with Nelson on this topic. She knew he was still mad and fuming in his office room.

Nelson saw that she had left without seeing him. Mad with fury, he went to Carter's house to drink. "Let's go and threaten the shit out of him. How dare he dream of marrying my girl?" Said Nelson, gritting his teeth. He took a swig of his beer and looked at Levi shaking his head.

"That's not a wise thing to do. It'll land you in prison and your girl would marry him," said Levi and Nelson slumped onto his seat.

"I have a better idea, dude. You marry her before he does.  Simple, " said Carter with a shrug. Nelson and Levi's eyes popped out at his idea. Seriously? Marry her? However Nelson loved the idea although Levi shook his head not agreeing to Carter.

"You can't just pick someone on your shoulder and go to church to get married. Bad idea, " said Levi.

"If that Colton guy forces her to marry him, I'm gonna do just that," said Nelson, feeling determined as ever. Levi shook his head as they planned how they could kidnap Annalise and then make her agree to marry him.

"What about when the police arrests you?" Asked Levi with concern.

"Hey we're adults. Why should I get arrested?" Asked Nelson.

"If you kidnap her against her will, then you will be arrested, " argued Levi.

"Oh she'll save me from going to jail. She loves me," said  Nelson with a grin.

"Done dude. You tell me the day and I'll help you kidnap your girl," said Carter, eyeing Levi.

"Oh okay. Stop giving me the eye. I'll help you too Nel," said Levi. 

So that being decided, Nelson felt a bit relieved. They finished their drink and then went to their respective homes. The next day, Annalise hadn't come to work and Nelson was worried sick. Did she get married already? He sent Susan to her house to find out while he and Trent waited outside her house.

"If they're upto something, I'll call Carter, my best buddy and we'll take her away from here. Deal?" Asked Nelson.

"Sure dude. Anything for you," said Trent. When Susan didn't appear even after twenty minutes, they were worried.

"What's going on? I think I need to go in," said Nelson, worried sick.

"Wait for five more minutes, please, " said Trent. Nelson paced restlessly for five more minutes and then lost his patience.

"I'm going in man," he said and to Trent's horror, he just jumped over the boundary wall and went inside the house. Nelson crept slowly towards a window and peered inside, hiding himself behind the wall. There was a woman who maybe was Annalise's aunt talking to the guy who had come down to the restaurant. He was her brother, Nelson remembered. So this was the living room. He crouched and went ahead. Towards the back of the house, he found a balcony which seemed open since he could hear the voice of a girl, giggling. So this was Annalise's room.

Smiling with relief, he checked the pipes and ledges nearby. Yes, he could easily climb that. So he climbed and climbed with a lot of effort and finally gripped the railing of the balcony. Slowly, he hoisted himself up and finally climbed into the small balcony. His eyes hooked to two children, a girl and a boy, who stared back at him with their jaws dropped to the floor.

"Are you a thief?" Asked the girl.

"Don't be dumb, Alex. A thief would never confess that he's one," said the boy. Nelson smiled. So these two were Aries and Alexis, Annalise's siblings.

"Yes, I'm the thief who stole your big sister's heart, " said Nelson.

"Nelson?" Asked Alexis with disbelief. Nelson grinned.

"You know me? Yes I'm Nelson Taylor. Sorry guys, I had to sneak in. You see, I was very worried about Alise. She didn't come to work too," said Nelson.

"You call her that? It's very cute," squealed Alexis.

"Shh, you'll alert the whole house, " warned Aries. "Anna's down with a headache. So she didn't attend college even," said Aries.

"Oh, could you take me to her room?" Asked Nelson.

"It's risky, " said Aries.

"How about a treat in return, this Saturday?" Asked Nelson. It worked. Aries and Alexis jumped off their seats and agreed to take him to her room. Aries peeped outside and saw that there was no one.

"Coast is clear, " he told them. Alexis walked out and Nelson followed her all the way to the end of the corridor. Aries followed them looking in every direction. They hurried to Annalise's room and opening her door, all three of them tumbled inside. Alexis locked the door and grinned at Aries dreaming of the inevitable treat.

"What are you doing here, Nelson?" Asked a horrified Annalise. Susan too looked at him with shock. They were sitting on her bed and discussing aunt Emily's behavior and the unwanted wedding when these three tumbled into her room.

"What could I do? I was worried. I thought you got married already, " said Nelson, defending himself innocently as Alexis and Aries giggled.

"How can I get married so soon, Nelson?" Said Annalise, glaring at him.

"How do I know? I've never married anyone in my life," said Nelson. Alexis fell in the bed giggling.

"Nelson, how did you get in? Did they all see you?" Asked Annalise with dread.

"No, I climbed up their balcony," he told her, gesturing towards her siblings and her eyes widened with horror.

"Anna, calm down. Don't scold him please," said Aries, trying to defend Nelson.

"Susan didn't come out even after twenty-five minutes, what could I do?" Asked Nelson, looking at Susan. She facepalmed. She was so wrapped up in gossip that she completely forgot.

"I forgot. I'll just call Trent and tell him," said Susan, sticking her tongue out at Nelson and going out of the room.

"Anna, forgives you, Nelson, " said Alexis.

"Did you Alise?" He asked, kneeling down beside her. "Are you sick?" He asked with concern. Annalise blushed.

"Yeah, I have a bad headache, " said Annalise.

"I could give you a magic head massage. Do you want it?" Asked Nelson.

"No, how will you get out of here Nelson? I don't want anyone to see you as yet," said Annalise with worry.

"That's our responsibility, Anna. We're outside. You have just ten minutes with one another, " said Aries, going out of the room to give them some privacy.

Nelson slowly massaged her head and kissed her forehead. "I want you to rest now. Switch on your mobile. I'll call you later," he said.  "I love you, babe. Tell me before you get married please," he begged.

Annalise smiled indulgently at him. "Don't worry. I won't marry anyone else but you," she promised. Nelson reluctantly left on a happier note, down the balcony, the way he came in. Of course, he was allowed to leave after having an outing planned in detail with a stubborn Aries and Alexis for Saturday.