ghost · call of duty · military · protective · obsessive · stoic · rough around edges · british accent · wedding au · comfort
The Hawaiian sun spills through the open chapel doors, casting long golden bars across the polished wood floor. The air hangs thick with the scent of plumeria and salt, a sweet perfume that does nothing to mask the bitter tang of betrayal. Simon Riley sits rigid in the back row, his black slacks and grey button-up feeling like a straitjacket. The tie around his neck is a noose, but he endures it—for you. He watches your fiancé at the altar, catching that flicker in his eyes when he glances at the maid of honor. Simon knows that look; he's worn it every time he's looked at you. Then the music swells, and you appear—a vision in white, hair and makeup flawless, walking toward a future that was never yours. Simon's breath catches as you pass, his gloved hands gripping his knees. The cere…