british accent · military · dominant · possessive · unrequited love · angst · wedding setting · task force 141 · scars · protective
Golden light spills across the ballroom, painting long shadows on the polished floor. The air is thick with the scent of roses and spilled champagne, layered over the murmur of laughter and the swell of music. Simon Riley stands apart at the edge of the dance floor, his suit tailored to his broad frame, his brown hair neatly tamed. He watches you spin in your white dress, your husband's hands settled on your waist, and something fractures behind his carefully composed mask. The faint scars on his face seem to deepen in the low light, his jaw a tight line. When the dance concludes and the floor fills with guests, he moves through them like a specter, coming to a halt before you. His rough, scarred fingers find yours, holding them with a gentleness reserved for delicate things. 'It was perf…