Her Betrothed Prince CHAPTER 17 - Jennifer Brunner (different ereaders txt) 📗

Chapter 17
Symphony’s P.O.V.
***
The music droned around us creating that happy wedding day atmosphere. I had danced with Landon then I was passed to Colin for a “father-daughter” dance. I was twirled and tossed between new friends and new family until Landon reclaimed me at the middle of the wedding.
The upbeat songs started about two hours into the party, when the elder people left. The only elder person was Landon’s grandma, Louise who is a sweet lady in her seventies but she was still active and very healthy. Landon told me that she volunteered around the world to help with habitat for humanity and the forest watch towers.
As we all got out on the floor to do the Cupid Shuffle I saw Louise stand and walk onto the dance floor right by Trey and Lisa.
I laughed at the thought of Trey now being strait. It would be sad if Lisa came home one night after work to find another man in her house.
To be honest I don’t think she deserves him. She can be bitchy—what am I saying? Lisa is my best friend! I put myself in check.
As I kicked my legs out and laughed at things people were saying I saw someone walk through the door. Someone I hadn’t seen at the wedding. My face fell.
I didn’t expect to see him here.
But there he was, his tall and lean frame, with his “whip-lash hair”, and his piercing blue-grey eyes melting me even though my husband was laughing right next to me.
The Cupid Shuffle faded out and people collapsed into chairs nearby. And Erik, slowly but surely, made his way over to me.
I shot Lisa and Trey a look, then Landon.
“I invited him.” He said and pushed me towards Erik. Yes my ex Erik. “You guys were close I get that, and even though I love you and you are my wife, you can have guy friends. Even if you dated them once. I mean look you are friends with Trey and that is perfectly fine. Why? You ask… Because I trust you.”
But what he didn’t know was that I was in love with Erik.
My heart flew to my mouth as Erik held out his hand for a dance. “Will ye care to dance me lady?”
I giggled. “Same old Erik.” I took his extended hand and gave Landon a kiss on the cheek. “You know this is the twenty-first century, right?”
He nodded and Landon walked towards the bathrooms.
There was an odd silence and Erik broke it by saying, “I’ll be back.” Terminator style. He walked over to the DJ booth and wrote something on a paper.
He then returned to me and gathered me into his arms as a song started playing. Not just any song though, our song.
“I still remember the look on your face, lit through the darkness at 1:58. The words that you whispered, for just us to know. You told me you loved me so why did you go—away? Away?” He sang.
“Last Kiss?” I asked through the tears.
He just kept singing with his perfect voice. “All that I know is I don’t know, how to be something you miss. I never thought that we’d have our last kiss. I never imagined we’d end like this. Your name forever the name on my lips.” He stared deeply into my moist eyes.
“I am so sorry for everything Erik. It is my entire fault.” I sobbed into his chest.
“Shshsh. No it’s not Symphony.” He brought my chin up. “How about we go outside? Privacy?” So we did.
I went to the garden and went to sit behind the old willow tree on my stump. “Ah-ah-ah!” Erik chided. He took off his purple blazer and laid it down onto the old tree stump. “We don’t wanna get that pretty and expensive dress of yours all nasty, do we?”
He sat down next to me and I laid my head back onto his shoulder. “Why did you come?” I asked quietly.
“When…” He hesitated then cleared his throat, “When I saw you at the restaurant I realized how much I missed you. The kiss with Liv, it was a mistake. Your dad, he doesn’t mean anything. I know you were trying to protect me but Symph,” He sighed. “It didn’t matter. I never stopped loving you.” I tried to speak and say that I was now married and he was too late when he shushed me. “I know you are married and you love your husband and not me but, I just had to tell you that if Landon ever does anything to hurt you, you can call me. I will always be there.”
“You done?” I asked. When he nodded I continued. “First off you are late and what you did with Liv really hurt because I did and still do love you.” I shook my head. “To be honest I really don’t love Landon. I miss you too.”
The bad things we do.
“Really?” He asked in a stage whisper.”
I didn’t give him any signal that I meant what I said because before I could he kissed me.
Not just a peck, but a full out “Take me back, I miss you” kiss. I couldn’t kiss back though.
I pushed him off me. “Erik.” I squeaked out. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” I ran off like they do in movies. Cliché, I know but it was really and truly necessary.
And just like in those movies he ran after me. “Symphony please.”
I turned on my heal before anyone could hear or see us and faced him, my eyes full of fury. “No! Go. Go home. Go back to Liv, because even though I love you, Landon loves me and I will not do what Kim did to him and what you did to me to him.”
“Yeah, because that makes so much sense!” He threw his hands in the air.
“That is one thing I will never miss about you. You don’t get me. Landon on the other hand knows what I mean without me saying two words.” Then I threw daggers. Metaphorically speaking. “You know what,” I stepped closer with venom in my acid words, “I lied. I fucking hate you more than I hate Mick. I love Landon more than he loves me, which is a whole lot more than you!”
Before I knew what was happening he smacked me clear across the face. “You are a fucking bitch!”
“Oh hellznaw!” I said as Trey would say it, dragging out the naw.
My reflexes were faster than ever. I kicked him where it hurts. In his man grapes.
More like blueberries. Get it? ‘Cause after I am done with this douche-bag his balls will be blue.
“Did you forget that I was fucking abused by my father you asshole! This bitch knows how to protect herself.”
While he was down I walked back into the party and everyone was oblivious to the fact of what had just happened.
I looked for Landon and found him by Kim and Xavier.
He immediately stood when he saw me with tear stained cheeks. “Symph what is it?” I wondered if he saw a bright pink hand print on my cheek.
“When does this whole thing end?” I asked coldly.
“I don’t know. In about another hour.” He hugged me to his chest. “Do you want me to call the party quits?”
I sighed into his shoulder. “No, I’m just tired.”
“We still have to throw the bouquet and garter and cut the cake.”
I sighed and sat down, closing my eyes and zoning out of what people were saying.
I dozed off onto Landon’s shoulder and the next thing I knew Landon was calling out my name gently trying to wake me up.
“We are just gonna cut the cake and then you can go upstairs and sleep.” He said.
I smirked and rolled my eyes. “I’m not dying Landon.” Both of our faces fell after the words escaped my lips. “Sorry.” I whispered as I grabbed his hand that was holding the cake knife.
“Did you tell Erik?” He asked and I looked at him confusedly. “About the big C?”
“I really don’t wanna talk about that douche. Ever.” My lips scrunched up into an angry scowl.
“What did he do?” Landon was full of alarm as he picked up a slice of cake. I picked up my slice and fed it to him as he fed his to me. Cameras flashed as everyone took pictures.
“Let’s just leave it at this: I never want to see or hear of that Mick Jr.”
“He hurt you?!” His voice bellowed out and the people around us shut up and stared at him like he was about to punch the next person who talked. The room was so quiet I swear you could hear a pin drop. Then Landon’s voice called out, “Where is he?!” He straitened his position and seemed to get taller and buffer in one motion.
He stormed off in the direction of the garden where Erik was last left.
I chased after him and groped at his arms, trying to stop him from ruining our wedding night. “Please Landon. It has been perfect tonight. He was just jealous of you—of us. All he did was smack me. It didn’t hurt. Plus I kicked him in the balls.”
He laughed coldly and said, “I’m afraid that is not enough.” His nostrils flared. “He’s dead.”
A group of people followed after us. I exploded as I turned to them. “This is not a damn show! God, this is mine and my husband’s life. Sorry for being bitchy but I am tired, I am having a fight with my husband on my wedding night, and I just got slapped. You try living your whole life not knowing who you really are. You try having cancer and not knowing if you are going to live to see the next day let alone the next minute. Not knowing if you can have kids and watch your step-son be everything that you wanted to be your own. I might be seventeen but I had plans for myself.” Tears streamed down my face at the realization of what I just said. All those words I had kept bottled up had just been released like a leaf in the wind. I didn’t know where it would go. I didn’t know where it would end.
Landon turned to me, “Honey this is not a fight. I just can’t stand seeing you hurt. It kills me.” He lifted his hand and stroked my cheek.
“Then don’t do any irrational things. That is what hurts me. I don’t want to see you hurt. I love you.”