Forever Changed

Chapter 7: Dances and Dicks

Mattia POV

I discreetly watched my bride as I made my way across the room to our table. She was deep in thought and I hoped that by making my speech, publicly declaring my loyalty to her that she would realise we could have a good future together. I might have hurt her today with my actions involving Bess but it was never my intent. My role in life was meant to be her protector, not somebody who caused her pain. I realised over the course of our wedding day by observing people's actions that my previous behaviour with Bess had lead many to believe my new wife didn't matter to me. They couldn't be further from the truth and I wouldn't hesitate to make an example out of anyone who chose to disrespect her moving forward.

As I made it to the table every eye turned to me. While I knew she wouldn't refuse me. Not in front of our family and guests I deliberately called her Sweetpea when I asked her to dance. Hoping to remind her of a moment today when she was truly happy. I'd seen the way her smile had brightened at the use of the pet name and wanted that smile back.

The smile she gave me now was much more subdued. It was still beautiful, and to others it would appear she was happy to dance with her new husband, but I knew the difference now. I'd seen that genuine smile earlier and that was my goal again. Today had definitely not gone to plan but that was not to say it couldn't be salvaged. I was a determined man when I wanted something and what I wanted was for Angelique to look at me with genuine affection again.

She slipped her small hand into mine and I pulled her from her seat. I deliberately didn't step back as I did so, forcing her into my personal space. I heard her small gasp as her body pressed against mine and inside I gloated that while she might be angry with me, and hurt by my actions, she was still attracted to me physically. I wasn't against using whatever I had in my aresenal.

I had spoken to our wedding coordinator earlier in the evening and changed the song choice for our first dance. We had previously been going to dance to a current popular love song. I had told her that I wanted something short so she had found one that was less than two minutes long. But after everything that had happened today, I wanted to show her that like her gesture of wearing her mother's dress for our ceremony, I could also respect our heritage and for that reason had our first dance changed to the same one my parents danced to at their wedding some thirty years ago.  At Last by Etta James. It was also a short song, under three minutes and I needed more time alone with her to try and right some of my wrongs, so the wedding coordinator had arranged for the DJ to play an extended version with additional instrumentals to keep Angelique in my arms longer.

As we reached the dance floor the first notes of the song started and she looked up at me and frowned.

"They're playing the wrong song."

I ignored her statement and lead her to the centre of the floor before answering. Pulling her small body to me and holding her close. I ran my hands gently over the skin of her bare back as the words of the song began.

"I changed our song. I wanted to use a song that meant something to me. I realised that telling you I wanted whatever was shortest, missed the point of this first dance together. Our first dance as husband and wife. So I switched it to the song my parents danced to over thirty years ago. This song is one of my mother's favourites and my father arranged for a local blues singer to perform it live for their first dance. I'm not quite as smooth as him so I don't have a live version but the intent is the same."

She was looking at me with so much confusion and doubt. Her eyes were searching my face. What she was looking for I was unsure.

"Why are you doing this? You don't need to pretend to care for me. I know my role. I won't embarrass your family. Please stop with the fake affection, it's confusing and unecessary."