Throttled (11 page)

Chapter 10 ~Never Say Never

Never in a million fucking years did I think I’d be standing in a church dressed in a tuxedo, not as a groom at least. I wasn’t a cynic. I just never found anyone worthy of my time or commitment until Suzy walked into my life. Sometimes when we least expect it and stop looking, fate has a way of playing its hand. Mine came in the form of a drop dead gorgeous girl broken down on a deserted street. I thank my lucky stars each God damn day that her car was a piece of shit.

“You look a little nervous, son,” Pop said, slapping me on the back, pulling me from my thoughts.

I rubbed my hands together; they slid easy from the sheen of sweat that formed over my entire body. I wiped my brow, feeling more nervous than I had ever felt in my life. “I am, Pop. Just never thought I’d be standing here.”

“Amazing the place hasn’t burst into flames,” Anthony said and laughed. “We surely aren’t the church going crowd and Lord knows we’ve broken more than one commandment.” He fidgeted with his bowtie, pulling it away from his neck.

I laughed, his words were true, but that wasn’t why I was nervous. I turned to my Pop who had a smile on his face. “Did you feel this way when you married Ma?”

He nodded, his smile growing larger. “I was scared as hell, son. It’s a big step to take in one’s life. It’s a serious commitment, but times are different now. I didn’t live with your mother before we got married like you’ve lived with Suzy. It was a leap of faith.” He grabbed my shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Do you love her, son? The type of love you can’t be without for even a day?”

“I do, Pop. I know she’s the one. She makes me a better person, and I want to be surrounded by her and make a family. I want to be in your shoes one day. Suzy is more than I deserve.”

“She isn’t more than you deserve. You two were made for each other. Just like your mother and me. She brings peace and tranquility to my life and gave me an amazing family. My life would’ve been meaningless without her.”

I didn’t doubt that marrying Suzy was the right decision. The events of Friday night scared the shit out of me. The thought of losing her drove me half-insane. I’ve never wanted to need someone in that way, but I did with her. I needed her in my life, needed her to be mine, and wanted to spend the rest of my days on earth with her.

The door creaked open, as Ma poked her head inside. “Where’s my baby boy?” she asked, opening the door with tears in her eyes.

“Why ya crying, Ma?” I asked, as she wiped the tears.

“Damn, I’m going to mess up my makeup.” She pulled a tissue from her bra and blotted the skin under her eyes. “I just saw Suzy and she looks stunning. I’m the happiest woman in the world today. They’re tears of joy.”

“How is she, Ma? Is she okay?” My heart pounded, my throat feeling constricted by the button up shirt.

“She’s better than okay, she’s glowing and ready for the ceremony to start.” Ma wrapped her arms around me, holding me against her as she spoke. “You’ve made me a happy woman, Joseph. I couldn’t love Suzy any more than I do if I had given birth to her myself.” She rubbed my back as she kissed my cheek.

“You just have baby Gallos in your mind, Ma,” Michael said as he kicked back in a chair against the wall. He looked so put together and calm.

“So what?” she asked as she placed her hands on her hips and turned toward Michael. “I’m old, boy and all I want is a baby…just one damn baby. Is that too much to ask?”

“Not really, Ma, but it’ll happen when it happens. We’re still young and enjoying our life,” Michael said, leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees.

“By the time I was your age, I had four children. I enjoyed every bit of my life and maybe more so since it was filled with such love. Children don’t end your life, Michael, they add to it.”

“Bullshit,” Anthony muttered, covering his mouth and coughing.

Ma narrowed her eyes at him. “Anthony, you better stop acting like a playboy and living your hollow existence. You have to settle down sometime and when you do, you’ll regret all the years you spent alone.”

“I’m rarely alone, Ma.” He smiled, his hair flopping over his forehead.

“I mean emotionally alone.” She stared at him, waiting for him to respond, but he didn’t. “Okay, I want a picture with my son on his wedding day. Where’s that damn photographer?”

Pop walked toward the door, pausing as he opened it. “I’ll go get him.”

As the door clicked shut, my ma turned to me. “Nerves are normal, son. Once you see how breathtaking Suzy is in her dress, everything else will fade away.” She rested her head on my chest, as she held my hand.

“I know, Ma. I’m just ready to get this started. I hate waiting; I’ve never been a patient man.” I kissed the top of her head, getting lost in the strawberry scent from my childhood.

“You don’t say.” She laughed, squeezing my hand. “Just like your father.” She sighed, drawing her body closer to mine. “I wish Thomas could’ve been here. I’m more worried about him than I’ve ever been, Joseph.”

“I know, Ma. I haven’t spoken to him in a while. He’s too deep undercover now. I don’t like it, not one fucking bit.”

“Ya’ll are going to burst into flames with the language in this room. We are in a church,” Izzy said as she entered the room with Pop and the photographer.

“If you haven’t, then no one will, Izzy,” Anthony said with a laugh.

“Enough. Let’s take some photos. We have five minutes until you boys need to be at the altar.”

Five minutes felt like an eternity as we took more pictures than I wanted to count. My line of sight would have a perpetual dot from the camera flash. By the end of the night, I’d have dozens of tiny blobs in my eyes and possibly be partially blind. We took photos as a group, the Gallo Family minus Thomas. We took turns taking pictures with our parents; it wasn’t often that we were all dressed up and in one place together.

I was thankful when there was a knock on the door and a voice said, “It’s time.”

Cracking my neck, I straightened my back and headed for the door. Ma grabbed my arm, stopping me. “I’m proud of you, baby.” She smiled and released me.

I nodded, leaving the tiny room and heading toward the church. Anthony and Michael filled in behind me as we stood in our designated spot at the top of the altar in front of the crowd. The church was packed with people, many faces I didn’t know. Ma and Suzy went overboard on the invites, but my mother insisted that her friends be invited besides our gigantic family that had flown in from all parts of the world. The Gallos didn’t know how to do anything small.

As the music started, the doors in the back of the church swung open and the entire church stood and turned. The attention no longer on me, I squinted down the aisle, catching a glimpse of Suzy. She looked like an angel dressed in off white.

The tulle straps created a V, encasing her breasts. The fact that I knew the word tulle disturbed me slightly, but Suzy had educated me about bridal fashion…whether I wanted to know it or not. The bodice was form fitting, a wide ribbon around her waist held a large fabric flower just below her left breast. The bottom of the dress was loose with layers of tulle that flowed and shifted as she walked. It wasn’t over the top of puffy shit, it was perfect and totally Suzy—classy and sweet. I couldn’t wait to rip the fucking thing off of her. A veil covered her face, more traditional than I thought she’d be. I desperately wanted to see her.

She walked arm and arm with her father, slowly moving down the aisle, facing forward. I rubbed my hands together, the last bit of nerves leaving my body, replaced by excitement and a calm that I hadn’t expected. When she stopped in front of the first step, our eyes connected. Through the thin veil, I could see the smile on her face as the priest approached her and her father.

The priest stepped down and said, “Who gives this bride away today?”

“I do,” her father said, releasing her hand and lifting her veil. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek before stepping back.

Suzy ascended the stairs, stopping in front of me with teary eyes.

“I love you,” I whispered, trying not to become misty eyed myself.

With a smile on her face, she tilted her head and said, “I love you too.”

Sophia reached around and grabbed the flowers from her. Suzy held her hands out to me and I grasped them with both of mine and squeezed. With one last smile, we turned toward the priest and waited.

We stole glances at each other as he spoke; his words were lost on us. With our hands in each other’s, we faced forward and tried to pay attention, but it was impossible. I leaned over; close enough for only her to hear. “You look beautiful, sugar.”

She blushed, squeezing my hand. The priest cleared his throat; clearly, we missed something, as we were so lost in each other.

“The rings,” the priest repeated.

I turned to Michael, my best man and brother, and held out my hand. He placed the two platinum bands in my palm and I closed my fingers around them. I had hers engraved with –
You’re mine, sugar.
A simple statement and she was from the moment she walked into my life. I handed him the rings and we watched him bless the metal, saying a prayer over them before returning his attention to us.

“Suzette, repeat after me,” he stated, turning toward her.

“I, Suzette McCarthy, take you, Joseph Gallo…” She repeated his words, never breaking eye contact with me. She slid the ring on my finger, a smile on her face, as we both felt the power in the moment. Her voice never wavered as she finished with “Until death do us part.” She wiped a tear from her eye as she finished. I had to fight every urge I had to wrap my arms around her and kiss her.

“Joseph, repeat after me,” the priest said, holding her ring in his hand.

I repeated the words, without missing a single one, letting the powerfulness behind the statement seep into my veins. We were connected, a single soul in front of the eyes of God, joined in holy matrimony. We never broke eye contact, keeping each other grounded in the moment.

As I slipped the ring on her finger, I held her hand in mine, running my fingertips against her dampened flesh. We stood there for a few more minutes after I finished my part of the vows and stared at each other. He could’ve said the church was on fire and we wouldn’t have known. I always looked at Suzy, usually watched her sleep, but to stand here and just look into each other’s eyes was some heady shit. I loved this woman, more than I loved anyone or anything in my life, including myself.

“I give you Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gallo,” he said as we both turned to him. “You may now kiss the bride.”

Without needing another word, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to my body. Stopping briefly above her lips, I searched her eyes and could see only joy. I crushed my lips to hers as the crowd began to whistle and holler in the background. They’re voices faded away as I kissed her, my wife and bride.

When we backed away from each other, we both had watery eyes. As we turned toward the people, now on their feet, I grabbed her around the waist and held her to my side. Our friends and family clapped and cheered as we made our way down the aisle and out of the church doors to the small bridal suite.

As soon as I closed the door, I pulled her into a kiss. Not the small kiss I gave her in front of the family, but one that left us both breathless and needing more.

“We did it, sugar. You’re mine forever,” I said, as I swiped my fingers against her cheek.

“No, baby, you’re mine.” She smirked, a devilish expression on her face as she leaned in and captured my lips.

Chapter 11 ~ The Reception

After we greeted the guests at the door, my feet were on fire. The shoes I picked were beautiful and made me feel almost the same height as City, but the damn things were like torture devices. I loved how the satin ribbon of the high heels intertwined and laced up my feet, stopping around my ankle with a bow. It was too bad the dress was so long that no one could see them. I grabbed City’s arm, leaning over to rub my ankles.

“You want to go change your shoes?” City asked, watching me with a concerned look.

“You think we can sneak away for a minute upstairs? I’ll never be able to dance in these.”

“It’s our wedding, sugar. We can do anything we want.” He smiled and winked at me. He turned toward his mother and said, “Hey, Ma, we’re going to run upstairs and get different shoes for Suzy.”

She smirked, not believing the reason for our hasty exit. “Sure, just don’t be too long, son. We have a wedding to celebrate.”

City nodded, holding my hand and pulling me from the line. As we walked out into the hotel hallway, he grabbed me by the waist and scooped me up into his muscular arms. I squealed from the sudden movement and sighed as I rested my head on his chest. The intense pain in my feet turned into a dull throb as he carried me to the elevator.

“It’s great that we had the reception in a hotel. Makes life so much easier,” he said, the low timbre of his voice echoing in his chest.

Reaching up, I touched his cheek; still not believing we were married. “We really did it, huh?” I asked.

“We did, sugar. Now comes the fun part,” he said as the doors to the elevator opened.