Everyone joined him in the toast, glasses clattering, renting the air. Zach was the owner of ZACH TECH. The largest tech company in the state. His gadgets were in high demand. He was Michael's best friend. A wiry short guy in his early thirties. Michael chuckled and nodded in appreciation.
When everyone had had enough with the casinos, they returned to the energetic strippers, raining the dollars from the casino table on their asses as they twerked and wined rhythmically. This was a congregation of the who-is-who in the city. Companies and conglomerates owners, politicians, award winning blockbuster actors, multi award winning musicians, distinguished personalities and millionaires. Everyone reeked of successes. Everyone had met success early. This was his clique. This was those he kept for company. Like minds like him. Success stories like him. They had set principles that guided them to where they were presently. But that night, all those principles were suspended. Everyone was in a party mood. Hundreds of wine and beer bottles were uncocked and devoured. Weed, cocaine, heroine was in abundance for whoever wanted. A whole roasted matured pig well garnished, was displayed at the corner. It's fleshy and appealing body intact, spread like it was crucified on the cross. The party was just starting because tonight he wanted to party. He wanted to forget his nervousness. He wanted to ensure his last night as a bachelor was a memorable one. He lit his cigar, inhaled and exhaled through his nose in twin streams of smoke as he nodded to the party jams.*********************************************************
Next day.... THE WEDDING CEREMONYSavannah was in her best, completely in her elements. Looking stunning with her jet black hair sleekly coiffed, a vibrant emerald blue linen blazer bringing out the color of her eyes. Beneath the jacket, she wore a white sheath decorated with same shades of emerald. Balanced on her right palm was a white tablet she was scrolling through, walking in a haste, inspecting like a boss. "Jenny," she called to a colleague she had put in charge of decorating the cathedral, "everything in place?". Jennifer walked hastily, her smile giving the answer. "Yeah Sav, everything is ready. I've spoken to the guys in charge of every other protocol and procedure. We're good to go". They were standing outside the huge St Louis cathedral. The sun was bright smiling on everyone. It was really a perfect day for a wedding.
From the look of things, the guests were arriving in their numbers. looking so handsome and beautiful. As if they were in competition with the couple. Bouncers looking scary, security personnels in numbers mounted in their dark shades to ensure no one that wasn't invited, found his or her way in. Exotic and mind boggling cars kept trouping in. Distinguished personalities that was usually only seen on TV, were trouping in, in their stunning elements. Checking her watch she confirmed it was 9:30. Exactly 30 mins to the start. Everything was just perfectly in place. A noise suddenly rented the air. A noisy clattering of a purple private jet bearing initials- MV was visible and audible. All the security personnels ran towards it. It landed and opened to reveal the groom of the day. She stood stunned. Wondering how someone could be this handsome. He looked like something out of heaven. Security and few other distinguished personalities, possibly close friends, stepped out and stood all around him like Jesus and his disciples, blocking most persons interested in the entourage from actually seeing him in his full elements. Jennifer tapped her bringing her back from her reverie. "Something is wrong Sav". She said shouldering her to a corner. "What is it?" she asked alarmed. "The bride. She's not yet arrived. And every effort to reach her is proving abortive. It's just few minutes to the wedding." "What?" She shouted, panic and shock written on her face in capital letters. "So what do we do now?" She asked already pacing worriedly. "I'd advise you talk to Mr Michael Verrati. Maybe he'd have an idea where his bride is. Or call Sam, maybe he'd do the talking himself. Oh... I forgot... Sam is no where to be found too. I guess he wanted you to take charge today too". That was so unlike him. He usually never missed this sort of gatherings. This was a dilemma. But Jenny was right. She had to do something and do it fast. Her boss Sam would have been the perfect person to handle the conversation with the groom. Atleast he was a millionaire, he'd feel at ease holding such conversation with such a personality. Not a naive nobody like her. But he was absent. The ball was in her court. She wouldn't want this ceremony to turn out a national embarrassment. It could cost her her career. She summoned courage and walked searchingly in search of Mr Michael. And when she finds him, it'd be a normal conversation. Nothing could possibly go wrong right? She braced herself.🌹🌹🌹🌹👫👫👫🌸🌷🌺🏵️🍄🌹🥀🌻🌻🌻🌻
Michael sat kingly in an annex room to the cathedral itself. The AC was the only thing keeping him calm. Turning towards his platinum watch, he noticed it was few minutes past 10am. The ceremony was to have started by now. He was getting impatient. Seated around next to him was Zach, he was quiet too, probably wondering why the delay. Outside the door, his guards were well positioned. The door opened shortly and Odogwu his chief guard came in, a giant looking Nigerian-American man. "Boss a lady is here to see you. She said she's the wedding planner. She said she had something to tell you." He nodded in approval.
Shortly the door opened to reveal a stunning beauty. From his guess, she wouldn't be more than 23. Wedding planners usually didn't look that beautiful or young. He had imagined someone in her late fifties or so. She held his gaze fully in a vain attempt to hide her nervousness. She was evidently in awe of him as expected. But he was shocked, that the feeling was mutual. He was fascinated by her features. Her perfect shape hugging tightly to her beautiful gown. He imagined all he could do with that slim waist sitting on an enormous hip in a split second but caught himself immediately from the trance.
As expected, she looked nervous. Standing clumsily, trying to straighten a dress that obviously didn't need straightening. She tried as much as possible to avoid his gaze, instead, eyeing her reflection on the mirror-like window. But he cared less about all that. He was Michael Verrati afterall. Who wouldn't be nervous around him? But he was loosing patience with her muteness. He hoped she didn't just come to stare at him. As if Zach noticed his growing impatience, he coughed to draw her attention. "Yo! you ain't dumb right? why the fuck are you here?" His rudeness was just the perfect tongue loosener because she caught herself and spoke. "Mr Verrati. The wedding is about the begin. But your bride hasn't arrived. All plans to reach her too, has proved abortive." It took him a while to understand. Then he stood up abruptly. "What d'you mean? She hasn't arrived?" She nodded fearfully. He checked his watch. It was almost time to process in. "Odogwu!" he called loudly. The gi
A third sense told him to beg or plead persuasively. But he hadn't used the "please" word in decades. "C'mon. Let's just get married. It's just for a year. I really need to be married. I'm ready to accept any terms or demands you give. Whatever it is. After a year, I'd settle you with any amount you need and you'd go back to your life." First of all, she was shocked at the offer. It was totally unexpected. Secondly she was pissed. He was asking her with such arrogance as if he knew she can never say no. Common sense told her to tell him to fuck off and leave him to deal with his mishap. But here she was, rooted to the spot. Her tongue heavy to speak. She was shocked that she was actually considering the offer. she just couldn't help it. Of course, any lady on earth would jump at the offer with her both hands and both legs too. He is, afterall, everything a woman would ever want in a man. But she had always prided herself that she wasn't jus
"No! No!! That's not true!!! He screamed, rushing to the table to retrieve his phone. He dialed a number, pacing around the TV set as the number rang for a while. "Pick up! Pick up Goddamit!!" He shouted at the phone. "Good morning boss." Zino's happy voice sounded. "What's good about the morning Zino? Huh??" He wished he could punch someone. "Boss," Zino sounded confused, "I don't understand what you're talking about. What's wrong?" Sam held tighter to the phone, imagining it was Zino's neck he was squeezing. "Zino are you kidding me right now?!" He shouted angrily. "I gave you a simple job to do. A very simple job. Kidnap Amanda Fortune. So that the wedding wouldn't take place. And you couldn't deliver? I'm disappointed in you Zino. I can't believe you'd fail me like this!!" He shouted. He felt his eyes turning sore and red. Zino went quiet in obvious shock. Hasty footsteps was heard as he rushed and kicked open a door noisily. He was breathing heavily. "Boss.
Sam woke up and squinted his eyes. The room was unrecognizable. It actually felt too bright for his eyes. He tried to use his right hand to wipe his eyes, but his hand felt different. He looked to see a line of drip connected to it. That was when he noticed he is on a hospital bed. He was even in patient clothes. How he got there, he couldn't remember. He sat up, glancing around to study the room, trying to remember what happened last. Then he remembered. The whole events chronologically flashed back. At that moment, he wished it was all a dream, but it was to real, he was seeing the scenes play before his eyes again. "Savannah!!!" He screamed. The door opened. Jenny stepped in. "Boss. How're you feeling?" She asked, concern printed on her face. He frowned at her. He actually wished it was Savannah that walked in. "What am I doing here? How did I get here?" His head weighed a ton. He was beginning to feel dizzy. "Sir I found you lifeless on the floor at your office
Her husband. He was shirtless and well tattooed around his left hand and shoulders. Looking like something out a fantasy. Of course she knew he was handsome, but she never knew he was this hot. He had a broad shoulder. With few freckles of black hair strewn deliciously on his well toned chest. He was tan with well-defined muscles, a belly that looked hard and ridged like a farmland. His waist was slim, with a line of silky-looking hair curled around his bellybutton like a question mark and disappeared into the low riding waist of the blue shorts he wore, as if beckoning on her curious eyes to wonder about the territory that lay beyond. She tried to hold herself, but she couldn't help drool. His hands left her waist and she jerked off her revelries. He was smiling knowingly at her, his dimples appearing deeper. She took her gaze off him in a vain attempt to hide the blush that bloomed instantly on her cheeks. "Lunch is ready." He said and turned away, leading the
"No.. No it's fine." She recollected herself. Although he had said he'd settle her, money had not been the primary reason for accepting. She wasn't also expecting the sum to be this much. He was remitting 100 million dollars as if it was nothing, offering even double. Are all billionaires this extravagant? She wondered. She decided to go through the rest of the details. It was indeed a detailed one. A part of the contract states that, she is free to walk away from the marriage whenever she wants, if he breaks any of his vows to her. She signed the contract and returned it. He smiled. "You have a curious history. How long have you been a wedding planner?" "It's been a year now. All thanks to my boss that employed me and helped me maximize my skills. On the day I came for the interview, I lost all hope seeing the qualifications of others that also came for the job. Sam event planners is one of the best in the country and you can imagine the competition to get in. I
Of course he knew what she had meant. But she was the wine he wanted. The wine he wanted to share. She was still looking at him in alarm. He interpreted it as fear. Fear of wanting him too. Fear of the emotions and desire burning in her mind. Fear of her naivety. Fear that if they get that intimate, she'd not be able to hold herself. Fear of being so vulnerable to his charms. He turned, deciding to leave, but on a second thought, he moved closer to her. She was his wife afterall. Her head was still in the headrest as her eyes maintained contact and followed his closing movement. She wasn't moving, as if hypnotized by him. Getting to her, he felt her long, wet and silky hair. An involuntary moan escaped her lips as he massaged her scalp gently, touching, feeling. Arranging and adjusting her scattered foamy hair from her face, he leaned closer and closer. Eyes locked. The air wreaked of passion. He lifted her face to him as his face drew within inches of her face. She closed her eyes, pa
Rome, Italy. "Cheers to the latest couple in the world!!" Someone said. Everyone raised their glasses in accordance and clink-clink sounds were heard as they made a happy toast. Savannah was looking and feeling like a queen. She was the center of attraction. All the distinguished guests were moping and peering curiously at her. Although it was just five guests-three females and two males, noting their personalities, it felt like the room was too small to contain them. She and Mike had flown directly from the island to the grand city of Rome. It was already night. But Rome never sleeps. Everywhere was still buzzing. Full of different lighted artistic art works. Giving it a mixed macabre, medieval and ancient feeling. The room too was not different. She had wished for a simple wedding after party with few guests, and liked the choice of venue. One of the most exquisite suites in one of the numerous hotels she had come to realize, Mike owned. It wasn't