Authors: Priscilla Poole Rainwater
Chapter 55
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we're making our final descent to Johnson City Regional Airport, please place your seats in the upright position and buckle your safety belts. It's a clear, sunny day, and weather reports call for clear skies and unseasonably warm temperatures for the next several days. All of us at Mountain Airways would like to thank you for choosing to fly with us.” the pilot of the small commercial aircraft spoke over the intercom in a cheerful voice.
Zeke McCabe snapped the seat belt into place, grimacing as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of pain medication. Once the plane landed, his plans were to rent a car and make the two hour drive to the Mortensen estate, but at the moment the pain radiating throughout his entire body required him to take the strong narcotics to ease the pain.
Gritting his teeth, he popped one pill into his mouth and felt rage bubbling right underneath the surface.
That bitch played me!
He
thought grimly, still unable to believe how careless he'd been. So intent on catching Martina, several days earlier he had walked straight into a potentially deadly ambush. He had tracked her to the small, delightful fishing village of Marina di Puolo, had kept a close, watchful eye on her one evening in a bar, and had discreetly followed her out the rear entrance, straight into a dank, dark alley, where four thugs she had hired were laying in wait. They had beaten him within an inch of his life, then stabbed him, and surely would have killed him had it not been for two young, drunken lovers who had staggered out of the rear entrance laughing, looking for a dark corner to have a quickie.
He had awakened in the village's tiny medical center two days later, and had had to recuperate seven additional days in order to be able to walk under his own power again. The doctor had advised him he still wasn't ready to travel, but after getting word that Martina was back in the states, he'd told the doctor he would crawl on his hands and knees if necessary, and that he would be checking himself out and leaving.
Glancing out the plane window, his handsome countenance was marred by a chilling, merciless grin, one that made the pleasant young woman sitting next to him shudder with sudden dread when she glanced in his direction and saw it.
Oh, I'm gonna' get you, you crazy bitch. You better hope and pray Raidon Bishop or the police find you before I do. You've made this more personal than you'll ever know...
he thought.
Three days later: Granger and Cassandra's estate
Malcolm marveled at the throng of wedding guests, all dressed to the nines in Mad Hatter fashion as they mixed and mingled around the large serenity garden in the five acre back yard of the estate. Glancing away from the garden, he saw some guests were watching their children playing horseshoes on the lush, immaculately manicured lawn, while others played croquet. Lounging underneath a huge weeping willow tree and sipping cocktails, a group of young men were more interested in watching the young women in attendance rather than the festivities of the children.
Taking a sip of his champagne, he couldn't help but overhear a blue-haired, well known socialite nearby gush, “This wedding is most unusual! Simply amazing!” The elderly woman, whose name was Mrs. J.M. Knish, was a writer for one of the state's most prestigious society pages. She was well known herself for her extravagance and impeccable taste, and a good word from the woman could make or break any individual in the high-society inner circle. “I understand the chef, what was his name....Nicola.... is supposed to be catering this affair? If he can create a meal that looks half as good as he does
himself, we'll be in for quite a treat.” she giggled, sounding like a moon-struck schoolgirl with a crush on the star quarterback.
Glancing around and carefully snapping a photo of the festivities with her top of the line Hasselblad camera, Trudie Brighton, another well known socialite, was also amazed, and couldn't wait to tell her granddaughter about the event so they could try to out-do the affair at her own granddaughter's wedding. Trying to sound as if she was 'in the know' in order to impress her fellow socialites, she snapped another photo and murmured in a low, conspiratorial tone, “You know, I heard the man who arranged this affair is so eccentric he only does a few parties a year. I heard he even turned down a request to put together Prince Harry's bash in order to do this one, because Granger offered him two million dollars!”
Snorting into his glass of champagne, Malcolm coughed several times, blinking his eyes and choking back the laughter bubbling right beneath the surface.
I would love to see the look on their faces if they found out the person who planned this affair was a young boy. Regan!
He
thought.
Seeing the orchestra taking a break, he headed towards the east wing of the mansion to prepare for the ceremony.
**************************
Cynne' hurried to her room to grab her wedding gift to Cassandra, a beautiful pair of antique, dangling pearl earrings her and Satin had picked out. The set would be a lovely, perfect match with the ivory wedding dress the bride would be wearing. Chuckling, she reflected on the fact she had thought Granger and Cassandra were completely insane when they had first announced they would be renewing their vows, and that they were letting Regan plan the entire thing himself. But in retrospect, it had turned out to be a wonderful idea. They could have chosen any exotic location, spent ungodly amounts of money on the wedding, but they had let their son use his own imagination instead, and she had to admit the child's mind had crafted a truly amazing event. Child-like, yet sophisticated and dignified at the same time. It was going to be a wedding she or no one else would never forget.
As she was opening the door to her room, she yelped as she felt a strong pair of hands grip her shoulders and push her inside, and cringed as she heard the door slam shut and the sound of the lock being thrown into place.
Expecting Martina to be behind her brandishing a gun or a razor-sharp ax, she turned, prepared to scream at the top of her lungs.
“You're still scary as hell.” Raidon smirked with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, intent on taking advantage of this opportunity. Ever since returning to the estate, his little spitfire had avoided him at all costs. But not today, he could wait no longer.
“Oh, it's just
YOU.
” she sighed, feigning disinterest, but feeling her heart begin to race
with a different kind of excitement. “What do you want?” she asked.
“What do you think?” he replied with a cheesy grin.
“Your so...so childish! I don't have time to play games with you!” she huffed, then turned on trembling legs and started towards the closet where she had hidden the tiny wedding present. “If you want to play some silly-ass high school games, go find your little Ms. Blond.”
Gazing lustfully at the way the silky mauve material of her dress clung to her firm, lush behind, Raidon reminded himself,
Play it cool, don't push too hard!
Following her, he leaned against the wall next to the closet and crossed his arms over his chest, watching her as she rumbled around. Glancing at the large king sized bed in the middle of the room, he felt his manhood stir as he tried to picture the two of them on it, with her moving underneath him.
In spite of her best efforts to ignore his presence, Cynne' felt her body heating up with desire when she glanced up and saw the arrogant brute staring at the bed. “Instead of lounging around here and getting on my nerves, shouldn't you be out doing your JOB? That crazy heifer is trying to kill my best friend! Shouldn't you be checking out the place? Searching caterers and band members for weapons?” she snapped as she found the present, then turned and got a good look at him. Like all the men in attendance, he was wearing a dark designer suit, with a dark a mauve tie. He had had his hair cut and styled short and spiky, and he was wearing a cologne that was unfamiliar to her, but the scent was nearly driving her insane.
Why does he have to look so damn good, and why can't I just ignore him? Cocky bastard!
“Don't you worry your pretty little head, darling, I have security in place. But if you think I should be searching people, well.....” he smirked, then licked his lips as his eyes appraised her from head to toe. “I can start by searching you, you know.” Reaching out, he wrapped one index finger around a braid that had slipped from her up-do. “Now, should I strip you myself, or do you want to be a good little girl and volunteer?”
Feeling faint, she felt herself growing more wet by the second, and feared she would explode right then and there. Just the thought of him undressing her and laying her out pleased her, and she wondered,
Oh dear Lord, he would be so much better than my battery operated, plastic lover.
But then the image of the slim, pretty blond invaded her thoughts, and she found herself jealously wondering how many nights he had been with her.
“Cat got your tongue?” he laughed softly.
The need to mask her hurt kicking in, she snapped, “No. You. Will.
NOT touch, or even LOOK at my naked body. You're so horny, go find that blond trollop of yours, because I sure as hell don't want you! Besides, I already promised a wonderful young man he could have the pleasure of undressing me after the wedding. I met him in a club the other night, when me, Satin, and Cassandra went out.”
His almond shaped eyes narrowing to slits, Raidon suddenly felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach. “Like hell he will!” he seethed, the confident smirk he had been wearing moments earlier vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Sensing she had him on the ropes with her cruel jab, she winced inwardly, but pressed her advantage before she succumbed to her own desires. “Maybe if I'm not too tired afterwards, we can all go out for coffee. You, your little hot-to-trot tart, me, and....well....you know.” she mocked, completely forgetting the young man's name at the moment.
Refusing to play anymore, he reached out to her suddenly, gripping both her shoulders almost painfully. “Now you listen to me! I'm not now, nor have I ever been interested in a relationship with Mandy! I won't deny the fact I've slept with her a few times, but that was as far as it went. And it was before I ever even met you!” Looking into her eyes soulfully, he released her shoulders and cupped her face with both hands. “The only woman I ever considered wanting to lo...” his voice trailed off, unable to utter the words.
Looking into his eyes and waiting for him to say the words, she was stunned, and still felt a tiny bit of resistance. “What, you can't even
SAY it? Forget you, Raidon! You don't have to say anything. I have my pride, baby, and you are not the only man out there! What makes you think I would want your simple ass anyway?” Shoving his hands away, she turned, planning on making a dramatic exit, but her foot suddenly tangled in the hem of the long, flowing gown.
Leaping forward, he swept her up in his arms, preventing her fall, and pulled her close. Unable to control the reaction from his body, let alone his heart, he murmured, “Cynne', I've always ran from relationships because of my screwed up childhood, but you're the only woman who has ever made me feel this way. Like
I NEED you just to live another day.” Putting his strong hand on the back of her long neck, he drew her to him and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
Completely melting, she dropped the wedding gift on the plush carpet and giggled, “You know, we really shouldn't be doing this.”
“Why is that?” he whispered.
“Horror movie protocol, darling. Protocol states that whenever a couple kisses and makes up, the insane killer suddenly pops out of nowhere and kills them. Just before.....just before they consummate their love.” she whispered breathlessly.
Giving her a wicked grin, he played along. “Actually, the killer would kill me first, whilst I'm in the middle of making you a very happy woman.” he chuckled, pressing his hard manhood against her thigh.
“Whilst? Jesus, I've never heard that word used outside of a book. Your ten-dollar words
don't impress me, Mr. Bishop. Besides, how do you know I won't be the one who gets killed, whilst in the middle of giving you a world class hump?” she giggled again, raking her long, freshly manicured nails around the back of his neck. Boldly, she slid one hand down and cupped his hardened manhood and gave it a squeeze. “But if this insane killer does strike, you will die a very happy man.”
Unable to contain himself any longer, he pulled her to him again and kissed her roughly, with a hunger he had never felt. Hearing her moan with pleasure, his racing heart picked up even more speed, and he ran both hands down her sides and to her hips. Gripping the material of the long gown with both hands, he slowly pulled the garment up and over her hips as his lips sought hers. Never breaking the kiss, he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the wall, pinning her there. Fumbling with his trousers for a moment with one hand, they slid to the floor, and he hooked both hands behind her thighs, then lifted her to his waist, with her legs wrapped around him.
Feeling his fingers tug the crotch of her pink silk panties to one side, she whimpered and felt herself orgasm prematurely as his fingers worked their way inside her throbbing, wet folds.
Attacking his lips with a fervor she had never dreamed of, she yelped with pleasure when she felt her panties literally ripped from her body, and the sound of the material tearing made her even more wet, a feat she wouldn't have thought possible only seconds earlier.
Thrusting his raging manhood inside her decisively, he cupped her buttocks with both hands and began thrusting in and out of her with a force that pounded his knuckles into the wall painfully. “Oh God! Baby.....this....this isn't exactly how I planned our first time together. I just couldn't help myself any longer. Is this wrong? I mean, at your best friend's wedding?” he panted.