Chapter Forty-Four
Two weeks flew by when Aliannah got the call from Fleur’s to come back in for her final fitting. Michelle was waiting outside when Aliannah’s SUV pulled up. Oliver followed behind them as they entered.
“Ladies, so good to have you back. Come on through!” Bethany was giddy as a child in a sweet shop. They were about to go through to the showroom when Michelle turned to stop Oliver.
“Don’t worry, I will do my sweep, and then I will sit on Bethany’s naughty chair.” Oliver held his hands up in defence as he winked at Bethany and went ahead to do the sweep. He returned a few minutes later and nodded the all-clear. Michelle and Aliannah swapped a look. Was Oliver into Bethany? It seemed like it!
Michelle sat on the centre couch while Aliannah went to try on her dress. Aliannah watched her friend's jaw hit the floor as she emerged from the dressing room, gowned and veiled. She smiled under her veil.
“You…. You’re…. Oh my…” Michelle reached for the tissues to dab away her tears. “Oh, honey, I can’t wait for your big day… I am so happy for you.” She continued dabbing her cheeks and sniffling.
Aliannah stepped up on the podium and looked at her dress. It fit her like a glove. The team at Fleur’s had done an astounding job finishing it so fast.
“Thank you, Bethany. It’s perfect!” Aliannah smiled and twirled on the podium. The butterflies in her stomach danced. This was real. She was going to get her happily ever after. Her dress, the venue, and the guests were all sorted; everything was coming together wonderfully. Aliannah could hardly believe it.
That evening, Michelle turned up at the penthouse with Gavin. Poor Gavin was laden down with bags and boxes.
“Right, Ivan. Boys, it's time to get the hell out.” She stood there smiling, as Aliannah gaped at her.
“Well, what are you standing there for? Vamoose! This is a girl’s only night. No Ivan. No goon squad. Every penis must leave the penthouse! Well…except for Gavin, tonight he is the proud owner of a vagina.” Michelle tapped her boot on the floor impatiently.
*DING*
Igor stepped out of the lift, smiling with eyes full of mischief.
“Ivan, boys, let’s go!” Igor rubbed his palms together.
Ivan raised a brow and looked between his brother and Michelle. He was about to object when Gavin spoke.
“Apparently, I am the only penis allowed to stay, so I will take on security responsibilities in your absences.” Gavin looked apologetic as Michelle put a penis headband on him.
Igor nodded. Oliver, Mateo and a few other goons hoisted Ivan above their heads and carried him into the elevator. The girls burst into laughter.
“Put me the fuck down now before I fire the lot of you,” Ivan yelled as he tried to escape their grasp but failed.
“BOYS NIGHT! BOYS NIGHT! BOYS NIGHT!” The goons all chanted as the elevator doors began to close.
“So you and Igor have been plotting, I see?” Aliannah looked curiously at her friend.
“How else does one convince a security-obsessed maniac to leave completely?” Michelle shrugged as she put a cowboy hat on Aliannah and wrapped a feather boa around her neck.
Aliannah noticed Gavin tucking a piece into the back of his jeans' waistband. She hated that he felt he had to carry it. Michelle interrupted her thoughts as she grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along to the terrace. She hit a button on the remote, and the disco lights came on, and music started playing.
“Okay, bar-keep, get pouring!” Michelle winked at Gavin as she pulled Aliannah into the middle of the terrace to dance. Five minutes later Gavin brought over a tray of three pink cocktails decorated with little umbrellas.
“I call this ‘The Ali’, pretty and sweet with a dash of sass.” Gavin held up his glass, and they all cheered and took a sip.
“Christ, Gavin! That has quite the punch to it!” Aliannah nearly choked on the drink's strength, and Michelle did, too.
“Exactly, ladies.” Gavin laughed and wobbled his penis headband.
“Our Ali is getting married; she is so grown!” Michelle downed her drink and headed to the bar to pour another.
“Thanks for this, guys, it means a lot.” Aliannah downed her drink, and Michelle topped up her glass.
They spent the night dancing away, singing karaoke – badly and taking silly photos. It was freeing. Aliannah loved every minute of it.
IVAN
His men didn’t put him down until he was in the back of the SUV, where they blindfolded him.
“What the fuck?” Ivan tried to remove the blindfold, but Mateo and Oliver held his hands away.
“Now, now Ivan, this is your stag!” Igor said as all the goons cheered. Ivan rolled his eyes under the blindfold.
After what felt like forever, the SUV finally stopped, and Ivan was guided out, still blindfolded. He had no clue where they were. He did not like this. He was hoisted into the air again and carried.
“Put me down, for fucks sake.” He protested to no avail. His attempts to break free just made his men laugh even more. He heard a motor start up. What the fuck was that. Without warning, he was dumped onto a chair and tied to it around his waist, leaving his arms free, and a beer was shoved into his hand. He could feel motion and vibration as the motor purred.
Music blasted as the men cheered more. The blindfold was finally removed, and Ivan blinked as he saw the sight before him. His men all wore T-shirts with ‘Goon Squad’ written across the chest.
“Put this on! You can thank Michelle; it was her idea.” Igor handed him a T-shirt.
Ivan put it on and looked at what it said. ‘#1 Goon,’ he laughed, shaking his head, and sipped his beer. He looked around him. They were on a boat, which, from what Ivan could see, looked like the Lower New York Bay. They were too far from shore for anyone to bother them. The men all stood around him for a group photo.
“You post that anywhere, and you’re dead, Igor!” Ivan swore. This just made the men cheer louder.
They eventually untied Ivan from the chair since he couldn’t exactly leave in the middle of the bay.
Ivan and the men drank the night away until sunrise. They sang, told stories, and bet on drinking games. It was a proper boy’s night. Ivan was grateful for his inner circle of men.
“Men… Goons…” he swayed drunkenly, “It has been an honour to have you all in my inner circle, and I am privileged to have such loyalty and respect.”
“Shut up, you sappy drunk!” Igor taunted as the men cheered. The boat headed back to the dock.
It was mid-morning when the men arrived back at the penthouse. It was quiet. Ivan went to go to bed but discovered he could not. Aliannah and Michelle were sprawled out in the bed with Gavin across the foot of the bed. There were feather boas and plastic dicks everywhere. Ivan even spied a penis necklace around Aliannah’s neck. He took out his phone to snap a photo of the scene to show her later. He quietly shut the door as he left the room. He found the men passed out on the couches in the lounge.
Igor was out on the balcony smoking a cigar and talking to someone on the phone. Ivan waved to him and went to the room where Michelle usually slept. He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. It had been far too long since he last drank that much.