Chapter 37
AIDEN
I never thought a door would be so difficult to open but given the sixty million bags weighing my arms down, dangling from my fingers, and now my jaw since I had to stuff my keys back into my pocket, it’s proving to be a hindrance.
“Got it,” Raven mumbles around the stack of boxes he’s carrying.
My bug wants a fairytale wedding, and I’ve got five days to give her it. Thankfully, I have servers, chefs, and bartenders on my payroll.
Robbie rang around and found us a dress maker willing to work throughout the night for the next three days—for a substantial fee. I dropped Katie off to get her measurements done before she ran me and made off with my wallet.
Scott is hunting down florists, and I’m here to sort out the menu for the big day.
“Right then,” I grunt, dropping the bags on the first table in the kitchen.
Dandelions will be closed for two days this week, I need the staff to cater my wedding, I’m confident that the restaurant will survive the short break.
“She wants a fairytale; I don’t care what you make to cater to that menu, but you better not drop the ball, or you’ll be looking for new jobs come Monday. ”
Sweet Jesus, who knew carrying a couple bags could be so exhausting?
“What does she like?” Darren, our head chef, asks, ready to take on the challenge. If he succeeds, he will receive a pay raise.
“Fairytale, as in Disney?”
“As in Nightmare before Christmas, if you’re thinking Disney,” I reply, trying to stifle a laugh. “Katie does have a fascination with the Elizabethan, Edwardian and Victorian eras, she also loves Anastasia, so think Romanoff elegance meets gothic fantasy.”
Darren nods, already mentally crafting a detailed plan. “Got it.”
“Tell it,” I demand. I’m not leaving anything to chance. “What’s the plan for starters? There are no allergies that we’re aware of.”
“Any vegans?”
“Fuck them; Katie is my concern.”
Darren chuckles, understanding my priorities. “Got it. How many courses are you thinking of? Royalty could have up to seven courses or more at banquets; I’m assuming you don’t want to be in a food coma before the first dance.”
“Three courses, two choices each.”
Raven is already ruffling through the boxes, unpacking everything and anything he can get his hands on. We had no idea what Darren might want, so we picked up a little of everything.
Darren’s eyes study the contents of the boxes, mentally preparing a menu in his head with the information he has. “You want to keep it light for starters. I’m thinking prawn cocktail for option one and a fig and prosciutto salad for option two.”
“Done,” I wait for Darren to make note of it before pressing, “Mains?”
He takes a moment to contemplate his answer. “Option one: braised blade of beef, red cabbage, honey-roasted carrot, parsnip puree, mash, and jus.”
“I better be invited to this wedding,” Raven quips with a grin.
Darren chuckles before continuing, “Option two: pan roasted chicken supreme, asparagus, ham hock croquettes, parsnip puree, and duck fat confit roast potatoes.”
“I don’t care if I get an invite or not; I’m showing up just for dinner.” Reaching into one of the boxes, Raven pulls out a bag of Keogh’s salt and vinegar crisps and starts munching.
“Dessert?” I ask, uncorking a bottle of wine and pouring three glasses.
“Option one: dark chocolate tart with raspberry coulis and vanilla bean ice cream,” Darren says, handing Raven a glass. “Option two: lemon posset with shortbread biscuit and fresh berries.”
Raven looks torn between the two options before finally declaring, “I’ll take both.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I growl, “Do you want me to hit you right now?”
“Do you want me to call the gardaí?” he snorts, shoving a handful of crisps in his mouth and washing it down with a mouthful of wine.
“Touché.” Rat bastard. Turning back to Darren, I nod in approval. “Katie will love it.”
My phone buzzes with a text from Scott.
Scott: What kind of flowers do you want?
Does it look like I give a fuck about flowers?
Aiden: Anything but lilies; they remind Katie of funerals.
Scott: But they’re so elegant :(
Aiden: NO LILIES!
Why does he not text her about this? Maybe I should?
Aiden: Is there a particular flower you want, bug?
Katie: I don’t mind, as long as there are no lilies xx
Aiden: I told him that already.
Aiden: How’s the ass?
Katie: Bruised, your teeth marks were hard to explain. Thank you very much! >:( Xx
Aiden: Nothing compared to my balls.
Katie: That was an accident!!! Xx
I may be getting a bit rough with her since her body began responding to me. I couldn’t resist biting her; it’s like a natural instinct. However, she got me back tenfold. I convinced Katie to use a butt plug last night—nothing too big—just to add a little extra spice and see how she liked it.
I was expecting some resistance, but she surprised me by enjoying it.
What I was not expecting was for her to ride me like she was possessed and for said plug to somehow dislodge and hit me in the bollocks right when I was on the brink of blowing my load.
It’s safe to say that I was soon curled up in the foetal position, clutching my injured ball sack, while Katie picked up the plug and was so impressed with how clean it was that she ignored my grunts of pain and insisted on showing it to me in all its glory.
I’ll admit, I laughed. It hurt. I never thought that I’d be shot in the balls with a silicone bullet, but somehow Katie made it happen.
Katie: You may be getting a few curious looks from the girls later.
Aiden: You told them?
Katie: It was too funny not to!
Raven approaches, nudging me away from Darren to a quiet corner of the restaurant. “So?” He asks, still munching on his crisps. “The wedding is on Thursday; then what happens? We’re on a tight deadline here, AJ.”
Stuffing my phone back into my pocket, I give him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be on my honeymoon come Monday. Don’t worry,” I clasp his shoulder. “Everything is going to plan.”
“And if it all goes sideways? If something goes belly up?”
“I’ve heard Russia is lovely this time of year,” I say with a wink. They have no extradition laws where Ireland is concerned. I can turn my bug into a contemporary Anastasia and start over if needed.
Raven chews on the inside of his cheek, looking slightly worried. “Does Katie know?”
“She’ll know when she has to, until then,” I say, patting his shoulder before turning to leave. “Not a fucking word. I like you, Raven. Do not force me to take your tongue as payment for your loose lips.”
His Adam’s apple bobs on a swallow. I pluck an invisible piece of lint from his shoulder. “I’m glad we have an understanding.” I turn to Darren, clapping my hands together with a smile. “Let’s talk hors d’oeuvres.”