8

The security men seemed to hold him back like he had done something wrong until Fred stood from where he was seated and chose to intervene. "Hey, what's happening over there?" 

One of the security men came by his side and whispered a few things into his ears.

After a few seconds, he pulled away to talk to Kim, "this man here claims to know you or something like that?"

It was evident from his tone that he wasn't a fan of things like this happening. 

"Yes, he's my older brother." Kim lied, glaring at James and hoping he would play along.

James knew that whatever was going on, the only way he could get to talk to his girlfriend was if he played along and made it seem like they were siblings and so he nodded in agreement.

Because Fred did not want a commotion to start, he nodded that they let the man in and carry on, promising himself he would talk to Kim later. 

"Wow." Roman mumbled to Lily. She had noticed he hadn't taken his eyes off her since the moment she stepped in and she had thought he was thinking she looked stupid.

"You look good, too good." He sounded proud to be taking her for himself.

"Thanks I guess, you look even better." She smiled, "God, I'm so nervous."

"It will be fine, I'm here with you." He took her hand in his and Lily felt a heat of attraction wear over her. Her body was reacting in ways she didn't think she should and in that moment, this felt like the best decision of her life.

*

After taking the wedding vows and family pictures, it was time for the couple's dance. 

"Your mom looks nice." Roman commented. Lily's hands were on his shoulder and he held her waist in place. Neither of them knew the dance moves so they tilted their bodies from left to right on repeat.

"I haven't seen your mom around." Lily used the opportunity to bring up the one question she'd been wanting to ask.

"Oh yeah, she's with someone else now, fuck her." He didn't look affected by her words.

"Oh." Lily cleared her throat, "I have a bad feeling about Kim's older brother." She decided to change the topic.

"I don't really care." He answered honestly. "Just glad to get this out of the way. The wedding documents are signed, I am a fucking married man, I hope father is happy." He sounded so bored and uninterested in the discussion. "If you will excuse me..." he let go but she stopped his movements with a hold of his hand.

"I'm going to a party my sister organised for me tonight,  might not be back until evening because I have to go to work from there." She thought since they were married now, it would be a good idea to inform him before taking steps.

"That could be dangerous, please don't go." He shook his head at her.

"But I-" 

He was walking away before she had a chance to argue.

Lily only sighed and went to find her family.

Her nieces were so excited to see her and it brought joy to her heart.

"Aren't you going to cry or anything?" Lily raised her eyebrows at her mother.

"Why? I just looked up their net worth on the Internet, they have money in billions of dollars, billions, you should be asking me how I haven't gone and proposed to your father in law by now?" She put her hand on her waist.

"Eww!" Lily scoffed and her sisters burst into laughter.

"I got you something." Mama Johnson poked her hand into her big purse, it was a small box wrapped in a ribbon.

Lily took it and scrutinised it carefully, "what's this?" 

"Your wedding gift. It's a lin-go-run or whatever these youths call it. I know you own zero of those and I wouldn't want your husband divorcing you on the first day of marriage." Mama Johnson chuckled, sounding so proud of herself.

"What on earth is a lingorun?" Lily wondered.

"Lingerie I'm sure that's what she means." Gaby said, still dying from laughter.

"Eww, mom!"

"Keep crying ew mom until some long legged whores steal your husband because you're too boring." Her mother eyed her. "Thank me later."

"I texted you the address for tonight's party babe, we will be leaving here soon, the driver is waiting for us." Gaby informed her, holding Mia and Gina in her hands. "Thank your new family for us, Fred said he will send us a hundred thousand dollars as a thank you gift. I kind of feel bad that we couldn't give them anything."

"What the hell?" Lily widened her eyes.

"I know right?"

"I love you guys." Lily sighed, "please, call me everyday. This is a whole new world I'm shifting to,  I can't bear to be alone in it, money or not." She could feel the tears stinging her eyes and more than ever she did not want it to drop.

"Aww, come here." Amy smiled and brought everyone into a group hug.

*

When it was ten p.m... Lily left the dinner table to go upstairs. She thought about her mother's gift and shook her head.

She had not seen Roman since he left her on the dance floor but she went to his bedroom regardless. Although it had only been a few days, she was starting to get used to the mansion, it almost felt like she had been living here her whole life.

Some decorators had come in prior to make the room look 'romantic'. There were petals on the bed and candles illuminated the room. 

Lily was amused but there was still no sign of Roman.

She went through every corner of the room, picking one petal and looking at it and then continued. 

She leaned down in her wedding gown that had now grown uncomfortable and pulled one drawer open. The only thing in there was what resembled a photo album.

She reached to pick it up and dropped it in fright when Roman barked from the doorstep, "hey, what the fuck are you doing?!"

She held her chest, still startled from his unexpected entry. "God, you scared the daylights out of me." She swallowed but he cared less, pushing her out of the way and picking the book up.

"You do not lay your hands on my fucking things." He shoved it into the drawer aggressively. "What makes you feel entitled to my stuff? Are you out of your mind?"

Lily had not been expecting his reaction at all and so she was lost of words. "Jesus, it's just a damn photo album, why are you so mad?"

"That's not your problem." He deepened his frown, "keep away from my fucking things." He said and went to the bed,  took his shoes off and aggressively wiped all the petals off before plopping himself up.

Lily didn't say anything. She only made her way out of the bedroom, a disgusted frown on her face.

"And where do you think you're going?" He called sharply.

"Not your problem." She said, anger laced through her voice.

When he saw she wasn't stopping, he followed her out of the room and into her old bedroom. 

She rummaged through the closet and selected a gown, ignoring his presence. 

"Give me an answer, where are you going?" He said in a calmer tone.

"My sister's party."

"I said you couldn't go." He reminded her, worry taking over now.

"And I didn't ask for your permission either." She frowned, "if you will excuse me, I need to change out of my clothes. She brushed past his shoulder but he effortlessly pulled her back with one hold of her wrist and taped her to the wall, leaving no space between them.

"It's late at night, I'm not letting you go there on your own, like it or not, you're my responsibility now." He said.

Lily tried not to feel intimidated or at least not show that she was. His height was exaggerated in this position. He was about 6'3 and that was not helping her attempted dominance. 

"I'm not asking you what I can or cannot do, you don't decide my life now just because you put a ring on it. You're hurting my wrist, let go." She said, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Those beautiful blue- green eyes of his...not the time Lily.

Roman didn't say a word but he let her go. She went into the bathroom and was out in a minute in the free Royal blue gown she had on. Her makeup was still perfect and so she didn't bother with that. Slipping her phone into a white purse, she threw a glance at him one more time before making her way out of the room.

*

Lily had called Gaby to let her know she was on her way and it was only thirty minutes away so when one of the family drivers had offered to take her there, she felt much better. 

Roman's anger earlier kept replaying in her head and she knew it was not a game how she had just married this man without knowing anything about him.

She got to the party and when the location was a bar, regret began to set in. First off, Gaby was not in the mood to talk to her, she was nowhere to be found and would not even answer her phone. Lily concluded she was probably having sex in a bathroom with some random stranger, typical of her sister.

Lily brought her phone out and sat in front of the barman, hating how high the stool was.

Not only had Gaby abandoned her, she had lied too. None of these faces were familiar, they were too many and they were partying too loud.

A lot of women were dancing naked to drunk men, others were making out in one corner and some were fighting.

"What kind of party is this?" Lily asked the barman, "where's Gaby?"

"Oh she said she had a few things to take care of." The man shrugged, pouring her a glass of beer.

"Oh I don't drink." She shook her head.

"Ah come on, one shot and you will be fine, you look so tensed." He eyed her outfit, "and clearly not dressed for a party, did someone force you here?" He chuckled.

She rolled her eyes, "this colorful disco ball and loud music is annoying enough, you don't have to join the train." She said.

She was about to say more when one of the drunk girls twerking beside her suddenly turned around to puke. Lily shrieked in horror as the content landed on her gown. What was with people and ruining her dresses?

She stood up in irritation, dodging the active dancers and trying to get out of there to find a bathroom or anything at all.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and it was a text from Gaby, 'where the heck are you?!'

'I've been here a whole fucking ten minutes, can't find you anywhere and some whore just puked on me.' Lily speed texted her sister in anger. This was all Gaby's fault. 

'What? I've been here the whole time, everyone is literally waiting for you before we begin the party.' Gaby sent.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows,  'but the party already started before I came.'

'Sis, I think you're at the wrong party. Lol. Where are you?' Gaby texted.

'Fuck. I'll call you outside, it's too loud in here.' She sighed and locked her phone, making her way outside.

She was almost at the exit when a big man pulled her back by holding her hand. "Where are you going barbie? Party just started." His breath smelled like cigarette and he had a nasal twang to his accent she could not recognise. 

"Let me go." She struggled to pull free, her anxiety skyrocketing.

He chuckled at her attempt, "stay still Christian sister,  I just want to kiss those juicy lips." He leaned forward and nobody seemed to care.

Lily stopped screaming when she saw that he had fallen to the floor with a harsh thud.

She placed her hands on her mouth and looked up to meet Roman's eyes.