Chapter 9


    RICK


    I sit down at my table again. My chat with Vi didn’t go the way I had hoped. I know I’ve blown what


    we started outside in the garden. I am disappointed. She has had an effect on me like no other woman


    and I still can’t stop looking at her.


    She’s one of the best at what she does. I’m one of the best at what I do too.


    I know if we coborated it would be great. With her reputation in her industry, Vi attracts top-tier


    clients because of her reputation. My kind of clients. The wealthier they are, the bigger the divorce


    settlements are. Makes sense doesn’t it?


    That aside, they can also pay for the best legal advice before they get married if we coborate. This is


    what Vi failed to recognize. Mymissions are good and she stands to make good money simply


    from a referral. Why should she even care what happenster down the road? If anything, she’s likely


    to get at least one repeat client if the couple divorces and they remarryter. They’ll probably call her


    for their next wedding. Hell, there’s even their children a generation from now who’ll be getting married.


    She can easily get the children’s weddings too depending on how close she stays to her clients after


    they get married. I’ll cut her in on all the business I get from a client she refers to me and I’ll even refer


    business her way too.


    I keep looking at her. I can’t help it. I’m wondering what’s got her so upset about what I said. Maybe it


    was just the wrong time and I should have arranged to speak with her after the wedding or on a day


    when she wasn’t running a wedding reception.


    There is another reason why I can’t stop looking at her. She is unbelievably beautiful. I don’t believe in


    love but she is my type. By my type, I mean confident, sassy, proud, sexy, independent. The kind that


    doesn’t have time for rtionships but takes what she needs from men when she needs it. Just as I


    take from women what I need when I need it. I don’t have time for rtionships. I also don’t believe in


    them.


    She catches me looking at her again and she shifts ufortably in her chair then sits forward, putting


    up her hand to cut me from her view. She says something to Ashley and then pushes her te away.


    She hasn’t finished her food. Then she gets up and leaves the room.


    My gaze follows her as she heads for the door. The sway of her hips is entuated perfectly by the


    figure-hugging outfit she is wearing. The high heels she is wearing add height to her form and her long,


    silken ck hair bounces softly with every step she takes.


    I touch her panties in my pocket and remember how good she smells. I’m instantly hard again as I think


    of our encounter earlier tonight in the garden.


    She doesn’t know she’s a goddess. Perfect. I’ve seen her type many times before. I hunt for her type. I


    have the most fun with them. First, I show them how beautiful they are and make them realize the


    effect they have on men. I like to make them self-aware. When a woman like Vi bes self-aware


    of her beauty and sexuality, it increases her beauty and sexuality. Stripping away her innocence and


    teaching her the ways of the world, my world actually, is what I enjoy most.


    My interest in Vi is more than just business. Hell, if she gives me no business and just lets me tame


    her, I guess I can live with it. It would be a pity though.


    I realize everyone else is standing and so I stand as a waiter passes with a tray of champagne sses.


    I lighten his tray by taking a ss and look at the main table where the toasts are beginning. The happy


    couple is whispering and smiling as the MC talks and jokes. They seem happy and I wish them all the


    best. I really do. Not everyone divorces. I just want to nt the seed that I’m here if ever either of them


    should need me. It’s not asking much.


    The toasts continue for a while and I nce over to where Vi was sitting but she hasn’t returned.


    Ashley is there and she’s not looking at me. The toasts finish and the band begins to y. People cross


    to the happy couple at the table and offer their congrattions. I join in and congratte the happy


    couple. A short whileter the couple steps out onto the dance floor for their first dance. I watch them


    move around the dance floor gracefully. They don’t say much as they dance. The groom is almost a


    head taller than the bride and while she presses her head against his chest he is looking around as if


    he is looking for someone.


    They are joined on the dance floor by some of the guests and soon the floor is crowded with happy


    couples. When the wedding couple finishes their dance, they return to the table and the groom excuses


    himself. I assume he’s going to relieve himself. The bride watches him go before she is distracted by a


    guest.


    With the festivities almost in full swing, I decide it’s almost time for me to leave. Weddings are not my


    favorite events, even less so when I am without a partner.


    I decide to go and look for Vi and try to speak to her again before I leave. I grab myself another drink


    from a passing waiter and begin to make my way through the guests to the main garden.


    I find Vi halfway between the reception area the main building. Her back is turned to me and she is


    speaking into her walkie-talkie. She finishes and turns around. She jumps back in surprise.


    “Oh my God!” she exims. “You gave me such a fright!”


    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” I reply. I give her a moment to recover and then continue. “Look, I’m sorry


    for earlier. I think everything just came out wrong. Normally I can express myself quite clearly and I just


    don’t know what happened earlier…”


    Vi is studying me coldly, “… I think you expressed yourself quite clearly back there Rick. You see the


    institution of marriage as an opportunity for future business, preying on the sorrow and anguish of


    others to make a living when that timees, if ever. I have never met awyer like you. I’ve heard of,


    even seen ambnce chasers in action but this, you must have a hundred percent market share of


    your chosen niche…”


    Vi breaks off as someone passes by. It’s the bride. She seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere.


    “Trish, is everything okay?” Vi asks.


    Trish barely stops and turns. “Yes. I just need the bathroom. I’ve waited too long already.”


    “Okay. Don’t let me keep you,” Vi smiles.


    Trish turns and continues her walk up to the main building.


    Something in Trish’s manner tells me something is wrong. It’s not my wedding though and I am leaving


    anyway. Nevertheless, I decide to say something to Vi.


    “I think somethings wrong with the bride…”


    “So now you’re a doctor too?” Vi asks angrily in a low tone afraid that Trish might still be in earshot.


    “No… I just want to help…”


    “I don’t need your help, marriage killer. This is my wedding and I think everything’s going just fine…”


    A woman’s shouts suddenly be audible from the main building. I can’t say for sure who it is but I


    have a pretty good idea.


    Vi turns and runs for the main building. It takes me a moment before I follow her.


    “Trish!” Vi calls as she runs to the building.


    As we near the building the words of the woman’s shouts be clear.


    “You… son… of… a… two… timing… bitch! And you! You… goddamn… damn… whore!”


    Vi has entered the building with me in tow. She pushes her way through the crowd that has gathered


    already around the open bathroom door.


    I follow Vi’s wake through the crowd and arrive at the front of the people just behind Vi. Trish is


    standing in front of the open bathroom door screaming at the groom whose pants are pooled around


    his ankles. He is still buried cock deep in the woman with him in the bathroom. I recognize the girl.


    Cherise. She is the bridesmaid. She looks away and exims to the groom, “Close the goddamn door,


    you idiot!”


    He reaches to close it but can’t without slipping out of the bridesmaid and revealing himself to everyone


    watching.


    Trish steps forward. She brandishes the cake knife threateningly, “You dare close this fucking door and


    I’ll cut your cock off you cheating son of a bitch!”


    The groom, Eric, goes a deeper shade of red and tries to cate Trish, “Babe, I’m sorry. I am, I didn’t


    mean to…”


    “Shut up!” Trish screams. “Shut up! Don’t try to sell me your lies!”


    Vi takes Trish’s arm but she shrugs it off. Camera shes are going off intermittently and the


    situation is bing increasingly embarrassing for everyone. I step forward around Trish and I close


    the door. When I turn, Trish screams at me.


    “Who the hell are you! Why are you defending him?”


    “I’m not defending him,” I reply calmly but firmly as I step up to Trish. She does not resist as she lets


    me gently relieve her of the cake knife. I lower my voice, “It is embarrassing you and everyone.”


    She looks up at me and bursts into tears as she copses against me. I put my arms around her and


    support her as she is wracked by huge sobs. She tries to talk as she sobs and I cannot understand a


    word she is saying. Over her head, I meet Vi’s eyes which are looking at me with a mixture of fading


    anger and newfound respect. I hold Trish close as she continues to sob. Finally, a couple presses


    through the crowd and approaches us.


    I recognize them as Trish’s parents.


    “Thanks,” her father says. He gently takes her arm. “Honey, daddy’s here. It’s okay,” he says softly. Her


    father gently pries her loose from me and she turns to her father, hugs him, and continues sobbing.


    “I’m sorry for what’s happened, sir. Truly sorry,” I say.


    Her father nods, “Thank you,” he says again.


    I remove a business card and hand it to Trish’s mother since her father’s hands are full holding Trish.


    Her mother takes the card, looks at it, and then at me. I don’t need to say anything. The message is


    clear.


    “Thank you, Rick,” Trish’s mother says. I simply nod and then turn to leave.


    When I turn, Vi is there. She is looking at me again with narrowed eyes. I can tell she’s angry.


    I sidestep her and push my way through the crowd that has already started thinning.


    I can feel Vi’s eyes on my back as I leave. I almost expect her to chase me down but I think she


    knows that wouldn’t be a good idea on so many fronts. In a way I want her to chase me down. I want toN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    see her, talk to her, even argue with her as long as I get to speak to her again. She has no idea of the


    effect she has had on me.


    I reach the lobby and give the valet my ticket. My car arrives soon enough and I


    leave.