Page 125 of The Bonus

I roll her onto her side facing away from me and I cuddle her back.

“Three weeks until we get married,” she whispers into the darkness. “I’m so excited to start our life together.” She picks my hand up and kisses it, and I close my eyes in horror.

Fuck…

“Let’s circle back to this report next week.” I reply to the staff around my board table. “Good work this month, our figures are on fire.” They all leave the meeting room with a buzz of chatter. I collect my things and begin to walk back to my office. I pass through reception.

“Mr. Ferrara, your mother and Ariana are in your office, sir,” one of the girls tells me.

“Thank you.”

I keep walking and roll my eyes, great. What are they doing here, I am way too busy for their wedding crap today.

I walk into the office to find them both with their stilettos kicked off and shopping bags everywhere. They both have a glass of champagne from my bar.

“Ladies,” I say as I look around at the disaster zone. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Ariana jumps up and wraps her arms around my neck. “We came to show you what’s arrived.” She kisses me quickly and I pull out of her arms and peck my mother on the cheek. “Mom.”

“Hello, darling.” She smiles. “Take a seat.” She gestures to the couch.

“I don’t have time for this today.”

“We’ll be quick.” Mom smiles. “Show him, Ariana.”

Ariana digs through the bags and pulls out a box and very slowly opens it.

“Hurry up, this isn’t a marathon.” I sigh. “I don’t have all day, you know.”

Mom chuckles as she flops onto the couch beside me for the show.

The box opens and Ariana pulls out two crystal champagne flutes. “These are for all of the tables for the speeches.” She passes one to me. “Look at the engraving.”

My eyes scan the glass.

Gabriel and Ariana

Eternally bound by love

I curl my lip in disgust. “Bit over the top, don’t you think?”

“Nooo,” they gasp together.

“Ugh.”

“Oh, and there’s more.” Ariana widens her eyes.

“I can hardly contain my excitement,” I mutter under my breath.

“These are the chocolates for the table.” She pulls out a silver sample box and unwraps it and presents little chocolate statues of a bride and groom wrapped in foil.

“Look closer,” Mom tells me as she passes me a groom.

I look closer. “Why the hell does this chocolate look like me?”

“They digitally remastered our faces onto them.”

I cringe. “The last thing I want to see at my wedding is everyone I know sucking me off.”

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