Page 41 of Under The Greek's Protection

Chapter 14

Alistair

After dinner, we laidaround in the den watching television until it was time for us to start getting ready for tonight. Once we got dressed and went downstairs, I admired Hailey, Devyn, and my attire. The three of us were matching in the black and white colors Nina wanted the family to wear for her opening. Hailey had on a white, form fitting dress, with a black sash around the waist, while Devyn had on a white dress that flared at the knees with the same black sash. I donned a black, collarless tuxedo, with a white dress shirt underneath, and black leather dress shoes.

When we were ready to head out, Hailey gave us a once over before nodding her approval. I’m not biased or anything, but I knew my family was going to look the best out of everyone else.

As we pulled into Zar’s driveway in the limo he sent, other limos were lined on either side of it. Everyone was already there and it was time for us to make our entrance. The driver opened our door, and I got out first, helping Hailey and Devyn. The door to the house opened with Mother on the other side smiling big.

“There the three of you are! I was just about to call to see what was taking you so long,” she fretted as she gave me a hug, then Hailey and Devyn. “I swear Devyn, it seems like you grow taller every time I see you.”

Devyn snickers as Mother walks her further into the house. I shut the door, then laced my fingers with Hailey’s as we followed them.

“It’s about time,” Zar groaned as we stepped into the living room where he, Nina, Father, Grandfather, GeeGee, Xander, Sabre, Frankie and Hendrix were sitting around.

“What can I say, it takes time to look this good,” I joked, popping my collar.

Xander chuckled. “Conceited much?”

“No, just confident,” I threw back at him, laughing.

Zar stood, then helped Nina up. “Well, now that you’re here, we can get going. Mike, Janae, and the others are meeting us there.”

Once everyone was in their limo, we began our forty-five minute ride to the city.

Pulling up to Mystique, there’s already a line stretched to the end of the block of partygoers ready to get in. Spotlights are directed toward the new Mystique sign. The people in the line cheer and clap as we pass. Zar and Nina’s limo stopped ahead of us, and our driver did the same. They got out, then opened our doors. As we emerge from the vehicles, we’re met by Janae, Mike, Lethal, Tech, Venom, Blade and their dates. Aunt Cornelia, my mother’s sister who lives here in Dallas, is with her husband Jacob, and our little cousin Selena, Zar threw her last birthday party at the old Mystique. We hugged and shook hands with them before continuing to the entry.

Katie, Nina’s bartender from the old Mystique, and the rest of her original employees, stood at the entry, decked out in their new tuxedo style uniforms. Two of the waitresses are holding a wide white ribbon with ‘Congratulations’ printed in black, in the middle, as they stand on each side of a red carpet that leads into the club. Katie stands in front of them, holding a large pair of scissors. She excitedly smiles as Zar escorts Nina to them.

Nina gives her a hug when they meet, then smiles at the rest.

“Thank you,” she tells them, turning to us and the crowd. “I’m not going to make this long, so I’ll get right to it. Thank you to everyone who’s come out to celebrate the grand re-opening of Mystique. It took a while but we’ve finally made it to this night! I want to thank my family and friends for having my back through it all, and most of all I want to thank my love, my rock, my man, Balthazar Kourakos, for loving me through it all.”

Zar wraps his arm around her back, then leans down to kiss her awaiting lips. “I’ll always love you,” he tells her.

“I love you too,” she chokes, smiling with misty eyes. Clearing her throat, she shouts, “Welcome to Mystique!” With a snip of the scissors, she cuts the ribbons. We, along with the crowd, yell, clap, and whistle. Mystique is officially reopen for business.

Two hours later, we’re sitting in the largest VIP section. Champagne bottles popped, and Nina’s chef sent out a spread of food that was to die for. After Zar made the first toast of the night, he led Nina onto the dance floor as the deejay started playing Chris Brown and HER’s song, Come Together. Just as Chris Brown was crooning into the chorus, the song cut off and the lights fell on the two of them. The deejay ran onto the dance floor and handed Zar a microphone. We all curiously stared at him, wondering what he was up to.

“I just want to say how proud I am of this woman. She could’ve walked away from her dream when it was burned down, but she brushed that shit off and only made her dream bigger. Other than my mother, she is one of strongest women I know. She loves her friends and family hard and would do anything for them. It took me seven years to finally make her mine, but now I want to make her mine for the rest of your lives.”

Nina gasped, covering her mouth as Zar dropped down to one knee. He reached inside his tuxedo, pulled out a black velvet box, and opened it.

“I have loved you for as long as I can remember. You have always been my leading lady, you just didn’t know it back then, but now I want you to be more than my leading lady. I want you to be my wife. So, in front of all these people who have come to celebrate your accomplishment, along with our friends and family, I ask you Nina Palmer, will you be my wife?” I don’t know who was screaming the loudest, Janae and the ladies, or the crowd.

Zar held his hand up, silencing the cheers. “So, what’s it going to be, baby?”

A tearful Nina shook her head up and down. Zar chuckled before saying, “I need to hear the words, Nina.”

He raised the microphone up to her, and she whispered, “Yes”

Everyone went wild as Zar stood, and kissed her lovingly, as she placed her palms on his cheeks. When he let her go, he took her hand, and slid the stunning diamond ring on her finger. Nina was laughing and crying at the same time, as he picked her up and twirled her around.

As the deejay restarted the music, we rushed to the dance floor to congratulate them. Mother and GeeGee were crying tears of joy, and as Grandfather took Nina’s hand to admire the ring, it was then I noticed it was my Nana Hermione’s wedding ring. He kissed the ring before affectionately hugging her. What an honor for Grandfather to do that for Zar.

Since we were already on the dance floor, we began dancing. The fun really began when we made a Soul Train line. Even Grandfather took a stroll down the line, but the funniest shit was when Mike and Janae went down. Seeing the big burly guy glide down the line doing the robot was hilarious. I love my family.

Father, Mother, GeeGee, Grandfather, and Devyn left an hour ago for the condos. Once the twerking and mannish dancing started, as GeeGee calls it, it was time for Devyn to go. Of course, she wasn’t ready. Nina hugged and thanked her for being there, then explained to Devyn, that while she was happy she came to celebrate with her, she’s still a minor. An hour was enough for her to be at the club. Nina told her we’ll continue the celebration tomorrow at the family dinner. That seemed to cheer her up. After saying goodbye to them, the real partying kicked off.

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