Chapter 6 The Arrangements

Drake clasped his hands together and looked at him through a lowered gaze.

"Let's just forget about the reason for now. As I said, King is getting married today."

He stood up and stood behind Steve where he rested his hands on his shoulders.

"This is what you are going to do. Prepare the papers and make them ready before 6:00 pm."

He sighed! "One more thing? Would there be a problem if he isn't present but he has his signature on the papers?"

"Seriously? How can it be called marriage without his presence? That is not called marriage," he chuckled.

He tapped him on the shoulders, "Steve, I didn't ask for your opinion on that, answer the question I asked you."

"No, there won't be, as long as the bride's side agrees."

"Good!" Drake smiled at his declaration.

He walked to his seat and exaggerated a smile again.

"Good, good, I will call you later and tell you what to do,"

"I don't get one thing clear, why is it all of a sudden, most importantly, considering the man we know he is." He asked again, with professional seriousness.

Drake rubbed his palms together and exhaled sharply.

"That is not part of why I called you, I think we are done for now."

"I shall take my leave now, Drake. Hasta pronto." He said as they shook hands and then he walked him to the door.

Soon after he had left, King called."He sat on the sofa and reached for the call.

"Drake? Are you taking care of things?" His horse voice demanded.

"Oh, c'mon man? Don't you care a little bit about your friend? Won't you at least ask about my well-being?"

"Who cares about your well-being? I am digging your grave, waiting for your death to be announced." He said on the other side of the phone.

Drake chuckled, "enough, I know you care, King."

"Don't be too certain, Drake. You know me very well, those are not my metier. Now, answer my question! "He exclaimed.

"Well, everything is under control. In fact, your lawyer just left." I said and got up into his bedroom.

"Do you have the wedding rings? King, can you hear me?"

"What do you mean by wedding rings? How can I have a wedding ring on if I am supposedly not King?" He inquired.

"Not you, I mean her. Do you?" He sat on the rim of his bed and stared at his bandaged hand and smiled.

"Have you lost your memory aside from being stupid? I have shown it to you. Don't make me punch you via the phone." He said harshly.

"Take it easy Raphael, I'm still feeling the pain from yesterday."

He sighed softly! "I won't do anything to upset you, sir,"

He hung up as Drake comfortably laid with his eyes closed and contemplated on what to do next.

"Where are my keys, I need to see Maya, I have not even met her yet." He thought and decided to leave.

He turned and found it on the bedside table, he collected it and walked to ignite his black SUV King had gifted him.

He drove on the clear road and pulled up in front of King's mansion.

Just as he was about to Knock, Louis opened the door.

"Hey, Louis! Where is King?" He asked as he gently tapped him on the left shoulder.

He lowered his gaze, "in his room, sir."

"Alright, thank you," He said and then he jogged up the stairs to him.

King laid on the bed with his eyes tightly closed as he clasped his hand over his head. Drake leaned on the door and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched King's muscled chest rose and fell.

"Raphael, you need to wake up."

He flipped over, "bloody hell." He cursed.

"Don't you ever call me by that name? Do you get that?"

He scooted out of bed, he walked to the shower without a glimpse of his friend.

After he returned in just a Calvin Klein boxer, he glared at Drake and frowned like he was his long-term enemy.

"Calm down, no need to get hysterical, it's your name. That is what your potential wife will call you." Drake said as he did not dare to smile when King glared at him with his brows shot up.

King sat on his bed, "no one is going to call me with that, not even her."

Drake sighed and placed both hands in the pocket of his kaki.

"King, we wouldn't get anywhere if you continue to act like this,"

"So? How is that my concern?" He retorted.

Drake walked to settle on a chair at the left corner of the room.

"You need to loosen up a little bit."

He took his phone from the bedside table.

"Whatever, why are you here?"

He crossed his leg over the other and smiled before he spoke, "I am here to visit our wife,"

King shot a glance at Drake through his perilous eyes.

"Drake, stay within your limits, is that clear?"

He snubbed, "King, there's a little problem." He leaned forward.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Your lawyer said if the bride doesn't agree to the signing of the papers without your presence, it's lawful.

And I'm 101 percent sure she would want to meet the King, what if she doesn't agree?"

"Don't worry about that, if persuasion fails, force is applied." He stated exactly what he always did.

Drake signed out of frustration, "what the hell are you thinking? You can't be her friend if you do things with force."

He turned his gaze to Drakes' and he cataloged King's furrowed brows."Fuck Drake, seriously?"

With that, the door opened and someone entered.

She was wrapped in a white bathroom rope, and wore a fluffy flip-flop. Her morning face was something else to sit and discuss, it was as beautiful as the view from the sky to the ground. Her adoring piercing blue eyes shone so brightly against her natural long lashes which baited beneath her placid brows.

Drake couldn't stop as he admired from afar, he had never come across a brunette with such beauty ever.

"Were you never taught to knock before you enter someone's room?" King asked Maya who stood there unable to look directly at him because he was half naked.

"Well, is it my fault the door was opened?" She said defensively in her composed voice as she managed to skim King's masculine body.

Drake quickly cut in to stop their drama and veered her attention.

"I have not seen you around here before, I guess you are Maya?" He said, followed by a pleasant smile.

She returned his smile, "my bad, I didn't even notice your presence, I am Maya Martinez."

The same time, King walked away as he couldn't stand a minute more of their little chit-chat.

"You have a beautiful name, people mostly call me Drake. I am his best friend. He ended as he moved closer and kissed her on the cheek.

King returned in shirt and shorts to find them kissing each other. He chuckled and circumvented his gaze in annoyance.

"At least I have met one human being in this large illegal house. Nice to meet you, Drake." She said sardonically and then beamed graciously.

"Why are you here?" King interrupted.

"Can you ever speak humbly?" She replied with audacity as she lifted her head in confidence.

Drake only stared and smiled in his mind, for the first time he had met King, no one dared to talk to him like that, not even himself.

King gritted his teeth and cast a glance that could kill Maya at a spot, he warned.

"Maya, I would be glad if you add respect to your dictionary whilst you are here, you would need it."

"Oh really? There will be another time for that because I am here for something else." She replied confidently as she left both men in awe.

King loosened, "do you miss my beautiful face?" He asked and Maya softened and thought for a while before she replied

"Do not think highly of yourself, I didn't come here for you. I want to see your King." She replied while she made firm and precise movements.

"I mean, your King, not mine.

Don't ever think I am going to call him that."

She sighed and veered her attention toward Drake, "I don't even know why I am asking you questions when Drake is here. Come to think of it? I don't even know your name."

Drake smiled and glanced at King, "his name is Raphael, call him Raphael," King goggled.

She practiced the name like a little child who tried to familiarize herself with the alphabet.

"Raphael? At least it sounds nice, Raphael."

Drake watched King fumed with drastic anger, he smiled as Maya continued.

"Raphael, take me to your King." She requested one more time.

King raised his voice, "don't you call me Raphael!" He warned with rage.

She narrowed her brows and looked innocently at him, she asked in her soft voice.

"What do you mean? Isn't that your name?"

"Don't pay attention to him, Maya. You can't see King now, he is not around at the moment. Go to your room, Raphael will talk to you over breakfast." Drake said, and King pulled Maya close, then looked down at her intently.

Her piercing blue eyes widened, her lips parted slightly, she struggled for breath as she glimpsed nervously at King's fierce face. She toiled in her power to free herself but King was way too substantial.

The pain from yesterday's scene filled her head, she winched with pain as King held onto her tight. Unable to stop King, she mellowed and then maintained eye contact with him. His eyes blazed, just like what she had seen in her dream, and fear gripped.

"Please..." She said calmly. But the King everyone knew didn't have any relationship with the word please, he held on tighter as he curled his lip in annoyance.

The flung open and he loosened his grip and stared at the person in the doorway.

"King!"