𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞

Chapter Seven

       
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"How did you even know I was here?"
Bruno smirked, tilting his head as if it was obvious. "You know what, don't answer that," Matthew responded, picking up his laptop and phone from the bed. He was feeling better, much better than he had this morning, his fixation with Imani forgotten for the time being as he basked in this reunion. He was looking forward to spending time with his childhood friends.

Reminisce of the days gone. Walk down memory lane of their teenagehood. Remind them about that one time they fought over an older girl, Bruno's struggle with waking up in the morning for mandatory church service. They hated waking him up so much they began doing it in turn.

He was such a heavy sleeper they sometimes had to drag him up, and even then, he would still not wake up. One day Raph got so mad he threw a bucket of water at him. He woke up screaming, his hands on his face like he was shielding himself from blows. They knew then that he must have been physically abused, not that he ever talked about it; they never did talk about themselves, not to each other.

Matthew swore when a gush of wind whipped his hair across his face, the night air chilly on his face. Bruno led him to his black range rover vogue, whistling as he circled to the driver's seat.

"Mr Ocean," Pete, his bodyguard, rounded him when he was about to slide his suitcase behind the passenger's seat. He must have run because he was out of breath, his shirt hanging over his trouser, shooting a wary look at Bruno. Though he had seen him once, he didn't know much about him; all he knew was that his employer did not have friends, only acquaintances.

"Don't worry about me, Pete. I'll be fine," Matthew told him, his hand on the door, "I will call you after the ceremony." he wanted to laugh at the helpless look on his face. He knew how serious Pete took his job; he also knew he could never forgive himself if anything were to happen to him, so it fell to Matthew, rightly so, to reassure him.

"This is Bruno; he is the friend getting married."

He looked far from reassured.

"Pete, if I wanted to kidnap your boss, trust me, you wouldn't see me coming."Bruno managed to say, getting up and hanging on the door, impatiently tapping his fingers on the roof.

Pete narrowed his eyes, but that didn't stop Matthew from sliding into the car. Bruno breezed out of the parking lot, leaving Pete standing there watching the taillight disappear. Knowing there was nothing he could do, Pete walked back to his room while telling himself he shouldn't worry; he knew Matthew ocean was as shrewd as he was wealthy, and as untrusting, he wouldn't go anywhere without having calculated the risk that's how he remains one of the richest in the world.

"Am I about to become an accessory to a crime?"

"Why?" Bruno asked as he drove through the highway, dodging the traffic by swerving across the lanes.

"Because you're driving like a thief, or as if you're afraid we might be pulled over, ordered to open the trunk because you know there is a dead body ."

Bruno laughter happily, slowing down to follow the traffic as he spotted traffic police.

"Don't be dramatic."

"I've never been dramatic in my life."

Bruno rolled his eyes, indicating left to join their private road.

"I remember Raph saying you might be a horror storyteller someday."

Matthew chuckled with new memories, running his fingers through his hair. With a comfortable sigh, he leaned on the headrest, closing his eyes and then opening them after a while. They drove through a part of Cabral paved road before joining a terrain of a tree-lined pathway that almost looked like a small forest. Something about it was refreshing—like being in the countryside. If he wasn't mistaken, there was a small stream somewhere close; he could hear water flowing gently, birds chirping into the twilight, the swinging of trees bringing a calming breeze. He could see why the guys had bought this to be their home. The view took his breath away.