THE CONTRACT MARRIAGE

5-THE DEAL

OMNISCIENT

In the United Kingdom,
London.

A red Pagani Utopia pulled up at a small town filled with many old people who were mostly butchers, children were aimlessly running around without a care in the world, and their parents probably went out in search of food for them to eat.

Aarif garaged the luxury car and turned to Maheer who was fast asleep, he could detect that from the latter's soft snores. With a sigh and eye-roll, he tapped the guy who was quick to wake up and adjust his neatly coifed raven hair that was shining under the dim light.

"What is it?" Maheer growled.

"Come down if you want," And then he alighted the car without waiting for his best friend, something that Maheer is used to.

"Why are you like this? Am I not supposed to be cared for?" His beautiful red lips were set in a cute pout as he stretched after coming out of the car. Aarif ignored him and tossed the car keys to a bulky, dangerous-looking man with a scar on his face. The man nodded at him and bowed at Maheer before leaving with the other guys who got back to their jobs in the garage.

After a few minutes of trekking, they arrived at an abattoir filled with animal blood stench. The people kept staring at the drop-dead gorgeous men, not that they could approach them even with Maheer's welcoming smile, they knew better.

"Ay, Mama Mia!" Maheer waved at the old lady who upon looking up, beamed at him. She stopped butchering the bunch of meat placed in front of her and turned to them with full attention.

"Are you here to cause trouble today again, Seven?" She narrowed her eyes at Maheer who feigned hurt. In the small town, everyone calls him Seven because according to them, it means perfection.

"Mama Mia! Why is everyone accusing me and not him?" He gestured to the austere man beside him. Aarif snorted coldly, as expected, his best friend will blame him for something he didn't know once again. It was their little plan to escape the clutches of threats, now, people think of Aarif as the cold, bloodthirsty boss and his friend as the harmless rabbit when in reality, the suborner of all evil is the latter.

"You can't hide anything from me Seven. Handle him when you get inside, the locale is full today," She spoke to Aarif who nodded and led the way to the medium-sized metal door that looked almost out of place. He expertly scanned his fingers and the door opened, revealing a dark, narrow hallway.

They trudged deeper inside and watched as it simultaneously lightened up. On their way to the main entrance, they met with two guards that were quick to move away from the door after bowing at them. Of course, they knew those two faces are not to be messed with.

"Honcho! Honcho, sorry we're late. It was that old woman who delayed us," A well-built man frantically shouted. Because there were packages from Starbucks and McDonald's in his hands, he could only speak. The other men in black business suits followed him, all of them halted when they saw the two, releasing a huge sigh of relief.

"Did I tell you to come?" Maheer raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, they couldn't see his eyes but they could bet on their lives that he narrowed them.

"Master, please make him understand. The last time he came here, the whole place exploded after he left, just because someone spoke to him about marriage," Maheer's chief of security, Steve, looked at Aarif for help.

Yes, that was what the old lady meant when she said trouble, the whole place had to be renovated for six months before it finally opened again, even the business owner dared not complain.