Grey Matter

Chapter TwentySeven - Chaos At A Wedding

"Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Crowley." The DJ announced as Asha and Oliver walked down the grand staircase to their reception party. Asha's wedding dress was a gorgeous, Crystal-white mermaid gown. Her hair was a waterfall of cascading curls underneath her cathedral length veil. Oliver's tux was all white with accent of Olive green like Larsa and I's bridesmaids dresses.

The nuptials were beautiful and overall it was an amazing wedding. But, I was exhausted. Being in heels all day didn't help either. The decor of the venue was over the top Cinderella inspired. Very over the top and very Asha.

The evening flowed smoothly from their first dance, to the dinner, to the cutting of the cake. Watching Asha and Oliver's happiness was contagious, I shot Sebastian a couple smiles in between speeches by their family members.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight?" Sebastian asks as we sway to the music on the dance floor. I was wearing a cowl neck, slip dress in olive green with my hair styled in soft waves down my back. Sebastian wore a well tailored tux that made him look more delectable than usual.

"You did, five times now." I giggled.

"Well, it's true. You're absolutely breathtaking." He smiled down at me again.

"You're such a cheeseball." I laughed.

"Damn, I thought that added to my charm." He snorted.

"Yea, okay." I chuckled.

"Alright guys! Gather around!" Asha yelled as she pranced over to the dance floor to throw the bouquet. "One...two...three!"

Ironically Sebastian caught it right next to me and I couldn't contain my laughter. He just gave me a dark look of humor.

"Sebastian and Serena are the next wedding, y'all!" Asha clapped, giggling with joy.

Little did she know, we really were getting married soon.

Sebastian shot me a knowing grin as he handed me the bouquet of peonies. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom. I'll be back. Try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

"Me? Trouble? Never." I laughed, pecking him on the lips before he and headed to the bathroom.

"Okay, so perhaps these dresses don't suck as much as we thought." Larsa giggled as she brought me a glass of champagne.

"Eh." I shrugged playfully.

"So far I've been given three numbers and asked to get out of here twice." She sank down in the chair next to me at our table.

"Maybe it's just because you're a goddess in whatever you wear. You're kind of like Rihanna. She could wear a paper bag and people would do her bidding." I snorted.

"Now you're exaggerating. Don't gas me up, S." She laughed. "Where's Bash?"

"He ran to the bathroom." I informed, looking down at my phone and realizing he'd been gone for ten minutes. "Hey, I'm actually going to go look for him. It's been ten minutes."

"I'll come with." She stands and follows me.

"Where do you two sexy bitches think you're going?" Asha glided up to us, clearly drunk.

"We're gonna go find my boyfriend." I laughed. "Go have fun! It's your wedding, we'll be back."

She nodded, "Okay, but don't take too long. I have to get out of this dress and into my honeymoon dress in the next hour."

"Aye, aye captain." Larsa said as we continued on our way down the hall.

We got to the men's bathroom door and I knocked, "Sebastian?"

No answer.

Pushing the door open and walking inside, Larsa and I found it was empty.

"Where the hell is he?" Larsa frowned.

"I don't know." I said as I called him. After the second ring, the line picked up and at first it was really muffled. "Sebastian? Where are you?"

"You don't have to do this, Armadio. We can all walk away from this safely. No one has to shoot anyone." Sebastian's voice sounded and my heart dropped. A short second later a gunshot fired.

"Oh my god!" I gasped. Armadio was here. But where the hell was Sebastian? And who was shot?

"What is it?" Larsa asked, a worried experiment clear on her face.

I dart out of the bathroom and dial 911.

"Larsa, I need you to call for help and tell them someone has been shot." I hand my best friend my phone as I hike my skirt up and run towards the nearest exit.

"Shot?! Whose been shot?!" Larsa gasps.

I push through the door and find myself in an alley with black limousines parked at the side of the street. Another two gunshots sounded and my heart skittered again. I ran in the direction the noise and cut the corner to find Sebastian on the ground with Domino standing over him. Armadio Vega was laying on the ground five feet away from them.

"Oh my god! Sebastian!" I gasped at the scene and ran to them.

"Relax, Miss Kelly." Domino spoke. "He's okay."

"Serena." Sebastian pants, gripping hold of his left shoulder. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you! I heard everything you said on the phone. What happened?" I cupped his face in my hands

"I walked out of the party to take a call with Domino and we were attacked by Armadio's men. Domino fought his men and I fought Armadio. In the middle of the fight Armadio pulled out a gun. Luckily Domino shot him, because Vega's bullet hit my shoulder instead of my head." Sebastian grunted as we helped him up off the ground.

I hugged him tightly, calming myself a bit. "I thought it was you who got shot. I thought-I thought I lost you."

"Hey, I'm okay. A little banged up with a bullet in my arm, but I'm alright." He squeezed my waist and kissed the top of my head as we walked towards the blaring sirens that were getting closer and closer.

   

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"I really have to wear this ridiculous thing?" Sebastian asked as we stepped off the elevator into the penthouse, examining the sling his arm was in.

"Yes, you really do." I chuckled. "It's not a paper cut, Sebastian. You were shot."

"I'm aware of that. It still hurts like a bitch." He winced as he made his way over to the couch in the living room and sat down. I followed him.

"I'm sure Asha is going to murder me when she gets back from her honeymoon." I sighed, placing my clutch on the coffee table and unfastening my shoes.

"I'll tell her it was my fault." Sebastian chuckled.

"Maybe she'll forgive me if I let her pick the bridesmaids dresses for our wedding." I giggled.

"She'll get over it, babe. She's your best friend." He sighed.

"Yea, I suppose you're right." I said sitting back on the couch and resting my head on his right shoulder.

"By the way, where do you want to go on our honeymoon?" He asked.

"I don't really know. I guess we could go back to Paris. I did love it there." I shrugged.

"I have a place in Paris, we can go there anytime. Where is somewhere you've always dreamt of going?" He chuckled.

"Africa." I said after a long moment of thought.

"Ah, the Motherland." He nodded. "What part?"

"Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria. I've always wanted to see a giraffe up close. And an elephant. Yea, Africa." I smiled widely.

"That's beautiful." He said, his coal black irises scanning my face. "Africa it is then."