North Meets South, Worlds Collide - 72. Chapter 72

We got on the shuttle and went to the Bay of Islands…after breakfast, of course.

“This will be more your kind of stop,” Tony said smiling at me as we rode the waves on the shuttle. “A lot of nature and stuff.”

I grinned at him. “Sorry.”

He shrugged. “I’ll deal with it.”

“This is great!” I said defending where we were. “This is Middle Earth!”

Tony’s eyes grew. “What!?”

I nodded. “This is where they’re filming all those Lord of Rings movies. In New Zealand!”

Tony grinned and slowly nodded. “Oh.”

The Bay of Islands was very…well…it was a beach town. It was not the big sprawling metropolis of Manhattan, more like the beach communities near Charleston I knew. We really didn’t do anything, but what we wanted to do.

“To be fair…” I began to Tony as we were walking hand in hand. “Is there nothing you wish to do here? A tour maybe?”

Tony shook his head. “And be on a bus full of tourists…cameras out flashing and all the ooh’s and ah’s…the tour guide saying…and we’re walking, we’re walking…not my thing. There is no pressure to get in as much as we can. We do it at our own pace.” He chuckled as he rested his lips against my temple. “I like being with just you.”

It was again, that feeling; dreading what he might…probably did have, but I squelched it. He was here now and with treatment, he would be here with me a while, so just enjoy that he is here for now. “I love that you like to be with me.” I hated that this horrible thing was happening to him, but did it have to overshadow everything? I hated to think what was going through his mind. We promised to talk if necessary, but not now. Not for me.

“We’ve got three days at sea starting tomorrow.” Tony said. “The next stop is Brisbane…a city.”

I nodded. “Three days at sea and we don’t wonder what we’re going to be doing.”

“Why do you say that?” Tony smiled.

I shrugged. “We’ve got a great stateroom suite, we need to use it. I don’t care if we don’t come out those three days.”

Tony kissed me. “We can do that.”

The night was going to be special. We both were celebrating birthdays, so I was not surprised when Tony said we were dressing up. I was internally growling when I caught the scent after he showered in that body wash and washed his hair in that fragrance I loved him to wear. I’ve said it many times; he was poetry in motion all the time to me. He was tempting me now!

I was putting my jacket on when there was a chime from downstairs. I looked up surprised at Tony who just smiled.

“I’ll get it.” He said happily and walked out of our bedroom.

He was up to something. “What did you do?” I asked him.

“You’ll see.” He called back. “Don’t come down yet!” He warned.

I loved that he did things like this, but I wanted to do things for him as well. I heard him talking to someone and it took just a few minutes before…

“Okay.” I heard. “Come down and get your present.”

Smiling to myself I started walking down the stairs. “Tony…we’re on the Queen Mary! I have my present. You didn’t have…” I froze at what I saw.

He was standing next to a rolling cart with food. His back was turned and he chuckled. “So, you don’t want to unwrap your present?” He asked as he turned around. Here he was, in that great tuxedo of his, hair groomed nicely and looking stunning…and smelled wonderful, but right on his lapel was a huge red bow and a little sign that said Happy Birthday! “You can always exchange it if you don’t like it.” He smiled as he lifted his arms to me. “I’m all yours, Mitch. I love you. Happy Birthday.”

Say what you will…I was such a sappy guy now! I was starting to cry! I never cry like this…no movie was sad enough and no one moved me to tears like he was doing. He was thoughtful, kind, romantic and damned good looking. He loved me! I walked into his arms and kissed him hard in that consuming way. So hard, it caught both our breaths. I often got a little light headed when kissing him and this time…I had it bad, I already had blurred vision and I would not faint! “I know we’ve said it many times in every day we’ve been together, but words are often all we have to express…I am so in love with you, Tony.”

Tony nodded. “As I am with you.”

I glanced at the cart. “I hope you’re okay with lukewarm or cold dinner,” I said pushing his coat off. “We won’t be eating right away.” I chuckled. “Then again, I’ll be having Italian, and I know that’s always hot.”

Tony chuckled and raised the lid. “Caviar, oysters…strawberries and whipped cream,” he nodded. He raised another lid to show a nicely done birthday cake. Not big, but enough for two. “It will keep.” He said and began kissing back just as hard. “All the aphrodisiacs I could think of.”

I smiled as we continued to undress each other. “After all these years…you know; you’re the only aphrodisiac I need.” His scent was now being allowed to work its magic and I was right. I needed nothing else. Between the light eating of his additional aphrodisiacs and lovemaking; this was a night we had fireworks! Maybe those aphrodisiacs worked a little extra addition to the loving because we did it all over this great stateroom, finally making to the bed upstairs! We did it for quite a while, edging close to cumming and then letting it drop a little, then doing it again, letting it drop again. Finally, I couldn’t do it much more, we were both sweating…I entered him and…I know its soundproof in the suite because Tony and I were both grunting loud and then in a colossal build up, I came hard in him…one, twice, three times and one last major shot…four! I wasn’t alone. Tony came equally as hard and as many times. I had enough foresight to put a towel down. Not to save the cabin steward, this was the Queen Mary and there was a lot of lovemaking onboard. Cum stained sheets were just a part of being human, but we had to sleep on it afterward. I didn't consider myself a top, I didn’t consider Tony as a bottom, but we both had our preferences. He was more than willing to top me, as I was more than willing to bottom for him, but we knew what the other liked best and that’s what we gave each other.

We were both sweating and trying to regulate our breaths as we basked in the post-euphoric sensations after we had stopped for the moment. My head dropped beside his as I felt my cock soften and finally fell out. Tony even moaned at the loss.

“That…” he managed between breaths, “…was…” he got out a little hoarsely, “…amazing.”

I chuckled and pressed our heads together. “You…were…amazing,” I said. My lips found their way to his temple and down his cheek. “Can I…ask,” I smiled at him. “Let’s come here again,” I said.

Tony’s eyes sparkled. “Come here? The Queen Mary? Or cum here?”

“Both,” I said resting on my elbow as I gazed in his eyes. “I know you had this planned several years…but…”

Tony grinned. “Aren’t you worried about the cost any more?”

I shook my head. “That was silly of me to worry about that. It always was silly.”

“That’s who you are,” Tony said simply with a shrug. “This wasn’t you.”

I nodded and pressed my forehead against his. “It was who I was,” I confessed. “Not to bring up an ugly subject after this momentous lovemaking we just had…my priorities have changed. You are the most important part of us. You always were. We’ll weather what’s ahead together, but I will enjoy what we’ve got. Okay?”

He nodded. “Sure.” He grinned. “I’ll make arrangements tomorrow.” He looked at the suite. “We may not get this suite again, but I know there are others that will be just as nice.”

“And we have that wedding for Sasha and David coming up, that will be a cruise for them.”

Tony nodded. “Which we agreed not to go on with them.” He rolled us over. “That doesn’t mean we can’t take another somewhere else!” He proceeded to kiss me gently. “I love you.”

I brought him closer if that was possible. “I know. I love you.”

“I know.”

We woke, in our usual positions. He was right behind me, spooned against me with his arm resting over me, pulling me slightly even in his sleep to keep me from getting away. Like I would even think of getting away? His soft snore heard and told me he was there; if the hold on me wasn’t enough to tell me. I just laid there enjoying what I had. I drifted in and out of a light sleep a while before I heard the snore stop and felt his arm around me move. He brought me closer as he woke up. I smiled at that. I was not his possession, but he was possessive and I loved that. I belonged to him. I dared to turn a little and felt his body move as he gave me space as I rolled to face him.

“Good morning, baby,” I said softly as he smiled at me. “That was a spectacular birthday. Thank you.”

He chuckled. “I hope you liked your present as much as I loved mine.” He kissed me. “I enjoyed unwrapping you.”

“I am yours.” I nodded. “I always love to unwrap you.”

He chuckled. “You don’t have to unwrap me now.” He raised the sheet to show we were both naked like I’d forget.

I laughed at him as my hand went down him to his morning erection. “I’m surprised if I have anything left after last night.”

I felt his hand on my own erection. He grinned. “I feel evidence you do.”

We made love again.

We had snacked…sort of…the night before. I shook my head as I heard Tony’s stomach growl. “Okay,” I said kissing him quickly. “Get dressed; we’ll get you some coffee and something to eat.”

Tony looked…not upset at the idea. He gave a light objection. “We can order something.”

I nodded. “Yes, we can,” I said kissing him again. “But we won’t. Let’s shower and change. Come on.” I said pulling him out of bed to go shower.

“But we were to spend the day here.” Tony almost whined, but not too hard.

I nodded in the bathroom and turned the shower on. “And we’ll be back. I promise.” I pulled him in after me into the shower. “Besides, we need to give the steward a chance to clean up.” I grinned. “We sort of made a mess.”

Tony gave me a look of uncertainty. “It’s not too bad and we were careful when we made love…you’re not going to clean up before she gets here like you always do?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I was told before…she has a job that she’s brought here and paid to do. That’s how she earns her money. I don’t do it often, but that was a special night.”

He remembered saying that to me on our first cruise. “You’re right.”

“Besides, she’ll get a good tip at the end. Right?” I said to him kissing him.

He nodded, kissing back. “Absolutely.”

We changed into shorts and shirts…deck shoes and went to get something to eat. Once we consumed our meal, we strolled around the ship. We got down to the area that had all those shops…for everything from jewelry to clothes…novelty items and other assorted things. Artwork…at sea! A few shops we looked in but didn’t really stop to buy.

“Tony! Mitch!” We heard a familiar booming voice…the Russian accent was known. “My friends!!”

Turning to the voice, I smiled as Ivan came over to us.

“Ivan!” I said not as booming. I don’t think I could. I looked around him. “Where is Katya?”

Ivan gave a smirk waving at the shop. “She’s buying.” He thumbed back at a clothier and rolled his eyes tolerantly with a smile.

Then we heard something I never thought I’d hear on this…or any other ship. A scream!

Ivan turned and…his happy demeanor vanished and he charged in the shop like a raging bull. Neither Tony or I saw what happened, but we heard a roar…literally and Ivan shouting in Russian to keep your hands off my wife! We heard a crash and by the time we got close enough to see…lottery man was on the ground, nursing a bloodied nose and mouth. Lottery man’s wife stood, ready to take on Ivan!? Really? He was a foot taller and…well a little heavier. Suddenly there were crewmen rushing into the shop. Three of them. Ivan was comforting his wife to himself as she cowered against Ivan as he protected her. The woman that worked in the shop was shaking her head at the damaged display and Ivan was saying something to Katya, who was shaking. Ivan looked up at the crewmen that came in to access the situation.

“He should be taken off this boat!” The woman screamed at the crewmen and pointed at Ivan and then went to her husband who was still bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth.

“We’ll wait for Mr. Simmons.” One of the crewmen said calmly and spoke into a device…not a cell phone and not a walkie-talkie. “We need a medic on deck three…S3D.”

I knew from seeing the crew roster, Patrick Simmons was the first mate for the Queen Mary.

“He hit my husband. Why isn’t someone doing something?” The woman asked them and everyone. “He assaulted my husband!”

“We saw the whole thing.” The crewman said calmly nodding. “Something is being done right now.”

“You saw what?” The woman demanded. “You weren’t here.”

The crewman just nodded but ignored her for the moment.

Walking over to Ivan and Katya, Ivan was rubbing her shoulder and arm as he held her as she shook as he spoke to her softly assuring.

“Are you alright, Katya?” I asked her.

She nodded but was still upset. “Fine now.”

The crewman walked over to us. “You speak Russian?” He asked me in English as he smiled. “Good, because I’m afraid none of us speak Russian that well. There is some on the ship, but…”

“We do speak Russian,” I assured the officer.

“We’ll gladly translate,” Tony added but smiled at me. “He’s better at it, though.”

The ship’s medical team came in and went to the lottery guy and began working on him, not that the lottery guy wanted tending to. Instead, he got up and was waving everyone off and was taking his wife’s hand to leave.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Mr. Grison.” The crewman said stepping in front of him. “I have orders for you to remain.”

“I can go and come as I please.” The man said sneering.

“No, you can’t.”

Then in walked Mr. Simmons and another officer. Mr. Simmons was not a bad looking man in his forties, losing some of the dark hair at the top of his head, but he had an air of authority. He walked over to the man and woman that won the lottery.

“If you would come with me, please?” Mr. Simmons asked the lottery man but reached out to take his arm, which lottery guy jerked the arm away.

“I won’t.” The man said. “Why?”

Mr. Simmons nodded. “Very well, since you insist, you’re being put off the ship.”

Lottery guy’s eyes grew. “I paid for this trip! Why are we being put off?”

“Again, since you want everyone to know.” He sighed. “There have been many complaints about you…from passengers and staff.” He nodded to lottery guy’s wife, “about you and your wife. This last incident, we will not tolerate.”

The lottery guy’s wife shook her head. “What incident?”

“He essentially sexually assaulted Mrs. Belov.” Mr. Simmons said simply.

Mrs. Lottery Guy’s wife shook her head. “What!? Maybe he bumped her, but she screamed and that…man there just hit him!”

Mr. Simmons nodded and held his hand out to another officer that was with him. The officer handed Mr. Simmons something that looked like one of those readers I’d seen. My guess was it did a whole lot more. “After the fifth or sixth complaint, …we began watching you two.” He waved at the wall of the shop. “Cameras followed you and the additional crew was notified when you were on deck.” He pulled up something and showed Mrs. Lottery Guy. “Does this look like he bumped Mrs. Belov?”

Mrs. Lottery Guy’s eyes widened, then she looked angrily at her husband and began hitting him herself. “You stupid son of a bitch!”

“Silence!” Mr. Simmons said loud enough to stop her. I even jumped. “The Queen Mary is not for you. You and your husband will come with these officers and pack your things. Your transport will be here in an hour. You will be on it.” He said leaving no alternative. “All the damages will be billed on your account. The damages here and in your cabin.”

All of this I was translating to Ivan and Katya but surprised these people were…so reckless.

The lottery guy’s wife was still trying to hit her husband while one officer was holding her back. “I want a divorce! I’ll take everything we won!” She shouted as they were both taken physically out of the shop.

Mr. Simmons walked over to Ivan, Katya, Tony and me. He looked a very ashamed of what happened. “I apologize, Mrs. Belov. We came as soon as we saw what happened. He won’t bother you or any other passengers again.”

I translated again what Mr. Simmons said, making him smile that someone was here to do that.

“I…” Ivan began, “…fight…for wife.” He explained in broken English.

Mr. Simmons nodded. “Of course. No problem.” He turned as we could all still hear Mrs. Lottery Guy’s wife screaming at her husband. He looked at me. “Everyone is welcome on board. You certainly are.” He said to me and Tony telling us he knew about the harassment we had gotten, but we hadn’t complained to anyone. Maybe the guy that logged us on board did. “But we have our limits.” He smiled. “Enjoy the rest of your trip.”

I translated again. Katya smiled and hugged Mr. Simmons which surprised the officer, but then nodded and hugged her back. Then nodded to us and left.

“And those people had a problem with us!?” Tony asked in Russian to no one.

“Your statement when we came back from Auckland was right,” I said in Russian.

“What statement?” Tony asked.

“You called them residents of double-wide life and white trash,” I said looking at Ivan. “That’s the word Sasha taught me for white trash…gopnik? Is that right?”

Ivan nodded. “It is.” Then he grinned. “That’s just one the words that fit him.”

“They are. White trash with money.” Tony shook his head.

“This Sasha is the one marrying into your family?” Ivan grinned. “He obviously means a lot to you.”

“He is and he did before he met my cousin.” I nodded. “He taught me to cuss like a Russian, too!”

Ivan smiled even bigger. “Did he?” He looked as if he was going to test me until Tony held his hand up.

“No, don’t start him. Believe me, he knows how.” Tony assured. “What are you two doing right now?” He smiled. “I’ll buy you coffees at Sir Samuels!”

Ivan looked at his wife who nodded. “Okay.” Then he reached out and grabbed us both in a hug. “My good friends.” He said kissing us on the forehead each.

I chuckled as I patted his back which was solid. “Yep, we are.” As we were released, I reached and squeezed his arm which wasn’t fat at all. Like his back, he had hard muscle was below his shirt. “Damn, Ivan. You could have killed him!”

Ivan laughed and shrugged. “I held back!” He said as we began to walk.

“Ivan is a Celebrity Wrestler in Russia,” Katya said proudly. “He’s on many networks back home, and he’s the most popular. He’s Ivan, the Russian Bull.”

“You’ve got the size, so why not?” Tony said appreciatively, touching a bicep on Ivan. “Yep, you’re big alright.”

Ivan nodded. “That’s what my father said!” And he slapped Tony on the back, making Tony’s eyes widen a little at the surprising force Ivan didn’t seem to know he had.

I was laughing at what I was seeing. “I wonder if Alik knows about you.”

“Alik?” Ivan asked.

“Sasha has a seven…soon to eight-year-old son, he worked to get Alik out of Moscow a couple of years ago because of the Bratva.” I explained.

Ivan nodded vigorously understanding. “I agree…they are not nice at all.”

Katya nodded. “Ivan is very popular with children.” She leaned into me a little and stage whispered knowing Ivan could hear her. “It’s all choreographed, you know?”

Ivan gasped and bellowed. “It is not! And I try to be a role model!”

“I know.” She wasn’t bothered a bit as she put her arm in his and then whispered to me again. “It is.”

We went to Sir Samuel’s and got the coffee. I asked permission from Ivan to take his picture, which of course he nodded say sure and even insisted we be in it with him. He had Katya take the picture. Tony on one side of Ivan and me on the other. Thanks to the Wi-fi and modern technology, I typed a note asking Alik if he knew this man and sent it to Alik and Sasha. It was early morning here, but late at evening or night back in Charleston, but Alik will get it when he gets up…so, I thought. Ivan and Katya were delightful people. The fact Ivan loved Katya was more than apparent and she loved him. She could fuss at him and he would listen, kind of. However, I didn’t count on a few things. I was startled when my phone rang. I gave my number to family and they would only call now if it was an emergency. Looking at the screen, I saw Sasha’s name, so I had a feeling what the emergency was.

“Sasha?”

“I wouldn’t call if it weren’t really important,” Sasha explained quickly. “Alik was speaking with his mother on the computer…and before he left to go to bed, I pulled up the email you sent us and he is going crazy!” Sasha explained as I heard Alik in the background as he was so excited. “He wants to speak with you.”

I grinned and smiled at Tony, Ivan, and Katya. “He got the email,” I explained to them. “Damned this ship’s Wi-fi is quick! Okay, put him on.” It just took a second before I heard Alik taking the phone.

“You met the Raging Bull!?” Alik asked me excited.

“I’m fine, Alik…” I grinned, on purpose ignoring what Alik told me. “Aren’t you supposed to be in bed, it’s late there.”

“Uncle Miiiitch!” Alik whined. “You met the Raging Bull!”

I nodded as I watched Tony smile knowing what was happening without hearing it. “He’s sitting right here.”

Alik was learning English and instantly said in perfect English. “No way!!”

I chuckled. “Yes, way.” I said in English. “Have your Dad switch the phone to video-call,” I instructed and did the same on my phone. I soon saw Alik’s happy face. “See?” I held the phone pointed at Ivan who waved at the phone with a smile. I turned the phone back to me. “So, if there’s nothing else…” I said like I was ending the call.

“Don’t!! Uncle Miiiitch!” Alik pleaded. “That’s Ivan! The Raging Bull! He’s famous!” He said finding it hard to understand why I didn’t know that.

“Famous people need vacations,” I said simply as I looked at Ivan and pointed to the phone asking if he would talk to Alik. Ivan grinned and nodded. “He will even talk to you.”

“No WAY!!”

“Your English is getting better. Hang on.” I chuckled as I handed the phone to Ivan. Tony reached over and took my hand grinning, too. Ivan still used the video-link and talked to Alik. I smiled at Katya. “You married a very good man.”

Katya nodded. “I know. He really is a good role model for children. He devotes a lot of time to various charities for children. He really is good at what he does. They love him.” She said proudly.

We listened as Ivan told him to go to bed, study hard and be a good boy. Then he handed the phone back, but it was still on. Now, Sasha’s face came in view.

“Well, he’s off to bed.” Sasha chuckled. “Thanks for that or I’d never get him to go, but I’ll hear about it tomorrow…and the next day…and the next day.” He smiled at me. “I hope the trip is going well.”

I nodded. “It is. Very well. Have a good night.” I ended the call but saw Ivan look at me questioning.

“What is it you do?” He asked me and Tony.

“I’m a former hotel manager…currently unemployed.” I answered. “He’s the brains…”

Tony frowned as he threw his head back a little. “I am not.”

“He’s modest, but he is a financial genius.” I ignored Tony’s statement. “He guides people with investments, stocks and all that…he’s very, very good.”

Ivan nodded. “And you work with just American Clientele?”

Tony shook his head. “I work with many people around the world…all currencies.” He smiled as he added. “Including Russia.”

“Really?” Ivan was now serious and gone was the happy go lucky Russian we’d gotten to know. “I’m always looking for good investments. Perhaps we can speak about possibilities?”

Katya shook her head. “Ivan, they are on vacation and so are we.” She said shaking her head. “No business…we agreed.”

Ivan nodded and raised his hands in surrender. “She’s right.” Then he leaned toward Tony. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t talk later.” He said in the same whisper she’d used on him.

“Ivan,” Katya said warningly.

Ivan looked at her like, how couldn’t she see it? “It was fate or destiny, Katya. We meet here.” Ivan pointed at the deck floor. “I can’t find extra starch, so I go in the corridor and meet probably the only two that speak Russian well on this ship. Coincidence? Maybe. Then that terrible incident just now…again…they were right there! That’s beginning to be too many coincidences. Why fight it? It was supposed to happen!” Ivan said helplessly pleading for her to see that.

Katya smiled but rolled her eyes. “Fine. Exchange numbers, emails and whatever, but talk…later.” He said firmly to her husband.

Ivan nodded and smiled grandly at Tony and me. “Then, we’ll become even better good friends! Yes?”