I said to Topaz, "Could you please do me a favor and call Reba now?"
Concern tightened her gorgeous features. "But what about your massage, sir? Remember, your doctor requested it. And I'm really very good. I promise you'll like it."
"Maybe later, okay? But right now I really need to speak to her."
Topaz actually pouted. "Yes, Mr. Zillion." Then she picked up her caddy of body oils and started for the door. Her healthy rear-end, accentuated by yoga pants, taunted me with each jiggle.
What was I doing?
A stunningly sexy woman was practically begging to rub my naked body... and I was turning her away. Why? Sure, I had a million questions about being a billionaire, but what was the rush? They say time is money... which meant I now had a shit load of time to figure things out.
"Topaz, wait."
She paused in the threshold, her golden hair beautifully rim-lit. "Yes, sir?"
"I changed my mind. I would love a massage."
Topaz beamed and returned to my bedside. "Would you like me to undress you?"
I told her no, quickly pulled off my pajamas, and assumed the position on my belly.
"Boxers too," she said with an amused tone.
I fended off a twinge of embarrassment by reminding myself that Topaz was a professional and promptly removed my boxers.
"That's better." Topaz sat down on the edge of the bed and laid the towel over my exposed buttocks. "Now just relax." She squeezed oil into her palm, warmed it by rubbing her hands together, then slowly went to work on my back. The combination of the clove-scented oil and her gentle kneading was intoxicating. I shut my eyes and allowed my head to sink deeper into the pillow. As she methodically worked my muscles, I noticed something odd. Her fingertips were unusually warm and her hands seemed to vibrate with an almost mechanical consistency. I briefly thought she was using some sort of heated vibrator until I glanced back and saw it was truly only her two hands.
A few minutes in, I attempted to make light conversation, but Topaz politely shushed me and told me the rules. "No talking. Just relax."
I had no idea how much time had passed when my blissful state was interrupted by a gentle tap on the shoulder.
"Now roll over," Topaz said.
She kept the towel in place over my privates as I rolled face up.
We exchanged smiles then I shut my eyes and allowed her magic hands to lull me back into a state of peacefulness. When her warm, oily touch drifted down to my belly and pelvic region, my penis stirred and quickly stiffened. I felt thankful for the well-placed towel until Topaz slipped her hand beneath it and gently took hold of my erection.
A wave of pleasure snapped my eyes open.
She was smiling at me, savoring my reaction.
I felt an urge to utter something stupid like what are you doing, but once she began stroking my cock all I could do was shut my eyes and moan.
Again I noticed the unusual warmth of her touch and how her hand seemed to vibrate. The sensation was incredible. I squirmed as my entire body tingled.
"Do you like it, Mr. Zillion?" She whispered.
"Oh, yes. I-"
"Shhh." She pressed a finger over my lips. "Just nod yes or no."
I nodded an enthusiastic yes.
Delighted by my response, Topaz moaned and stroked my throbbing penis faster. She whispered, "If you like, I can remove my top."
I bit my lip and nodded again.
Slipping the shoulder straps over her arms, she pulled down her tank top to expose full, pouty breasts with light pink areolas.
The sight caused me to issue a little gasp.
Topaz giggled, squirted more oil onto her palm, then resumed stroking my hardness. With her free hand she playfully traced circles around her erect nipples then glanced at me like a naughty little girl. "Would you like to touch them?"
I raised my hands and cupped her breast. They were heavy and warm, and so soft.
Topaz moaned and stroked my cock faster. Up and down, gently squeezing and releasing.
A rising surge of pleasurable pressure in my groin caused me to moan.
Topaz stroked even faster. "That's it," she whispered. "Let it go."
Groaning loudly and clawing the bed, my hips arched and I emptied myself onto my belly.
"Wow," Topaz said. "That's a lot."
Head spinning, I watched Topaz disappear into the bathroom. She returned with a warm washcloth and promptly cleaned me up. Moments later, when her oils were back in the caddy and she was ready to leave, my body still buzzed with pleasure.
"I hope you feel more relaxed now?" Topaz said.
"Are you kidding? That was incredible."
"I'm so glad you're pleased, Mr. Zillion. Remember, whenever you need to relieve some tension, either I or one of my sisters is always available to help you."
"Wait? What sisters?"
"Jade and Amber. You'll meet them soon enough, I'm sure. I'll go get Ms. Hart now. Bye."
As I watched Topaz's perfect form exit the bedroom, just to make sure I wasn't having the best dream ever... I pinched myself as hard as I could.
Pain never felt so good.
CHAPTER TEN
About ten minutes later, Reba and a rather stern Japanese man she introduced as Doctor Makoto Kazue stood at my bedside. Reba still wore the sexy black skirt suit I saw her in earlier. The doctor, who looked to be a very fit seventy, wore a long black Kimono robe over a traditional American suit. This odd combination of styles, along with his white hair and beard, the carved cane he leaned on, and his perpetual sneer, gave him the look of a grumpy post-modern wizard.
Reba explained that Dr. Kazue served as the Zillion family physician for decades and that he had even delivered me twenty-two years ago. When Reba notified the doctor that I had been found, he promptly decided to come out of retirement.
"Decided my balls," the doctor corrected her. "Max had me bound by contract to care for his boy if he were ever found. So instead of soaking in a bamboo forest hot spring with some luscious intern, here I am."
I didn't mind the history lesson and planned to dig deeper later, but at the moment I was more interested in where I was and how the hell I got there. I'd never fainted before, but I was pretty certain remaining unconscious for hours wasn't a common occurrence.
"Of course you didn't faint," Dr. Kazue explained, his Japanese accent barely noticeable. "You suffered a mild case of shock. So instead of reviving you, I sedated you and had you moved here so you could recover in a more comfortable environment. Additionally, I prescribed a brief massage to relieve your stress. Did Topaz perform adequately?"
If the doctor was aware of just how adequate Topaz's performance truly was, he revealed nothing. "Topaz was great," I replied. "Very relaxing."
"Excellent. Did you ejaculate more than once?"
"What?"
"Should I check your hearing? I asked did you ejaculate more than once."
"No. I heard you. Could we discuss that when there's not a lady present?"
Reba laughed. "Don't mind me. I'm well versed in the doctor's theories of sexual health."
"Theory nothing," the doctor said. "It's a proven fact that frequent orgasmic release, for the male and female, clears the mind. Your father was devoted to my methods and just look at his accomplishments."
"Are you saying my birth father built his fortune because he had lots of sex?"
"Of course not, but I do believe my prescribed regime contributed tremendously. Look at me. I'm nearly eighty and my mental elasticity exceeds that of men fifty years younger."
"You mean, you-?"
He snorted. "Of course. Reba as well." He turned to Reba. "Go on, tell Mathew how great daily frequent intense orgasms clears your mind."
I turned to Reba eager to hear all about it. She didn't look a bit embarrassed. She smiled at me and said, "I'm sure Mr. Zillion has a lot more he'd rather hear about."
"Not really," I said.
Reba laughed but didn't say another word.
&nbs
p; "The point is," Dr. Kazue said, "my regime could do the same for you. For instance, if you were on a customized orgasm regime your fainting spell never would've escalated into shock."
Suddenly a puzzling question occurred to me. I asked Dr. Kazue, "When I passed out in my apartment how'd you get to me so fast?"
Reba jumped in with the answer. "The doctor feared you might react negatively to the news and insisted on coming along. He was waiting downstairs in the limo."
Dr. Kazue added, "Extraordinary good news can impact just as hard as bad news. And what news is more extraordinary than a windfall of 105 billion dollars."
"You mean 102 billion," I said, then turned to Reba. "That's the amount you told me right?"
Reba frowned. "Actually, the market cap of the Zillion portfolio rose sharply when the news broke about your existence."
My brow tightened. "It's in the news already? What if I didn't want people to know? What will my adoptive parents think? You really should've asked me first before going public."
"First of all," Reba said. "I spoke to your parents as soon as the story hit. I explained the situation and told them you'd call as soon as possible."
"That's great, but you still shouldn't have released the story."
"I didn't. And I would never do that. The story was leaked."
"Leaked? By who?"
At that instant, the door flew open and the last person in the world I expected to see, strode in.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"There's my boy," Wendell said, crossing to my bedside. He wore a red silk robe, slippers, and nothing else. In his hand, he clutched a tall, frosty pina colada. He looked like he'd just been transported from a high-end resort. He placed a hand over his heart as if struck by palpitations. "Dude, you scared the crap out of me. It would suck for you to inherit all that money then die on the same day. Sure, it would be hella ironic... but would also seriously suck. Come here."
Wendell tried to pull me into a hug, but I pushed him off. "What are you doing here?"
"Getting lots of massages. What else?" Wendell laughed, then dropped his voice to a whisper. "Have you met Topaz yet? OMG!" He pulled out his cell phone and showed me the screen. "Check it out. My tweet about you went crazy viral. Dude, you're bigger than Cardi B."
I pinned him with a stare. "You know what I meant. Why are you here?"
"Why not? Where else would I be?"
"Where you always are, in front of your computer slaying orcs."
"Come on, dude. If you're walking down the street and you found ten bucks, don't you split it with your BFF?"
"You're not my BFF. You're my roommate. Oh, wait. My former roommate. You evicted me remember?"
Wendell sighed. "I will admit my timing really sucked, but don't forget I did say I liked you. And I meant it."
I turned to Reba. "Why is he here?"
"He said he was your best friend."
"He's not."
Dr. Kazue added, "He also said he grew up wealthy and could help you acclimate to your new fortune. I didn't believe him of course. He looks quite common. But Reba's a bit gullible at times."
It was my turn to laugh. "Actually Wendell's parents do have money, but nothing like what we're talking about." Then I said to Wendell. "So I'm assuming when you told them you could help, you meant help spend my new fortune."
"Matt, roomie, come on. Don't forget, I'm the one who answered Reba's ad. I'm the reason you're here. Plus, think about it. You're gonna need an entourage. You're always saying I make you laugh, right?"
"Yeah, especially now."
"Should I have him removed?" Reba asked.
"I vote yes," Dr. Kazue said.
Wendell glared at Dr. Kazue. "Yeah well, good thing it's not up to you old man."
"But it is up to me," I said. Then I turned to Reba. "Yes. Remove him."
Reba tapped an iPad and instantly two beefy guards in black suits entered the room.
Reba pointed to Wendell. One guard snatched his drink then both guards herded him towards the door.
"Wait," Wendell shouted, squirming in their grasp. "You can't just throw me off the ship."
"Hold it," I called out. "What ship? What is he talking about?"
When Topaz massaged me, I did notice the slightest sensation of motion, but I attributed it to the bombardment of pleasure I was experiencing. But now, reminded by Wendell's outburst, I distinctly noticed that same feeling again. The entire room, almost imperceptibly, bobbing and swaying. Suddenly it struck me.
"Were on a yacht," I said to Reba and Dr. Kazue. "Aren't we?"
Reba signaled and the guards holding Wendell stopped at the door. She frowned at me. "I apologize for the oversight. I assumed you knew."
"Are you kidding? I had no idea we were on a boat."
She made a face. "Actually, we're not."
"Right. Sorry. I meant a ship."
"I believe the correct term is... airship."
I paused, replaying Reba's words in my head. Did she just say what I thought she said?
Wendell called out, "We're in a freaking blimp, dude. You know like the Goodyear Blimp, only way sweeter."
"That is incorrect," Dr. Kazue said. "Blimps are merely pressure ships, essentially elongated balloons. The Silver Lining has a rigid frame and hence technically classified as a dirigible or Zeppelin."
I looked agape at Reba. "We're on a Zeppelin called The Silver Lining? Seriously?"
Reba nodded. "We're headed to your estate in Malibu California."
I had no reason to doubt Reba or anyone else in the room, but the idea that we were traveling through the sky in what had to be a massive ship, staggered me. I said, "But... I don't hear anything. No engines. Nothing."
Dr. Kazue rolled his eyes. "Of course not. This isn't your typical dirigible. In fact, nothing your father did was typical. The man was decidedly dramatic."
Reba tapped her iPad. Across the room, curtains parted to reveal a picture window that looked out on an ocean of sunset lit clouds.
The view was absolutely breathtaking.
"We're over the grand canyon," Reba said. "Take a look."
I slipped out of bed and padded slowly towards the vista of endless clouds. When I leaned against the ceiling-to-floor window to peer down a queasy feeling radiated from my gut to my knees.
Far below, that magnificent scar in the earth that attracted millions of sightseers each year scrolled by.
It was at that moment the reality of my situation truly hit me. This wasn't a dream. I was now a billionaire. The fourth richest man in the world. This airship, or dirigible, or whatever it was called, now belonged to me. Everyone on board was now my employee. Suddenly, I felt like a visitor to an alien world. A world where I didn't belong and didn't know the rules. A world where I recognized nothing and no-one ... except for one annoying bald-headed computer geek.
"Pretty fucking cool, huh?" Wendell said.
I just looked at him. Although the guards still gripped him by both arms, he smiled at me. He looked delighted and thrilled for me.
"No hard feelings, dude," he said. "Just enjoy the shit out of all this. I mean that."
When I again failed to respond, Dr. Kazue approached and laid a hand on my shoulder. "Perhaps you should get a bit more rest."
I shook my head. "No. I'm okay."
Reba said to the guards. "Confine Wendell to his stateroom. Once we land arrange a flight back to New York."
The guards nodded and began to lead Wendall out.
"Wait," I called to the guards. "Let him go."
Reba looked at me. "Are you sure? He does seem to be a bit... much."
"He is," I said. "But I'm used to it."
"Great for you," Dr. Kazue groaned. "But what about us?"
Reba signaled and the guards released the founding member of my new entourage.
"Thanks," Wendell said to me. "And before I forget I'm still going to need your half of the rent."
"You can't be serious."
Wendell laughed. "Nah.
Just fucking with you." He plucked his pina colada from the guard's hand and raised his glass. "To the good life."
As Wendell sipped his drink, what I assumed was the pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker. "We have entered Los Angeles airspace. Prepare for touchdown in LAX in forty-five minutes."
CHAPTER TWELVE
"How did you identify and locate Zillion Jr.?"
"How did he react to the good news?
"Is he single?"
An hour later I stood on the tarmac, at an impromptu press conference, watching Reba field questions from over a hundred reporters. Dr. Kazue, Wendell, and two suited bodyguards also flanked the microphone laden podium.
This entire event transpired in the shadow of the Silver Lining, which loomed behind us, tethered to one hundred foot high docking towers. When Dr. Kazue said the Silver Lining wasn't a typical airship, he wasn't kidding. Unlike the bulbous cigar-shaped dirigibles I'd seen all my life, the Silver Lining was sleek, angular, and aggressive looking. With three staggered decks topped by a command bridge, it could easily be mistaken for an ultra-modern superyacht, except for the fact that it hovered in mid-air. Both sides of the ship's white hull were emblazoned with huge, shiny golden Zs, like a matching pair of humongous cufflinks.
When a reporter asked Reba whether or not I would personally answer a few questions, she responded just as we planned. "Not at this time," she said to the crowd," but Mr. Zillion promises to hold an official press conference at a later date."
Unfortunately, Reba had completely underestimated the media's hunger to grill the missing heir to the Zillion empire. Every time Reba tried to change the topic, a different reporter would ask the same question. Even when Reba threatened to end the conference altogether, they still refused to back off. Finally worn down, Reba turned to me and asked if I could just say a few words.
Wendell immediately volunteered to step to the mic in my place and set the crowd straight, and Dr. Kazue surprisingly agreed. The doctor feared the stress of public speaking, so soon after my recovery, might trigger a relapse.
Zillion Page 3
