Chapter 38: Thirty-eight

Mene.

Tarila was a ticking time bomb lodged in my heart, a latent threat that was eventually going to detonate and destroy me from the inside out.

After my mother's explosive outburst in my office, I strategically distanced myself from her. This wasn't because I was scared of my mother, I knew how to handle her tantrums and traps, which was another reason she disliked me. Rather I did it to protect Tarila.

She was right in not wanting my mother to know about us. My mother's act of not thinking before she acted whenever she was annoyed made her a wildcard, unpredictable and capable of unleashing a turmoil of destruction. This wasn't a baseless assertion. This was something that had occurred not once, not twice and not even thrice.

I fought against the urge to reach out to her, distracting myself with work instead. The rush of productivity kept my mind busy, even though my body paid the price for it, as sleep and food became rare luxuries. I was determined to move on, for her sake.

The memories of Tarila still lingered sometimes, but I always pushed them aside and sent my focus to work, not even giving myself the mercy to spend a second thinking about her.

I threw myself into meetings, designs, and plans for the new hotel I was building in Calabar.

That was the plan.

I wanted it to be this way till my mother's birthday which was three weeks from now, and then I'd start afresh in Lagos, relocating like my parents wanted me to.

But trust life to always disrupt your plans.

No, scratch that.

Trust your clingy younger brother to always disrupt your plans.

I'd come back home from a meeting with the commissioner of health of the state to meet an unexpected sight in my living room. Suka was slumped on my couch, tears streaming down his face like a river of despair as he wailed over his newfound lover who had ignored him for days. The bottle of vodka in his hand seemed to be his only solace, a pitiful companion in his misery.

I couldn't help but think of Tarila as I watched him cry, the woman who had left an indelible mark on my heart. Was she, too, wallowing in sorrow, as I'd ignored her the same way Suka's lover did?

But then I remembered that my girl was a force of nature, unyielding and unbreakable and I dismissed the thought. She wasn't the kind to be swayed by sentiment or nostalgia, she would have even moved on by now.

Jealousy coursed through me at that moment but I chased the feeling away. I had no right to feel that way after ignoring her.

Suka's sobs brought me back to the present, and then I decided to act like a big brother. I asked him to tell me everything about the girl which he wasted no time doing. I stood beside the couch he sat on, listening half-heartedly, as he filled me with both the information that I cared about, how she was Tarila's best friend, and the ones I didn't give two fucks about, like how she's the first girl he's used as his wallpaper.

After listening to him narrating how they met to how they ended up talking because she just decided to stop talking to him, I asked Salome to prepare her special sleep-inducing herbs for him. She always prepared it for me when I'd overworked myself to the point where I was too exhausted to sleep and it knocked me out in seconds.

I just prayed it would have the same effect on him. I had work to do, and Suka's drama was not on my agenda.

As she left to prepare the concoction, Suka suddenly sprang to his feet, his eyes wild with torment.

"Where's Dogo?" he growled, his voice like a rusty gate. "I need to go to this club now".

"Suka, calm the fuck down. Why the hell are you acting like you've never had some pussy before?"

He passed me a glare and then shook his head. "I don't even have the time to deal with you". He looked at his phone again and a spasm of sorrow crossed his face. "How dare Tarila do this? How could they go out dressed like this?"

That was when he had my full attention and I snatched the phone from his hand.

The screen flickered to life, revealing a video that made my blood boil.

Tarila was laughing and smiling, her beauty radiating like a supernova. But that wasn't the reason behind the bitter taste of rage that flooded my mouth. It was the fucking dress she had on. I could see her underwear beneath the transparent dress and I was sure everyone could see it too. I couldn't move my eyes away from the screen, my mind was fixated on the only woman who had the power to make me lose control of my emotions.

The video ended but I was still staring at the screen, my grip tightened against the phone. I didn't let go of the phone until Suka forced it out of my grip.

"Mene, are you okay?" He asked in total confusion.

I wasn't.

My temperature had risen and it was as if my soul was close to being consumed by flames. My mind was settled on one thing; how to murder all the men in that club who had dared to look at what was mine.

"Let's go to that club".

*****

Suka didn't even wait for Dogo to pack properly before he sprang out of the car like a jackrabbit, eager to meet his new lover.

I, on the other hand, lingered inside the car to remind myself that setting a building on fire just like it wanted to do right now, was an offense with serious repercussions.

I had already messed up once, and it had left me and my family scarred. Even though the country had moved on from that fateful event, I didn't want to stir any water that would bring it back to their remembrance.

"We're here, boss". Dogo's voice was a gentle prod as he reminded me that we were at the club. He was oblivious to the battle raging within me, the major reason I hadn't stepped out of the car.

"Dogo".

"Yes sir".

"I need you to do me a favor". I handed Suka's phone to him showing him a screenshot of the video where Tarila's face was visible. "You know Tarila right? I'm sure you can recognize her".

Dogo's nod was curt. "Yes sir".

"Get one of the bouncers to throw her out. Any excuse will do - tell him she's not dressed appropriately, for all I care. Just make sure she's brought here, and tell him I'll make sure he's well compensated".

Dogo didn't hesitate. He got out of the car and disappeared into the night like a ghost on a mission.

I remained in the car, my eyes fixed on my lap as I waited for Dogo. If I'd gone there myself, I would have ended up setting the building on fire like I desperately wanted so it was only wise I sent him instead.

After what seemed like seconds, a tap came on the window, and I rolled it down.

"He's on it, boss".

"Thank you". I told him before I got out of the car and glued my eyes to the entrance of the club as I waited for her arrival.

The wait was interminable, but finally, the swearing and cursing that echoed through the night told me she was close.

My head snapped up, my eyes locking onto the vision of loveliness being dragged towards me by a burly bouncer.

My girl.

My girl who I was furious with.

I stood frozen, my eyes drinking in the sight of her, waiting for the moment when our gazes would finally meet.

The bouncer said something to her that made her eyes finally go my way. Her struggle ceased and I guessed it's because she was trying to figure out who I was. She was no longer putting up a fight as he led her towards me.

A torrent of emotions coursed through her face when she finally recognized that I was the one there. The bouncer left her hand and walked over to meet me for his payment. Without breaking eye contact with her, I dipped my hands into my pocket and fished out two bundles of 50,000 naira notes. I don't even reply to the man's thanks.

My gaze was captivated by the woman before me, my longing for her a burning fire that threatened to consume me whole.

My vision took in the sight of her forbidden dress and I removed my suit jacket and enveloped her in it. The long material covers her bra and her ass cheeks which had been on display and I felt a bit of my anger dissipate.

But my relief is short-lived as Tarila let out a dry and mirthless laughter, before throwing my suit to the ground. Dogo was right there immediately to pick up the suit, his eyes flashing with a warning before he walked away with it.

Salome would have done worse if she had been here to witness that.

This was the life that I was accustomed to.

A life of reverence, A life where people trembled at my feet, but instead of the sting of Tarila's disrespect, all I felt was crushing guilt, my heart heavy with the knowledge that I was the source of those tears in her eyes.

Disgust smeared her face like she couldn't stand the sight of me and then she turned to leave but I didn't let her get away. The only way I was going to let her leave this place was if I lost my ability to function as a human being.

My hand shot out, grasping hers, and the spark that ignited was like a jolt of electricity. My body hummed with the contact, starved of her touch for far too long.

"Let go of me," she demanded, but I was resolute, my grip unyielding.

"I won't let you enter that club dressed like that," I declared, my tone firm but laced with a hint of possessiveness.

Her gaze blazed with fury, a look that would reduce me to dust if it could. 'You have no right to appear in my life whenever you like and dictate my actions! Let go of my hand now!" she spat, her words venomous.

But I stood firm, my hand refusing to relinquish its hold, my heart refusing to let her slip away.

“Get in the car, Tarila. I’m taking you home.”

Her mouth fell open and shut. I'd stunned her speechless by my order.

Good.

That's the same way she stunned me to anger with this ridiculous dress.

“You’re a lunatic.” She told me but I still didn't let go of her hand.

“You can curse me all you want, but I’m not letting you go in there looking like a slut.”

“I was a slut before you met me, don’t you remember?”

Acrimony seared through me like a white-hot blade, leaving me blinded and reeling. Her words were a provocation, a dare that I couldn't resist and before I realized it, I'd closed the distance between us, my feet moving with a volition of their own. Her taunt had made me even more furious than her dress did.

“Call yourself a slut once more time, and those would be the last words you’ll speak again.”

“Why? You want to cut off my mouth?”

I released her hand and gripped her chin, forcing her to see that I wasn't joking here.

“No. Because you’ll be sucking me off till I finally let out any form of desire I feel for you”.