Shades of Romance
EPISODE 16
I drove over to Ring road, picked up Joe and furiously headed to my gas station. We discussed the job at hand as i drove. His answers were cool and encouraging, just like his appearance which was very intimidating.
I cried out on getting to my gas station where my tanker burned uncontrollably. Firefighters and my staff were busy, desperately trying to put out the raging fire.
I almost collapsed, watching an investment that cost me millions of Naira burn.
“oh Tony you will pay for this. You must surely pay” i swore with my heart while tears freely fell from my eyes.
“oga you shouldn’t be crying publicly. At least the gas station isn’t affected. The body of the tanker is still redeemable, it’s just the engine and driver’s corner that is on fire” Joe said quietly, trying to calm me. I simply hissed and eyed him.
The fire was finally extinguished about twenty five minutes later, but the level of damage it created was quite shocking. The Tanker was just a shadow of itself. I couldn’t get myself to look at it.
After settling with my staff and firefighters who saved the day. I headed out to confront Tony. I was ready for a showdown. The anger in me was capable of killing him.
There wasn’t any doubt he hit me where it hurt most. Of course he was clever going after my tanker, something he knew i valued very well.
A business man survives and lives for his business. Take out the business and the man behind the business is vulnerable to bankruptcy, poverty, hunger and death.
“hope you have something on you?. Hope you are armed?” i asked Joe as i furiously drove to confront Tony. He looked at me with surprise.
“no sir, I wasn’t expecting to start work today” he stammered.
“but you do have a gun?. You have weapons?” i asked curiously.
“yes sir. I have a licensed pistol” he answered carefully.
“good we are going to get it. So how do we get to your house?” i asked, stopping my car in a corner. He breathed deeply and stared at my cold face.
“oga what are you trying to do?” he asked.
“we are going to confront the guy who just burnt my tanker, but first we must go get your gun” i said seriously. He shook his head, his face growing pale with worry.
“sir i’m not an assassin. I took this job because you wanted a bodyguard” he stammered, while i scoffed.
“i’m not asking you to kill anybody. We are heading to my enemy’s house and it’s logical as my bodyguard your weapon must be with you to protect me” i answered sharply. He shrugged with a shoulder.
“sir seriously with the mood you are in. I fear the worst” he murmured carefully.
“i need the direction to your house” i barked.
“fine drive on and take right when you get to the junction ahead” he said slowly. I gave him a searching look, drew back and drove on.
I wasn’t going to let Tony destroy me because of a woman. I had to man up and beat him once again….
EPISODE 17
We got to Joe’s apartment, fetched the gun and headed out in search of Tony. I wasn’t thinking straight. All that was in my mind was hitting back on Tony.
Luckily for him, he wasn’t in his house nor at the terrible work shop he called his office. I turned back and returned to my gas station, my eyes red with fury.
“oga you have to take things easy, calm down and think over the situation. It isn’t wise making a hasty decision” Joe tried advising me. I bit my lips, saying nothing to him.
I called Jenifer hours later, telling her the terrible news. She couldn’t believe her ears, screaming with shock.
“don’t worry, i will deal with Tony” i promised her.
“c’mon stop that kind of talk. I’m responsible for this terrible crisis. You can’t imagine how bad i feel, drawing two friends into a fight. Please come over to my apartment immediately. I’m all alone” she begged.
“fine i’m on my way” i replied, hung up and nodded at Joe.
“let’s go home” i said to him.
Jenifer was surprised seeing Joe with me when i got to her apartment. Her surprise however turned to a deep shock when we got to her bedroom and i told her the reason Joe was with me.
“c’mon don’t tell me it has gotten so bad for you to hire a bodyguard?” she asked fearfully.
“yes my dear. Don’t you think someone that has the mind to set my Tanker on fire isn’t capable of killing me?” i replied, held her hand and stared into her eyes.
“you have to get your things my dear. You are moving in with me today. I don’t think you are save here. Tony might hire some guys to rape you in order to punish me further” i said seriously. She nodded with fear, rushed to her ward rope and began packing her things.
I returned to the sitting room and smiled at Joe.
“I know we never discussed about you sleeping at my place in your contract, and i guess you won’t agree to that considering your family and age. But the problem is that I don’t have a gateman at my place. I never needed one because it’s just a small compound, but now i need one. I need someone to guard the place especially when i’m not around. Can you get any good one for me?” i asked curiously.
“yea i know two Fulani brothers who can do the work very well. I have seen them in action. They are agile and good with machete. I believe they can handle guns as well” he answered with a smile.
“good, go get them immediately. Try persuade them to come this evening” i said seriously, while he gave me a worried look, nodded and left.
I was very scared as i drove home all alone with Jenifer. I was afraid Tony might be lying in wait for me at my empty compound. I regretted permitting Joe to leave. It was just a hasty miscalculated decision on my part.
Yea Jenifer was mine, but seriously the relationship was leaving a big scar on me. Nevertheless i was a born fighter and giving her up was never an option to me.
“baby i love you” i sweetly said to her. She smiled and licked her lips. Cautiously we headed to my house.
EPISODE 18
On getting to my house, i nervously parked my car, cautiously alighted and took a swift look round the compound. I was terribly scared, because the whole area was quiet and lonely. A good place for an ambush.
However nothing surprising happened. Jenifer held me with a smile, together we walked into the building.
“you know this has to stop. I mean this fight with your friend. It’s totally unnecessary, and very stupid for matured adults to be fighting over a woman” she said as she fetched me a glass of water minutes later.
“you really don’t understand the male pride. Tony isn’t going to rest until he sees me go down which i won’t allow him to achieve” i replied, drank the water she offered me and smiled at her. She looked away. The guilt on her face very apparent. Of course she was hurting inside, perhaps regretting ever allowing me to have my way with her.
“baby c’mon, don’t feel bad. Come, come on my laps” i said sweetly.
“i have to meet Tony. I have to talk to him. You don’t expect me to sit and watch you guys fight over me. This got to stop” she said seriously. I breathed deeply, stood up and held her.
“fine, i’ll try one more time to reason things with him. I can forget about my burnt Tanker and make peace with him. Just let me handle this” i begged seriously. She looked at me, shook her head and walked to my bedroom. I collapsed on my chair, my mind running wild with worry.
Seriously i hated the war engulfing Tony and I, but there really was nothing i could do than fight back. Tony wasn’t ready to listen to me or behave like a gentleman. The fight between us was now inevitable, but just like i promised Jenifer, i was ready to forget about my burnt Tanker and make peace with him, if only he would accept.
“Jeez” i breathed, grabbed my phone and called Joe.
“hey Oga, i’m still searching for the boys. Don’t worry i’ll get back to you” he replied. I hung up and sighed.
By 9pm, Jenifer joined me on the bed, smiling seductively as she climbed on my body, relieving the tension in me with the action. I smiled and caressed her hair.
“promise me you will stop fighting with your friend” she begged, pulled down and took off my shorts. I breathed heavily, my hormones rising with excitement.
“i’ll try my best” i replied.
“you know we can never be happy if you guys continue fighting over me. Every relationship needs peace and we very much need it. Please try your best” she pleaded and lowered her mouth over my erect D**k, sending me to the moon with the sensational magic of her lips.
I sure needed all the sex i could get because i never knew what the next day was bringing. It could be my last.
EPISODE 19
Early the next day, a kinsman who lived in the same neighbourhood with me showed up in my house. I was highly surprised to see him because we weren’t mates nor close friends. I instantly suspected it was Tony’s case that brought him.
“i came so early in order to meet you at home. You boys hardly spent a minute at home these days” he said jokingly, trying to ease the tension between us. I laughed fetched a bottle of hot drink and kept on a stool before him.
“aah nothing suits the soul more than a shot of this drink every morning” he laughed and diligently served himself while i looked on with a smile. He appeared relaxed while i looked a bit nervous.
Even though we were far from being close friends, i respected him a lot, especially the way he played his community politics. He was barely forty years old but has been our town union secretary in Benin city for so many years, even before i knew what was politics.
“what is this rumour i hear going round between you and your friend. I heard a very surprising news from Tony’s cousin yesterday” he asked calmly, studying me with his eyes. I scoffed and drew back.
“what rumour did you hear?” i asked. He smiled, served himself another shot of whisky before facing me.
“you took away his woman” he fired directly, mincing no words.
“oh i see, c’mon Tony is yet to marry, so how come i stole his woman?” i asked with a sly smile.
“come off the pretence man. You perfectly understood my question and your answer shows you really did it. Why?, why her?. This town is filled with lots of women. Gush” he breathed with disappointment.
“you are a graduate. You are rich. Your father was my friend. A man of honour Why commit this terrible atrocity with his blood?. You took away your friend’s woman because of a silly hit and run agenda in your mind” he said angrily, hiding nothing from me.
His words were strong and painful. In fact he whipped me with his tongue.
“it’s not the way you think. We both fell for the same woman and luckily she chose me instead of him. I have no hit and run agenda in my mind. I’m marrying her” i defended myself, breathing heavily.
He spat out the drink in his throat and stared at me with shock.
“what madness!” he exclaimed.
“yes i’m marrying her” i repeated.
“this is really more serious than i thought. C’mon man think. I’m your senior but still a young man. I’m not yet up to forty years but i have seen a lot to know when things are going astray. You know no man legitimately marries a wife alone. You need your people, you need me, you need Tony, you need your kinsmen. Do you think anyone will follow or side you to marry her. I know it’s too early to be saying these words but the earlier the better. Nobody fights his kinsman in the city and lives a fulfilled life after. I don’t think our people will permit you to marry a woman you stole from a brother, unless you settle with him which i very much doubt. We are all from the same clan. Yes Tony is your brother. This isn’t good at all” he concluded, stood, shook his head and left with disappointment, leaving me shocked and choked up.
I managed to return to my room where i found Jenifer crying. It was obvious she overheard everything…
EPISODE 20
“c’mon baby, it’s true our relationship isn’t going to get a smooth sailing, but that shouldn’t despair you. I’m with you and nothing it’s going to change it” i pleaded desperately, but she never listened, instead continued crying.
“i made a terrible mistake by following my heart. We are in Africa. Family matters a lot. Nobody will respect me in your family” she sobbed seriously.
The whole day was really a big mess for me. I spent every minute trying to cheer up Jenifer but the more i tried the more she cried. I didn’t leave my apartment that fateful day, nor did i do any other thing apart from trying to make her happy. Joe equally showed up by 9am without the boys i asked him to get.
“oga i was told they left for Jos yesterday morning, but i have sent message across. They will be back today or tomorrow” he said to me.
Seriously my affair with Jenifer turned everything in my life upside down just with few days of being with her, but as my life changed, so did my love for her grew. I was overwhemingly in love with her. I was ready to do anything for her, even kill for her.
However things took a dramatic turn the next day. I woke up to find my Jenifer gone without a trace. Her bags and clothes were still intact in my bedroom, but she was nowhere to be found, her phone equally switched off..
I couldn’t believe myself. I unsuccessfully searched all around my rooms for her, before rushing to the entrance door to find it closed but unlocked, same as my gate, which showed that she left with her own free will.
Quickly i fetched my car keys and drove to her apartment but unfortunately she wasn’t there. The whole place was securely locked.
Tears slowly dropped from my eyes as three ideas instantly hit my mind.
“perhaps she couldn’t control her fears anymore and chose to run away, or maybe went over to Tony’s house to do the unimaginable, or could it be that she ran away to take her life?” i reasoned fearfully, almost urinating on my trouser as fear took over my entire body…
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