《Claimed by the Mafia King》


 1.

    I WAS TWELVE WHEN I HAD MY FIRST BITTER TASTE OF LIFE.I was from a middle-ss family. My mother struggled to make ends meet. My father, on the other hand, worked to make our lives more unbearable each day. If his family weren¡¯t the problem, his women were. He was my father, but I hated him.


    The situation at home made me grow up faster in my mind. Still, it was not until the sixteenth of April that I knew what it meant to live as a poor and struggling child in a world where people experiencing poverty had so little say and could only afford to have a little dignity.


    As a Catholic, I attended the stations of the cross all twelve years of my life, and apart from the usual responses the crowd was meant to give, some other words stuck in my head.


    The one I loved the most and could never forget was that of Christ when the priest would, in his bass voice, say, ¡®Your will is yours, and no force on earth and none in hell can take away your will.¡¯I loved to hear that part a lot while I was younger, but it soon got to a time where it hurt me to listen to it because I no longer wanted my will to be mine; I wanted someone to take it from me. I wanted someone to lead me while I followed because my thoughts always seemed wrong, and my will, though mine, felt like it wasn¡¯t.


    Maybe I didn¡¯t grow up as fast as I wanted to believe; I think what happened was that the situation at home broke me. It made me feel hollow, tiny, and helpless_ feelings, which were attributed more to grown-ups.


    I had to continue living. I lived by dreaming and imagining fairy tales and beautiful princes who were selfless and handsome.


    I watched my mom daily while she left the house to do all kinds of business. She would leave before we went to school, and by the time we were back, she would be there waiting for us. She worked rard. Too hard. So I tried to do all she asked of me even though they were not pleasing.I did them because I appreciated the effort she continued to make so that we could live afortable life even though my dad did little to nothing.


    My mum soon became close friends with someone from the upper ss; Lisa was her name. She was about 5¡¯5 ft tall, plump, and fair. She was also pregnant with her second child when they met.


    She soon became a friend my mom trusted and wanted us to please, so she would like my family enough to help us. ¡®We don¡¯t have money; we need all the help from people like her.¡¯ My mum would tell me. I didn¡¯t me her; I never did. She was just a mother who wanted her children to live a good life.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    If only she knew what the friendship would cost her shortly maybe she would never have been friends with Lisa in the first ce.But none of us can see the future, and that remains one of man¡¯s various inadequacies     A few months into their rtionship, Aunt Lisa let me and my two brothers stay in her house for a week.


    It was on the third day of that week that my life changed when I was asked to sleep in the same room as my brothers and Aunt Lisa¡¯s husband¡¯s nephew, Ken.


    At first, I was pretty unsure of the idea, but I trusted him and my brothers. However, the reason for my scepticism wasn¡¯t entirely based on trust but because, ab initio, I was not too fond of change.


    The earlier two days in her house saw me sleeping in her daughter¡¯s room, Be, who was about six years younger than me. We were best of friends, and she was adorable. She had this beautiful brown skin and big eyes that went well with her oval face. I loved her more than I loved the fact that her parents were wealthy.


    Be¡¯s room was the type of room a young girl like me would love to sleep in. It was small but beautiful.


    There was a small bed just opposite the door and a huge wardrobe at the side of the room where all her clothes, books, and teddy bears were hidden. I was a bit jealous of her as I never got to have so many teddy bears and books_ fairy tales to be precise while growing up.


    The window was by the side of her bed, covered with pink flowery cotton; the room was also painted pink, my favourite colour at that time. The rug was pink, and her bedsheets and pillowcases were also pink. It was the kind of room I saw myself having in my dreams.


    When no one was looking, I would look at my reflection in the vanity mirror, which was ced by the side of the door, and wish I had the life she had.


    You often hear the word broken, Don¡¯t you? But have you ever felt it so explicitly that you could be used in defining it, in describing it? When it happens that every time you try to get fixed, you are broken, over and over and over again until it bes a part of you, the feeling of brokenness.


    That you cannot live without the feeling of emptiness because it is the only feeling youprehend.


    I sound like a poet, right? That¡¯s exactly how I felt as Iy on the bed, frozen. My body was there, but my mind was not. It had again wandered too far away, leaving my body at risk.


    Back to reality, I understood what my body was mouring to tell me and what my mind was trying to prevent when I had felt ufortable about sleeping with my brothers and Ken.

 2

    TRIGGER WARNING


    I AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF SHOUTING AND SCREAMING.


    I never thought that I could sleep with all the things that were going through my mind after Ken had tried to do bad things to me, but seeing that I woke up meant that I did sleep. My mind did decide to give me rest.


    Thank God! I felt better.


    The sun shone on my face, and for some strange reason, it made me afraid. I blinked continuously, as my eyes were hurting from sleeping sote. I thought they must be red fromck of sleep, but I didn¡¯t bother looking in the mirror.


    My heart skipped a few beats the higher the screams. I looked around to see nobody else in the room except me. A cool breeze came in from outside through the window, but I still felt warm.


    My nightgown was transparent, and my yellow pants could be seen through it. I quickly wore a long shirt to cover up. I knew now that it was no longer safe to run around with pants.


    Out of fear, I got out of bed and walked speedily to the parlour; I didn¡¯t want to be alone for even a second. Ken was kneeling when I walked in, and Aunty Lisa stood before him, holding a belt. She started circling him like an animal that caught her prey. She looked tired, but she also looked furious.


    I walked into the parlour to find Kens sister Anita begging on her brother¡¯s behalf, yet keeping her distance. I suddenly felt this hatred towards her, even though I used to like her a lot.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Seeing her there, her brown eyes filled with hate and judgment for me, my every love for her evaporated.


    I was meant to sleep with Be in her room, but Anita suddenly came in at night and insisted that I sleep with my brothers in the other room. I asked why, and she replied that my Aunt Lisa requested that she sleep with Be today instead of me. I was so stupid; I should have insisted, but I didn¡¯t want Aunt Lisa to hate me because I didn¡¯t obey her. My family still needed people like her.


    Anita was just like her brother. They looked alike physically and otherwise. She was taller than he was by about two inches and skinnier, but they were both dark, like hardwood.


    Anita¡¯s nose was bigger than Ken¡¯s, but her lips were smaller. Where Ken¡¯s hair was cut short, hers was ited with long hair attachment. His eyes were warmer than hers, showing in them fake goodness, a falseness I was once pulled to.


    ¡°Did you or did you not touch her?¡± Aunt Lisa asked, shaking me out of my thoughts. She took a threatening stance in front of him. I continued to hide behind the curtains; for some reason, I didn¡¯t want her to see me. I didn¡¯t want anyone to see me. I was ashamed.


    ¡°I said, did you touch her?¡± She screamed, this time around, hitting him with the belt.


    That was the question she kept repeating. And I wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t believe me or she thought she could beat the truth out of him. I doubted thetter, which left me with the former and sadness.


    It was getting more awkward by the second. Ken wanted to say something, but he saw me and tensed up.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not what you think, I swear to God!¡± He cried.


    Why do people swear when they lie? I used to think that if you swore, then it definitely meant that you were telling the truth.


    Even though I was taught never to swear, I believed that if you did have to swear, then it should be because you were speaking the truth.


    I could feel the hatred in Ken¡¯s eyes when he looked at me. I didn¡¯t feel bad, though, because the feeling was now more than mutual. I hated him now, too. His eyes, which previously used to calm me down, now made me restless.


    Anita kept staring at me, but I skilfully ignored her nces. I wanted to confront her, but I knew that if I dared to speak, I would only cry. To hell with me if I should give them that satisfaction of watching me break down. I was not weak.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what I think, right? you will soon know what I¡¯m thinking!¡± She screamed. She hit him with the belt again, and he cried out.


    ¡°Aunty, please believe me¡­ I didn¡¯t try to rape her.¡± He kept begging.


    I couldn¡¯t stand the sight, so I furiously walked out. The only punishment I thought he deserved was to be thrown out of the house.


    At least I knew that it would have been the case if I was their daughter or a rtion, or I had wealthy parents, but then I was not their daughter and not a rtion, and I definitely didn¡¯t have wealthy parents.


    That¡¯s society. The Rich always trampled on the poor every single time like we were nothing.


    There was really no harm in giving me the same respect they would have given any of the above. Only that I was a nobody, just a simple girl. I thought, holding back the tears that threatened to fall as I walked to the garden.

 3.

    I was soon drained of all my strength, but I found it in me to keep moving. I told myself, ¡± Mira, keep moving forward even when you do not have the strength to, even when you do not know where you are going. Just keep moving as long as you can move. Move.¡±


    I took in deep, calming breaths as I walked into the garden. It was too unbearable to watch the measly punishment Ken was receiving for drugging and almost raping me.


    Rape, that was the word he used to deny my allegations. He had tried to rape me.


    My brothers were busy ying outside; they were too young to understand what was happening. Daniel was seven and David six. It took my parents five years after they had me to decide if they wanted to have another child after me because of the financial responsibilities of bearing more kids.


    Although they were both educated, they didn¡¯t have a stable job yet. We did have a roof over our heads, and at least we ate three square meals, unlike most people who couldn¡¯t even eat once, but it didn¡¯t mean we were happy with what we had.


    Everyone wants more; the more you get, the more you want. I swore then to have so much more than Aunty Lisa because if I did, she would not have treated me like this.


    I stayed outside until the noise from inside died down, and even after it did, I continued to stand out.


    I remained in the garden for almost an hour before I walked into Be¡¯s room, hoping to have my privacy.


    Be followed me without me noticing.


    She came to sit on the bed close to me and took my hands in hers. ¡°He used to touch me too. I didn¡¯t understand. What does it mean?¡± Be blurted out.


    I stared at her with wide eyes. ¡°Are you sure? I mean, how¡­ I don¡¯t.¡± I stuttered. I felt like a hand clutched my heart and pulled it out. I was panicking right now. That was the only thing I could do.


    She was just six. How dare he do that to her? He¡¯s a monster. I thought angrily. I could deal with my pain, but I hated dealing with that of others. I had so many questions like, Did he rape her? Has he taken away the innocence of this little angel? I was scared for her because, unlike me, she would remain with him.


    ¡°Tell me what he did to you?¡± I urged her.


    ¡°Any time there is no one at home, he will touch me all over my body.¡± Her voice was low but not pained. She was too little to understand that what he did to her was wrong. ¡°You do believe me. Is it bad? I don¡¯t understand, tell me. He says he loves me.¡±


    She looked so confused. It took me the grace of God to stop myself from crying.


    She had so many unanswered questions, something we both had inmon. I hated that I couldn¡¯t give her any answers. Yet, one thing was for sure: I was telling Aunty Lisa this so she would know that she had been harbouring a criminal, a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.


    I wasn¡¯t even considering what would be done to him_ I didn¡¯t care! He sure as hell deserved anythinging to him. I thought that if I told Aunt Lisa that her daughter was also a victim of his hate, she would then teach him a lesson. Then, he would truly get what he deserved for touching me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear, you are fine,¡± I hugged Be. A tear dropped from my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away.


    Be soon ran away to y with my brothers, and I quietly walked to the study where I knew Aunt Lisa would be. It was her shelter.


    The office was painted grey and was very small. There was a library at the right, close to the window, and a small table opposite the door where Aunt Lisa kept herputer,ptop, and books. The room was always cold, as she never put off the AC.


    She was taking a drink when I walked in. I needed that, too, the drink.


    Someone called her just then, and she picked up the call not sparing me a nce. She spoke quietly to the person, almost in a hushed whisper. I didn¡¯t hear her voice, but I felt she spoke to her husband.


    I sat on the rug and waited for her to finish the call. It would have been rude to interrupt.


    ¡°Be said he touched her too.¡± I blurted out. I repeated each word slowly so she could hear and absorb it. I¡¯m sure she did, she heard me, but she didn¡¯t react. It was as though I suddenly became invisible even though I was right before her.


    ¡°Food will soon be ready.¡± She replied. ¡°Go take your bath.¡± This time, she could not hide her disgust. I could hear it in her voice. I was very observant. Only one question kept repeating in my mind. Was that disgust in her voice because of me?


    I couldn¡¯t ask her; I would only ponder it until the pain became bearable.


    ¡°OK,¡± I said, walking out more confused than upset. Why didn¡¯t she say anything? I kept wondering. Her daughter was being abused, and she said nothing!


    She did not believe me right, that disgust; she thought I wanted to set him up. I was nobody; she should not listen to me because I was nothing, just a poor nobody. I am not worth anything. I guess that¡¯s what her husband told her. I guess he asked her why she would hit Ken because of me.


    I was walking alone in the garden, talking to myself. I needed to let the feelings out as I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My feelings were nasty, and I was scared that if I didn¡¯t let them out, they could kill me.


    ¡®One day, I swore, blinking back tears, they will be nowherepared to me. One day, they will see themselves as nobody. One day, they will be nobody, and I swear I will make them feel just as inferior as I feel now.¡¯ I mumbled, sniffing back tears.


    I started taking long, deep breaths while repeating that I couldn¡¯t let this weigh me down and that I was stronger than they thought.


    I heard footsteps behind me. I quickly wiped my tears and put on that fake stic smile I had mastered over the years, thanks to my father.


    ¡°Mira¡¯s aunt says you shoulde to the dining. Breakfast is ready.¡± Daniel said, running towards me. He looked a bit worried.


    His thin legs that were exposed under his shorts made me grin, and I grinned even wider so he didn¡¯t have to worry about me. He looked just like me: fair, thin, with brown eyes and a long face, only that I had longer hair.


    I took his hands, and we both walked to the garden. The house was a beautifully built bungalow. Two stairs demarcated the parlour. It was above the stairs that they set the dining.


    The diner was in the other part of the parlour, huge and ck. With fake flowers in vases and fake fruits in a bowl for decoration. I sunk into one of the chairs, and my legs didn¡¯t touch the ground because the chair was too big.


    Ken was sitting on the dining too. I wanted to leave, but I thought against it. Aunt Lisa might not like it, and even though I was going to one day be richer, my mum, for now, needed her friendship, and I didn¡¯t want to be the one to scatter it.


    I ignored Ken as there was nothing else I could do. I knew I couldn¡¯t confront him. I don¡¯t know what to say; I wasn¡¯t brave enough yet.


    They were all excuses, though there were so many excuses, but I consoled myself with the thought that He would one day get punished adequately by me in the future.


    ¡®That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, should it?¡¯ I thought, smirking. He had no idea what wasing for him. I would make him pay. It was a promise I made to myself. ¡®I will make them pay.¡¯


    Ken looked at me for what seemed like a second and averted his gaze while Anita served the meal of pancake and custard.


    I was trying to adjust to my seat when I heard David speak. I immediately stopped moving; everyone remained still, just like I did.


    ¡°What happened in the morning?¡± David asked me innocently. He thought he whispered, and no one heard him, but it was no whisper.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You can ask Ken, maybe.¡± I replied quietly. Ken was sitting opposite me; I was between David and Be, and Daniel sat close to Ken.


    Aunt Lisa was at the far end of the diner, looking very distracted and angry.


    I wanted to stop calling her Aunty; she didn¡¯t deserve it.


    But funny enough, my real Aunt was not exactly perfect; she disrespected my mom at any opportunity she got. I didn¡¯t me her, though she did it because my dad let her.


    So I didn¡¯t even know which was worse. I wished that my mum wasn¡¯t an only child and an orphan, but there was nothing I could do about it.


    David didn¡¯t ask Ken. He didn¡¯t say another word. The pancake was good, but I was too hurt to enjoy it.


    Breakfast was eaten in silence


    . After a long eventful day, and by eventful, I mean me avoiding everyone, including my brothers, I felt a little better.


    That night, I held on to Be like she was my guardian Angel. We clung to each other.


    I eventually slept in the early morning after much turning and thinking.


    I didn¡¯t feel any hands on me. I made sure of this by locking Be¡¯s room door firmly.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The damage to my heart had already been done anyway, and I knew deep down that I would never remain the same again

 4

    Trigger warning: Mentions of abuse.


    MIRA


    THICK DARKNESS ENVELOPED me, drowning me in a well of despair. I stood dejected in a cold, empty, dark and small room in the thick forest. There was no roof and I could see the cloud looming above me. Feel it. Almost touched it.


    A hand reached out to me from above, his face submerged in the dark cloud. I felt his smile when I took his hands. My heart raced hard, my gaze fixed tightly on the haze before me.


    I had waited so long for a saviour.


    Another hand, stronger and firmer like a demon backed by legions grabbed my legs from below the ground, and a war ensued.


    A tiny voice called to me from afar sounding as though it wasing from another world.


    ¡°Wake up! Mira.¡± Aunt Lisa pped my legs forcefully pulling me out of my dream.


    My eyes fluttered open to meet her staring at me, her irritation brewing. This was the first day she ever woke me up. But, after yesterday I knew that nothing would remain the same.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± She instructed.


    I speedily got up from the bed and followed her to the parlour. To my surprise, my mum was sitting on one of the couches looking worried and on the verge of crying. I instantly knew that I would have a horrible day.


    The living room was wide, painted in white. The sofas were burgundy, arranged in a circle with a ss table in between. There was a huge TV hanging on the wall. My mom was holding onto one of the throw-pillows and her eyes had been steady on the hallway door awaiting my presence. Her ck bag was on the ss table resting on the flower vase. The two round floor cushions were ced close to the stairs demarcating the parlor.


    I wanted to sit on the rug in the middle of the living room, but there was so much fear in my heart, I just stood still.


    When I finally summoned the courage to look at my mum. She smiled reassuringly at me even though it was obvious that she was faking it. I didn¡¯t mind though, It was better than having a pity party.


    ¡°Good morning mummy.¡± I greeted, back from my short reverie.


    ¡°I told her what happened, but she wants to hear it from you.¡± Aunt Lisa informed me, with a frown.


    I walked in slowly and sat down on the white rug then proceeded to tell my mum everything I had told Aunt Lisa the previous night, often distracted by the designs on her flowery long pink gown. As I spoke she kept shaking, it made me feel awful, annoyed even. It seemed as If I caused her sadness for falling into Ken¡¯s trap and not Ken for setting the damn trap! I expected her reaction, but it didn¡¯t stop me from hating it.


    To me, my mum was weak and always easily overpowered by her emotions. Children need their parents to be strong or to at least act like it for it gives them a false sense of the world being okay, and most times that false sense of security is all we want. With my mum, you were sure the world was crumbling and also sure that she wouldn¡¯t save you if it meant giving up certain things, certain people, my dad inclusive.


    I thought your children were supposed toe first.


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all that happened?¡± My mum asked, over and over again when I was done talking.


    ¡°Yes!¡± I replied for the fourth time, this time almost half screaming,pletely exasperated. I was sick of the issue already. It didn¡¯t help that they kept reminding me of my pain. Of the wrong done to me, which none of them looked willing to right.


    ¡°You said Anita told you to sleep with the boys.¡± My mum pointed out.


    I discovered I was smiling, why the hell was I smiling?! ¡°Yes. She did.¡±


    ¡°Lisa, is this true?¡± My mum asked, looking at her pleadingly, almost like she was begging for the truth instead of demanding it. I mean her child was molested, she should be raining fire and brimstone.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue, she needs to see the doctor.¡± Aunt Lisa replied, shifting ufortably on the couch. She didn¡¯t look at me and I tried to avoid looking at her too. ¡°A doctor can tell us the truth of the matter.¡± Of course, protect the criminal, after all, I¡¯m nobody!


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue? What can a doctor say that I haven¡¯t?¡± I whispered, scoffing, but they didn¡¯t hear me. I wanted to scream out so loud the walls would crumble.


    I expected my mum to poke further, but she nodded in agreement.


    It dawned on me that Lisa didn¡¯t care about my mum either, and probably kept her around for her use, like running stupid errands for her.


    I hated her! I wish I dared to call out her wickedness and my mum¡¯s weakness.


    Enraged, I lost touch with what they were saying. After all, My mum would ignore what she just found out and instead do the bidding of the devil sitting next to her. No need to put myself through the torture of listening to them decide that I do not deserve justice.


    ¡°Go. Take your bath we are going to the doctor now.¡± My mum spoke aloud after a while, startling me. Her voice is hoarse and soft.


    I looked up to see her wiping stray tears from her cheek. It¡¯sing ratherte, I thought to myself, irritated.


    She really did fancy crying a lot. That was the only thing she did in the marriage with my dad anyway. Usually seeing her cry made me miserable, but not today. Definitely not after she failed me.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I was getting sick of being in this house anyway.     ~~~~     It took me about thirty minutes to take my bath and get dressed. I packed my newly rxed shoulder-length hair in a ponytail and applied lip gloss on my full lips. Then wore baggy jeans and a short polo.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Aunty Lisa drove us to the hospital in her ck Benz. She was dressed in a short white gown that fit her perfectly. Though pregnant her style was still pretty solid. She sat in front with my mum discussing whatever, while I sat at the back resting my head on the window. Letting the car¡¯s air conditioner cool off the rising heat in my blood. I distracted myself with the view of the city, too many painful things were running through my mind at once. I remained quiet throughout the ride, asionally feeling like I was outside my body. Numb.


    I was the first to get out of the car when we got to our destination. The hospital was painted white. Its environs were beautiful, surrounded by well-trimmed grasses. On the top of the  story building was a sign written in bold ¡°Oasis Clinic.¡±


    It was one of the famous clinics in town, alleged to be one of the best and most expensive private hospitals around with good doctors and expensive equipment that didn¡¯te cheap.


    The three of us walked in. My mum was in between Aunt Lisa and me. The waiting room smelt like bleach, that¡¯s why I hated hospitals. They came with this overwhelming sense of doom. Though I only remember being in one after the birth of Chinaza. God did bless my family with good health, so we hardly ever visited the hospital.


    My mum and I were led to the consultation room after ten minutes. She alone spoke to the male doctor.  He was dark skin, tall, huge and good-looking. Doctor Tunji was the name on the tag pinned above his chest pocket. I shall remember that name for a long time never to forget when I let myself trust a man and was taken advantage of.


    He asked me to lie on the consultation table and spread my legs open while he did what he did. I watched as he took out a cotton bud after asking my mum some more questions in whispers. Her face was contorted in pain, but I was more focused on the distaste of opening my legs to a man left on my tongue. It was almost as if there was no difference between what Ken did to me and what he was doing to me only that in this case his act was approved of, and he didn¡¯t drug me. I wanted to ask for a female doctor, but I decided against it. Knowing my mum wasn¡¯t the one paying the bills, it was better I simplyplied with everything. I don¡¯t remember what happened next because I mentally blocked out everything. My mum was there so she could keep watch. For me, I was done feeling. Done feeling this hate, disgust, embarrassment and dejectedness.


    I heard the doctor say, Ken didn¡¯t only touch me, apparently when I was sleeping he did some other nasty things to me which I was not aware of. At the end of the consultation, Doctor Tunji rmended an injection.


    My mum kept asking if I was still a virgin like that was important to me. He said I was, I didn¡¯t want to be. I didn¡¯t want to be anything good. I screamed inside at the thought of not being aware of the things done to my own body without my consent. It was the worst feeling ever. I wanted to take every single detail into ount, every word, every action. So my revenge would be that of a broken insane girl who remembered every detail of her pain and gave it back in ten folds.


    I took the injection in fear and pain. My mum kept consoling me as I cried, but I didn¡¯t stop. It was the only time I could cry without seeing myself as weak. I took advantage of it.     ~~~~


    We got back to the mansion where Lisa was waiting for us after leaving us in the waiting room with the excuse that she had something to attend to at home. She had sent a driver to pick us up, which is the least she could have done.


    She was resting on a swinging chair under one of the canopies near the swimming pool.


    ¡°Good afternoon ma.¡± I greeted, sitting on one of the chairs in a different canopy, but close to hers. The sun was slowly dying down and it was when I loved it the most.


    ¡°Good afternoon.¡± She answered with a tight-lipped smile.


    It was almost as if she was irritated by my presence. It hurt me how she suddenly changed towards me. Completely. It really did. I almost didn¡¯t believe it. Was it my fault Ken wanted to rape me? Why is everyone making it seem like it is?


    My mum sat with her. While I looked ahead I listened in on their conversation. My mum told her everything that happened with the doctor¡­


    ¡°You should have asked for a female doctor to attend to her. I¡¯m sure she felt ufortable.¡± Lisa cut in.


    I almost hissed. Hypocrite! At least he didn¡¯t try to rape me Like the bastard in your house who you are covering up for.


    I didn¡¯t me my mum anymore for acting like nothing happened. I knew that anything concerning her children or any human-made her weak. She couldn¡¯t fight for herself, for me. I guess life made her that way.


    I looked at them with tired eyes when they started to whisper. They didn¡¯t want me to hear what they were saying anymore, I didn¡¯t care to listen. I went into Be¡¯s room and slept off immediately.


    Be was not in the room when I woke up at night to pee, and my face was stained with dried tears.     ~~~~


    Our vacation was cut short, and my siblings and I returned home. We lived in a street called Danyefa, named after an Ijaw man, who is said to have fought during the civil war. The street was dirty and filled with potholes. If one isn¡¯t careful enough, it could damage their car. So Lisa parked at the junction while we walked to our house, exchanging greetings with neighbours, out in their stores gossiping.


    All the houses in the street were simr to ours. Old one-storey buildings containing two-bedroom apartments that had tasted the brunt of time. Paintings washed off or peeled off.


    We lived in a t, a two-room apartment with four neighbours including thendlord. We shared the same stairs with a really annoying family. We¡¯ve been avoiding any kind of altercation with them for the sake of peace, but they were the absolute worst! Their two male kids were so noisy and disrespectful, yet their parents did nothing to correct them.


    Chinaza knocked on the door and My dad opened it after the third knock. He went inside Immediately not bothered about us.


    My mum apparently told my dad everything that happened over the phone. When he saw mee in he looked at me disdainfully saying something that killed me over again.


    I don¡¯t remember it well enough but it was something along the lines of, ¡°You belong to the world and that is why things of the world happen to you.¡± He wasn¡¯t sorry for what I had gone through nor did he attempt to get justice for me. I, his only daughter. Just because I stood up for my mother against him and his sister.


    I winced at the pain I felt in my chest. My dad was not the best of dads, I knew that already, but what he said waspletely uneptable. I was never going to forgive him for it.


    My mum angrily replied to him, but I was too far gone to make out anything. I entered the room and slept. I didn¡¯t cry. Only the living cry. I was only existing for vengeance.


    And vengeance I will get.

 5.

    Ken changed me. The way I felt about myself, how I saw my family and the world atrge. Everything. He had vited me in the worst possible way, it messed with my head badly.


    I convinced myself over the past four years that only the feebleminded felt things like love, trust or happiness. I was sure as hell not going to be weak a second time!


    The high walls I built to keep my emotions protected soon became imprable, mostly because I had given up on everything.


    I remember how I had almost shut down when I admired a boy in high school. He asked me out and I bluntly told him that I didn¡¯t believe in love. I even tried convincing him that love doesn¡¯t exist.


    He had stared at me like I was insane. A teenager who had already given up on the delusion of love; was devastating. We were ssmates in our senior year. I felt pity for him for falling in love with someone heartless. When he refused to reason with me, I walked out whispering something along the lines of ¡®I¡¯m sorry, forgive me,¡¯ like a pathetic little girl. Though I didn¡¯t care if he forgave me or not. Did I? Yes, I did. I won¡¯t lie to myself. I couldn¡¯t exactly turn myself into a robot no matter how much I tried.


    I didn¡¯t like watching him get hurt over something that was not his fault, but I knew there was no other truth than what I had told him. I wasn¡¯t so wicked as to let him be with someone who would never fully give in to him. Or trust him. Someone who rejects her feelings till they be mere illusions.


    He had been the head boy of my high school and girls loved him and flocked around him like bees to honey. I would have had the perfect high school love story had I epted him, but I was far too broken for it. Too scared to let myself trust anyone again. So I set him free to find better.


    He wasn¡¯t the only guy who tried to date me, but he was the only one I paid attention to just to chicken out when I should have embraced him. I did lead him on. I was a coward. Yes. I would rather be one than be a fool who makes the same mistake twice.


    As every day passed it soon became harder to believe in my self-acimed emotionlessness. However, I held onto hate and vengeance reminding myself over again that if my father didn¡¯t love me, how could another boy who wasn¡¯t my blood do so? My parents had too much vile between them. Maybe there was a time they truly loved each other, but it faded. You see? Love is fickle. My brothers loved me, yes, but it wasn¡¯t enough to fill me. They are my siblings, they had to love me right? All I wanted to do even after so many years was to make enough money that would help me get justice against Ken. File a police report, see him In jail or dead.


    ~~~~


    A month after graduating from High school, I started working in a boutique a few streets from mine because I hated staying idle. My mind was dangerous when still, so I tried to keep it busy lest it led me to sin. I also wanted to start saving for college, so I could fend for myself to make up for my parent¡¯sck of financial capability. I soon saved enough to at least cater for my first year in college whilst depriving myself of other indulgences.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I decided to finally write JAMB this year the second year after my graduation, and before I turn eighteen, I hoped to pass. I had just myself to hope on and God. I still believed in God. The only invisible thing I felt was visible. More real than any other. I never gave up on my faith as a Catholic and I tried not to miss any program during the holy week no matter the situation at work. I exined this to my co-worker, Esohe. She was quite understanding, and the closest to a friend I had. Secondary school friends are fickle. We rarely spoke to each other except when our paths crossed.


    Esohe let me leave early on days I had to go to church, and I returned the favour on days she wanted to leave early too. Maybe to go see a man, who knows?


    On good Wednesday, rain fell heavily in Warri. It was usual since April began ushering in a heavier rainy season. The roads were flooded. Gutters filled to the brim. The system to get rid of this was simply nonexistent.


    I walked on the road trying to stay away from unclear water.


    Cars sshed water on my clothes while I ran gingerly, eager to attend mass on time. I struggled to evade falling into a pit, potholes or worse being hit by a moving vehicle. My ck skirt clung to my legs and my pink shirt was almost transparent showing my green bra slightly. My scarf was dripping with water soaking my dress even more, I was sure my hair would smell if I didn¡¯t wash it tonight. Amidst all this, I didn¡¯t stop.


    I kept breathing in and out, slowly, trying to calm my racing heart.


    Luckily, I got to church just when the priest was still processing it. I found an almost empty pew at the back. Unusually, I decided to sit there today because I was too wet to join bodies with others at my usual middle pew. There were only two women in the pew. An old woman, and a middle-aged woman. The old woman sat at the edge. She gave me a once over when I tried to get in, but she let me pass anyway. I sat in the middle directly under the ceiling fan so it would dry my clothes even though it made me shiver. I prayed that it didn¡¯t make me sick at least.


    After resting on the pew throughout the first reading I raised my head to finally focus on the mass. My prayer book which I had put in my leather bag was safe with my phone. I was d it was just my bag that got wet, so I ced it on the pew so it could dry up. I looked around to be sure there were no familiar faces. My sigh of relief was halted when I saw an old friend from primary school, Peter, sitting at the adjacent pew. He caught me staring before I could pretend not to have seen him.


    I smiled at him. He waved and smiled back, mouthing that he woulde to me soon. Great! I wasn¡¯t in the mood. I wished I hadn¡¯t shifted my gaze from the altar.


    He looked almost the same from thest time I saw him. Only a little thinner and his face was a bit rough with pimples. A sign of puberty in boys my ss boys used to say. It was definitely y boarding school effect, his sister, Yole, who attends a day school looked ravishing thest time I saw her. I reminisced briefly on our childhood memories before my childhood was taken from me brutally. Good times. During the offertory, he came to sit with me, and we went together. I noticed a significant change then, his height. He was much taller now, towering over me. I used to be taller justst year. Boys grow weirdly.


    His beauty still stunned me. I craved to y with his long curly hair like I did when we were little. It was shorter and darker now, but I still admired it. I wasn¡¯t the only one, everyone stared at us at some point. It definitely wasn¡¯t my beauty stunning them. That time had passed. I was sure everyone around us had seen me at some point if they frequented the church. I grew up here and was in the choir, so it wasn¡¯t me definitely. Maybe it was the both of us together. They probably thought we were siblings. Whenever I walk with any beautiful light-skinned person I will always get the ¡°Oh, you look like twins¡± remark even if there is little to no resemnce. I remembered how my friends used to tease me in secondary school that, ¡°I escaped being albino.¡± If only they knew Peter, although his father is white so it made sense. Through the pictures my mum showed me of her parents I knew I got my skin colour from my grandma. She was the epitome of beauty.


    ¡°Long time, how¡¯s school?¡± I asked, after a while with a stretched smile. I could see he was struggling with starting the conversation. Shy boys are my thing, I guess.


    ¡°School is fine. Why are you all wet?¡±


    Wet? ¡°You mean my dress?¡± Iughed awkwardly. I was such an Idiot!


    He looked confused, ¡°Yes na. Your dress.¡±


    ¡°I work far from here. I had toe under the rain because no Keke was willing to stop for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Good Christian ma.¡± He teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the seminarian.¡±


    ¡°God will reward us all.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Amen oh.¡± I giggled.


    He looked intently at me for a minute only averting his gaze when he noticed I was getting tensed.


    My prayer book fell from my thighs when I tried to adjust my skirt. I went to pick it up and brushed my breasts softly on his arms. ¡°Sorry,¡± I whispered, sitting up straight. I mentally cursed myself for doing that. It was on impulse but it felt good. He didn¡¯t look like he noticed what I did, or he was excellent at hiding his emotions.


    I was losing my mind. Teenage hormones, ew. Is this how I¡¯ll keep my virginity for my husband? No, no, don¡¯t think of that. You don¡¯t care about that Mirabel. You don¡¯t.

 6

    During the announcement, a girl I knew in church, Cynthia, tapped my shoulders causing me to turn my head to her. ¡°Can we talk outside?¡± She whispered in my right ear, making me shudder. I don¡¯t like close contact, especially with people I don¡¯t roll with.


    She touched Peter¡¯s shoulder so he turned too. ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°H, i Cynthia.¡± He didn¡¯t sound happy to see her. Did they have a fight?


    ¡°Go ahead, I will join you,¡± I replied, curious to know what she wanted to say. ¡°Excuse me, Peter, I¡¯ming back now.¡± I was hoping she would not hold me back for too long.


    ¡°Be fast, mass will soon end.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    I ignored the stares I got as I stepped out.


    When Cynthia saw meing outside the church she grabbed my hand pulling me to the side.


    ¡°How do you know Peter?¡± She asked, her facial expression unreadable under the dim light.


    We stood at a small gate around the church side, the sun hadpletely disappeared from the sky. The night was dimly illuminated by the lighting from the church, and the small stores opposite. I towered over her by a few inches, but she was chubbier. I didn¡¯t want to fight, but if push came to shove, I nned to strangle her with the long pink scarf she tied around her bald hair. I wondered if I stood a chance¡­


    Iughed, getting over how startled I was by her question. ¡°He was my Primary School ssmate.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡± Her face brightened up immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t mind my question oh. I just wanted to know.¡± She added, ying with her scarf. ¡°You guys were talking like people who have known each other for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°Technically we have.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s just friendship, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Are you kidding me right now? ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°I actually know him too. Don¡¯t mind that he was acting somehow now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he just doesn¡¯t like talking in church,¡± I said to assuage her feelings. Also, because I didn¡¯t know what the hell was going on and didn¡¯t want to overstep or be involved.


    ¡°Abi oh.¡±


    I patted her shoulder ¡°Yes na. Anyway, y make I dey go back inside.¡±


    ~~~~


    Peter beamed when he saw me. I didn¡¯t even get to sit properly when he started his gist about his school. Comining about how he wasn¡¯t eating because they weren¡¯t feeding them with ¡°good food¡±, and how he was kept away from girls.


    ¡°It¡¯s a seminary. What do you expect?¡± I asked him, earning a mean nce from the middle-aged man sitting on the front pew.


    Peter gave me a knowing nce and we bothughed.


    After mass, he offered to escort me home and I couldn¡¯t say no. He was goodpany. He made me talk a lot. I exposed many details of my high school consciously omitting all my adventurous stubbornness. For example, purposely went to schoolte and then climbed the fence to prevent myself from being caught and flogged even though the ugh cane never even affected me. And also learned how to shoot with my JSS2 best friend who travelled with his rich parents to London after that year. I was a menace!


    Peter loved my stories. Weughed all through. It¡¯s been almost two years since I reminisced like this and I loved sharing it with him, loving his asional input.


    When we got to the gate of mypound, I blurted out the question I had been dying to ask.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the deal with Cynthia?¡±


    ,


    ¡°Oh, that one. Nothing really. She is just looking for more than I can give her. She¡¯s really pressuring me that it¡¯s not pretty. I feel assaulted.¡± He answered, looking really annoyed.


    Iughed at how cute his annoyed face was. ¡°Being angry doesn¡¯t fit you.¡±


    He snickered. ¡°So I have heard.¡±


    ¡°But seriously, is she really disturbing you?¡±


    ¡°With constant calls and unexpected, uninvited visits.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s hmm?¡±


    ¡°Sorry for that I mean.¡± I actually felt bad for him. He really seemed affected by it. ¡°You will soon be leaving for school anyway.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s to just be avoiding her.¡±


    ¡°That can work.¡± I agreed.


    ¡°So what did she tell you?¡± He asked. I didn¡¯t want to reply, but I figured it was only fair I did since we were sharing.


    I ced one hand on my gate, ¡°she asked if we were friends.¡±


    ¡°Can you imagine such audacity!¡±


    Iughed. ¡°Pele. Anyway, I¡¯ll be going in now. It¡¯ste. This one all these women are already looking at us.¡± He looked back to find the woman whose kiosk was opposite mypound staringically at us. Anytime my parents were fighting this woman would leave her store to ourpound just to hear what was going on.


    ¡°So you people have aproko neighbours too.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°See, this one is the oga patapata of them all.¡± I joked. Weughed in unison.


    ¡°Ok na. See you in church tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I¡¯ll be there?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. No one knows tomorrow.¡± I teased.


    Heughed. ¡°I wille get you if I have to.¡±


    I giggled, happily. ¡°Na so. Good night jor.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    He waved at me when he got down from the slippery pavement. I waved back, beaming.


    I opened the gate and sprung upstairs in joy. When I got to the door I pushed it open. It wasn¡¯t locked like I suspected. My brothers usually sensed when I wasing and would open the door to keep me from stressing myself by knocking. Especially because our neighbour¡¯s generators were usually on at night making it hard to hear anything.


    Today it is still the same case. The streets were so dark, another reason why I enjoyed my walk with Peter.


    ¡°Where are youing from by this time of the night? Mirabel!¡± My dad shouted. He was sitting on the armchair in the vendor as he normally does anytime hees back from his store in the evening because he feels alienated staying inside with us. No one wanted to talk to him because he was such bad energy just like now.


    ¡°Church. Today is good Wednesday.¡± I answered, startled.


    ¡°Church my foot! By this time right!¡± he spat, fuming. His eyes looked even bigger than they normally were. He red at me like he wanted to swallow me whole.


    I had grown taller than him over time, but he still scared me shitless.


    The only thing I took from my father was his perfect set of teeth. I took everything else from my mum. Her eyes, full lips, big boobs, hip dips, ears, thick hair that was so tough tob and grew fast, and my round face which used to be long when I was younger. She had a perfect set of teeth too, but my dad was more beautiful and whiter glowing even in the dark. It was the only thing I admired about him and the fact that he had first-ss honours in literature from the University of Cbar. He was intelligent, but not wise. Pride andziness ruined his life not us, but he has refused to see it.


    I would have studied the same thing. However, I didn¡¯t want to bear any semnce to him, at least if I could help it.


    ¡°Is it not you I¡¯m talking to?! A small girl like you ising back home by eight pm! If I talk, they willbel me the bad father, the unreasonable one. The person giving you the go-ahead to do as you please, just be ready to answer to me if anything should happen!¡± He screamed, causing me to wince.


    I closed the door and locked it, looking out to see the woman opposite us staring up at our house. Mama Tega never minds her business.


    ¡°It¡¯s holy week so there were a lot of programs today,¡± I replied, facing him squarely.


    ¡°So you can¡¯t leave the church halfway?! All of you using the church to pretend to be good in this house will soon be exposed by my God. You think God is interested in all this feigning you people are doing with dark hearts. It¡¯s not about going to church you hear?¡±


    I bit my lips hard to keep me from replying. I didn¡¯t want to give him the pleasure of knowing he was getting to me. I needed to be brave for my family. The average-height, dark-skinned man with short hair, a big nose and a wrapper tied around his waist leaving his hairy chest in full view was the enemy.


    I yed with my nails, staring nkly at the wall behind his seat.


    ¡°Keep letting your mother deceive you.¡± He continued speaking with so much venom, that it almost poisoned my blood.


    ¡°Mira,e inside¡± My mum urged, her soft voice cutting through the generator noise and my dad¡¯s screams. ¡°Anything you people are discussing outside can be said inside. Stop showcasing our dirty linen to the world.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and walked In. She would sometimes try to save me from my father¡¯s rot but her asional Interruption wasn¡¯t enough. I wanted a permanent end to his bullying. I was so tired of being scared of him.


    I went into the children¡¯s room to change my now almost dry clothes. My dad badged into the house and started shouting. His voice caused my hands to shake while at it. I wondered who he was shouting at, but I didn¡¯t wonder much. He just liked to shout even to himself¡­

 7

    The sound of my ringtone startled me so badly, that I found myself searching for my phone in my small handbag. With everything happening, from my dad scolding me to me having to hole up in my room I had forgotten about it.


    An unknown number glowed on the green screen, I contemted pushing the red button but at thest minute, I pressed the green. My breath was still shaky from the effects of the noise in the parlour which had considerably reduced now.


    I had no idea who was calling so I listened out for the person¡¯s voice. When no one spoke I took a deep breath and said, ¡°Hello. Who is this please?¡± My finger was on the red button eager to end the call should it be the case of a wrong number.


    A soft, masculine voice came from the other end of the line, ¡°It¡¯s Peter.¡±


    I smiled instantly. ¡°Hi. How did you get my number?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say it was fate.¡± He replied. I giggled, my cheeks heating up. I did find him to be sweet, soft, and boyish, something that was oddly appealing to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think fate has anything to do with this.¡± I snickered, kicking off my sandals, falling on the bed on my ass. My heart slowed down a bit.


    Heughed. ¡°I wanted to talk more with you.¡±


    ¡°Missing me already? I know I¡¯m hard to forget but it¡¯s not even been an hour yet.¡± I teased, not knowing where the hell that came from.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I could feel him blushing if that was possible.


    The noise from the parlour got louder. My brother¡¯s voices joined in. This alerted me.


    ¡°I need to do something. I¡¯ll call you back.¡± I said in a rush. I did not want him to hear what my life looked like and I also couldn¡¯t bring myself to ignore everything happening.


    I ran to the living room to see my dad standing over my mum. His eyes were filled with so much rage as though he wanted to murder her. The parlor was only illuminated by one candlelight which did nothing to brighten the space. The sight before me was shadowy, dark, and scary.


    My brothers were by his side trying to hold him down, crying and shaking. My mum looked like a deer caught in the headlights as she was trapped on the sofa, her eyes steady on him, fear and shock in them. She was shocked because my dad had never gone to the extent of physically threatening her, but I wasn¡¯t surprised by his actions. I didn¡¯t put anything past him. To me, he was capable of everything.


    Even though he had neverid his hands on her, the mental, emotional and psychological violence was no better. My mum once confided in me that she would prefer if my dad hit her than him always abusing, cursing and swearing at her. Did she wish this on herself?


    She was really strong enough to stand him, contrary to what I thought sometimes. Though I wished she would use the strength to leave even if she only saved herself.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on again?¡± I asked no one in particr. ¡°Mum!¡± I called,ing closer to the scene. Our small living room became even smaller. I tried to watch my steps so I wouldn¡¯t mistakenly bump into the middle table.


    This scene was happening in front of the altar of God with the image of his son and the cross. Why didn¡¯t he fight for us?


    ¡°Mira shut up and enter your room!¡± My dad yelled, but I was not one to be obedient in situations like this and he knew it.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on again?¡±I asked, fearfully. ¡°Daddy can¡¯t we have peace in this house for God¡¯s sake.¡± My lips shook, my heart beating rapidly.


    So much for having a nice evening with Peter. So much for wanting to rest after work.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not me you are asking that stupid question!¡± He shouted, looking back at me menacingly. The murderous look I saw in his eyes would haunt me in my sleep tonight. I didn¡¯t care if he turned his anger towards me. I wanted it. I would die for my mother without thinking twice. Familyes first, always. That family didn¡¯t include him.


    ¡°I said go into the room and take your brothers with you!¡±


    ¡°How do you want me to go inside when something is wrong?!¡± I shouted, my voice hoarse with tremors, but I didn¡¯t bulge.


    He grabbed my hand and dragged me into the room, locking the door behind him despite my protests.


    I started shouting and kicking the door, a feeling of helplessness washing through me. I became worried for my mum and my brothers.


    I shed a tear even though I promised myself never to cry again, but I couldn¡¯t help it. My heart threatened to burst out of my chest.


    Filled with a sudden burst of adrenaline from fear, I started kicking harder. The sound of my brother¡¯s wails is my prime motivation.


    When the door didn¡¯t bulge, I looked around to find something I could use to break it.


    I found a harmer on top of the wardrobe. Holding the door handle I hit the metal with it. Once. I didn¡¯t know what the hell I was doing. Twice. God help me.


    I was about to do it again when the door opened. Someone opened it.


    Scared, I moved back, hitting my leg on the bed. I thought It was my dading to teach me a lesson for defying him, luckily it turned out to be my mum. She came in and hugged me tightly.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked, quickly wiping my face with the back of my hand. I didn¡¯t want her to see me cry. She relied on me, I couldn¡¯t afford to be weak. To feel.


    She was shaking. ¡°He left.¡±


    ¡°Left? What do you mean left?¡± I asked, finding it difficult to make sense of what she said.


    ¡°He just left, he said since I want you children all to myself then I should stay with you all alone.¡± She broke off crying.


    I was relieved. She was supposed to be too, happy even, not shaken the way she was now. ¡°Then why are you crying like this?¡± I asked as we sat on the bed. I tried hard to curtail my frustration and irritation.


    She looked so weak. I was her anchor now and my heart ached for her and me because I had to learn how to be strong at such a young age when I should have enjoyed my childhood. My childhood was taken from me forcefully, and I hated the world for it since I couldn¡¯t hate her.


    ¡°I still love him, I don¡¯t want him to leave! He is my husband and your father.¡± she sobbed.


    ¡°What will his people say if something happens to him now that he has left? They will me me if anything goes wrong. I don¡¯t want to be a widow. I want him with me, safe. He ims that I turned you people against him, but God knows that it¡¯s not true and I know that deep down he knows this, you and your brothers also know. I don¡¯t know why he refuses to ept that the way you people react to him and treat him is because of the way he treats all of you and the way he treats me too when you all are watching. You can¡¯t treat a mother badly and expect her children to love you. Why can¡¯t he understand this? I don¡¯t know why he keeps ming me for everything!¡± She wailed.


    I was furious. Love! That word disgusted me more than I could put into words, especially during times like this. ¡°Who cares what his people will say? to hell with them!¡± I shouted. ¡°To hell with him. To hell with everybody! Daddy knows the truth but he refuses to acknowledge it and that will be his doom! No one is suffering his hostility apart from us so they should not have a say in the matter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that.¡± My mum cautioned. ¡°He Is still your father¡±


    ¡°I have no father as far as I¡¯m concerned. Do you want us to be motherless? Think of your children, not other people.¡± I spat angrily. I was seething, disgusted. ¡°Think of Chinaza and Ifechukwu.¡± I continued. I took deep breaths to calm down. ¡°And me.¡± There was nothing that I hated more than seeing my mother vulnerable, nothing. It hurt me till it annoyed me.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of you guys, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to leave him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the best decision for us, actually It is the worst. Do you know how all this has scarred me? Us? How that man you call my father has broken me. I hate him!¡± I spat.


    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t say things like that.¡± She warned, staring fiercely at me. I kept quiet. Although that¡¯s exactly how I felt about him, and he kept giving me more reasons to. I doubted strongly if I would ever learn to see him as a father and not a monster.


    My mum also didn¡¯t like to hear the truth. When she listens on rare asions she does nothing with it just like him. A torturer and his perfect victim.


    ¡°Well I do hate him, and I don¡¯t think I can stand him mistreating you again, if you won¡¯t do something about it then I would,¡± I spoke after silence had prevailed between us for a while.


    ¡°What will you do Mira? Life¡¯s not a game, a woman should be submissive¡±


    ¡°Submissive to the devil?¡± I asked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so and enough with that sick mentality. A woman is not a subject to a man but his equal. Not to be stepped on but to be cherished. Daddy doesn¡¯t deserve to be respected until he respects himself!¡±


    ¡°You would not speak of your father like that!¡± She shouted. Her eyes raked me in anger.


    I stood up from the bed not wanting to be close to her again. I hated that she always ended up getting angry with me who was only just trying to protect her.


    Her warnings didn¡¯t scare me, neither did it hurt me much, I was used to her defending her husband.


    My brothers came into the room and hugged me.


    ¡°I wanted to save you,¡± Chinaza said.


    ¡°He hit me, he hit us on our head like this.¡± Ifechukwu raised his hand to demonstrate a knock. He was the most outspoken of my brothers even though he was younger and only eleven.


    ¡°He¡¯s a monster,¡± Ifechukwu murmured shivering. ¡°I¡¯m scared of him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± My mother yelled. But I was not going to listen to her defend him this time. I¡¯ve had it!


    ¡°No mum, that¡¯s not enough, on the contrary, we have had enough. One day you will have to choose between him and us. And I wonder who you would choose.¡± It hurt me to say this, especially to her, but it had to be said. I¡¯ve kept it in for so long.


    ¡°Of course I would choose you, my children, you all are what I love most.¡± She stood up to hug us. ¡°Everything will be okay, he will change, he is just being deceived by another woman again. I¡¯m sure of it, only another woman can make him act like this. He will return to us.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything else as I¡¯ve heard the same story over and over again. We¡¯ve all been in this situation time and time again. It was a vicious circle that my mum was too scared to pull us out of.


    My life was just as dark as the room, I thought.

 8

    I WOKE UP FEELING HORRIBLE


    As a result of all the shouting and crying of the previous night, I was gued with a terrible headache when I woke up. It was 7:30 and I was meant to open the boutique by 8am.


    ¡®Can today get any worse?¡¯ I mumbled, jumping out of the bed and out of my room. I didn¡¯t want to take drugs for my headache. I rather endure it as I hated drugs with a passion that burnt my soul.


    I rushed into the bathroom to take my bath, taking my clothes with me. It was a habit of mine to dress up in the bathroom. I still couldn¡¯t stop it even though it got my dress all wet sometimes.


    After taking my bath, I rushed out to see my mum setting the tes for breakfast on the dining. She looked okay. That was something I admired about her_ It was really hard to know_to figure out what she passed through everyday by just looking at her. She had perfected the act of pretending like most African mothers and wives.


    I looked like a thinner, younger version of her, with smaller ass and bigger boobs. And yes, I was fairer as she was a bit more tanned. Her nose was smaller than mine though and my lips were fuller. Her eyes were not as white as mine, they were yellow probably from crying too much.


    She had beautiful skin with hairs over her legs just like me. Hair also sprung out underneath her chin which she shaved off. I preferred pulling mine off though, it kept me busy anytime I was bored. Even with all the stress my mom went through no one would guess that she had three children if not for the stretch marks on her legs and stomach and the veins too.


    I soon had to ept that my home was like most homes in the country which remained intact because the women did nothing but pretend to be happy in other to keep her home.


    It was always about how to keep your man why was there never a how to keep your woman. I feared getting married so much, which was thanks to the marriages I saw around filled with unhappy wives and selfish husbands. If there was a thing like marriage phobia that was my own phobia.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to work now mum.¡± I informed her taking a slice of bread.


    ¡°Are you not going to eat? at least take your tea.¡± She scolded, handing me the cup of tea over our small rubber white dining table.


    I sipped a little bit and it burnt my tongue, totally discouraging me from taking further sips. ¡°Mum don¡¯t worry I¡¯lle early OK and I¡¯ll eat at work.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you go to church for holy Friday?¡± she asked sitting down on one of the chairs in the diner, her back was turned to me.


    ¡°I would.¡± I answered rushing out of the house.


    ¡°OK please make sure you eat and take_¡±


    ¡± OK OK mum I know already I will take care of myself and I promise to be careful with everything I do especially when crossing the road.¡± I said mimicking her.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She always tells me to be careful with people especially boys. I knew she didn¡¯t want me to make the same mistake she did by marrying my dad_ even if she won¡¯t ept that she made a mistake by marrying him at least not to me.


    ¡°Tell Daniel and David not to step on my bed or else I will beat them.¡± I warned. She rolled her eyes and we both smiled.


    I hurriedly wore my sandals and opened the wooden door only to see my father standing there_he was on the phone with someone.


    My heart skipped a beat and I froze on the spot. My first instinct was to run away but to run where? Downstairs or back into the house. Downstairs felt like the better of the options but before I could move my father voiced out his disapproval.


    ¡°Get back inside!¡± He shouted. Startled at the tone of his voice I ran inside. My heart was pounding fast against my chest as I stepped back inside and pulled my sandals. My mum was folding some of her clothes in the parlor when I walked.


    ¡°Daddy is back.¡± I whispered. She was just as startled as I was. She quickly carried all her clothes and ran inside.


    I was still deciding on what to do when my dad walked in and banged the door behind him. I wanted to run into the room but my feet refused to move.


    ¡°Mirabel call your mother.¡± My dad said, dropping the call he was on. I dashed into the room before he finished talking. His voice was so full of anger.


    ¡°Mummy daddy said I should call you.¡± I whispered. My mum looked at me with fear in her eyes, I was sure that her heart was also pounding in her chest.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    We both stared at each other for a few seconds before my dad¡¯s voice interrupted our eye message.


    ¡°Mummye please.¡± He pleaded, but it was as if he was screaming. His voice was so loud. I hated it.


    My mum jumped up from her bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She straightened her pink nightgown and we both walked into the parlor.


    We had four chairs in the parlor and a coach with a middle table demarcating them. It was a simple home painted in yellow. Our floor was tiled with an ancient kind of tiles and our dining was made of rubber. Our TV was still one of those box TV¡¯s you ce on a TV stand, ours was ck with the DVD below. It was better than having none though.


    My dad was sitting on one of the chairs and my mum walked in and sat on the coach opposite him. While I stood there waiting for the courage that would enable me tell my dad that I needed to go to work.


    ¡°Daddy good morning.¡± My mum greeted him sounding like her usual self even though I knew she was afraid.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± My dad replied. He faced me and I quickly looked away. ¡°Mirabel thank God I came just in time. Go and park your bag now, you are leaving for your aunt Ego¡¯s house in port.¡±

 9

    My eyes widened in shock. ¡°Daddy I¡¯m not going anywhere oh! What is this? Me I¡¯m not going. Why does aunt Ego want me toe to her house all of a sudden.¡± I protested with a pouty voice.


    ¡°Will you shut up that your stinking mouth!¡± My dad shouted.


    I grumbled on and on stomping my feet on the ground, but I shut up anyway. I wasn¡¯t brave enough to face him yet.


    ¡°Why does Aunt Ego want her toe?¡± My mum asked, as confused as I was.


    ¡°Her husband called me now. Do you know that she almost had a miscarriage because of too much work.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ of Nazareth!¡± My mum and I eximed in unison. I put my hand over my heart to calm my breath.


    I didn¡¯t like aunty Ego even if she was my Dad¡¯s only sister. She treated my mum badly and I hated her for it, but she had been looking for a child for so long it would be so painful if she lost this one.


    ¡°How is she?¡± It was my mum who asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s better now but they urgently need a helping hand.¡±


    ¡°God will not let our enemies see us. They will not seed!¡± My mum prayed. It was then that I knew that I was going to go to Port-Harcourt whether I liked it or not.


    Traveling was thest thing I wanted to do now with how unsafe the roads were because of the gang war which had been affecting my town but I had no choice.


    I quickly packed my bag and other necessities. I hugged my brothers good bye while promising to get toys for them on my return. I also hugged my mum and promised her that I would be on my best behavior.


    My Dad offered to drive me to the park which he only did because my Aunt needed me. The ride to the park was tensed and quiet and I did appreciate the silence. It was better than having forced conversations with a man I didn¡¯t like.


    When we got to the park he booked a sit for me and gave me the ticket. ¡°You had better respect yourself over there.¡± He warned, and drove away without telling me as much as a good bye.


    I knew that it would be hard for me to cope in my Aunts house because first of all, I wasn¡¯t used to staying away from home for such a long time as a month. Secondly, she didn¡¯t like me and I didn¡¯t like her.


    I¡¯ve always thought my family to be my responsibility. My whole family. Maybe it was something that came with being the first child. A kind of blessing, a Kind of curse, a little bit of both.


    Soon it was turn for my bus to move and I entered it feeling all mncholic and sad. My mom promised that she would tell my Boss about the break I was having, but I doubted if he would not rece me before I got back. It made me sad because I wanted to earn enough money for myself before I got admission to the university because I didn¡¯t trust my parents to fully cater for me considering their present financial status . I also didn¡¯t want to have to burden my mum too much cause I knew that she would be the one to take care my college expenses.


    My sit number was 8 so I sat on the second tost sit on the bus. I had my earpiece plugged while I listened to Michael Jackson¡¯s Dangerous. He was and still is my best musician.


    I soon started getting inspiration to pen down a poem like I always did when I felt sad and lonely.


    I was about to unlock my phone when the bus was brought to an abrupt halt. I felt some kind of tension In the bus and so I pulled out my earplugs.


    ¡°Stop now!¡± I heard two men scream from outside the bus causing tension inside. The driver tried to move past them.


    ¡°You all calm down.¡± He urged us and we obeyed briefly. But before he could move another mile the bus was shot and all calmness flew out the window. Now there was nothing but tension, wails and a good dose of fear.


    I stayed put for a while before the situation hit me like a stray bullet and I started to panic


    ¡°Lord save us!¡± The woman sitting across me cried out hugging her daughter who was about the same age as I was.


    Everyone seemed to be with family or friend, I was with no one so I hugged my self. I wanted to call my mum but in situations like this, I was of better use than she was. She would only start panicking and I didn¡¯t want her to die before her time.


    One of the masked men opened the bus while the other stood by the side pointing the gun at the driver who had his hands up. When the man sessfully opened the door one other masks man different from the one pointing the gun at the driver joined him in entering the bus.


    Never had I been so afraid in my life. I thought I would die. It was obvious that they were from a gang but I didn¡¯t know which gang they were from. My best bet was ¡®White Lion¡¯ because that was the gang that was known to cause the most havoc.


    ¡°If you speak I will shoot.¡± One of the men growled. His voice meant business. The other man looked around the bus as if there was something he had kept in the bus that he wanted to retrieve.


    ¡°Hey you get out of the car!¡± He ordered, pointing to the girl sitting next to me. She nodded slowly crying, her mother held her tight, refusing to let her go.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me! Get out of the damn car!¡± He growled this time. She flinched, shaking from head to toe.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She stood up to leave sobbing and shaking. Her mother tried to hold her back pleading, but the man would have none of it. He hit her hard with the gun and she passed out. Her daughter screamed out and tried to fight but she was restrained by the second man who had given us the warning. He was taller than the other and looked more of a hardened criminal maybe because of the tribal marks on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for drama. The next person will be hit by a bullet.¡± He warned. He turned to the girl sitting in front of me. ¡°Get out of the bus!¡±


    He ordered. Even before he finished she got down letting go of her younger brother whose tiny hands held her tight until she got down. In her case she was the protector.


    The brother was crying and begging but his words were inaudible. One man who was in front restrained him and kept patting him on the back.


    It was too much of a coincidence that they had asked two girls who were about the same age as me to leave the bus without even asking a single guy to leave. I was afraid that I would be next.


    As if God was in my favor both men looked out of the bus and I used the opportunity to try to hide under the seat. My knees were on the ground and my head was already finding it¡¯s way under when my hair was pulled back. ¡°I saved the best for thest look at this one trying to escape. I like her what do you think.¡±


    The other man who had been pointing the gun licked his lips and smirked. ¡°I like her too but boss has to see them first.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to give her to us anyway.¡± The other guyughed. He pulled me out of the car and into a van with the rest of the three girls. I was the only one not crying.


    I had to organize my thoughts now. To n an escape as I knew better. This was the best time to escape if I wanted to, now that they were only three of them. If I¡¯m taken to the base then I might never leave because then there will be more of them. More of them to try to stop me.

 10

    ¡°You guys have to stop crying.¡± I whispered to the other two girls when the van started moving. One of the men had entered another car so we were left now with just two of them who sat in front.


    Both girls ignored me holding unto each other, already findingforts in themselves. I felt sad but I understood that they did had a lot inmon. They were both scared.


    Ignoring the slight pain in my chest I tried to check for my phone but I just then realized that I had left it in the bus. Police here was dead anyway when it came to gangs, White Lion wasw in this town. My only hope was simple let this be another gang. If they were from ¡®White Lion¡¯ then I was gone for.


    I saw a rope on the ground of the car and out of instinct and sheer desperation I picked it up and tried to strangle the driver. I put the rope around his neck and pulled on it with as much force as I could muster.


    He was thrown of bnce and the car moved in different directions. The other guy tried to shoot but was kicked by one of the girls the one who sat by me. The other took the gun when it fell and hit his head. The driver started losing his breath and stopped struggling.


    With no one handling the steering wheel the car started to move fast before it Summersaulted.


    My head hit the ss window and there was a lot of smoke. I had a cut on my forehead and my arm but other than that I was fine. I quickly unlocked the door hitting the two girls in the process.


    There was smoke all around us as we got out of the car. We coughed sporadically as we ran away from the car and smoke.


    ¡°So what do we do now.¡± The girl who had been sitting by my side asked after we had reached a safe distance. She used her left hand to support her right because she was bleeding profusely on the right. Her breathing was hitched but she looked better than she did before.


    I looked at her and exhaled, trying to get as much air into my lungs as possible. ¡°We run and never look back because if they find us.¡± I paused. ¡°Well let me just say they shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m Mirabel. You can call me Mira.¡±


    ¡°Justine.¡± The girl replied. She looked like someone who would answer Justine. She was small and petite. Like a little tanned doll, everything about her was so small and cute.


    ¡°F. The other girl introduced licking blood from the side of her mouth. F on the other hand was thick on all the right ces. Her face was round and she was quite tall, even taller than I was.


    We nodded in understanding of amon goal which was to run as fast as we could.


    There were no further pleasantries as the three of us started to run for our lives. The road was lonely, very lonely and there was no one in sight but we didn¡¯t give up even though we didn¡¯t know where we were.


    All I hoped for was to leave the lonely street to


    the main road.


    ¡°Does any of you have your phone here?¡± I asked, when we stopped to catch our breaths.


    We were getting closer to town and I could feel hope swirl in my chest.


    F was about dipping her hands in her pocket when a Hilux driving in full speed stopped by us and pushed us into the back seat. We struggled but we were defeated and bound.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 11

    TIME PASSES SLOWLY WHEN WE ARE IN TROUBLE.


    After about thirty minutes or so the van came to a halt and I was thrown out of the car along with the others and we were led into a room.


    The polythene bag that covered my face was removed after we stopped moving. But my hands were still bound tightly behind my back. There was no escaping this for me.


    I could tell that after that stunt we pulled we would be watched more closely now.


    I was lifted off the ground by one of the men who had kidnapped me.


    ¡°Open your eyes.¡± He instructed.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart pounded hard against my chest as I opened my eyes to see a man standing in front of me. He was as white as snow. He towered over me at a height that I had hardly seen in any man except from one very tall man that was taller than everyone in my church.


    His hair was as white as his skin. In contrast to his skin colour he had on a ck shirt, jeans and boots. He had on his arm the tattoo of a white lion. ¡®Was this the white lion?¡¯ I thought, taking in deep breaths.


    I always wondered why he was called white lion. No one really knew why. Some said it was his father who had given him the name and it stuck to him others said it was just a name he fancied now I knew why_he was albino. I realized I was staring.


    ¡°Let us go please.¡± Justine begged. I looked over at them by my side. The guy holding me held me tighter.


    ¡°She seems like the rebellious one boss. Fucking Slut thinks she¡¯s a fighter.¡± He chuckled, pping my ass. I struggled to remove my arm from his firm grip.


    ¡°Let me go, please.¡± I begged.


    White lion watched us keenly without saying a word. He was standing a few inches close to me now. He raised my chin up and smiled.


    ¡°I like her spirit. It is always fun breaking her likes. Leave this one for me.¡± Heughed. ¡°You are mine.¡± He said to me. A shiver ran down my spine and tears followed. I was beginning to feel intense fear. The fear that had been buried by shock was finding it¡¯s way out and it was consuming me in every vour.


    ¡°Boss you should leave her to us.¡± The man standing by himughed evily, ¡°We will teach her lessons. Simone don¡¯t you agree?¡± He questioned the man holding me, winking at him. In reply Simoneughed and grabbed my ass. ¡°Of course boss I agree.¡±


    His reply didn¡¯t go well with his boss. In a sh White lion brought out a gun from his pocket and shot him point nk on the head. The man died instantly.


    ¡°Jesus Christ! what the fucking blood of Christ!¡± I shouted. The man fell down at my feet and I screamed.


    ¡°When something is mine it shouldn¡¯t be touched.¡± White Lion spoke. He put his gun back into his pocket acting so casually like he had not just killed a man. That was the type of man white Lion was, a killer.


    The man standing by him fell to his knees immediately. ¡°Boss please forgive. I swear I¡¯ll never ever say anything about her again, I promise.¡± He begged. He was shaking so much. It was scary to see a grown man with his muscles and height bow to a thiner man in fear.


    ¡°Jide I¡¯ll let you go today. We all die but you won¡¯t today at least not by my gun. Clean this mess and make sure those two failures have no other Chance to fail.¡± White Lion instructed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that boss. Thanks for sparing my life boss.¡± Heughed, nervously standing up.


    White Lion nodded patting Jide¡¯s arm. Jide thought that all was forgiven, but it wasn¡¯t.


    White Lion hit him hard on the head with his gun. I gasped in shock as Jide fell down to the ground his nose bleeding. ¡°Just something to remind you of what will happen if you touch her. Take the girls in and bring her to me.¡±


    ¡°No no no. Please let me go with them please.¡± I protested, but my cries fell on deaf ears. I was dragged out amidst my tears and struggle.


    ¡°Mirabel!¡± I heard Justine scream as they were carried to God knows where. I was pushed into another car. My hands remained tied.


    They were not going to make the mistake of letting my hands free again I could tell. Immediately the car started Jide blindfolded me and taped my mouth.


    I said the hail Mary and our father in my mind while tears continued to fall down my eyes. ¡®I¡¯ll find a way to leave this ce or die trying.¡¯ I swore.


    ¡°Jesus I really need your help now. If you can see me from heaven I think this is the best time for you to help me please.¡± I prayed silently.

 12

    The car came to a halt after about five minutes. I was dragged out of the car by one of White Lions men probably Jide and taken up a flight of stairs. When we got to thest floor we walked a bit more, then he pushed a door open and threw me onto a bed. My heart was beating so loud, I was almost deafened by the sound.


    The same guy pulled me up and tied me to the bed. The blindfold was not removed neither was the tape removed from my lips. The only thing that changed was that I was tied to a bed now.


    My heart was beating so fast I almost passed out. I started to regret the fact that I never had sex. I should have given myself to someone, anyone, someone that wasn¡¯t a criminal even if it was just out of admiration.


    The thought of any of this awful men taking my virginity made my heart sink in pain. I would not forgive myself if any of them seeds in taking advantage of me.


    ¡°God please help me.¡± I prayed, and cried. I don¡¯t remember how long I prayed, how long I cried but after a while of what seemed like a decade the room finally opened and someone walked in.


    Whoever it was had precise footsteps. I remembered White Lion, I had never ever met a man as handsome as he was. His long white hair gave him the look of something close to an Angel. It had been neatly packed giving his cheekbones more angle. I didn¡¯t want anything to do with him. I wanted to go home.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    The footsteps started getting closer, and with each step my heart beat increased. I could hear my heart pound like the drums In church on Sunday.


    When the steps stopped by the side of the bed the person touched me and I fliched, sobbing softly. I couldn¡¯t scream even if that was the only thing I wanted to do. I immediately knew that it was white lion. His scent gave him away. He sat down by the side of the bed, so close to me. I felt this, I felt all his moves, none of his actions were lost to me.


    My eyes that were tied closed heightened my senses. It scared me even more how much I was feeling at that point. Everything felt heightened and when he touched me with his hands so warm, I could not have brought myself to move away. The part of my skin he touched felt like it had been set on fire. I rxed a bit against my better judgment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take of the blindfold.¡± He said, softly. I swallowed. I wanted to beg him to let me go instead. He carefully took the blindfold out. My eyes met his and he smiled. ¡°You have beautiful eyes.¡± Heplemented smiling softly.


    He lifted my chin up like he had done the first time he saw me. He was so different from this morning. I thought he wanted kiss me, I saw it in his eyes that he wanted to and it scared the shit out of me. Although I won¡¯t lie that a cynical part of me was excited about the prospect. It would be my first kiss after all. Even though I didn¡¯t want it to be him the thought of actually kissing someone for the first time made my insides flutter.


    But he didn¡¯t kiss me. He held my chin in position so our eyes remained fixed. Now that he was closer I couldn¡¯t stop gazing into his eyes. His eyes were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. I assumed that it was because of his albinism. They were something close to heavenly, sadly he was a beast, the very devil_ and there was nothing heavenly about him except his purple eyes which had a tint of gold in it.


    His hand moved to my lips and he carresed the tape that covered it. His thumb moved sensously on the tape, sending a wave of pleasure across my spine. I was struggling to breathe through the incredible sensation he was causing to flow through my veins.


    Finally his hands stopped at the tip of the tape. ¡°I¡¯ll get this out. Don¡¯t shout or I¡¯ll put it back.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. He tore the tape away from my mouth and I winced. At first his hands stayed close to my mouth, he was probably expecting me to scream but I wasn¡¯t stupid. I knew better.


    When I didn¡¯t say even a word he put his hands down, but he watched me intently, suspicious of my every movement.


    I took in deep breaths. Inhaling. Exhaling. My gaze locked with his and the world stopped for me.

 13

    ¡°Tell me your name?¡± White Lion whispered.


    His voice made me feel things, things I couldn¡¯tprehend. I looked away from him. I was ashamed of myself for the way I was feeling. I knew that I was not supposed to be quiet. I felt the need to fight even if there was no need to.


    I was still chained to a bed, in a fortress that was heavily guarded. Surely there was no way for me to escape. Still I felt the need to struggle. I felt that if I didn¡¯t struggle then it meant that I wanted this_his touch_his closeness_ but I didn¡¯t.


    Yes, I wanted love and romance and like most people my age I dreamt of it, but never in my dreams or in real life did I ever imagine myself falling for a criminal_ a notorious gang leader. I swear I didn¡¯t want him to touch me. Or did I? I was confused about what I wanted as I was quite aware that a part of me wanted him to touch me again. A part I was determined to silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright you don¡¯t have to tell me your name. I¡¯ll call you Reina then.¡± He shrugged. I didn¡¯t respond. He took out a key from his pocket and unlocked the chain that bound me to the bed. ¡°You look dead and dirty. Let me take care of that.¡±


    He removed the chain from my hands his gaze not leaving mine. Now that my hands were free, I looked around the room in silent observation. Surely, there must be a way to escape and with my hands not bound the ratio of the possibility that I might find this way increased a whole lot.


    My stomach fluttered in excitement. I prayed fervently that he would not notice me looking around in search of an escape route as I was hellbent on pretending to be naive and fragile if that would gain me his trust and the opportunity I needed to let myself out of the lions den. Literally.


    ¡°Mirabel.¡± I murmured. I cleared my throat afterwards, because my voice came out very hoarse It was almost inaudible.


    My throat was sore from shouting much and I was feeling dizzy from all the tears I cried. I hoped that it was all a dream and I would wake up to find that I am in my Aunts house lying peacefully on my own bed. Suddenly the prospect of being at her house did not sound so bad anymore.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Mira.¡± He said. ¡®Everyone calls me Mira.¡¯ I wanted to say but I thought against it.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    His face was contorted as he spoke and his brows were raised like he was seeing something very alluring to him. Our eyes were  fixated when he lifted me up from the bed and carried me to the bathroom.


    The room was beautiful although I barely had more than a glimpse of it and the bathroom had the same beauty. I had to praise the architectural design of the house.


    I was putting on a short gown with buttons from top to bottom. He pressed me to the wall by the side of the sink, and I didn¡¯t try to push him away. It would have been futile anyway there was no way I would have been able to fight him off so I watched him hoping he wouldn¡¯t do what I was thinking he wanted to do.


    My hope was quashed like all I had hoped for today which turned out to end merely as just false hopes. He tilted my chin caressing my cheek with his thumb then he kissed me. I froze. His lips moved from my lips to my chin and back to my bottom lip which he suckled.


    I felt fuzzy like I would faint. When my stomach fluttered against his touch I knew I had to push him away even though I had a feeling that I would not be able to stop him if he really wanted to have his way with me. He was already so aroused. The moan that left his lips gave him away.


    ¡°Stop please.¡± I whispered weakly against his lips. He let go of my chin and moved away.


    I exhaled feeling a bit better even though he was still close.


    ¡°Let me clean you up.¡± He muttered, cleaning my lips with his thumb. His hands moved to my button. He unbuttoned three from the top exposing my full breast to his view. His eyes were hungry and it scared me. If I didn¡¯t stop him, I knew he would feed on me.


    ¡°I can_ I can freshen up by myself.¡± I stuttered. My hands held his, which was little inparison to his big hands. He didn¡¯t respond to me, he simply stared me down with a frown.


    I immediately regretted challenging him but it was toote already to take back my words I had to face the consequences.

 14

    I tried to remove his hands when he would not do that himself but I couldn¡¯t.


    This gesture seemed to have angered him even more.


    With his left hand he held both my hands behind my back and I shivered at the strength he possessed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bite more than you can chew.¡± He fiercely warned. From his eyes I could read that he was clearly telling me not to fight, not to try his patience or he would hurt Me. Speaking of which I wondered why he hadn¡¯t already.


    ¡°Let me.¡± He added. I nodded in obedience this time. I gaped at him as he unbuttoned the remaining buttons on my gown leaving me in just bra and pants. I felt naked having been more exposed to him than I have been with any man my whole life.


    He locked eyes with me caressing my stomach as his hands made way to my back. My heart was beating so fast I was surprised it didn¡¯t explode. He unhooked my bra and dropped it on the floor. It fell on top of my gown.


    Then his hands moved to my panties and my eyes shut tightly, I looked away as a tear fell down my face. Never had I felt so helpless even against my dad.


    He untied my pant from the corner and dropped it. I felt his hands on my chin again as he forced me to look at him. Although I faced him now my eyes were shut tight. I was so ashamed and afraid. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me but that would be too much mercy, too much to hope for as I had seen that my prayers weren¡¯t exactly being answered.


    ¡°Open your eyes?¡± He ordered holding my waist possessively. I shivered under his touch my whole body shook in tremor. I felt detached from my own skin as if I was a mere spectator watching what was happening to me from a far.


    ¡°Please let me go.¡± I sobbed.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Open your eyes now!¡± He growled and my heart stopped. My eyes flew open.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disobey me again Mira!¡± He warned, through clenched teeth. He slid a strand of my hair behind my ear and smiled. I tried to cover my Breast with my hands and he pped it away. ¡°Why are you ashamed. You are perfect.¡± I choked out a sob as he continued to assault by body. He caressed every bit of my skin with his hard hands.


    He was touching me in the most sensuous way I had ever been touched. I shuddered, suppressing a moan. I was repulsed by his touch but it didn¡¯t stop my traitorous body from wanting more of it.


    I had hoped that I would wait until marriage to unleash my desires. That¡¯s what I wanted, how I had always nned my life to be, I wanted to be like my mum who made sure my dad was her first, but then again life is what happens when we are busy making ns. I could only pray that God touches this mans heart and makes him stop what he is doing.


    He kissed my neck and his lips lingered there. ¡°You are beautiful.¡± He whispered.


    His hands moved to my breast. He caressed it, ying with my nipple, squeezing it. He trailed kisses from my neck down to my breast, and took my right nipple gently into his mouth.


    He sucked on it then he grabbed my left breast and pressed it hard. I could feel ecstasy blow horns in my head. My knees started to wobble and I could feel the wetness in between my thighs. My legs lost all the abilities to carry my weight I seemingly became too heavy.


    ¡°Stop please.¡± I choked out, but my voice was barely audible.


    He pressed my right boobs harder, moaning in my ears. My breathe became harsh, I was hyperventting. My hands did not leave my side, I balled them into fist afraid that I might get tempted to touch him. I could feel my stomach tighten and my core wetted, drips flowed down my thighs.


    ¡®What is happening to me?¡¯ A small voice in my head asked in fear as I moaned out softly.


    His head rxed on the crook of my neck as his assault on my body finally stopped. We stayed like that for some minutes. His and my breathing the only sound in the otherwise quiet bathroom. We were as still as the wind in summer.


    When his breathing became normal he carried me and ced me in the tub. Then he took a soap and a sponge and scrubbed me gently. When he was done cleaning me up, he carried me out and dropped me on the bed. I could see then the dent on his pants.


    He looked at me all over with hungry eyes. My hands flew to my stomach as I subconsciously tried not to cover my nakedness. I didn¡¯t want to anger him again. I was conscious of the fact that he had all the powers now and I had none.


    ¡°Here. Put this on.¡± He sighed throwing a big shirt to me_His I guessed. He was over six feet and I was just barely above 5¡¯6. I hurriedly put on the shirt he gave me, thankful for the fact that I would no longer be naked in front of him, exposed to his searching eyes.


    The shirt he gave to me almost reached my knees. I was d that it covered every part of me that needed covering.


    He moved close to me and took my hands in his. ¡°Don¡¯t try to run.¡± He warned as he disappeared into the bathroom.


    I waited a few seconds after he went into the bathroom before I got out of the bed. My mother, my brothers they will be looking for me by now. My aunt must have called to tell them that she had not heard from me and my mum would be worried sick. She might die! They must have called my phone non stop. I had to leave.


    So even though I was scared I could not let it envelop me. I had to find a way out maybe through the window. Maybe through the door but I needed to be strong. I needed to escape for my family.


    I stood up quietly making sure that as my feet touched the ground it wouldn¡¯t make a sound. I tiptoed to the window it was open and we were on the first floor. The house was bigger in width than in height.


    I was going to jump.

 15

    THEIR WERE ARMED MEN AT EACH STATION AROUND THE BLOCK.


    I sighed, raking my brain for a better escape n. My heart was beating so fast I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to breath. I knew that it was best to wait a while, study my environment ande up with an escape n but I was anxious.


    I wanted to leave immediately.


    Some things were better achieved when we didn¡¯t n for them. Like escaping from the clutches of a murderer.


    I looked round the room not knowing what I was searching for until it dawned on me that I had to find a weapon If there was any around.


    Thinking about it, it would be impossible for there to be no weapon in the room of a gang leader and killer, one of the eighth wonders of the world kind of thing.


    I closed my eyes and thought about all the Mafia and gang movies I had watched. ¡®Where do they hide their guns?¡¯ I asked myself thinking slowly.


    My eyes fluttered open gently as if I had just been awoken from a trance. I rushed to the drawer besides the bed and pulled it open there it was__a gun. I took it out immediately and checked if it was loaded. It was, perfect.


    My ex best friend in primary school, Mathew, had taught me how to use a gun. He was the son of a general and he loved his father¡¯s job so much, he hoped to have it one day.


    Sadly, his father was promoted so many years back and they all had to leave the country. I never did forget how to check a gun, it fascinated me and I hardly got to forget anything that I fancied. It was at this point that I found myself missing him again. It had been so many years.


    I heard water run in the bathroom and I knew it was time to leave. I ran to the window and inspected my fall. ¡°Lord help me. I know I don¡¯t pray much but please help me I am praying now. Please help me Lord. Save me from this man.¡± I prayed, pressing my palms together.


    I put my legs over the window and brought it back. My heart was beating so fast I almost fainted. Then I heard the door to the bathroom open and I knew I had no time to entertain fear.


    ¡°Alright Mirabel you can do this. One. Two. Three.¡± I counted. On the third count I jumped down hitting the ground with a loud thump. But luckily I fell on grass so I didn¡¯t hurt my leg much, although I almost sprained my ankle. The house was a one story building but it was not a far jump.


    I held the gun tight moving slowly round the house. I was in a garden and there were three men standing at different points heavily armed. When I took one step, one came to my direction and I almost passed out.


    I was lucky enough to hide behind the wall before he caught sight of me.


    I was about to take another step when White Lion screamed my name.


    ¡°Mira!¡±


    Startled, I stopped on my tracks, I nearly pissed on myself. The gun almost slipped from my hand as both my hands were shaking.


    ¡°Mira I know you are down there. Show yourself don¡¯t let me find you!¡±


    I stopped. My heart beat racing fast.


    I started to run like my life depended on it, because it did. I ran to the right because there was no one there when I started running. Few of his men who had heard him call me ran after me.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop!¡± They screamed in warning.


    But I didn¡¯t stop because something told me that they were not going to do shoot me.


    So I ran.

 16

    The garden seemed to never end, but just when I had a glimpse of the gate which was still far away I ran into one of his men.


    The others were farther behind me so it was possible to escape if only I could overpower this one or so I thought.


    I was breathing heavily, both of us staring at each other trying to assert fear to the other.


    I thought about how best to escape him while he looked at me like I was some sort of specimen. He was tall and huge and as tanned as y. His head was very big like his nose and ears, only his lips were small.


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape.¡± He spat. ¡°Just turn around.¡±


    My breathing increased, then I remembered I had a gun. I pointed it to his face, ¡°Of course I can. Move away.¡± I ordered, trying my best to keep a firm voice even though I was panting.


    Heughed out loud at the gun pointed at his face. A mockingughter that infuriated me so bad. ¡°Do you even know what that is.¡±


    My nose lifted up involuntary in anger. I shot a flower close to his feet, the sound of the bullet hitting the flower startled the both of us. He looked shocked as he hell, he jumped two inches backwards.


    ¡°You have no idea what I know and what I don¡¯t. Move away now!¡± I ordered.


    He raised his hands and moved to the side stillughing. Immediately he did I started running for the gate again. ¡°You can¡¯t run away bitch. I¡¯ll find you.¡± He shouted. I didn¡¯t respond I simply ran as fast as I could only now he was following me and he was closer than everyone else.


    I could now see the gate clearly when he lurched at me from behind pushing me down with a force that left me feeling so dizzy and weak. My hands flew to my head immediately while he trapped my legs under him.


    ¡°I said you can¡¯t escape.¡± He growled, holding me down. He was lying on top of me now, his weight crippled me rendering me boneless. He held my hands above my head and kicked my gun far away.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I shouted, immediately my lips could open again. ¡°Let me go you animal!¡± I said through clenched teeth, writhing and breathing heavily.


    ¡°Fierce no wonder boss likes you. He never brings a Bitch home.¡± Heughed licking his lips. ¡°You are indeed a hot bitch. Hotter than the rest_fiercer than the rest exactly what I like.¡± He continued.


    He bent his head downwards and tried to kiss me. I turned my head sideways struggling under his grip. Then with all the strength I could muster I kneeled his stomach and jumped up. While he limped I rushed for the gun but he caught my legs halfway and threw me down. This time he looked more furious, as if he was ready tomit muder.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± He growled. He pped me, and then wrapped his strong hands around my neck, choking me.


    ¡°Please stop.¡± I cried out.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up Slut!¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I choked out. Tears fell down the corner of my eyes as I struggled to get his hands of me.


    He let me go, pushing me to the ground. He pulled me up and held my waist pulling me close to him. I felt nauseated, I was so irritated I spat on his face.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± He growled, wiping the spit off his face.


    I closed my eyes waiting for him to hit me when I heard a gunshot. My eyes flew open immediately, I had to check if I was the one shot. But It wasn¡¯t me.


    The guy holding me was shot in the head. He fell down on me his head on my neck breathing hisst.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± Was thest thing he choked out of his dying mouth. My heart stopped.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 17

    White Lion stood there with a gun, staring deeply at me. Five SUVs were packed behind him and over 12 men stood by his side. I breathed in but the breath could not settle down to get to my lungs. That was how scared I was.


    I rushed to take my gun and one of his men tried to stop me but white lion ordered him to let me be. He was angry and I was afraid.


    My whole body felt like it wasn¡¯t mine. My legs were shaking as I picked up the gun. Then I walked back to him knowing my fight today was over and there was no way I would be able to escape now. Still I had to try, there would be no giving up until it was all over.


    ¡°Just let me go or kill me.¡± I spat. I didn¡¯t see my face but I knew I looked angry and determined, so why the hell did he and his menugh at this.


    ¡°I told you all she was different. Fit for the crown. I told you all. My brave Reina¡± Heughed, facing his men. Some nodded while some looked at me angrily. Maybe they were thinking that I was going to take their ce.


    The only thing going through my mind in that moment was was if they hated me so much as they did, as their eyes let me think, then why did they not just let me go. How hard could that be? Well It would cost them their lives. I had watched first hand how White lion took care of anyone who touched me in anyway he didn¡¯t like or approve of. And by take care, I meant killing them.


    It was not like I was his even. God forbid that. I would never belong to a criminal.


    ¡°You are one hell of a brave girl.¡± He said facing me.


    He walked closer to me till he was few inches away. ¡°The gun now.¡± He ordered.


    I ced the gun on his hands and let him take me into the SUV. I sat quietly my head resting on the head seat all through the ride back to his mansion.


    Now that we were in the car I realized that I had run a good distance.


    When we got to his room he pushed me into the bathroom. He definitely was bipr. One minute he was smiling the next he is aggrieved and vexed.


    The room was painted white it had a big single bed which was set against the wall, looking like a snow drift, so white and feathery and high.


    There was one window on the far corner of the room where I had jumped from, curtained with a square of starched white cotton cloth that drew over the panes by means of a white cord on which it was run at the top.


    A huge door was by the side where I assumed his office was. On the floor was brown fluffy rug. There was a huge Mirror by the side of the wall, a cupboard and a huge wardrobe. The curtain was open allowing rays of dimming afternoon sun into the room.


    ¡°Take of your clothes.¡± He ordered angrily.


    I didn¡¯t argue with him after all he had already seen me naked. I took of the shirt he gave to me earlier. He carried me to the tub and washed me all over again. Cleaning my waist continuously. It was as though he wanted to wash away that man¡¯s hand from my skin.


    After he was satisfied, he cleaned his hands and gave me a brush. ¡°You can do that yourself.¡± He spat, walking out and closing the bathroom door behind him.


    I brushed my teeth for over thirty minutes which was the longest time any human had ever brushed their teeth, I suppose.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    The mint swelled my tongue and it stung but that didn¡¯t matter to me. I rinsed my mouth after about ten more minutes then I came out knowing I could definitely not hide in the bathroom forever.


    I wasn¡¯t going to cry though at least not yet.

 18

    ¡°Do you want dinner in bed or on the dining?¡± White lion asked, immediately I came out.


    My heart flew out of my chest and my hands flew to wherever I thought my heart was. Holding it.


    I was breathing heavily now convinced that if White lion didn¡¯t kill me with his gun then I would die of a heart attack either ways.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat.¡± I whispered.


    He looked at me trying to keep his face as nk as possible but I sensed that he was holding on to his control by a thread. ¡°What is troubling you?¡±


    I took in deep breaths to calm myself. ¡°You kill all the people that touch me for touching me only? Or is it just a habit of yours_ Killing people?¡± I dared to ask.


    I was shaking so bad and my hands were sweaty. I was visibly perspirating even though the Ac was on. Still, I just needed to get all these questions of my chest.


    He was acting so strange and mad. I knew that I would end up dead either ways. Whether I spoke up against him or not I was still going to end up dead. So why be silent?


    He started walking towards me, and with each step he took further I took one back in fear and desperation to create space between us, until I was backed up against the wall. He stood so close to me now I was practically breathing his air.


    I was trapped under his gaze and a wave of heat passed through me from him. I inhaled as my eyes locked with his. His eyes entrapped me.


    ¡°Like I told you in the very beginning when we first met, You¡¯re mine! And when something is mine no one touches it. So when another man wants to touch you beg him to stop not for your sake but for his. No matter how many they are or how minute the touch is they will end up below the ground the moment they do. You are mine.¡±


    My heart started beating wildly against my chest and a wave of anger passed through my veins.


    ¡°I. Do. Not. Belong to you or anyone.¡± I said entuating each syble.


    My voice was firm but in my heart I was almost dead from fear.


    I was daring him, trying to anger him and I didn¡¯t know why. It was like I wanted him to hit me, to punish me in some kind of way. Not in the dominant way I think_ but then, I didn¡¯t even know what I was thinking. All my sexual fantasies seemed to be hitting me like a wave.


    Heughed. The sound he madecked humor sending a cold chill down my spine. He moved closer to me, so close I could feel the tip of his cock on my stomach. ¡°You do not want to y this game with me.¡±


    My mind immediately went to the night when I  had felt Ken¡¯s cock on my ass. Then I had been so disgusted but now, now I wanted to reach down and grab White Lion¡¯s¡­


    Stop it Mira! I cautioned myself. He is a criminal.


    I tried to speak but no words came out. I could not believe that there would evere a day when desire was going to leave me speechless.


    When I would feel so hungry not for physical food but for a Mans touch.


    I wanted to touch him too.


    I had to hide the intense intoxicating feeling that wasing to me all at once and taking me by surprise. I had to because it wasn¡¯t right, it just wasn¡¯t right to make love to a stranger even though the only thing I wanted to do now was kiss him.


    To kiss those beautiful plump lips of his. Power, danger, and his handsomeness were taking over my mind fast.


    ¡°I just want to leave.¡± I stuttered. My voice was barely above a whisper, It sounded like I was being choked. And yes I was being choked not physically though but internally_ I was being choked by his presence.


    I expected him tough at me, but instead he kissed me shocking me and rendering me powerless.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I tried to push him away but I wasn¡¯t strong enough. He pressed me to the wall with his body as he continued to ravish my lips.


    His tongue explored my mouth and danced with my own tongue. He was unleashing all my pent up desires that now even though my hands were on his chest to push him away they couldn¡¯t do anything other than stay put on his chest.


    My brain could possibly not pass the requirement of action to my hand not when it was already clouded. He was in control now and he knew it.


    He stopped to catch his breath. ¡°Never before have I been addicted so much to something as I am to you.¡± He whispered. His voice sounded so out of this world.

 19

    My mind tried to prevent me from getting carried away with his words by assuming that he said it in the heat of passion and had no idea what he was saying. It hurt me to think of but I had to ept it for my own good, most possibly it was the truth anyway.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t the truth I didn¡¯t want to know. I didn¡¯t want to ept that he felt something for me. That there was a connection between us. He was a murderer! A murderer! And I wanted to have nothing to do with a him. Nothing. I wanted to fall for an angel not the devil.


    ¡°Please.¡± I didn¡¯t know what I was begging for, if it was to be let go of, or if I was begging my heart to stop feeling.


    ¡°Trust me. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± He said softly. He trailed kisses from my neck to my ears and pressed his body to mine. I had to bite my lips to stop me from letting out a moan. His body felt so warm pressed up against mine. He was practically radiating heat and desire.


    He sucked on my ear lobes pulling my hair backwards. Then he started to trail kisses down to my chest_ the ce where the shirt I wore didn¡¯t cover. He stopped and held the shirt. ¡°This will go off.¡± He said pulling it off my neck. I didn¡¯t fight or object.


    ¡°Lord.¡± He muttered staring at my naked body.


    He pulled me to him and kissed me hard, demandingly.


    His grip on my waist tightened sending shivers down my spine.


    I kissed him back this time my tongue exploring his lower lips. He bent down and took my right nipple into his mouth sucking on it why he squeezed my left breast and the nipple in steady session.


    I moaned out loud this time loving everything he was doing, wanting more and more. He stopped just when I was starting to really enjoy him.


    Before I could gather my thoughts he pushed me to the bed. It didn¡¯t take him more than a few seconds to get naked.


    He was white all over except from some few scars on his body. There was a particr mark in between his thumb and ring finger that Imitted to memory. He didn¡¯t seem to know that he had it. Never had I seen someone as beautiful as he was. His body was heavenly.


    His dick was long and veiny and just as white as the rest of his body except from the tip and_____. I closed my eyes in shame when I realized I was staring at him and loving what I saw.


    He climbed the bed his hands supporting him as he stared at me from above. ¡°Have you done this before?¡± He asked.


    He looked like he wanted me and expected me to say yes so he could go on without a care in the world, but I shook my head slowly.


    He looked shocked at first then his face went nk. He wanted to stand but I reached for his hands before he could. I wanted this_ I wanted him and that was in every honesty.


    I didn¡¯t want him. I wanted to leave. I was so confused.


    I.. I knew that at the moment the only thing that I wanted was him inside of me, moving, stilling, kissing and sucking.


    My body was in need of him. I had never felt such passion before.


    My brain had gone for an early vacation leaving me to the mercy of my throbbing core that knew not, nor cared not what it meant to be morally upright.


    Weid still for a moment. The harsh breathinging from me was the only noise that could be heard in the stillness of the room. There was a tensed hungry Silence. A silence I yearned to fill with my moans.


    ¡°You should sleep.¡± He said, breaking the silence. He stood up from the bed, then he put on his clothes with almost the same pace he used in taking them off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to run again. Next time I wont be so lenient.¡± He warned.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    He left the room without saying another word or even sparing me a nce.


    I stayed still on the bed as I tried to catch my breath. I craved for him and I hated that I did. I wondered how my mum would be feeling now.


    They would be so worried about me. Would my dad even care? Did they already tell my brothers that I was missing. Was my aunty looking for me? All these questions kept pricking my mind even as I tried to close my eyes.

 20

    White lion¡¯s POV


    I WAS BORN INTO THIS.


    This was the only life I knew, the only life I was used to. The life of a gang member, then as a gang leader. At the age of five I was initiated into my Father¡¯s gang, ¡®the lions.¡¯ My father Agu Chidubem, was one of the first men to set up a gang in the city of Warri.


    His gang had been known for violence and death. My father did the dirty works of all the politicians in the state. He was their call guy, their hitman, the assassin and my mother died from it.


    My mother was nothing like my father. She was innocent, young, and good, but she had loved my father with every fibre of her being and every blood in her veins and that was what killed her.


    The love for my father killed her. She had died in his stead, because of him.


    The opposing party of one of his clients were after him at a time but he was one step ahead of them. He had always been one step ahead of his enemies, but he didn¡¯t think of my mother in the steps he took.


    I watched her as my mother breathed herst on a dark Sunday afternoon when our house was invaded by three gun men and she was shot twice in her chest.


    Something in me died then, so did my love for my father.


    My father never remained the same again after the death of my mother. His soul died with her, his mind and his heart too.


    A monthter he found her killers and gave me the honour of killing the aplice. He left the one who shot my mother for himself, he torturered him for months until he finally died then he burnt his body at our backyard. It was only then that my father found a bit of peace.


    I promised myself never to love. Never to bring another woman into my mess. I didn¡¯t want anyone else to end up like my mum.


    My dad was arrested yearster and killed while trying to escape from prison and I was left alone to keep the gang strong. I was only sixteen and I was just done with High school. I looked just like him and many dared to say that I was him.


    It wasn¡¯t easy running the gang. So many times I wanted to give up but I always came back to the violence, the bloodshed, the power, the politics and the deceit. It was all I knew and I had a good head for it all.


    My father had always been one step ahead but I was always three steps ahead of all my enemies. So even at twenty one, I had it all even more than my father ever did. I renamed the gang, I made clients from all over the country, I started pushing drugs I did everything to matain the name of my family. ¡®The Lions¡¯ No one knew my real name. No one.


    I did so many things but recruiting girls was never my style, but my men were hungry and thirsty for them. Business had been going on so well after my twentieth birthday and I had to thank them for it In someway. After all they were part of my sess and my name.


    I finally granted a meeting to hear of theirins and they did not hesitate in saying them out.


    I was seated on my chair checking out the maps, searching for routes that could make for more easy progress when there was a knock on my door. I hissed and my face crunched in displeasure. I hated being interrupted when I was nning strategic things for business. It made me confused and in general disrupted my flow. I didn¡¯t like it when my flow was disrupted.


    ¡±Come in.¡± I grunted. I put away the maps and documents. They were for my eyes only. I could give out any thing but not trust, not after some of my men had betrayed me in ways that I tried to forget.


    The guys came in, all five of them. They were members of my inner circle, I consulted them before I made any decision. Their opinion was important to me although I had the final say and I could go against whatever they wanted. I was the boss through and through.


    The Alpha.


    ¡±Boss.¡± Marcus saluted. They all stood in a line armed to their teeth while they waited patiently for my order. ¡±Do we have the go ahead boss.¡±


    I threw my hair back swallowing, my throat bubbled, I was amused by their eagerness to go for this mission. ¡°Yes of course Marcus. Just do a good job and leave no trace.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t the least interested in the girls. I had work to do and women were the least of my problems.


    The n was for two men, two new recruits to take the girls and three to follow behind just in case the girls managed to escape. It was like a test for the new recruits.


    If they failed they died. They each knew this, they knew the consequences of failing was death so hopefully they would do the job well. Failure was not tolerated in this gang.


    However I was informed that they both failed_that they were overpowered by the girls. How unfortunate. Sadly, I had expected their failure and nned out for it. While hoping for sess it is always necessary to n for failure.


    My phone rang ¡°Boss they are here.¡± Marcus said on the first ring. He was my right hand man and one of the very few persons I trusted in a way.


    I had no interest In the matter so the news didn¡¯t really affect me in anyway. I was doing this only because I wanted to give them the satisfaction they needed as my men.


    Women were of less importance to me. I couldn¡¯t let anyone close not when they could betray me and end everything that I had worked so hard to build. Not when they could end up like my mother. That was my major fear, being like my father. I never want to let any woman go through what my mother did.


    When I got to the base the warehouse was empty at first. I nodded to my men who were stationed in different positions for security.


    ¡°Move.¡± I heard Simone order. I knew they were here. Three of them walked in pointing their guns on the head of the three girls who walked in front of them.


    One of the girls immediately caught my eye. She was defiant. While the rest walked, she struggled. I thought that she was the one who initiated the escape.


    The polythene bag that was meant to cover her face had been removed letting me get a good view of her. Her hands were bound and held by Simone who seemed to be rather enjoying himself. I immediately felt a pang of hurt in my chest. I was jealous of his hold on her. I didn¡¯t want anyone else to touch her but me. I couldn¡¯t tell why, but I was suddenly possessive of the young girl now standing before me.


    ¡°Let us go please.¡± One of the girls pleaded bringing my mind back to the issue at hand and away from the beauty who had stolen my heart with a nce.


    ¡°She seems like the rebellious one boss. Fucking Slut thinks she¡¯s a fighter!¡± Jide spat pping her ass. I flinched. There was suddenly an internal growl in me. I felt this anger, this rage. I wanted to break his skull but he was family. I was willing to forgive this but I knew that there was a limit to what I could forgive.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    She struggled to remove her arms from his firm grip and I found myself wanting to help her. ¡°Let me go please.¡± She begged.


    I stared at her, my throat dry. She must be a witch because she was charming me with some kind of voodoo. I was enchanted by her and there was no other logical exnation for this other than that she had charmed me.


    Funny enough her eyes were on me too. In that moment I knew that I had to have her for myself.


    I moved closer to her, with each step I took I fell more into her charm. Standing a few inches away from her, my heart beat stopped.


    All I wanted to do at that moment was to kiss her, it wasn¡¯t love at first sight I knew that. It was more like passion, I craved her skin and wanted her so bad. It was lust, a fire zing desire to have her in my arms.


    I held her chin up and smiled. The guys must not know about my feelings for her yet, they must think that this was all a game_for her sake and mine.


    ¡°I like her spirit. It is always fun breaking her likes. Leave this one for me.¡± I chuckled darkly. ¡°You are mine.¡± I said to her, my voice asmanding as usual.


    She started to shake, teardrops fell down her beautiful face. I felt guilty for making her fear but it was all to protect her. My thoughts were distracted and clouded I just wanted to whisk her away to another world where we could both live peacefully.


    It was the first time in a long time that I wished that I didn¡¯t chose this kind of life. That I wasn¡¯t a criminal, a gang leader. I wished that I was just an ordinary man so that nothing wouldplicate my love for her.


    I stared at her, not taking my eyes of her. Her eyes widened after I just killed one of my men because of her and caused another to bleed all for her. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone in front of her, but anytime I see a man touch her a switch in my head goes off and I just want to kill them. All of them.


    It was for her that my heart started to beat again after the death of my mother.


    I wanted her but in the most purest of ways and I knew she had no good opinions about me both from what she has heard and what she saw me do. It hurt.


    For the first time I wondered if I could ever be loved after all my mistakes and after all my crimes. The answer to this hit me with all frankness.


    No one could ever love a monster like me and If I wanted to get her to love me_which I did with all of my heart, then I had to be an angel. I had to be her angel. But how does a devil turn into an angel.


    I had them take her to my house and I had the pleasure of touching her, of kissing her, but it was not enough. I wanted more. I wanted her to love me too but not as me, no, I didn¡¯t want her to end up like my mother.


    She reminded me so much of my her, the innocent young teenage virgin that fell for the ruthless gang leader. I was afraid that my mothers fate would befall her and I had seen it in her eyes, the defiance, the suppressed desire for me.


    There was a connection between us and If I had continued to touch her, if I had been her first then she would have been stuck with me. I didn¡¯t want that for her, I wanted her to be the angel she had always been.


    I wanted her to live a long and fulfilled life so I had to leave against my self. My whole body, my mind and soul ached to have her but I had to think of her first.


    Walking down the flight of stairs I suddenly thought of a perfect n to have her as mine which I must. But to establish this n I had to talk to someone special, someone who was once an ally and could be one again. The person I trusted the most.


    ¡°Boss where are you up to?¡± Marcus asked, when I got to the front porch of my house. He was talking on the phone with someone and his face was contorted in displeasure, which made me grin.


    I figured that it must be one of his numerous y things. Marcus loved women.


    ¡°Nowhere important. Just make sure you keep your eyes on Mira. Don¡¯t let her leave but don¡¯t touch her. I don¡¯t want any harm toe to as much as a hair on her head.¡± I warned.


    ¡°Sure Sir.¡± Marcus immediately replied. He must have been taken aback by my instruction but I didn¡¯t have the time to exin to him yet.


    ¡°I will be back.¡±

 21

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    Sophia was sited on the sofa in her office while I wasid back on her table. The office was warm despite the AC and I could not help but feel positive that my n would work.


    ¡°So what you are telling me now is that you want me to attack your mansion and pretend to kill you. Then you are going to fix up your face with makeup so that you can appear hideous to prevent her from recognizing you? And when she falls for you, you want me to pretend to kill you again, just so your gang and everyone thinks you are really dead. Then you want me to scare her away to the country where you would apparently be. What will I get for all this trouble? Because this will definitely be a lot of trouble. Supposing this n works which I doubt that it would. I really doubt.¡±


    Sophia slowly reiterated my n while looking at me like I had grown two horns.


    The expression on her face was one of confusion, shock, amusement and maybe a little jealousy. I couldn¡¯t help but smile a little at it. I understood her though. I sounded mad even to myself.


    Sophia was just as smart as I thought she was. I didn¡¯t think she would understand the n at a go. ¡°When I leave you can take over from me.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you always wanted? To take over the gang. I will leave you and Marcus in charge. I don¡¯t want this life anymore, and I don¡¯t want her to fall in love with the devil I am. I want to go to school, probably start a business. I have enough money to leave this country and still have a good life, enough money to buypanies. I have the connection, the money, I could leave now but I want her with me.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Then take her with you. I mean it is that simple. She is still going to find out one day that you are white Lion.¡±


    ¡°When she does I would no longer be White Lion. I will just be the man who loves her. I want to protect her but to do that I have to protect her from myself. I don¡¯t want to be my father.¡± I said, calmly. Too calmly.


    ¡°He protected my mum from everyone but he failed to understand that her love for him was her true doom. If Mira falls in love with me as I am in myself she would forever feel the guilt of loving a criminal. She has heard about my deeds, she has seen me kill. I don¡¯t want her love for me to be something she continues to rationalize. Something that goes against who she is.¡±


    ¡°I want it as pure as she has envisioned her love for her man to be. As pure and maybe even purer. Sofia this is a win, win for the both of us.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow during breakfast I want you to attack, but don¡¯t kill alright. I will ask my men to back away but there would have to be gunshots that¡¯s what will make her believe my death. Then I would have to contact Ken, the leader of the dragon gang. He is the only one as heartless as I need a devil to be.¡±


    ¡°I would create a devil in her life, so I would be the angel that saves her and you, you just have to kill me again so that I can finally be dead to all of them but you would wait until she loves me first, until she loves the angel I would pretend to be. I want to be the man she wants.¡±


    ¡°But then the gang will still be called white lion and your people might not respect me.¡± Sophia sighed. ¡°This is insane. Is she worth it? Is she worth giving up your life for?¡±


    ¡°She is worth giving up my life for Sophia. Besides this isn¡¯t a life. This constant killing and violence.¡± I leaned further into the desk. ¡°Sophia if they don¡¯t fear you then make them.¡± I smirked. ¡°You and I know that you know how to bring a man to his knees.¡±


    Sophia blushed. ¡°And where does Marcuse in all of this?¡± She asked. I could tell that she wanted to change the conversation as fast as possible. She didn¡¯t want me to notice her blush.


    ¡°Of course I would tell him. He would be my eyes and ears when I start putting my ns to action.¡±


    ¡°This is insane Lion even for you! And how did you have all this nned out? What if something goes wrong? You might be arrested! This is crazy. This n has a lot ofplications¡±.


    I chuckled a bit, it sometimes felt good when she worried about me the way she was doing now. I wasn¡¯t without a heart after all. ¡°You trouble yourself too much Sophi, nothing can go wrong. Besides, I know you want to get rid of me and this is the only way you can do it. So help me. Remember, White Lion is always three steps ahead. Always.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get rid of you Lion.¡± She started saying, while standing up. ¡°I just want power.¡± She started walking to me with a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°And I know you do too. So tell me, why do you really want this girl? What does she have to offer. Don¡¯t tell me that you are doing all this because you love her.¡±


    She was now close to me, acting as seductive as ever. That was Sophia for you, always seductive.

 22

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    Some girls be excellent seducers by the main fact that they were extra ordinarily beautiful and endowed. Hot and sexy.


    Some be excellent seducers by learning the act of seduction. While some were born to it. Sophia had been one of those born with it, she was an absolute badass at it.


    She was born without a silver spoon, and soon had to learn to survive. She didn¡¯t really need much tutoring, she was a fast learner. She was born with the brain and she had made good use of it.


    I could remember when we met she was still 16, stubborn, reckless and a rebel doing whateveres to her mind, getting whatever she wanted. She wanted to experience life and experience it to it¡¯s fullest and that was when I met her.


    The first time I saw her she was sneaking out of a party after a long night of partying, drinking and smoking. However unlike her friends she wasn¡¯t drunk, I heard from the bartender that she never got drunk.


    That she always made sure to watch the amount of alcohol she took in because she knew how strict her parents were.


    And If they were to find her drunk that would be the end of her and she didn¡¯t want her end yet, not when she hadn¡¯t seen all there was to see and experienced all there was to experience.


    Sophia wanted to live and live to the fullest that was her goal, but fate had other thing¡¯s nned for her and when we met it was all fire and fire. She was just like the kind of woman I used loved, Wild and free.


    That was until I met Mira. Never before had I seen someone as innocent, yet so fierce, so brave, so beautiful. Her love was all I wanted now. I wanted her with every blood in my body.


    ¡°She seems like the rebellious one boss. Fucking Slut thinks she¡¯s a fighter. This was the sentence that changed everything for me. I wanted her not for anything, not for money or for power but because it is the first time I am wanting and needing something at the same time. Usually I just want but don¡¯t need or I need but don¡¯t want.¡±


    ¡°I crave Mira. All of her. Everything she was in herself. Her ws and her beauty, her very essence.¡± I sighed, locking eyes with a dazzled Sophia.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia chuckled, a mixture of emotions in her brown eyes. ¡°Does this even make sense to you. Everything you just said? You are acting as If casted a spell on you.¡±


    I could tell by her voice that she was starting to get upset.


    I stood upright and slipped out of the table to prevent her froming closer. I didn¡¯t want it to get to the point where I would have to reject her. She noticed.


    ¡°It does make sense to me. Anyway I will be leaving to do some more business and to talk to Marcus about my n. I will call you tomorrow morning at dawn so you can set the n on motion.¡± I said as I walked towards the door eager to be away from her.


    Her friendship and alliance were important to me and I didn¡¯t want to ruin it.


    She didn¡¯t see me just as a friend and that was exactly why I had been staying away from her and why I had to leave now.


    ¡°I will be waiting for your call.¡± Sophia said with a smile but it didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes.


    I nodded and opened the door. My hands were still on the handle when she called my name. I turned back to hear what she wanted to say.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fail you.¡± She said, putting her hand on her heart. I copied the gesture before leaving.

 23

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    My office had a safe where I kept my money and my most expensive guns. The safe was hidden behind a hugendscape painting.


    I had a library in here too which had more of my fathers books than mine. He was an avid reader and an intelligent man. It was something I took from him.


    Books opened worlds of Knowledge for me something that was essential in my line of business.


    I was sited on a high chair by a huge mahogany table where I kept my techs and other important documents.


    Marcus was sited opposite me on one of the smaller visitors sit.


    ¡°Boss.¡± Marcus called me a little loudly pulling me out of my thoughts.


    I had been puffing out smoke, tainting the air when he had called me with worryced in his voice.


    I red at him from the haze of smokeing from my cigar. I had invited him to my office downstairs to discuss my ns with him, but I found myself zoning out of the conversation every now and then as thoughts of Mira clouded my mind.


    She was alone in the room and I feared that she might try to escape and might even seed this time around.


    I just hoped that she would do as I had told her to. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. I couldn¡¯t. I had neverid my hands on any woman and I definitely didn¡¯t  want to start with the woman I love.


    Love.


    It was such a strong word to use for something I wasn¡¯t sure of yet.


    The only reason I remained calm was the tight security I had positioned upstairs.


    They were instructed not to hurt her but they were not going to let her go.


    ¡°I was asking what we should do with the Dragon gang, they are still asking for a meeting.¡± Marcus informed, looking concerned.


    He was tall, not as tall as I was but tall enough to look good in my chair. His hair was cut short and wavy, he looked more African- american than Nigerian. He hardly ever looked scary but he could do a clean job with ease and that was why he was the best because you would never expect him to be so bad by just looking at him.


    His looks were so deceitful. A puppy on the outside and a tiger on the inside.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I blew out another smoke and stared at Marcus. ¡°I was the one that called for a meeting with Ken and Jega.¡±


    Marcus sat up straight on his chair. His eyes widened in shock. ¡°Why boss? You don¡¯t like Ken for anything and you hate Jega, why call them? We don¡¯t need them.¡±


    I inhaled in smoke and took it out through my mouth. ¡°I want out Marcus.¡± I said ring at him through hooded eyes. I wanted to gorge out every bit of his reaction.


    ¡°You want out of what Boss?¡± Marcus asked, confusion evident in his demeanor.


    ¡°I want out of this life. I want to live a crime free life, I want out of the name White Lion.¡±


    Marcus stared at me, his eyes were filled with questions, anger and uncertainty. ¡°Is it because of that girl, Marian?¡± He asked me. ¡°Why do you.  I don¡¯t understand.¡± He stammered.


    ¡°Mira.¡± I corrected. He was scared and I was too. Although we both feared different things.


    ¡°And yes, it is because of her. I want her with every fibre of my being and I have thought of a way to get her.¡± I repeated everything I had said to Sophia to Marcus and he listened with apt attention while shaking his head in disapproval.


    ¡°You are not serious Boss, are you?¡± Marcus asked me with wide eyes. ¡°This is insane! You can¡¯t do this. We need you! I need you.¡±


    ¡°Marcus I tell you these things not so that you can tell me what to or what not to do. I need your support not your opinion. So are you in or out?¡±


    Marcusughed nervously. A tensed silence enveloped us as he stared at me with rage filled eyes.


    But I knew he wasn¡¯t angry. He was only afraid.


    ¡°I am in. Always in with whatever you n but I can¡¯t lead this gang with Sophia. She vexes me.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thatter.¡± I chuckled, rolling my eyes. I took out another cigarette from the box and put out the one I was holding.


    ¡°Marcus. You can be King. You have what it takes.¡± I encouraged.


    He smiled at me but it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Whatever you say boss.¡±


    He was conflicted that I could tell but he wasn¡¯tdened with so much choices anyway.


    ¡°Tomorrow is going to be a long day¡±. I thought as I watched Marcus leave my office like the weight of the world was suddenly dropped on his shoulders.


    Maybe it was, for my shoes were impossible to fit in. I did believe in Marcus though. He would do a good job.

 24

    MY NOSE SAVOURED A SWEET SMELL.


    I dreamt that I was in heaven and the angels had prepared a banquet for me. The smell of all types of food teased my nose and I was left to salivate and hunger for them.


    Soon enough the angels took pity on me and dished out a te of sd for me to at least feed my taste buds and hungry eyes while we waited for the king. But just as I was about to feed on the most tasty sd I had ever seen. A hand pulled me out of the room and back to reality. My eyes fluttered open and I could not be more angry at this.


    ¡°Good morning ma.¡± A woman greeted Bowing curtly. She looked to be in her mid fifties, most probably. Her eyes were tiny and her braids were neatly packed behind her head.


    She was d in skirt and suit too well dressed for a housekeeper I must say. And she called me Ma, when I was sure she was older than my mum. Funny.


    I nodded not able to Speak. I had lost my voice and wanted eagerly to leave this ce and away from that man who made me feel things I had never felt before. Things I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel.


    She snapped her fingers and immediately  two Young girls came in. They were both dressed like her, only that theirplexion was much darker than hers and their eyes twinkled unlike hers.


    On the hands of the one on the right was a gown and on the hands of the one on the left, shoes.


    ¡°Boss has requested that you kindly shower and meet him down for breakfast.¡± The older woman said. Like puppets the two younger girls dropped all that they were carrying on the bed and sauntered out.


    I nodded still not able to say anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m Beatrice I¡¯ll be working as your personal maid.¡± She paused. She cleared her throat looking at me expectantly. ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°I am. You can call me_ just call me Mira.¡± I swallowed. She bowed again and left, but not before giving me a fake smile.


    I sighed immediately they left the room. My head was spinning and my heart ached from rejection and too many unknown emotions.


    My hands weren¡¯t bound but escaping was not what I wanted to do now. Enough of me being reckless and impulsive what I wanted now was a n. And for that I needed toy low, to act, to pretend.


    The only problem with this n was THE BOSS. He made me lose all my ability to reason clearly. He was getting under my skin slowly. Killing my mind and I could not stop him.


    I still felt the pangs of rejection from yesterday w at my skin but I would not let it get to me so much that I lose my mind. I had to escape.


    I threw the nket off me and took of my clothes. ¡°What¡¯s with all the bowing though.¡± I muttered to myself.


    The gown fitted me perfectly only that it was too short. It was definitely the shortest gown I had ever worn. It had beads arranged on the neck side, a turtle neck with ck strap and under the beads.


    The sandals fit my legs beautifully. How they knew my size of shoe and clothe amazed me.  But I didn¡¯t put it passed them. They could have measured my body and feet in the night_carefully_ when I must have been fast asleep_ and gotten the dress this morning.


    I don¡¯t know_ gangs had a way of achieving things that an ordinary person or organization would find extremely difficult or impossible to achieve


    I packed my hair back and swallowed hating the reflection of myself in the mirror. I looked different from Mira.


    When I opened the door I found that there were two armed body guards standing in front. I closed the door and muttered something under my breathe. Taking note.


    If ever I was to try to escape it definitely should not be through the door. If I ever try to escape through the door I was sure that I won¡¯t live to tell the story.


    They didn¡¯t look like they liked me at all. They must all have been wondering why the boss fancied me so much that he made me his.


    I wish he didn¡¯t make me his.


    I climbed downstairs my mouth watering from the aroma of the food out my reach.


    The dining table was just behind the stairs. I didn¡¯t need to look for it_ I simply followed the scent of the food whilst closing my eyes a little.


    When I got to the dining he was already there. He was sipping coffee from a very small cup with his eyes shut tightly.


    I swallowed_ignoring the sudden flutter in my chest. I walked to the dining.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± He greeted looking up at me, his nose still buried in the teacup. I nodded unable to form any words.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I walked straight to the other end of the table and sat down there. I wanted to be as far away from him as it was possible.


    The diner had twelve seats. We were the only ones seated now. I¡¯ve counted six armed men in total but there were no security cameras in sight.


    I presumed that the security cameras were kept hidden to deceive people that they weren¡¯t there. But I could not let them deceive me too.


    There was no way in hell that there wasn¡¯t a security camera lurking around somewhere. I knew this to be true even if I had no proof of it¡¯s truth.


    We ate in silence as I devoured the delicacies in front of me. If he didn¡¯t want to talk to me then I didn¡¯t want to either. Thankfully the food served as a good distraction for me.


    I was a fan of bread and egg and the egg was delicious.


    ¡°I heard gangs don¡¯t use security camera¡¯s.¡± I blurted out. My eyes were buried on my te, but his eyes on me sent a jolt of electricity through my body forcing me to look up at him.


    Our eyes met and a jolt of emotion started to flow in my heart. I tore my eyes away from him and buried them on my food swallowing hard.

 25

    WHY THE HELL DID I JUST SAY THAT! I thought to myself fighting the urge to face palm at my stupidity.


    He chuckled, darkly.  ¡°Mira. You don¡¯t want to dare me again now do you?¡±


    I looked up at him to see that although he looked and sounded amused he was in fact not in any way amused by what I said.


    I shook my head in response.


    ¡°Good girl. Do not test me again or I would punish you so bad you won¡¯t ever want to see me again.¡± He said as a matter of fact. He looked away from me and then poured himself another cup of coffee.


    My heart was beating so fast now that I felt that I was so close to having a panic attack. I started to breathe from my mouth doing my best to keep him unaware of my beating heart. I took a sip of coffee but I choked on it. I started to cough severely my eyes watering.


    He ran to my side when I wont stop coughing. Then he patted my back, up_ down with mild force until I stopped choking. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. He simply watched me intensely. ¡°Breathe Mira.¡± He ordered and I did. I breathed through my mouth and exhaled through my nose.


    ¡°Come with me Mira.¡± He said pulling me up from my sit. I stood still not moving. Hearing him call me Mira the way he did was alluring. I could hear the desire in his voice. His call was more of a summon and it shook me to the bones only hearing it.


    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked turning back.


    ¡°No_no_nothing.¡± I stuttered. My legs automatically started moving on it¡¯s own_as I was afraid to piss him off.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He led me to the room and made me sit on the bed. He looked me over and started pacing.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked after a few minutes already disconcerted. My eyes were starting to turn me as he was going round and round and round.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He spat.


    Bipr much.


    ¡°You took me out of the diner and brought me here just to tell me nothing?¡± I mumbled, more to myself than to him.


    ¡°Oh please just keep quiet already!¡± He shouted vexed. I pressed my lips together stopping myself from roaring in anger. He was still pacing when I heard gunshots. A stray bullet came through the window and almost hit me.


    I ducked running to the side of the bed. He covered me with his huge body pulling me under the bed.


    ¡°There is an attack let¡¯s go!¡± He shouted pulling me out. My hand in his. My heart beat stopped and started with a thump.


    ¡°From the police?¡± I asked in fear.


    ¡°No. They won¡¯t dare.¡± I don¡¯t know from who. A rival gang who hasn¡¯t learnt their ce. Fuck I¡¯ll kill all of them! It can¡¯t be Sophia can it?¡± He bellowed.


    Downstairs twelve men were already gathered in the parlour. Armed and waiting for his orders. White lion started to pace again getting more agitated.


    ¡°What the hell is going!?¡± He shouted.


    ¡°Boss I have no idea but it looks like  Sophia has caught on to the fact that you have taken another woman. I recognized one of her assassins. This is just one of her jealous ravings. I can¡¯t believe that she is doing this again.¡±


    ¡°Damn that ingrate. I let her head one of my businesses and she turns my boys against me. When will she learn that she is nothing more to me! I will show her no mercy. Let¡¯s go!¡± He ordered gesturing with his right hand for his boys to follow him.


    He took out a gun from his pocket as he led the men out. ¡°Take my woman inside and lock the door.¡± He said to Beatrice. ¡°And make sure that she doesn¡¯t leave this ce. If she does I will have your head on a spike but that would be after I have killed everyone you have ever known. Do you understand me?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded in fear.


    I watched as they entered the Suv¡¯s ready for battle.


    ¡°You need to go up ma¡¯am.¡± The housekeeper said startling me and pulling me out of my fearful thoughts.


    I nodded and followed her lead up the stairs. There was no need to argue with her or to ask for her help.


    She clearly saw white Lion as her god and she would never defy him for me. I was nobody to her_she definitely would not risk her life or that of those she loved just for me to escape the clutches of a mad man.


    She locked the door behind after she had made sure that the windows were locked. She was shaking while she took me up.


    Something was up and I didn¡¯t even know what it was. It was not my battle to fight though. I just wanted to leave.


    I needed to leave now!

 26

    A gun was on his beside table and I immediately took it. At first I was scared of the fight that just started, then I became grateful to whoever Sophia was.  Whoever she was, she had just giving me a free ticket to escaping the lions den.


    Her jealousy would help me escape I thought to myself_ I guessed this was what she wanted_that is for me to find a way out of here while White lion and his men fight her.


    If this was what she wanted then I was going to give her that as it was what I wanted too. I didn¡¯t know her but I knew one thing for sure_she sure as hell just made it to my good books.


    I waited for one hour thinking and nning and observing_waiting for all the dust or most of the dust from the attack to die down. I didn¡¯t want to impulsively run away only to end up being killed by a stray bullet or a car. It was better to stay alive in the den than to die in the middle of nowhere all for being too impatient and impulsive. My mother would not survive it.


    ¡°Alright it is now or never. Practically.¡± I said to myself. I stood up from the bed resolving in my heart that it was time to leave.


    I had spent enough time waiting. It was time to act before I chicken out entirely.


    I took the gun from the bed where I had ced it and jumped down through window. ¡°Shit!¡± My gown tore. It didn¡¯t matter though. Even though I liked the gown my life was more important than it.


    I soon became afraid thinking that the whole battle was only a test. What if he was testing me to see if I had learnt my lesson? What if their were still some men outside?


    White Lion had clearly warned me not to mess with him again_so what if he had nned all this just to know if I had taken note of his warnings.


    I was scared, there were so many unanswered questions_and what if¡¯s in my head but I had already jumped and no one jumps from a window and looks back. Anyone who does so is not fit to escape.


    I started to run away from the garden. There were two of his men lying dead on the ground_ in a pool of their own blood.


    I felt bad for them but at least it assured me that this was not all a n of his_Because if white lion had nned this then I was so dead.


    Maybe he would fuck me before he kills me and¡­.


    Jeez.. I shuddered just by the mere thought of it.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t want him. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to want him and that was one of the reasons why I needed to leave immediately. I couldn¡¯t stay another day with him not when he was making me feel things.


    Stupid things.


    The gate was now in sight but it was high and closed. Although this didn¡¯t stop me from moving towards it, neither did it instill any fear in me.


    I lived off of adventures  during highschool and this would be one of the many gates I climbed because I was definitely going to climb it.


    The gate reminded me of the fences I climbed in highschool it didn¡¯t scare me one bit. In fact_ whenever I camete to school and I wanted to invade punishment I climbed the fence and went straight to ss so no teacher would see meing since they were usually standing at the gate. This whenever was almost every time during Junior year.


    The gate was high but not as high as expected. It took me five minutes to climb down to the other side. Five minutes of fear, hope and a persistent feeling of being so close to death.


    There was a bush just opposite the gate where I could run into.


    The adrenaline I was feeling became so much. I became distracted, tired and anxious_ so anxious was I to escape that I didn¡¯t bother to look left or right before I crossed the road and this was my biggest mistake.


    A car headlight was all I saw before my vision went ck.

 27

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    I threw the car door open and jumped out of the car. ¡°You fucking hit her!¡± I shouted. Ogaga was shaking as he too got out of the car.


    ¡°Boss.. Boss I¡¯m sorry.¡± He stuttered.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to argue with him or to kill him, yet. All I wanted to do was to take my woman to the hospital.


    I lifted her from the ground and gently ced her in the back seat.


    Her head was bleeding profusely from a cut on her forehead. I ignored two of my men as they wiped red wine off their face and stood up from the ground where they had been lying pretending to be dead on my instructions.


    I hadn¡¯t offered them any exnations as to my instructions or actions. I had just told them that I was nning on something that would give the gang more money and power.


    I had asked them to y dead so the n works perfectly. Everything was going smoothly but Mira just had to escape and this stupid boy had to hit her.


    ¡°Drive this fucking Car!¡± I yelled. Ogaga did not waste anytime in moving the car. He drove like a mad man as he should have.


    I gazed down at Mira who was still breathing slowly, but unconscious. ¡°Baby open your eyes for me please. Please don¡¯t die. Please open your eyes.¡± I kept repeating over and over again until we got go the private hospital which my father had built before he died.


    It was where all my gang members got treated. Evergreen hospital.


    The hospital had a back door which we used in entering the hospital whenever we needed to. On the second floor of the hospital were twelve rooms which were used specifically for the gangs and there was one, which was VIP. I alone used that if for any reason I came to the hospital which was rarely because usually I just treat my wounds at home by myself.


    My heart was beating so fast against my chest as I carried her upstairs.


    Doctor Eroghene met me at the door with two other nurses who brought with them a troller. They were used to having such emergencies from me. They save almost every life I bring. They were that good and they should be. I pay them well.


    They made mey her on the trolley. I wanted to follow them but Doctor Ero restrained me froming any closer.


    ¡°Just stay calm Lion, she will me fine.¡± He assured me, as he joined the nurses.


    I paced the hospital corridor scared. I was torn between waiting to find out if she was OK or just going downstairs to end Ogaga¡¯s life, when my phone rang.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Sophia.


    I wouldn¡¯t have picked had I not thought something was wrong, because Sophia rarely calls. ¡°Sophia what is it?¡±


    ¡°Calm down Lion.¡± She sounded really amused. ¡°Ogaga called me begging for his life.¡±


    ¡°That idiot is going to die before tomorrow so he is wasting his time.¡± I almost yelled.


    ¡°Well kill him if you think Mira would appreciate it.¡± Sophia said. ¡°You know your girl won¡¯t appreciate it. Ogaga has been good to you, he is still a teen. This is his first mistake yet, just let this one pass. Alright. A Lion doesn¡¯t kill his pack, he trains them. Just lock up this one abeg.¡±


    ¡°I will look into it.¡± I said through clenched teeth and hung up. I taught of how amused she probably was about all this. She was probably sipping wine and smiling.

 28

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    Sophia seeded in calming me down a bit, but it didn¡¯t stop me from pacing the whole time. I could barely breathe or talk until the doctor finally came back.


    He looked so exhausted.


    I quickly rushed to him. ¡°How is she?¡± I asked, sounding so frantic. I was doing a bad job at hiding my feelings for her. Luckily I had asked all my men to wait downstairs for me in the lobby.


    It was as if I knew that I was going to give away my feelings for her so easily.


    ¡°Good. She just sustained Minor injuries to her head and arms but she is good apart from that.¡±


    ¡°Thank God.¡± I exhaled, feeling relieved. ¡°Can I see her now.¡±


    ¡°There is a  bit of problem though.¡± Doctor Ero added almost Immediately. He sounded so unsure and it scared the shit out of me.


    ¡°What is it!¡± I said, my voiceing out weigh harsher than I wanted it.


    ¡°Although she has regained consciousness, due to some concussions she has developed a strange type of selective amnesia. She only remembers herself getting on a bus heading to port-harcout. She doesn¡¯t remember you or why she is here.¡±


    I ran my hands through my hair and stared at the doctor not knowing what to think or say. ¡°So she doesn¡¯t remember me?¡± I asked, wanting to make sure that I heard correctly.


    ¡°Yes. So if you want to get her back to her family then I suggest we take her to the normal ward and call her mum toe see her. She has given me her mums number so I would call her, but that¡¯s if you approve of it. Do you want to take her back?¡±


    ¡°No. Call her mum.¡±


    Ero looked at me and smiled. ¡°You are doing the right thing Lion. Your dad will be proud.¡±


    I faked a smile and nodded.


    Right now the only thing I could think of was Mira.


    ¡°And lest I forget. Your love for her is written all over you. Don¡¯t worry in a few weeks she would remember you¡± He chuckled as he walked away.


    I immediately called Sophia. She picked on the first ring.


    ¡°Are you falling for me too?¡± Sheughed and I rolled my eyes. I was not in the mood for her jokes at all.


    I leaned against the wall, pressing my hand on my eyes to stop a migraine from setting in. ¡°Sophia she doesn¡¯t remember me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean she doesn¡¯t remember you?¡±


    ¡°She has had some kind of selective amnesia. I don¡¯t even know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.¡± I hissed.


    ¡°Are you serious? Splendid! Perfect!¡± Sophia eximed. ¡°This is a good thing. At least she won¡¯t remember all the horrible things you did before her.¡±


    ¡°Jokes on you because in a few weeks she would start to remember.¡±


    ¡°Then its simple. Get to work and make her fall head over heels for you before she remembers that you once kidnapped her and you had better let the other girls go.¡±


    ¡°Already did that although my men weren¡¯t pleased.¡± I imagined Sophia rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Good. Now make her see the side of you that came to my house this morning.¡± Sophiaughed and for reasons not known to me, I felt a bit at ease.


    If ever she recognizes me as the same white Lion who killed her friends I wanted it to be after she had fallen in love with the man who would be her angel. Her love would be for an angel not for the devil.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 29

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    I stood in the far corner of the lobby room watching as her parents walked into the hospital in search of her.


    Her mother went straight to the ward where she had been transferred to and her dad asked to see the doctor.


    I immediately didn¡¯t like the man.


    I waited for a brief moment before going over to the ward my love was currently admitted in thanks to Ogaga¡¯s stupidity!


    I stood by the door watching as her mother spoke to her in hush whispers. Her mother was sitting by the bed while caressing her daughters hand which she had ced on her legs.


    Mira was awake now and she looked really good. She was smiling while assuring her mother that she was fine.


    She didn¡¯t even act like she had just been in an ident. I found myself loving her all the more.


    She was so brave.


    I smiled as I watched the lovely interaction that was going on between mother and daughter.


    They seemed to loved each other very much.


    Mira¡¯s eyes suddenly almost met with mine as she looked past her mom to the door.


    It was as though she could sense me lurking around.


    I closed the door in a hurry and sauntered out of the hospital.


    Only when I was in my Benz did my heart stop racing hard.


    I was d that she didn¡¯t see me otherwise all my ns could have been for nothing.


    I inhaled and waited for my nerves to calm down before I spoke.


    When I could speak I gave instructions to my men to watch over her while I followed her Dad with Marcus driving me.


    The man didn¡¯t even stay with his daughter for up to an hour. Now I knew why I didn¡¯t like him.


    When I got the their house I made a routine check up of the street by driving back and forth just once in slow motion.


    I gave Marcus some money to get a small caravan that was for sale just opposite her house.


    Fate was sure in tune with my ns.


    The old woman smiled at Marcus and was so unsuspicious. She even blushed sometimes. That was why I chose him.


    I couldn¡¯t have done it myself. I emitted an aura of fear and power even without trying hence the reason I tried as much as possible to stay away from the eyes of the public.


    It was also one of the many reasons why I chose Marcus to be my right hand man. He contrasted my physical features. I was a Lion at heart and at face.


    While in secondary school I was always sited at the back seat with a hoodie over my hair.


    Girls had been fawning over me even then and I had had my fair share of them.


    They loved the air of mystery around me.


    One girl had told me that I made albinism look goddamn hot. Some had said that I was godlike.


    Guys had been jealous but they could do nothing as they all feared me. And the ones I fancied I added to my gang.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    My principal had known my dad and at such didn¡¯t bother me about my long hair and hoodie. Plus he had feared me too.


    Maybe that¡¯s what drew the girls more to me. It was the taste of power they all loved.


    I wondered if Mira loved the taste of power too.


    Marcus came into the car and handed me Keys to the caravan pulling me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°That was faster than I expected.¡± Imented with a half smile.


    ¡°Women always fall for men who look so innocent.¡± Marcus chuckled.


    ¡°That they do I suppose.¡± I chuckled.


    I looked at the key on my hand and inhaled. I needed to keep watch over Mira at all times.


    My enemies might want toe to me through her and I couldn¡¯t let anyone touch her not without my go ahead.


    She was mine now. Mine to love and protect.


    Another reason why I did want the caravan was that on top of acting ugly I wanted to also act poor. If saving her didn¡¯t get her to like me then maybe she might like me out of pity.


    Girls with her kind of pure heart would easily fall for the ugly poor dude who nobody likes or maybe not.


    .


    All I knew was that I just had to get her.


    Either ways Mirabel was going to fall in love with me either by hook or by crook. The game of love for me is like war and all was fair.


    I dipped my hands in my pocket and brought out my phone to call the man who would y the devil for me. Someone who might as well be the devil.


    Someone like me.


    Ken picked up on the first ring.


    ¡°Hello Lion.¡± He said in a cheerful voice. He always wanted to to do business with me and I guessed that was the reason why he was so happy about my offer.


    ¡°Their is nothing to be excited about!¡± I spoke harshly for I didn¡¯t like him for reasons I couldn¡¯t quite ce my hands on


    ¡°The game beings in one week. Be prepared.¡±


    ¡°I was born ready.¡± He replied with an amused voice.


    I hung up and exhaled.


    And thus the game began.

 30

    One weekter


    I WAS SHAKING IN ANGER.


    ¡°You will still go to that Port-Harcourt. Don¡¯t think that you are going to escape from it. Useless child like you! What were you doing outside the bus that caused you to have an ident if it wasn¡¯t you going to meet a man. That was how you used someone of wanting to rape you. How am I sure that you were not the one who tried to seduce him!¡± My dad screamed at me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    He was yelling so much my head started to ache bad. I was hurt from his words. His usations was unbearable but I didn¡¯t break down. I didn¡¯t dare! My face remained unflinched.


    ¡°My daughter is not going anywhere! You want someone that just survived a motor ident just a week ago to start traveling now?¡± My mum shouted back.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor tell you that she might have gotten down to get food for herself when she was hit by a car. She left this house without eating but of course you won¡¯t know cause you didn¡¯t ask and you don¡¯t care!¡±


    I had never seen my mum this enraged before. She was practically screaming and her eyes never left my Dad¡¯s as she spoke. It was like all the fear she felt dissipated into thin air. She must have been so afraid of losing me.


    Although she was trying to defend me her shouting was adding to the migraine I was having. I was proud of her anyway.


    Even my dad seemed to be taken aback by her.


    They both stood in the middle of the parlour trying to assert their dominance over me.


    ¡°But she can go to work can¡¯t she! Eh!¡± He replied, shining his eyes so wide as if he wanted to swallow my mom. Although she was taller than him he still managed to intimidate her.


    His phone beeped and he brought it out of his pocket while ignoring us. He read through the text message and smiled. ¡°By the time Ie back from the shop your clothes had better be neatly packed in your box. That is if Ie back. Useless child!¡±


    ¡°Daddy where are you going?¡± My mum asked. I knew that look, she was suspecting him for something. I used that opportunity to sneak out of the house.


    I just could stand them anymore.


    I promised my boss that I was going to open the shop early today since I had already missed one week of work.


    He had been so understanding so I didn¡¯t want to fail him.


    I was so tired when I got to work, because I half ran to the shop so I wont open it toote. I didn¡¯t want to be scolded by my boss. It was Friday and we usually had more customers today.


    I had to maintain this job so that I could save money for myself most especially now that my father would probably soon run away with another woman like he didst two years. I had seen the signs then and I was seeing it now and even though my mum pretended not to see it, I was sure that she did too.


    Whenever he wanted to do something like this he became more aggressive and angry.


    I still didn¡¯t know how I got down from the Bus although my Doctor threw hints. Thank God the amnesia I had was for a day, most probably I didn¡¯t even forget anything. In fact I was sure that nothing happened because my doctor told me that when they found me I had already been unconscious for a while.


    Well. I could only thank God for saving my life. Soon I would remember what I was really doing outside the Bus. Something in me told me that it was more than what the Doctor had told us.


    I wasn¡¯t someone who would take the risk of going down from the bus just to get food. But, I was unpredictable and impulsive so there was a possibility.


    I was just about to unlock the gate of my shop when I heard a familiar voice call my name.


    I was shaken. My heart pounded in my chest and sunk into my stomach. I turned back with the bravest face I could muster at that time and frowned.


    ¡°Ken what are you doing here?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, not from fear but anger. I was enraged.


    ¡°I am here to get you dear. You are mine.¡± He took a hold of my handpletely catching me off guard.


    I whimpered.

 31

    ¡°Let me go now!¡± He quickly swung me over so he was at my back.


    Ken has surely gone crazy. I thought. Stack raving mad he definitely was mad.


    I wanted to scream, something was up with him and it wasn¡¯t something good. I felt it in my bones. I was just about to open my mouth when I felt something sharp pierce my back.


    ¡®He is with a knife¡¯ I mentally screamed like my mind didn¡¯t already know it. I didn¡¯t want to die not because I enjoyed life so much, but because I loved my family and I knew what my death would mean to them. Pain.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I asked attempting indifference as my first defense.


    ¡°Keep quiet and follow me.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°There is a car waiting for us¡± he said Pointing to a ck Toyota Camry. ¡°You belong to me and I am here to take you. I know you Mira. Do not make any wrong move or I¡¯ll kill you and kill your entire family then myself. They have no one to protect them. You won¡¯t want anything to happen to your brothers now, would you?¡± He threatened.


    He knew just how to get to me, and that¡¯s because I told him, I told the enemy my weakness. Maybe he has been stalking me all this while. The psychopath. He was obsessed always had been.


    Unfortunately for me I didn¡¯t realize this on time


    I felt like a character in a horror movie_but I will not be a prey. ¡®I am not weak. I thought in firm resolve.


    I took in deep breaths to calm myself. There was no need to get all worked up and angry_ I needed to think clearly and to think clearly I had to remain calm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this Ken, there are a lot of girls who would want to be with you. Just let me go please, I am not special. Go for anyone else.¡± I said calmly, trying to appeal to whatever goodness he still had in his heart.


    I was doing great so far at staying calm_ ok maybe not so great but at least I wasn¡¯t hyperventting.


    ¡°A lot is nobody, I want you.¡± he whispered into my ear. Did he think it will turn me on? Jesus Christ how revolting!


    ¡°I don¡¯t Care for you in that way and I need you to leave me alone now or else I will_¡±


    ¡°Shut up and move!¡± he ordered. He pushed me forward and I lost my bnce.


    The key to the boutique and my bag fell down from my hands causing me to fear for my self even more. I hoped that someone around would notice what was going on and help me before it became toote_Or better still that the police woulde around even though they were 80% useless most times.


    ¡°You think reporting me to my aunty was going to do you any good. I have grown. I am no longer the 16 year old boy who could be flogged for wanting what he wanted and now I¡¯ll have you and my revenge for all the humiliation that you cost me.¡±He said in anger.


    ¡°You almost raped me damn you! I was only 12 you sick pervert!¡± I snapped, my emotions were starting to get the best of me.


    ¡°I have no regrets I_¡±  Ken¡¯s voice trailed off when someone called my name faintly, like he was tasting it on his lips_unsure of whether to call it or not.


    I went silent feeling hope once again.


    Ken stiffened behind my back_meaning that he had heard the voice too.


    ¡°Common move now.¡± He growled poking me with the knife. I flinched from the pain of the knife pressed on my skin but I didn¡¯t move.


    My resistance angered him so, that he pushed the knife into my skin. I felt my skin break and give way to the sharp edges of the knife.


    I screamed as loud as I could. He put his hands over my mouth muffling my screams. ¡°Don¡¯t try to disobey me. I won¡¯t mind killing you right now. Now move!¡±


    I did as he told me, I moved.


    We both walked slowly to the car.


    I was surely doomed now.


    ¡°Do not try to y smart or I will end you.¡± Ken warned.


    The more we got closer to the car, the more my hope of being saved from him died.


    I made a mental note to thank my guardian Angel if I should get out of this alive.


    ¡°Turn to your right.¡± He whispered harshly, above my ears.


    I turned as he directed as I was not oblivious of the fact that if I didn¡¯t move then I could most probably end up dead.


    ¡°Mira.¡± The voice called to me againing closer.


    I knew who the voice belonged to, but I was confused as to how he knew where I was. Then I remembered that he had been stalking me for three days now. Anytime I went out to buy something I would see him standing by my gate watching me.


    I always found it disconcerting, even though he did nothing but call my name, like he wanted to test how it sounded on his lips.


    Honestly it scared me anytime he did so, but now I could not be happier about his presence even though I did doubt his sanity.


    Ken tensed up behind me. I  had only just a little chance of overpowering him at least not with the weapon he was was holding.


    I hoped that if anything, this stalker would be able to create a diversion that could help me escape. And for the first time I was happy to see him. I called him Scar.


    Everyone called him Scar.


    Scar was tall, really tall.¡±I was tall for a girl¡± I would always tell people, but he made me feel like a dwarf. He was probably a little above six foot four or there about.


    His shoulders were wide and broad. He was a bit muscr, in fact his body was perfect. His Adam apple moved in a sexy way every time he talked coupled with the fact that his voice was so goddamn sexy.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    He had those type of baritone voices that just had a way of turning you on. His body was beyond perfect even though he was an albino, as white as snow.


    But amidst all this perfection he had one w_ His face. People stayed away from him because of this w_ it was a scar that covered his entire face. A scar that came to define him.


    It was not like his face was distorted but it was just scary to look at. Like you know the ¡°he might be an alien kind scary.¡±


    Rumors had it that he got burnt during a gang attack_a gang fight or whatever they called it.


    Others  thought a girl poured acid on him  for breaking her heart. Thetter was more believable because with his perfect body it was quite inevitable for him not to have broken a lot of hearts when he was still handsome.


    Some people however thought that he was born distorted because he walked happily even with the scar on his face.


    As if he was used to the scar being there, almost as if he wanted it.


    Sometimes I wondered if he had ever seen his reflection in the mirror.


    My mum told me that he just newly moved into the street when I was still in the hospital. He lived in a small caravan just opposite mypound.


    He was alone all the time and I felt Pity for him, but I had my own troubles to deal with so I didn¡¯t try getting close to him even though he seemed to fancy me a great lot.


    ¡°Let me go ken I promise that I won¡¯t report you, you know that_ this is stupid! you will get caught.¡± I spat. My voice went from pleading to threatening.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he shouted cutting me slightly with the knife. I winced from the pain. My heart continued to beat without rhythm, I was almost deafened by it.


    I kept on repeating my mantra in my head as I tried to breath through the pain. I won¡¯t cry, I am not weak. Crying is for the weak only.

 32

    ¡°Mira!¡± Scar called again,ing closer.


    Ken freaked out this time. ¡°Mr Man if you take one more step towards us, she¡¯s dead!¡± He spat.


    Ken spun me around so that we could both stare at Scar.


    People were already starting to notice the strange activity that was going on between us now.


    The ce was not too crowded yet, but now a considerable amount of people wereing out of their stores to see what was going.


    Scars voice must have called to them.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if or if not it was what he Intended when he called my name out loud. It was a smart move from him though.


    ¡®Help people don¡¯t just stand there watching!¡¯


    It was about time they noticed. I thought taking in deep breaths to calm my self.


    ¡°One more step and she¡¯s dead.¡± Ken repeated, like him repeating it would send the right amount of fear to me and to Scar.


    ¡°Really?¡± Scar asked with a smile. That was the first time I heard him say something other than my name. His voice sent my Heart thumping.


    ¡°Really?¡± he repeated.


    Ken did not reply.


    Scar took two more steps to us, his eyes dared Ken to try and hurt me if he could. I felt dizzy all of a sudden. They were ying power tussle with my life.


    I didn¡¯t know why I trusted Scar to save me, someone I didn¡¯t know, someone I didn¡¯t even trust his sanity. Maybe because I didn¡¯t have any choice.


    ¡°Do not mess with me. Go your way and I¡¯ll forgive you for this!¡± Ken warned.


    ¡°Let her go now.¡±Scar ordered with a smirk. Then he raised his hands up in a surrender ¡°And I promise not to hurt you. I might actually Forgive you, you know.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Ken eximedughing,  ¡°Who do you think you are? Do you know who I am?¡±


    I had to save myself now that they were engaging in a power tussle of some sort and Ken was distracted.


    This was the perfect time to set myself free.


    I turned around and kicked Ken hard on the feet with my right leg. He staggered a little, but didn¡¯t fall.


    I did not give him the time to bnce on his feet before I  tried to run, but then he caught me by the arm.


    He dug his fingers into my skin, ¡°You are going no where! You are mine don¡¯t try to fight it.¡± He screamed at my face.


    I didn¡¯t move, I knew that if I did his grip would hurt more.


    When Scar saw how tight Ken¡¯s grip was on me he became furious. I could practically feel the anger radiating from him.


    The ce was crowded now mostly with women and children. No one made  a move to save me though. I didn¡¯t  me them they didn¡¯t understand  what was happening.


    To the ordinary eye I was with Ken and Scar was out of ce.  That was how he was discriminated because  of his looks. I was also guilty of the same, guilty as charged


    ¡°Let her go now!¡± Scar calmly ordered.


    I was surprised at how he seemed  to remain calm. Maybe  he took in deep breaths like I did, but that doesn¡¯t even work for me most times. Or maybe he was an expert at hiding his feelings.


    ¡°Or what?¡±  Ken asked giggling. He was clearly underestimating the guy before him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough, You asked for it!¡± Scar growled. Before I could  register what was happening he dragged me away from Ken pulling me to the side like I had no single weight.


    The knife cut my upper arm during Ken¡¯s struggle to hold me back. I could feel the blood gushing out from the cut in quick session. The cut was not that deep, but I had a lot of blood, too much for my little body.


    I held my hand_applying pressure to my arm to stop the blood from flowing much.


    The luck I had was that I was putting on a ck gown.


    I stopped myself from looking at the cut because it would make me start feeling a lot more nervous that I was already feeling.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Ken spat.


    Scar kicked the knife from Ken¡¯s hand and grabbed him by the shirt. ¡°How dare you!¡± He screamed.


    Ken threw the first punch, but Scar dodged it expertly.


    Scar did everything  so fast  that if you blinked you would miss it.


    He held on to Kens right hand bringing it above his head. It was the same hand Ken tried to throw a punch with.


    ¡°I warned you didn¡¯t I? But like all others you didn¡¯t listen. So you too will pay for not listening.¡± Ken stood still staring with his mouth agape while Scar smiled triumphantly.


    I didn¡¯t know what Scar did next but then Ken screamed  like he was being  burnt and I swear I heard a bone break.


    He kept on screaming as he went limp with pain, I almostughed out loud.


    Ken looked  like a kid that had been beaten thoroughly by an elder.


    I blinked back the tears that had gathered in my eyes and smiled.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then the driver of the Camry  came out and started  shooting like a crazy person.


    Shit! I forgot the car.


    There soon became a lot of noise andmotion as a result of the shooting. People started running here and there trying to protect their loved ones.


    Scar left Ken just as quickly as he held him.


    He then rushed to me and carried me to a store close by for cover.

 33

    SCARS EYES WERE ON ME.


    WE WERE NOW IN AN OPEN STORE CLOSE TO THE BOUTIQUE I WORKED IN. I WAS SITED ON A STOOL AND HE WAS ON THE FLOOR KNEELING NEXT TO ME.


    ¡°You have to treat that.¡± Scar muttered. His eyes roamed my body as he took in a deep breath. ¡°You look weak.¡±


    ¡°I am not weak and I do not need your help! Do not ever call me weak!¡± I red up.


    I was ufortable, tired and scared of him and I hated being called weak with a passion.


    He looked_ He looked really scary up close, like_like a monster.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t look like it a few minutes ago.¡± he said calmly, taking hold of my bleeding hand. He took of his sweater and tore it, getting a small piece of it, he tied it around the cut.


    He was still putting on a long sleeve even under his sweater, I wondered if he didn¡¯t get hot. His brown eyes did not leave mine.


    ¡°You were not supposed to get hurt.¡± He muttered.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°This is temporary just to stop the bleeding, you have to treat this today though.¡± He interjected, ignoring my question.


    I rolled my eyes and stared at his chest while he tied my arm.


    He was hot! Now I saw why he always wore big sweaters.


    His muscles were in all the right ces and the veins in his hands protruded. It dawned on me that maybe he was doing his best to look unattractive, and the reason why that was, I might never know.


    He would be a freaking Demi god if he didn¡¯t have his face!


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± I whimpered. The pain the wound was causing me made me sweat so bad. But it was endurable.


    Plus Scar was distracting me with his body.


    I was angry at myself for looking at him the way I did and I was angry at him for looking the way he did.


    ¡°Why? Does it hurt that much? Or are you scared of me?¡± I could feel the sadness in his question, but I was only human and as humans we judge a book firstly by its cover.


    ¡°Just let go of me.¡± I murmured.


    I would have said sorry to him for acting so strange and difficult_but there was a but that I couldn¡¯t figure out yet. Maybe my subconscious was afraid of him so it was trying to push him away before he came any closer to it.


    ¡°Alright I¡¯ll let go of you but I¡¯m not leaving you alone.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked looking into his eyes so I could tell if he was telling the truth.


    His eyes_ something was off about it. It was brown but it felt like his real eyes were hidden underneath a contact lens either that or I was thinking too much about everything that pertained to him.


    I guess I was still a bit shaky from everything_ definitely seeing things. Things that my inmost desires wanted to project to life.


    He tensed up but he didn¡¯t answer. His gaze settled on my lips as we both sat down in silence. I tried not to look at his lips even though I was so tempted to.


    The police man who had been asking questions around finally came to us. He was talking to someone on the phone when he walked in on us.


    He was average in height, thin, dark and sad looking, the typical police man look. I swear I almost burst outughing at the thought of this.


    ¡°Saved by the cop.¡± Scar joked. I rolled my eyes at his sillyment but I still couldn¡¯t help myself from smiling just a little.


    ¡°Both of you have to follow me to the station to make a statement.¡± He ordered, when he was done speaking on the phone. He put his phone back into his pocket and stared at us.


    I realized then that he was the only police man that came around_that was if you did not add the driver of the van. I smiled.


    Nigeria My country never seizes to amaze me.


    ¡°That should not be a problem. We wille with you.¡± Scar said, getting up. Then he faced me and stretched his hands out for me to take.


    ¡°Can you walk or should I carry you? I would feel better if I carried you though.¡±


    ¡°I am not paralyzed the knife cut my hand not my leg.¡± I replied.


    I stood up, eyed him and walked away.


    We squeezed ourselves into the police van. I in between both men.


    I was not surprised by the inconvenience I felt for I expected it.


    In fact what surprised me was that the van looked a little bit new. I expected it to be a randy old police truck.


    The police officer smelt weird like sweat and alcohol just like the car.


    I made a mental note to bathe with enough detol if possible Hypo when I get home.


    On the other hand Scar smelt so nice but I stopped myself from thinking about his smell or the warmth that emanated from his body.


    The contrast between the both men at my side caused my head to spin and a tiny head ache set in.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    When we reached the police station we were immediately ushered into the DPO ¡®S office.


    It was the first time I was entering a police station and it was just like In the movies.


    Old and tiny.


    The police men who sat at the reception table or whatever they called it wore a frown on their faces when they saw use in, as if we were Criminals.


    ¡®Later they will say police is your friend¡¯. I thought rolling my eyes


    I greeted them and they answered begrudgingly. They were probably both of the same age_ maybe in their early forties, they both looked alike.


    The only difference between the two police officers was that whilst one was short, the other was very tall. The rest features they had inmon. Body built, chocteplexion and the rest.


    The police man who led us to the Dpo¡¯s office knocked twice on the door and we were asked toe in by a very tiny voice. I almost thought that the voice belonged to a woman but with the prevailing state of patriarchy in Nigeria I knew that the possibility of having a female Dpo was very low.


    Like I predicted the voice belonged to a man. I was amused and almost freaked out hearing a man have such a tiny voice.


    The police man saluted the DPO and walked out, following the signal giving to him by his boss.


    The Dpo¡¯s office looked like something that was built decades ago. The floor was cracked, and the walls were dpidated.


    The wall was painted yellow, but the paints were almost all peeled out. Their was only a table, and three chairs in the office.


    The governor and the presidents picture frame hung up on the wall and the Nigerian g of green white green was by the side of his chair.


    The table looked like it could use a carpenter and a secretary with how unkempt and rough it looked.


    I wanted to leave immediately.


    ¡°Good morning miss.¡± The DPO greeted. ¡°Please take a sit.¡±


    ¡°Good morning Sir.¡± I replied, stopping myself fromughing out. His voice sounded so weird.


    ¡°So what is your name?¡± He asked watching me intently. His eyes stopped at my chest_but it was for a split second. I could have missed it if I was not watching him closely.


    ¡°Mirabel Chizitere Chinedu.¡± I replied smiling. ¡°But you can call me Mira.¡±


    The DPO looked to be in his early fifties but he still had this youthful look. He was kind of handsome, this old handsomeness kind of thing.


    Albeit how epting he was of me I had the feeling that he could not be trusted. I hated being suspicious of everything but that was just how my mind worked.


    ¡°Mira.¡± He repeated after me, tasting my name. Then he looked up at scar. ¡°Sir can you please wait outside.¡±


    ¡°No I want to stay here with her after all I witnessed everything that happened. I was the one who saved her so I want to be here.¡± Scar insisted, speaking almost immediately in a calm voice.


    ¡°I am not sure if Mira_here_ would befortable with a stranger being present when a sensitive case like hers is being thrashed.¡± He said, now looking at me.


    He was probably expecting me to say that I was not going to befortable with a stranger being present to listen to my case. But, I didn¡¯t trust him around me and right now Scar was my guardian angel.


    Plus, the pleading look Scar gave to mepletely weakened me, stopping me from asking him to leave even if I wanted to do so.


    I was torn between them both.


    ¡°He can stay.¡± I blurted out. ¡± He¡¯s the reason I am here after all if not for him I would probably be with that cocksucker now.¡± I shivered at the mere thought of being with Ken.


    From the corner of my eyes I could see scar smile, smiling made him look less scary.


    The DPO did not look pleased, but I didn¡¯t care that much. Scar saved me and he deserved to be with me.


    ¡°Or you just want him around.¡± A voice sang in my head but I quickly quieted it.

 34

    ¡°What¡¯s your name Mr.¡± The Dpo asked. He was obviously angry at the fact that Scar refused to leave me in the room alone with him.


    Hence his not so subtle attempt us feel ufortable.


    ¡°Julius Ceaser.¡± Scar Snickered.


    ¡°Aic name for aic face I must say.¡± The dpo replied with a cold smirk_ catching up to Scars sarcasm.


    It was clear that Scar didn¡¯t want to say anything about himself even his name. I hated the DPO more now. What a low blow from such an old man!


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± Scar replied calmly.


    ¡°Since you won¡¯t share your name with us, then you won¡¯t mind telling us the reason for your Scar?¡± The DPO asked with a cold smile.


    He had noe back for what Scar said.


    ¡°I mind, it is personal.¡±


    ¡°Why ? Do you have something to hide?¡±


    I wanted to interrupt this baseless questioning, but unlike the usual me I trusted Scar to handle his own shit.


    ¡°And even if I do?¡± He replied coldly.


    The atmosphere was so tense now I feared that I was going to drown in the tension. This could end badly I thought fearing for myself.


    ¡°I have nothing to hide. May I remind you that I am not the criminal here and that the criminals are atrge_¡±


    ¡°Tell me what is the reason for your scar!¡¯ The DPO cut in, insistently.


    ¡°I do not think the scar on my face is of any issue here, and I beg you not to deviate from the issue at hand. I admire professionalism so stick to the reason why we are all here¡± Scar cautioned, almost growling.


    His voice was so cold andmanding It left no room for deliberation.


    I shivered at it.


    The DPO focused his attention on me finding that he could not get anything out of scar.


    ¡°So Mira can you tell me what happened, I want to hear it from you.¡±  He tried to mask his anger but I could still feel it when he spoke.


    Goddamn I loved it!


    I started speaking and he paid so much attention to me like he was afraid of being reprimanded. Scar must have really scared the shit out of him.


    After narrating everything that happened with Ken to him the best way I could he hummed, leaning forward on his chair.


    ¡°Do you know that Ken is the leader of a dangerous gang?¡± he asked. ¡± In fact I dare to add a very dangerous cult.¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡± I said, confusion evident in my voice.


    ¡°So how do you know him, or rather how does he know you? Or Do you know him at all? What reason would he have to want to attack you?¡± The Dpo asked, earning him a re from Scar.


    ¡°She obviously doesn¡¯t know him and_¡± Scar was saying when I interrupted him.


    ¡°I do know him. He is the nephew of my Aunty¡¯s husband.¡± I replied.


    Scar turned to look at me and I could see the anger and shock in his eyes.


    The Dpo on the other hand looked quite pleased with himself.


    ¡°Aunty like blood rted?¡± He continued.


    Scar faced him once again.


    ¡°No my mums close friend.¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Oh I see.¡± He nodded. ¡°So he decided toe after you because he wants you.¡±


    ¡°Yes I guess.¡± I replied, blinking. I was starting to feel sleepy from all his questions.


    ¡°Why?¡± The dpo questioned. ¡°Why would he want you? Were you two ever__¡±


    ¡°Seriously are you asking her why he wants her. I think the questions is not necessary! I am sorry to interrupt you but the issue here is that Ken tried to harm her and that he got away. What should be the main concern of the police now is how to get him before he pulls another one of his stunt on her.¡± Scar spoke calmly. But his voice wasced with obvious anger.


    Remind me again who was almost kidnapped because right now he was acting more of the victim than I was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to scare you Mira but you are in danger. Ken is a very dangerous man and if he has his eyes set on you then_____¡±


    His words reminded me of my dad, of the day he told me that I belonged to the world and bad things would befall me.


    He was right! my father.


    Then I didn¡¯t even know what the hell he meant by what he said, but now I was made open to the idea. I startedughing hysterically.


    I must have looked mad to them.


    Scar touched my arm in other to calm me down but instead it angered me the more. I red up.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking touch me damn you!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Mira you have to remain calm this is a station, reduce your voice.¡± The Dpo warned. I could tell that he was already getting worked up with the whole situation.


    I stoppedughing. If I didn¡¯t, I knew I would end up crying and I didn¡¯t want to do that.


    Crying was for the weak.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just really stressed¡± I said with a strained smile. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°I understand Mira. Have you by any chance heard of the dragon cult?¡± The Dpo asked with a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°Yes, I have. It is a popr gang_ that is after White lion. I heard that they are merciless and kill their victims with fire.¡± I said shaking my head. ¡°Just rumors I guess, no facts. ¡±


    ¡°Do you know the leader? The one they call captain.¡± He whispered.


    The walls had ears in our town hence when you talk about gangs you do so in hushed whispers.


    He looked at me like he expected me to know who their captain was. How was I supposed to know their leader if I was not part of them?


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t take interest in gang business so I don¡¯t know much about them¡±


    ¡°Ken is the captain of the dragon gang and we have been on his trail for six months now. How we actually got to know of the attack on you today was because one of the police officers working under this division wasing back from an assignment and as luck would have it he saw the scene Ken was creating and immediately recognized him as the Captain. Thus he alerted us so we had to send him reinforcement.¡±


    ¡°By reinforcement you mean just one extra officer?¡± I asked, amused. It annoyed me that he could only release just two officers. Just two officers! For such a life threatening situation.


    ¡°You must have been prepared for war. Indeed, reinforcement I can¡¯t say that I was not impressed.¡± I continued not done with my sarcasm.


    Scar chuckled at this.


    ¡°I would not ept any sarcasticments from you miss.¡± The Dpo said angrily. I clenched and unclenched my fist.


    ¡°We wanted to make sure that it was not a false alert_¡±


    ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t trust you officers?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That was not what I said do not put words in my mouth!¡±  He snapped.


    ¡°But It was what you implied or did you want to y with my life__¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°OK_Ok fine. My mouth is sealed.¡± I said raising my hands in a surrender. He red at me and I red back. ¡°So What do you intend to do_ I mean what¡¯s the n?¡±


    ¡°I will send two men to keep watch in yourpound. They will run a shift, morning, afternoon and evening not a second will pass that your family will not be protected¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fond of the number two.¡± I heard scar murmur. I chuckled.


    ¡°Two police officers you say, are we not forgetting something? I leave the house in the morning so who is going to be with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but we can only release two officers to you. This division is alreadycking officers.¡±


    ¡°Why only two? Is it because I am not the governor or a rich man so my life means nothing?! The leader of a dangerous gang is after my life and you sit here telling me you can only release two officers for my protection. Didn¡¯t you swear an oath?¡± I was so disappointed with the DPO I wanted to scream.


    I knew I sounded like a whining child but I just couldn¡¯t help myself. I didn¡¯t want scar anywhere near me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but this is the best I can do for now. You should even count yourself lucky that you have been sent two at least and that¡¯s because I like you, you are a fine young woman and your death would be a shame.¡±


    ¡°Save us the details of your thought.¡± Scar cut in.


    The DPO ignored him.


    ¡°So which would be better for you, do the officers follow you and leave your family unattended or they stay in your home and leave you unattended. You are to choose between your safety and that of your family because Ken woulde for your family.¡± He said looking at me intensely, for a moment I shivered at his heartlessness. ¡°And that I am sure of.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve given me no choice. My family alwayses first¡± I exhaled. ¡°I have other things to do so If there is nothing else to say then I beg to take my leave.¡± I said, while standing up.


    ¡°The officers assigned to your home would be on mufti. You don¡¯t want people knowing your family is being watched by the police, do you agree?¡±_


    ¡°Not watched, protected¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°Thank you anyway. For your time.¡± I gave him a fake half smile and excused myself.


    Scar followed me.

 35

    ¡°I like what you did there. You are really brave standing your ground like that. I am really impressed.¡± Scar was saying as we both walked home.


    Since we stayed opposite each other  it was impossible to avoid him no matter how much I wanted to do just that.


    He had been trying to have a conversation with me ever since we both left the station and I had made known myck of interest to have said conversation with him.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t take the hint to let me be or he just chose not to leave me alone and I was beginning to get really pissed off by this.


    ¡°I just hope the police do their job.¡± I said more to myself than to him.


    ¡°Nothing is going to happen to you or your family. It doesn¡¯t matter what the police does or doesn¡¯t do.¡± He asserted.


    I stopped walking and he did too.


    ¡°You sound so sure of it.¡± I muttered. I narrowed my eyes at him folded my hands.


    ¡°I am sure. Very sure.¡±


    I scoffed.


    ¡°Please I don¡¯t want to start up any rumors and I don¡¯t want people to start running away from me because they saw me with you.¡± I Inhaled. ¡°And it does matter that the police_ you know what just keep your distance.¡±


    ¡°Since when did Mira start caring about what others thought about her?¡±


    ¡°Since she decided to. I don¡¯t know you and you don¡¯t know me. So let¡¯s keep our distance. Today means nothing. And please don¡¯t talk like you know me.¡± After saying this I turned around and walked away.


    I noticed that he was still walking behind me even as I increased my pace so that he couldn¡¯t catch up with me. But I didn¡¯t bother about this. I had so many things on my mind to let trivialities take over.


    I thought about him telling me, ¡°when did Mira start caring about what people thought about her?¡± and I scoffed. ¡®He talked like he fucking knew anything about me!¡¯


    I walked ahead, greeting people and crossing roads even though my mind was no longer with me.


    I was worried about my family even if I knew that Ken was just after me not them.  But he knew my weakness was my family and I did not put it past him, not to try to use them to get to me.


    ¡°Mira.¡± Scar called pushing me off the road all of a sudden.


    A car was horning furiously at me.


    The man in the drivers sit looked out the window andid curses on me. As if the curses heid on me inside the car were not enough_ he still came out of his car to hurl more insults at me.


    I watched him but said nothing. I was still being enveloped in Scars arms.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even watch were you are going! Small girl like you what do you know that you are thinking about! When you girls prefer to start knowing men at your early age instead of you to focus on your studies! All you people that want tomit suicide you won¡¯t do it alone but prefer to implicate someone else.¡±


    He hissed loudly finally getting back into his car.


    ¡°Should he not be grateful that he didn¡¯t hit me instead of shouting.¡± I mumbled, getting out of Scars grip.


    ¡°You walked into his car.¡± Scar scolded. The look on his face was indecipherable but there was anger in his eyes.


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I replied pulling myself away from him. This time though I let him walk by my side_ just to keep me safe from harm. People would talk but they won¡¯t protect me.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    At least he was protecting me.


    ***


    White Lion¡¯s POV


    I made sure Mira was safely in her house before going over to the Caravan where I stayed.


    Mira had allowed me walk by her side as she went home and I couldn¡¯t be more happy.


    I tried not to think about how Ken had hurt her or how she had looked at me like I was a monster.


    Thinking about those things would have filled me with rage and my rage was like fire. I couldn¡¯t let Mira see it.


    I loved her too much to be angry around her.


    I knew that she wasn¡¯t exactly worried about what people will say. She just didn¡¯t want to disappoint her mother and I understood her.


    Immediately I entered the empty Caravan  I called one of my men and instructed him to look after her while I sneakingly walked to the junction of her street trying my best to stay away from haunting eyes.


    Mira¡¯s street was filled with a lot of gossips. Most of them had something to say about everything and at any time of the day.


    That woman who sold the Caravan to me looked to be the leader of them all.


    I had nevere across a more Lackadaisical set of people in my life before. The only person that stood out Amongst them was Mira¡¯s mum and Mira.


    The woman was as pretty as she was hardworking. She looked just like Mira.


    Mira was different too. I would always find her taking her brothers to school or cleaning the house andpound rarely with a frown on her face.


    She seemed to love her family so much excluding her Dad who I rarely saw. I didn¡¯t like the man either. He was a cheat and even if some of my men hadn¡¯t caught him in bad ces I would still have known. It was obvious.


    I found myself falling for Mira over and over again. I just wanted her, to see her to feel her over and over.


    She was in my veins and I couldn¡¯t get her out neither did I want to.


    You might call it stalking but I could not see her going to buy something and not follow behind.


    I would sit in front of my Caravan most times while I waited for her toe home from her brothers school.


    I knew she knew that I was stalking her but I couldn¡¯t stop, even though it was a risk to my ns.


    She had been discharged from the hospital after two days and she looked like nothing had happened to her.


    I was more than grateful for her loss of memory but that didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t want to kill Ogaga.


    I still felt the urge to sometimes.


    When I was safely at the junction I called for a car and asked to be taken to Sophia¡¯s ce; A small duplex in the eastern side of the town.


    I needed to speak to her urgently about Ken.


    Now that I was in the car I thought back at everything that had happened.


    Ken¡¯s instructions had been simple. He was to scare her and I was to act as a savior. No where in our ns had it been said that he was to lead her to his car or to hurt her.


    Thinking about it now, I felt so enraged. He had cut her and though Mira didn¡¯t show how upset she was for I had noticed that she rarely showed emotions I knew that she was very upset about everything.


    Ken seemed to want to take her and Mira on the other hand seemed very pissed of at him as if they were long time enemies.


    I was only grateful to the dpo for taking the initiative to ask Mira if she knew Ken. But her exnation had many hidden lines to it and I was eager. No I was desperate to find out what they were.


    What annoyed me most was that it seemed Ken was one step ahead of me. I hit the front sit with my fist, and my driver, one of my men tensed up.


    I was going to find out what rtionship they had and never would I let him be even three steps behind me.


    He had hurt my love and he would pay for it.

 36

    White Lion¡¯s POV


    ¡°For the love of all that is good Lion can you please stop pacing. Just calm the fuck down!¡± Sophia said for the umpteenth time, dragging her hands across her face in an exasperated manner.


    I had reached her office a few minutes ago and immediately told her all that had happened earlier including the fact that Mira and Ken knew each other and Ken did not deem it fit to tell me.


    I wanted to throw tantrums and yell but I was leader for many reasons including the ability to remain calm in difficult situations. I couldn¡¯t let them start thinking that I was losing my cool. That would be detrimental to me and inherently to my ns.


    Plus the fact that I had so unceremoniously killed two of my men was something that I knew threw off the gang, but I didn¡¯t regret it. They had touched her and they deserved it.


    ¡°I am calm!¡± I said out loud as I reached the middle of Sophia¡¯s office.


    ¡°No you are not and it¡¯s scaring me coupled with that hideous make up on you have on your face.¡± Sophia huffed in anger.


    I was about to reprimand her but Marcus walked in.


    Sophia exhaled knowing that I wouldn¡¯t want to scold her in the presence of a third party.


    Marcus walked further into the room and his eyes immediately looked for Sophia who was sited at the edge of her desk. A moment passed before he acknowledged my presence.


    I had always suspected that He had feelings for Sophia but I never had any proof of it order than him staring at her here and there so I just let it pass. More so,  Marcus was a damn womanizer.


    It was something That I didn¡¯t agree with him on. Women deserved to be cherished and thus I didn¡¯t believe in making love to a woman if I didn¡¯t like her or at least admire her.


    Yes gang leaders have their principles and that was mine. My mum imbibed in me the love for women, for I loved and admired her so much that it hurt like death to think about her.


    I had only made love to two women my whole life. One was in highschool. She was the most beautiful girl in my secondary school and she was head over heels in love with me.


    Coupled with her beauty she was also a goddamn good seductress.  In my finals I couldn¡¯t withstand her acts of seduction anymore and gave in to her demands.


    It had been amazing much better than I had imagined it to be.


    We had a good sexual rtionship until her father caught wind of it. He had immediately flown her out of the country for her father was a very wealthy oil tycoon.


    I didn¡¯t mind though. I knew she deserved the best. Audrey was so beautiful and good she didn¡¯t deserve someone like me neither did Mira but Mira was my salvation. Mine. I was selfish with her and I couldn¡¯t let her go. I just couldn¡¯t.


    The second woman had been Sophia. Another temptress.  Sophia knew a lot and had taught me a lot.


    It had taken time for her to open up to me and maybe that was one of the reasons why she held a special ce in my heart.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I would be happy If she ended up falling for Marcus. I really wanted Sophia to be happy just not with me. And the two of them together will be madd.


    ¡°Boss you are back so early.¡± Marcusmented walking towards me.


    I exhaled realizing now that I had just let my mind wander too far.


    ¡°Have you gotten tired of watching over her so soon. You¡¯ve missed your gang haven¡¯t you?¡± Marcus asked with a hopeful smile. But In his eyes I could see that he knew it was too much to hope for.


    I scoffed.


    ¡°I am here because apparently Ken is no stranger to Mira. In fact she seemed to know him so well. I don¡¯t think she was the least bit surprise about his attack.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes widened in shock just the same way mine had done when I found out this little piece of information that could change our whole n. Thanks to the dpo, I would surely give him a raise.


    He stared at Sophia and she shrugged.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he tell you that they know each other? I never liked that guy Lion I warned you about him. This whole n has a lot of loopholes and___¡±


    ¡°Stop it Marcus!¡± I warned ring at him from across the room.


    He exhaled and shut up.


    I wanted to scream in anger. ¡°Ken that fucking son of a bitch! That bastard! He would get to know why I still remain the strongest most dangerous gang leader in this town!¡±


    Rage was filling me now and I just wanted to kill something or someone but not now. For now I needed to know what rtionship that son of a bitch had with my love.


    ¡°She said he is her aunts son right? Maybe there is nothing to it.¡± Sophia added, trying in futility to calm me down. She herself knew better.


    ¡°Of course there is more to it Lion. If there wasn¡¯t he would have told you about it.¡± Marcus walked closer to me from across the room. ¡°You cannot offer Ken even a tiny bit of trust, no matter how minute. He is a rival. We must always be two steps ahead.¡±


    ¡°Three steps brother! Always threw steps ahead!¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Ken wanted to y me?¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°The motherfucker had bitten more than he can chew.¡±


    I inhaled and calmed down. I was alpha and I needed to show it.


    ¡°What¡¯s themissioner saying? I am so in the mood for business.¡± I said walking towards Sophia¡¯s desk.


    They both red at me in shock at first before they smiled.


    Marcus patted my shoulders as he walked over the desk too. ¡°That¡¯s my Lion.¡± He sounded well pleased.


    And together we arranged a beautiful ckmail while my mind kept drifting to my darling Mira.

 37

    My mum was the best mum in the world.


    When I came home Iined to her about the pounding in my head but I lied that my head ached because a customer  decided to argue with me all through the morning.


    I just hoped that she would not hear the rumors about me walking home with Scar.


    She asked why I was home early and


    I made an excuse about my boss asking me to leave because he wanted to go to a very important wedding. She believed me.


    She felt pity for me and gave me drugs to take. Then she begged me to try to sleep immediately so I could wake up feeling better tomorrow.


    The drugs did help relieve me of my headache but it didn¡¯t help me with sleep.


    I decided to read a book all morning and in the afternoon I went to get my brothers from School.


    Their school was just a few streets from mine so I came back in thirty minutes holding both of them.


    Luckily for me, today I didn¡¯t have to look for them, they had been waiting for me.


    I noticed that Scar was no where to be seen when I came back and at first I felt relieved that he wasn¡¯t stalking me then I started to feel a bit worried.


    I cast thoughts of him aside not wanting to dwell much on it. Even If he had saved me he was still nothing to me and I didn¡¯t want to start feeling attached to him.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t help the lingering feeling in my heart to want to see him.


    I ended up deciding that the feeling was because I wanted to make sure that Ken hadn¡¯t hurt him even though in my hearts of heart I knew better.


    ¡°Mira what is for Lunch?¡± Daniel asked as he dropped his school bag on the chair pulling me out of my thoughts. I had zoned out on them and we were now in the parlor and I did not even know.


    ¡°Check the dining.¡± I told him. ¡°Take of your school uniform and wash your hands before you eat.¡± I instructed.


    Daniel nodded immediately doing as I said. He was d now in only a small boxers.


    David threw his school bag on the floor and was about to put on the TV when I screamed.


    ¡°DAVID! Go and pull your clothes, take your bath, eat and do your assignment before you put on that TV!¡± I walked over to the TV and put it off through the socket


    David started grumbling throwing a fit while Daniel focused on eating the meal of rice and ntain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything!¡± David murmured sinking into one of the sofas in the room.


    ¡°Before I close my eyes and open it you had better go and take your bath or you will see the other side of me! Am I your mate?!¡± I yelled taking a threatening stance in front of him.


    I was so enraged.


    He stood up and ran to the room stomping his feet on the ground then he begrudgingly took his clothes and went to bath.


    ¡°Daniel finish that food fast and go and bath.¡±


    He nodded not saying anything.


    I sighed and walked into the room. David was still grumbling.


    ¡°You people will finish ying in school after sweating you wille back and not want to take your bath. What kind of dirtiness is that. If I hear your voice one more time in that bathroom you will not like me David!¡± I warned, raising my voice so that he could hear me over the running shower.


    He immediately shut up.


    I hissed and started arranging the room. Then I took out their dirty clothes to wash since I couldn¡¯t sleep.


    I desperately needed a distraction from thinking about Ken and Scar.


    . It had been two days since the incident with Ken.


    The Dpo had kept his words and brought in two police officers to keep watch over my family.


    I went to work like I always did and Scar kept watching me as always.


    Nothing Changed much except for the fact that I was increasingly always nervous and I could hardly sleep at night.


    Also I felt like someone was starting to watch me every night.


    I didn¡¯t want to start taking pills but the absence of sleep was starting to really tell on me both physically and emotionally.


    I was scared that soon my mother would start to notice that something was wrong with me.


    I kept rolling and turning on the bed out of worry and fear. Sleep was very far from me at this point.


    David and Daniel were both asleep on their bed which was across mine. David was snoring without a care in the world and in that moment I was jealous of him.


    If only I could sleep.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I noticed a shadow go pass my window and my breath hitched in my chest.


    Paranoia kicked in making me feel worse than I was already feeling.


    It felt as though someone was watching me.


    ¡°I give up. There is no need trying to sleep.¡± I said to myself, already exhausted.


    I had spent the whole evening trying to sleep and sleep didn¡¯te. Hence, there was no need to keep trying in futility.


    I stood up and walked to the window to get a glimpse of the stars as it was about


    10pm in the evening.


    I also wanted to check if there was anyone downstairs at least to satisfy my paranoia.


    Although mypound was fenced and protected all round with broken bottles_I knew that a skilled thief or a kidnapper could still be able to jump through it.


    Looking down the open window I saw something move behind the backyard then it stopped all of a sudden.


    Luckily my neighbors left their backyard lights on so I could see who the person was. And like I had not suspected, it was him.


    I squinted my eyes to make sure that I was seeing correctly as the was a bit dusty.


    I turned out to be right after all. It was really him. Scar was outside my window, I gasped.


    ¡°Does that guy not know when to give up! Seriously!¡± I murmured harshly to no one is particr.  Why was he watching me?


    I couldn¡¯t make out any reason for any of his doings, everything he did was illogical and annoying.


    My mom was in her room most likely sleeping   But I still had to be quiet about everything.


    I quietly opened the door to my room_ then I tiptoed out of the house and went downstairs after noiselessly opening the doors.


    Scar was standing in front of my gate. He must have noticed that I had caught him lurking around.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I whispered harshly, eying him. You know what allow me rephrase. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Your people have given me the name Scar and you have used it to define me. Now you act as if you do not know me.¡± He replied, irritatedly.


    ¡°And now I am asking you to tell me who you are? I am giving you the opportunity to tell me your name now.¡± I was anxious to hear his name.


    I did not even know why I was suddenly feeling so eager to know him more.


    There was just something about him this night that spoke volumes and volumes and in turn put a certain fear in me.


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯ll tell you who I am?¡±


    ¡°Because you follow me around and I¡¯ve not been evil enough to report you to the police.¡± I spat.


    He chuckled at this.


    ¡°Because you owe me the truth.¡± I continued, ignoring his obnoxiousness.


    ¡°Tell me why you keep watching me. Tell me who you are.¡± I saiding closer to him, he moved back chuckling darkly.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Because the look you are giving me now is amusing.¡±


    I hissed. Nothing about him made sense. I shouldn¡¯t even have been wasting my time talking to him. He was clearly jobless and insane.


    I sighed and turned to leave but he grabbed my hand flipping me so I faced him.


    ¡°You seem to like running a lot?¡± He asked with a frown.


    ¡°Because you do not want to give me any answers like_ Why do you keep following me? there are a lot of people in this town why do you choose to watch over me. Is that all you can be, a stalker? Or is there something more.¡±


    I wanted also to ask why he had the scar, but I thought against it. It would be insensitive of me to ask that now or anytime at all.


    ¡°With time your questions will be answered. Patience Reina.¡± He said with an amused expression on his face.


    ¡°Now I have a question of my own and you need to answer it.¡± He said now looking at me with every seriousness.


    Our eyes locked and I shivered. My neighbors light shone in his eyes making it look more foreign.


    I swallowed trying to stop my heart from pacing so fast.

 38

    I wriggled my hands out of his grip before I would do something that I would forever regret.


    ¡°Some audacity you have there to think that I will favor your question with a reply when you¡¯ve totally ignored all of mine!¡± I scoffed.


    He narrowed his eyes at me visibly looking enraged. My heart immediately caught in my throat.


    I wanted to kiss him.


    Where did that thoughte from?! I immediately reprimanded myself for I had no desire to have anything to do with any man let alone a Scarred stranger who I knew nothing about not even his name.


    ¡°Reina let me speak.¡± He said calmly but there was an undertone of an order in his voice which made me flinch.


    I didn¡¯t like being told what to do.


    ¡°You. will. not. tell me what to do.¡± I said through clenched teeth giving each word life. We both stared at each other in anger, trying to emphasize our dominance.


    I turned around to leave unable to bear my increasing heart beat. He held my arm and pushed me to the wall causing me to yelp in surprise and anger.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t deny the sheer intensity of his touch or the fact that my core started aching.


    My heart stopped as he stared into my eyes. I could feel heat emanating from his body. I breathed in and that was a big mistake as his scent filled the air around me and were now embedded in my lungs.


    He smelt so familiar, like lust and all that is wrong.


    ¡°Stop being stubborn. Can you just hear me out!¡± He whisper yelled, bending down so his face could meet mine. Our lips were so close and his were so tempting. I swallowed.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I whispered. I could hear my heart beat in my head. ¡°Fine.¡±


    He had saved me so I figured that I owed him this much at least.


    ¡°How do you know Ken?¡± He asked, sobering up. His eyes were focused on mine.


    The mention of the name Ken made me so angry and upset I looked away from him.


    He touched my chin with his thumb softly bringing me to face him.


    ¡°It will be our own little secret. I promise that I am not going to tell anyone.¡± He urged. ¡°I really just want to know.¡±


    There was so much sincerity in his eyes, so much care that I found myself eager to tell him all that happened. But he was still just a stranger.


    ¡°I know that to you I am a stranger but don¡¯t you think its better to tell a stranger these things? I will not judge you even for your most innate sinful desires or past. I just want to know. I have been obsessing about it.¡± His eyes were so pleading as if he would die if I didn¡¯t tell him.


    I could tell that he was speaking in all honesty. I exhaled.


    His grip on me loosened and I took a sit on the pavement and he joined in.


    I told him everything that had happened and everything I had felt and he had listened without showing any emotion.


    I was most grateful for it. I didn¡¯t want him pitying me or feeling sorry for me.


    Shockingly, I felt so much better telling a stranger. I couldn¡¯t tell any of my friends or my mom so my other choice had been someone I didn¡¯t know.


    It felt like the heavy hand that had been clutching my heart was removed although not entirely.


    ¡°Ken is a monster you know.¡± I scoffed, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down my cheeks. ¡°A devil. I don¡¯t know why he returned to my life. I hate him so much, so, so much. I want him to pay for what he did to me but it seems like I¡¯m the one who is going to pay for reporting him.¡± Iughed, a low humorlessughter.


    Scar held my arms and turned me to face him, ¡°He is going to pay I assure you.¡± He said slowly, albeit very much convincingly. I nodded clinging unto his word like it was life.


    I sat with him for sometime feeling as if a weight have been lifted off my shoulders.


    We both stared at the stars both of us lost in our thoughts.


    I started to feel so much peace that sleep finally came. I had almost dozed off when the wind hit my face with full force.


    I swallowed and opened my eyes.


    ¡°The night feels Alive tonight.¡± Imented, looking over at my side to Scar.


    I could see a wetness on his cheeks. ¡°Are you crying?¡± I asked in shock.


    He immediately stood up. ¡°No. The wind.¡± He stuttered. ¡°My eyes can be quite sensitive at night.¡±


    I stood up too. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sad for me alright.¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a big girl.¡±


    ¡°I will be leaving.¡± Scar cut in almost desperately.


    I nodded not minding so much as I really needed to sleep.


    I ran upstairs after he left suddenly remembering that my mom sometimeses to the room to check up on me.


    When I got to my room I jumped on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.


    And I dreamt of him.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 39

    MY LIFE WASN¡¯T EXACTLY PRETTY.


    One week had passed and I was still on the look out for Ken and his men. My life sessfully turned into a horror movie before my own eyes.


    Scar still stalked me and I gave up on telling him to stop. He infuriated me beyond words, especially at night.  When I was not with him thoughts of him made me more furious. He was getting under my skin fast.


    I still could not believe that I had told him my most intimate secret. It felt good at first but now it was as if he was using it as an excuse to cling more to me.


    There was this air of familiarity around him as if I knew him from before. Then there was the feeling that he was someone I should fear. Someone with a whole lot of secrets. He confused and angered me but I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that in my heart of hearts I was grateful for his presence.


    I finally decided to resume choir practice today.  It was something that I decided that I couldn¡¯t stop doing no matter how many gang men were after me.


    Music was my life. As a soprano singer I had to train my voice everyday and I loved to listen to bass so much. Life transforms for me when I close my eyes to absorb the harmony of voices during rehearsal.


    I Loved alto too and tenor but bass was my weakness, especially if they were singing a part alone_or better still a bass solo. I have no words to describe how much I loved bass singers. In fact sometimes I wished that I was one, but it was a wish kind of impossible. I didn¡¯t have that tiny girly voice but my voice was still that of a girl_It wasn¡¯t deep at all. My friends in the choir told me that singing with men could distort my face and voice


    The way my friends described to me how my face and voice would be if I dared to go ahead and try to be a bass singer was so scary and over the edge funny, I just had to give up that wish. I didn¡¯t want to look like what they described. The gods forbid!


    I did love my part though. Yes, I loved the feel of being a soprano singer, we own the choir Don¡¯t we?


    Now that I thought about it Scar did have the potential of having a wonderful bass voice. I had never heard him sing before but his talking voice was amazing and seductive and so I just assumed that his singing voice would even be better. Gosh! His voice was so seductive and____


    ¡®Alright! Alright! get behind me oh you dirty thoughts, do not think of scar or his voice.¡¯ I reprimanded myself. I pped myself across the face for smiling when I thought about him. I shouldn¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t let myself get attached to him. He was trouble. So weird and mysterious. I didn¡¯t want mysterious.


    I was talking to myself again on the lonely road to my house. I most definitely now resembled a crazy person. I was now two streets after the church and everywhere was so quiet.  Remind me never to leave practice before we close even if I had to cook. But then my mum would kill me if I didn¡¯te before eight.


    I didn¡¯t want to be subjected to listen to her threats and sermons today again. Mother¡¯s can kill you with excessive talk_they can even make you wish death upon yourself just so you can escape their tormenting sermons.


    Strangely, I didn¡¯t notice Scar walking behind me. I turned back to see that I was right_ He wasn¡¯t following me. I guess he didn¡¯t notice when I left. He must have thought that I would wait until rehearsal ended_as usual.


    Thest time I came to church on Wednesday he waited for me during rehearsals just at the back of the pavilion. When we closed he trailed behind me while I walked home with other choristers. Fortunately, no one noticed him.


    He was really taking my safety personal, if I didn¡¯t know better I would think he was my Knight in Scarred amour. I soon stopped worrying about him embarrassing me because of how he looked and started being grateful for his presence. People could talk all they wanted. He made me feel safe and no amount of lies I told to myself could change that.


    I was so engulfed in stupid thoughts I didn¡¯t see the army of mening towards me. They struck me like gang members. The one in front who I assumed was leading the group had a Vandal tied on his head.


    His trouser was below his buttocks_sagging_ it was a usual dressing for gang members, a dressing I found most disgusting. He was wearing a ck singlet that showed his muscles. I saw a tattoo on his left arm which looked really familiar. A skull and fire.


    Where have I seen that before I started thinking, while trying to walk fast so that they won¡¯t catch up to me.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 40

    A few persons have told me that I was way too beautiful for my own good. Sometimes this gave me confidence, but in moments like  it caused me to fear.


    I pretended to take no notice of them, but I increased my pace. Soon I passed the walking danger in front of me in the form of six guys.


    This road was far from dangerous I could be raped and killed, or raped or killed whichever one.


    I prayed that they were not connected to ken in any way.


    ¡°Hey stop there!¡± A voice yelled behind me.


    I tried to run but a strong hand held my ankle stopping me.


    ¡°Not so fast, where do you think you are going?¡± The leader of the six guys asked harshly. The rest of the men stood behind him their face as hard as stone.


    It was 8:30 and it was dark. My Mum always warned me not to take this route alone but I kept feeling immortal. Damn Achilles with his, ¡°Here is your immortality take it¡± Now I was about to take my death.


    ¡°I said where do you think you are going?¡± He asked again, his voice louder.


    I stared at him with the bravest face I could muster even though my heart was pounding hard against my chest. I turned to him and said the first thing that came to my mind.


    ¡°I am going home of course where else will I be going to?¡± I dared to reply


    ¡°Hell maybe.¡± He spat


    ¡°Wow hrious but I think you are referring to yourself.¡±  He wanted to hit me, but was stopped by one of the guys.


    ¡°He said no one should hurt her remember.¡±


    ¡°The girl is unbearable¡± The one who was leading half screamed.


    ¡°Hey I am still here let go of my hand please, I¡¯m asking nicely now which is a first.¡± I said, with a sickly sweet smile.


    ¡°You areing with us, don¡¯t think we are here to y with you!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha OK its funny, it was a joke right.¡± I blinked, calling his bluff while maintaining a frown.


    ¡°Does it look like we are joke?¡± He bellowed, squeezing my wrist.


    ¡°It sure does.¡± I replied, suppressing  the pain his tight grip was causing  me. It was not that I did not feel the pain, it was that I had always felt pain so now I was used to it.


    In the long run, Pain had been mypanion, my acquittance the only feeling I understood with all rity.


    The physical pain his grip sent to my veins could not bepared to the emotional pain I had to endure my whole life. While the former weakened, thetter killed slowly, painfully. A death no one should be subjected to. A death I won¡¯t wish for my enemy.


    ¡°You want to y tough?¡± heughed. ¡°I am not Ken and I am not in love with you so take care how you act with me. Do not provoke me.¡±


    ¡°I am tough I am not acting it. How do you think I¡¯ve survived in this town, by being weak? I think not!¡± I retorted.


    ¡°You survived because you were insignificant.¡± He snorted


    ¡°And now I am significant, why?¡± Damn Ken!


    ¡°You are in no position to ask questions!¡± He twisted my wrist all the more. I whimpered. In defense.


    I kicked him hard on his left leg thus he let go of my wrist, shocked.


    When he set me free I tried to run back to the direction of the church but he caught me real quick.  He grabbed my waist and flipped me around. ¡°You idiot!¡± He spat. He brought his hands up to my neck and squeezed.


    ¡°I prefer you holding my wrist to my neck.¡± I wanted to say but I was too busy struggling for air to be sarcastic.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I kept trying to breath as he continued strangling me. His other puppets just stood there watching the scene while they kept on reminding him how he was warned against hurting me.  They should have stopped him_ But they didn¡¯t_Maybe they were scared_ Like me


    ¡°Let her go!¡± Scar yelled from afar. From the corner of my tear filled eyes I could see him running to us. He was still a little bit far, but we heard his voice clearly. It was more of a roar, an angry one. The street was quiet and his voice wasmanding. He was furious. Very, very furious.


    ¡°And what will you do if I don¡¯t let her go?¡± The leader chuckled. He left my neck to hold on to my wrist.  I bent down immediately as I tried to get as much air into my lungs, as much air as it was possible in that moment.

 41

    My heart was beating so fast I feared that everyone could hear its reverberating rhythm.


    Tears threatened to fall from my eyes but I kept them at bay. Crying was for the weak. I reminded myself.


    ¡°Believe me man you don¡¯t want to find out what I would do if you do not Let her go now.¡± Scar chuckled darkly. He was now close to us. A few inches_a mile away_either way he was now close to us. I felt safe being in his watchful gaze.


    His presencemanded fear and respect forcing me to raise my head.


    The leader let me go alright, but then in a blink of an eye I watched as he punched Scar in the stomach. The rest of the stupid gang members held Scar¡¯s hands to stop him from defending himself or throwing a punch.


    I became worried for Scar but he didn¡¯t look worried for himself. He smiled so wide and winked at me. I stood still with my hands on my chest feeling the worst form of fear. Our eyes met and the world stopped.


    At that point it felt like we weremunicating with our soul.


    The leader again tried to hit him, but  Scar wriggled his way out of the grip of the guys holding him and held on to the leaders hand stopping him from throwing the punch. This was done with so much swiftness I barely noticed anything.


    Snap, I heard. I think he broke the leaders wrist then he kicked him so hard that he fell into the mini river that was just down the road. The river which was filled with so much dirth, that was exactly where the gang leader belonged in.


    One of the other gang guys who looked tough with all his muscles bulging out and a stupid beard brought out a knife from his pocket. The he faced Scar menacingly.


    ¡°You want some of this man?¡± Heughed hysterically.


    ¡°You Do not want to do that.¡± Scar smirked whilst  shifting back. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Oh yea! Are you afraid mighty man.¡± Another guy giggled. ¡°Come and get a piece of me¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid for you.¡± Scar grinned. He held on to my hands even though I protested to it at first.


    ¡°Stay with me Mira.¡± Scar ordered.


    ¡°Protecting someone else¡¯s girl huh.¡± The other guy mocked. ¡°I know you don¡¯t have your own girl, so now you want what belongs to another. But how can you have yours with such a hideous face? Who do you think you are?¡±


    It hurt me to hear him mock Scar. I wanted to defend him. To fight for him. Impulsively I struggled to wiggle out of his hold just so I could defend him too, the same way he defends me. But his grip on my wrist was too strong.


    It was his way of assuring me that everything was alright. That he was here now. That he could defend himself and me. I rxed again.


    Logically I couldn¡¯t even defend him no matter how badly I wanted to do so. I had to stop being impulsive. I had to.


    ¡°She¡¯s no ones girl, drop the knife now and leave.¡±


    ¡°You think you are so powerful?¡± Heughed, He faced his boys, making a funny gesture to them which made them join in hisughter. ¡°I will kill you, and sell your body part one by one.¡± He said through clenched teeth.


    I would have been afraid for Scar, but he had proven to be capable of handling any danger.


    The one with huge muscles tried to attack Scar with a knife but It was not an expert moveing from him judging from the way Scar swiftly dodged the attack and held on to his hand.


    Scar kicked the guys knees so hard that he flew back in shock and pain.


    He rolled on the floor screaming and convulsing.


    ¡°Does anyone else want to give me a try. Please Don¡¯t say yes I do hate inflicting pain. But if you do say yes, then you leave me no other choice than to break every single one of your bones.¡± He sighed, faking concern. ¡°I would turn around if I were you.¡±


    I turned to face him daring to look away from them. There was a murderous glint in his eyes that looked too familiar. Too, too familiar.


    No one answered. So we took it as a clue to turn around and leave. Save the fight for another day.


    I was oblivious to the fact that the war just began.


    ¡°You are mine.¡± A voice whispered in my ears. I promptly turned around to see who the voice belonged to, but there was no one behind me or around me except Scar.


    He didn¡¯t look like he had just said anything and I feared that I was starting to be delirious.


    Afraid I looked up to see that he was smiling down at me. My heart stopped.


    Did I know him from somewhere? Why did he suddenly look so familiar? I thought.


    I walked so fast that I was at the junction of the street before the gang men would stop us.


    ¡°Hey Mira you don¡¯t have to walk like the damn army, I am still with you.¡± Scar called to me. He wasughing so hard it infuriated me. I didn¡¯t me him though_ He was not the one that was almost taken.


    After the scene I had pulled my hands out of his and walked away. Now he was behind me while I tried to walk-run home.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me scar!¡± I shot back still walking fast


    ¡°That attitude again.¡± He scoffed.


    ¡°What! you should have let them take me if you knew that you were going to stress me this much.¡± I spoke,ing to a halt.


    He didn¡¯t reply and so I let the attitude drop and decided to be nice against my better judgment.  He was now close to me having walked to where I was. He took my hand in his and smiled. His eyes looked different this night, unique_ His breathing changed, I felt it, I felt all of him just by holding his hands.


    ¡°Teach me to fight scar, I Don¡¯t want to have to run anymore, I want to protect my family, myself. Teach me to fight.¡± I begged.


    ¡°I will try to teach you not just how to fight, but how to defend yourself. But First of all we have to get rid of ken.¡± He smiled, taking hold of my other hand.


    We were both standing in the middle of the road but I couldn¡¯t care less which was very unlike me.


    ¡°Do you mean kill him,¡± I whispered softly, my eyes widening in shock.


    Everyone that walked passed looked at us first. I imagined the image in their head. The image of the simple beautiful girl with the dreaded Scar. I would have cared really. I used to care about what they thought, but not tonight. Tonight I needed him, and the rest of the world could burn.


    After all, he was the one who was staking his life for me, I didn¡¯t care how he looked. The world will not protect me neither will their damn opinions so why should I leave the one who could for them.


    ¡°No not that_no killing_ even if I would love to kill him. What I meant was this, that we  look for him and send him as a post Easter present to the police, that would be nice won¡¯t it? After all The police are our friend they need easter gifts too¡±


    ¡°Yes it would be Very nice.¡± I grinned.


    We both continued walking.


    ¡°The only problem now is how do we find him.¡± I said thoughtfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll work with the police to find him.¡± Scar replied.


    I nodded.


    There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, but  then I didn¡¯t know from where to start.


    ¡°This is the first time you are nice to me I am happy. I see that I am finally making progress.¡± he smiled.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I rolled my eyes, trying hard not to smile too.


    ¡°I am nice to everyone so don¡¯t make it sound like a big de_¡±


    He cut me off. ¡°The fact you are walking with me today withoutints says a lot too you know.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t matter today Scar. Today it is just me and you.¡± I exhaled.


    ¡°I¡¯m selfish I know, I should not allow you to walk with me for your reputation.¡± Scar smiled sadly, watching me from the side.


    I focused on walking even though I wanted so much to let him bury me deeply in his eyes. ¡°We all are selfish one way or another, we all are Scar.¡±


    ¡°We say love is not selfish but it is the most selfish feeling. When you love someone you want them to be with you, to love you, even if they don¡¯t you try to make them. You don¡¯t think of them at that point but yourself. Because you know that it is only with them that you can be happy so you try your best to make them love you so that you can be happy. Love is the most selfish feeling Scar.¡± I muttered thoughtfully.


    Scar didn¡¯t reply and we both continued to walk in silence lost in our own thoughts.


    Later on at night I would ponder on why I told him that, but for now I was basking in the joy of being able to share my feelings with someone who won¡¯t judge me. Someone who would understand.


    It felt so fucking nice.

 42

    ¡°Where do you think he might be?¡± Scar asked after a while breaking thefortable silence we had been walking in


    I forced a smile on my face. ¡°He could still be at his brothers house.¡±


    ¡°Family. That¡¯s weird for gang leaders to have. They usually don¡¯t have family around and when they do, Its well hidden.¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about gangs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well informed thank you.¡± He replied, freely.


    Scar held on to my wrist stopping me from moving. I turned around to face him. He had an apologetic smile on his face that was so damn cute.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking you these questions about him?¡± He asked.


    I cleared my throat as I tried to steady by heart beat. I was starting to feel nervous and I didn¡¯t know why.


    His eyes were so temp__


    I shook my head.


    ¡°So we are going to check his Aunt¡¯s house. He might be there.¡± Scar spoke, breaking the silence that soon enveloped us after he had let me go.


    ¡°He won¡¯t be there.¡± I said thoughtfully


    ¡°I bet my eyes that he is. He is probably pretending to be a saint over there. If what I suspect is true then I give him a thumbs up, his cover up is quiet good. Do they have police escort¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No they don¡¯t, I mean she doesn¡¯t_my mothers friend I mean__ who is married to his brother. His brother does though, his wife on the other hand hates body guards for reasons best known to her.¡± I stuttered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that her husband would be around when we go then. Although I can take him down myself, but then having the police there would be nice.¡±


    ¡°Sure you can.¡± I scoffed, rolling my eyes.


    We soon got to my gate and I turned around to discharge him fast before my mum sees him. She might be quite the understanding mother but no mother would want to see her teen girl child walking back homete at night with a man let alone a man like Scar.


    ¡°So I am home now so we can say bye for the night or maybe not. You can just resume your stalking now.¡±


    ¡°Being sarcastic does not suit you. I can¡¯t make out a word of what you just said.¡± His face contorted into a half smile. ¡°You should really learn to keep quiet sometimes too.¡±


    I giggled. ¡°You should too. Anyway good night.¡±


    I didn¡¯t let him reply before I walked into mypound and closed the gate behind me.


    I was about to climb upstairs when someone started to bang on the gate. Without thinking I rushed to open the door suspecting the person to be Scar.


    ¡°Open the door Mira now!¡± Scar yelled. I opened the gate and let hime in. He stepped into thepound with ring eyes darting everywhere


    ¡°I smell something, What¡¯s that?¡± He asked no one in particr. He touched the wall and brought his hands to his nose. ¡°Fuel¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind Scar! You almost broke down my gate because you smelled fuel? Get out of here and stop causing a scene.¡± I fumed pointing at the gate. ¡°Now!¡±


    He eyed the finger I was pointing at him and ignored me.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You are so unnecessarily stubborn. Can¡¯t you smell fuel or you just don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Stupid you! The smell is obviouslying from our neighbors generator. Are you so daft or can you not see that everyone in thispound uses generator at night because of the power outage. Leave! Don¡¯t make this a big deal. I cant have my neighborsing out of their houses to_¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± He hushed me. ¡°Keep quiet and hear me out. If what you say was what it was, the smell of fuel would be concentrated in one ce. The wholepound wreaks of it. I mean the whole freakingpound wreaks of fuel!¡±


    ¡°But_¡± My voice trailed off. I was stupefied. I didn¡¯t know what else to say. Now that I kept quiet I could smell it_the fuel_the odour was everywhere .


    It was as if someone deliberately poured fuel all over the ce even on the goddamn damn flowers that grew on the wall of thepound and around it.


    ¡°Someone is trying to start a fire Mira, the dragon gang are known to kill with fire_it all makes sense now. They didn¡¯t want to take you with them, they wanted to distract you so you woulde just in time to watch your family burn.¡±


    ¡°Ken doesn¡¯t want to kill you, he wants to break you.¡± Scar added.


    I stood still as a statue watching him run to the back of thepound.


    ¡°The fire will start from here.¡± He yelled.

 43

    MY HEART STARTED BEATING FRANTICALLY.


    I followed Scar to the back of thepound to see what was up. On getting there I met him fighting two strange men.


    Their was a third man on the cemented ground, he was limping and bleeding from his mouth.


    When he saw that Scar was now distracted fighting the other two men he tried to jump over the roof eager to save himself, but he was unaware of the fact that I was paying close attention to him.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted, causing him to stop most likely out of fear and shock.


    He turned back to look at me and I was convinced then that he was so afraid.


    I smirked and gave him the middle finger before he finally jumped over. I could not go after him, It would be stupid of me to do so since I couldn¡¯t fight him.


    Although by impulse it was the first thing I wanted to do. I wanted to be of use to Scar not just a burden or some weak girl who he had to protect but I needed to be logical about things.


    Turning back to the scene I saw that the first guy Scar was fighting or rather beating was now on his knees begging for his life. He was saying some things but I couldn¡¯t hear him from where I stood watching. The second man stood still afraid to make a move. I kept my eyes on him.


    ¡°Call the police Mira!¡± Scar shouted, so that I could here him over the generator noise.


    ¡°What police?¡± I asked not sure if I heard him correctly.


    ¡°The ones outside, the ones assigned to your family!¡± He replied, sounding irritated.


    Oh I totally forgot!


    I ran to the gate to call them. On getting to the gate I checked around, but there was no sight of any of them.


    I assumed that they ran away when they saw the gang membersing into thepound. I would not put it passed them.


    Like I said before the Police force could be very ipetent. I was so pissed by their obviousck of care and ipetence, but I chose not to brood over it instead I ran back to inform Scar of the new development so he would not entertain false hopes.


    He should already know not to trust the Police though.


    ¡°They are not here!¡± I yelled. My throat throbbed from screaming so loud.


    He turned to face me. When the second one of the gang men saw that Scar was distracted he used it to his advantage.  He jumped over the fence with a bent leg, limping. Scar didn¡¯t try to stop him even when he noticed that the guy was trying to escape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the guys that jumped Mira. This one will do. I like having a scape goat. ¡± He smiled, sickly. He didn¡¯t need to shout now since I was now standing by his side watching his every move.


    He looked unhinged when he spoke and I was not the only one that noticed it because thest man, the one he held on to looked at him with so much fear that I was surprised he didn¡¯t piss on himself or pass out.


    The man started to stammer and struggle but Scar held on to the guys wrist so tight I feared that it would break.


    ¡°Let him go he is trying to say something.¡± I said.


    ¡°OK. You heard her so you better start speaking!¡± Scar growled, looking down at the man the eyes that were lit up by rage. I shuddered at it, yet for some strange reason I was pulled to it. I wanted to immense myself in him


    Scar let go of the guys wrist, but that came after he kicked his left leg so hard the guy screamed, falling to his knees in pain.  I could not be more grateful for the humongous sound that wasing from the generators in thepound.


    I was not sure anyone heard any of the noise that we made. Either they didn¡¯t hear the screaming, or they did, but didn¡¯t care to find out where the noise came from because not even a single neighbour came out.


    It was really sad how people Misapplied the mind your business rule in Nigeria, really sad.


    ¡°You know that you really did not need to hurt him. He was already talking.¡± I hissed at Scar.


    ¡°I need to kill him.¡± He snickered.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I eyed him hissing again.


    I nced at the guy who was gasping In pain and sighed. ¡°Now that you hurt him, he can¡¯t talk.¡±


    ¡°Just keep calm and let me talk to him you talk too much!¡± He gave an exaggerated sigh.


    Then he pushed me backwards so that I was a little far from the limping form of the gang man.


    I rolled my eyes at him. ¡°You bas_¡±


    I was interrupted by someone trying to jump in through the fence.


    ¡°Scar! Scar!¡± I called, frozen to the spot.


    I did not remove my eyes from the guy even though my heart was beating so fast.


    I wondered what the motive was for himing in again after being beaten. Either he wanted to save his friend or he wanted to finish the job. Thetter sounded more probable and that was exactly why I was so scared.


    ¡°Scar.¡± I shouted again.


    ¡°Mira what is it!¡±


    ¡°Scar! Look some.. one¡­¡± I stuttered.


    Scar turned around to catch the guy Jumping in. The guy seeing that scar was no longer distracted hurriedly lit a Match stick and threw it on the floor.


    ¡°Fire!¡± I shouted as the mes immediately started spreading through out the back. It spread first to the dustbin and It took just ten seconds to burn the whole thing down.


    Did they pour a whole tanker of fuel in thispound. I thought, as I started to panic.

 44

    ¡°Every t here has a gallon of fuel somewhere because of the generator. If the fire increases any more than this then the wholepound will explode!¡± I screamed in panic.


    ¡°Calm down Mira, get everyone out of here first.¡± He instructed. He pushed me aside and ran out.


    ¡°Scar where are you going_¡± My voice trailed off. He was already out of the gate before I could say Jack.


    Do you remember when I said that everyone was selfish in some ways. Well I was too. I ran upstairs first.


    My family always came first before anyone else or anything else and that included me. I felt guilty for not alerting the neighbors downstairs before going up most especially because it was my fault that the fire broke out in the first ce. But I was hoping that their sense of smell was still intact. Taking the stairs three at a time, I quickly got to my door.


    I knocked at the door with all the strength I had. Fuck generators even if we didn¡¯t have one the ones our neighbours had gave us enough noise. Imagine then if we had one of our own. Disaster!


    ¡°Mum! Mum!¡± I shouted, impatiently knocking hard on the door.


    The door opened almost immediately and my mum came out. She was looking very angry as she hated us banging on the door which was what I just did. I expected her to chop of my head, but that didn¡¯t matter now.


    ¡°Mira are you mad!¡± she shouted ¡°Why are you knocking like a crazy person? Do you want to break the door? You are lucky your Dad isn¡¯t back or you would not have heard thest of it.¡± She said all at once, ring angrily at me.


    I was still trying to catch my breath.


    ¡°Mummy can¡¯t you smell the smoke? Thepound is on fire! Please get David and Daniel out of here?¡± I managed to say though I was still breathless from running upstairs and from panic.


    Her expression softened. ¡°I smelt the smoke oh but I thought our neighbours were burning something outside.¡±


    ¡°No! no, someon.. Something is burning.¡± I informed her deciding to be selectively honest.  I trusted my mum in matters like this, she panicked immediately as I expected. She started shouting at my brothers to stop ying ande out.


    When I saw that she had taken over I went over to my neighbours door and banged on it. From the space on the stair wall I could see that the families that lived downstairs had alreadye out. They must have smelt the smoke like I predicted.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    It appeared that my neighbour was the only one not aware of the fire. I think myndy already knew about it, she was thendy after all. They must have informed her already.


    My neighbour took long to open the door as they could not hear the knock over the sound of their big generator. In fact I was almost giving up on alerting them when the woman finally unlocked the door.


    ¡°Fire!¡± I shouted without even as much as a good evening ma.


    Just then my mother came out holding my siblings in one hand and in the other she carried a nket and a gallon of water.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I said to David and Daniel.


    They both looked tired and scared but theirs could not bepared to mine. I took their hands as we sprinted down the stairs.


    ¡°Wait here. Stay with mummy.¡± I told them, letting go of their hands immediately we got downstairs.


    ¡°Where are you going to?¡± My mum asked worriedly.


    ¡°I want to check something.¡± I replied.


    She was about to object when I sprinted backyard. All this was my fault and I needed to make sure no one suffers for it.


    Luckily my mum didn¡¯t follow me as my brothers held her tight.


    I went through a fog of smoke to the back of the house and realized that the fire had finished burning every  thing at the back, the flowers and dirt were now ashes.


    It was now starting to spread to the houses. If the house burns down it would leave us homeless. We had no money ornd or house anywhere, and my father was not around and even if he was around he would be of no use.


    I stopped breathing when the realization hit me that my family would have to relocate to the vige if our house burnt down.


    ¡°Jesus! Jesus!¡± I screamed before all the generators went off.


    My head started pounding again. Where was scar?


    This was all too much for me to handle alone. A tear dropped from my eyes and I quickly wiped it away.


    I was not weak.

 45

    Scar walked in then with a fire extinguisher and a host. He gave me the Host, while he used the extinguisher. My neighbors also came with their host and gallons of water.


    I found a small towel which had been hung at the iron bar of the down t and used it to cover my nose. My lungs were starting to burn already.


    Scar moved close to the fire and I followed behind him while we both tried to quench it up close. Luckily what he got was very effective. The more the fire died down the eager I was to put it out.


    So I moved closer and closer amidst my burning eyes and lungs. My neighbors remained at the back doing as little as they could.


    ¡°Get back Mira!¡± Scar shouted.


    ¡°Why, this is my war!¡± I shouted back.


    I was not a coward and I could not allow myself to get used to him always being there to help me whenever I was in trouble because I knew that one day he would leave me. I knew that as a fact. People are fickle hence it is not wise to rely on them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn or do you want to look like me? Hideous? Get back now. Jesus!¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say stupid things like that and stop trying to suppress me. I am not a child! Stop telling me what to do. If there is anyone who should give orders here then it should be me. This is my house! This is my fight and I will fight it with help or alone but I will fight it!


    ¡°Very well then please yourself Mrs Adult. Fire fighter Mira.¡± Scar retorted, coughing.


    I ignored him as I couldn¡¯te up with any reply over how badly I was feeling now.


    My nose was blocked and tears fell down my eyes in quantum. The fire was going down so fast the smoke became too much for my eyes. I was now the one on fire not thepound.


    To top it all up Scar was infuriating me and adding to my difort.


    ¡°She says she is not a child. Such impulsive talkative.¡± He coughed out sporadically,, starting to get more and more affected by the fire.


    He pushed me behind him stopping me from moving any closer. I wanted to scream at him but I felt weak to the bones. He could do as he so desired. I thought watching him.


    He moved closer to the fire which was now almost quenched thanks to us. Impulsively, I moved closer again and stood by his side ignoring the burning in my eyes and lungs


    ¡°Mira get back! Jesus! Do you think you are invisible?¡± He screamed.


    His eyes were teary like mine but he wasn¡¯t backing down so why should I?


    ¡°Yes I am.¡± I replied, coughing, sporadically.


    He rolled his eyed but he did smile. ¡°I see no dragons awaiting yourmand. ¡±


    I chuckled.


    Finally, the fire was put out before it could get to the houses. Although it took down all the flowers that we grew at back at burnt the walls. Thepound would definitely look very ugly tomorrow, I thought.


    ¡°Indeed you are very aggravating Mira.¡± Scar muttered as he tried to take the host from me. The Host fell from my hand, I tried picking it up, but he stopped me before I could bend down.


    ¡°There is no need for the Host let¡¯s leave now or you can stay here and die an improper death.¡±


    Everything he said after became quite inaudible. I suddenly felt so weak and dizzy now that the adrenaline rush was over. I was about to fall, but Scar held on to my waist_steadying me. I took a sharp intake of breath which was mixed with air, smoke and sweat. It didn¡¯t feel good.


    ¡°We need to help him.¡± I murmured pointing to thest guy who was both coughing and crying. I had forgotten he was there on on the floor.


    His was a clear example of falling into your own trap.


    ¡°Who?¡± Scar asked staring at me.


    ¡°The guy you broke his legs, he may be useful to us in the long run, bring him along please.¡± I said in a rush mentally preparing myself to sprint out of here and out of thepound.


    Scar sighed and mumbled something under his breath before walking over to the guy.


    ¡°Get up.¡± he ordered


    Was he serious now? the guy was almost unconscious. I thought with an eye roll.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can stand, you have to help him up. Be fast I need to leave here now!¡± I said irritatedly.


    The effect of the smoke on my eyes and lungs became worse and I ran out with Scar trailing behind me. We did not stop until we were safely out of thepound with everyone else.


    Scar made sure to drag the guy out of the back but he had left him in the dark behind one of my neighbors cars.


    We could not let anyone see him.


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