Chapter three

I was in a bank six years ago trying to create a student account since I was newly admitted. I still remember the horrible feeling of realizing that it wasn't a joke, movie scene, or my imagination. It was real, all if it was real and it was actually happening.

Five men with guns inside hollered, "don't move or we will blow your mother-fucking brains off!" I remembered feeling panicked, helpless and tensed. I have never felt so helpless like that in my entire life. It felt like time stopped while everything was going on, my hearts hammered furiously in my ribcage as it looked for where to run for safety and dump my body. I felt totally terrified and helpless.

Sitting with my boyfriend beside me in a family dinner with mom and my brother awoke that buried feelings. It brought back the petrified feelings in an intensive wave. My boyfriend tangled his hands with mine under the table and I rubbed his palms soothingly and reassuringly. 

My brother sat still facing the Samsung television with rapt attention like he was checking his Joint admission and matriculation board result. Mom's laser eyes burrowed into our forehead as she scrutinized us, probably thinking of where to start from. I cleared my throat repeatedly, trying to swallow the huge lump of fried rice that got stuck in my throat while waiting for someone to break the yolk of silence.

"Tife!!!" Mom called thrice, narrowing her eyes to silts. "How many times did I call you?" She cocked a brow.

"I don't know, I lost count, ma'am," I replied furrowing my brows.

She chuckled, clapped her hands and hissed. "I knew you will lose count afterall you have never been good in maths." She clicked her tongue while I fumed.

My brother slapped the back of his neck and bit his lips while I hissed.

"One more stupid act from you, Fridaous, and I will help you slap that neck properly." Mom threatened glaring at my brother who cowered in fright.

"Now back to you both," she nudged her head in my direction. "When do you both plan on settling down and giving me grandbabies, are you waiting for me to die first?" Her eyes shifted between us.

"We are working on it." We both chorused and stole a glance at each other sharing a sheepish smile.

A small laugh escaped her lips. "Hmm! construction workers, always working on it." She snorted emphasizing on the workers.

"Mom?" I began, scratching my hair.

"Don't you dare mommy me before I smack you across the face." She threatened raising her palm at me. "Nonsense!" She hissed.

"Animus nocendi." Fridaous blurted out, still watching television. He loves speaking in law terminologies and believes he is preparing for the future.

"And as for you, Mr lover boy." She faced my fidgetting boyfriend. "If you dare lose her, you will never find another like her, did you hear me?" She yelled glaring at him.

"Ye-- yes ma." He barked with a small salutation. 

"Better!" She adjusted her African head-tie popularly known as gele. "Bunch of nonsensical people." She hissed and continued eating.

"And that is the end of casus belli." Fridaous chuckled and scooped another spoonful of rice in his mouth.

"Compliments to the cook, it tastes really good." My boyfriend said with a forced smile, trying to be polite.

"Michael, abi what are they calling you sef?" Mom stared at him from his foot to his head.

"It is Marvis popularly known as Mavo." He wiggled his brows and winked at mom.

Mom shook her head negatively. "Weird creature, look at his face." Mom nudged her head at me while I sighed deeply wondering where this is going.

The smile disappeared from Marvis's face faster than a heartbeat. "I was just trying to be polite ma." He scratched his dreads, looking at everywhere but her.

"The day you shave off that nonsense on your head is the day you will earn my respect." Her forehead creased in horizontal lines meeting at different angles, while they had a staredown.

"But it is fashion, you aren't just current enough." Marvis blurted out, munching his chicken. while I pinched his thighs, trying to shut him up.

Mom laughed, her hands supporting her chin as she stared at Marvis in amusement. "You are very stupid and you lack respect." 

"Mom!" I stamped my feet trying to caution her.

"Go and yell at your father in his grave. Didn't you hear what this idiot just said?" She opened her wider glaring at me.

"And this is to ad infinitum." Fridaous drowned his glass of juice and evacuated the dining table.

"My apologies ma, I didn't mean to upset you." Marvis bowed his head, trying to appear sorry as he looked at me for help.

"You should be sorry for yourself, Marcus." She spat.

"It is Marvis ma." I corrected, nuzzling closer to my boyfriend, I could feel sweat soaking his shirt. The tension was that hot that his clothes got soaked in sweat despite the A.C blasting cool air.

She let out a sigh. "Whatever his name is, he should be sorry for himself and just do the needful." She rolled her eyes. "I wanted to hook you up with better guys, you refused and now look at you." She spat, pushed her chair back and stood up tall and fierce. My mother is 6ft tall.

"You should be ashamed for bringing this nuisance you call a boyfriend to this dinner. Inviting that your yeye broomstick legged friend." She snapped her fingers trying to recollect something. "Hypo, abi what is that her name?" She asked me.

"It is Harriet ma." I offered, sighing tiredly and feeling sorry for my best friend.

"Whatever!" She waved me off. "Bringing her would have made this dinner a success." She hissed and sashayed away, her flowing African print gown swept the floor like a bridal train.

Marvis stood up abruptly and began heading out of the house in anger.

"Marvis, wait." I hollered, picked up my purse and ran after him towards the car.

I could hear the sound of the door slamming loudly as he settled on the driver's seat. I opened the passenger seat and hopped on to it.

"Baby, I'm sorry." I grabbed his knuckles and kissed it.

"Sorry? How will that heal my dignity?" He glared at me, scratching his dreads furiously. 

"You know mom's character and you should have expected this, so why are you fuming?" I asked staring at his small beard that ran all the way from his cheeks to his chin.

"But I tried to please her, it was just a compliment yet see where this took us?" His feet rhythmically tapped the brake and his nails dug deeper into the steering wheel.

I could see that he was truly hurt and apprehensive. "Well, on behalf of mom, I apologize." I grabbed his chin making him stare at me.

"Sorry is clearly not working because, her voice, eyes, and everything keeps ringing vividly in my mind." He said with a low voice. His brown eyes pierced my soul.

"Am I not good enough for you?" He asked staring deep into my eyes.

"You are all I can ask for, the perfect undercover agent." I stroke his soft beard.

"Undercover agent?" His brows furrowed.

"As long as you are gentleman under the covers with me, you are perfect," I said making him smile.

"You are a naughty girl, but all your sorry and sweet words won't ease my anger." He tapped my nose and looked away.

I grinned when an idea struck me. "If sorry isn't making you happy then I might know some other tricks." I cocked a brow and watched his stony expression go soft.

"And what is that?" His dread cascaded down his light-skinned face as his eyes twinkled in the presence of the moonlight.

"This." I grabbed his face and pulled him for a short kiss.

"I'm still not satisfied o." He groaned playfully, smirking. 

"The bible says, ask and it shall be given to you, so baby boy, make that request." I let out a low peal of laughter and pulled his collar towards me in a tight firm grasp.

"Oyah please Tife, do the needful and make your baby happy." His thick voice pleaded as he nuzzled closer to me, kissing my cheeks while I laughed.

"Plead one more time." I shrugged my shoulders and faced the window with a full smile.

"Baby please." He cried and pulled me closer to him in a swift move, making my leather skirt ride up to my thighs slightly.

"Damn! You are so beautiful." He whispered into my ears soothingly as he traced my thighs and clutched my hips making me straddle him. My body pressed against his lean, muscular, and chiselled body and he began kissing me passionately with a fierce fire flaming us up.

I let out a soft moan when his hot breath fanned my neck with the tender brush of his lips. His hands ran straight to the band holding my braids. He let my hair fall over us, running his hand softly through my hair as the kiss became harder, faster, and more urgent.

He slides his hands circling my small waist as he pulls me closer to his pine-scented body. The more he kissed my neck the more my resistance crumbled. I could feel his bulge getting harder and bigger beneath as he squeezed my butt tighter trying so hard to get enough of me.

He gently spread my legs apart and removed the first few buttons of my shirt, revealing my lacy red bra. Big and sexy. His eyes cloud with lust as he cupped my enlarged brown nipples dotting my breast. He sucked my skin hungrily and fondled my breast with his hands, teasing my nipples. He brought his mouth to suck at the other breast and on and on we projected to cloud nine, a world filled with sweetness and fantasy with our previous conflict totally forgotten and forgiven and my stress dissolved.

From nowhere came the ringing tone of Marvis iPhone interrupting our bliss. I continued kissing his naked chest hoping he will ignore the call and he did. The phone continued ringing making us groan simultaneously at the persistent intruder.

He picked his phone and accepted the call. "Hi, baby." A loud feminine voice screeched making my mouth expand in shock and disbelief.

"I'm fine." His muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his right eye, his mouth formed a rigid grimace as his fingers continued tapping the volume button, reducing it.

With anger, I began hooking my brazier and fastening my shirt, packing all my belongings.

He ended the call and tried to touch me. "Baby it is not what you think, she is the old lady beside my house and she needs help." He explained tugging the hem of my shirt while I flinched away.

Unintentionally, I slapped his face hard, his face depicted shock as he clutched his cheeks in disbelief. The slap was loud as a clap and stung his face judging from the red welt that traced my fingerprints.

I opened the door and stepped out. "Stay the hell away from me, you lying cheating bastard and tell your pathetic lies to someone dumber." I spat and turned away, heading to where I can cool off my steam.