CHAPTER 5

LARRY.

Jennifer has a body no man can resist, her cascading lush long hair sits on her head like a golden stream, and her feminine curves placed at the right spot on her body make her exude self-confidence, I'm no child to sense that she was trying to give me an offer no man can refuse ' her body'.

She is a pro in the act of seduction. Being a heterosexual male, I can't seem to ignore the fuming fire going on inside me, which Jennifer has successfully ignited.

Like a warrior on a mission, she seems to have a hidden agenda, right there, I knew her intentions weren't noble, I could sense it, in every fiber of my body. I can't quite put my fingers on it.

Like a dog, who won't resist the temptation when he sees a bone, so was I, deep down I knew I was playing with fire, and at this point, I wouldn't mind if I got burnt.

This unfamiliar act of hers evokes the manly desires in me, trying to ignore the sultry sweetness of her voice proved to be such a daunting task and going against the desires of my body.

There seems to be a subtle battle between my self-consciousness and the desires of my flesh, and it seems my innate instinct is taking the lead.

She so well knows her onion, Jennifer knows how to make a man yearn for her, which makes me wonder how often she puts her craft into practice. she is the queen of seduction, so I thought.

Uncertain if it was the alcohol messing with me or the desires flaring inside me, I followed her inside her hotel room.

It was an invitation my body couldn't refuse, in the hotel room I watched with relish how this familiar stranger I now call my wife started touching me in places I never knew could hoard so much sensation 

"Who are you" I questioned, my eyes burning with fiery passion, trying to keep up with the intense storm building inside of me.

Just when I thought the earth had stood still, I heard a loud gunshot, still unsure of what I heard, I immediately unraveled myself from her seductive embrace.

Not quite sure where the gunshot came from, I sprang up and hurriedly put on my robe as I looked up to the already dead frightened Jennifer " I think the shooter is coming towards our direction" she quickly grabbed the cell phone lying on the bedside, with shaky hands she dialed 911.

"911, what's your emergency". The angelic voice on the other end inquired," There is a shooter…" before she could complete the statement the masked man barged into the room forcing the locked door open.

Jennifer immediately threw away the cell phone while the responder listened to what transpired on the other end.

I trembled the instant I saw the gun mouth peeping into the room, through the forcefully opened door, welding the gun is a masked dressed in black, barely seeing his face from the mask.

" You can't come out from nowhere and steal my woman from me" the masked stranger howled at me.

It dawned on me that we are not dealing with an armed robber but rather a bittered ex of Jennifer who has come to get his pound of flesh.

My heart thumped, in that instant I remembered the unease I felt a moment ago while I was dancing to the tune of Jennifer's seduction.

"If I can't have her, you can't have her " the stranger threatened again, at this point, I don't need a soothsayer to tell me that I have ventured into the lion's den. I'm in trouble, I panicked silently.

I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that this man in front of me was here for one thing and one thing only, 'revenge'

"Brian!" I heard Jennifer scream, upon recognizing the masked man's voice," Please don't do this" she pleaded with her palms clamped together." Please don't do this" she said, this moment tears rolled down her eyes as she pleaded for her dear life.

"Shut up! You liar" Brian fired back angrily. "you threw our love away, is 5 years of our relationship a joke to you?" He questioned "Tell me! Tell me! " He snapped angrily like a defeated lion.

" You choose this loser here over me because of what, Money, you gold digger!! He said, readjusting the mouth of the gun back to me.

I flipped." You nitwit have the nerves to steal my woman from me? He questioned visibly angry, I was confused about whether to answer the question or to keep my mouth shut, never knew what I would say that might trigger the killing instinct in him. I'm too young to die over a woman I barely know.

"Tell me! " The masked stranger questioned again." You have the effrontery to lure and marry my woman with your dirty money right, he said as I watched his lip coiled to release a crooked smile.

" Please don't shoot, I promise I will come back to you, Jennifer pleaded, now reclining her knees in a bending position, as she begged for her dear life.

"You would have thought of that when you betrayed the love I have for you by marrying this man because of money".

" I loved you, Jenni, I cherished you, you were my world, only you mattered to me, but how do you repay me? by destroying me and stabbing me in the back?

"I'm sorry Brian, I didn't have a choice" Jennifer replied amidst sobs." you had a choice, you have every reason to choose me over this loser," Brian said focusing the gun on me.

"Man, I didn't know she was in a relationship, this is all my father's fault, I swear I never wanted this for myself, I'm sorry man " I added not knowing the right words to say for him not to pull the trigger.

"Look" I added," I never wish for any of this" I pointed a finger at Jennifer and back to myself, this is me and her father's undoing, if you are looking for somebody to blame, please it should be our parents.

They were the masterminds behind this union, "I can give you my father's address if you like, please don't shoot me" I pleaded trying to save myself from the vengeful ex-boyfriend.

I tried to avoid Jennifer's side eye, saving myself right now was my ultimate aim at this point, I never asked to be married to Jennifer,  so why should I be the one to lose my life for it?

"Shut up! Shut your trap, you could have refused the offer, but here we are" Brian said in a spiteful tune.

My body weakened as I felt a heavy thud just below my lower abdomen, accompanied by the loudest gunshot I have ever Heard.

I heard Jennifer scream as everything around me moved in slow motion, as I watched the room enclosing before me, as it got smaller and smaller with each blink.

Fear envelopes me as I try to picture the man with a mask on, the last person I will see before my death.

And  I heard Jennifer shouting " Brian, what have you done! You killed him!"

For what seemed like an eternity, in between the screaming and commotion I heard" NYPD!! drop your weapon" I closed my eyes as my body shut itself down.