AMANI“… this is the woman I’m in love with. Her name is Sharon and we’re getting married in a month's time…”It’s been six years. Six full years and those words still ring in my mind like a death bell.Sharon taps her perfectly manicured nails against the table, her cat-like eyes firmly fixed on my face, gauging my reaction.“Hello, Amani. Welcome to Imperial Couture.”There’s a burning sensation in my chest that I cannot seem to get rid of.My anger should be focused on Bhyron for betraying me, but something about this woman just makes me incredibly bitter.“You contacted me? Why?” I ask bluntly, feeling my excitement drain away.Sharon frowns. “I don’t get it. I was looking for a perfume brand, I loved your portfolio and decided to give you a call.”I nod, my lips twisting in disdain. “Sure. And I assume you send a limousine to pick up all your intending partners, huh?”I knew there was something off about that limo. Sharon’s slight hesitation is all the answer I need.I take a dee
AMANIYou know that feeling when everything seems to be going great in your life, then suddenly, something evil sneaks up on you out of nowhere like bad juju? Yes, that’s exactly how I feel as I throw my robe on and make my way to Will & Julia Perfumety by two forty-five in the morning, terrified as a chicken that’s being led to the slaughter.I’m already halfway there when I realize that I don’t have any shoes on, but there’s no going back. I keep my teeth gritted to hold back my whimpers of pain as rocks jab into my feet on the dark street.Thirty meters away from the company, I can already see the thick cloud of black smoke in the air and a blurry line of crimson in the distant skies. My heart almost stops beating.By the time I arrive at the gates, I’ve gone into full panic mode. I called 9-1-1 but they’re yet to arrive. How can I be faster than the damn police?Aunt Ophelia was right. Only our factories, our main area of production is currently burning. The main buildings where o
BHYRONThe chances that I might develop a heart attack soon is exceedingly high.During the short twenty minute drive to Will & Julia Perfumery, I mobilized my company’s personal fire service to the site of the incident. I’ve conjured every single horrible scenario possible. Amani trapped and scared inside one of the burning factories. Amani trapped underneath a falling building. Amani already burning to death.I know how it feels to be trapped. How it feels to struggle for oxygen. It’s a horrible feeling that still haunts me to this day. And the thought that Amani…“Who the heck let her into a burning building?” I ask one of my private detectives who’s already at the site. “Wasn’t anyone there to stop her?”“Only Miss Amani and her aunt were here, sir. According to her Aunt, she’d tried to stop her but Miss Amani was too stubborn.”I can imagine that. Amani’s stubbornness has probably grown by a thousand percent since I last saw her.Now she wants to worry me to death.***The mome
AMANIThis better be a bad dream. Or better still, a hallucination… because I would kick Henry’s dusty ass if I ever saw him in my dreams. I try to sit up but pinpricks of pain shoot up and down my spine. My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my arm hurts, my throat hurts. Everything hurts. Now, I have to deal with the one person that I’d rather die from smoke inhalation than talk to.“Careful there. You might hurt yourself.” His voice sounds like a horrific version of static in my ears. Crap! It wasn’t a dream after all.Henry tries to help me up but I give him a death stare and that has him freezing in his tracks.“Don’t you dare touch me.” I say on an almost growl.After struggling to sit up by myself, I turn to him and lift a brow; “what are you doing here?” He has the audacity to smirk at me. “You’re my wife, Amani. You’ve been particularly stubborn and annoying for the past few days, but I still care about you.”I almost choke on my own soot-flavoured spit. Unlike other people who wa
AMANIThe moment Henry and Laura exit the ward, a strange feeling of overwhelming exhaustion crashes on me and I lean back against the pillows with a strained sigh.I shut my eyes, trying to recover from that disaster when my vision suddenly darkens. My eyes fly open and my toes curl in surprise when I see Bhyron hovering over me. His sharp blue eyes are dark and intense as they rove over every inch of my body.“What are you doing?”His eyes meet mine and butterflies erupt in my belly. “Did he hurt you?”“What?”“That bastard, Henry. Did he put his hands on you?”My blood runs cold. “Uh… no. Why would you ask me that?”“Don’t lie to me, Amani. I saw you crying when I walked in.”I force myself to hold his gaze, despite the exhaustion in my limbs and the dread in my bones. I don’t want Bhyron getting involved in whatever issues I’ve got with Henry. Things could get incredibly messy.I clear my throat, deciding to change the subject; “why did you save me?”Bhyron’s eyes darken dangerou
AMANI“Okay, Aunt, how much have we lost?”It’s been four hours since Bhyron was taken to the police station and I'm currently getting ready to be discharged from the hospital. Aunt Ophelia has been acting weird ever since. By weird, I mean she’s been sending me weird glances.She heaves the one hundredth long sigh and I finally give in with an eye roll.“Okay, Aunt. What’s wrong?”She doesn’t even hesitate.“Don’t you think you were too hasty to accuse Bhyron of causing the fire? You should’ve seen him yesterday. The man damn near lost his mind. He was genuinely worried about you. Look, Amani, you know I’d always be on your side, but I really think you went too far this time.”My heart twinges painfully. “Bhyron was worried about me?” I whisper in disbelief.“Of course! If I didn’t see it with my own two eyes, I would never have believed it. He was scared to death. I think he really cares about you.”I shake off the fireworks erupting in my chest and lift my chin, staring her down;
AMANII’m convinced that Aunt Ophelia is currently the weapon fashioned against me that’s starting to prosper.Don’t get me wrong, I love my aunt to DEATH, but she’s done nothing but get me into one trouble or the other these past few days.After Duke announced that I was supposed to sign Bhyron’s bail papers by myself, Aunt Ophelia tried to follow us to the police station but he responded, and I quote;“I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to come along, Mrs. Ophelia. Bhyron only asked for Amani, but I assure you that I’ll drop her off right at your doorstep when she’s done.”That was supposed to be an assurance, but believe me when I say there was nothing assuring about his dark, deadly tone.My heart is on the verge of beating out of my ribcage as he leads us to a big ass SUV parked beside Aunt Ophelia’s pitiful Corolla. Even the driver who holds the door open for me looks scary as hell with the scar that slashes all the way across his left cheek.The ride to the police st
AMANII do the math really quick.I have one thousand dollars in my savings account and another two thousand in a checking account, making it three thousand dollars.I lift my chin, hold Bhyron’s gaze and whisper; “will you accept a three thousand dollar deposit?”His eyes narrow on me, warm and electrifying; “no.”Dang.“What does taking care of you entail exactly?”“You’ll find out when we get there.” His voice is deep and soft, and holds the promise of something wicked.I’m well aware that his mother and siblings are still staring at me like I fell from the sky. Without saying a word to them, Bhyron turns to Duke;“Please ask the driver to bring the car around. I’d like to leave now.”Brielle runs to his side; “Bhyron, are you sure you’re okay? I can take care of you if you want.”Bhyron smiles at her affectionately and pats her hair; “I’ll be fine, bed hair. I’ll call you later, okay?”I don’t even know what I find most surprising: the fact that Bhyron still calls his sister “bed
BHYRON“…your presence irritates me…” Those fiercely muttered words burn through my heart like acid. For a moment, I freeze up and just stare at her, hoping she’d tell me that this is all a joke.But the only emotions in Amani’s eyes are anger and annoyance. She really meant what she said. The realization is like a blow to my stomach.I shut my eyes for a second, temporarily at war with myself. Should I just get up and leave or should I keep trying to reason with her?But even as I ask myself that question, I already know the answer. I’m not leaving. Amani can call me names from the pits of hell and try as hard as she can to push me away, but it’s not happening. I won’t go away. Not anymore.So I grit my teeth and steel my heart against the influx of hurtful words I know she still has in store for me.“What are you still doing here?! I asked you to leave.”I grit my teeth and lift a hand to grab her flailing arm. Maybe she’ll return to her senses if I touch her. Maybe she’ll recogniz
BHYRONOne of my sex workers at La Marièe almost got assaulted by a client tonight. She raised an alarm and the entire situation spiralled out of control within seconds. The news somehow travelled to the guests downstairs and the cops got involved.I spent the past four hours trying to stop La Marièe from getting closed down because of an issue that could’ve been handled with better care. Now I’m exhausted and all I want is to hold Amani and go to sleep.After taking a quick shower, I don boxers and climb into the huge bed, pulling Amani into my arms and cuddling her against my chest. She lets out a soft mewling sound that tugs at my heartstrings but settles down quickly, wrapping her arms around my middle.I’m enveloped in her scent, swathed in the softness of her skin and there’s nowhere else on this goddamn earth that I’d rather be.I’d love nothing but to shut my eyes and let sleep take me, but deep down, I know I cannot afford such luxury. I know the darkness will come… and so wi
BHYRONRamiel looks exactly like he does in the few pictures I’ve seen — angelic. Glowing.He’s dressed all in white just like I expected. A pure white African Kaftan covers his broad shoulders, flowing all the way to his ankles. His shiny blonde hair is perfectly styled and bounces on his shoulders as he walks towards us.When he gets within talking distance, I rise from my seat and Duke follows suit. Besides my grandfather, I never rise to greet anyone whether they come to meet me or I go to meet them. The thought of my old man sends a sliver of choking pain through my guts.But there’s something about Ramiel Castello. Maybe it’s those piercing blue eyes or the invisible glowing ring above his head, but I feel like I’m in the presence of royalty. “I never thought a day would come when the Bhyron Macaulay would ask to see me.” He says graciously, motioning for us to take our seats.Not one to mince words or waste time, I decide to go straight to the point.“Well, I’m sure you alread
BHYRONFinally, after twenty-five gruelling minutes, we arrive at the luxurious five-star hotel. The moment my driver opens the door and I climb off the car, my nerves twist violently as a strange sensation fleets through my heart.Silently, I turn to Duke and find him surveying our surroundings, forehead knotted in a frown.“You feel it, too?” I ask when he comes to stand by my side.“Yes. There’s something very wrong about this place. It gives me the ick.”The Crystal City Hotel is one of the most successful hotel chains in New York. Owned by a renowned Mexican businessman, the towering high rise boasts of modern, world-class amenities that are hard to find in any other hotels in the city, including expertly programmed robots instead of human attendants and complimentary self-driving cars for high-paying clients.To the ordinary eye, everything seems perfect. But to Duke and I, something is wrong.Wait…“Bhyron, take a look at the cars. Notice anything strange?”There are five iden
Starting now, I’m going to try to make this story as fast paced as possible so buckle up, readers!A lot of secrets will be revealed, characters will die, characters will be betrayed and in the end, the truth will finally be revealed.***BHYRONMy shoulders are already stiff and thrumming with tension when I arrive at the sitting room. I feel a presence behind me and turn to find Duncan a few feet away, hands tightly clasped at his back.“Return to the room and keep watch. I need you to pay special attention to Zuri. Make sure the door is open at all times and she doesn’t say or do anything fishy to my wife.”He bows. “Yes, boss.”He’s just about to leave when I stop him.“Can I trust you this time, Duncan? Will you fail me again?”He lifts his head and holds my gaze. There’s no iota of fear in his eyes. Just confidence and respect.“Last night was a stupid mistake, boss. I assure you that it will never happen again.”Three seconds tick by, heavy with mistrust, then I nod and step ba
AMANIMy eyes are firmly shut as I thrash around on the bed in search of my anchor, in search of my source of strength. But he’s not here. He’s gone. I know he is. When he was here, the piercing pain in my heart had reduced to a dull throb. The dirty, contaminated feeling that tainted my soul stayed far away, too scared of his darkness to come close. The heavy feeling in my limbs had disappeared, too. When he was here, he protected me. He shielded me from Antonio’s grubby hands. But now that he’s gone, I’m being bombarded with everything at once. The excruciating discomfort is back. My demons have returned to attack me and he’s not here to fight them off.I can hear voices in the distance and even though I’m clutched in the throes of a horrible nightmare, I still call out for him. I need him. I listen carefully, hoping I hear his voice, hoping he comes back for me.When the pain becomes unbearable, I curl into myself and hot tears slip past my tightly shut eyelids. My soul takes a
BHYRONI hear Amani’s screams from down the hall and it tears through my soul like a fiery blade. I run blindly and don’t stop until I’m storming into the master bedroom. The sight that greets me shatters my nonexistent heart to pieces.Amani is writhing and shaking in bed. The once perfectly laid sheets pool around her legs and arms, evidence of her distraught.Without uttering a word and driven by an urgency that makes my blood boil, I take off my shoes and climb into the bed with her, pulling her trembling body flush against my chest. Her eyes are firmly shut but the second I touch her, tears still manage to leak through.The sight of her wet cheeks unravels an animalistic intensity inside of me, but I have to tame it and take care of my baby. Amani is my only priority. She’s more important than even my darkness. “Bhyron…” she whimpers, clinging onto me like a baby monkey. “It hurts. It hurts so much. I can’t take it anymore. Please, make it stop.”I hug her fiercely and kiss her
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DELICATE TOPICS LIKE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SELF HARM. PLEASE REFRAIN IF YOU’RE TRIGGERED BY SUCH TOPICS.***AMANII’m hallucinating. I’m sure of it. I’ve been hallucinating for the past hour.One moment I was lying on the grimy floors of the phone booth, thinking I’d never get to see Zuri again and the next, an Angel appeared right in front of me.I looked up at him dazed and confused, blinded by the sheer beauty of his bright, golden air and pure white shirt. Even now, I can still remember the unique colour of his eyes — silver and narrowed, while his head shook with pity as he looked down on me.“Are you Angel?” I ask, my voice weak and barely audible.“Yes, I am. What would you like me to do for you?”A real Angel?! What a treat. Or maybe I was hallucinating.“Take me home, please.” I begged, wrapping my arms tightly around my middle. “I’m so cold. I think I’m freezing.”“Your wish is my command, princess.”Without uttering another word, the Angel swept
BHYRONIt’s been an hour. One full hour and my woman is still nowhere to be found. The mere thought of her cold and probably lying hurt somewhere sends pinpricks of pain through my heart. I haven’t been able to sit still. The penthouse is currently teeming with police officers and private investigators, but none of them have been able to say anything reasonable concerning Amani’s whereabouts. I’m giving them five more minutes to come up with something other than “we’re still searching.” If not, I’ll go out there and search for her myself. The fingers in my pockets are tightly clenched and it takes every ounce of self control I possess to stop myself from ripping the hair off my scalp. I feel like a bloody ticking bomb. One tiny mistake from anyone here and I’ll explode.“Sir, for the past thirty minutes, our men have tried their best to trace the call your wife made to Miss Zuri, but information reaching us is that the rain damaged some of the land lines and the signal is in shamble