Maxine gripped the steering wheel and side-glanced me. "Put your seatbelt on, this is going to be fun."
I did as I was told, and he hit the red button on the rearview mirror, which caused the garage door to slide open. We drove out onto the gloomy street. Maxine didn't let go of the gas pedal until we were driving well above the speed limit. Darkened street signs flashed by. He sped through a red light, swerving around a car that was patiently waiting for its turn. 'What was the point of making me wear my seatbelt if he was planning on killing the both of us by crashing the car.' With an extended grin, he weaved us in and out of traffic. Eventually we moved away from the city streets and onto a country road. We picked up more speed, but at least there were no other cars to play chicken with. I was able to unclench my teeth and my stranglehold on the security bar against the door, using my free hand to wipe my newly dampened forehead. The car air-conditioner couldn't do anything for me. With little distraction and the car's novelty having worn off, Maxine remembered that I was sitting next to him. "Sorry about your head," he said, his eyes still on the road. Unprepared for this discovery, I kept quiet. What was I supposed to say. Hitting my head on whatever it was, seemed insignificant compared to what was coming. "How did you manage to sneak away from me?" He asked, like he was nervous with my silence. "I didn't sneak by you," I hissed, my eyes shooting daggers at him. "You were walking too fast and I lost sight of you." "Who goes about peeping through closed doors when they miss their way. It's the craziest thing I've ever heard. You're good at karate right?" He asked. I nodded, but my lips said something else. "No." "You'll have to show me what you've got when you're settled. I could show you one or two tricks for self defense and assault." My mind went from a hundred to a sharp ten. "You're not going to kill me tonight!" I blurted out. "Kill you? Hell no! Why would I do that." "I... I thought taking me to The garden was a code word that shared the same meaning with idioms like sending me to meet my ancestors." I confessed. Maxine started laughing. "Shit U, what's going on in that head of yours. I would never lay a finger on you. Not me, not anyone else. You have no reason to be scared Reina." I jolted at the name again. "What does that even mean?" "Reina?" "Yes." "Queen." He replied. "I am no Queen." I corrected. "Oh, but you are. You are my brother's woman. He's the Boss, you're his Queen." "I'm nobody's woman." I rushed at him, hating the sound of the sentence. Maxine shrugged. "I stand to be corrected then." We passed through yellow road signs with pictures of crumbling rocks flashing by us. He was still speeding, but at a more considerable tempo now. We were heading into the largely uninhabited mountains. Even though I've been assured that today won't be my last day on earth, I still felt the panic in me. A hazy survival tip from one of those crime shows clicked in my head, make the attacker see that you're a real person, not just a nameless witness to a murder, or something like that. "My name is Ugo Chike," I announced. He looked at me like I was crazy. "Right. I've forgotten you know that already. You told me yours, didn't you?" I asked, my full stomach lurching as the Audi sped into a curve. He nodded. "Maxine." "My mom's name is Ada and we call my dad Papa-Bear. And he met my mum at a health summit they both attended and exchanged contacts. I was named after my grandmother. I am a lawyer, or I used to be one. I love my body and skin so much that I spend a reasonable chunk of my salary on the gym, karate classes, yoga and appointments with my nutritionist and dermatologist. I have a best friend, the best girl in the whole world. I don't want to share her name...." "Yeah, I've met her, once." He said, pushing me to pause. But I refused to stop talking. It was better than being terrified. "I don't think I ever want to get married, I hate commitments and high expectations...." "Okay, what's going on? Are you high on drugs, are you scared? What's with the influx of information." He asked, finally slowing the Audi down. There was incredulity mixed with an edge of worry in his voice. "So marriage is not....." I meant to continue but I felt a knot in my throat. My heart started racing, and my body temperature went up a thousand degrees. "Oh God!" I yelled. "U, what is the problem, talk to me." he sighed, worried. "I'm going to be sick." I started heaving my hand in front of my mouth. "Hold on. Keep it in." He stretched to the back of the car seat and pulled out a plastic bag, emptying its contents, he gave it to me. I pulled the bag open and I threw up immediately, repeatedly. "Gross." He gasped, opening his window. The fresh air that came in from the opened window made me feel better, plus I had nothing left in my stomach to puke up anyway. After a few minutes, I pulled my face away from the bag and glanced up. He was glaring at me, wincing. His face had gone from rosy-cheeked to pale and worried. "Throw the bag out the window," he ordered. "I can't do that." I said. "It's a plastic bag. It will take over a hundred years to disintegrate. I don't want to pollute...." "U.g.o," he said, carefully enunciating every syllable, throw the fucking bag out the window." I sighed and reluctantly threw the bag out my window. But I didn't feel the slightest bit guilty as I watched him breathe through his nausea. "Sorry," I said, trying to not mock him. "That's the grossest thing I've seen in a while. Now I'm kinda glad we didn't take my car." His voice trailed back into his head. "Ugh!" he groaned dramatically a few seconds later. Tired and worn out, I let my head fall back into the seat and closed my eyes.I was awakened by the distant sound of the television. Immediately I opened my eyes, I saw Maxine cropped up on a chair at the end of the room. "Welcome back to the land of the living," he muttered. "Where are we?" I croaked, sitting up on the bed and surveying the empty room that had only a bed and a television. Maxine stretched his arms, and sighed. "Home, The Garden." "Thank God." I sighed, before realizing what he meant. "You mean your home is referred to as The Garden?" "Mhmm." He hummed. "Gross." I spat out. "It's a good name." He stood up. "Hollis totally owe me for this." He murmured and left the room, not even saying a goodbye or any other word. My throat felt raw, and my body, emotionally exhausted. I could feel dark isolation seeping through the room like deep depression. I just wanted to go home, to go shopping, boat cruises, clubhouses and the courtroom. I wanted my life back. But even I know I couldn't. Not with the continuous attempt on my life and wi
We were now in an open corridor. Rocco stood like a statue at the end of the room, staring into space. Two other guards stood at a reasonable distance, taking the same stance. I snatched my hand back from him, crossing it over my chest. "Good. Then that's settled. But make no mistake, he turned "I'm going to take my pleasure from you, how and when I deem it fit." He threatened. "You dare not!" I challenged, creating a distance between us. "Really," he mused. "Let's see how that goes." "Every single thing about this situation is disappointing," I corrected him, feeling my jaw quiver. I had a temper. So I try so hard to always remain happy and positive. And that was why I surrounded myself with people that really love and care about me. They all knew and understood how bad my temper used to be. As a form of control, I would always remain cold and calm in situations I have no power over. Until I grab a full picture of the situation. But then, in some conditions, I almost alw
"What time do you even plan on getting here? Are you sure you're still coming?" Daisy listened to Ugo whine over the phone."I'm all dressed up already. You'll see me soon, I promise. I just had a really stressful day at work and I had to make a quick stop at home to get into more comfortable footwear." she tried explaining. Pushing the door of her walk-in closet close, she pulled a black leather jacket across her black singlet, sat on the bed and bent low to buckle her sandals when she heard Ugo's next words."You're changing footwear? Don't tell me you plan on wearing any of those boring flat sandals of yours.""Something wrong with my flats?" "Really, you're going to ask me that." Ugo boiled."We're going out to celebrate for crying out loud. You have to look the part. Put on a pair of those gorgeous Louboutins you got there. Why do you splash so much money on exotic footwear when you don't wear them.""Hello, are you forgetting something? You're forgetting that you made me buy the
Daisy's phone lit up just then with a text from Ugo. "My power went out. Where are you?""Ahhh, yes, I just got alerted to that." Daisy told Brett as she held her phone up before she texted Ugo back. "I guess it's the whole hotel, I’m stuck in the elevator with some dude that is providing me with adequate company.""At least that means they were telling the truth," Brett said, interrupting her. "The good news is, they have generators, so the elevators should start moving shortly.""And you know this, how?""Oh!" He stepped away from the telephone. "They told me," he added.Daisy slid down to the floor, placing her purse and paper bag gently beside her, careful not to break the champagne bottle. Since she already informed Ugo about it, she knew how much tragedy it would bring if it ended up broken. Ugo would report her to anybody worth reporting to, including Daisy's parents. Her black heels used to be relatively comfortable for at least an hour or two before the discomfort a
"I've been doing fine for years now. Please just go back to wherever you're coming from and let me be."Brett moved over to her and crotched down opposite her. "Go on a date with me, over the weekend."Daisy burst into laughter. "Is this guy a joke or something?" She asked rhetorically, loud enough to Brett's hearing. "No.""Come on.....""I'm not going on any godforsaken date with you Mr Lexington. Not in your wildest dream.""Okay." he said, pushing two open hands forward to calm her down. "Go to a fundraiser with me then. Technically, I wanted you to be my plus-one at the fundraiser organized by the Mayor over the weekend and maybe we could go on a date afterwards. But since you said no date, let's go to the fundraiser together." He offered."No.""Daiz. I promise you, if after the fundraiser, you decide that you don't want to see me ever again. I won't bother you. Just this once, please?"Daisy became calm for a moment. She looked up at his angelic face and watched him flash a smil
"Look what I brought you." Daisy said instead of arguing. She pulled the champagne bottle and the chocolates and crackers out of the paper bag. "I'm not quite sure how cold the champagne is anymore, but we still have to drink it. And I heroically saved all of them, including the chocolates and crackers from the guy I was stuck in the elevator with, so we’d better enjoy them." "Well, of course we still have to drink that champagne. Give me that." Ugo grabbed the hotel water glasses as Daisy pulled the foil off the champagne bottle. "I can’t believe you were stuck in the elevator all that time. And why weren’t you texting me back. Was your battery out?" "Okay, there’s a story there, but let’s toast to you first before I get into all of that." Daisy twisted the metal lid open and pulled out the cork with a gentle pop. After she poured a healthy amount into each of their glasses, she held hers up. "To Ugo Chike, the first black female partner at Jade and Judy, in over ten years. To a
A gorgeous hostess led them upstairs to a quieter VIP bar that overlooked the stage and dance floor below. They were shown to a small seating area by the balcony and settled at a table hugged by two half-moon velvet sofas. The hostess propped a beverage menu in the center and said, "Your drinks are on the house. Enjoy your evening." "Wow!" Ugo whistled. "We scored." "I think that hawker recognized you from one of your court cases. Because how the hell are we getting such VIP treatment when we're yet to spend a dime." Daisy said out loud. "Wouldn't that rock." Ugo grinned. "Or it could be the chef guy.... That dude is full of surprises. I've gotten so many gifts that I can't count since I met him. Yet, he's not interested in hitting this ass." "He could be pretending." Daisy fixed in. "Or taking it slow. The good old ways. He might be hoping to win you over thoroughly before making a move. In other words, he wants you to...." "Lose my damn guard. Mmmm, not happening, not gonna h
Brett walked into his sitting room with a file he pushed over to Derin, who had come visiting. "You were scarce throughout Thursday, how much success did you record with your adventure?" Derin asked, picking up the file and flipping through it. "An adventure indeed. Success rate was way better than I'd thought it was going to be." Brett replied, taking a seat. Derin's eyebrows went up and he shook his head. "Of course. Why would I have thought anything less of you. Do you mind telling me how it went though?" "I got her to agree to be my date to the fundraiser tomorrow." He finally replied. "No way! How did you get her to do that? Wait! You are a magician now. You waltz back into her life, get her trapped in an elevator just to have a moment with her and somehow you get to convince her to go on a date with you. Wonderful! You are a genius Lex." Derin grinned. "It's not a date officially, but it's something I guess. I'm gradually walking my way back to her and at this rate, I'm