Subdued (18+)✔️ [A Nigerian Romance]

32~Threats

Ife found her just as she was heading to the doors of the club. She eyed him, daring him to come further and the idiot did.

"Ria, let's talk this out eh. Okay I'm sorry. I should have apologized before." He hurried after her. Aria picked up speed and walked out the door and he followed. He grabbed her arm to stop her and she whirled around.

"Get your fucking hands off me," she yelled, her eyes burning with rage. Ife still held on, trying to get her to see reason.

"I believe the lady asked you to un-hand her." His voice was deathly cold, colder than she'd ever heard it before. She exhaled, grateful for the intervention.

Ife kept his fingers wrapped around her arm and frowned. "Who the fuck are you?"

Usman's eyebrow lifted and a smirk was playing on his lips. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that if you keep holding on to that hand, I'll fuck you up so bad that you'd need a straw to eat food."

That did it, Ife's hand fell away from her. The man was a big talker but he'd never been one for violence. Plus, Usman was almost as tall as Kachi.

"Ria explain yourself!" He turned dark eyes to her. "who the fuck is he and why's he butting into our business?"

"Which business?" she hissed. "I have no business with you." She turned to Usman. "please let's go."

Usman waited for her to walk past him before he followed her. Kachi's beast of a car was a few metres away and Usman hurried so he could open the back passenger door for her. He shut it after her then hurried to the front and got into the car. Aria turned in her seat, thankful for the tinted windows in the car. She could see him but Ife couldn't see her. She watched as his mouth hung open and he looked so surprised. It was satisfying to see. She was glad that he didn't find her moping around but instead was witnessing her living her best life. That was the biggest fuck you she could give him.

"Thanks for back there," she said to Usman after they'd driven for about five minutes.

"It's not a problem. I just did what my boss would have done, albeit gentler than him."

Aria snorted at that. "why would he do that for me? Kachi has no decent bone in his body."

"Mr. Onyekachi is very much against manhandling women," he said, his eyes boring into hers through the rearview mirror. "Especially if the woman clearly doesn't want it."

She didn't believe his precious Mr. Onyekachi was that good but she didn't say anything else.

***

Ahmed opened the gate before Usman had the chance to honk. As he drove into the compound, Aria felt her heart race. She didn't know what to expect from Kachi. Would he be mad or would he ignore the fact that she'd picked her job over him yet again.

She got down from the car and looked at Usman who was still behind the wheel. "You're not coming in?"

"No. I'll just take the car to the garage behind the house and then head home."

It was way past seven which meant that the staffs were gone and it would just be them in the house, alone. She had the mind to ask Usman to go in with her but the man was already starting the car. She sighed then shut the door, turning to look at the mansion in front of her.

She wondered just how many rooms where in this house and how he could stay here all alone. Even her one bedroom apartment sometimes felt too big and empty for her.

She pushed the door open and stepped in, enjoying the warmth inside the house. It had rained earlier in the day and the chill was still in the air. The house was quiet and brightly lit. Unsure where to go to find him, she decided on going to the room she'd left early this morning. If he needed her he would find her.

Aria spotted him just before she climbed the stairs and would have missed him if not for the sounds of his voice. She walked past the staircase and found her way to the kitchen where he was seated with a plate of food set on the table in front of him.

"...and I'm sure you can work it out for yourself. Have a good evening, Tope." He touched the bud in his ear and spooned rice into his mouth.

Who was Tope? Was she his girlfriend? The one he didn't pay to sleep with? Her chest tightened with what she knew was jealousy. What right did she even have to be jealous about that? Besides, Kachi didn't mean anything to her.

"Have you had dinner?" he asked and she jumped, unaware that he'd noticed her presence. Just then her stomach rumbled loudly, answering the question for her. He stood up and began dishing white rice into a plate for her.

"Good evening," she greeted and took a few steps inside the kitchen and watched him serve stew and beef in a bowl. He placed it in front of the only other chair at the table, which was directly opposite his and then went back to take his seat. He continued eating like she wasn't there. After waiting for a few more seconds and he didn't say anything, she picked up her spoon and dug in.

He finished his food then sat back in his chair. This must be it, Aria thought. He would finally say something.

"What did you study in school?"

She chewed her food slowly, giving her enough time to think about his question and why he'd asked. Surely, he was not interested in getting to know her better. Or was he?

"English and Literary studies," she replied after she'd swallowed.

"No wonder," he said. She looked up at him, a little bit confused as to his line of reasoning.

"No wonder what?"

"I'm sure that's why you're behaving like this. You have no sense for business."

She was glad she'd almost finished her food because her appetite was slowly deserting her. "what?"

"How can you choose a job that pays you fifty thousand naira over me that's spending a million naira? Does that even make sense?" His voice was still calm and steady so she couldn't tell if he was angry.

"What?"

"Is there something wrong with your hearing, hm?" He leaned in closer. "If I ask you to pay back my money, can you do that?" She kept silent. "Yet you're risking it over peanuts."

Aria had had enough. She pushed her chair back as she rose, her eyes flashing. "no matter how much you pay me, I'd never jeopardize my job. It's the only steady thing I can rely on when you decide to dump me for your Tope!"

"Keep your fucking voice down. I'm not that guy that was chasing after you minutes ago."

He knew about Ife? Wow! Usman was very fast. How had he already reported that to his boss? Aria was truly amazed by the man's loyalty.

"and what the fuck do you mean by Tope? Who are you to bring my assistant up in conversation?" he continued, his fingers formed a tight fist and the vein in his forehead throbbed.

His assistant? She'd fucked up again and shown him that she cared about who it was he was dating.

"I'm not risking my job for you," she snarled.

"I'll pay you double your salary each month, in return, you have to quit."

"And if I don't?" Her gaze narrowed.

"The moment you keep Usman or me waiting because of that club, you'll vomit every fucking naira I gave you. Try me, girl. I'm really looking forward to it."

Aria knew when she'd been beat so she huffed and made her way out of the kitchen and then up the stairs. There really was something fundamentally wrong with Kachi.

***

When I first thought about this fight, I wanted it bigger and to end with them fucking it out, lol. I changed my mind last minute because there will definitely be more soon.

What do you think about this threat? Would Aria continue to choose her job and if she does, what do you think Kachi would do? I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

Thank you so much for reading. Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter ❤️