chapter 11🦋

Grace

I stormed into my suite, took off my clothes, walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Slamming my hands would've been a better reaction, but knowing the implication and how painful broken fingers could be, I gently placed them on the white tiled walls and let my tears joined in intimacy with the cold waters.

Just quit the job, my subconscious said, as I sat in the bathtub with my knees to my chest.

"I can't, I need to give Natalie the best in life. If it means serving that jerk, then I have to," I murmured, cancelling the ungodly plan of quitting.

Now stand up Grace, don't let that rich asshole, make you weak.

I stood and felt the fluid of self-motivation ran around my body.

Smiling like the incident with Kunle never happened, I turned off the shower and left the bathroom with a white towel around my chest.

***

I folded my arms on my chest and focused my gaze at the figure that sat on the king-sized bed, his legs were crossed with his black Gucci slide dangling on his foot, his full furrowed brows showed the importance of what he was doing.

"What are you doing in my room? and how did you get in?"

He shifted his attention to me but still had his brows arched. "I own the hotel, never forget that fact."

He pointed to my laptop and phone beside him. "I came to drop those."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue and render the apology I deserved but he stood and started for the door.

He halted with his hand on to the knob. "You know your behaviour today was unacceptable. You deserved to be fired, but because of my kind heart, I came to the concluded to let it go."

"You should be apologizing to me," I raved, hands still folded, lips pressed together in a frown.

He turned to me. "And why is that madam Grace?"

"You insulted me Kunle!" I flagged my hands in annoyance.

A small smile that seemed more frightening than inviting, played on his lips. "Oh, she knows my name now, we are now above the sir level already?"

"Now listen, you are working under me madam and I'm paying you well, I don't see why I should apologize for your mistake."

"I-"

"And this, Should never repeat itself, is that clear?" His cold voice sent a shiver down my body that was still wrapped around my towel.

I nodded with parted lips.

How can he just turn everything upside down, making me feel guilty in seconds?

"And oh, I forgot, you can order whatever you need," He said, and walked out, the cold air floated with him.

**"

I jumped from the bed frustrated and opened my travelling case, ready to go away from my room.

I took out a faded blue jean and a yellow off-shoulder shirt, one of Natalie's favourite pick.

With my wig off and my sanders on, I stepped out of the room and walked to the elevator at the left end of the white-painted hall.

I moved to the back, while a couple stood in front of me kissing. We were alone in the elevator with no other spectator to view the fabulous event happening in front of me.

Come on, this is not a movie, I thought averting my eyes from the smooching to my phone.

I rushed out of the elevator the moment it got to the Grand-floor leaving the love birds who took their time. Deciding to visit the bar later, I walked out of the hotel.

I stood outside the hotel gate inhaling nature when a truck driver drove past me and polluted the carbon with black clouds.

I coughed and covered my nose with my hands.

"You know, this is not a movie right?" I heard a familiar voice uttered the same words that ran through my head minutes back

I turned and my gaze landed on Chris, Kunle's friend. He wore a black collar neck shirt and blue jean.

"Are you following me?"

"Actually, yes sweetheart, I saw you walking out of the hotel in haste and decided to follow you," He said, exposing his open teeth with a smile.

I smiled back and folded my hands, staring at him with raised brows.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere in particular, I'm just tired of staying indoors," I explained.

He rubbed his hands together. "Well, why don't I take you out?"

Ever since the coffee incident, I only saw Chris once in the office, and that once, he proposed dinner, which I declined again.

"Oh, no," I declined again, it seemed the guy had bad luck when it comes to asking me out.

"It will be that date you owe me, let me show you the city of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria," He said, dramatically extending his right hand which I took deciding to break his bad luck since I had nothing better to do.

He lifted my hand to his lips and planted a kiss on it, with his eyes holding mine.

"And you said, we are not in America abi?" I asked.

His head tilted to the back as he lets my hand go and burst into laughter. "Let me get my car."

I nodded and watched him walked in haste back into the hotel.

***

I sat in the hotel's bar, with a glass of red wine on the bar stool. I shook my head and covered my mouth as I burst into laughter from  Chris tale of his crazy and quite eventful child.

After the exhausting drive around the city of Abuja where he showed me amazing places like the Jabi lake and the millennium park, he took me back to the hotel which led to the discussion of his childhood.

He stopped his narration and only the clicking of glasses and laughter from the crowded bar could be heard.

"What?" I asked, with furrowed forehead.

"You look beautiful when you smile."

"Ok," I said as the atmosphere got tensed with awkwardness, while I focused my attention on the swaying of my wine.

He rendered a smile and explained, "I'm sorry, I think that came out wrong,"

"It's ok."

"Can we play a game?" he snapped his fingers and asked.

"Truth or Dare."

I looked around, my eyes scanned the faces of both male and female who focused their attention on either a glass or their partner. "You want us to play truth or dare here?"

"Yeah, why not?" He inquired, his lips still wearing the smile. He raised a brow waiting patiently for my response.

"Ok," I shrugged and wiped my lips with my hand.

I adjusted myself on the stool and rolled my neck like a gladiator.

"Let's start."

"Truth or dare Grace?"

"Truth," I answered, placing my drink on the stool.

"What do you hate most about guys?"

Without giving the question a second thought I replied, "Their ego."

"So, do I behave in an egotistical  manner?"

A soft laugh escaped my lips as I shook my head. "No, you don't."

"Which means you like me," he asked, his voice low, but he still maintained the playful tone as he sipped his drink.

I winked and equally sipped my drink. "You can say that."

"Oya, your turn Chris, t or d?"

He mimicked my position by placing an elbow on the bar with a smile. "Dare."

"Ok, uhm." I looked around, trying to figure out a perfect dare.

After seconds of undecided, I picked the first thought that crossed my mind.

"I dare you to walk around this bar in confusion," I said.

He stood up, pointed his fingers at me and immediately walked to the entrance of the bar, I sat watching him dumbfounded and curious about what he would do.

He slowly walked to the left corner of the bar looking confused and tired.

Guy, acting is your calling, I thought giggling as he walked to one of the waitress, smiled at her and said something with a worried look.

He continued with his explanation and suddenly, a smile came to her face as she led him around the bar.

They got closer to where I sat and he pointed to me, said something to the waitress who nodded and walked back to her duty post.

"What did you do?"

"I told her I was looking for my fiancee, it's her birthday and  I needed to surprise her with something," He grinned.

"How could you?" I shook my head but smiled at his cleverness.

"I can do anything to win this game miss," He paused, "Now your turn, t or d?"

"T."

"How many guys have you dated?"

"Two."

He yawned. "Oh, you are boring."

"No, I'm not," I countered, frowning at his presumption of my life.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes nah, I just love guiding my heart."

"That's still boring," He said, with a wrinkled nose.

"Your turn, T or d?"

"T."

"Same question, how many girls have you dated?"

"Let me see," He said and started the motion of counting his fingers.

He counted to ten while I stared with parted lips.

"Ok, I think thirteen," he answered, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"You think? Which means you are not sure, they might be more?"

He nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

"You try oh, my turn."

"T or d?"

"I will go with..." I trailed but caught his eyes which shone bright like a globe.

"D."

"I dare you to kiss the next person that walks through that door, without explaining to him or her." He pointed to the door.

Just then, an elderly man walked into the restaurant in a suit and black hat.

I stood from my seat with ponding heart and walked straight to him, placing a peek on his cheeks.

I immediately turned away from the shocked man and walked back to my seat with my head down.

"That's not a kiss," He complained.

"You didn't specify," I countered and winked at him.

"Come on, we are not kids, you know what I meant by a kiss."

I picked my drink and drowned its content. "Next time you specify."

"Your turn T or d?"

"D."

I turned to my left and saw a huge looking man who sat patiently, his eyes were focused on his phone.

"I dare you to go slap that guy." I  pointed to the muscular man.

"You are evil," he sneered, but stood and started for the guy.

He stumbled to a stop and recognition kicked in, he slapped the giant man who stood up and hugged him.

What the fuck is going on, I thought with parted lips.

After the greeting of handshakes, fist bumps and side hugs, he strolled back.

"What just happened?"

"That's one of Kunle's supervisor and my friend, he came for s meeting with his boss," He explained, wide with smile.

"Oh, Kunle..." I trailed off.

"Yeah, your turn T or d?"

"D," I uttered, but my mind drifted from the game to the incident with my boss earlier.

"I dare you to kiss Kunle, and to be specific, I mean french kiss him," He said pointing to Kunle who moved to the muscular man and took his seat.

"Well, you have an option sweetheart, you kiss him or kiss me."

"Devil," I fired, knowing the reason for his dare.

I stood up and slowly moved towards Kunle's table with a racing heart and sweaty palms.

I stopped on my tracks the moment Kunle looked up, his eyes were squatted and his brow raised at me.

***