Chapter 2: Stubborn Goat

Mmm…

That sound wey escape from Ikenna mouth na the kain groan wey make woman think twice. Na deep sound, heavy like thunder for distant sky. I self feel am for bone.

Ikenna groan low, voice deep.

E be like say him dey try hold himself but the thing dey burst out. As e groan, I almost forget why I dey vex.

Fresh red line show for him strong, light brown chest, cross over the marks wey my hand leave for him shoulder and back before.

Those marks dey shine for him body, like say na artist draw them. My hand dey tremble small, but I no go show am for face. For this kind scene, na who get liver dey win.

He narrow him eyes, veins for him neck dey show, jaw tight like say he dey vex.

E resemble stubborn yam wey no wan done, just dey hard anyhow. If not for say I know myself, I for fear.

Him chest dey move up and down, sweat dey shine for him body.

Na real man be this, no be all those ajebutter wey go dey shout for small flogging. If to say dem dey share award for endurance, na Ikenna go carry first.

WhatsApp status just burst:

*[This supporting character no wan live—she go see as the main man go finish her later!]*

*[E pain me! The cold, no-nonsense chief’s son—everybody dream man—na so this supporting character dey disgrace am…]*

*[The way the chief’s son dey look after the beating no pure, e sure say he hate this supporting character die!]*

My finger hover for screen, eyebrow raise—people sabi judge from afar. If dem see wetin dey happen for this room, dem go run! Make dem continue to dey type for their small phone. Na me and Ikenna know wetin dey sup.

Ikenna bend him head, I no fit read him face.

Even as I dey try catch him eye, him head still low, shadow cover him face. Na like person wey dey hide pain or wey dey count him mistakes for inside.

He hate me?

Sometimes I dey ask myself whether this thing we dey do na hate or na something wey sweet and bitter join together.

Na why he dey deal with me for night like say he wan finish me?

I dey wonder if e dey try revenge or if na him own way of showing say he stubborn reach me. Na real wahala.

My whole body just dey weak, everywhere dey numb.

This kain weakness nor be small pikin own o. E be like say all my bone melt, body dey light, yet my mind dey heavy.

Anger catch me, I raise my leg press my foot for him chest. My toe just waka go him long neck, touch the collar, then lift him chin with the arch of my foot.

The small touch wey I give am, e surprise me say I get that kain power over am. Na so my toe waka gently, as if I dey measure am.

Ikenna no get choice, he gats look up.

E look me with eyes wey stubborn, like person wey no go ever beg for rain even if sun wan finish farm.

Him face fine like stone, him eyes sharp—deep black eyes just dey focus on me.

Those eyes dey talk story. If I look am well, I fit see all the stubbornness for the world, mix with small pride.

Him back straight like iroko tree wey dey stand alone for night.

Even my papa for village no stand like this. Ikenna strong, pride no dey let am bend, even when e suppose surrender.

I no dey ever like that stubborn look for him face.

The thing dey provoke me, make my hand itch. Everytime I see that look, I dey remember why I no suppose carry person like am marry.

Before, na that one dey make me wan deal with am more.

Na true. My mind dey always sweet when I see say him no wan gree. Make I be honest, stubborn goat dey sweet to flog pass lazy goat.

Today, I no fit hold myself too.

My own vex join, as the pain for waist dey remind me say I too get limit.

I rub him fine face with my foot, then talk rough: "If I say I go flog you, I go flog you. You still get mind dey stubborn?"

My voice come out husky, as if I swallow sand. I try make am know say I no dey here to play.

Ikenna swallow, then suddenly grip my ankle—him hand strong, palm hot, no dey gree.

The grip shock me. Na hotness I feel, but I no wan show say e dey move me. For my mind, I dey warn myself make I no lose guard.

I shock, kick am for chest. "Who tell you make you touch me?"

I kick am well, na so e chest move small. But the boy head no shift, e still dey hold my leg like say e dey hold him inheritance.

He no gree leave my leg, him slim fingers dey rub my fair ankle, even laugh small, wickedly.

The kain laugh wey dey make person body do jigijigi. E be like say him dey plan small mischief for mind.

"Na you beg this… slave last night to touch you, madam."

E talk am with mouth wey dey sweet like agbalumo, but with edge wey dey cut. I nearly bite my tongue for vex.

Anger just dey burn me, I raise hand slap am.

If I no slap am, e go think say he get mouth pass me. That kain talk no fit go free for my house.

"Try talk rubbish again."

My voice loud, echo for small room. Even the cock for compound fit hear me.

After everything wey happen last night, I no even get power, the slap just turn him face small.

E just turn small, e no even wince. I dey surprise say slap dey pain my hand pass him cheek.

Him skin light, so the red mark show well for him cheek. He use tongue press the spot, then slowly turn back, eyes sharp as he look me.

That small tongue wey e use press cheek na real wahala—e be like say e dey tell me, "Do your worst."

Him big chest dey move heavy, the red for him face don reach him ear root.

E dey breathe like bull wey just finish race. Ear don red like palm oil for market.

He suppose dey vex.

But e dey package am, no wan show say e dey pain am. E get small pride, that one dey show.

I grab the chain for him collar, drag am near. I raise my chin, look down on am.

The chain cold for my hand, the metal sound small. I drag am, make am remember say na me buy am, na me go decide.

"You don forget how I dey teach you?"

I say am like madam wey dey talk to small pikin wey no gree learn. I wan make am know say position dey important.

Him black eyes deep, still dey lock on me, grip for my ankle tight more.

As if he dey pass message wey I no fit read. I dey wonder wetin dey his mind.

He swallow again. After he keep quiet for long, he grit him teeth, voice rough:

"Slave… thank you, madam, for the reward."

The way e call "reward" na as if e dey spit bitter leaf. But I act like I no notice.

I snort, pat him cheek like person dey calm stubborn goat.

I pat am two times, make e know say I still dey on top. Small smile play for my mouth.

"Na so, you dey hear word."

I say am like joke, but my voice sharp. For this house, person gats dey hear word.

As I don vex finish, cold catch me.

Sweat wey dey my body before just dry. Na cold wey dey bite bone now dey my skin.

I look down, see say the wrapper wey cover my chest don fall, show plenty red marks and my curves.

My hand fly go my chest sharp sharp. If na village, dem for shout say I dey tempt person.

Blood rush go my face. My body dey hot.

I feel the shame for bone. If to say ground open, I for dive inside.

I hug my chest, vex and shame dey worry me, I give Ikenna another slap.

This one weak small, but e help me clear my head. I wan remind am say na me dey in charge.

"No dey look! If you still dey look, I go comot your dog eyes!"

If I catch you again, na better wahala go follow. I glare am well.

Ikenna press him lips, no talk, but him eyes sharp pass before.

E just dey look like person wey dey watch snake and lion dey fight. If e talk now, na trouble.

He no dey talk much. Before, I no dey fit read him eyes.

But now, e dey show small something. I dey try decode am, but e hard.

Now, as I dey see those WhatsApp status, I don understand.

All those their online talk dey paint me as wicked, but dem no know say my own na for survival. E pain me say the world no dey see the small small things wey I dey do for am.

So, true true, he hate me.

My heart cold, my mind dey heavy. If na so e be, e mean say all my effort na waste. E pain me deep.