Chapter 4: Crossing the Line

3

"For the study drawer... medicine and syringe dey inside. Go bring am..." Ifeoma voice weak, she dey try hide the scales and marks wey dey show for her body.

Her voice no get power again. I dey fear for her. E be like say all the wahala don catch up with her body.

I look her—her lips don bleed, clothes wet with sweat, her body just dey tempt person...

All the cold wey she dey form before don melt finish. I dey see another side of her.

Suddenly, my mind change.

Na so I realise say all this gra-gra no get sense. Life short, na better moments dey last.

Three years for cold marriage—even if I no be succubus, I be normal man.

I no fit dey pretend say I no dey feel anything. Body na body.

Even though na me write the first rule for our contract: No feelings, just money, no chance for any funny thing.

I remember how I hold biro that day, my hand steady, my heart dey beat. I swear say I no go ever cross line. But see me now.

But I be wicked supporting character—why I go dey do trust now?

Na so Naija man dey. E go talk tough for morning, then night go humble am.

As I don decide, I softly touch her face, whisper: "Ifeoma, I go do am gently."

I try make my voice soft, so she no go think say I wan harm her. Even though my hand dey shake, I just dey act calm.

"No touch me... I dirty..." She dey shake as I touch her, just dey try hold her last pride.

Her eyes dey beg me make I no see am finish. Na pride dey struggle with need for her face.

"But na you I want..."

I no dey lie this time. My heart dey talk am.

I throw my bathrobe, use finger clean blood for her lips, then lean kiss her.

Na soft touch, make she no feel more pain. My mind dey wish say I fit take all her wahala away.

Comments:

[Wetin dey happen? Kunle don take charge!]

[Aaaah, this one dey hot, I fit faint. Guy, you need dog?]

[Love with hate—sweet die. Hate wey turn love—mad o.]

[My heart dey beat, hand dey shake—our wicked couple don finally do am!]

Social media for scatter if dem see this one live. Na real gist.

As our lips touch, I hold Ifeoma head for my big, warm hand.

Her hair soft like baby wool. I dey careful, no wan scare am.

She gasp, her leg just weak.

She almost fall, I hold her. I dey feel as her body dey lean on me.

Suddenly, one black 'rope' just tie my waist.

At first, I think say na belt. But e tight pass all my belts for wardrobe.

The thing tight so till e pain me; I groan, dey try push am.

E get as e dey do me. Pain, pleasure, confusion—all join together.

"Sorry, no... no look..." Ifeoma wake up from her daze, her eyes sharp with panic as she try hide the tail wey don come out.

She dey shake, dey try cover herself. Her shame dey show for her eye.

Before I fit talk, she don run go next door, shame just full her.

Her footsteps heavy, like person wey dey run from own shadow.

I hear am dey scatter things for study drawer, smell of medicine dey everywhere.

Na scent of menthol, alcohol, everything mix together.

I lean for wardrobe, dey breathe heavy, dey watch comments fly:

My chest dey rise and fall. Na so I just dey reason my life.

[Ifeoma, you dey fear? Come back! I don already pull my trouser, why you run?]

[Na only me dey pity second female lead? All her life, dem dey bully her for being succubus, she marry her crush with joy, but even the guy dey find her disgusting. E go pain her reach bone.]

[Kunle, you for no show that kind face when you see her real form now now? She dey near breaking point.]

I dey read all these comments, dey feel bad. Na true say I no dey try for her. Maybe I dey judge her too much.

No be my fault o!

I talk am inside my mind. Nobody dey perfect for this world.

I just no wan make she tie me too tight...

But I for try understand her more. Maybe I fit do better next time.