Chapter 3: Contract or Chemistry

3

"Inside the study drawer... medicine and syringe dey there. Go bring am..." Olumide voice dey rough, dey try hide the scales and patterns wey dey show for him body.

The way him voice crack, e be like thunder for rainy season. For my heart, I dey pity am, but another part dey reason say maybe na my chance be this.

I look the man wey dey shake, lips don bite bleed, shirt don wet with sweat, abs dey show—person fit faint.

If to say I be small babe, I for don run. But after three years, na only me and this man dey waka this kind road.

Suddenly, I change my mind.

I no know wetin push me, but I just dey reason say make I try something new. If e break, make e break. If e set, na my luck.

Three years I dey sleep alone—even if I no get succubus desire, I still be normal babe.

Na only cold breeze dey visit me for night. Even pillow don tire for my hand. I be woman, blood dey my vein—abeg.

Even though na me write the first line for our contract:

I remember that paper. That day, I dey form hard babe—no emotions, just dey protect myself. Na pride almost kill me.

No feelings, just money, no physical touch at all.

But abeg, I be villainess, principle no dey my dictionary...

If principle dey my body, na by now I for don carry Bible, dey do vigil for church. But here I dey.

Mama always talk say make woman no dey too forward, but abeg, this one pass my power.

As I reason am finish, I softly tap him face, whisper: "Olumide, abeg just take am easy."

My voice low, my eye dey beg. Na only for Nollywood you go see woman talk like this, but me, I dey try small.

"No touch me... I dirty..." Olumide dey shake for my touch, but still dey try hold himself.

The way e take talk, e be like boy wey mama catch for kitchen, hand full of sugar. E dey fragile.

"But na you I want..."

I dey shock myself. If I dey watch myself, I for laugh. But wetin I go do? Life na risk.

I drop my wrapper, use finger clean blood from him lip, tiptoe kiss am.

Na so all my fear disappear. I just go for am, like say tomorrow no dey.

Messages dey fly:

[Wetin dey happen? Female supporting character dey ginger!]

[That face tap—ah, e dey burst my head! Sis, you need pet dog?]

[Love wey come from hate—na correct stew.]

[My heart dey beat, hand dey shake—our villain couple go love or hate reach the end?]

The spirits for my head dey rejoice. E be like say dem dey watch DSTV and na final episode.

As our lips meet, Olumide just carry control, him big warm hand hold my head.

The way he dey hold me, no be play. For the first time, e soft, but strong. I dey melt, my leg dey weak like fufu.

He suck air from my mouth, my leg dey weak.

I nearly collapse. The way my body dey answer, na only me sabi.

Next thing, thick black rope don wrap my waist.

The thing land like juju. E shock me, but my mind dey scatter, my body dey trip.

E tight no be small. I whimper, try push am.

I no even know when my voice come out. The grip strong, but e dey gentle. My eye dey roll.

"Sorry, abeg... no look..." Olumide catch himself, pupils shrink, dey try hide the tail wey arousal expose.

He dey hide himself. I feel am. The kain shame wey dey his face, e be like small pikin wey dem catch with groundnut for hand.

Before I fit react, he don run comot, panic dey show.

Na so e disappear, just like that. I just dey stand dey look.

Soon, I hear sound for study, drawer dey open close, sharp medicine smell just fill everywhere.

My nose pick am quick—sharp, bitter like ampiclox. I dey imagine wetin Olumide dey inject for him body. My heart soft, but na wahala wey pass my power.

I lean for wardrobe, dey gasp, dey watch messages:

[Olumide, you be coward, come back here! I don ready—why you run?]

[Na only me dey pity second male? All the bullying since he small because he be succubus, bring him white moonlight home, she still dey vex for am—how he no go get self-esteem wahala?]

[Female supporting character, my ancestor, you for just no show that disgust for him true form now? The guy go break finish!]

For my head, I dey reason—dem no know say this kain matter pass love talk. Me sef never understand myself finish.

God, abeg, make this kain wahala no land me for hospital.

No be my fault o.

I just no want make rope hold me too tight...

Na Naija girl I be. If I no shout when e dey too tight, who go save me?