Elaine raised a torn face to Chris and put trembling hands on his knees.

“I’m sorry, Chris, really! Please, forgive me!” 

She reached out for him desperately, and for the very first time in their relationship, he shied away from her hands as if she had venomous snakes in her palms. He tried to mask it, but she saw the look of sheer revulsion on his face, and it made the breath catch in her throat. 

She took steps back from him as her face crumpled with the most heart-rending expression of guilt, horror and trepidation. 

“Chrissy!” she murmured as her heart pounded, and her breath came in wheezes. “Please, for the love of God, don’t look at me like that!”

She stood trembling and weeping, expecting him to take her in his arms, to make amends and show her he was not disgusted with her touch. He hesitated for a long time, then he moved forward haltingly and put his hands on her shoulders.

“It’s all right, Elly,” he said with a sigh. “Let’s take it a day at a time. Something came up, though. I have to be in the Kingdom of Eden in a couple of days, to look into a case over there.”

She nodded, her heart spiralling with pain because he made no effort to hug her. 

“How long would you be gone, my love?” she whispered. 

“I don’t know, but I don’t expect it to be for long. Couple of weeks at most.”

“And has it got anything to do with the Sisi disappearance? Oh, forgive me for not asking about her earlier. Is she okay? Did you find out anything about her?”

“Let’s go in,” he said and stepped away from her. “I’ll tell you about it. I need a shower first.”

When they went to the bedroom, Chris spoke to her cursorily as he took off his clothes, then he entered the bathroom. With her heart bleeding, Elaine waited a bit then slipped out of her dress. She walked to the bathroom door and pushed it. 

It did not budge. 

She turned the handle. 

It was locked!

Her eyes opened wide with horror as she took quick steps backwards, her breath coming in wheezes as a heatwave mounted up her chest and suffused her face. This had never happened before! 

She tried to tell herself that she was moving too fast and should allow him to settle. Of course, seeing her like that had rattled him. Chris Bawa was a very principled man with specific personal character traits. He was hurting, and the best thing to do was to give him a bit of space to work down his pain. Maybe, she had to be patient with him and be grateful that he had invited her into his house and bedroom. It was time for her to be patient and help him work through his pain and confusion. 

But to Elaine, the look of revulsion she had seen on his face, and his locking of the bathroom door, barring her from skin contact as effectively as if he had yelled it out, was more than she could take. 

It terrified her!

That he detested her very touch, that he was seeing her as nothing but a slut, that he would not want her to touch him during the night, that the very sight of her disgusted him… and these thoughts killed her soul. 

She raced from the bedroom, picked her clothes and car keys, and by the time Chris came out of the bathroom and ran after her, she was long gone with her tears of anguish still echoing in his ears, and as she sped through the night, Elaine’s tears were like hot coals on her cheeks. 

She was mourning because her heart was shattered and she had never known such pain in her life. Her life had always been hard and filled with pain even when she was smiling, but with Chris Bawa, she had found real happiness. She had found the difference between sex and lovemaking, the difference between acting and experiencing a real thrill. He was the man many sought, and only a few found. He completed her, made her heart find a solid blissful state! 

And now, he could not stand her touch! 

Because of two frogs, two toads, two bloody cockroaches called Effe Kedem and Steve Hollison!

“You’re going to pay!” Elaine screamed savagely and pounded her fist on the steering wheel. “Oh, you cockroaches are going to pay for this!”

You cockroaches don’t know Elaine Boateng! Oh, Steve Cockroach and Effe Cockroach, you don’t know Elaine Boateng! But you’re going to know me, and you’re going to regret the day you dared to cross Elaine Boateng! You will pay!

Heartbroken, weeping, dying a little inside, Elaine drove through the night with a deep hatred for the two cockroaches she was going to grind underfoot.

***

Chris stayed outside in his bathrobe for a while as his mind fought the bitterness and confusion as his heart wrestled with the pure torture. 

Women! 

Maybe, just maybe, it was time to protect his heart and save it from all the possible causes of pain. Maybe, just maybe, a daughter was enough, and it was about time to branch off the path of sanctity and kick relationships out the door. 

He had thought one was faithful, that he was being unfaithful to her, but she could take three men in her stride in the name of paying off debts. 

One was beautiful, as gentle as an angel, as radiant as the birth of the sun, a pure gem whose very touch had made his heart slam with unknown passion. 

But, she had been a scary, squirming snake beneath all that outer glow and allure. 

To hell with them all.

He would survive because he had always survived. But, no one would get that chance to hurt him this badly again, ever. 

No woman; not ever again! 

***

Effe Kedem looked up when Chris Bawa came through the door of the luxurious jet and walked slowly down the aisle. Wearing a blue-black suit with a sky-blue shirt, dark shade necktie, shiny black shoes, he looked every inch a demi-god as his cold eyes surveyed the interior of the jet. Clean-shaven, hair nicely-cut, a dint of dimples in the cheeks, a firm cheek, bushy eyebrows and eyelashes, his charisma and masculine appeal filled the interior of the jet and caused the three air-hostesses to exchange startled looks and flirtatious smiles. 

Effe felt a flutter through her as she looked at him, and her eyes slid to his lips. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t, and so she allowed the memories of those lips on hers to burn through her. The sweetness of his lingering tongue possessing hers, filling her with…

Then her mind screamed fiercely at her. 

Stop that nonsense, Effe! That is over! He might have felt something for you, for real, but it is gone now! He hates you, and you don’t give two hoots about him, so just mind your own business!

She tore her eyes off him and stared through the nearest window at the view outside. They were on the private flight terminal and had been cleared for flight. 

The seats in the luxury plane were big and comfortable, and it was demarcated into various areas of convenience. A sitting area, reading area, entertainment area, dining area. Effe was sitting by the window in a comfortable settee, and opposite her was Steve who was wearing a white sweater over dark slacks. Effe was in a light green suit that fitted her like a dream. 

Ivy Kokou came up behind Chris. 

“Welcome, Mr Bawa, and thanks again for this,” she said in a warm voice, and she had an engaging smile on her face. “We really do appreciate this.”

Chris looked at her coldly. 

“I was browbeaten into this, Mrs Kokou,” he replied coldly. “Cut out the false parts. It only makes me angry.”

Ivy, dressed in a beautiful local kaba and slit design with a headscarf, sighed heavily. 

 “You still want this bad air between us, Mr Bawa? Frankly, it is vexatious and stifling, if you ask me. Can’t we live in a modicum of peace, at least until this is over?” 

“You make me sick,” Chris said calmly. “No more pretence, Mrs Kokou. I still stand by my words that when this is over, I’ll give you a war.”

The woman stared at him for a while, then she turned to one of the beautiful air hostesses. 

“Rose, kindly help Mr Bawa with his luggage, and personally attend to his needs.”

Rose was slim but curvaceous, dark-skinned, long-limbed and with a beautiful smile that was not forced and plastic as Chris was used to seeing on the faces of many air hostesses. She took his bag and moved down the aisle with a lingering smile on her face. 

Chris scowled, wondering why Rose seemed so familiar, as if he knew her, but he could not place her. She pulled a purple curtain to one side and pulled out a cushioned locker that she dropped Chris’ bag into.

She then walked towards him and reached for the laptop bag across his shoulder. 

“No, I’ll be keeping this one,” Chris said, staring into her warm eyes and looking at her sensuous lips that held a hint of naughtiness at the sides. “You look familiar. Have we met before?” 

Rose laughed softly and put her head to one side as she regarded Chris Bawa. 

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment, at least,” she said warmly, and this time the pleasure was evident on her face. “The last time I saw you was ten years ago. I was fourteen and trying to kiss you, and you told me to wait until I was eighteen, and you’ll marry me then if I still wanted to. Apparently, my nakedness scared you then. But trust me, CB, I was not a virgin then.”

They were standing near Steve and Effe who were looking at the two of them. Effe saw how the coldness left Chris’ face and was replaced by a look of  surprise as he stared at Rose. 

“Goodness!” Chris said, surprised. “Rose Adams?”

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