GOLD MASK

CHAPTER 32

His hand was firm around my waist. It was a silent announcement to all the men who had started gawking at me group by group, that I was his. And that trying your luck wasn’t even an option. I smile. We reached a circle of socialites, and Mfihlo made a move to pull me towards them for an introduction, but I quickly removed myself and ran away from him. Once I was a good distance away, I yanked a glass of whiskey off the tray one of the waiters was expectedly carrying as he was past me. I held the glass to my lips, looking around and noting the guest—most of which looked much older then Mfihlo—they seemed a lot like the people I had seen at the club. In fact a handle of their faces looked really familiar.

‘’They are exactly the people you think they are.’’ I jumped at the unexpected voice. Mfiliseni then stood besides me, giving me another glass of whiskey. ‘’You are out,’’he stated, nodding towards my empty glass. I discarded it then welcomed the new drink with a smile, before looking onto the crowd once more.

‘’How are they here? I thought Mfihlo and Don don’t mix.’’
‘’That’s because they don’t. You see makoti, Mfihlo isn’t the social type, so naturally his business is sometimes sociable. Exhibit A,’’ he motioned to the space around us. “And he has a tight business circle, that’s why you are seeing the members of the club here. And you’ll continue seeing them at other events too.’’ He explained, the drawl in his tone becoming more prominent the more he spoke.

I frowned at the information, right around the same time my eyes met with the woman who was indulging in some Play the first time I came to the club. The one who was fucking with Giovanni in the cage.

Giovanni.

It’s been such a long time since the name has been heard by my ears. The last time I saw him was when he was being beaten all because of me. I wonder if hes still alive. If Don decided to let him go after torturing him. Or did he kill him? But I think it was futile of me to hold on to the hope of him possibly being alive. I saw another side of Don that night, the side I never wanna encounter ever again, and Gio making it out alive on that night, he really must’ve offered Don something big.

I scanned the room and my eyes found him. He was talking to an old white couple. His right hand was between the hands of the old woman, and Mfihlo was laughing—his head thrown back. I shivered, appalled by how innocent he seemed. How much of a saint he appeared to be. That woman didn’t know about the demons he had hidden away in his secret closet. A few unfortunate individuals knew about them. She didn’t know of the pain he has caused other human beings. Neither does she have any idea about the fact that the same hands that she had in hers, were covered in blood. But I shouldn’t be appalled by Mfihlo’s ability to seem like a lamb. I should be disgusted at the fact that I choose to stay loyal to the contract even after knowing the type of person he partially is.

‘’Stop thinking,’’ Mfiliseni’s voice boomed besides me, fishing me back from my wandering. “You were thinking too much. Don’t do that.’’
“Why not’’
“Just don’t. Spending too much time in your head is the reason why stress levels increase and all that mental health shit.’’ He took in a deep breath. “I’m going to find Silas. I need a smoke.’’ He patted my shoulder, then maneuvered past the people.

…..
The proceedings of the event were mildly boring, especially since Mfiliseni had disappeared since the time he went out for a smoke. Melamina was continuously being smoldered by the numerous elderly women, not that having her around would’ve helped anything since I wasn’t used to her. And Mfihlo was busy conversation with the entire hall, and the few times he was besides me, he refused to speak. I watched the people flood the dance floor as the orchestra played a reverbed version of Labrithn’s forever. Mfihlo appeared, holding out his hand towards me. With a smile, I took it, and allowed him to lead me to the dancefloor. His hand found home on the lower region of my back, and intertwined our fingers with the other.

“Hi.’’ He smiled. Making his eyebrows twirl as we started dancing, moving to the rhythm of the song.

“I honestly didn’t think I would get any time with you tonight. You are quite the social butterfly Mr. Mthombeni,’’ I smirked, lowering my voice so it sounded half seductive.

He chuckled, before giving me a soft twirl.

“Did my Pup miss me’’

I arched my left eyebrow. ‘’So I’m yours now’’

‘’You know what I mean,’’ he stated brushing me off, but I could miss the brief breaking of eye contact. Mfihlo never breaks eye contact.
‘’No, Sir. I don’t know what you mean. Enlighten me please,’’ I giggled, just as he gave me another spin. But by the time I was turned back to him, he pulled me in closer then before, and he had a strange look in his eyes.

Fear.

Mfihlo looked shit scared, and that was weird. It was the first time since we have known each other, that I saw him making a face like that. My smile instantly vanished and worried seeped in.

‘’The first time we met might’ve made you want to strangle me. But despite my disrespect that day, something in you had captured me. It wasn’t lust. And I couldn’t pinpoint it. When I saw you with Giovanni a week later, something steered inside me. And I realized that I was developing whatever feeling my father had when he decided to impregnate mom when she was 14. I didn’t wasn’t sure if they were what I thought they were, but I knew I had keep you close, to explore them. So I wouldn’t regret not doing anything later off—incase you were my only chance.’’ He took a deep breath, and allowed his eyes to bounce around the room, then back onto my face. I was just standing there. Internally perplexing, praying he wasn’t about to say what it sounded like he wanted to say.

He couldn’t. Could he?

“Forgive me if I am going around in circles, but I want to make it sound perfect and not half assed like Mfiliseni says I make everything else. Azania, I love you. And I have for a while now.’’

I suddenly became all the more uncomfortable, and my mouth dried up. He loved me. He couldn’t possibly love me. That wasn’t the agreement. He couldn’t love me.

“Pup,’’ he questioned softly.

Looking up at him my vision was blurry. I shook my head, wiggling myself out of his grip. Once I was free I ran as fast as my heels could allow me, zoning out the curious stares and the brief mention of my name. I poured out into the night. My eyes immediately found Silas, and I ran to the car.

‘’Take me home,’’ I told him. He looked at me. It was like he wanted to protest. Or perhaps to ask me what was wrong, as well as about the whereabouts of his boss. But he obviously decided against it because he slipped into the seat and set off into the night.
…

Getting home, I quickly took off my outfit the moment I closed my bedroom door, as if it was burning me. I rushed to my closet and retrieved a bottle of whiskey from the bottom shelf. I didn’t need a glass for this one. What I had heard was beyond me and I couldn’t digest his words sober-minded. My phone rang from my purse and I quickly dashed to switch it off without giving the caller a single glance.

I sat on my bathroom floor in just my underwear and taking a sip of the bitter brown liquor every few seconds. Why me? Why would he love me? I was a former prostitute, cold hearted and I couldn’t possibly be girlfriend material. He was confusing me, messing with my head, and I didn’t need a distraction like that in my life now. Him confessing his feelings for me basically meant that the contract was null and void and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see him again, not after what he told me tonight. The next encounter with him would be about his ‘strange feelings’ and I wasn’t ready for that conversation. I wasn’t ready for it at all.