Entranced 18+

Eleven

For the first time in the seven years she'd worked here, Ijeoma took a five minute shower, scrubbing as hard as she could but not as much as she'd like. There was no time, she had to catch Madam Ini before the woman left for the door. She promised herself a long soak in her tub later and that was enough to get her to calm down for the moment. She tugged on her street clothes and put on her usual perfume, not the one she used when working.

Kola, head of Madam Ini's security was standing outside her door, meaning she was getting ready to leave. She didn't bother greeting the grouch of a man because he'd never answered her greetings before. Infact, she couldn't remember him speaking to her before, except the first day she came here when he'd stopped her at the door. Then he'd been a mere bouncer but had outlasted most of the guards and was now the top guy.

She strode past him, her heels tapping obnoxiously on the tiles but Ijeoma didn't care. She was furious and needed to understand why Madam Ini was doing her dirty. The least the woman should have done was inform her about Mr. Ejiofor and allowed her to decide for herself if she wanted to take him as a client. This was usually the case for her other clients, if there was something to know, Madam Ini informed her before hand. Amongst all the clients she'd taken on, this was the one that needed the most prior warning. Or was Madam Ini playing her own game?

"Hey you! Stop there!" Kola gripped her wrist, tugging her back. "She dey for meeting. Come tomorrow."

"This is important!" She whipped her hand out of his hold. "Tell her I need to see her today. I can wait till the meeting is done."

"You want make I disturb her meeting because of your small matter? Be like you dey craze."

"Go in and tell her, or I'll go in myself." This whole situation was getting her more furious. Usually she had a gold hold on her temper, preferring to be calm and levelheaded. But Mr. Ejiofor had proven so many times that he had her anger button, add that to the game she was sure Madam Ini was playing on her, she was close to exploding.

"Comot for here before I throw you comot."

"I have to see her today."

"Na deaf you deaf?"

"Just pretend you can't see m—" she was rudely interrupted by the man throwing up a hand, halting her. He tapped his ear and it was then she noticed the ear piece most of the security people wore. Ijeoma had always thought they were for fancy, this was the first time she was seeing any of them use it.

"Yes madam." He paused, listening to whoever was on the other end; probably Madam Ini. "Na one smallie o." He eyed her. "Wetin be your name?"

"Delilah," she replied.

"Okay ma." He tapped the ear piece and she noted the faint blue light she saw on it was gone. "Wait five minutes."

"I'll wait here."

"O girl, go downstairs."

"By the time I walk down and then back up, it would be ten minutes. Just pretend I'm not here."

The burly man muttered something under his breath but didn't say anything. He pointedly stared at her for the entirety of the five minutes and an extra three minutes. Yes, she was counting. The door opened and she hurried towards it, but it was not Madam Ini leaving for the day. The man that has occupied her mind for the past seven years stood there, smiling at her; her unmasked face. If there was any doubt about her identity, the man now had confirmation.

She scowled at him, stepping to the side so he could walk past her.

"Have a lovely evening, Miss Delilah." He nodded at her, his grin impossibly bigger. Everything about this man was just impossible and ridiculous. He didn't wait for a reply, striding off.