A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 39

Nkosikhona

It wasn't until after the haze of celebration had worn off that I realized-damn, I hadn't texted or called Thelani since our late dinner. I raked my hands through my hair in frustration. *Flip... I messed this one up.* I could practically feel her disappointment from a distance, and it gnawed at me.

But I had to fix things. Thelani deserved better than my silence. First, though, I needed to sort things out with Bra Mos. Once that was taken care of, I could fully focus on her. I owed her that much.

I grabbed the keys to Thabo's car and drove out to meet him. Bra Mos had suggested we meet at his secret location, some abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. The whole thing had me on edge-meeting this guy without backup never sat well with me. The man didn't play by any rules but his own, and that made him dangerous.

When I arrived, one of his guards escorted me inside. The place was as cold and dark as his reputation-silent except for the occasional hum of electricity coursing through broken-down machinery.

"Bra Mos..." I greeted him cautiously, standing in front of him like a soldier awaiting orders.

He barely looked up from his chair, his eyes cold and disinterested. "Sho, I hope you're not here to waste my time," he said, his voice low but sharp as a blade.

"No, Bra Mos. I'm here to give you your payment."

"I said 500k, not 100k. I hope you heard me right," he said with a glare.

I took a deep breath, holding up the duffel bag. "Sho, Bra Mos, here's your package-700k. I added 200k to show you I'm grateful. I hope that settles it. Me and you are done." I placed the bag in front of him and stepped back, watching his reaction carefully.

He raised an eyebrow, his face shifting from surprise to something else I couldn't quite place. "700k?" he muttered, looking at the bag in disbelief. He ran his hands over the zipper, pausing for a moment as if debating whether to open it. "How did you manage to get that in just five days?"

I forced a smirk, trying to keep my composure. "That's for me to know. Don't worry about it."

Bra Mos leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes at me. "Fede, my boy. But you don't get to tell me when to end our business. I'm not done with you yet. But for now, you're free to go."

My blood ran cold. *What the hell does he mean he's not done with me?* I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do you mean, Bra Mos?"

He shot me a menacing glare. "I said go! You don't get to question me."

Before I could respond, one of his guards stepped forward and shoved me towards the exit. I barely kept my balance, my pulse hammering in my ears.

As I left the warehouse, anger and frustration churned inside me. *This guy still thinks he owns me. Thabo was right... Flip.*

I climbed back into the car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. But you know what? I didn't have time to deal with this right now. I could just focus on Thelani. I'd cross that bridge with Bra Mos when I got there.

I pulled out my phone, my hands still shaking slightly from the adrenaline, and sent her a text. *Can I see you?* I stared at the screen, waiting for a response, but nothing came. Silence. She was ignoring me.

Frustrated, I hit the gas and drove straight to her place. *I need to make this right.* She was all I could think about, her smile, her laugh-damn, even the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn't paying attention. I knew I'd hurt her by ghosting after dinner. I could feel the weight of that mistake like a stone in my chest. I had to explain, had to apologize.