Unhinged by his White Heat (Unhinged Erotic Romance Series, Book 1)

Chapter 2

"This is becoming almost common-place... young girls having sex, getting pregnant—" Adaeze said, expert eyes scanning the tray and mentally counting the middle-sized, transparent plastic containers sitting on the kitchen counter in front of her.

"... Having abortions..." Kema added. She was in her elder sister's kitchen, waiting to have what promised to be another delicious lunch, courtesy of her sister. Adaeze was the best cook in the world, even better than her best friend, Wumi. If she could have breakfast, lunch and dinner here every day, she would... but that would be too much. She had her own flat, her very own place... where she cooked the same three meals of beans porridge, Jollof rice, and Okra soup nearly every week. That was as far as her expertise went.

Adaeze ladled a mixture of brown beans flour, spices, crayfish and groundnut oil into each of the containers, managing not to spill any on the counter.

Without looking up, she asked, "And no-one knows who impregnated Rachel?"

Kema shook her head. "No-one knows... except Nike, but she's not telling."

"After she let her friend die."

"She did not let her friend—"

"Yes, whatever. But the girl's still dead." Adaeze moved on to inserting bite-sized bits of cooked kidney, liver and a boiled egg each into each container. She was making moi-moi, a dish Kema loved but was absolutely terrible at preparing.

Kema watched her sister's fluid and practiced movements. This was typical Adaeze. She was the archetypal first-daughter. Great at everything. A thirty-four year old mother of two children and pharmacist who happened to always find time—and energy—to clean their house and cook for her family... despite the fact that her husband was home only two weeks in a month.

But the four year age gap between them notwithstanding, Adaeze was not just her sister. She was also her friend.

Kema wriggled about on the hard chair, remembering her meeting with... him. She hadn't mentioned him yet and she had to find a way to bring it up without tipping Adaeze off about the effect he'd had on her. Adaeze was canny about such things.

Adaeze cleared her throat, keeping her gaze on her task. "I... er... spoke to Dan yesterday. He called."

Kema's spine stiffened. Dan, Mr. Bossy Older-Than-Every-Child-In-The-Family Brother.

"What did he want?"

"Kema...," Adaeze chided.

"I know he called to complain about something else I've done. He didn't call me."

"Because you two will just end up screaming at each other."

"It's gotten worse after my break-up with Ikenna... like it's my fault... Ikenna left me!"

Adaeze heard the pain in her sister's voice. She sighed, her busy hands paused. Then, in a milder tone, she pointed out, "It's been almost a year..."

Kema bit her lip. Ten months and three weeks precisely that the love of her life walked out on her and into...well, wherever he is now... taking her heart with him. And now she was having trouble understanding why the sight of this oyibo man, Oliver was lighting fireworks within her.

Oliver...

Adaeze was saying, "Dan only wanted to know how you're doing. You're his baby sister. He asked about your work at Storm Tech. I told him you're on vacation—though I didn't mention you were asking questions about the death of a student at your former school."

"Yes... thanks." Tapping a meaningless tune with her fingers on the table, while keeping her gaze focused on the plastic containers as they journeyed into the steamer, she continued, "I met someone from a security firm that Nike's uncle owns. I think his name was... Oliver?"