Four One Nine✔️

419

Dave rubbed his fingers against his forehead and sighed. He glanced at his watch for what felt like the thousandth time and he let out a low hiss. He couldn't believe that his supposed 'Business manager' was almost an hour late. He tore his gaze from his watch and stared back at the bottle of alcohol that has been sitting in his front for over thirty minutes. The drink had definitely lost its chill but Dave didn't care. He wasn't here to drink, he was here for business but he couldn't fathom why he was asked to be met in a club.

Dave cringed as the loud music hit his ears with a new found force. He grunted. A few months back, Dave would have found himself at the centre of the dance floor, dancing with models and drinking booze, not sitting at the bar, waiting for a Business manager.

Dave Akinloye. A smile almost crept up his face as he remembered what his name stood for months ago. He was a prince. The only living son of the Oba of Adogan. He was an eligible bachelor who had the royal blue blood running all the way through his veins. But his father didn't condone his irresponsible actions, so, after years of trying to help him cover up his messes, his father cut him out. The only thing that irked Dave more than the fact that his father cut him out was that none of his supposed friends tried to help him. He was now tagged as the broke playboy. But Dave wasn't going to resign to that fate, he was going to start his own business. To him, the Nigerian monarchy had lost its influence, so, he was going to build his own empire from scratch. And he would have felt closer to his dream had his Business manager been here.

He glanced at his watch again and rolled his eyes.

*  *  *

A sigh escaped Ulu's lips as she stepped out from the cold night and stepped into the even colder club. She stared daggers at the AC when she sighted it on the wall. She checked the time on her phone and hoped desperately that her client was still waiting for her. Then she spotted him. A handsome young man sitting at the bar, staring at a bottle of beer - Dave Akinloye. Ulu shrugged. She had always preferred vodka. She muttered a quick prayer of thanks to God for making the prince wait for her. Ulu pulled out a pair of glasses from her purse. She roughened her hair a little, and in spite of the cold that bit into skin, she let her fur coat go down a little farther below her shoulders. She added gloss to her lips and pulled out her business card.

Amanda Kuti. That was the identity she was going to wear tonight. She was going to bury down Ulu Aduba and wear the face of Amanda Kuti. She pulled out a mirror and though the dim lighting of the club didn't allow her to see her reflection very well, she was sure that she looked wonderful. She wound her way through the warm bodies in the club until she reached the bar.

"Your highness," Ulu called out on reaching the bar. The young man looked at her. "I'm Amanda Kuti. I work with Hassan Enterprise." She stretched forth her hand and wore the brightest smile she could muster.

The man shrugged and turned back to the bottle of beer. "You're late."

"Look, I am so sorry. The traffic was terrible. You know how long the hold-ups of Lagos can be." She sat on a stool beside the prince. She snapped her finger. The bartender was there to take her order in a flash, eyes dropping only momentarily to her low-cut neckline. "I'll have a shot of vodka and he will have a glass of champagne."

"I already have a drink in front of me," Dave said.

Ulu smiled. She remembered clearly when she read his file that Dave liked champagne. "Well, I already ordered. There's nothing we can do about it."

"Why are we meeting here?" Dave raised his eyebrows.

"I decided to pick a place where we can be free to discuss our business together." She smiled.