Chapter Twenty one

TWENTY ONE

MCEDISI

Nkanyezi walks into my office, stares at me for a while, and then summons the courage to ask, "Bafo, I'm not crazy. You used yourself as a human shield and prevented Thulani and me from getting shot."

I stare at him blankly. "Hai bafo, this isn't a Marvel movie. This is real life, and the rank is going crazy with theories. Some even say you're a zombie," he says, and I heave a sigh.

"You know ukuthi ngithele nje," I say, irritated. I have no desire to explain. Right now, all I want is to get whoever is behind the attack. I want their bloody head on a platter.

"I know uthwele, but that doesn't explain the bullets passing through you," he says.

"Talk to me. I know Masola..." I interject.

"Nkanyezi! You know nothing, okay? I had to do dark, sick, and twisted things to keep this family alive. That's my cross to bear. Now, tell me what our people found out about this attack and stop asking me stupid questions. Be grateful you get to go home to Nonka," I say.

He nods. "Thulani and Lindo caught the hitmen hired for the assault."

"Go on," I urge, pouring us a drink.

"After torturing them for hours, they confessed. They were sent by Troy Ramokala," he says.

I heave a sigh. "Does the name ring a bell?" he asks.

I nod. "He's Onezwa's boyfriend. We had a confrontation prior to the shooting, but I didn't think he was involved. I guess I underestimated him."

"He's a fool with money, hiding behind his rich brother in Botswana," Nkanyezi says.

I nod. "Leave him to me. I'll deal with him myself. This is personal."

Nkanyezi leaves my office to attend a meeting at the rank and to contribute to the families who've lost loved ones.

With the information Nkanyezi provided, I dial Troy's number, but he rejects the call. I send him a message:

"RUN, BECAUSE I'M COMING FOR YOU. I'M GOING TO SQUEEZE YOUR NECK WHILE LOOKING AT YOU DEAD IN THE EYES UNTIL YOUR LAST BREATH."

TROY

I feel like crap. I don't know why I allowed Phil to get under my skin like that. When I saw him standing comfortably close to my fiancée, all I saw was red. Phil and I were once business partners; I supplied him with a list of potential property owners, while he gave me a small fee. His business started booming because of me, and when I suggested we merge our businesses, he told me about his dying wife, and we subsequently drifted apart, cutting all ties.

I'm still a major player in the construction industry, but I still want my hands in real estate and property development. However, Phil remains a thorn in my way.

I walk into the bedroom and find her looking at herself in the full-length mirror. "Motho wame," I say, hugging her from behind, and she smiles.

"Do I look okay?" she asks, looking at me through the mirror, and I take her hand before spinning her around.

"You look like a million bucks," I say, and she smiles.

"I'm so sorry if I scared you last night. Phil and I have a competitive history, and the thought of him knowing you in that way really made my skin crawl."

"I understand," she says, and I peck her forehead.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you," she replies. "So, where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," I say, taking her hand and leading the way.

We arrive at Pilanesburg Nature Reserve in Sandton. I've already planned a romantic setup for two, and judging by the twinkle in her eye, she's pleasantly surprised.

"Do you like it?"

She nods, and I wipe a lone tear from her cheek.

"This is beautiful," she says, smiling.

"You are beautiful," I say, pulling a chair for her to sit.

"I wanted to do something romantic and special for you. I know it's every girl's dream to have a romantic proposal," I say, getting on my knees.

"Marry me?" I ask, and she giggles, showing me her left hand.

"You're too late, Mr.; I'm already engaged," she laughs, and I chuckle.

"Who's that lucky man?"

"His name is Troy," she says, giggling, and I get up, smashing my lips into hers.

Our precious moment is interrupted by my phone ringing. I reject the call, but a few moments later, a text message comes through, and my blood runs cold after opening it.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah...uhm...we need to get going," I say.

"What? Why? We just got here," she says, frowning.

"Damnit, Onezwa, stop questioning me and get up now!" I roar, and she flinches before getting up abruptly.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you; we just need to get going," I say softly, and she nods.

We rush out of the reserve while making calls.

ONEZWA

Troy is driving like a maniac right now. I don't understand what's happening. One minute he's declaring his love for me in the most romantic setup I've ever seen, and the next, he's in a state of panic.

I'm scared to ask what's happening. "Fuck!" he shouts, banging against the steering wheel. He's on the phone, and the fact that we're stuck in traffic isn't helping.

"We need to change cars," he says, looking at me. I'm confused.

Only when he opens the door do I realize he's serious. He rushes to my side, helps me out, and has me running between cars on a busy road. The honking is deafening, and my shoes aren't helping.

By the time we reach the other side, I'm sweating profusely.

"Troy," I call out, unable to run anymore. "I'm a big girl, nkasi yam. I wasn't built for this."

He stops and stares at me. "What's wrong... why are we running?" I ask, out of breath.

"I'm sorry; we just need to get to that black Jeep over there. I'll explain later," he says, proceeding with his long strides while I practically run behind him.

We finally reach the car and get in the back.

"Your brother organized someone to help you cross the border," the driver says. I frown.

"Border? Troy?" I ask, confused.

"Our lives are in danger. I pissed off some really bad people, and now they're after me," he says, kissing the back of my hand.

"You can drop me off at the next robot, sir," I say to the driver. "I did nothing to nobody. I'm not going on the run for something I didn't do. Please, I lived five years of my life looking over my shoulder. I'm not about to go back to that life."

Troy heaves a sigh.

"We just got engaged. You're mine now, and you go wherever I go. Don't you see that those people will hurt you to get to me?"

"Who are those people?" I ask.

"The less you know, the better," he says, pulling me to lay on his chest.

I can't believe this. My life is really a mess. I wish Mcedisi were still alive, but this man I call my fiancé has killed him, and now I'm caught in his mess.