Chapter 5 In Love

The past year had been wonderful.

Maria Goretti was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

I had to keep our relationship a secret for fear of our fathers. I couldn't bear to rope her into what she knew nothing of. I lied about wanting to keep a low profile to avoid the annoying press and she had believed me. Despite the secrecy, we were the perfect couple and we were happy.

We spent every Saturday evening at the planetarium where Maria's eyes would glow to the color of soft moss green as she spoke about astronomy and some other stuff he didn't understand. Her dream was to study astronomy in university and fly to space someday. My favorite part about their visit to the planetarium, was when she spoke about the theory of the multiverse; which postulated that every past and present of one's self exist in a different universe, for every choice you make an infinite number of yourself exist while you make that choice, so in this way, we get to live multiple lives.

I always liked to think that they were together in all the multiverse, that this thing I had with her wasn't just chance but destiny.

But I knew there would be consequences for my actions if I didn't do anything about it.

It had taken my father decades to build his underground network here in Anambra. At the peak of his powers, he contested for the governor and won with a landslide, journalists had called it the most one sided election in the nation's history. Using his political power, he had managed to take out every single one of his competitors, except for one. The Goretti's. They were a stubborn and proud clan. They thought of the Zorander's as insignificant. And everytime my father pushed them, they pushed back with the same force.

I had been quite happy making the small runs on the streets in my region. I had a loyal gang and the steady influx of cash was good for business but my father wanted more. He wanted all of it.

I was supposed to obtain information from the weakest link in the Goretti family which would cripple their network, but after getting what I wanted, I couldn't let Maria Goretti go.

I was being selfish but I had no other option. I had fallen in love with her.

It had taken me three months to get Maria to agree to go on a date with me. I could tell she was attracted to me but for obvious reasons, she was reluctant to act in her feelings.

We were both seated on the couch in my living room watching one of her favorite movies, fifty shades of grey. She was saying something and pointing to the screen animatedly but my eyes were fixed on her, everything else faded out into the background. I took a large drag off my joint and smiled. She noticed me on the exhale and stopped talking the second our eyes met.

"You didn't listen to a word I said, right?" She finally said after a long pause. Her eyes narrowed in feigned annoyance.

"I was distracted, Maria." I said, my eyes traveling down her body slowly.

"Was it a girl?" I could hear the laughter in her voice. "Did she break your heart?"

"I don't know." I whisper. "But, I don't think it's broken yet."

Her face looked flushed and I know she wanted this the same way I did.

"What are you doing to me, Zimife?" Her voice was decadent. Smooth. It traveled straight to my toes.

"Nothing you haven't already imagined at night."

With one gentle tug, I pulled her towards me as she straddled me. My body automatically responds to hers. I could feel the warmth of her breathe on my face. Her lips hovered just mere inches above me.

"I want to make you feel good, Maria." My fingers found the hem of her shift, inching it up over her stomach.

"Oh Jesus." She whispered, making me growl at the back of my throat. I crashed my lips against hers, my fingers brushed the underneath of her bra touching her nipple through the fabric. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me towards her.

As soon as I tugged her shirt over her head, a shrill sound ripped through the air. We both stiffen when we realize it's her phone.

She dropped her forehead against my shoulder. "Dammit."

I managed a laugh as I removed my hand from her shirt. She scrambled away from me to take the call.

"I know it's late." She said after a brief pause, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I'll be home in the next one hour." She ended the call and turned to face me.

"Daddy troubles?" I asked, sinking deeper into the couch.

"He doesn't like me staying out late." She replied with a sigh.

"Isn't your house just fifteen minutes away?" I asked again, a puzzled look on my face.

"That leaves us with enough time to continue from where we stopped." She said with a smile on her face as she undid the buttons on her Jean trousers.

That was all the invitation I needed.