LOVE AND BULLET
PART 4
The air in Obinna’s study was thick with tension—heavy like the Lagos humidity before a storm.
Ava’s wrists ached from the silk scarves binding her to the chair, the fabric deceptively soft but unyielding. Obinna stood before her, his shadow stretching long across the polished mahogany floors. The scent of his cologne—something expensive, something dangerous—mixed with the faint aroma of aged whiskey from the glass he swirled absently in one hand.
“You’re not very good at this, detective.”
The word hit her like a slap.
Ava’s breath caught, but she forced her face to remain blank. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Obinna laughed—a deep, rich sound that sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine. “Your lies are getting boring.” He set the glass down with a quiet clink and circled her like a predator sizing up its prey. “Let’s try this again. Who sent you?”
Ava clenched her jaw. “Go to hell.”
He stopped behind her, his breath warm against her ear. “Already there, sweetheart.”
Then—
His fingers brushed the nape of her neck, tracing the delicate chain of the necklace she wore. Ava stiffened.
“This is nice,” he murmured, his thumb grazing her skin. “Too nice for a runaway socialite.”
Before she could react, he yanked the chain—hard. The clasp broke, and the pendant clattered onto the desk.
Ava’s blood ran cold.
The tracker.
Obinna picked it up, examining the tiny device hidden inside the locket. His expression darkened. “NDLEA? Or are you working for someone else?”
Ava’s mind raced. If they knew she was compromised, her team would be moving in. But if they didn’t…
She was on her own.
Obinna sighed and pocketed the tracker. “No matter. They won’t find you here.” He leaned down, bracing his hands on the arms of her chair, caging her in. “But since you’re so determined to play spy…”
His lips curled into a smirk. “Let’s play.”
The Rules of the Game:
1. No lies. Every time she hesitated or refused to answer, he removed a piece of her jewelry—each one hiding another tool or weapon.
2. No mercy. For every truth she gave, he would share one of his own.
3. No escape. The doors were locked. The windows bulletproof. The only way out was through him.
Ava’s earrings went first—tiny listening devices. Then her bracelet—a lockpick sewn into the lining.
By the time he reached for the hidden blade strapped to her thigh, her dress was slit open to her hip, his fingers trailing far too close to bare skin.
“You’re enjoying this,” she hissed.
Obinna paused, his gaze flicking up to hers. “Aren’t you?”
Ava hated the way her pulse jumped.
The Truths Unfold:
She admitted she was NDLEA.
He admitted he’d known for days.
She confessed she was sent to dismantle his empire.
He revealed he’d let her get close.
“Why?” Ava demanded.
Obinna leaned in, his lips a breath from hers. “Maybe I wanted to see how far you’d go.”
Then the power went out.
TO BE CONTINUED...