Bound to Favor

by Kiru Taye

  A woman in a blue and yellow print blouse sat at a table for four with three men. Her head turned away from him as she spoke to the man seated next to her. Her loose brunette hair had golden streaks cascading just beyond her shoulders.

  He frowned. Was that his assistant?

  Ebun—Ms. Forson—always had her hair coiffed in a bun or some other style that kept the strands off her shoulders so he couldn’t be sure. But, hadn’t she been wearing the same Ankara blouse as this woman at work today?

  Ebun wouldn’t sit at a table with those people, three white men who looked at her as if she was an enticing entree on the menu.

  He had been raised in a family with strong, traditional beliefs. Although he embraced the modern world with its innovations and technology, his core beliefs still remained.

  He’d heard stories about oyibo men and some Lagos girls. But those were ‘runs’ girls, fast women who were only interested in the men for the dollars they could get out of them.

  Ebun had a good job. She was paid better than the average Nigerian. She didn’t need to sleep with a white man for money.

  “It’s this way,” Henry's voice drew Kamali’s attention.

  His cousin led the way to a short staircase with his friend a step or two behind.

  Kamali started to follow them. Prickling sensation on his neck made him glance in the direction of the woman once more.

  Jahannama! He stopped mid-stride, body jerking.

  Ebun had been the one sitting with those men! Frown lines marred her cinnamon-hued skin as she sashayed towards him. Why had she been with those men? Did one of them upset her?

  She paused, glanced at the far end of the restaurant and then in his direction.

  Eyes widened, she froze to the spot like a rabbit caught in headlights. Her throat bobbed a few times. She seemed confused and uncertain.

  At work, she always appeared composed, organised and efficient. He hadn’t seen her unguarded before.

  Without any conscious thought to do so, Kamali’s legs carried him towards Ebun while his companions climbed the steps leading to the mezzanine.

  “Good evening, Sir,” she greeted in a halting tone. Her navy pencil skirt hugged her rounded hip, emphasising her figure-eight shape. The stilettos made her appear taller than her five feet five.

  Her fingers patted her collar bone, drawing his attention to the smooth neck column.

  For a few seconds, no one existed as he imagined tracing his finger tip over her clavicle. Her perfume was luxurious and captivating, a blend of orange blossoms and ylang ylang.

  “Evening, Ms. Forson. Is everything okay?” He glanced at the table she vacated. The raven-haired man in the group glared at Kamali.

  She blinked rapidly and fidgeted with her purse. “Yes ...Yes.”

  He stiffened. She’d just lied to him. What was she hiding?

  He shouldn’t care. It shouldn’t be his business what she got up to afterhours and outside of work.

  Still, she remained his executive assistant, and he was CEO of a multinational. If she was involved in something unscrupulous, then his reputation stood on the line. So many different factors could affect their share price. Not to mention business opportunities. Her employment contract expressly forbade any action that would bring the company into disrepute.

  “Come and meet my cousin.” Without waiting for her response, he placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her towards the staircase, as if she was his escort, his woman.

  She didn’t argue or try to pull away. Her heat seared his palm. He became aware of the strong beats of his heart and the whoosh of blood in his ears.

  He’d been too long without a woman. Otherwise, why did he become almost overwhelmed with desire whenever his assistant was close?

  Like now, the way her plump buttocks rolled and jiggled in the tight skirt as she climbed the steps ahead of him shot heat straight to his groin. Thankfully, he was attending a party not a board meeting, or he’d have trouble concentrating.

  Henry and Ike waited for him at the landing.

  “We wondered what kept you,” Ike said, beaming a smile at them.

  “I don’t think you’ve met Ms. Forson, my assistant.” Kamali introduced her. “This is Ike Thomas, and that is my cousin Henry Coker.”

  “Good evening,” she greeted in the formal tone she would use during business hours. The exec assistant had returned.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Ike shook her hand.

  “It’s nice to put a face to a name,” Henry said. “I hope you’re joining us for the party.”

  “Party? I don’t want to intrude,” she said.

  “It’s no intrusion. It’s just a small, last minute do, and you’re certainly welcome,” Henry reassured.

  She glanced up at Kamali, eyebrows squished together as if seeking his permission.

  “I’d like you to join us unless you have to get back to your friends,” he said in the way of encouragement. He didn’t want her going back to her friends.

  He was a private man and kept professional interactions separate from his personal life. He’d never introduced his assistant to members of his family except those who had dealings with the business.

  However, she’d met his daughter, only because Fari had spent a week at the business headquarters for a school-related project.

  So inviting Ebun to a private function by a member of his family was an oddity. He could justify this move as Ebun would have to meet Henry and Ike eventually since their firms would be working closely in future. This was as good a time as any other.

  She cleared her throat. “Thanks. I’d love to accept the party invitation.”

  “Great.” He waved for her to follow Ike and Henry who were let in by the hefty, uniformed doorman into the VIP Lounge.

  A blanket of spotlights hanging from the ceiling like stars at night gave the space an intimate and magical atmosphere. Low jazz music played from hidden speakers. People chatted in small groups. There seemed to be about forty people in here, both men and women. Quite a good number for a last minute event.

  “This looks nice,” Ebun said and glanced at Kamali.

  “Yes, it does,” Kamali replied, and when he saw he gaze flick to the entrance, he added. “Are you worried about your friends?”

  “No.” She shrugged. Her full lips compressed like the bud of a dark rose.

  He didn’t buy her blasé response. Something was off with her. The woman who worked for him was usually confident about her work. He’d never seen her as anxious as she’d appeared in the restaurant.

  “They won’t be allowed in here without an invitation,” he said, wanting her to tell him what was going on. In the years she worked for him, she’d never discussed a boyfriend or partner. Not that they discussed such matters anyway.

  His effectiveness as a CEO mostly depended on her efficiency. He didn’t want that jeopardised. And a part of him wanted to protect her if she was in trouble of any kind.

  “I know.” She turned away from him.

  A woman broke away from a group as soon as she saw them and approached, beaming a smile. She was light-skinned, mixed race, and wore a maxi bead-embellished emerald dress that flowed over her slender body.

  “Henry.” The woman hugged Kamali’s cousin and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth.

  Henry wrapped his arm around the lady’s back in a possessive gesture and steered her around. “Princess, I’d like you to meet my cousin. Kamali, this is Gloria, my fiancée.”

  Her lips curled into a welcoming smile as she stepped forward. “It’s so good to meet another of Henry’s family.”

  “It’s good to meet you too,” Kamali said as he took her hand and placed a kiss on her cheek.

  Gloria was stunning and dressed in the embroidered maxi dress, she looked like a princess. He could see why his cousin had fallen for her. But he couldn’t shake the unease in his gut. He just couldn’t understand how Henry could’ve forgiven her betrayal.

  Then again as he
watched her look up at Henry, the adoration in her expression was obvious. Gloria loved Henry. He could see that in the way she held onto his cousin’s hand even as she turned back to Kamali.

  “This must be your date,” Gloria said as she extended her free hand to Ebun.

  “Ms. Forson is my assistant,” Kamali corrected. He didn’t want anyone thinking their relationship was more than professional.

  “Oh, it’s nice to meet you,” Gloria said.

  “Same here,” his assistant replied as they shook hands. “Please call me Ebun.”

  “That’s a beautiful name,” Gloria said. “Please come, let me introduce you to the other guests. Let’s leave the men to discuss business and sports like they always do.”

  “Hey. It is my engagement party also,” Henry teased and chuckled.

  “And I’ll be right here for you when you’re ready for me.” She winked at him, swivelled and indicated with a wave of her hand for Ebun to follow.

  Ebun’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

  “Yes, later.” Kamali watched as she walked off, her hips swaying seductively.

  Something fluttered in his chest. Had it been so long since he had the softness of a woman underneath him?

  He was caught off guard as his craving for Ebun engulfed him like a tsunami, threatening to sweep away his control.

  He’d sworn never to fall for another woman. Never to get married again. Not after Toyin, his late wife.

  Although he’d been attracted to Ebun from the first day he’d met her, he hadn't touched her.

  He was a man for whom casual flings would never be enough.

  Of course, he was a full-functioning hot-blooded male. Sometimes he needed someone to take the edge off. To slake his lust.

  Anything else was beyond him. He could never trust a woman again.

  “The drinks are this way,” an unrecognised male voice said, pulling Kamali from his thoughts.

  Kamali turned to three new arrivals. Two men and a woman.

  “Joshua, Christy, it’s great to see you,” Henry said as he hugged the couple.

  “Congratulations, again,” Christy said.

  “I’m so glad things worked out for you and Gloria,” Joshua said.

  “Thank you,” Henry replied. “You know Ike. And this is my cousin, Kamali.”

  Kamali exchanged pleasantries with the couple. The other man just stood by Ike and didn’t approach Kamali like the couple did.

  “Where is Gloria?” Christy asked.

  “She’s mingling with our guests,” Henry replied, pointing in the general direction that his fiancée had disappeared.

  “Okay. I’ll go find her.” Christy gave her husband a peck on the cheek and wandered off.

  Henry tugged the arm of the man who had been chatting with Ike. “James, have you met Kamali?”

  At the mention of the name, Kamali stared at the man again. He was slightly smaller than Henry in height and build, but the skin tone was the same as well as the strong nose and dark eyes. This had to be Henry’s brother. The one that had caused much uproar in the Danladi clan even before he’d been born.

  “No.” The man didn’t come any closer. His chin was lifted, and his brows lowered in a wary expression.

  Kamali could understand his mistrust. He empathised with the man. He made the first move, keeping a genuine smile on his face.

  “Hi, James.” He thrust his hand out. “It’s great to finally meet you.”

  “Erm ... Nice to meet you too, Kamali.” James shook his hand.

  Kamali placed his free hand on James’s shoulder. “I said to Henry earlier that the two of you can count on my support for anything in future.”

  “Really?” James looked at Henry as if for confirmation.

  His brother’s smile widened, and he nodded.

  “Yes. You are both my cousins.” Kamali met James’s gaze and held it so the younger man would understand the depth of his sincerity.

  “Thank you so much.” James offered what looked like a genuine smile and his shoulder loosened. “I was going to get a drink. Would you like some?”

  “Yes, I’d like a brandy. But I’ll come with you to get it,” Kamali said, wanting to use the opportunity to get to know the man better. He saw James as his relative even if his heritage had been disputed.

  They strode side-by-side to the free bar and ordered. Music played low in the background to allow conversations which most people did.

  “So you are coming on board for the Gabon project?” James asked as he leaned his back against the counter.

  Kamali mirrored him, facing the partygoers with his drink in hand. “Yes. It’s an exciting opportunity. You work with Henry. Am I correct?”

  James took a sip of his vodka before nodding.

  Some women on low sofas in the corner chatted and giggled loudly drawing their attention.

  Ebun sat amongst them. She seemed to be enjoying herself, gesticulating while talking and laughing at something someone said. She had guileless, animated energy that called to him.

  Pulse rate quickening, he leaned an elbow on the bar and watched her.

  Her face lit up when she laughed, and although he wasn’t close enough to see, he knew her eyes would sparkle like champagne.

  “Hi, James.” Gloria came up and gave James a tight hug and two kisses on both cheeks.

  “Hi, sweetie,” James replied. “You look gorgeous in this dress.”

  “Thank you.” Gloria laughed and did a twirl.

  “What about me?” The hickory-hued young woman who had been standing next to Gloria teased. She was runway-model slim in a short, black, sleeveless dress and dark tresses that reached her waist.

  “You look gorgeous too,” James answered. “Kamali, this is Ify Thomas. She is Ike’s sister.”

  Kamali would concur. The girl was pretty, but she was too skinny and too young for his taste. She preferred his woman with soft curves in all the right places and not looking like they’d just left their teen years behind.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Kamali greeted.

  “Same here,” Ify replied before turning her attention back to James and the two of them chatted.

  Kamali’s gaze wandered to the corner where Ebun sat. She had soft curves in all the right places, and she was only a few years younger than him. His ideal woman, on paper.

  His mouth dried out. What was he doing to himself?

  He turned to pick up the glass of brandy the barman had left him and found Gloria glancing in the same direction he’d been looking.

  “I think there’s going to be another engagement party very soon.” She smiled coyly.

  Kamali’s face heated. Was she referring to him? Had she seen him staring at Ebun?

  “Is someone else getting engaged? James?” He nodded his head in the direction of where James stood talking to Ify. They looked very friendly.

  “No. I’m not talking about James and Ify,” Gloria replied, still smiling as if she knew something he didn’t. “I’m talking about you and that assistant of yours.”

  Kamali stiffened. Had he been obvious? “No. There’s nothing going on between us.”

  “But you want there to be. Trust me. I’ve been there. Wanting someone and denying it to myself because I didn’t think I could commit all of myself to him. I had to lose everything for me to see things as they were and to accept the way I felt about him.”

  She shook her head slowly in a sign of regret. “Seriously, don’t be like me. Don’t waste ten years chasing shadows when the light is right in front of you behind the one door you don’t want to open. Open the door and take a step in faith.”

  She didn’t wait for him to respond before she swivelled and walked off in a flurry of fabric.

  What could he have said anyway?

  He had opened that door before. He had trusted and taken a leap of faith only to get shattered onto the rocks in a thousand pieces. He had never been himself since. He would never be the same again.
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  Chapter Four

  Ebun was having fun. More fun than she’d thought she’d have tonight after the debacle with Jonah in the restaurant.

  On any given Friday night she wouldn’t attend this kind of event. Certainly not with the class of people in this gathering.

  She hadn’t thought they would accept her into their midst even though the only thing she had in common with the people in the group was Kamali. She didn’t know anyone else here before tonight.

  She sat in a group that included Ada, Lara, Christy, and Ify who were all surprisingly pleasant.

  “I can’t believe I’m stuck at an engagement party full of married men,” Ada said in a jokey voice.

  “Tell me about me about it,” Ify said as the other ladies laughed.

  “I thought you were with James,” Ebun commented. “The two of you looked cosy earlier.”

  “James is sooo frustrating.” Ify rolled her eyes heavenward. “He treats me like I’m his sister half the time.”

  Gloria chose that moment to join them. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re complaining about how you invited us to a party with no single men,” Ada said with a smile.

  Gloria chuckled. “That’s not true. There are plenty of single men. The Nwobodo twins just arrived. They’re single.” She tilted her head in the direction of two gorgeous men in matching outfits. The only difference between them was that one had dreadlocks while the other didn’t.

  Ify gasped. “You invited them? They are the hottest things in town right now.”

  “They are,” Gloria continued, sounding amused. “And of course there are James and Kamali who are also single.”

  “Kamali has this whole dark, brooding thing going on that is so damn sexy. I think I’m going to have a chat with him,” Ada said as she shuffled to get off the low, padded, leather chair.

  “Don’t you dare. He’s mine.” Ebun covered her mouth as soon as she blurted the words out. She hadn’t meant to speak her thoughts out loud.

  All the other women stared at her in shock and amusement.

  “Really?” Ada said. “Lucky you.”

  Ebun swallowed down the rest of the vodka and cola in her glass, needing the cold drink to tamp down the heat streaking her cheeks. “Well, we’re not exactly together. He hasn’t asked me out or anything.”