Page 11

As Nejeere adjusted the sleeves of his denim jacket and handed him two pills, someone placed a flask in his hand.

Startled, he looked up to meet Hulk's eyes piercing him through like a tattoo iron.

Clad in a hot pink shirt, he seemed to suck the lights in the room, making everyone else dull in comparison.

Hadn't he warned him to never return? And who the fuck wore pink?

“Drink, quick,” Nejeere said, pushing at the flask's bottom.

He did. Taking extra gulps of the cucumber water that settled down his stomach like the warm palms of an infant. Hulk must have paid close attention to get the temperature just right.

“Everyone, out,” Nejeere called.

“Alright, Timi,” Ify said, after the flurry of activities settled. “You know the drill. I ask you questions, you answer as truthfully as you can.”

He nodded slowly. “The truth, eh? Shoot.”

The questions flowed.

“How do you feel about the news making rounds?”

“Is there any truth to it?”

“Who's Jude Lawson to you?”

It went smoothly, until Ify bit the tip of her pen, and asked. “How did you two meet, and who were you before him?”

He froze.

Nejeere shifted closer. “It's okay. Just answer her. We agreed it's the only way to make this go away. Think of this as a fresh start, without all the sections and subsections.”

His stomach churned. If she kept talking, her Louboutins were sure to be drenched in disgorged vodka. He swiped at his brow, avoiding Ify's eyes staring unblinking at him. “I…” he swallowed bile. “We…uh…”

“Timi…” Nejeere cajoled. “I know it's difficult to speak about things you thought you wouldn't. If it's too much, Ify will know how to spin—”

He snatched his phone up from the stool beside him, started a live feed, and attached it to a hands-free phone holder. He held his head as high as his migraine allowed and began speaking .

“It has come to my notice, a fabricated story making waves about my relationship with Dr Jude Lawson.

And I'm here to set things straight. My sexuality hasn't been something I thought I would ever defend.

Especially to strangers who know nothing about me.

My privacy has always been my utmost priority.

So, maybe I do understand why it had to be attacked.

What people can't attain, they destroy, right?

I've never been married, nor have I been cohabiting with any lover.

Despite my impassiveness as to what constitutes socially acceptable sexuality, and my reluctance to give weight to this absurdity flying around, I won't stand by and watch unscrupulous elements drag a man's good name into the mud. Dr Jude Lawson is…was my father.” He paused, his throat tightening painfully.

“He was…a different face. H…he was different. He…”

He got up, stumbling out of the room, unable to see past the tears dangerously close to streaming down his cheeks. He pulled a key out of the key safe and escaped the stifling presence of his failure.

At the garage, he pressed the key and his BMW i7 beeped. Halfway into the driver's seat, someone yanked him back by his arm, snatching the key from him. He swerved around. Hulk stood, clutching the key.

Timi took a deep breath. “Did you lose your senses on your way here?”

“I should ask you,” Hulk said steadily. “Is it your plan to frustrate everyone around you?”

“Excuse me?”

“You just made a mess in there, and here you are about to make another. What are you hoping they report next? Accused Gay actor dies by drunk driving on his way to drink some more. Or worse still, Drunk actor crushes a family of five?”

Unable to believe his hearing, Timi snapped his mouth shut and reached for the key. His eyes bulged when the man raised it above his head.

“Sometimes, we find answers talking to those we need answers for,” Hulk said.

Despite the rage building up at the disrespect, the words provided an alternative he hadn't thought about, and he found himself replying. “Newsflash, genius. He's dead.”

Hulk cocked his head. “Is he? ”

His irritation returned in full force. Was this the same dude Nejeere insisted was quiet? “Maybe your gir—Nejeere didn't tell you, but I like my assistants beautiful and silent. If I want a loud-mouthed pokenoser, I'll let you know. Hand over my key and get lost.”

Hulk stared at him for a moment, then, the car beeped twice, and he headed towards the driver's side.

Leaning on the door, he threw Timi a look.

“Quit being stubborn and get in. You gave your staff leave, no one's here.

And surely you're not that stupid to show up before your father without clearing his name.”

None of his staff dared speak to him this way, but fuck, he made sense. Uncle Jude would have his head if he showed up with a bashed skull. Somehow, he knew his father would be territorial about his cause of death.

He walked over to the passenger's side. When he glanced over at Hulk, he could swear the man was smiling though his face remained expressionless. How did he and Nejeere share fun times?

“This is your last day, anyway,” he mumbled, sliding into the passenger seat. “You might as well work for the day's wages.”

Hulk slid in beside him, a fresh lemony scent accompanying him. Exactly like the one he'd perceived in the bathroom.

“Fair enough,” Hulk said as he started the engine. “Where to?”

Timi punched in the coordinates. “Drive.”