86

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX.
“Why would anyone choose to live at the top of such a tall building?” Shannelle complained with a frown. She was in an elevator with Danielle, heading to the top floor of the building.
“That’s where his penthouse is located.” Danielle replied, referring to Henry.
“He lives in a penthouse?” Shannelle asked surprised and Danielle nodded in agreement. “Does he own it?’
“Uh-huh!”
“Impressive!” She pouted. She knew the guy wasn’t prolly half as rich as her elder brother, but from how Danielle had described him, he was well to do and she was comfortable with that fact.
When they finally arrived at the top floor, Danielle took her to a door where she rang the bell and stepped back, waiting for it to be opened.
“I’m friggin’ nervous right now.” Cried Shannelle and Danielle waved her off.
“You don’t have to be, Henry is a really cool guy. Relax.”
“If you say so.” Shannelle smiled.
Soon, the door swung open, revealing a very tall shirtless guy, who smiled down at them.
“Danielle!” He called excitedly and Danielle crashed into his arms. Shannelle stood glued to her spot as she eye the guy from his face to his very prominent six packs. He was gorgeous and she liked him already.
“So… is is this Adele?” He asked, averting his gaze to Adele and Danielle nodded vigorously as she turned to face Shannelle.
“Shannelle, this is my friend, Henry and Henry, meet my best friend, Shannelle.” She introduced with a wide smile and Shannelle smiled shyly at Henry.
“It’s nice to meet you Henry.” She said, extending her right hand for a handshake.
“The pleasure is mine, Shannelle.” Replied Henry as he took her small hand in his and planted a soft kiss at the back before releasing it.
Shannelle’s face turned tomato red.
“Please come inside.” He stepped out of the way and the two girls stopped into the luxurious penthouse.
The beauty and arrangement of the place did not surprise Shannelle because her brother owned several of those around the country which she frequently visited, but she was still impressed that the guy standing before them actually owned the place.
“Your place is magnificent, Henry.” She complimented me with a sweet smile.
“Thank you very much, Shannelle. Please make yourself comfortable.” He said, pointing over to the couches and the girls went over to take their seats.
“So, what can I offer you? Wine, whiskey, beer, fruit juice, anything.” He offered and Shannelle looked at Danielle before looking up at Henry.
“I’m quite parched right now, water will do.”
“Cool, what about you, Danielle?”
“Wine, please.”
“Alright then, I will be right back.” He said and disappeared through a door.
“You know, now that I’m here, I feel like I should go spend the week in one of my brother’s penthouses so I can escape from alm the trouble at home.”
“You should, it’s going to do you so much good. Or maybe, you can come here instead and spend the weekend with Henry if you two get along.” She cooed and Shannelle playfully pushed her away in awe.
“Of course not! Jeez, I just met the guy and besides, my brother will have us both skinned alive.” Shannelle agitated and Danielle laughed hard, raising both hands in the air as a sign of her giving up.
“Alright then, I give up. Don’t do anything that will enrage your brother then.”
“What brother?” Henry asked as he walked in with a bottle of water and a glass in his hands.
“No brother! It’s nothing important!” Shannelle quickly denied. She didn’t want to scare off her potential suitor by telling him about her weirdly overprotective brother.
Henry, who understood that she didn’t want to talk about it, just scoffed and let it go.
Danielle’s phone suddenly rang and she picked up the call.
“Hello Naomi… umm…”she stammered. “I stepped out … as in right now?” She asked aghast. “Okay, okay, I will be right there.” She said and dropped the call, shooting Shannelle an apologetic look as she rose from her seat.
Shannelle was confused.
“What’s going on? Why are you leaving?”
“My manager just called. The big boss wants me at the agency right now to shoot and advert. I’m the main lead, I have to go…” she spoke almost out of breath and Shannelle stood up as well.
“Then I’ll come with you!”
“No you will not! Stay with Henry and get to know him more, remember that’s why we came in the first place.”
“But… we will be alone and…” she whispered to Danielle.
“What did I tell you about his sexual views? Trust me, he won’t try to do anything funny. He is a good guy!” She urged.
“Are you sure?” Shannelle asked, frightened.
“I swear on my life. Now take a seat and stop acting like a scared teenager. I have to go now, see you soon.” She kissed her jaw and turned to Henry.
“Henry, I’m sorry I have to take a rain check. Take good care of my friend.” She said and blinked an eye at him before rushing out of the living room. Once she was outside, she leaned by the wall and sighed heavily and a loud, hysterical chuckle followed.
Everything was going just as planned.
As she walked over to the elevator, she passed by three men dressed in black, but she didn’t take note any of them.
Back in the penthouse, a nervous Shannelle took her seat again, deeply regretting her choice of outfit that day. She had put on that very short gown to impress Henry, but at that moment, she felt very uncomfortable with how exposed her thighs were.
She watched in silence as Henry served her a glass of water and when he handed it to her, she gladly took it and gulped it down one go.
“Wow, you were parched indeed.” He exclaimed and Shannelle nodded with a nervous smile.
She did not drink the water so fiercely because was thirsty, she wanted to calm her raging nerves. She was nervous in the presence of the strange man and the length of the dress she had on was not making matters any better.
“So, Shannelle, your brother is Jamal King Dominick, am I right?” She asked and Shannelle nodded.
“Yes he is.” She struggled to smile and relax herself.
“So, how does it feel to have a brother as famous as he is?” He washed with raised wells and Shannelle chuckled.
“Well, it feels good and bad. If feels good in the sense that I don’t anything. He loads my account with loads and loads of money. Because of him, I’m treated specially wherever I go. Like, I get all the attention and it feels really cool. And, it feels bad in the sense that everyone is always watching, waiting for me to make the slightest error so they can bash my entire family. On Top of that, my brother is weirdly overprotective of me. I will not be surprised if I have been followed all the way here by his men.”
“Hmmm?” Henry asked. “Followed?” He was a bit frightened to hear that.
“Yeah. He has men following me wherever I go, but not to worry, Danielle and I made sure to lose them today. It was fun. ” She said and giggled and Hery lightened up on hearing that.
“Ah… I see.”
“And also, there’s lots and lots of family drama.”
“Family drama?”
“Uh-huh,” she said, nodding. “I would like to tell you, but I can’t. It’s strictly confidential.
“Does it have anything to do with your brother’s wife, Adele?” He asked and Shannelles breath hitched on hearing him mention Adele’s name. She gave him a sharp look, eyes and her mouth opened in shock.
“Ho…how… how.. did.. ho..” she stammered in better shock and Henry smiled. “How did you know about that? Did Danielle tell you?”
“No, she didn’t. But I know about your brother’s marriage because his wife, Adele. She is my ex-girlfriend.
“No, she is not!” Shannelle denied in total disbelief.
“She is. We dated back in college in Britain.”
“No way!” Shannelle was still shocked.
“Your brother found out and he wasn’t pleased with the fact that I was dating Adele, so he threatened me and paid me off so I could leave her.”
“That’s very typical of my brother.” Shannelle scoffed.
Henry, who was sitting a bit further from her, drew closer and soon they were just a few inches away from each other on the couch.
“About one year ago, I was here for work and Adele and I met at the workplace. We didn’t really talk to each other because of how we had separated. After lunch break, while we were returning from our lunch break, he spotted us and told Adele to bring me to him. He introduced himself to me as Adele’s husband. That’s how I knew he was married to her.” He further explained and Shannelle nodded her head as things got cleared to her.
“Ah… now I understand.”
Henry faced her and stared deep into her eyes.
“Your brother humiliated me that day in front of his wife. He ordered me to leave the country and never return and I left, but I’m back, to get my revenge.”
Shannelle’s heart fell into her abdomen as she looked at him with fear written all over her face.
She couldn’t recognize the man sitting before her anymore. His gaze had completely gone dark and there was no trace of a smile on his face. His jaw-bones were clenched as he shifted closer to her.
“Hen…hen…” she stuttered in fear. “What are you doing?” She questioned with a shaky voice.
Henry reached out to a few locks of her hair and brought them close to his nose, taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes like someone who had just inhaled marijuana.
Shannelle tried to rise to her feet but he held her back and pinned her to the chair with one hand as he hovered over body.
“I can’t get my revenge on your brother directly, so I’m going to use you to hurt him. I was told by your friend that he’s obsessed with keeping you pure and untouched for some future husband, am I right?”
“No…” Shannelle cried when she realized she had been led straight into a trap by someone she very much trusted. “No… Danielle would never do this to me.”
“Oh, you think so? You think after being treated like trash by your brother, she won’t try to get back at him? How dumb can you be, Shannelle?” He asked and Shannelle burst into tears.
“Help me!” She cried at the top of her voice and Henry quickly closed her mouth with his palms to prevent her from screaming.
He forcefully put her to lie on the couch and got on her body, trailing kisses all over her face.
“Let me go!” She tried to fight back, but the guy was too strong for her. “Somebody help me!” Shannelle creid yet again and suddenly, the door to the living room burst open and three muscular men dressed in black barged in.
The first man hit Henry hard on his neck, completely knocking him out while the other carried Shannelle bridal style in his arms and walked out of the room.
“Thank you Jamal.” She whispered in tears as the man cariedher away.
Her brother’s men still found her no matter what.