STRING OF PEARLS
TWENTY FIVE
MCEDISI
I break the hug and steal a kiss from Onezwa, and she giggles.
"Everyone is watching," she says softly, brushing against my lips.
"They've never seen such beauty," I reply, and she laughs.
"Oh, please, can we please go somewhere quiet to talk?" she asks.
"Let's go grab lunch then," I suggest, and she frowns.
"Weren't you just having lunch?" she asks, and I shake my head.
"That was just a snack," I reply, taking her hand and leading her to where I parked.
"You have a big appetite," she says, laughing, and I stop in my tracks, roaming my eyes around her curvaceous body.
"You have no idea," I say, licking my lips. I don't think I've ever heard her laugh so much before.
"Eww! I walked right into that one," she says, laughing.
We finally get to my car, and I open the door for her before getting in and driving off. We arrive at Joop's Place and I order their famous prime ribeye steak and chips, while Onezwa orders buffalo wings and chips.
"I thought I would never see you again after... you know," I say, now a bit more serious.
"Yeah, I don't want to lie, you scared me," she admits, and I nod.
"Does she know?" .
"She knows that I've used Masoja's services a lot. In my line of work, you need to have protection, or you will die young, and your family will fight over your assets before you're even buried. I've always made sacrifices, but nothing hectic. Usually, it would be a cow here and there, and sometimes my enemy's head," I explain, and her eyes widen in surprise.
"Yeah, I know it's scary, but everything I did was for my family and their well-being. That's just how it is. Ukuthwala requires a lot sometimes," I say.
She looks down at her food for some time before heaving a sigh.
"Are you going to sacrifice my womb too?" she asks, and I shake my head.
"How can you guarantee that you won't do the same to me too? I'm sure you didn't intentionally set out to sacrifice your own child, but you were pushed to a corner. What if another powerful person comes to threaten you, and you need to take such measures again?" she asks, and I take her hand into mine.
"I give you my word, sthandwa sami. If ever I find myself in a corner like that, I'd rather die than hurt you like that. The guilt is too much. Not a day goes by that I don't regret what I did. I should have let him kill me," I say, and she sighs.
"This is messed up, but yeah, I'll marry you," she says.
"You will?" I ask, not believing what she just said, and she nods with a smile.
"I will. I choose to trust you, Mcedisi. Please don't hurt me. I don't know how, but also make sure that you treat MaSibiya and me equally. I don't want to feel like a third wheel in your marriage with MaSibiya."
ONEZWA
I know I should be running for the hills right now, but the stupid organ called the heart doesn't only pump blood, it also beats for him. I love him, I do, with every fiber of my being. What he told me shook me to the core, but the stupid me, I was relieved that it's not that he's not choosing me, it's the guilt that he harbors.
"So, what now?" I ask as he kills the engine at the hotel.
"My mother is so excited. I'm certain that my uncles are already on their way," he replies.
"And MaSibiya, how is she taking all of this?" I ask, knowing it can't be easy. That woman loathes me.
"She's coming around. I don't want you to worry about that. In the meantime, I'll send a letter to your aunt," he says, and I nod. That's another hurdle that stresses me out.
"Okay then. I'll hear from you," I say.
We walk hand in hand into my hotel suite. As soon as we get inside, he pins me against the door and kisses me intensely. His hand makes its way inside my underwear, and before I know it, he's massaging my clit.
"I've missed you," he says, and I try to speak, but he shuts me up with another intense kiss.
He inserts his finger and starts thrusting into me. I'm a moaning mess right now. He inserts his second finger before locating my G-spot, and I just become undone, creaming his hand with my juices.
I let out a scream when he picks me up like I don't weigh a ton.
"I got you, mama," he says, and I smile, burying my face in his neck until we get to the bedroom.
This man had me on all fours, ravaging my honey pot. We are now lying naked and sweaty in each other's arms.
"I love you, Onezwa," he says, and I smile.
"When exactly did you start loving me?" I ask, having always wondered because I went away, and then he dropped the bomb when I came back.
"I don't know, but on the day I realized that you ran from me, I don't know how to describe that feeling. I was hurt," he says, and I nod.
"And the first time I buried myself inside you, I fell deeper in love with you. I'm addicted to your sweet, warm, and tight..." He says, caressing my nuna, and I slap his hand.
"Down, boy, you need to get going. It's late," I say, and he frowns. My poor lady part is burning.
"Ngiyaphi?" he asks, and I chuckle.
"We are not yet married. Please don't give MaSibiya reasons to hate me even more than she does," I say, getting up, and he heaves a sigh, also sitting up.
"She doesn't hate you, and you're right, I shouldn't disrespect her, at least until we are officially married," he says, getting up and heading to the bedroom. I can't help but admire his naked body.
A few moments later, he walks out of the bathroom but naked with his shaft semi erected and I chuckle.
"You know there's a towel in there right?" He chuckles.
"Am I making you horny?" He says with a smirk and I scoff.
"MaSibiya's husband, please put on your clothes before after the assault on my nuna, I'm never letting you anywhere near me again," I say and he laughs while putting on his clothes. I love his laughter, it's a bit goofy and doesn't at all sound like it's coming from that tall buff body.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" He says pecking my lips and I smile feeling a little sad but I really don't want to step on MaSibiya's toes.
"I love you," I say and he chuckles.
"Feels good being loved," he says and I hit him playing.
"Hey, you're supposed to say you love me too," I say sulking.
"Oh sthandwa sam, uthandwa yim," he says and I grin like an idiot. I love him.
The next day.....
NARRATED
"Myeni wam. Can I have a quick word with you, please?" MaSibiya asks as her husband is about to drive off. He has a meeting with his manager at the coffee shop, but he doesn't want to disappoint her, so he gives her his full attention.
"I was wondering if you can give me Onezwa's number," she says, playing with her fingers, and he frowns.
"Why?" he asks.
"There's a need for us to talk since she's going to be part of our family," MaSibiya replies.
He squints his eyes, and she laughs.
"I won't help her run away from you," she says, and he sighs.
"Onezwa doesn't have a phone, I'm not sure if she bought one yet, but I will have a word with her and see if she'll be comfortable talking to you, because she's under the impression that you hate her," he says.
"Of course, I hate her, she's gorgeous. A true reflection of what a real Zulu man craves," she says with a smirk, and he searches his head, not knowing what to say.
"Umuhle nawe nje. You are not only beautiful, but you are also kind and humble," he says, causing her to blush.
"Spoken like a true polygamist. Hamba, myeni wam," she says, giggling, leaving Mcedisi smiling proudly.
He gets to his coffee shop and has a meeting with his manager. Everything seems to be in order, which is a relief, because he plans to step away from the day-to-day running of the coffee shop to focus on the upcoming venture he and Nkanyezi are working on with the government.
After signing off a few orders, he walks out of the coffee shop and walks into the flower shop next door. He chuckles, shaking his head; he has never bought flowers before, nor does he know if Onezwa likes flowers.
"You can never go wrong with red roses," a voice says behind him, and he turns.
"You think?" he says to the man behind him, wearing an expensive tailored suit and a Rolex watch.
"Yes," the man says before they have a staring contest.
"Tiro Ramokala," the man says, stretching forth his hand, but Mcedisi looks at it before Tiro chuckles, retracting his hand.
"You steal diamonds while I own diamond mines; surely, we can work something out," Tiro says.
"I can give 30 percent share," he continues before handing Mcedisi his business card.
"Call me if you've made up your mind," he says, handing Mcedisi his business card before heading to the door with his security detail on his tail.
"Tiro," Mcedisi calls out before he exits the door, and Tiro turns.
"Are you willing to lose a mine for that woman beater?" Tiro nods.
"We all have our weaknesses. Mine is that woman beater, while yours is the beaten woman," he says before walking away, leaving Mcedisi in deep thought.