MATHONGA

Chapter 24

NTABEZIKUDE -

Cuddling was out of the question, now he’s waking up with her in his arms. He groans like a man in pain, his face crinkles as he regards her with a dark, mysterious gaze
“Khethiwe.”
His voice is croaky, it always is when he wakes up. Khethiwe does not move when he shakes her shoulder for the second time, he wants to get up, but she’s on top of him. It’s not in his nature to be aggressive towards a woman, otherwise he would’ve pushed her aside.
“Khethiwe, wake up.”
A little louder this time, her eyelids twitch before she slowly opens her tired eyes.
“What time is it?” It’s not dusk yet, so she’s safe. Ntaba’s eyes chase the fancy clock on his wall, his family should be home in two hours. 4pm is usually their arrival time.
“You still have time to get dressed and leave my room.” At his words, Khethiwe’s gaze wards off, the man is handsome but that does not mean his coldness can be excused. She shifts from his side as he grimaces at her. She clears her throat and sits up.
She’s looking for her dress, it flies to her before she can ask him to help find it.
When did he leave the bed? She’s suddenly afraid to look straight at him, the man who had her screaming his name not so long ago and confidently whipping up a sex-salad.

“Uh…” Ntaba clears his throat, he’s standing at the foot of the bed, an impassive stare on Khethiwe who is struggling to don her dress. “You do know this is not serious, right? We’re both benefiting from this, it doesn’t have to have a label. They ruin everything.” He feels a need to explain himself, why he’s chasing her out of his room.
Maybe he’s noted the sadness in her eyes, or shame rather. Khethiwe nods, afraid to maintain eye contact.
“I know.”
“Okay, good.” The bastard makes a mistake of sounding relieved, he goes as far as adding a smile. Awkward silence knocks, no one is willing to open for it, so it breaks in.
“Uh…” Ntaba kicks it back out with the sound of his voice, he has the nerve to consider her with a penetrating gawk. His eyes are roaming through her body, salivating. Khethiwe can feel his gaze on her, and denies him a second glance.
“Are you going to make the bed… before you leave?”
He doesn’t have to ask, it is her job. She’s a bloody servant and he’s this wealthy fuck-boy who is not ready for a stable relationship while his peers, thirty-one-year olds are trying for baby number two.
Khethiwe shrugs, she's trying hard not to roll her eyes at him.
"You're not upset, right? I mean we have a mutual understanding that we're only having fun." Ntaba.
“Of course.” That’s her answer as she scampers off the bed to don her body with the now creased dress, this is not her style.
She loathes dresses, but because this idiot she has fallen for is a sucker for a woman in a dress, she thought she would impress him and maybe look decent for once in her life.

“I’m not Cinderella looking for a ring, a white dress and a happily ever after.” Khethiwe retorts, a spasm of pain is heard in her voice.
Ntaba is putting on his shoes when the door flings open and Mathonga flies in heaving and sweaty. His eyes are red-rimmed and wide with worry. He freezes as he sees Khethiwe standing by his brother’s bed.
Thank God she is fully dressed, Ntaba was ready to jump in front of her and hide what only he is allowed to see.
“Ndoda?” The question is aimed at a wide-eyed Mathonga, standing in the doorway. His bulging eyes running between a bored looking Ntaba and a bashful Khethiwe. “Wakhamisa, yini? Khuluma ndoda.” (Speak.)

Khethiwe’s shocked by Ntaba’s indifference, this is supposed to be a secret, but he’s not bothered that Mothanga has walked in on them. A small smile visits her face, this is one step to owning Ntaba’s heart.
“Bongiwe called, bhuti Zakhe was attacked by some men. Her words were all over the place, she was too hysterical to speak.”
A gasp… rampaged by Khethiwe, she’s quick to tears.
Ntaba’s jaw ticks, as he releases an animalistic growl in his throat. Gloom clouds his eyes, his soft aura is replaced by a dark heavy aura… intimidating. The thought of his brother attacked infuriates him. Who would dare touch Vukuzakhe Khanyile?
The respect he has for Zakhe overshadows the respect he has for his father, now some fucker had the nerve to lay a hand on the man he esteems higher than the one who gave him life. 
“Have you called ubaba?” He queries, tilting his head to drink in Mathonga’s panicky features. 
“He’s on his way, along with Hlabela and Ndlela.” Mathonga is feeling awkward, maybe they should step out.
Ntaba has never let a woman into his room, this is why Mathonga felt no need to knock before budging in.
Ntaba notices that he’s uncomfortable and drags him outside with him, shutting the door behind.
There’s no twinge of shame or worry in his face, nor is he going to try and explain himself. He’s a grown man, he can lay with any woman he wants and not justify himself. 
“Did Bongiwe tell you what happened?” Ntaba asks.
“No, she couldn’t get a proper sentence out. I guess we’ll find out when we get there. Godswill has booked us tickets to Johannesburg.”