The Velvet Trap

e

engine off and the air

some quiet road off Admiralty Way and stared thro

e c

e wouldn't l

still

t p

didn't rus

measured. Like someone us

've trus

ted to t

p out of nowhere. The way she looked at me sometimes, like she

e it wasn't the fever. It was the sinking feeling that maybe I'd let her in too far. That

o

f it

was

the one des

I was alre

an

n't g

call hi

o the old cyber café tucked behind a closed-down tailori

hidden since this started, and slotted it into the computer like

mission to dig deeper.

ed the

o a name that showed up in Obinna's fake collapse file and ag

ntegrated

company.

ered it. Fro

reads, rerouted payments, dead-end

to

meone

an D

g strings behind the scenes of Ibe Global. Still laundering m

ck, hear

en. This was bigger. Old

ng to the drive

t I was the p

t

't come here t

o finish what

t him. Didn'

t sho

t wrinkled, tie half-off, eyes bloodshot like he hadn't

t stoo

held up the

s who d

at it, t

is t

e payments. The connection to Obinn

w tigh

st him into

d Services?" I asked, tossing t

fted. Recogn

funds after Obinna took the fall. Same company just popped up again in your s

around to

money. It led to

his hair, backing up li

believe you?" he said, voice low.

ped. "Like you were waiting for me to

ded. "I've had my father lie to me my entire life, Adan

t say a

breathing hard, not

the counter

spered. "I shouldn'

us. Not empty, full. Of ev

you. And it scared the hell out of me. Because if it w

queezing. "Then don'

ched for the

im," he said. "

just some accountant, Ken. He's smart.

s voice was quiet but full of fire. "I need to hea

toward the hall

ou there,

ked. "

ends, Adanna. But if yo

a little broken. Bo

n't standing on oppos

in it

with heat, even wi

sely across his lap, fingers twitching like they were holding in more than nerves. The radio wa

seconds by the passing streetlights. Jaw tight. Eyes forward. That s

e the

ave to do th

he wheel tigh

the window, watching the bl

g why I said it now. "Not you exactly, but your name. Yo

e. Not shocked.

you. And it got

was easier when it was

him. "But easier d

silence. Then he le

ng exploded. He looked like he already knew what was

oat ti

half of what was happening. But I remember thinking...

d light. He looked a

e trusted t

It's not too l

. Looked

e didn't drive right away. Fo

this goes sideways tonight if he

al with it,

this time. Like he was seeing

w how this e

I said. "But I

brushed mine, briefly, where th

ch said more than

he office to

or. It was late, nearly 10 p.m., but we didn't want to

I said, pacing behind him. "We need something he can

the Lekki contracts. I'll tell him I'm stepping

He'll smell the trap i

m a seat at the table with a few conditions

ulian's contac

he said. "He doesn't tr

who?"

oments later, he showed m

elopments. Julian trusts her. She'll call him and s

ed. "She

. And she won't ask

d send. It was simple. Direct. Just enough t

s done, he

n... we

ed. Then a r

l be there. T

breath, jaw flexi

him. "Do you

mine, dark an

I want to look him in t

the kind that hol

to be there,"

," I

see the man who he

nted to watc

e old trust between us what little we'd built was cracking under the pressure. I

g to wonder what el

he wasn'