"Gina, it's not done that way. Stop turning the dice every time you play," Gabriel yelled out, sounding slightly exasperated, and partially amused as he watched Gina flick the dice again until a double six was visible.

Grinning up at him from the bed, she reached across the interface of the square board to pick up a small red disc and started counting quickly.

"One, two, three..., one sixs. One, two, three,..., two sixs," much to his chagrin.

Since the whole family were still on the church ban, Sunday mornings were spent peacefully in rooms, doing whatever one deemed fit. Even breakfasts were sent to individual rooms because Raphael insisted he did not need their early morning 'chatter' to disturb his meditations.

When Gabriel offered to treat her to a nice lunch, she declined and insisted on spending the day indoors with him. She had already stressed herself with having a fun-filled week and didn't want to stress herself any more than she should.

Agreeing on recreational games, board games had been chosen. They had started off with Scrabble, and when she contested the rules that didn't allow her form words as she pleased, they had drifted into Checkers. She got bored soon and insisted on a Ludo game when he claimed he was rusty. The knowledge had her ego rising when she thought that meant it would be an easy win, hence it took her by surprise when he played moves and countermoves that returned her disc back to their confines immediately after escaping it. His last disc was moving gradually on the board close to her fortress, and she knew it was time to take the bull by the horns. Or in this case, the dice container.

Shaking the container vigorously again, she upturned it to reveal a four and a two. Muttering a curse, she flicked the dice continuously until they both produced a six. Container still in her grasp, she quickly counted off the numbers on the board, screaming ecstatically when her disc landed right smack on top his.

"Die, you annoying cockroach!" She yelled at the green disc, before flicking it back into the square-shaped green box.

Laughing at her antics, he quizzed, "Is this how you play all your games? Cheat your way through?"

She paused to look at the amused look on his face, mesmerised by the sparkle in his eyes at the state of euphoria, before shaking her head, to collect her thoughts and dispel the encompassing feeling.

"Not really. I like to win, but I'm always in a hurry, so my sister uses that strategy to beat me hands down. But you're not like Rissa, since you're okay with me wining anyhow I want."

She brandished a mischievous smile, and he chuckled, understanding her meaning. Once she was pleased with the disc, she returned the container to him so they could continue playing normal game.

"I guess you're right. I am okay with you wining anyhow," he mumbled, still laughing. Moving his discs along on the board, he watched her in concentration as she shook the dice, willing all her good fortune into that one play.

"What was it like growing up with your sister?"

The dice rolled off the board in a very inelegant manner before landing some metres on the bed. Container still in hand, she looked up at him, a brow raised. "What?"

He had never pried into her family's history before and with good reason. Rissa's welcome to the man had been cold, and he was of similar thought. Somehow, she tried to distance herself from the hate Rissa brazenly displayed to hide her true intentions.

"I sense your family isn't anything like mine. For one, you and Rissa are probably not at loggerheads all the time. Secondly, you would probably never try to sabotage her happiness just because you don't agree on something."

She snorted loudly at that. "Speak for yourself, please. Rissa and I are always fighting. We disagree on almost everything that it's hard to believe we're related. I suppose being my closest sibling in age doesn't help at all."

He smiled, shaking the container. "What about your other siblings? Did you get along with them, too?"

Although she had been expecting this question, it still tugged at her heart when he spoke in relation to her. The action passed off the feel that he was justified in treating her as he did.

"Other siblings? What makes you think I have any other siblings?"

"I assumed you did. You see, I was in Ubaka six years ago for a project and that's where I met your sister, Rissa. Of course, I didn't know of your existence back then. However, your father mentioned he had four children during the ground breaking ceremony, so I made my assumptions."

She didn't know if he was speaking the truth or playing with her. Yes, they had met her father during the project commission six years ago, but Amelia had died a few months before then which explained how he assumed they were four. But still, this was Gabriel Asika and she'd be a fool to believe he didn't know about Amelia's family.

"Well, you're right. I have two other siblings. They are twin boys, and very mischievous. I taught them all the fighting skills I know, and take it from me, they're exceptional." She boasted, even as he lifted up his lips in a smirk.

"While growing up, we would challenge some boys at the village stream to an evening fight to determine the strongest fighter. The fool would come hoping to face off one brother, only to get a double dose. In our defence, identical twins meant one person in two places."

Seeing the confusion plastered on his face, she amended, "of course, my father enjoyed pulling our ears till they popped afterwards, but it didn't mean we didn't engage in more dubious schemes and fights after that."

He cocked a superior brow at her. "Your story sounds nice but it's got nothing on the amount of fun me and my siblings had."

"Really?" She was incredulous. "There's no way the boringly-angry people dat full this house had more fun growing up compared to us. No offence, but have you seen your siblings? They don't have any single funny bone in their body, most especially you, this past week notwithstanding. You're too serious, so you must have sucked out all the fun in the others."

"But that isn't true," he debated, "although I learnt quite early to take responsibility for my actions, sometimes for my siblings as well, it didn't mean we were like monks. While growing up, I lost count of how many times Malcolm lost a shoe or two in Nursery school, or how many dishes Monica broke because she didn't get her wish. Even calm Anthony had a period when his life mission was trying out my stuffs and then misplacing them afterwards." He paused at the memory, a faint smile gracing his lips as he recalled fond childhood.

"Naturally, as the oldest, the blame lay on my head more times than I would have liked. So, I guess when the burden got too much, I had to nip their wild tendencies at the bud. But I can't blame them, not when I was a rascal while growing up, giving them the edge to be wild as well."

She burst out laughing, disbelief clearly depicted on her face. "You? A rascal? Forgive me, but I find that very hard to believe."

He passed off an affronted look before trying to explain. "If you must know, I wasn't born a serious-minded child who didn't cry at birth. On the contrary, I had a streak for mischief in me and I made good use of it, leading my siblings on various house raids that got the helps into trouble countless of times. On one occasion, my father locked us outside at night after claiming he let poisonous snakes into the compound. We swore we'd be responsible after that incident. A week after, we smashed our television while playing 'catch' inside the house. He starved us for a whole day in retribution."

Gina rolled about on the bed, laughing out loud at the image his words conjured, wishing she and her siblings had this amount of fun. When she could get a breather, her curiosity took over. "From what I can gather, you had a fun childhood, but I can't find any trace of it anymore. Why did you guys stop? What happened?"

He pursed his lips, regarding her speculatively, as if he viewed her innocently curious questions as the contrary. "Nothing happened. We merely grew up."

She rolled her eyes at the simple response, sensing there was more to the story than met the eye. She had deduced from the family painting that happiness had escaped this family quite early and she could wholeheartedly predict he was in the middle of it.

"Well, me and my siblings grew up too, but it didn't mean we try to strangle each other at the slightest provocation. Maybe, you nipped their wings too much, which would explain their anger, but then again, I wonder if your 'upbringing' skills had been too strict, denying them of basic things in life."

He was peeved at her accusation. "My upbringing skills was top notch. I taught my siblings how to excel in their academics and be responsible and mature children. It was my responsibility to cater for them when my parents had their hands full on providing for the family. I couldn't allow them to waste away that privilege. Some people don't even get that at all."

"You're right, life isn't fair, at least not in this country. Some people have to sweat it out day and night just to eat one square meal, while others won't even lift a finger and yet they have excess that end up becoming waste."

"Enough of the philosophical nonsense," he shrugged carelessly, quickly changing the topic, "tell me how life was while growing up in the village. I would have asked your sister, but she simply hates me for reasons best known to her. You, on the other hand, are an interesting personality altogether."

She could tell he knew why Rissa hated him but she'd play his game while it lasted. "Well, the Asika Farms project in Ubaka was more of a dubious business than a profitable one for us. Everyone wishes the project would shut down and force you guys to leave, so I assume that's why she hates you."

"And you don't?"

"I really do, but I also know you didn't force any of the farmers to sign away their farms. Their ignorance did them in. You can say growing up in this city has opened my objectives eyes, and I can see why profit was more important to you guys than the people's livelihood."

Even remembering that period of depression had her heart squeezing up in anguish, so she pushed the board away from her and eased out of bed.

The need for fresh air and a fresh perspective overwhelmed her and as she strolled towards the corridor, she schooled herself to remember why she was doing this. Even with Amelia's revenge out of the way, she knew her people would burn her at the stake for living in close quarters with their perpetrator of doom.

"You must understand I did what I had to do," his low voice was enough to drag her attention to him. Tilting her head, she saw him come to stand beside her on the rail, his elbows rested on the ledge, mirroring her pose perfectly. "The problem was I had grandiose ideas of what my visit to Ubaka was supposed to be about, but I was just starting out and didn't take cognizance of the fact that it wasn't cost effective or even feasible."

"But your father went ahead despite this misgivings?" His nod amplified the pain, and yet, she still felt there was a lie in there, somewhere. What was he not saying? "And what did you do to rectify your mistake? Fold your hands and watch while innocent and hardworking people lost their only means of livelihood?"

Actually, I folded my hands and watched as a big body of water separated me from the major reason why I had visited there.

He didn't reply, there was no need. No explanation could justify the level of greed his father had exhibited six years ago, the level of greed and ambition the man was trying to circumvent with this inheritance issue. Even remembering that heated conversation had Gabriel fisting his palms. The problem with greed and ambition was lack of solid anchor, which his father lacked by making so many enemies, even in his own home. He swore he would not make the same mistake.

"Forgive my foolishness, Gina. I was still operating under my father's wings back then, which meant I couldn't do much on my own, but things are different now. I am not anything like my father. I'm almost thirty and decisions I make now are not under any sort of duress."

She lifted a corner of her lips in derision. "But they are still for selfish reasons. I'm sorry, but I don't see what the years changed in you, Mr. Asika."

He chuckled at the sarcastic expression she produced, his eyes darting around the cozy corridor with its hanging and potted plants. "It's very much visible, my dear. Only if you'd just look." He pointed to the bulge in his jeans, lifting his shirt to expose his firm abdominal muscles that tapered down past his waist into his jeans.

When she ignored him, her focus on the expense of water below, he removed his sweatshirt and inched closer to her, his hands tinkering with the zip of his jeans. She adjusted to watch him bite his lips seductively wondering what was going on through his mind. His eyes were trained on her, his intention clear as day.

"Go and take a cold shower, Gabriel. I'm not in the mood."

Ignoring the need surging through her, she sidestepped him and marched back into the house, his loud chuckle sounding after her departing frame.

"Treating my sexual needs as inconsequential does not make it go away, Gina. On the contrary, it makes me desperate, and I'd do anything to get you to succumb."

"Spoken like a true gentleman." She mocked, moving to go settle into the vanity chair, deciding to pamper her skin since she could afford it.

"You know me, nah. I'd never claim something I wasn't. Besides, this tactic you have going on shows me that you're scared." He slipped into his side of the bed, his tablet in hand.

"Scared?"

"Yes, you're scared of catching feelings for me considering our arrangement, but don't worry, I'd make sure you don't fall for me."

Gina giggled at the wink the presumptuous fool sent her. "I'd argue that the opposite is what is happening here, but you're the playboy, so I won't say anything. I learnt a long time ago to let men bask in their ego as much as they can."

He chuckled at the eye roll she engaged in. "You almost got me to forget I'm horny, but with a body like yours, that's very unlikely. But if you insist you're not afraid of catching feelings, I'd believe something else makes your heart race, then." He inclined his head, watching her tamper with her skin pampering products. "So, what are your fears?"

Gina paused in the process of wiping her face with the face cleanser, the mirror reflecting the confused look on her face.

"My fears?"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he crossed his legs over at the knee and leaned against the headboard. "Yes, Gina. I told you I'm terrified of big bodies of water. I suppose you have something similar to that."

She adjusted on the vanity chair to regard him speculatively. "I'm not afraid of water."

She saw him roll his eyes at her, shaking his head slightly as an amused look crossed his features. "You're trying to be funny, and I'm impressed. But, I was expecting your answer to be something else. As a lady, I'd say cockroach but you're too wild to be scared of tiny creatures like that."

"You just assumed that. I'll have you know cockroaches are vile, smelly creatures," she pointed out, scrunching up her face, "but, no. I'm not scared of cockroaches. On the other hand, snakes are not my friends even in the afterlife."

"Snakes, huh? I can't say I'm surprised, and even though I'm a bit scared of them, I find them annoyingly charming." He pursed his lips to accentuate his meaning.

She hissed, rolling her eyes at him. "I can see why you like them. You're as mysterious and as sneaky as they are."

"Hey, I didn't say I liked them," he was quick to debunk the idea. "I only said they are charming creatures. They are quite powerful, too."

She snorted. "Only you would say something like that."

"Are you driving at something here?"

Her response was a careless shrug as she focused her eyes back to her action. "That depends. I remember clearly that incident in your father's study some weeks ago, most especially of your suspicious presence there. Only a fool would cross off that scene as irrelevant."

"Pot calling kettle black," he retorted, smirking at her. "If I remember correctly, you snuck in too to find a business book in the dark."

"I had probable cause," she defended, turning to glare at him. "You, on the other hand, had absolutely no reason to go spying in your father's study unless you were involved in some shady things. What was it you said about not being anything like your father?"

He frowned at the crafty way she threw his words back at him, trying to pull him into a corner. "I was there to find out what conspiracy theory Malcolm had discussed with my father concerning you and I. He expressed his distaste of you very clearly, and I knew he'd dig into it until he found something to use against me. I couldn't let that happen."

"Really?"

He nodded, letting out a deep audible sigh. "Yes, really. So, you must understand why I was there that night. Now, the real question is why were you there?"

For Gina, this was an analogy to 'one day, bushmeat go catch the hunter'. She didn't expect his reason to be as credible as it sounded now, much less that her response would not hold water as much as she wished it would.

She couldn't tell him why, as well, thereby exposing their secret group. She didn't trust that he wouldn't tamper with their investigation in retaliation.

"I already told you I was looking for a business book. Sisi told me some could be find there but I wanted to check it out for myself before asking your father."

She turned again to regard him, to gauge his reaction to her fib, only to find his attention locked on his tablet, deep frowns marring his features. Letting out a deep breath, she silently thanked the electronic for perfect timing.

"Gina, I was thinking, let's get out of here. Let's leave all these boringly-angry people --as you rightly put them-- alone and just leave by ourselves." He spoke suddenly, quickly jumping out of bed to skid over to where she was.

"Leave? As in go home? I thought your father mandated we stay one month extra cause of your unfortunate involvement with Lilah?" She was so confused.

"Yes, he did. But that's not what I mean. I was thinking of a short vacation outside of the state. Have you been to Abuja before? Let's go to Abuja. I'd be good for us, most especially the baby. We can even leave this night or early tomorrow morning once we can get our bags packed." He was already lost in the closet, rummaging through clothes as he spoke.

Everything was moving in fast-forward. "Wait, slow down, Gabriel. I get that you're excited, but Abuja is so random. Besides, what's the hurry? We can still go for the vacation later."

"Now is the best time." He poked his head out to grin at her, forcing her eyes to narrow suspiciously. "This minute, even. I'd soon go back to work and I wouldn't have time for fun anymore. Let's make good use of this suspension, Gina. I have a good feeling about this." He darted back inside.

"I still think this is too sudden!"

"I think it's perfect." The smug look on his face was everything when he finally stepped out, clothes in hand, purpose in his strides.

Ignoring her curious senses, Gina watched him breeze in and out of the closet with various items of clothing, shoes and bag, and a suitcase in hand. Without her contribution, he zoomed over to his beside to make plans using his tablet, all the while throwing in suggestions on what she should pack and what would fit her. In the midst of the confusion, Gina wondered again.

What was he up to?

~~~~~~~~~

We all know this sudden vacation idea is not without suspicion. Gabriel has an ace up his sleeves, again. Hopefully, Gina would catch him in the lie.

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