THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 17

 

RILEY

 

She sees his tattoos clearly on his neck and the scar under his chin. She knows him! It’s the man who threatened her in her house and strangled her. Her eyes widen as she stares right back into his, her heart racing and struggling to breathe.

"You! What are you doing here? Were you eavesdropping?" His voice is deep and menacing. She shakes her head quickly, swallowing hard.

"I wasn’t! I was looking for Mrs. Mazibuko because I can’t find my way back to the living room," she stutters, feeling the weight of his gaze. He glances around before fixing his attention back on her.

"You think I’m a fool, huh? I know you were eavesdropping, you smart girl," he says, looming over her.

"What is happening here?" Mangaliso’s voice cuts through the tension as he approaches.

The guy fakes a smile and looks up at Mangaliso. "Nothing, imama belisalahlekile and fell down. I'm trying to help her up," he lies smoothly. Mangaliso glances between the two of them, noticing she’s still on the floor.

"Are you okay?" he asks gently. She nods, still struggling to get up, and Mangaliso reaches out to help her.

"Thank you," she says, meeting his eyes with gratitude.

"Still want help to the living room, Ma'am?" the guy asks, locking eyes with her. She shakes her head firmly.

"I’m here, aren’t I? I will show her the way," Mangaliso asserts, holding out his hand and starting to walk away.

"You are forgetting something, Ma'am," the guy calls after them. They both stop and turn to look at him.

"Your lip balm," he says with a smirk, tossing it toward her. Mangaliso catches it effortlessly and takes her hand as they walk away together, leaving the tension behind.

"Are you okay?" Mangaliso asks her as they walk through the long passage. She looks at him and nods, but the fear lingers in her eyes.

"Are you sure? You look terrified to me, and your hand is shaking," he observes, gently squeezing her hand. 

"When are we leaving?" she asks, trying to change the subject.

"We are leaving now. Have you decided where you want to spend the day?" he inquires, glancing at her.

"Let us just go back to the house," she replies, and he looks at her with concern.

"Are you sure? But we..." She cuts him short.

"Please!" she says firmly, her voice leaving no room for debate. He raises an eyebrow, studying her expression, but she looks away, not wanting to hold his gaze any longer.

They continue walking in silence until they reach the living room. 

"Family, it’s time for us to leave," he announces to his family, who are gathered there.

"Aren’t you staying for dinner?" his mother asks, a hint of disappointment in her voice. He shakes his head.

"No, maybe next time. We have to be somewhere," he lies smoothly. She feels a wave of relief; she wants out of this house.

"Okay then, travel safe and please come back with this pretty lady next time," Hleliwe chimes in with a warm smile. She returns the smile, grateful for the kindness.

Mangaliso hugs them goodbye, and they bid farewell to his siblings and father as they prepare to leave.

.

.

.

The ride is silent, and she can feel his gaze on her. She is still in shock; could it be that his half-brothers are the reason he landed in jail? What for, though? How is she even supposed to tell him that the guy who strangled her at her house is connected to all this?

The car comes to a stop at the side of the road, and she looks at him. 

"Why are we stopping?" she asks, breaking the tension.

"Are you going to start talking or not? What’s bothering you?" he asks with a serious expression.

"Nothing is bothering me," she lies, trying to keep her voice steady. He leans back in his seat and stares out the window, clearly unconvinced.

"I won't drive this car until you talk," he says firmly. She sighs, feeling the weight of her words.

"I overheard your brothers talking about us," she finally admits. He turns to look at her, his interest piqued.

"Saying what?" he asks, his tone sharp.

"They said they don’t know how I survived the shooting the other day and why I helped you out of jail because they were close to..." She trails off, unsure how to finish.

"To what?" he presses, his jaw clenched tightly.

"To buy the warden to poison you," she tells him, and he chuckles darkly, his veins popping through his neck as tension builds in the car.

"Well, I’m not surprised by those ones," he replies with a bitter laugh.

"I was eavesdropping on them; I didn’t mean to. I was looking for a way back to the living room when I heard voices in that room, so I listened. My lip balm fell, and then that tall guy came to check and found me. I fell on the floor when I recognized his face," she continues, her heart racing.

"Recognized his face?" he asks, eyebrows raised in surprise. She nods firmly.

"He is the guy who strangled me that day at my place," she says, her voice trembling slightly.

"Are you sure?" he asks again, searching her eyes for any hint of doubt. She nods emphatically.

"That day I managed to pull down his mask. I saw the man’s face—it was that guy," she insists.

He pulls out his phone and texts something quickly before starting the car again. The engine roars to life as he drives away from the side of the road, tension hanging thick between them…

The air hangs thick with tension after a long stretch of silence. He finally breaks it, his voice low but steady. "You still don't want me to take you somewhere you want to go?" She turns to him, her gaze sharp.

"Take me to my house. I just want to see if my house is still fine," she pleads, urgency lacing her words. He exhales deeply, a reluctant sigh escaping him as he nods.

"Fine." The car rolls forward, the engine humming steadily as they drive for a few minutes. As they approach her house, a flicker of joy lights up her face, but it quickly dims when she spots a security guard at the gate, waiting to open it for them. 

He drives in, and she’s the first to step out, the ground solid beneath her feet. He follows closely behind, his presence looming as she surveys her surroundings. 

"And now? Fundini ubekwa intoni apha?" She demands, eyebrows knitted together as she questions the security guard about his presence. No memory of arranging for security here flickers in her mind.

"It's okay, my man," Mangaliso says calmly. "You can leave." He gestures to the security  and the guard nods before walking away. She turns back to him, disbelief etched across her features.

"Do you know about this?" she asks sharply, searching his eyes for answers. He nods slowly, and her frustration peaks as she claps her hands once in exasperation.

Of course he know! This man didn’t even ask for directions to her place! Last time she checked, he didn’t know where she lived!

"Don't be mad," he says softly but firmly. “That security has been keeping an eye on this house since you still stay at the safe house.”

"But you should have told me about bringing security here! This is my house, not for the community!" she snaps back at him, anger simmering just beneath the surface. He sighs again, his expression a mix of understanding and regret as he absorbs her frustrations.

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MANGALISO

They drive back to the safe house, the tension thick in the air. Ayakha sits in the passenger seat, her anger palpable. Not only did he place a security guard at her house without telling her, but he also changed key things—replacing the wall, door, glasses, and windows with bulletproof ones. She can’t believe he would take such drastic measures without her consent. 

He grips the steering wheel tighter, regretting his choice to bring her to see her home. He knows he was wrong for not informing her, but knowing how hard-headed she is, he realizes there was no way she would have let him do it. A message chimes on his phone from Sage, telling  him they should meet  at a specific location. He shoves his phone back into his pocket and focuses on the road ahead.

When they arrive at the safe house, they both step out of the car and head inside. The silence between them is heavy. 

"I'm leaving. You will be fine alone, right?" he asks, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Why don’t you decide for me if I will be fine or not? Like you always do—like I’m your child!" she snaps back, attitude dripping from every word.

"Okay then," he replies coolly, "I’m deciding for you. You will be fine, Ayakha. I'm leaving." He turns toward the door, unwilling to get into an argument with her right now.

"Just go, okay? Let that brother of yours come here and kill me once!" Her voice rises in desperation and fury. 

He stops in his tracks, turning to face her again, shock coursing through him at her words. Anger flares up inside him as he charges toward her, unable to hold back any longer. 

"Who are you screaming at like that?" he demands, frustration spilling over as he steps closer to confront the storm brewing in her eyes.

"Are you screaming at me like that?" he asks, his voice steady but laced with disbelief as he locks eyes with her. The intensity of his gaze makes her take a step back, retreating from the confrontation. 

Her heart races as she feels the weight of his stare, a mix of anger and confusion swirling between them.

 "I’m not screaming!" she fires back, but the tremor in her voice betrays her uncertainty. 

He takes a step forward, closing the distance between them. "It sure sounds like it," he replies, his tone challenging yet calm, as if he’s trying to draw out the truth beneath her outburst.

Ayakha shakes her head, frustration boiling over.

 "You don’t get it! You think you can just make decisions for me without even asking!" She stumbles back another step, feeling cornered by his presence and the reality of their situation.

He narrows his eyes, frustration mixing with concern. "I’m trying to protect you! Can’t you see that?" 

Her back hits the wall, and she stands her ground, defiance igniting in her expression. 

"Protect me? Or control me?" The air between them crackles with unresolved tension, each word hanging heavy as they face off in this charged moment.

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