THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 22

 

RILEY

 

She opens her eyes and takes in the beautiful sight around her, still in disbelief that she had fallen asleep in such strong, comforting arms. 

“Are you going to wake up and go shower, or just keep admiring my beautiful body, ma’am?” he teases, glancing at her through the mirror. She rolls her eyes and gets off the bed, slipping into her baggy shirt and then putting on her slippers.

“Morning, babe,” he says as he walks toward her, pulling her into a warm hug and kissing her forehead. Is he ever going to get tired of holding her and showering her with kisses? Since last night, he has been nothing but touchy, always wanting to be close.

“I guess you’ll have to get used to it because I can’t stop holding and kissing what is mine,” he replies, and she chuckles at how he seems to read her mind.

“Morning to you too! Can I go shower now?” she asks playfully. He nods with a smile and lets her go.

“Maybe you should move your clothes to this room,” he suggests.

“I’ll think about that,” she replies with a smile as she leaves him behind and heads to her room. Yes, it is hers now since she’ll be staying here for a while.

Today they’re going to the Eastern Cape, and she can’t contain her excitement at the thought of seeing her father and siblings again. She decides to take a bath instead of a shower today, soaking in the warm water to ease her sore muscles. Yesterday, Mangaliso didn’t give her any rest; every chance he got, he was thrusting inside of her. Just a little movement would send him deep inside her honeypot. But despite everything, she enjoyed it—she had no idea there were so many new and different ways to experience intimacy! She laughs softly to herself.

After finally getting out of the bath and draining the water, she dries off and heads back to the room to apply lotion. Once she finishes pampering herself, she searches for an outfit to wear.

They had decided to leave today because Mangaliso has plans next week and insists he doesn’t want anyone else traveling with her but himself. She finds the perfect casual and comfortable clothes to wear, slips them on, and searches for matching sneakers. Once she’s dressed, it’s time to pack. She gathers three outfits along with her sleeping clothes since they’ll only be gone for three days.

After making sure she has everything she needs in her travel bag, she heads downstairs and finds Mangaliso making breakfast. Will she ever get used to a man cooking for her? She chuckles to herself; she really enjoyed the dinner he prepared yesterday, and her own cooking doesn’t quite compare.

“You look good,” he compliments her, and she smiles shyly.

“You look yummy yourself, Mr. Mazibuko,” she teases, making him chuckle.

“Your breakfast,” he says, handing her a plate. They settle at the kitchen counter and dig into their meal together, enjoying the warmth of the morning and each other’s company.

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“Do you have everything you will need?” he asks as they grab their travel bags. She nods, knowing the private jet they’re using is already waiting for them. He checks to make sure the house is locked before they head to the jet, placing their bags inside and settling in. Once the jet starts moving, she pulls out her phone,and switches it on; it’s been turned off since yesterday.

Missed calls from Lulama, her mother, flood in. She sighs, deciding not to return the calls since she’ll see her in just a few hours. Instead, she texts her father to let him know she’s on her way to the Eastern Cape. He responds immediately, excited and saying he can’t wait to see her. A smile spreads across her face as she then messages Pari, her best friend, letting her know she’ll catch up when she returns from Eastern Cape. They chat for a little while before she logs out of WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, Mangaliso is busy on his laptop, communicating with Sage and informing him that he’ll see them when he gets back. The atmosphere is filled with anticipation and excitement for their trip ahead.

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MANGALISO

 

After a long nine-hours  drive, they finally arrived in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. It’s around 17:40, and the jet has landed near the mall. Mangaliso gently shakes Ayakha awake; she opens her eyes slowly, having slept almost  throughout the journey.

“We’re already in Grahamstown,” he tells her.

“How long have I been sleeping?” she asks, her voice still groggy.

“5 hours, love. You were tired?” he replies with a teasing smile. She nods in agreement.

“I was; we slept late yesterday,” she admits, playfully hitting him on the arm for good measure.

“Let’s go find you something to eat, and then I’ll drop you off at home,” he suggests. She nods enthusiastically, and they step out of the jet, heading into the mall to grab a bite to eat. Ayakha ends up buying a few things for her siblings, saying it’s a little surprise for them.

After their quick shopping trip, they make their way back to the jet for the drive to her home. Ayakha looks a bit anxious as they approach her neighborhood. He pulls her closer to him.

“Why are you looking anxious?” he asks gently. She gives him a faint smile.

“It’s just... it’s been so long since I left home,” she confesses. He nods understandingly and kisses her softly.

Forty minutes later, the jet comes to a stop outside her house. “We’re here,” he tells her. She nods but he notices that her hands are shaking slightly, despite her insistence that she’s fine. He gives her another kiss goodbye as she gathers her bag and shopping bags.

He watches as she walks toward her home, feeling a mix of concern and affection for her. Once she’s inside, he sighs and turns away as the jet drives off, heading to the hotel where he’ll be staying for the next three days.

The drive to The Milner Guesthouse comes to an end as he steps out of the vehicle, grabbing his bag and walking inside. The place is inviting, exuding a sense of calm and perfection. After a brief check-in, he is shown to his room and handed the key. 

Unlocking the door, he steps inside and closes it behind him. The room is spacious, just the way he likes it, with a cozy kitchen off to the side—a perfect setup since he plans to cook for himself during his stay. 

He takes out his phone and texts Sage to let him know he has arrived safely. Sage quickly responds, reassuring him that there hasn’t been any suspicious car following their jet, so everything is fine.

Feeling relieved, he tosses his phone onto the bed and heads out of the room to buy food for the meals he’ll be preparing over the next three days.…

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With everything he needs in hand, he heads back to the guesthouse. He places the bags on the kitchen counter and decides to take a bath to relax his body after the long day. 

He prepares warm water, pouring in the foam bath he found in the bathroom. After that, he goes to his room to grab his phone before returning to the bathroom. He quickly strips off his clothes and sinks into the bathtub, letting the warm water envelop him. 

As he relaxes, his mind drifts back to last night’s passionate encounter with Ayakha, causing him to smile to himself. He quickly logs onto WhatsApp and texts her, letting her know that he’ll send someone to deliver morning-after pills. The message goes through with two ticks, and he sighs in relief, glad she will see it. 

"Damn," he thinks, “what made me forget about the morning-after pills earlier?”

As he sinks deeper into the warm water, the soothing bubbles help him unwind, but his thoughts keep circling back to Ayakha. He can't help but replay the moments they shared—her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled in the dim light, and how everything felt so right. 

Once he finishes his bath, feeling refreshed and lighter in spirit, he steps out and wraps himself in a towel. The steam from the bathroom fogs up the mirror, but he catches a glimpse of himself as he wipes it clean. He notices a faint smile on his lips—something about last night had been special.

He heads back to the kitchen to put away the groceries he bought earlier. He organizes everything, he thinks about what to cook for dinner. Maybe something simple yet comforting—pasta with a light sauce could be nice. He starts gathering ingredients when his phone buzzes with a message from Ayakha.

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