Chapter 3 DON'T BLAME ME

ONYINYE

"We did not agree I would get laid by anyone!" I hissed at Ikem, my body tense with fury.

Ikem didn't look bothered at all. He just sighed, rubbing his temples like I was being a difficult child. "Madam Onyinye, listen to me. I am not ready to lose my club or go down just yet because of you. Spending nights with high-paying VIP customers is a well-known part of a dancer's job here. Don't act all innocent now. Besides, they've already seen everything out on that stage."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out, slamming the heavy door behind him.

I was left alone in the dimly lit VIP room, my heart pounding wildly against my ribs. The scent of expensive woodsmoke and amber filled the air, mocking the tight knot of anxiety in my stomach. A moment later, the door clicked open again, and Silas walked in.

He moved with an effortless authority, his dark eyes locked onto mine. He looked even taller up close, his presence filling the entire room. It shouldn't have mattered to me what a complete stranger thought, but somehow, under his heavy gaze, I found myself babbling, desperate to explain.

"This is my first time doing this," I stammered, my voice trembling slightly as I adjusted my feathered mask. "It was... a really bad situation that pushed me into coming here tonight."

Silas said nothing at first. He just stood there, taking in every detail of my face and my body with an unreadable expression.

"Dance for me, Onyinye," he said quietly, his deep voice cutting through the quiet room.

I swallowed hard, stood up on shaky legs, and walked toward the private pole in the corner of the room. But before I could touch the chrome, he spoke again.

"Stop."

I turned back to look at him, my pulse racing.

"Take your clothes off," he demanded.

I was already wearing nothing more than a sheer bra and matching lace panties, so I stared at him, confused and completely exposed. "I... I'm already practically stripped."

"I want to see you completely naked," he said, his voice dropping an octave, completely firm.

In that quiet second, Ogbonna’s harsh, disgusting words from earlier echoed inside my mind: She disgraced me by giving birth to a sick and ugly child.

The memory of his betrayal, his public announcement with Nnenna, and his cruelty toward Somma ignited a dark, burning fire in my chest. Fueled by sheer anger, hurt, and defiance, I reached down, unhooked my bra, took off my panties, and stood before this powerful stranger completely naked.

Silas didn't hesitate. He stripped off his own clothes, revealing a broad, chiseled frame, and pulled me into his arms. What followed was raw, intense, and utterly consuming. He made wild, intoxicating love to me like a man starving, his hands firm yet surprisingly careful against my skin.

I couldn't even pretend otherwise, I enjoyed every single second of it. It was, without a doubt, the best sex I had ever had in my entire life. Even back when things were good between Ogbonna and me during those first two years, he had never been this sweet, this attentive, or this mind-blowing. By the end of it, I was literally the one clinging to Silas, breathlessly asking him for more.

Afterward, as we lay catching our breath under the heavy silk sheets, Silas wrapped his arm around me, pulling my body close to his chest. He reached up, gently running his thumb along my cheek.

"Spend the rest of the night with me at my hotel," he asked softly.

"I can't," I told him softly, sitting up and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. "I have to go home to my special needs daughter."

As I reached for my clothes on the floor, the dim ambient light caught the metallic glint on my left hand. Silas froze, his dark eyes narrowing as he spotted the gold band on my finger.

"You're married?" he asked, genuine shock breaking through his usual cool composure.

I glanced down at my wedding ring, feeling a cold, bitter smirk touch my lips. "Oh, forget about it. I'm in an open marriage."

Silas suddenly let out a sharp cough, shifting his weight against the leather headboard. "Well... I happen to be in an open marriage, too."

I stopped pulling up my clothes and leveled a steady, thoroughly unimpressed look straight at him.

He caught my expression instantly and held his hands up in quick defense. "Oh, don't look at me like that, my wife was the one who asked for it!"

A tired laugh escaped my chest. The irony of it all was almost absurd. Here we were, two people bound to other partners, seeking refuge in the dark corners of a VIP lounge.

"Right," I murmured, sliding my shoes back on. "Because wives always just wake up and ask their husbands for an open marriage."

"I'm serious," Silas replied, a subtle edge of frustration touching his voice. He sat up, leaning his forearms on his knees. "She wanted her freedom, so I gave it to her. But that's her business. Right now, my focus is on you."

He reached for his coat on the chair, pulled out a checkbook, and quickly signed a slip of paper before handing it toward me.

"Take this," Silas said, looking directly into my eyes. "It’s a hundred thousand dollars. I’m also transferring another one hundred thousand to Ikem to make sure you dance exclusively for me whenever you come here."

My hand hovered in mid-air. Two hundred thousand total?

I stared at the slip of paper in shock. One hundred thousand directly in my hand meant I could hire the best pediatric nannies, pay for Somma’s physical therapy for years, and never ask Ogbonna for a dime again.

"Why are you giving me this much?" I asked quietly, my voice trembling slightly.

"Because you're worth it," Silas said simply, his gaze unyielding. "And because I don't share."

I took the check, tucking it securely into my bag. Without another word, I adjusted my mask, turned, and walked out into the cool night air, ready to go home and take care of my daughter.