REBEL GRAINED

MEN'S EGO

*This chapter contains domestic violence*

Lars fought against himself, but his hands moved without his consent. Thulile stood still with her arms beside her.

Lars' fingers only had the time to brush against Thulile's when someone grabbed the woman by the arm.

"Julian."

"Thulile, what are you doing?"

"Hey, let go of her," Lars interjected.

Lars remembered Julian as the guy who spoke to Thulile in the Mkhize's garden. Back then, Lars didn't understand the role he played, but on the rooftop, it was clear for him and Thulile's friends who came to join them.

"Wow, Julian, let go of our baby," Sus said.

Julian knew Thulile's friend's madness level when the hell broke loose.

Nandi was strategically violent, while Sus was a pure savage. Mabel was the one who came with the scratches and wig pulling while screaming her lungs out as if she were the victim.

Thulile was the calm one who warned and walked away. All thought she held back, so the stories bearing her name didn't reach Elije, but the truth was Thulile didn't have the luxury to be like that. Femi and her gran needed her.

There on the rooftop, she was in the cyclops eye.

Julian let go, and Lars stepped back as the conversations became a mix of Swahili, Zulu, Xhosa, and English.

"Ladies, please, can you just let me speak to Thulile a second?"

Everyone turned to Thulile.

She crossed her arms and slid her eyes to the side, "I have nothing to say."

"You don't need to say anything, please, Thulile," Julian pleaded.

She stepped forward, "Thulile, you don't need to hear him," Sus said.

"It's okay, Sus."

Sus turned to Julian and slid a finger across her throat, "Julian, you touch her, and your parents will be shopping for a marble tombstone tomorrow."

The man nodded, and he and Thulile went to a remote rooftop area.

"What do you want, Nkosi?"

"Thulile, I know what Elije did wasㅡ."

"Correction, what you and your bra did."

"Okay, Thulile, I have no excuse. I know deception is brutal, but you can't be flirting with an Afrikaner like that."

"Lars isn't South African; he's European."

Julian slid his head back, "you know him?"

"We're business partners."

"Business?"

Thulile crossed her arms, "yes, business."

"With that man?" Julian added.

"Yes, with that man, I have a contract and everything."

"You have a contract?"

"What do you want, Nkosi? Your bra and I are over. You don't need to play bodyguards anymore. So stay out of my business."

Julian had to think fast, "bring me your contract."

"What?"

"I deceived you, right? The least I can do is help you."

"Julian," Nandi's voice suddenly rang in Thulile's mind. "Have Julian look over it."

Thulile had scruples to ask at the time, but now Julian was almost at her mercy. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea, but the fact he was Elije's friend bothered her.