Jude's pov
As I sit in my favorite club the conversation I had with my old man keeps replaying in my mind.
"You will have to prove to me that you can be serious with your life or I will stop paying for the luxurious lifestyle you love." My father says banging his hands on the dining table. I don't know why he always bangs the table when he wants to make a point.
"I don't know what you want me to do Dad. Just because I didn't study architecture and join the family business does not mean that I am not serious with my life." I tell him, staring at my dinner plate. My father scares the shit out of me when he is angry.
"You are my only daughter and I expect more from you, not the useless things you have been doing. I have no problem with your brothers, they always do things right. Why can't you be a more responsible person, Jude?"
"But I am not like my brothers, Dad my brothers do what they do because they like doing it and so do I."
"Is sleeping with a different man every day a good thing? You have turned into a fucking whore." Dad asks
"I don't sleep with them every day, I only do it on weekends. And I am not a whore, whores get paid for their services. I do it for pleasure." I tell him even though I am scared shitless.
"You think that will make me feel better. You are ruining your life and you don't even notice it. I am giving you a month to change your behavior or I will get everything that belongs to me including your apartment and your car. Then we will see if you can manage on your own. We both know the money you get from the job you do will not be enough for the luxurious life you love. If you don't change your ways in a month I will take away everything from you." I know the old man is right in his way, I just hate the fact he is threatening me with things I love.
"Why do I have to change who I am?" I ask him.
"Because you are my daughter and i want you to be responsible. Unless you want to be like mercy, your mother."
I feel my anger rise when he mentions the name of the woman who gave birth to me. My mother left us when I was six years old. According to Dad, she did not want to be a wife or a mum anymore. And so one day she packed a bag and left us. She has tried to reach out to me over the years but my hatred for her is very strong. She is also one of the reasons why I prefer casual relationships to serious ones. I don't want to open up to someone just to be left.
"Don't compare me to that woman," I tell him in anger.
"It's the truth, if you continue your behavior, you will fail to have any meaningful relationships." My father says in a gentle voice. I know my father has my best interest at heart. I just wish he didn't try so hard to try and push me to do what he wants.
"Madam, your drink." Leo the bartender interrupts my thoughts. I always sit close to the bar when I am in this club. Funk is one of the most expensive and luxurious clubs in Lusaka and not everyone can afford it. And if my father is serious with his threat I will not be able to afford it soon.
I take the drink from Leo, and give him a faint smile, trying to hide the turmoil inside me. It's funny how I always find solace in bars and clubs, where the chaos and noise helps drown out the overwhelming pressure from my family.
But tonight, the weight of my father's words feels heavier than ever. He wants me to prove that I can be serious, to change my behavior, and to meet his expectations. But deep down, I wonder if he even knows who I truly am. I am not his little anymore, I am a grown-ass woman. I am twenty-three years old. For God's sake, I can make my own decisions in life.
I take a sip of the drink, trying to gather my thoughts. Yes, I enjoy the thrill of casual relationships, but it's not all that defines me. I am passionate about what I do. I love computers and everything that has to do with them. That's why I decided to study computer science. I may not have followed the path he had envisioned for me, but that does not mean I am lost or aimless.
Yet, there is a part of me that longs for his approval, his acceptance. Perhaps it's because I have always felt like the odd one out in my family. My brothers, driven and successful in their chosen paths, have always been focused. Mark is married with three kids and he's running the Copperbelt branch of the Chanda architecture. Luke is running the Kasama branch while I am doing what my father does not approve of.
I don't know what I am doing right now. It is a Friday and I am supposed to be partying and having fun but my father's threat is in my mind. I know I act a little reckless sometimes but that doesn't mean that I don't know what I want in life.
"Is the seat taken?" A voice asks, sitting on the stool next to mine.
"Now it is," I say, not looking at the person.
"People normally look at the person talking to them." The person says in amusement.
"I am not most people." I know I sound like a bitch but I am not in the mood to have a conversation right now.
"Mr Nkunda, should I give you the usual?" The bartender asks the guy next to me.
"Yes, Leo I will have my usual, how are you?"
"I am fine thank you, sir, how are you?"
"I am okay."
I can feel the stranger's eyes on me, he is not even trying to hide it. His eyes are digging holes in me.
"You are staring," I simply state.
"I wouldn't be staring if you looked at me." He says as he gets the drink from Leo. I turn and look at the guy and what I see has me adjusting myself on the seat. The man is good-looking, I was not planning on taking someone home tonight but now I think I will. He is not my usual type and he looks a bit older than me but I will take him home. He looks to be in his early forties.
"Like what you see sweetheart?" The stranger asks.
"Yes, I am intrigued and I want to take you home with me." The man looks at me with surprise written on his face, I am sure he was not expecting that answer from me.
"Are you always this straightforward?" He asks, looking at me with intense eyes. I wonder how those would look when I ride him to orgasm, I bet the sight would be so sexy.
"Yes, I believe in speaking my mind, and when I want something I make sure to get it and right now I want you." I have made up my mind to have a taste of this gorgeous man and I will have it. The guy moves close to me and connects his mouth to mine. I let out a moan and I hear him groan. We kiss for some time, and I feel my knees go weak. This man's tongue is magical, and I am sure tonight I am going to enjoy it.
"I will give you what you want, I will give you the pleasure you have never had. I will make you beg for more." He says his husky voice Husky as he touches my cheek.
"You don't know, maybe I will be the one to make you beg," I tell him looking straight into his beautiful brown eyes. He bites his lower lip and lets out a groan. I am sure he is hard for me.
"We will see about that, but before we make each other beg we should at least know each other's names. I am James and you are?"
"Nice name, I am Jude." James is still looking at me with intensity.
"This is how we are going to do this, you are going to come with me to my place." He states, there is some kind of authority in his voice and it's turning me on.
"I don't go to men's homes, they come to mine," I tell him.
"That's why I want you to come to mine. You need a new experience and I will give you a full package."
"Okay, I will come with you, I hope you are not a serial killer."
"You just have to trust me."
"Okay."
"There is more," he states.
"More of what?" I ask him.
"I don't want you for just one night, I want you for the entire weekend. When you come with me to my place you won't leave until Sunday." I look at him surprised, a part of me wants to say no but the other part remembers my father's threat. If I am to stop sleeping around as my father puts it, I at least deserve to have a chance to have fun one last time. The chance has presented itself and I am going to grab it.
"Okay, let's do that, but I need to pass through my place to get some stuff."
"You will not be needing anything, I plan on keeping you in bed the whole weekend." I feel myself getting wet just by his words. I don't think I have ever been this turned on in my life. I want to jump on him right here right now. He pays our bill and takes my hand leading me to the exit. As we head to the exit I send my live location to Juliana, one of my friends, just in case this man turns out to be a serial killer.