Chapter Two

• MAKUA •

I woke up to the blaring sound of my alarm, vibrating violently beneath the lush pillows my face was buried in. Pain shot right through my head at my attempt to move. It spread over my body like a wave, claiming each joint spanning from my arms to the sole of my feet. I groaned and rolled over, slipping off the bed as my eyes adjusted to the bright atmosphere, the sun lighting the space from the floor to ceiling windows.

Sitting up, I located the phone and silenced the alarm, tossing it back on the large bed. I took in the room I was in a second and my sore eyes were alert. From the window, the top of New York's skyscrapers hovered below, the skyline visible from this height. While the interior was simply luxurious. The bed was larger than any king-sized bed I'd slept on. Normally it would have taken a large portion of a smaller space but it fits right in, the rest of the space filled with the other non-consequential items that fit in with the minimalist design of the room. Where I'd found the money or audacity to book this room, I was curious to find out because my monthly earnings could barely afford a quarter of the room.

I rubbed my temple gently and tried to remember how I'd ended up here. The headache soared with every attempt at remembering anything. The facts were still there: I prepared to have dinner with Ramiro Knight with plans to come back to his place. Looking around the room again, it made sense if I came back with him. The pain I felt was understandable now. I rolled my eyes and walked to the bathroom for any sign of him. It was empty, unused from the sight of things. Had he just left? No message or whatever?

As if that wasn't enough, from the time on the wall clock, I needed to check out from here before noon. I doubt he would have booked it any longer as long as he'd gotten what he wanted. How bad was it that I couldn't even remember? Well, I doubt it was something that deserved to be remembered.

I made my way around, searching for any message or contact he might have left behind. We definitely needed to talk about my career after my side of the deal was met. Then again, the asshole could probably care less if he'd just left unannounced. I sighed and sat on the bed when my eyes find a card nestled underneath the landline.

Call this number if you run into trouble later, and I'll handle it.

My brows furrowed at that. What kind of trouble would I run into from spending time with him? Was he secretly married or something? I hoped not, I didn't need to deal with another angry wife trying to end my life and career in a scandal.

Turning the card, there's an imprinted contact with a business name attached: Gian Entertainment. An attached title of CEO is slated beneath the logo.  If it were possible to die from shock, I would have met the pearly gates already cause my eyes had to be deceiving me.

I knew Ramiro was connected and affiliated with a lot of known corporations, but Gian Corporation's Entertainment company? It was rumoured that they secretly ran everything within New York City from the front and sidelines. I guess I had my outstanding manager to thank. Harper would be receiving several hugs from me when I met her.

Speaking of Harper, I found my phone again and checked my schedule. "Fuck," A meeting in the next few hours with several missed calls from her wasn't a good sign. With that, I showered and dreaded having to wear the dress from last night until I found a bag nestled in the corner with new clothes stuffed in.

Okay, maybe he wasn't as big of an asshole as I thought.

After getting dressed, I made my way to the door with my things only to hear a knock at the door. My heart skipped several beats and I waited for the person to announce who they were. But I was met with silence.

When a moment passed, I approached the door and opened it slowly. Two men stood outside, both clad in semi-casual outfits while one held out a badge. "NYPD, I'm Detective Rayner and this is Detective Tolland. By any chance, are you Makua Amadi?"

Cringing at the way he pronounced my name, I nodded and looked between them apprehensively. "We'll need you to come with us to the station miss."

"Is there a problem?"

The taller one of the two smiled softly, "We just want to ask you a few questions concerning Mr Ramiro Knight. He was reported missing yesterday and You were said to be the last person to see him alive."

Alive? I felt bile rise at the back of my throat. My murky memories resurfaced at that point. Blood spilling from a bullet wound, His body pressed heavily against mine and the sight of his body being held by men clad in suits. I snapped my gaze back to the men standing before me, their eyes holding enough suspicion for me to succumb without a fight. "I'll go with you but first, I'll need a lawyer."

•••

Nothing could ever prepare a person for an interrogation. Sitting in the darkened room, alight only by the dim bulb that hung just above the table, it felt like I was already settling behind bars from the sheer pressure and suffocation the room caused.

I was alone for a long while, waiting, bidding time for Harper to get here with someone, anyone that could help with whatever case that could be built against me. Hearing the disbelief in her voice over the phone earlier wasn't something I wanted to ever recollect.

I mean, looking at it from a sensible standpoint. It did seem sketchy. A man who had a date with a woman the night before and went missing after. There could only be one outcome: that I was the perpetrator or in cahoots with them.

After what felt like hours, the door slid open and the detectives stepped in, taking a seat across from me. Without anyone else in tow.

"Seems like your manager is a no-show," Detective Rayner dropped a file on the table with a smile and leaned forward. "It won't hurt to ask routine questions to buy time for your lawyer to arrive, would it?"

At loss for words, I shook my head and received a reassuring nod from both of them. "Let's start with an easy one, shall we? Where were you between Wednesday and Thursday?"

I blinked, "What do you mean?" To my knowledge, it was Wednesday. "What's today's date?"

"Friday," the detectives shared a knowing look before turning to me again. "We've been looking for you for two days now, there was no trace of you leaving the restaurant, and neither did we get any eye witness that saw you or Mr Knight after you arrived."

I tried to process the information slowly. First, Ramiro was probably in a better - or worse - place now. The tangy smell of blood invaded my nostrils at the memory. The sight of his body slacked against the hold of the suited men. Secondly, I'd been out cold for more than two days. With a fuzzy memory at that. There was no mistaking it.

From the looks on their faces, as I met their gaze, I could see the convictions laid bare before me. They didn't hesitate or try to hide their feelings. I was surely the main suspect here. The sole suspect and nothing I could say would change that.

My throat was parched as I swallowed, thinking of what to say to change their minds. Anything uttered carelessly could dictate whether I'd spend a night in a jail cell or go home.

Just as I found the words to say, the doors to the room flew open as a woman clad in a three-piece suit strode in. The sound of her heels clicking against the cold metal flooring echoed as she settled beside me, dropping her briefcase on the table.

"Not another word." I didn't know if she was referring to me or the detectives. But from the look on their faces, they knew who she was. She stretched a hand to them. "Chiara Gianpiero, I'll be representing Ms Amadi during the course of your investigation. I heard she requested a lawyer before arriving. Why was she being questioned without an attorney present?"

Detective Rayner was simply speechless. I watched as he took her hand in his, shaking and waiting for her to do the same with Detective Tolland before speaking. "We waited for her defence team to arrive hours ago, you could have called to inform us that you'd be representing her."

"Well, now you know" She muttered, refusing to sit and instead moving to stand at the side of the table. "I'll just get straight to the point detectives. Is my client a viable suspect or possible witness in this case?"

Detective Rayner leaned back in his seat. "Both. From our reports, she was the last person to see him and-"

"Is there concrete evidence that she left the premises without Mr Knight that night?"

"Well, no. But there isn't any sign that she left at all"

"Yet, you hauled her to the station, questioned her without an attorney present and based all your evidence on hearsay." She smiled, her red-tinted lips curved at the frowns lining their lips. She leaned forward, both hands on either side of the table. "My client and I will be leaving now. You can call us when you have something to work with. We'll be happy to help with your investigation.

I didn't notice how my mouth hung open, watching as she placed her business card on the table and took her briefcase in her hand. "Let's go," she was already walking towards the door when my brain kickstarted. The looks on the faces of the detective brought a wide smile to my face as I made my way out.

She walked briskly, moving to slip her sunglasses over her face and looking at me from over her shoulder. "You should know you're right, you can't let them intimidate you and force you to confess something that you have nothing to do with."

"Thank you," is all I could muster as we made our way out to the parking lot. "Did Harper send you?"

"Who's that?" She located her car and motioned for me to enter. I did so, buckling in as she started the car. "I thought you were the one that told my brother to send for me."

"Your brother?"

Her hand paused at the ignition, her eyes finding mine. "My brother. Damian. He sent me to represent you in this case. Aren't you his girl or something?"

It was my turn to look confused. My brows furrowed and I turned to face her fully. "I've never met him before. The only person I contacted was my manager."

She looked back at me, eyes narrowing before a sly smile lined her lips. "You must be his new crush then."

"Crush?"

"You think Damian would offer to pay the legal expenses of a possible trial and keep the media from blasting this scandal on every possible platform for just anyone?"

I settled back against the seat, considering her words. The night at the restaurant...a man had walked up to me after Ramiro's body was carried off. He said something in a language I couldn't understand. And now I was assigned a lawyer from what could be assumed to be the Gian Law Firm here in Manhattan. It was well known. And I'd heard that the first and only daughter of the Gianpiero family was spearheading the firm.

And she was sitting right next to me.

My mind flashed to the business card in the hotel and I dug it out, looking back at the note left for me.

Chiara leaned closer, taking the card and inspecting it before giving it back. "That's him. The CEO of Gian Entertainment." She exaggerated the title, holding her hands up in a mocking gesture. "I'm surprised he hasn't approached you yet. You didn't even know his name. Ouch."

Just what was happening? It seemed like a lot of events were just colliding with others in a short amount of time. My head throbbed with renewed strength, just how had I gotten entangled in this whole situation?

"Makua," Chiara called, bringing me out of my thoughts. "I think you're cute and quite innocent for your age." How she knew my age, I'd have to find out. "But I'll give you a piece of advice if you want to survive another night in this city."

My eyes found hers as she eased out of the parking lot. "Be careful. If anyone finds out that my brother is even thinking of favouring you or has a connection to you in any way, you won't be able to fathom the number of enemies you'll automatically inherit. And protecting you won't be as easy if you're not part of our world."

We held eye contact for the longest time, silence enveloping us, albeit when she asked for my address. I let her words sink in, feeling my heartbeat quicken at the mere thought of witnessing another scene like that again.

"I understand."