Take this for your pain.

The room was poorly lit when she entered but she could tell he was not inside. There was always an evil aura around him that she could detect most times. She looked to the balcony and saw the shape of a man. She headed straight to him with careful steps worried about her movement making unnecessary noise. It was until she got to his back she cleared her throat to alert him of his presence.

Without fully turning his back he stretches his hand towards her and hands a glass cup to her.

"Allow me to pour you a drink," he said turning fully this time to face her with a bottle of wine in his hands. It was at this stage that Tara knew that he had been drinking. A closer look at the bottle in his hands made her heart skip.

He was drinking from the wine bottle called THE SKULL. If she had learned nothing from her quiet husband she knew this fact very well that whenever he was consuming that particular wine he was about to take very drastic action or he was about to go on a deadly mission. Many nights she had stayed awake waiting for his return. But this time there was a difference, he wasn't looking at her with his usual cold gaze instead there was some form of compassion on his face.

She was speechless as he poured her some of the content of the bottle. He had never shared a drink with her except on her wedding day but now she was sharing his sacred wind with him. Anxiety slowly began to creep into her body. Was he going for another mission? She questioned in her heart.

"Lakan what is happening? She managed to force those questions from her mouth. He wasn't one to reply to her most times but this time she felt he was going to be open to her

" I am celebrating you today, my dear. For the two years, you have been with me. Your love and tenderness towards me. It may seem like I don't notice them, I do but I purposely didn't want to open my heart to you. The fact you are weak makes everything worse. But today you will make up for everything by your sacrifice so drink up" He replto ied her.

For Tara, it was the longest set of words He had ever spoken to her so she was still in the euphoria of those words as each of them came to her little by little.

He just acknowledged that he had noticed her love and tenderness towards him and that made her glad. But other words pierced her heart, calling her weak. Those were the words of her father that made her firm on leaving the house. Just because one doesn't want to continue the mafia business doesn't make one weak. She reasoned in her heart.

"What sacrifice are you talking about? She asked as she knew she would not be doing anything today that is considered a sacrifice.

" You should drink if you want to know more. This wine will make you understand and help you bear" He replied to her as he removed his eyes from her and stared into space. She knew he would not say anything if she doesn't do as he say so she took a sip from the wine.

From the taste, she could tell it contained a high percentage of alcohol. It sent harsh sensations down her throat and she felt her heart was going to burn. She wondered how he was able to drink this comfortably every time he does it

"You should take more, what you are about to witness is not for the weak in heart. This we would strengthen you" He informed her as he continued looking into space.

She decided to drink more as she followed his gaze to see what he was looking at. She noticed for the first time that they were about three vans in the compound. All the time she was outside she didn't notice those vans come in. They must have entered when she was inside the house. She wondered for what purpose vans would be brought inside the compound when all they needed was already inside the house. She scanned the area very well and discovered just a good number of guards were outside and none was from her family. She was about to question him when he spoke again.

"You have often wondered why I take this wine. From the taste of it, I am sure you will begin to understand why. This wine helps you to bear the pains that come with Life. I have done so many bad things Tara but I am not a bad person. My family made me like this and you very well in the Mafia family power comes before love."

Tara at this stage began to wonder why he was saying all these to her. It seem like he was about to do something evil. She could no longer bear the suspense so she walked up to him closing the space between them.

"Lakan tell me what is happening, what are you about to do? You can stop it if your family is making you do it" She said with no idea of what she was saying.

He turned to her with his face some inches from her face. Anyone saying them from afar would think they were a couple sharing some intimate moments.

He reached out to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. " I wish I can stop it but I can't. Right now I can only save you hence you are here with me. The deed is already being done."

He said this time with traces of tears in his eyes. Seeing him in tears made her scared. She could no longer contain herself.

"Please tell me what is happening she pleaded in her softest possible tone at the moment.

" I hope you had a good time with your parents before coming upstairs because you will never see them again " He replied turning away from her as he cleaned the tears from his eyes.