Tamandan Bongo, the infamous black hitman, unzipped a sleek leather bag and revealed a chessboard kit—a promise fulfilled to his little princess. Her small face lit up with pure delight, her eyes sparkling with exhilaration.
"Don't tell me!" she gasped. "Is it really mine?"
"Yes, my pink little princess," Tamandan said with a tender smile. "It's all yours, and as promised, Daddy shall teach you."
"Can we start today?" she asked eagerly, her hands clasped in anticipation.
"No, darling. Daddy's got jet lag. He must rest first," Sade Akinremi replied apologetically.
At a respectful distance, she stood as a strikingly beautiful woman with Brazilian extension hair. She approached dashinly, possessive and demanding all the attention from the universe. She had deliberately given Tamandan space to share this moment with his daughter.
"It's fine, Sade," Tamandan intercepted casually. "We're heading to the play park. Chess helps me relax better."
Tamandan instinctively shielded his daughter with a protective arm as if defending his cherished jewel from the world's reach.
"Akinremi, are you not going to give me a hug? Do you even miss me?" Sade, his wife, questioned with mock indignation. In Nigeria, where his family was based, Tamandan Bongo was known as Joromo Akinremi, his alias of softer identity.
"The jealousy has come early today," Tamandan teased, gesturing toward his daughter. "But of course, here stands my little angel. I would cross the oceans if it meant delivering what she asked of me."
With a light pat on his daughter's shoulder, Tamandan rose and enfolded his wife in a strong, warm embrace. A kiss followed, sealing his affection.
"Let's get going. Where have you parked the car?" he inquired as the hug dissolved.
"Really?" Sade shot him a questioning look.
"Really, what?" Tamandan asked with visible surprise, his gaze meeting hers.
She shook her head, incredulous. "Nothing like 'I missed you, darling'? A simple 'I brought you a present'? Small things like that, you know?" Her tone carried a playful edge that concealed fast-changing emotions.
Tamandan softened, his resolve tempered by her teasing. "Alright, honey, I missed you."
He leaned in for another kiss, but Sade, smiling mischievously, tilted her head back, keeping him at arm's length.
The sun was dipping into a soft orange glow as they headed toward the play park. Tamandan Bongo, the black hitman known for his ruthlessness, walked with the gentleness of a father devoted to his family. In Nigeria, he was Joromo Akinremi, a name that carried no shadow of his dangerous past.
His daughter skipped ahead, clutching the chessboard kit. "Daddy, when I win my first chess game, will you take me to the moon?" she asked, giggling at her own wild imagination.
Tamandan chuckled. "To the moon? My princess, I'd build a rocket myself if that's what you wanted."
As they reached the play park, Sade lingered beside him, her mood still playful yet tinged with an unspoken question. She slid her hand through his, her fingernails painted the color of a fiery sunset.
"Do you ever think about leaving it all behind?" she asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the chatter of children playing nearby.
Tamandan's smile faltered, but only briefly. "Leaving behind what?"
"The… life you lead when you're not here." Sade's gaze locked onto his, her expression both searching and resolute.
Tamandan avoided the topic with practiced ease. "You mean leaving behind work that keeps a roof over our heads and allows me to spoil my pink little princess?"
Sade sighed and turned her attention to their daughter, who was already arranging chess pieces on the board. "You always deflect when I ask."
Tamandan placed an arm around her waist. "I'll answer you one day. But today, let's just be a family enjoying the evening, alright?"
As the game began, Tamandan coached his daughter gently, guiding her through strategies, moves, and counterattacks. Her laughter rang out, and her face lit up with delight every time she captured one of his pieces. Sade watched them, her expression softening as the moment unfolded.
But the serenity of the park didn't last long. A shadow fell across the chessboard—a man with a weathered face and a penetrating gaze. His presence carried an unspoken tension, and he addressed Tamandan in low, measured tones.
"Akinremi," the man said, using the name Tamandan wore like armor in Nigeria. "You're needed tonight. Urgently."
Tamandan's jaw tightened, but he nodded, signaling his understanding. "I'll come," he said simply.
Sade's eyes flashed with anger and worry. "You promised us time together. It's always 'urgent' with you!"
Tamandan crouched beside his daughter, brushing her hair away from her face. "Daddy has to go, princess. But I'll be back before you know it."
Her smile dimmed but didn't disappear entirely. "Will you bring me something nice?"
"Something beyond nice," Tamandan assured her.
He rose and turned to Sade, whispering in her ear. "I promise you, this will be my last job. After tonight, it's over."
Sade's eyes betrayed her doubt, but she kissed his cheek softly. "We'll wait."
Tamandan left the park with the man, the weight of his promise hanging in the air—a promise he knew would not be easily kept.
Tamandan's jaw clenched. The weight of his father's words pressed against his chest like an iron grip.
The sun was dwindling gradually when Tamandan Bongo entered the dimly lit office. The figure behind the desk remained shrouded in darkness, his presence heavy with authority.
Tamandan's instincts tensed. He knew this meeting would not be pleasant.
"You have failed me," the voice declared, deep and unwavering. "You spared the wrong person. You made choices that were not yours to make. And now, I have no option but to dishonor you."
Tamandan swallowed hard. "I can make this right, Father. I swear it."
The figure leaned forward, his voice now a low growl. "It's too late for that. What's done cannot be undone. You have a family now, at least. But no one—not even me—can protect you from what's coming."
A cold silence settled between them. Tamandan stood rigid, his heart pounding against the weight of his past decisions.
The figure's voice grew harsher, "I have no choice but to dishonor you. The empire we built reaches the heavens, yet you've let it falter. Why did you...?"
Tamandan went silent in contemplation, and in a short time, a firm voice erupted, "I refuse to be bound by this life forever."
His father leaned forward, shadows deepening across his face. "You think walking away is that simple? That the world you've built—our world—will let you go without consequence?"
Tamandan met his father's gaze. "I've bled for this empire. I've done everything you've asked. But my daughter… she deserves a father who isn't always looking over his shoulder."
A heavy silence settled between them.
"You want freedom?" His father's voice was low, deliberate. "Then you'd better be prepared to fight for it."
Tamandan inhaled sharply, knowing this was no idle threat.