King of Slaves (Jenna's Story) (The Slave Series Book 5) (6 page)

“I suggest that I show Spirima what I can do. Once you help me break down cultural walls, they’ll see that working with me is no different than working with any other architect. It’s not about the gender but about the profession and the skills.”

He looked away.

He’s not convinced, himself,
Jenna thought but continued in a matter-of-fact voice. “And when construction sites spring up all around the country in a few months, your people will hopefully soften up and feel more confident about the future.”

“Maybe.”

Jenna ignored his lack of faith in her. “I will leave in six months… or three weeks if you fail to support the project and treat me with respect. Either way, when I leave you’ll declare your support for girl’s higher education.”

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Wait a minute, what do you mean ‘when you leave in six months’? This project will take years.”

“I know, but after the six months I don’t have to live here… the designs will be agreed upon and the construction crews take over. I’ll come over to inspect, don’t worry.” 

“But still, six months isn’t enough time… it’s completely unrealistic to think tha–”

“Stop,” she interjected. “You should know that for every time you say ‘but’, I’m adding something to my list. How does a scholarship in my name to a gifted local girl sound? I would like that.”

Kopilus closed his mouth and just stared at her for a long time.

“Just so we are clear, I’ll sum it up for you.” She used her fingers to count her demands.

“1: You will make sure my team gets better accommodations and a place to cook their own food.

“2: You’ll help me if I encounter male chauvinism that is slowing the project down.

“3: You will publicly say that you support our work and that you have confidence in me as a leader.

4: Before I leave, you’ll publicly thank the US for our contribution and push a girl’s right to a higher education by making a yearly scholarship for a gifted girl in my name.”

“Those are your demands?”

“Yes,” Jenna said firmly.”

“There is no way I can get that involved, Ms. Davis. Surely you understand that; you would never ask that of your own president. The best I can do is give you Zurry as a backup; he’s on my council and one of the most respected men in the country.

“Respected or feared?” Jenna asked.

The king shrugged. “Both.”

“Okay, but in that case I want something else from you.”

“What?”

“I want access to you.”

His eyes widened and there was a hint of a smile on his handsome face. “What do you mean?”

“I want your private cell number, so I can reach you if Zurry is refusing to help me. And I want meetings with you to discuss the project, if needed.”

There was a long moment of locked eyes between them before he answered. “We’ll make a public press appearance together where I will give my support to you and your team, and you’ll explain that you unintentionally offended me without realizing it was against this country’s rules. You’ll say that you are sorry and hold no grudge against me.”

Jenna crossed her arms. “No! I’ll say that I have given an apology in private.”

“Good enough. Then we’ll shake hands in front of the cameras and hopefully shut down this unfortunate episode once and for all.”

She nodded and in return he bowed his head to her. “I accept your demands and appreciate your compromises.”

His words released a bubbly feeling of euphoria in Jenna’s belly. She had negotiated well and her father would be proud of her. “Deal,” she said and reached out her hand. “Let’s shake on it.”

Kioni looked at her hand, then at her face, before his eyes drifted to the door, as if to make sure they weren’t being watched. “Are you sure, you want me to touch you?”

“Excuse me?” Jenna gave him an exasperated glance. “Are you saying you have a problem with shaking my hand? I imagine that if I had said yes to your original offer, you would have touched much more than just my hand.”

“True,” he admitted. “But now that I know you’re not a…” He cleared his throat.

“A call girl,” she said shortly.

“Ehhm, yes… well, it’s considered rude for a man to touch a woman he isn’t related to.”

“Where I’m from, shaking hands is considered polite, especially after agreeing on a deal.”

“As long as you don’t mind or get offended with me,” Kioni said and took her hand. His skin felt warm against hers and she noticed he had really nice hands.

“I’ll have you escorted to a guest room where you’ll find your luggage and your cell phone. Take time to shower and change your clothes. Your team has been told you’ve been released and they are all eager to see you again.”

“You have my luggage?”

He nodded. “We had the hotel send it here.”

“But…”

He continued, “I’ll talk to my people and we’ll get back to you about the accommodations for you all, I think I already found the solution.”

“Which is?”

“You’ll see.” He smiled with satisfaction and looked down at their still joined hands.

Jenna tugged her hand back and shot him a small smile. It was hard not to with the pride and happiness that filled her heart.
It’s not because of his charming smile or gorgeous eyes… at all. It’s because I’m a badass negotiator and I’m proud of myself. That’s why I’m smiling… nothing else.

CHAPTER 4

Women

Kioni

Kioni watched Jenna Davis walk out of his office and took a minute to go over what had just happened.

He had never met anyone like her. She challenged him like a warrior, she negotiated like a pro, she didn’t cry or break down when put under pressure, and she didn’t try to get her way by using tears or being a flirtatious temptation.

This woman was completely different from the other females in his life, and he couldn’t believe how wrong he had been when he saw her standing in his garden and took her for a call girl.

At first he had been sure she was a present from Zurry, even though his friend had denied it. Still, he had concluded she had to be since he and Zurry had spoken about taking a beautiful blonde since they were teenagers, and more than once, Zurry had suggested they should fly in a call girl to live out their fantasies.

And there she was… in his path, looking like she stepped out of one of the porn movies he had seen online. Her tight sexy outfit had enhanced every gorgeous curve on her body, and with her pretty blue eyes, high cheekbones, and flawless pale skin, Jenna Davis, had been the embodiment of his dream girl or, rather, his ultimate sexual fantasy in flesh and blood – until she opened her mouth and it all went to hell.

Kioni sighed. Women had always played a part in his life in one way or another, but the women he knew were in a different category than Jenna. Hell, he didn’t even know how to categorize her. He quickly went over the women in his life. First there had been his mother who gave him life, and the nannies who took care of him as he grew up, and then when he was thirteen he had received his first pleaser as a gift from his father, the king. Trained for the task, she had gently introduced Kioni to sexual pleasure. Later his appetite had grown with his raging teen hormones, and he had expanded to having three personal pleasers and indulged in daily sexual explorations with them. They had all been beautiful young women and when he had grown tired of them, he had simply replaced them with new ones. His father had taught him never to keep a pleaser for more than a year to avoid any attachments, and it was a rule he still lived by.

Getting willing pleasers was easy, as the elite of Spirima were pushing their daughters on him, hoping to gain influence and probably praying that he would fall in love and marry their daughter. But he would never marry a mistress.

To a king, marriage, was a matter of political alliances and as with his father and every other king in his lineage, selecting a queen had nothing to do with love. He needed a beautiful and obedient wife to give him heirs and shine with beauty at official events.

With his thirty-seventh birthday only six months away, he was under pressure to marry. He would have done so years ago, if not for the bloody war, and he was perfectly aware that it was his duty to produce an heir.

Kioni would have to make a choice among the candidates soon, and after his meeting with Jenna Davis he had a new appreciation for the compliant and obedient nature of Spirimian women.

Zurry, who had been waiting outside, entered and closed the door.

“So, is she staying?”

“Yes,” Kioni confirmed.

“Good.”

“She had conditions though.”

“Of course she did,” Zurry exclaimed, his brows knitting. “Tell me.”

“She wants you to dress up as a little girl and apologize for hurting her feelings.”

Zurry gave him a death stare.

“Relax… you don’t have to apologize, just the dress-up part.”

“Stop messing around. What did she want?”

“Me.”

Zurry took a seat and looked up at Kioni with narrowed eyes. “She wants you how?”

“She wants me to help her succeed as leader of the project.”

“Explain.”

“I told her there would be cultural barriers to break down because men would refuse to work with a woman, and she wanted me to be her backup and force them.”

Zurry snorted. “Is she out of her mind?”

“Actually, I got the impression that she’s rather sharp.”

“Clearly not, if she thinks she can make a king her errand boy. That’s ridiculous.”

“Absolutely.” Kioni agreed. “That’s why I told her
you
would help her when she needed back up.”

“Fuck no,” Zurry refused.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice.”

Zurry shook his head. “I won’t do it.”

“Yes, you will; no one else holds the level of respect that you do, and we need this project to succeed. I’m putting my best man on the job, and that is you.”

“Flattery won’t make this better,” Zurry muttered.

“She also had a few other demands that I’ll have to work on, but for now, I’ll talk to the staff and have them open up the west wing. Her team will be staying there while they work on the project.”

“You want them to stay here at the palace?”

“Yes. Jenna wants her team to be in one place where they have access to a kitchen, and with the guest wing empty, I say we have an easy solution.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Kioni yawned… “I’m sorry, I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“No wonder, with the White House calling you and all.” Zurry took a seat.

Kioni yawned again. “I wonder if all women in the US are like Jenna.”

Zurry wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Oh, I’m sure they are.”

“In that case I feel sorry for American men.”

Zurry scoffed. “The men over there must be weaklings to allow their women to boss them around.”

“Right,” Kioni agreed. “But regarding Jenna’s team staying here, think about what a strong signal it will send to the outside world that we are treating our guest with hospitality.”

Zurry raised a brow. “Are you sure it’s not just because you’re hoping to get her into your bed?”

Kioni grinned and Zurry shook his head.

“At least make sure she brushes her teeth first. Her breath was really bad.”

Kioni puffed out air. “I don’t think you have to worry about any funny business. She is clearly more interested in her job than men.”

“Maybe she’s a lesbian,” Zurry speculated.

Kioni nodded slowly. “Possibly. That would explain why she didn’t have a ring on her finger and why she’s got short hair.”

Zurry furrowed his brow. “I don’t think short hair is a sure sign of sexual orientation.”

Kioni brushed him off. “Of course it is. Lesbians always have short hair. They want to be like men.”

“Now you’re just being stupid… my aunt was a lesbian and she had long hair.”

“Which one… the one that lives in Dullon?”

“Yeah.”

“But she’s married, isn’t she?”

“Yes… so?”

“Then how do you know she’s a lesbian?”

“Because I once surprised her making out with one of her neighbors.”

“Ohh. A woman?” Kioni said distractedly.

“Honestly, Kop, what is wrong with you today? Of course it was a woman, why else would I mention she’s a lesbian? Are you even paying attention to anything I say… you seem to be somewhere else.”

Kioni sighed. “I’m sorry… I’m just tired and this thing with Jenna –I mean Ms. Davis – it’s just annoying. Do you think she’s in a relationship?”

“I guess she could be. Not all Americans get married. She might even have children for all I know. I heard that some couples live with their partners for a lifetime without ever marrying,” Zurry said with a frown. “Pretty twisted, right?”

“Yeah… and they think we’ve got it wrong. At least we respect the mothers of our children enough to marry them.”

Zurry looked away and Kioni closed his eyes.
Shit!
He had forgotten that Zurry had fathered a kid with a mistress a few years back.

“Hey, I apologize. That was different, she tricked you.”

“I know.” He gave a small smile. “So what do you need me to do now?”

“Find out what you can about Jenna Davis.”

“I’m already on it. We made sure her cell phone is tapped. All her calls are being monitored and we only found one suspicious thing in her suitcases.”

Kioni looked up. “What thing?”

“I don’t know exactly. Some type of electronic device that security confiscated. They are currently inspecting it to make sure it’s not a bomb.”

“I want to know what it is.”

“Of course. I’ll get more information right away.” Zurry inclined his head and left the room.

Kioni sat back down in his chair and rubbed his forehead. Images of Jenna in the garden came back to him. She had looked goddamn edible in that outfit.

He sighed.
Maybe letting Jenna stay in the palace isn’t such a good idea
, he debated with himself, but reasoned that the place was huge and there were days between the occasions he saw his mom or brother, who lived here too.

It’ll be fine, and it’ll give me a chance to keep an eye on things and check in with her from time to time.

He made a few phone calls to his staff and set things in motion, and twenty minutes later Zurry returned.

“I brought the device,” he said and placed an oval-shaped rubber thing on Kioni’s desk and sat down.

The two men studied it. “What is it?” Kioni asked and picked it up.

“I’m not really sure, but security cleared it. Whatever it is, it’s not a bomb.”

Kioni turned the white, soft rubber thing around and investigated it closely. “What does it do?”

“Nothing, from what I can see. I was planning to return it to Ms. Davis - unless you want to do it.”

They both looked stunned when the small thing started vibrating in Kioni’s hand. He pressed the same place again and the intensity of the vibrations rose.

Both men broke into wide grins.

“I think we just found the way to activate this thing.”

Zurry reached for it. “Do you think it’s some type of sex toy? If so, it’s the strangest-looking dildo I’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t know how she would get it inside her with that odd shape,” Kioni said and looked at Zurry playing with the thing like a child with a new fascinating toy.

“It’s quite powerful.” Zurry put it on the tip of his nose. “I bet my women and I could have some fun with this – do you think she’ll miss it?”

“Give it to me.” Kioni reached for the vibrator. “It belongs to Jenna. Find a way to buy your own.”

Zurry grinned widely. “At least let me have fun by bringing it back to her. Maybe she’ll offer a live demonstration.” 

“I don’t think that would be a good idea. I will have it returned to her.”

Zurry bowed his head. “As you wish.”