Page 23 of Craving a King

“Very well.” He places his napkin on his plate and gives me his most serious face. “I’ve already picked Revolution Academies as the choice for Kumasi’s Education Grant. I flew you out here so you can see the people, meet me, and determine how you want to proceed, not to convince me that I should go with your organization. I knew you were the best the moment I saw your application with the UN. After I saw you and heard you speak, I selfishly decided I had to meet you person. I’m so drawn to you. I wanted to be near you.”

I am not upset, even though I absolutely should be. He brought me to a foreign country under false pretenses. But now those pretenses feel even better than the original claim. I want him to need me. And I am also getting the contract, something he apparently decided before we had sex, before I even set foot in Ghana. That makes me feel much better about the direction our relationship has taken. “So, what does that mean? What exactly did you imagine me getting accomplished on this trip?”

“Well, before I got the privilege of meeting my crush in person, all I wanted you to accomplish is a solid plan for building schools here. I planned to take you to our churches and cultural events, which I still will do, to give you all the cultural knowledge you need. Then, I wanted you to be so engrossed in the work and our people that you realize you need to stay here, at least a year, to ensure implementation goes well and that we achieve a true Revolution Academy at every site. I don’t want a watered-down version; I want the real thing. We need what you have to offer.”

He has done his research. I generally support my new academies’ founding teams for a year. It is called the planning year. However, those academies are in the states. I can easily fly back and forth between the host city and Atlanta. This is an entirely different continent. He knows that and still expects the same level of service. I’m inclined to give it to him…I may need to. This is our first international endeavor, and I want it to succeed. I also want to explore whatever is starting between Kofi and me, for however long it can last.

I clear my throat. “I see. Well, now that you have more than met your crush and shared your original goal for my visit, what else is there for me to accomplish?”

He rises and walks over to take my hand in his while leaning his tall frame against the table. “I want you to accomplish the greatest orgasm of your life while I make love to you on the bed just across the threshold. Then after I’ve given you at least three more glorious orgasms, I want you to accomplish a deep rest. Then I will wake you up with my mouth between your legs and wish you a good morning before we accomplish a hot shower together. Then, Ella, over sweet fruits and baked pastries for breakfast, we will discuss everything you can accomplish in Kumasi before I take you into the village to meet my people, the people you will serve.”

I lick my lips and stare at his. I’m ready to kiss him and start all of what he just said immediately. “How long did it take you to plan my additional accomplishments, King? They’re very specific.”

With a sinful grin, he takes my other hand, standing me up to face him. “Go and lie on the bed. Take everything off. We must get started now if we plan to meet all your goals.”

I go without hesitation, making sure the king doesn’t have to ask twice.

Chapter Fourteen

Suspicion

Kofi

The morning comes quickly.

Too quick. I want her lying in my arms like this all day, her beautiful face against my chest, her perfect ass uncovered. She gets hot in the middle of the night and blankets are banished to the floor. A woman as magical as her requires the world. I never thought I’d be willing to give it. Now there is nothing I want to do more. I will move my entire kingdom to keep her open and vulnerable, waiting for me. Her king.

I never could see myself sleeping beside any of the women I’ve dated, let alone waking up with them and spending an entire day together after mind-blowing sex. Even during their 90-day period with the king, I never let them stay here with me. They were never invited to Bonbiri. They were wined, dined, and thoroughly banged at the palace, then sent home at first light. But Ella, she’s different. I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her during that TED Talk. Now I have to figure out how I can give her what she needs and what my people need within the next 21 days. I need her to stay. But right now, I just need to touch her.

Just when I decide to wake her to fulfill my morning promise of my mouth between her thighs, I hear a loud vibration come from the nightstand. I remember hearing the noise throughout the night, but we were so thoroughly engaged with each other I blocked it out.

Thinking it’s my phone, I reach over and grab the blasted distraction and realize it is not my phone at all. It is Ella’s. She must have left it here yesterday while we were out…I don’t remember seeing her with it at all.

With a quick glance, I see that she has 12 missed calls and over 20 missed texts all from the same person, Adom Annan. Why is my cousin calling and texting her so incessantly? What is going on? What could possibly warrant such harassment? Against all the principles of privacy that I hold dear, I consider looking at the texts. Theswipe up to openmessage is beckoning me to.

I can’t believe she doesn’t lock her phone, then I remember the palace provided this phone the second day she was here. When Senya took her to pick up some clothes her friend Maya had sent. He also took her to replace the items lost on her flight and she tried to make some calls. That’s when she realized her phone was not properly set up to work in Africa without enormous costs to her phone bill. After Senya supplied her with a royal phone she must have shared the number with Adom. Have they been communicating this entire time? I wonder what the jackal is telling her about me. I need to know.

I rationalize that since it is not really her personal phone, the invasion of privacy is minimal. I take one more look at her sleeping face and open the messages. The moment I swipe up, I regret the action. It feels wrong, but then I see the first message and regret turns to anger.

Adom

7/13 6:00 pm: Hello Lady. Where should I meet you and Thomas for dinner? How about you both come to my home in McCarthy Hills. Thomas can give Senya the address.

Ella

7/13 6:02 pm: Thank God you texted. Thomas is handsy as hell. Kofi tried to warn me. You always know exactly when to come and save my day. We will see you in an hour.

Adom has been in Accra this entire time! Why didn’t she tell me? We had multiple conversations about Adom, and I assumed he was back in Atlanta. She didn’t exactly lie, but she’s withholding information. I’m not convinced these two are just friends. Adom hates coming to Ghana. He avoids his mother and family like the plague. He must have made the trip just for her. I scroll down to the unopened messages she missed the past 24 hours, and it does not help her case.

Adom

7/20 10:22 am: Lady. I need to talk to you. It needs to be in person. Can you make up an excuse and ditch Kofi? I can send a driver wherever you are.

7/20 1:02 pm: Lady. Why haven’t you responded? I need to be with you when I tell you this news. Come to me as soon as possible.

7/20 4:28 am: Ella, Love, where is my cousin keeping you? Surely, I outrank him in importance. You need to hear what I have to say more than anything else right now.

7/20 7:34 pm: Ella call me now!

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