Page 25 of Craving a King

Ella

“Ella, wake up.”

I hear Kofi’s strong voice and feel his soft hand sweep across my chin and down my neck. Last night was incredible. It was something I’ve never experienced before. I’ve had decent lovers in the past, but no one as attuned to my body’s needs and hidden desires as Kofi. Plus, coming four times is quite fun. I want to come again.

“Good morning.” I sit up and groggily greet my lover. “Didn’t you promise me a morning wake-up call that included you between my thighs?”

Kofi half-smiles. “Indeed, I did.”

“Well, sir, my thighs are over here. Come back to bed and properly rouse me. I’m practically still asleep.”

He looks down at me like he’s holding an emotion or thought back. Maybe both? Is he already regretting our last 24 hours? Does he want to pull back? He finally speaks. “Well, I would, but you have a guest waiting for you downstairs.”

“A guest? Who would come see me at this hour?”

“Apparently, your good friend and my cousin, Adom.” Kofi sits away from me at the foot of the bed. For the first time, I notice he is fully dressed. His entire posture and demeanor are distant. This is the exact opposite of how I expected my morning to start.

“Your cousin? Did you invite him?” Kofi abruptly stands and walks over to my side of the bed. He grabs my hand and motions for me to get out of bed.

“No, he came here expressly to see you at this hour. Of course, I had no idea he was even in Ghana.”Shit.“Is there anything you need to tell me before you head downstairs to greet him?” I recognize the edge in his voice. He had it when we first crossed each other in the car ride from the airport 10 days ago.

“What could I possibly have to tell you, Kofi?”Maybe that your cousin is in town to handle some shit with his mother and your jacked-up family. But I was sworn to secrecy.I rise from the bed and walk toward the bathroom very aware of my nakedness and his eyes following my every move. “I’m just as surprised as you are that he’s here.”Well, I am.

He sniggers. “I find that very hard to believe.”

I stop in my tracks and face my accuser down. Now I admit I didn’t tell him that Adom was here. In the beginning, it did not matter. Adom is like a brother to me and I barely knew Kofi. He was just a business interest. I definitely would have told him now that things in our relationship have taken on a different face. I just haven’t had the chance. But now, I feel he is accusing me of something else, and I don’t appreciate it. “Are you calling me a liar?”

“No, I’m not calling you a liar. But I do think you’re lying right now.” In two strides, he’s face to face with me. “Adom does not talk to me unless it’s family business, which is rare. It has been years. He hasn’t been to Ghana in over five years to my knowledge, and definitely never to Bonbiri. You’re here a little over a week, and now he’s showing up at my doorstep demanding an audience with you. What am I supposed to think?”

My face flushes with heat. No one questions my integrity, especially a man with no reason to do so. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. This is a misunderstanding, and I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret.

“You’re supposed to think that you trust me and what I say.” I drop my voice even lower into a soothing tone, not wanting to betray any hint of my chief emotions right now: anger and panic. “What reason would I have to lie to you?”

“I don’t know, Ella. Why does any woman lie? I barely know you.” His jaw is clenched, and his fists are balled at his sides. He continues. He looks to the nightstand and walks over. He grabs my phone and tosses it on the bed in my general direction. “The next time you seduce a man for 24 hours to secure a contract, make sure you take your phone. You may miss your real lover’s messages!”

I shake my head in confusion. “What are you talking about?” I walk over and grab my phone, seeing all the missed calls and messages form Adom. Then it clicks. “Wait! Did you go through my phone?!” I yell. “Are you insane? How dare you! You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Instead of shame, his face contorts into a blend of indignation and rage. “I should be ashamed?” He guffaws. “The only thing I’m ashamed of is thinking that you really were starting to have feelings for me. Tell me, Ella: Was anything you told me over the past 24 hours true? Did Adom also get the chance to make love to you on African soil? Maybe you have a fetish for African royal families. Or maybe he is he your fix in America and I’m your new fix here?”

I have no words. I back away farther away from him, barely recognizing the man seething in front of me. How can this possibly be the same man that brought me so much pleasure and security just hours before? It is happening again: betrayal. This is why I vowed to never let my guard down and completely give myself over to another man after Marcus broke my heart. They never live up to the hype. I feel the tears wanting to rush through my eyes, but I refuse to let him see me cry. I don’t care who he is—he will not treat me this way.

I stiffen my posture and look him directly in the eye. “No, it seems I’ve come to Ghana and developed a fix for assholes. But no worries, your majesty—that is one fix I will break right now. Now, if you would please leave so I can get dressed and greet my guest, I’d appreciate it.”

He looks at me like he can see right through me and turns on his heel, leaving without a word. Leaving me naked and alone.

* * *

Once I dress in a simple black sundress and sandals, I start to head to the family room to greet Adom. I really have no idea what he’s doing here. But knowing Adom, it’s a good reason—he never interrupts my life unless it is absolutely necessary. Hopefully Kofi will be nowhere around.

As I head to the door, I hear my phone buzz and I remember that even though Kofi clearly has, I haven’t checked my messages or missed calls since Kofi and I left for the palace yesterday. I can’t believe he went through my phone. Thinking about it angers me all over again. I’m surprised it still has a charge. I look and see I have many missed text messages from Adom as well as about 20 missed calls. I start from the newest one and work my way up.

Adom

7/20 9:01 pm: Ella it’s an emergency; please give me a call.

7/20 10:32 pm: Ella I called Bonbiri. Akua said you and Kofi are still out in Kumasi. This is the only way I can reach you please respond.

Why did she tell him that? We were home by then. I know she had the night off, but she’s too nosey not to know Kofi and I returned by then. What is her deal?

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