Page 13 of Choosing the Chief

The next day she had the shakes for a full 12 hours and I became every curse on her lips. But I did not care. She was getting better. By day four, she was only mildly uncomfortable, and my method of therapy helped. Our intense sexual encounters traded one high for another. I was more than happy to be her dealer.

Now on day eight of her recovery, devotion is what I feel as I watch her sleep. Her breathing is slow and steady. Night has passed and for the first time in months, she had no terrors. However, my night terror is in the form of my mother, as she unfortunately is still staying in the room down the hall. She will not leave!

I don’t know why I thought I could control the flow of information in Accra. I should have known she would find out I was here and show up at my doorstep. She will derail Maya’s rehabilitation if she spends any significant amount of time with her.

Every day, she comes to my bedroom door inquiring about Maya. I know she knows what’s going on. Servants do indeed talk. They threw Maya’s drugs away on my command the first night she arrived. Now, I wish I had been more discreet.

I knew my mother would not judge, but she may gossip. She is still fighting the demons Maya is trying to free herself from. At least she was two years ago, the last time I spoke to her. I need her gone. She leaves every day to go and do God knows what, but she always returns.

Maya was rash when she invited my mother to stay out of spite toward me.Perhaps I deserved it. But she has no idea what she unleashed in this house. My mother is a manipulative monster. Once I find out what she wants, I will promptly provide it and show her out.

Maya begins to shift restlessly. As I feel her stir, my cock swells. She murmurs and I rouse her awake. It’s nine in the morning, and she made it through another night without any drugs. She deserves a reward. I rub her arms until she sits up on one elbow facing me. I can’t help but take in the beautiful creature before me.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

She smirks. “I slept very well. However, I’m sore.”

“On your bottom?”

She laughs a full Maya laugh. A laugh I haven’t heard since before the accident. It’s refreshing. “Well, you don’t really touch me anywhere else.”

I roll over and trap her beneath me. “You sound disappointed?”

She closes her eyes and lowers the tone of her voice. “Maybe I am.”

An invitation. I can take her right now and she would be grateful. She craves the distraction of our bodies crushed together. Taking advantage of her now would be imprudent and would be an unfair exploitation of her vulnerability. I don’t want to be a distraction for her during a tough time. I want to be everything she needs when our bodies finally come together.I will reward her in the meantime, though.

I lift up and place my hands on either side of her head. “Not today. Instead, you will accompany me to the UN benefit and gala that Kofi and Ella are sponsoring tonight. I must attend as part of my new royal duties.”

She rolls from beneath me and gives me her back. I lightly smack her tender ass and put my hand on her shoulder. “Never turn your back on me,” I say only half joking. “Turn around. Let’s talk.”

She does not turn around; but she speaks.

“I’m not ready. I’m not even sure I want Ella to see me like this, let alone a room full of very important people. Also, isn’t this your first royal appearance?”

“Yes, but what does that matter?”

“Do you really want a dry-mouthed, shivering, and shaking shell of a woman as your escort?”

I release a long breath before pulling her into a spoon. I place my lips close to her ear. “I want Dr. Maya Taylor as my escort. It’s time for you to remember who you are. You don’t have to get back to the person you once were. You are her. You’re just going through a refining process. But even in the fire, you’re stunning. You light up any room you enter, and Adom Annan is always with the baddest woman in the room.”

She sniffles and I place a kiss behind her ear. She worked hard last night, so she earned it. She breaks from the spoon and faces me. “I’m just scared, Adom. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

I wipe away a tear. “Listen, you’re in a struggle right now. I’m right there with you. I am fighting this battle for you as your ally. I don’t care about many things, Maya Taylor, but I do care about you.”

Her eyes widen and she sighs. “I care about you, too.” She pauses and searches my face before asking the next question. “I’ve been here for a week and you never leave my side. Is your mother still here? You haven’t mentioned her. Is she your struggle? Why do you hate her so much?”

This is not a conversation I will have. I steer Maya’s mind away from thoughts of my “relationship” with my mother. “I do not hate my mother.” I quickly jump off the bed, giving her my most enthusiastic grin. I hold out my hand. “Let’s take a shower. Then we will go to Accra and find some jewels to complement your beauty.”

She sits up and hurries off the bed to take my hand. “Adom, do not play with me. Now when you say jewels, are we talking diamonds?”

I laugh. “Diamonds, of course. We’re in Africa, for God’s sake! And you know everything touching your beautiful skin must be set in gold!”

She nods her head in approval. “Now, when you say decorate my body…are we talking my ears and a maybe a bracelet? Or will I be dripping in jewels?”

Yes, my Maya is coming back!I place my fingers in her hair and stroke. Looking into her eyes right now, I know I could drown if I had the courage to jump all in. “Maya, you will have diamonds on every visible surface we can place them on without the tabloids calling us gauche. You must also wear rubies. This is the red ball in support of the international fight against heart disease. Your gown will be red.”

Her face lights with glee. I knew it would. Besides purple, the only other color that brings Maya joy is red. “My kind of party.”

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