Page 37 of Capturing Victory

Jaya shook her head at the weirdness. “I don’t think you’d get to choose where she puts the hole.”

“And I don’t think you’re telling me the truth about your restlessness,” Ndari grouched, throwing Haty up on the bed and rolling over onto her stomach. Haty leapt off the bed, jumped on Ndari’s back and began kneading and purring. “For days you have paced this room, back and forth, too annoyed to stand still, yet unable to settle into a game or a decent conversation.”

Jaya lifted an eyebrow at the other woman. “Are you complaining about my lack of companionship? Because last I checked, you were hired to keep me occupied, not the other way around.”

Ndari snorted and tugged the playful kitten from its nest in her hair. “And last I checked I wasn’t getting paid for this shit show of a job. I was just given to you as a happy alternative to jail time. But I can work harder at keeping you pleased if that’s your desire.” She pushed herself off the floor and made a show of dusting off her jeans and top. “Yeah, I heard what happened to your last companion. I have no interest in disembowelment so let us try to keep you happier than she did, oh depressive one.”

Jaya’s mouth fell open for a second and then she started laughing. “Yeah, you aren’t sadistic like she was. And holy crap, I was kidnapped! I’m allowed to be annoyed about my circumstances.”

Ndari shrugged and began pacing opposite of Jaya. “Meh, I think you should get over it and start enjoying life.”

“And how exactly do you suggest I do that?” Jaya asked sceptically.

“Well, the man that holds you and has become enamored of you is also very rich, correct?” Ndari pointed out. “Start spending his money. I guarantee, there is happiness in spending. I very much enjoyed spending my brother’s money before he sent me here.”

“I have plenty of my own money,” Jaya grumbled. “I was a world class hacker before he took me. I have bank accounts in countries all over the planet.”

“Uh huh, well save it for a rainy day and start spending his dough. I bet it would make him happier too. He might see it as a sign that you’re finally settling down and accepting all that he has to offer.”

Jaya tipped her head to the side and thought about it for a moment. “Good point. Alright, Ndari, how do you suggest I spend his money? Usually I would shop online, but there’s no chance that Ivan will let me near a laptop. And I doubt he’s willing to let us go shopping the old-fashioned way. So, how else?”

Ndari grinned. “Don’t be so pessimistic. I bet he’ll let us go out with the proper escort of bodyguards with rippling muscles and a penchant towards protectiveness. You need a healthy excursion and he needs to see that he can trust you.”

Jaya chewed on her bottom lip and then nodded slowly. “Alright, I think I agree with you. It’s time I get out of this penthouse and into Jakarta.”

“Perfect!” Ndari exclaimed brightly and gave Jaya a shove toward the door. “Now go convince Ivan we want to go shopping. I’m bored out of my mind and this companion needs a new pair of shoes.”

“Why do I have to ask him? Isn’t he more likely to say yes to you?” Jaya balked.

Ndari shook her head. “My goodness no! I prefer my guts to stay exactly where they are. Off you go now love of Ivan’s life.”

Jaya blinked as she reached for the door and exited into the hallway. She gave the guard a half smile and explained her need to see Ivan. Since there were standing orders that she be allowed to see the boss whenever she wanted, he simply nodded and waved her ahead of him. As she and the guard walked away from the safety of her suite toward Ivan’s office Jaya wondered if she had just been royally played by her royal highness, Princess Ndari instead of the other way around. The woman came across as both intensely flighty and uncannily intelligent.

Jaya was more than a little surprised when Ivan agreed to her request with very little argument. He seemed to believe that she could use a change in scenery and he was happy to indulge her sudden need to spend money in the bustling city. His only stipulation was that she and Ndari be escorted by his five most skilled men, including himself and Keane. Jaya was stunned that Ivan was willing to take her out on something so trivial as a shopping trip and waste such precious resources as his top men. But that was his choice and she wasn’t about to argue. She virtually flew back to the room to tell Ndari about her success.

Ndari’s jaw dropped. “You have got to be shitting me!” she said in shock.

Jaya narrowed her eyes. “You thought he’d say no?”

“I thought he’d lock your ass up tighter than the crown jewels I once paid a cat burglar to steal from my brother,” Ndari replied and then threw a scarf at Jaya’s face. “Here wrap this around your head. He’s not going to want your face seen in public. I can’t believe we’re actually going out!”

“So you sent me into Ivan’s office believing he would reject our plan and possibly freak out at me for suggesting a trip into the city? What the fuck, Ndari, you are seriously the worst friend!” Jaya grabbed the scarf and pulled it over her hair. She let it hang down and rest on her shoulders. She would pull it over the bottom half of her face later.

Ndari made a pssshhh sound and waved her hand through the air. “Pretty sure I’m your only friend, hacker chick.”

“I have friends!” Jaya protested.

Ndari took her arm and pulled her from the room where half of their escort waited for them in the hall. “Uh huh,” she said sceptically. “Friends don’t let friends get kidnapped. Where were these so-called friends when you got your ass captured and caged?”

Jaya could feel the curious eyes of their escort all over the two women as they walked. Any conversation with Ndari was usually bizarre, plus they made a striking pair. Jaya wore a deep pink Sari edged in silver lace with a silver scarf while Ndari wore a pair of ripped up skinny jeans, red stilettos and a Sons of Anarchy T-shirt. Her beautiful black hair was covered with a patterned head scarf and she wore a pair of chic sunglasses.

“My friends have no idea what’s happened to me. And I don’t see you trying to bust my ass out of the gilded cage,” Jaya pointed out.

Ndari goggled at her as they rounded the last of the stairs and stepped out into the bright sunlight. “I like you a lot, girl, I really do. But your ass is not worth getting my ass dismembered and mailed back to my brother in pieces over. Nope, let us just stick to the companionship part of our arrangement and forget about flying the coop. Oh look, the males are going to go shopping while armed with some very interesting weapons. Oh my, is that grenade on the Irishman’s belt?”

Jaya stepped up to Ivan and Keane who were waiting by the penthouse elevators. They were indeed well-armed for their excursion. Ivan was wearing a suit without a jacket, his shoulder holster clearly visible. Keane had at least three guns and a massive knife attached to his body armour as well as at least one grenade on his utility belt. The other guards were wearing similar amounts of weaponry. She was beginning to feel as though she were being escorted by a small army.

As they stepped onto the elevator she turned to Ivan and asked quietly, “Don’t you think the bodyguards and weapons will draw attention to us?”

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