King of Slaves (Jenna's Story) (The Slave Series Book 5) (10 page)

CHAPTER 8

New Friends

Jenna

“I could really use a beer.” Nick’s outburst was met with a show of support from the others. A quick glance at the clock told Jenna that it was already past eight p.m.

Erin was the only one who had retired to her room, excited about a Skype call with her daughter and grandchildren.

Eric stood up and stretched the stiffness out of his back. “It’s Friday night, we should go out and get something to eat and find a bar or something,” he encouraged.

Jenna was all in; it would be a great idea for the team to socialize and get to know each other outside of work. After all, none of them had their friends and family with them, and they definitely needed a break.

For three days Jenna and her team had worked around the clock to get ready for the meetings with the Germans who had won the engineering pitch. Over the next few weeks the architects would be divided among different sub-projects and each one paired up with engineering and construction managers. Jenna would be keeping the reins from a helicopter perspective and supervise the overall progress of the project.

Ideally she would like to finish this project as quickly as possible, but she was starting to realize that Kevin had made a big miscalculation on the time aspect.

There was no way they could build as quickly as originally projected. That would have meant building everything simultaneously, and there simply wasn’t enough equipment or manpower to take on a task that massive.

They would have to prioritize which projects were the most urgent, and then they would work their way through until everything was completed.

Jenna wished she could snap her fingers and jump ahead to see a transformed Spirima with new hospitals, police stations, apartment buildings, parks, and shopping malls. She felt uplifted just from looking at all the colorful designs hanging around their office space – the end result would be a dramatically changed Spirima.

Other countries were giving support with medical equipment and better infrastructure, and for the moment her biggest challenge was to make a new timeline and coordinate it with all parties involved.

“Let’s go out and get a beer then,” Jenna chimed in and they packed up quickly.

They were close to the exits of the palace when Zurry met them. He curtly inclined his head in a greeting and Daniel, who didn’t know who Zurry was, stopped him to ask for bar recommendations.

Zurry’s eyes zoomed in on Jenna. “I know several places, but none where you would want to bring Ms. Davis.”

“Why not?” Daniel asked.

Zurry’s eyebrow rose in irritation. “A proper lady doesn’t go to bars; it wouldn’t be safe. Maybe you could visit a restaurant instead.”

Daniel puffed out his weak chest, which looked kind of ridiculous since he was so much smaller than Zurry. “We are eight men; I’m confident Ms. Davis will be safe with us.”

Zurry didn’t seem impressed and looked down his nose at Daniel, whose small body looked more like he was a fourteen-year-old boy than the middle-aged man he really was.

“So if someone pulls a gun and threatens Ms. Davis to go with them, you are all ready to protect her with your lives?” Zurry’s eyes skated over the men and complete silence fell on the group. “Most likely, nothing will happen, but don’t forget this country was at war only months ago. People were kidnapped and sold as slaves, and Ms. Davis is a beautiful woman.” His eyes ran over her and Jenna felt all heads turn to her.

“To you, she may be just another blond colleague, but to most Spirimian men, she’s an exotic temptation.” He was talking to the men, but his eyes were locked with hers. “Ms. Davis, I obviously can’t stop you if you insist on going, but be warned that alcohol and horny men can be a dangerous combination.”

Christ, he’s intense with those dark eyes and that fierce look.
Jenna thought and tried to figure out if he was sending her some kind of hidden message when he said that to most men she would be tempting.
Does that include him? No, definitely not; if anything, this man hates my guts.

“Maybe we should just find a restaurant, then…” someone muttered but Jenna raised both palms.

“It’s fine, guys, go have some fun… I’ll stay in and get some reading done.”

There were a few objections but Zurry spoke up again. “I’ll make sure Ms. Davis is well entertained within the palace walls, while you experience our nightlife.”

After a few quick directions from Zurry, the men went on their way, and he turned to Jenna. “Come with me.”

“Wait. Not until you tell me where we’re going. I don’t trust you.”

Zurry kept walking at a slow pace. “Relax. I’m going to introduce you to some of the women living here at the palace. It’s a safe way for you to meet locals, and the women are all from the Spirimian elite, meaning they are well educated and speak English.”

“All right, I suppose that could be fun,” Jenna said to his back and followed him. “Lead the way.”

They didn’t talk until they entered the elevator and he pushed for number five, the top floor.

Jenna couldn’t stop thinking about him touching her vibrator, and found it embarrassing. She shot side glances to see if he was looking at her funny, but he just stood there, rigid and stern. 

Zurry wasn’t like the typical kind of man she would meet in her Chicago circles of colleagues, clients, or friends. First of all, he looked like a large marine with his short hair, impressive physique, and straight composure. Secondly, he seemed to be the biggest brooding introvert she had ever met. On a theoretical level, it was a real possibility that Zurry possessed both charm and humor, but if so, he evidently didn’t feel the need to waste it on her.

“Could you tell me about the women you are introducing me to?” she asked to make polite conversation and fill out the awkward silence.

“They’re nice. I’m sure you’ll like them.”

Before Jenna got a chance to ask for more details, the elevator stopped and he walked out at a quick pace, leading her down the hallway and into a large living room, where a huge flat screen on the wall was playing a movie. Jenna smiled when she recognized Reese Witherspoon in
Sweet Home Alabama
.

“Ladies,” Zurry called out and four heads popped up from the wide couch in front of the TV.

“Let me introduce you to our American friend, Jenna Davis, who you’ve all heard of.”

Jenna smiled and waved her hand “hello.”

All four girls eagerly got up to meet her and one took her hand and pulled her over to the couch.

“We’ve been asking to meet you. It’s so nice to finally get to know you,” one of them excitedly said with a charming accent and introduced herself as Mona before she pointed to the others.

“This is Hannah and Monique.” They smiled back at Jenna.

“And that girl over there is Uras.”

Jenna turned to see a gorgeous girl with long olive-brown legs standing close to Zurry with a puppy-love expression on her face.

“I’ll leave you to entertain Ms. Davis tonight, as all her colleagues have gone clubbing.” Zurry received a unanimous “yes, Coun” from the four girls, who all looked to be in their teen years.

Jenna noticed how they all lowered their eyes instead of looking directly at him.

“Thank you,” she said, giving him a small smile before he turned and left them.

“Uhhh… I wish we could go clubbing too,” the one called Hannah said with a pout.

Jenna was impressed that they all spoke English, and taken aback by their warm welcome.

“I’m sorry, but you all seem to know who I am, and I’m afraid I haven’t heard about you until now. Are you related to the king?”

They laughed. “Everyone has heard about you with all the drama in the newspapers,” Hannah said, and tossed her long dark hair.

“And no, we’re not related to the king…” Uras answered and wrinkled her nose. “Luckily.”

Jenna smiled and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “So you don’t like him either?”

A louder laugh broke out among the young women. “Are you saying that you don’t like His Majesty?” Mona grinned.

Jenna looked back to make sure Zurry had really left the room before she answered. “Are you kidding me? The man has been nothing but a pain in the ass.”

Two of the girls giggled.

“No, she’s right.” Uras was looking at Mona. “He’s been acting weird these past days – haven’t you noticed?“

Mona nodded. “One would have to be blind not to notice.”

“It’s the same with Zurry, he’s angry and annoyed too.” Monique pitched in.

“Men… They’re always stressing about something,” Mona, who seemed to be the oldest of the four, sighed. “Let’s not think of them tonight. Not when we have
you
with us. We have so many questions about your country.”

“Okay… shoot,” Jenna said and sat back in the couch, pulling her legs up under her like some of the other girls.

They all fired questions at her and she told about her life in Chicago, and her childhood growing up.

“Did you go to a prom?” Hannah asked dreamily.

“No, actually I didn’t.”

“They didn’t have proms at your school?”

“Sure, but I chose not to go.”

“Why? It looks so romantic.”

Jenna bit the inside of her cheek. She didn’t want to explain, that she had been curled up in a ball crying her eyes out that night, because Dylan, her boyfriend since middle school, had dumped her the same day and told her he was taking Jennifer, her longtime frenemy, instead.

“Long and boring story,” she said dismissively.

“Are all American men that handsome?” Hannah asked quietly and inclined her head to the screen, where Josh Lucas and Reese Witherspoon were arguing. “His blue eyes are like sapphires,” she sighed.

Jenna smiled sympathetically at Hannah, who was clearly a hopeless romantic.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but not everyone looks like a Hollywood movie star in America.”

“I wish I could meet him and tell him th–”

Mona cut Hannah off and shot Jenna a pleading look. “Don’t listen to her, she’s just obsessed with blond guys.”

Uras leaned in closer. “We heard that you’re unmarried, is that true?”

“Uh-huh.”

“But…”

Jenna figured they were too polite to finish the sentence. “But I’m old? Is that what you’re thinking?”

The girls exchanged glances.

“It’s okay, I won’t get offended. I never wanted to get married.”

A collective gasp escaped them. “Never?”

“No, I’ve been too busy with my work. Are any of you married?”

They shook their heads. “No, not yet, we’re still waiting.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You are much too young to marry anyway.”

Hannah wrinkled her nose. “No, we’re not. I’m the youngest and I’m sixteen; my younger sister is fourteen and she just got married last month.”

“Ohh,” Jenna said in surprise. “Well, in America, girls don’t marry that young. It’s against the law. Most aren’t even allowed to date until they are least sixteen.”

“I would love to date a guy and have him take me to the movies,” Hannah said and looked up at the screen. Jenna got the impression that the girl watched too many Hollywood movies.

“I’m eighteen and the oldest of us.” Mona’s face fell into a serious expression. “I suppose you could say that we’re sort of dating too, but I’m afraid it won’t really lead to anything.”

“Just because it hasn’t worked for you doesn’t mean it won’t for me,” Uras said cryptically, and Jenna sensed tension between the two girls.

Mona’s dark eyes shone with irritation as she sputtered something in Spiri, igniting a verbal fight between them in their own native tongue.

“Don’t mind them,” Hannah apologized, and Jenna turned toward her and away from the two arguing girls.

“Every pleaser hopes that the king will fall in love with her, but he never does. Mona’s year is almost up and Uras is disappointed that he never comes to her bed anymore.”

“What?” A thousand questions were popping into Jenna’s mind simultaneously and overwhelming her to the point where she didn’t know what to ask first.

Hannah continued. “His Majesty prefers Nini, and lately so does Zurry.“

“Wait… who is Nini?”

“The fifth pleaser. They mostly use her for the harder things.”

“What harder things? What do you mean by ‘pleaser’? And are you saying that Zurry and the king share a woman?” Jenna’s sharp tone of voice made all four girls look at her.

She knew her last question was silly since the king had hinted at a threesome the first time she met him, but she was still mad from the other night, when he cruelly stated that he could never marry her or love her, yet he wanted to have sex with her.

Most of all she struggled to understand why the hell Zurry would introduce her to the king’s concubines. Did he think it would warm her up to the idea of joining them?

“Are you all lovers of the king?”