Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
“I think Big Tag would say that’s a gross oversimplification of that story,” Phoebe continued. “But Jesse does say it was pretty cool. It was actually Kayla who got the king out.”
Chelsea shook her head. “Don’t.”
Phoebe had flushed. “Yeah, uhm, but mostly Si. It was a team effort.”
Day could guess what they were covering up. She hadn’t been blind for fifteen years. His womanizer reputation had been the reason she’d held back during college. Until that moment when he’d allowed her to take control, when she’d realized she might truly have something to give him that no one else could. Of course, at the time she hadn’t understood that there was a word for what she needed.
Dominance.
“I know what he used that boat for. He kept his harem out there. So did he seduce her after she saved him? Did he offer to pay her off with his body?” That sounded like Kashmir, the manwhore.
Chelsea winced. “She might have been a spy at the time, and he thought she was a supermodel.”
Day let her head fall back as she laughed. It was a good play by the Agency or whoever had hired this Kayla person. Going at Kash through his cock was the only way to go. “I pray his cousin found out about that. Chapal runs the country’s technology and security. I believe most of his migraines come from Kashmir’s many women. I’m afraid your husbands taking over security even for a brief period of time will be difficult for them. Kash acts out when he’s angry. I expect him to misbehave a lot before this wedding actually occurs.”
“And after?” Phoebe was studying her.
It was easy to forget these two lovely women were both former CIA. Of course, that was likely exactly why they’d been so good at their jobs. “After, we will find our way. I suspect we will be friends and try to get along as much as possible. He’ll have his life and I’ll have mine.”
“That sounds terrible,” Chelsea shot back.
But Day had come to some terms with it. She hadn’t expected to marry at all. Now she had the prospect of children. Oh, they might be implanted with the medical equivalent of a turkey baster, but they would have two loving parents. “I never thought I would marry when I made the decision to stay here on Loa Mali and work.”
“You’re beautiful,” Phoebe remarked. “You’re intelligent and kind. Why would you think you wouldn’t marry?”
“There aren’t a lot of prospects on this small island, and despite all of our wealth and our freedoms, we’re still quite old fashioned in some ways. The king has done a good job by steering parliament away from laws that would curb a woman’s freedom, but there are still many who believe a wife’s place is at home. I’m not that woman. It would have been difficult to find a man here who wouldn’t want me at home. Home is a place I go to after work. It’s not that I look down on women who do stay home. My mother did and I loved her very much. I simply am not built that way. I wouldn’t find the same satisfaction that she did. As I believe she would have hated working the way I do. We need choices. We need to be free to be who we are.”
“A queen isn’t free,” Chelsea said.
She’d thought about this, too. “But a queen makes a contract with her people. She knows what she will do and what is not acceptable. I quite like a contract. My marriage to Kash will be contracted. We will have our roles, agreed upon between both of us.”
“There is nothing wrong with a good contract, but don’t write out spontaneity.” Phoebe adjusted her towel. “You cared about Kash once. Why not see if you can again? Some men like Kash settle down after marriage and make lovely husbands.”
“She should know. Her brother was the only person I’ve met who was worse than Kash. Well, I mean he didn’t have a harem boat or anything, but Ten tore through some women, if you know what I mean,” Chelsea confided. “And now he’s faithful to his wife. Whose name is Faith. Yeah, that’s terrible. Sorry about that.”
“Faith is wonderful,” Phoebe replied. “And Chelsea’s right about my brother. He was a horrible manwhore. Kashmir is actually a nice man. I’ve always thought the right woman could settle him down. All the women I’ve ever seen around him are too superficial. They’re flighty things. I think he picks them because he never has to get serious with any of them. At least that’s what my husband thinks.”
“Si thinks he’s…” Chelsea bit her bottom lip and sighed. “Sorry. New friends.”
“Thinks he’s what?” Day was intrigued. She’d heard a bit of gossip concerning these friends of Kash’s. She wasn’t sure how to ask without embarrassing anyone, but perhaps direct was the best bet. “Does your husband, who I would guess is the top, think Kashmir would be happier as a bottom?”