Page 63 of Guarding Zuri
And Daemon felt a little sorry for himself.
CHAPTERTWENTY
Zuri’s hand lingered on the glass panel of her shower. The last of the steam floated around her. She was really going to miss this shower. The rain heads, the single granite slabs on the three walls. The smooth, classic penny round tiles on the floor. She laughed at the name, like the American one-cent coin. It must’ve taken thousands of dollars to construct this shower and yet the tile resembled the currency with the least value. She let her hand fall while the other one gripped the towel wrapped around her chest.Maybe one day you can have one built.
In her own home—that she couldn’t afford nor would afford for a long time.
Zuri sighed. How did her father not buckle under the strain of constant lack? Especially when he had a family to provide for? Living in Daemon’s house had been wonderful, but it was an illusion. She was always returning home to her war-torn country. “One day,” she whispered. Thanks to the connections she made, that day would be in her lifetime.
Zuri massaged some Moroccan oil body butter on her arms and legs. It had been a staple of Daemon’s mother, and Daemon had stocked Zuri’s bathroom with it and several other beauty products she had come to love, and would obviously pack for the trip home.He’s a thoughtful man.Her heart dipped in sorrow.
She had told him she didn’t want to see him after their contract. That she believed nothing good would come of Bendola and Knight Industries working together. He had helped her prepare to present to Arthur Knight, who had looked at the opportunity and had simply said “no.”
It wasn’t the rejection that had convinced Zuri to break all ties with Daemon. It was Daemon’s warning not to industrialize the beauty out of Bendola. Even the name Knight Industries had the word “industry” in it. Bendola would be an economic powerhouse in the region—one day. Zuri walked out of the shower and spotted her father’s diary on top of the clothes packed in her suitcase.The temptation will be to start everything at once. But slow and steady growth is manageable, predictable, and repeatable.
Her father’s words had also influenced her decision to break with Daemon. She didn’t want him tempting her to reconsider. She knew how deep his thoughtfulness would go; he’d convince his father to change his mind for her. And she worried that confrontation would further strain their relationship. Daemon was already angry that his father had said no to the opportunity.It’s better this way.Bendola will grow into a powerful nation, keep its beauty, and her heart could divorce itself from the man she loved. Daemon.You did the right thing.It’ll get easier. Maybe…
She’d gotten too close to her bodyguard. He still had issues with his father. If they worked them out and Daemon took control of Knight Industries, he would be too busy for a relationship.I’ll be too busy.It couldn’t work. And if he liked her, it was only because they had bonded in high-stress situations.
I’m going home.She had made the right decision in firing Daemon—for real, this time.And now it’s time to let it go.So why was her heart still shuddering?
Her phone buzzed. She walked to the nightstand looked at the caller ID. “Hello?”
“Zuri, hi! This is Tessa from Living International. Daemon gave me your direct line.”
“Tessa! Yes. Thank you for calling.”
“I’m so sorry we didn’t get connected the other day at the State Department. My assistant told me you wanted to talk about humanitarian assistance for your country. Any chance we can meet today?”
“Oh! Um—” Zuri looked at her watch. It was still early in the afternoon and Daemon’s plane wouldn’t be ready to fly for another couple of hours. “I think so, yes. Can I call you in a few minutes? I need to connect with Daemon.”
“Of course! I’m more than happy to meet with you at Knight Industries downtown, if that’s better for you. I’ve been following what’s been going on and I know Living International can assist.”
“Thank you, Tessa. I’m grateful for Living International. Daemon mentioned he knew you from his time in the military.”
“Yes! We had some training courses together and have kept in touch over the years. I married one of his friends from an old unit and we started Living International together. How ’bout I wait for you to get back to me about when and where?”
“I’ll call you right away.”
Zuri ended the call and quickly zipped her luggage shut. She hurried downstairs and found Roland standing over an analyst’s desk in discussion. She touched his arm to get his attention.
“Hey, Zuri, How can I help you?”
After she explained that Tessa from Living International called and wanted to meet, she asked, “Could we drive into the city to meet? It shouldn’t be long. She seemed eager to help. We can be back before Daemon’s ready to go.” Roland looked over her head and Zuri turned around. Daemon had entered the room and spotted the two of them together. His expression was sullen. He walked up to them, his smile appearing forced.
“Daemon, perfect timing,” Roland started. “Zuri has one more stop to make downtown.”
Daemon arched a brow at her. “I thought you wanted to leave immediately. The plane’s almost ready.”
“Your friend Tessa called. She asked to meet to discuss how Living International can bring aid to Bendola. Is it okay if we use the office downtown? Or we can video chat.”
Daemon’s face brightened. “It’s no problem. One last look at DC. I’m glad she was able to get hold of you. Living International is a fantastic organization with an incredible mission. They really love people. Tell her to meet us at Knight Industries Tower.” The light faded from his eyes. “Are you packed? We can take your suitcases with us.”
Her suitcases. She came to America with a small bag and hardly any belongings, and now she would return to Bendola with clothes and expensive toiletries.And memories.Memories of her time at the zoo, seeing the national monuments, being in Daemon’s arms… “I’m packed.” She pulled out her phone and dialed Tessa’s number, grateful for the detour. Despite her insistence that she return home to Bendola from the moment Daemon dragged her from its shores, she had to admit that she wished she could stay a little longer in America.
When Tessa answered the phone, Zuri asked Tessa to meet her at Knight Towers in DC. In less than a minute, she was off the phone. Zuri turned to Daemon, but he had disappeared. She scanned the room.
“He went to get your luggage,” Blaine said, stepping forward. A black bookbag was slung over one arm. “He should be down in a minute.”
