“Why you want this slut so badly? You’re in the city right now. I bet you could pick up a hotter fucktoy than her. Hell, you could probably get a dozen, right? And if you’re looking for black pussy, just go down to Hunters Point.”
“Why are you so keen to have her back?”
“It’s boring with just one slut. And like I said, it’s against the Scarlet Auction rules.”
“Why did you sell her to me in the first place?”
“I didn’t read the contract that carefully. Derek, uh, mentioned it.”
Bullshit. Ben was willing to bet that Derek hadn’t read the contract carefully either.
“We can talk about it when I return,” Ben said, seeing another call come in.
“When is that?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“Today would be good.”
“Today won’t work. I’m busy.”
He still had to see to Kimani’s punishment, and he wanted all his equipment at his disposal for that.
“Busy with what?” Jake huffed.
“I’ve got another call coming in. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
“But—”
Ben ended the call and picked up the incoming one.
“We can have poll results for you in two days,” the pollster told Ben. “My guess is that Gordon will take a brief hit but a small one. Voters know he doesn’t have control over what other members of his family do. If you were his son, maybe I’d be more worried, but even then, if the city can elect a guy who got caught with a prostitute to the school board, they can swallow a mayoral candidate with a few randy nephews.”
“What about the development?”
“By the time your project gets to public comment, the news will be too old to
make an impact.”
“What if the issue isn’t sex, but a committee of developers supporting Uncle Gordon?”
“You’ll have to give me more details. Gordon is already painted as the pro-business candidate. That would cement him in that role, even if he isn’t.”
“I’ll get back to you on details.”
Kimani entered just as he hung up with the pollster. She was wrapped in a towel and was looking over the clothing options.
“Ishikawa West, hunh?” she asked.
“You might want to wear something other than the Warriors shirt.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to embarrass you.”
He surveyed her. “Actually, you can go in the towel for all I care.”
She sucked in her breath, probably wondering if he would make her do just that. He let her think it.
“I’m going to shower and change,” he said, stowing the itch to whip the towel off her.