41. The queen

"How have you been darlin'?" Adrian said his voice deep and worried watching Shirleen over the screen of his laptop as they skyped. "Angela told me what had happened. I wanted to come to the capital but I was advised it would undermine your standing as queen considering you are just trying to establish your authority. I was so worried when I was told you have been asleep for a week."

"I am better now. I was just exhausted and excited at the same time when I became queen," Shirleen said smiling genuinely. They were quite for a few minutes just studying each other. "I have missed you," they said at the same time and then promptly started laughing. For Shirleen it was good to hear him laugh. His laugh, his voice and his face calmed her down and gave her the courage she needed every time. But for him just seeing her face meant he could breathe again. "I will be home soon," she said when the laughter died.

"I heard that all children traffickers and all crimes involving children are stopping throughout the world," he said softly.

"Yes, I ordered the assassination of all criminals involved with children," Shirleen said softly. "Do you think I made I made a mistake Adrian?" she asked.

"No, my darlin'," he said just as softly. "To use children as a commodity to gain money is something no one should be able to tolerate. It is not only cruel but distasteful and something that should not be allowed to continue. I have seen many criminals use children as young as five years old as sexual slaves to paedophiles. That is why I have never allowed child trafficking in Kenya let alone human trafficking."

Shirleen smiled brightly, "How did you know it was me? I sent my personal assassins to do the job."

"You my heart are the only person in this world I know to be compassionate and kind and now have the resource to annihilate half the criminal world," he said teasing.

"Darlin'," she said softly, "I have sent my personal investigator into the country to look into Angela. I am hoping whatever I find out will help me control her as she controls me."

Adrian was quite for a few minutes just watching her, "I guess it is time you found out Angela's secrets," he said simply a smile on his lips. "The criminal underworld in Kenya and Africa at large can't wait to meet you. You have become a legend," he said with a grin. "Angela is even throwing a party just for you."

"These days when I look at her, I think we are even. Is that even logical?" she asked him burying her face in her hands. "The thought that my mother and I caused her to lose her only child plagues me day and night even though it was indirectly. Our mere existence ruined her life just like her existence ruined ours. When I think about it, if I lost my only child to something like that I would have killed everyone involved." She went silent for a minute or two looking at her hands. "If it was our child, I would have shown no mercy."

"You will have to divide your time between the capital and Kenya as much as possible. You are the first female heir who has become a queen in history. It is quite an accomplishment. I will be waiting for you back home," Adrian said knowing he needed to let her seek out her emotions about Angela on her own for her to accept her standing as the Phoenix heir. Shirleen might not yet know or simply refused to accept it but she needed Angela's help to gain a foothold in the family or they will find a way to get rid of her.

"How is the investigation into Rao?" Shirleen asked softly knowing how he hated that he had lost control of the situation and needed someone's help just to figure out the truth.

"Angela and I sent someone to infiltrate his inner circle but so far we are sure he runs the human trafficking ring that has cropped up in Eastern Africa," Adrian said just as softly. "Lizzy found out about the traffic ring when she followed a money trail that she was concerned about. We believe she started investigating the traffic ring on her own and even approached the police with the information she had collected. Rao must have found out about her through his connections with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. They killed her shortly after."

"With your temper I thought you would have killed him already to pay for his crime. I know for a fact that you are not going to let him face the justice system knowing the cracks that plague it," Shirleen said watching him closely knowing he had once loved Lizzy.

"The five families need to deal with the human trafficking ring in Eastern Africa. We need the names of everyone involved and take care of the problem completely and the only person we know of is Rao Serro. He is our way in and after we are done taking care of that problem, I will watch him lose everything he holds dear. His power, his money, his political ambition, his reputation and finally his life. It will be a slow process but by the time I am done with him he will pray for death."

Shirleen smirked, "There he is," she whispered looking into his cold eyes, "My unforgiving and cruel boyfriend. You are fast becoming my role model." She winked when a smile brightened his face.

"I am so proud of you," he replied winking back.

"I'll see you when I get back home," she said softly.

"See you darlin'," he replied just as softly and the screen went blank.