Transforming Love (A Koning Clan Novel) (7 page)

Knock them dead.

Love
,
Marlena

P.S. I just know we are going to be great friends.

    
Jenny couldn
’
t stop the smile from spreading across her face. She was going to show she was everything her
last name implied
:
a queen.

     Jenny knocked on Charlie
’
s door hoping to surprise hi
m. He opened the door and stood with his mouth hanging open. He recovered quickly and said. “
Oh lass,
you look lovelier than the Loch
at sunset.”

     Jenny blushed happily from his praise, “
Are you ready for dinner? I
’
m famished.”

     “
Aye, let
’
s go. I
wish your father could see you.”

     “
Me too, and Charlie, thanks for everything.”

     He kissed her on the cheek and led her down to the formal dining hall. His chest puffed with pride. The last time she wore such a fancy dress was senior prom, but s
he didn't get to enjoy it. An evil cow named Colleen smeared it with mud because Jeff was going with
Jenny instead of her
. She smiled as she remembered the fat lip she gave the heifer and wished Colleen could see her now.

    
“
I
,
for one
,
can
’
t wait to meet the future queen. It is unfair that two of the contestants have had the pleasure.”
Kensington said. He sat with regal posture. Even his light
brown hair was combed neatly.

    
“
There
’
s not mu
ch to say really she
’
s just a scrawny
,
petulant chi
ld.”
Gryph added with a shrug.

     
“
She
’
s weak and will serve only as a brood mate. If she could even surv
ive a birthing.”
Kane scoffed.

     
“
It matters not whether she is worthy or beautiful as long as her abilities are passed down my line. That
’
s all I desire.”
Santos
chimed in
before taking a sip o
f
a
deep red wine.

     
All the men agreed. “
The Koning name has been absent for far too long.
It is amazing
that
she
just happened to find her way to your
bar, Gryph.”
Kensington added.

    
“
Hey
,
Santos
,
don
’
t you already have three wives? Why on earth would you want another one?”
Gryph
smiled widely.

    
“
The same reason any man would want a
woman.”
Santos grinned wi
th a knowing heat in his eyes.

    
Before they could continue their conversation, a female cleared her throat. “
Gentlemen the lady of the evening has arrived.”
Marlena motione
d for Jenny to enter the room.

    
“
May I present th
e Lady Jenifer of the Koning clan and her escort
,
Mr. Charles McKay
.”

***

    
The men stood at once, the screech from the chairs was almost deafening to Jenny. She was so nervous. She swallowed the lump in her throat
and walked into view. The intakes of breath were audible. She looked ravishing. The hunter green of the dress made her eyes seem large and luminous. She wore her hair as elegant chiffon with little blond ringlets falling in various places tickling her sl
e
nder neck and pale shoulders. The dress hugged her curves accentuating her figure. The hem fell about mid
-
thigh and showed her beautifully toned legs. Her heels made her ankles look tiny and de
licate. She felt like royalty.

    
“
Good evening gentlemen.”
Her eyes roamed over the men seated around the table before locking onto Gryph. She examined the smooth skin where his wounds once marred his perfect skin.

    
Santos left his seat
,
and
made his way
up to her and clasped her hand to place a light kiss
upo
n it
. “
Good evening
,
Miss Koning, I am Santos head of the Jaguar clan of South America. The honor is mine. Please
,
won
’
t you join us?”
His Hispanic accent sounded unusually thick, like pine tree sap, in his attempt to charm.

    
He guided her to the seat
next to the head of the table, where Gryph sat as host
,
and pulled out her chair. When he moved to sit beside her, Charlie sl
ipped into his intended chair.

    
“
Thanks for t
he help
, Santos.”
Charlie grinned
.

    
Santos
’
face reddened with anger
as he
replied
, “
Pleasures mine.”

    
Jenny tried to hide her amusement behind her hand, but she di
dn
’
t do a very convincing job.

    
“
I believe you gentlemen were misleading us on the lovely Miss Koning
’
s beauty. She
’
s breathtaking.”
Kensington
noted with a
lingering stare.

    
“
Don
’
t try charming her
,
Kensington. Her opinion doesn
’
t matter.
Just her name.”
Kane sneered.

    
Jenny twisted her napkin in her lap wishing she could smack his face, but unfortunately, he was across the rather large table
,
so sh
e spoke
instead, “
I
’
m surprised
you
are aware of the word's meaning
.
Charming is something you could strive for Mr. Drache, but never
grasp
. The feat would prove impossible for one such as you.
”

    
Laughter broke out around the table, and Kane looked mu
rderous. He clenched his jaw and shot daggers with his eyes. Jenny smiled sweetly at his evil stare. She had plenty of practice looking innocen
t.

    
“
I was wrong, we were misled on both counts
. S
he
’
s quite brave as w
ell.”
Kensington added
,
amused.

   
“
Well
,
gentlemen
,
you were misled on three counts. I have ev
ery intention of entering the Sl
ag myself. Then I will have a say in the matter of whom I marry.”
She raised her hand to silence all of their responses. “
Before you deny my request, I have looked
, and th
ere are no rules against it.
I look forward to facing you.”
She looked at Gryph and said, “
I am quite famished and would
love to proceed with dinner.”

    
All of the men were speechless
,
complete with gaping mouths. All except for Gryph,
who
on t
he other hand
,
stared at her with unknown emotion.
Marlena rose from the table, gave Jenny a hug, and headed off to retrieve the food. Jenny reached forward and clasped her hand around the delicate handle of the crystal pitcher and
poured herself
a glass o
f
ice water.

    
“
This is preposterous. Who will train
you?”
Kane sputtered
.

    
“
Well
,
Charlie
,
of course.”
She brought the water to her lips and r
elished its cool, clean taste.

    
“
Now lass, I did not agree to that.”
Charlie furrowed his brows.

   
“
Don
’
t worry,
you
’
ll be wonderful.”
She patted his arm reassuringly. She was unsure if it was for his comfort or hers. Jenny
smiled
, but she knew she had a lot of impossibly hard work in front of her. Marlena returned with several platters and tried he
r best to steer the conversation to more desirable topics
, however
unsuccessful. Jenny prayed for dinner to last forever because she was in for a tongue lashing from Charlie when dinner ended.

     The scolding was going to riv
al Armageddon sized proporti
ons
. She watched him stab at his food with brutal force no doubt wishing it was her.
She wasn
’
t worried
because
he always came around, even when she drove his truck into the lake on a dare. He forgave her for that. So this should be a slice of pie.

    
“
I
’
m
sorry I didn't tell you
, but I have to try. It
’
s not fair for me to be expected to
marry the winner. If I win
I get to go home, and that
’
s all I want. I just want to be free. Please
,
you have to understand
that.”
She paced back and forth along her bedroom floor hoping Charlie would see her side. His shoulders slumped in def
eat, and she knew she had won.

    
“
No
,
you will withdraw. I have the right mind to flip you over my knee and paddle you.”

     Jenny
stuck out her bottom lip and batted her eyes. “
Please.”

     “
Fine,”
he looked to the heavens. “
I will not be easy on you. You will have to win.
Lord
help us if your father finds out.”
He rose from hi
s seat and Jenny embraced him.

    
“
Thank you
,
Charli
e! I promise I won
’
t let you down. Now let me get some rest. I
’
ll see you bright and early.”
Jenny shoved him out the door
,
wanting a moment
with her
scattering
thoughts.

    
She unzipped the side of her dress and stepped out of it. She started to remove
the pins from her hair when a knock on the door drew her attention. She grabbed her towel from the back of the chair and covered he
rself.

    
“
Charlie, I thought
I would see you in the morning.”
Before she had the door open all the way,
Gryph came barreling through.

    
“
Have you lost your fucking mind? Do you have any idea what the Slag is like? Men lose themselves to their animal nature and function on instinct. You could be killed.”
He walked over to the fire place
and turned around
to face her.