Read Online Trusting A Sheikh (Playgrounds of Power 1) by Rosie Pike - Free Book Online
Authors: Rosie Pike
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Contemporary, Crime, Adult, London, romantic suspense, Danger, Bachelor, Betrayal, Restaurants, choices, Protection, dollars, Prince, Forever Love, Single Woman, exiled, forbidden affair, Playgrounds Power, Private Hotels, Thousands, Kingsland Group, Billionaire Clients, Gloucester Hotel, Arms Deal, Defense Minister, Saudi Diplomat, Playboy Prince, Arms Trading
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walk away a very rich man – but think about it, who else would benefit from buying up the best body armor technology?"
Chloe pursed her lips, puzzling over the answer before finally admitting that she didn't know.
"The guys who make it today. You know, Haliburton, BAE Systems, that lot."
Honestly, Tariq's apparent confidence that Chloe knew far more than she was letting on about the specifics of the body armor industry was misplaced, but nevertheless she was beginning to figure it out.
"Oh… So he was worried that one of them was trying to buy Bodytech because they didn't want to have to compete with it?"
"Bingo," Tariq said, smiling.
"Okay, but there's something I don't get," Chloe began. "Why would someone like Haliburton just shut down Bodytech if they bought it – wouldn't they want to improve their own vests?"
"Maybe," Omar allowed. "Maybe. But Bodytech's Kevlar alloy is quite a lot more expensive to manufacture, and not many people have heard about it yet. From their point of view – and this is what Charles was worried about – maybe it would just be simpler to shut it down, hold onto the patterns and not have to spend the money on building new factories."
"Would they do that?" Chloe gasped in surprise.
"Wouldn't be the first time."
"So you convinced him you wouldn't do the same thing?" Chloe asked, for once uncharacteristically interested in the intricacies of business politics.
"Well, kinda…" Tariq said with a sheepish grin. "I own the company now, luckily, but I had to commit to selling at least half a million jackets a year, or else I have to license out the technology."
"Surely that's more than you can use back home?"
"Precisely. That Charles is a smart cookie – he knows that if I'm putting that many high protection bullet-proof jackets out onto the market, the big boys will be forced to improve the technology either way. Looks like a lot of soldiers are going to be a lot safer because of you, Chloe."
Not for the first time in the last few days, Chloe blushed. "It didn't have anything to do with me."
"Oh, believe me – it did. I was floundering in that negotiation; it wasn't going anywhere until you stepped in."
"Really, it wasn't a big deal," Chloe said, almost defensively – trying to deflect the praise.
" Really , it was!" Tariq emphasized. "Drinks are on me tonight."
Chloe shot him an amused glance. "The drinks are already on you tonight, you idiot. Anyway, I only have one or two while I'm working during the evenings."
"Damn." Tariq smiled. "I was trying to pull a fast one."
Chloe saw movement towards the entrance way of the plushly appointed Skyline Bar. "Tell you what," she grinned wickedly, "let's talk about this later – we've got visitors."
10
T he night went off without a hitch, and Chloe was continually impressed by the sheer confidence with which Tariq carried himself in front of a room that was mostly filled with men and women twice his age. Even more impressively, they weren't just older than him, they were extremely influential in their own right – The French Ambassador, the British Secretary of Defense, the list went on and it was as long as Chloe's arm.
He didn't stop, either. The man just carried on well past midnight, glad-handing his guests until every last one of them left with a smile on their face, thinking that they were the most important person in the world. Chloe could tell that Tariq was destined for greater things – he just had that aura around him, the same way that people used to say that whatever you thought about him as a man, Bill Clinton knew how to work a room.
Prince Tariq knew how to work a room, alright.
"Is that everyone?" he asked with an exhausted sigh as the last guest made their way out of the impressive high-rise bar.
"Yep," Chloe said, reassuringly, as tired as he was.
"Even Omar, Khalid? They've left, too?"
"Hours ago."
"Layabouts," Tariq jested. "Well, I guess we'd better head back. Where are you staying? Can I drop you
Chloe pursed her lips, puzzling over the answer before finally admitting that she didn't know.
"The guys who make it today. You know, Haliburton, BAE Systems, that lot."
Honestly, Tariq's apparent confidence that Chloe knew far more than she was letting on about the specifics of the body armor industry was misplaced, but nevertheless she was beginning to figure it out.
"Oh… So he was worried that one of them was trying to buy Bodytech because they didn't want to have to compete with it?"
"Bingo," Tariq said, smiling.
"Okay, but there's something I don't get," Chloe began. "Why would someone like Haliburton just shut down Bodytech if they bought it – wouldn't they want to improve their own vests?"
"Maybe," Omar allowed. "Maybe. But Bodytech's Kevlar alloy is quite a lot more expensive to manufacture, and not many people have heard about it yet. From their point of view – and this is what Charles was worried about – maybe it would just be simpler to shut it down, hold onto the patterns and not have to spend the money on building new factories."
"Would they do that?" Chloe gasped in surprise.
"Wouldn't be the first time."
"So you convinced him you wouldn't do the same thing?" Chloe asked, for once uncharacteristically interested in the intricacies of business politics.
"Well, kinda…" Tariq said with a sheepish grin. "I own the company now, luckily, but I had to commit to selling at least half a million jackets a year, or else I have to license out the technology."
"Surely that's more than you can use back home?"
"Precisely. That Charles is a smart cookie – he knows that if I'm putting that many high protection bullet-proof jackets out onto the market, the big boys will be forced to improve the technology either way. Looks like a lot of soldiers are going to be a lot safer because of you, Chloe."
Not for the first time in the last few days, Chloe blushed. "It didn't have anything to do with me."
"Oh, believe me – it did. I was floundering in that negotiation; it wasn't going anywhere until you stepped in."
"Really, it wasn't a big deal," Chloe said, almost defensively – trying to deflect the praise.
" Really , it was!" Tariq emphasized. "Drinks are on me tonight."
Chloe shot him an amused glance. "The drinks are already on you tonight, you idiot. Anyway, I only have one or two while I'm working during the evenings."
"Damn." Tariq smiled. "I was trying to pull a fast one."
Chloe saw movement towards the entrance way of the plushly appointed Skyline Bar. "Tell you what," she grinned wickedly, "let's talk about this later – we've got visitors."
10
T he night went off without a hitch, and Chloe was continually impressed by the sheer confidence with which Tariq carried himself in front of a room that was mostly filled with men and women twice his age. Even more impressively, they weren't just older than him, they were extremely influential in their own right – The French Ambassador, the British Secretary of Defense, the list went on and it was as long as Chloe's arm.
He didn't stop, either. The man just carried on well past midnight, glad-handing his guests until every last one of them left with a smile on their face, thinking that they were the most important person in the world. Chloe could tell that Tariq was destined for greater things – he just had that aura around him, the same way that people used to say that whatever you thought about him as a man, Bill Clinton knew how to work a room.
Prince Tariq knew how to work a room, alright.
"Is that everyone?" he asked with an exhausted sigh as the last guest made their way out of the impressive high-rise bar.
"Yep," Chloe said, reassuringly, as tired as he was.
"Even Omar, Khalid? They've left, too?"
"Hours ago."
"Layabouts," Tariq jested. "Well, I guess we'd better head back. Where are you staying? Can I drop you
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