The day after I returned from meeting the correct tribal hierarchy, I received a call from Albert. He came to the hotel to meet with me. I sat there wondering if the Head man of the tribe had discovered that I'd bedded his prized daughter and all deals were off.
My fears proved unfounded. Albert told me he'd spoken with Kilani, who'd advised him negotiations had moved along well and placed our bid back in front of the Chinese. Albert made no mention of Thema and I had no wish to raise this potential impediment to Landsberry obtaining the mining and thoroughfare rights. I continued to berate myself about my late-night tryst with the most beautiful of African women.
I recognized this regret was now becoming a regular occurrence, following ring inspired liaisons. The ring fueled sexual urges, which I invariably acted upon, seemed to invariably be followed by prolonged remorse. I had decided that when I again saw the man who'd arranged for me to be gifted the ring, I would insist he took it back and I would return to leading a normal life. My thoughts on this were interrupted by Albert.
"Are you OK Robert? You look worried about something."
"No, no, it's nothing," I lied. "Seems like we did well up in the jungle. Hopefully they will sign when I return. What now?"
"Today I take you to meet Obang" Albert said.
"Did Paul not meet with this Obang the last time we were here?" I asked, referring to my boss.
"Yes, and he took with him some handsome gifts, but he merely got a handshake. I told Paul this was not sufficient, but he felt Obang was trustworthy and a handshake was enough. Obang is not trustworthy. You need his signature."
"Oh!" I exclaimed, pleased to hear that Paul had messed up, just as I had.
Albert didn't say what level of politician Obang was, but told me his was the signature we required.
"Will this require some cash," I asked Albert, as we travelled in the car to our meeting.
"It always requires something. Who is coming to Ghana to assist you?"
"Emily. She has not been to Ghana previously, but you have seen her on our hookups."
"Yes, she is pretty."
"Yes; pretty, but quite inexperienced, I think..."
"She will do fine," Albert cut in.
We met with Obang and I found him to be quite physically formidable, as well as being charismatic. I could see how Paul would have been taken in by him. We shared drink and food for over three hours, but unfortunately just as with the Tribe, negotiations continued at a snail paced.
"Well, that was a waste of time," I told Albert, as we travelled back to my hotel.
"Not at all," Albert said. "He has met you; he likes you, and progress has been made."
I took Albert at his word and bid him goodbye. I had a quiet night, ignoring any urgings from the ring when I looked toward certain women at the hotel. The only one I might have given into would have been Esi, but there was no sign of her, behind the reception desk.
I slept soundly, rising the next morning and going for a swim. After, I sat breakfasting and my mind drifted to Emily who was due to arrive in Accra sometime today, to support me. The mere thought of her saw my cock swell. I fought hard to ignore this, because it countered my determination to rid myself of the ring
"Hello Robert," the voice said, jolting me back to reality..
"You!" was all I could manage to exclaim, as he seated himself across the table from me.
"Yes indeed," he said smiling. "I said we would talk, following your journey to the jungle. Now you are returned and here I am. You are well Robert?"
"I'm well, but I'm not happy with you," I told the man who I now knew as Shaytan. "Three months ago you took me to see the wrong people, in the wrong village. So I've had to come back here to Ghana. Why did we not go to the correct village, what were you doing here the other night... How did you know...?"
"So many questions," he interrupted, with a quiet, calm, almost monotone voice. "I come to see you Robert. To see how your ring is performing for you. That is why we had to go to that village. To get your ring. You are enjoying it?"
"I...the ring was merely part of a gift exchange; in a deal made your people there. The wrong people as it turned out," I replied angrily.
"They are not my people and the ring was the primary reason we travelled to that village. The ring needed a new finger. Your finger Robert."
For a time I couldn't speak, attempting to comprehend exactly what he meant.
"That was why we went there?" I clarified.
"Yes! The ring's work had concluded there. It needed to travel on and where better to travel too than America; land of the free; where men are easily corrupted, and copulation is encouraged."
"So any deal I made there, at that village was always going to be meaningless?" I accused angrily, raising my voice.
"Easy Robert. Don't get angry. You have now visited the correct village and made good progress; from what I hear."
"What have you heard?" I asked guiltily, recalling my late-night tryst with Theema.
"I have heard the Head Man likes you. That he is leaning toward you ahead of the Chinese. I also heard his second daughter likes you. Did you enjoy the young woman who, but for your ring, would otherwise have proven an untouchable beauty?"
"I..." was all I could deliver by way of reply.
"Ahh yes, you enjoyed her. Just as you have enjoyed all conquests the ring has brought you. I am certain of this. You have been able to fuck women who would never have looked at you twice. Women who would have slapped your face at your impertinence. And you have delivered them pleasure in a manner they could never have dreamed of. When you think of it like that, the ring has served you well, has it not Robert?"
"Fuck your ring. I've had enough of it. It's more trouble than it's worth."
"Are you wishing to give it up Robert?" Shaytan replied quietly
"I... yes. It could potentially upset my dealings with the tribe, and back home I nearly got caught with my daughter's friend."
"This girl has not yet had her period?" he asked.
"Yes, of course she has. She's eighteen years old."
"Oh! She is a woman. So there is no problem."
"She's still in High School."
"The ring would not care of this."
"Yes, I know the ring doesn't care," I said, my anger flaring again. "The ring makes me hard looking at my own daughter."