Page 29

KIAN

A s a knock sounded on Kian's partially open office door, Jackson poked his head in. He smiled and rose to his feet.

"Come in." He offered the young immortal his hand. "Thank you for making time in your busy schedule."

"I'm honored to be invited." Jackson shook his hand with a grin spreading over his handsome face. "It was such a nice surprise to see your text last night."

"As soon as Kyra told me her sisters' idea, I knew you were the guy to call. I know that shopkeeping isn't your area of expertise, but you must know a lot about commercial refrigerators and where to shop for supplies."

Despite his young age, Jackson was a successful entrepreneur who ran several commercial bakeries and supplied coffee shops and restaurants throughout Los Angeles. And to think that he had started out as Nathalie's assistant in her father's coffee shop only a few years ago.

His rapid success was awe-inspiring.

"I do." Jackson pulled out a chair next to the conference table. "And I'll gladly show them the ropes."

Kian was surprised. "Do you have time for that? You are always running around."

"I was." Jackson leaned back in the chair. "I'm finally making enough money to employ good help, so I can focus on expanding my empire or take my mate out on all the dates I couldn't take her out on when I was running like crazy, trying to do everything myself."

"Glad to hear that. How is Tessa doing? Is she still working for Eva?"

"Part-time," Jackson said. "She dedicates two days a week to the halfway house.

It's important for the girls to see someone who was in their situation and who has mostly healed.

She also helps Ella with the fundraising, although Jacki has taken over that part since she got the government to contribute to the cause. The female is a genius."

Kian chuckled. "She is. Or perhaps she just knows humans better than we do.

I never expected it to be so easy, nor was I aware of how much of taxpayers' money was being squandered on fake causes.

At least ours is real, and all the funds go to the rehabilitation effort. No one's getting rich from it."

Nodding, Jackson crossed his arms over his chest. "If I knew that the real money was in politics and not in commerce or industry, I might have chosen a different career."

With his looks and his charm, Jackson could have done great in politics, but as an immortal he couldn't afford to be in the public eye, so that had never been an option for him.

"I'm glad you've chosen to get into the baking business. Kyra and her sisters are going to be here any moment, and I want to brief you first about their idea."

Jackson leaned forward. "You mentioned that they want to open a grocery store.

The refrigeration and freezer units won't be a problem—I have good contacts in the commercial wholesale equipment.

The real challenge is the supply chain because we can't get deliveries to the village. Only our people can do that."

"Right. So, what do you suggest?"

"Get them a large van, maybe two, equipped with the same security features as all our other vehicles. They could make supply runs themselves and load up at various wholesale locations around LA." Jackson pulled out his phone, scrolling through his notes. "I can introduce them to my suppliers."

"That could work."

"I can also help them set up accounts or even funnel their purchases through my accounts.

That might make things easier for them at the beginning.

If they need help with the business side of things, I can give them a few pointers, but I don't have time to hold their hands throughout it.

They would have to take a course or figure out things for themselves. "

"Of course," Kian said. "I'm thankful for all the help you are offering. It's more than I expected."

As another knock sounded at the door, Kian rose to his feet again and walked over to welcome Kyra and her four sisters.

"Good morning," he greeted them and offered his hand to Kyra first.

"Good morning." She smiled as she shook his hand. "Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice."

"I liked your idea, and I brought in an expert." He motioned at Jackson. "Please, sit down, and I'll introduce everyone." He gestured to the chairs around his conference table.

When they were all seated, he took his place at the head of the table. "Let me introduce Jackson. He runs a successful food service empire, and he is the one supplying our café. He's kindly agreed to help with your venture."

"Thank you," Soraya said, studying Jackson with the shrewd assessment of someone who'd learned to judge character quickly. "We appreciate your assistance."

"Happy to help," Jackson replied. "I understand you want to open a grocery store. It's a great idea. The village needs one."

The sisters exchanged glances, and Kian saw some of their tension ease. They'd prepared for resistance, he realized. Instead, they were met with enthusiasm.

"We have a proposal," Soraya said, producing a thin folder. "We've run some numbers."

For the next twenty minutes, the sisters presented their plan with impressive thoroughness.

They'd thought through product selection, pricing strategies, operating hours, and division of responsibilities.

Rana would handle the business side, while Soraya, Parisa, and Yasmin would run the store, each specializing in their chosen departments.

"We identified three possible locations," Rana said. "All are currently vacant. We marked them on the village map in the folder."

He flipped to the appropriate page. "I appreciate the thought you've put into this, but having a commercial operation in a residential area could be problematic. The neighbors might object to the increased foot traffic."

When the sisters' faces fell, Kian continued, "That doesn't mean we can't make this work. We just need to find the right spot."

"What about the village square?" Parisa suggested tentatively. "Maybe next to the café?"

"We don't have any vacant space there," Kian said. "And I'm reluctant to sacrifice any of the green areas. The greenery and open spaces are important for the village's atmosphere, and we use them for celebrations. It would be a mistake to sacrifice any portion of it for a new building."

"What about the area behind this building?" Kyra said. "Max said that the slope that goes down can be partially reclaimed."

Kian pictured the area she meant. It was a steep hillside. "To build anything there would require significant grading and reinforcement."

"But it's possible?" Soraya pressed.

"Theoretically, yes." Kian found himself warming to the idea. "We could grade a shallow terrace that could accommodate a long and narrow building."

"It would block the first-floor windows of the offices facing the ravine," Jackson pointed out.

"Not if we build several feet below the current ground level," Kian said. "We can create a walkway down to it."

The sisters looked excited, hope brightening their faces.

"Let's go take a look." Kian rose from his chair.

The group filed out of his office and down the stairs. Kian led them through the building's rear exit to the area in question. The morning sun highlighted the slope's gradient—steep but not impossible.

"Here," Kian said, gesturing to a relatively flat area a few feet below where they were standing. "Perhaps the roof of the new structure could create a terrace for the office building."

He could picture his smoking setup there instead of the roof, but on second thought, it would be less private, so it had better remain where it was.

Jackson nodded. "I love it. We can put a few vending machines against the office building's wall, and some tables and chairs. A new recreation area with a spectacular view."

"I'll ask Gavin, our architect, to sketch out a few ideas," Kian told the sisters.

"How long would construction take?" Yasmin asked quietly.

Kian calculated mentally. "Between the design and construction? Two to three months, but the problem is the availability of the crews I use for projects in the village, which might delay the project for a few months, if not more. I'll need to check with the contractor."

The sisters exchanged glances, and Kian read the disappointment in their expressions.

"We hoped to open the store sooner," Rana said.

"Let's go back to my office and talk it through," Kian suggested.

Once they were reseated around the conference table, Kian addressed the issue that seemed to trouble them. "Why are you in a rush to open the store?"

Soraya straightened her shoulders. "We need to start earning money. We've been living off the clan's charity since we arrived, and we appreciate the generosity, but we don't feel comfortable living on charity."

"We need to contribute," Parisa said. "We want to feel useful."

Kian understood. Pride was universal, crossing cultural and temporal boundaries. The store wasn't just about earning a living—it was about reclaiming dignity.

"We don't need to wait for the new building," he decided.

"You can start small in one of the houses as a temporary location, and when the permanent structure is complete, you'll move there and enlarge your operation.

You'll need the time to learn anyway, right?

" He swept his gaze over them. "As far as I know, none of you have run a store before. "

Relief was written over all their faces.

"You are very wise, Mr. Kian," Soraya said. "Your suggestion is perfect."

He chuckled. "Just Kian, and thank you for the flattery, but it's not needed. I'll ask Ingrid to identify the best available house. Ideally, it would be close to the village square, but we might need to relocate some residents."

"We shouldn't," Parisa interrupted, then blushed. "I mean, we don't want to uproot anyone. That wouldn't be right."

"The community is flexible," Kian assured her. "Some of our single members might actually prefer to move to a newer section. Ingrid has a gift for making these arrangements work for everyone involved."

"The house closest to the square would be ideal for foot traffic," Jackson noted. "Even as a temporary location. It would be the least disruptive to the neighbors."

"I believe that one's currently occupied by two young engineers," Kian said. "They like being close to the pavilion, but I don't think it will be difficult to convince them to relocate, especially if I get them their own golf cart."

Parisa regarded him with a big smile on her face. "Can we get our own golf cart as well? I mean for the store. I'm thinking of the logistics of carrying supplies from the parking structure to the store."

"That would be prudent," Kian agreed.

"Speaking of logistics," Jackson said, "I can take you ladies on a shopping excursion to show you the wholesale markets, introduce you to suppliers, and help you understand the LA food distribution network."

"Can we leave the village?" Rana asked Kian.

He chuckled. "You are not prisoners here, and to run a grocery store, you will need to make regular supply runs. I think it's a great idea to have Jackson show you around so you can familiarize yourselves with the territory."

"When can we go?" Soraya asked.

"I can take you tomorrow," Jackson said. "I was planning on visiting some of my suppliers anyway."

"We accept your generous offer," Soraya said. "Thank you."

"Excellent." Jackson turned to Kian. "Do you want me to coordinate security or do you want to handle that?"

"I'll speak to Onegus. If he can spare Max, I think that should be enough. It's not like we expect an ambush in one of the markets."

"Right." Jackson stood up. "Traveling with five ladies, I'd rather be cautious." He turned to the sisters. "Be ready at nine tomorrow morning and wear comfortable shoes. We'll be doing a lot of walking."