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“I don’t understand.”

I sighed and rubbed my temples. “I’m saying there’s no real way to look down there on a woman and know if she’s a virgin or not. It’s all bullshit. Anyone who says there’s a way is either lying or misinformed. The only real way to know if a woman is no longer a virgin is to directly witness her having sex.”

Jolie narrowed her eyes. “But all the married girls I know told me they bled the first time.”

“Yeah, a lot of girls bleed their first time, but that’s because the guy is either too inexperienced and hasn’t gotten her wet and ready, or because the guy is simply too forceful. Or because she’s nervous and clenching without meaning to.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

She contemplated this for a moment, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “Even if that’s all true, I would still break the rules set out in His Word if I engaged in an act of the flesh before we are married. I would become impure.”

And yet forced blowjobs and anal are totally fine before marriage, I thought to myself wryly, wishing she would see how senseless and hypocritical her father’s so-called religion was.

I sighed and patted her on the back. “Yeah. I know you believe that.”

She looked at me, her eyes pained and desperate. “I want so badly for you to touch me, Mason. All I’ve been able to think about these last few months is you, ever since you first came here. It’s driving me crazy. I know it’s a sin, and I should be punished hard, but I—”

I put a finger on her lips and cut her off. “Where I come from, it’s not a sin.”

She looked down at her feet. “Where I come from, it is.”

I pressed my lips firmly together, knowing I was fighting a losing battle. Today wouldn’t be the day to sway Jolie’s views. The mood had been well and truly ruined the second I had to play doctor and explain hymens to her, anyway.

I stood and looked down at her. “You won’t tell anyone what we did in here today, will you? Or what we discussed?” I said sharply.

She shook her head vehemently, posture turning rigid again. “No. Will you?”

“Of course not. I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine.”

Her shoulders sagged with relief. “Okay,” she said in a small voice. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. That’s what a real man does for his woman. He protects her,” I said. “Besides, you’re protecting me too. If your father found out about our discussion, he’d send me away.”

She nodded slowly. “I suppose so.”

“So we’re on the same level now, aren’t we? Partners.”

She licked her lips. “Partners,” she said slowly, rolling the word around her mouth. “I like that,” she added timidly.

“Good. Now get dressed. We’re done here.”

I watched her while she put her clothes back on. Even though it was such a simple act, it was captivating. Every part of her was entrancing. The way she moved. The way she twisted her lips in concentration as she did up all her buttons. The way she filled out such a drab, boring dress and made it look like a fucking ball gown with her sheer exquisiteness.

“I really do care about you, Jolie,” I said as I unlocked the door and opened it for her.

She nodded. “I know,” she replied in a soft voice as she stepped over to me.

“I want you to think hard about what I said earlier.”

She looked back at me. Her face was scrunched up slightly, as if she were in physical pain. “I have thought about it. I… I can’t do it.”

“Just try to under—”

She cut me off. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t.”

Then she fled, down the hall and back into the dark maze of New Eden.

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