Page 37 of Chosen By Swift

He stilled behind her. “Does it matter?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted, uncertain why she suddenly felt curious about his past. “It shouldn’t, I suppose.”

“You don’t need to worry about whether I’m comparing you to anyone else.” He resumed his ticklish nuzzling.

She didn’t believe that. It was impossible for her to even consider it might be the truth. She could only imagine what sort of gorgeous women he had taken to bed.

“I’ve never done this with any woman before.” Swift kissed her cheek. “You’re the first and only woman to ever sleep in bed with me.”

Confused, she rolled over to face him. The fake lights behind the strange curtains that covered the fake windows cast the glow of sunrise around the room. She studied Swift’s handsome face, searching his blue eyes, and asked, “How is that possible?’

“How is what possible?” Swift’s hand slid down her arm to her waist and then lower to her bottom. He palmed her bare butt, and she felt a quiver of excitement.

“That you never slept with a woman?”

He used his grip on her bottom to tug her even closer. “There’s not much sleeping happening during sex.”

“Yes, but after?”

“After what?” He caressed her bottom, and she wondered if she would ever get used to being touched like this.

“After the sex,” she clarified.

“After the sex, I showered and left.”

“Why?”

“I only paid for an hour or two.”

Suddenly, all those exciting feelings fled. She yanked back from Swift’s descending mouth. “Paid?”

His expression turned cautious. “Yes.”

“You used prostitutes?” Her stomach pitched at the idea of Swift giving money to some woman who had no other way to support herself than selling her body. “You bought women?”

“It’s not like that here, Alys.”

She untangled herself from his arms and climbed out of the bed. “It’s like that everywhere.”

“Poppies are respected. They provide a service to unmated men.”

“Poppies?” She stood at the edge of the bed, staring down at him.

“Property of Prison. POP.”

Her stomach dropped. “You paid to use prisoners?”

“No, they’re not prisoners. They were born in prison to incarcerated women. That means they’re stateless and....” He stopped talking, probably because he could see how disgusted she was.

“Your people take women born in prisons and force them into prostitution because they don’t have papers?” She couldn’t believe this was the conversation she was having the morning after giving herself to Swift. “What is wrong with you?”

In a frustrated huff, Swift threw back the covers and got out of bed. He stood on the other side, as naked as she was, and scowled. “There’s nothing wrong with me! You shouldn’t judge things you don’t understand.”

“I don’t want to understand these things! It’s disgusting and wrong and you should be ashamed for taking advantage of those women!” As soon as the angry, loud words left her mouth, Alys retreated four quick steps. She gulped and dropped her gaze. Years of never raising her voice and always deferring to her father and other men told her how this was going to end.

Even though she couldn’t see him with her gaze glued to the floor, she could hear his bare feet on the floor. She tried to make herself small. Naked and shivering, she felt incredibly exposed and vulnerable.Please let it be quick.

“Alys, look at me,” Swift commanded. When she resisted, he ordered, “Now.”

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