Page 89 of The Mentor
“I know what you mean. It even made me wish that I had a family of my own.” Archer rubbed his forehead. “I can only imagine what it must’ve been like for the kids.”
“There’s something I haven’t told you,” I admitted.
“What?”
Opening my palms and looking up at him, I spoke slowly. “Raven’s mother has offered me the chance to adopt Raven.”
“She did?” Archer’s eyes almost popped out and he spoke with eagerness. “Congratulations, that’s fucking amazing.”
“I haven’t accepted yet; I’m still thinking about it.”
“Are you crazy? What is there to think about?” His hands swung with agitation in the air. “If I had the chance to adopt a child and become a father–” He blew out a breath. “Geez, I would jump on that right away with no hesitation.”
“You would?” It was a rhetorical question because I already knew that Archer dreamed of a family. I did too, but our perceptions of what that meant were vastly different.
A small spark of hope fired up inside of me. Maybe, with this awakening of women who were eager to get to know the Nmen better, laws would change and Archer and I could have a future together here in the Motherlands. Even as I thought it, I knew I was fooling myself.
“Do we have time for some fun?” Archer asked and kneeled down in front of me, spreading my legs.
I wanted to say yes, but that would be irresponsible since with Finn and Marco distracted by all the women, it really was only Shelly looking after the children.
“I wish,” I said quietly and kissed him. “But we need to put the children first.
His face fell with disappointment. “You’re so fucking responsible all the time.”
“Someone has to be,” I replied.
“Come on, Kya, I’m horny, and I’m sure Shelly can handle the kids; that girl is fifteen going on fifty, and much more responsible than the rest of us together.”
“Still, some of the boys challenge her authority.”
“Who?” Archer furrowed his brow. “Tell her to punish them. I’ll back her up.”
Placing my hands on his shoulders I pushed up from the bed and brushed back my hair. “I’m not gonna tell you to punish the boys, and I don’t want to have an argument about it.”
We found the kids on the beach and sure enough, Shelly was happy to see us.
“Finn is over there, flirting with that group of women.” Her index finger swung from Finn to the water. “And Marco has been playing with that blonde for the past thirty minutes. Two minutes ago, she was straddling him and I swear it looked like they were kissing.”
“Good for him,” Archer chuckled and waved back at a group of women who, despite the expansiveness of the beach, had placed themselves and their things very close to our group.
“What about Varna and Cindy?” I asked and scanned the area for them.
“They had to follow a group of teenage girls off the beach because they wouldn’t stop bothering the older boys.” Shelly looked mildly stressed out. “I told the boys to stay with our group, but the girls kept luring them away like a nasty bunch of sirens or something.
“But did Varna and Cindy really have to banish them from the beach? It seems excessive to me,” I said.
“They gave them three warnings and told the girls that they would contact their parents, but they wouldn’t stop.”
“I see; thank you, Shelly.” Turning around I addressed Archer. “Will you please go and fetch Finn and Marco?”
“Not a chance,” he said and crossed his arms. “For all I know, Marco is about to get his first shag with that blonde, and it looks like Finn has a full buffet of women to pick from. You’re asking me to risk my life here. Getting between men and sex is not only stupid, it’s cruel too.”
“Fine, then I’ll do it.” I ignored the warning that Archer shouted after me when I trotted over to Finn and his women.
“May peace surround you all,” I greeted them and focused in on Finn. “May I have a word with you?”
“Sure, darling, what’s up?”
