Page 87 of The Warrior
A nerve in my jaw gave a tic and I fought my instinct to tell him to go fuck himself.
Maximilian, a tall lanky man with a big beard, leaned forward. “Women are only good for one thing and that’s breeding and pleasure. When we take over the Motherlands everything will change. My wife died more than five years ago, and I’m ready to take on a whole fucking harem of women.” He smirked. “Why limit ourselves when there are millions to choose from?”
Deep laughter filled the room.
“That’s right, there’s enough for everyone. The Momsies are so bloody soft-spoken that they won’t fight back.”
I tucked my hands under my armpits and frowned.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want a harem of your own?” Maximilian asked. “Everyone knows you got a rotten egg with that girl you married.”
My scowl grew deeper and he got nervous. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Leave Laura out of this,” I muttered in warning.
Mr. Zobel gave a fake chuckle. “What you do with Laura is up to you, as long as you don’t allow her to corrupt you like Pearl did with Khan.”
I nodded and the old man next to me patted my shoulder. “Magni is too much of a man to fall for a woman’s tricks. He’s always serious and focused on the task ahead. That’s what’s going to make him a great ruler.”
Maximilian raised his glass to me. “As long as you don’t mind the rest of us having a great time with the feast of women.”
“Suit yourself,” I muttered, and one of the men, who had been brown-nosing my brother only two weeks ago, began entertaining everyone with a description of a movie clip he had once seen.
“I’m telling you, all the men sat around a table where a beautiful young woman served as a human tray with delicacies spread out on her breasts, thighs, and belly.” He illustrated with his hands. “She lay in the middle with her long hair, looking gorgeous, and saying nothing.”
“Perfect!” someone chimed in. “The only time I want to hear my woman speak is when she tells me how lucky she is to have me as her husband.” He elbowed the man next to him. “And when she tells me she’s pregnant.”
Mr. Zobel raised his glass of whiskey. “Let’s cheer for the pretty creatures on the other side of that wall. It’s time they learn their place. To give them any influence is to piss on our forefathers’ graves. We owe everything to those brave men who refused to be ruled by women. I’ll be damned if we’re going to stand by and watch Khan give away our freedom and power.”
The tall, lanky man spoke again. “Khan is thinking with his cock. The same thing happened to me when I first won my wife.” He laughed. “I was so fucking horny for her that I let her get away with far too much.”
“That’s a beginner’s mistake,” Sheldon said and lifted his own glass. “Women will take advantage of you if you’re not careful. They are sneaky like that.”
“It’s just like a golden retriever I once had.” Mr. Zobel was stabbing his index finger down at the table. “I swear that little bitch knew how to play me with her cute adorable eyes.”
I kept my face impassive.
“The women wouldn’t like it if they knew you were comparing them to dogs,” the man to my left pointed out. “I don’t have much respect for the Momsies, but my wife and daughter are fine women, and I would challenge anyone who said otherwise.” He downed the last of his whiskey.
“I know they are,” Mr. Zobel clarified. “But that’s because you raised them right. They know and accept that we men are superior in all ways. It’s time we showed the Momsies that as well.”
“That’s right!”
“You said it!”
The men were laughing and nodding in agreement. It made Zobel push out his chest. “They won’t like it at first, but eventually they’ll learn to spread their legs and be quiet like good girls.”
I cut through the bullshit. “Besides a female harem for each of you, what are your expectations?”
“It would be natural that you reward our loyalty by giving us land in the Motherlands.”
“And what are you willing to give me?”
“Any support you need.”
For another hour, I took mental notes of their demands for more influence, before I pushed my chair back and stood up with my fingertips on the table. “Thank you, gentlemen. I will arrange a meeting with Khan tomorrow, and once that is done, you will hear from me.”
Shaking hands with each of the eight men, I saw only greed and ambition in their eyes. I didn’t like a single one of them, but I trusted that they had what it took to back up their promises.
