Page 68 of The Protector
“No!” I said in a small shriek. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because… ehm…” I didn’t want to tell her that I’d had to marry Boulder to get to work.
“It’s just that if you ask Khan, he will offer to find you a permanent protector and arrange a tournament for men to fight over you to prove themselves worthy. It would mean men killing other men. I had to go through that and I don’t recommend it.”
“How barbaric,” Athena exclaimed with a worried expression.
“I know. And besides, you won’t be here long. I’ll get you out one way or another.”
Athena walked back to the bed where I sat and leaned down to look me into my eyes. “Christina, I sense great bravery in you, but this is not your battle.”
“No, I know, but I’m still going to do whatever I can to help you.”
“Thank you, dear.” Athena placed her hand on my head while closing her eyes. “Bless you, child.”
CHAPTER 19
Bargain
Christina
Determination is good if you want to help someone escape, but unfortunately you need more than that. I had no experience with how to help someone get out of a hostage situation. I didn’t have the negotiation techniques of a mediator or the skill set of a warrior. I was just me – a history professor and archeologist. After three days of searching for a way to help Athena I was getting desperate.
“You have to help her, Boulder,” I pleaded with him. The house was quiet and it had been over an hour since we had gone to bed. To me it was another day wasted without finding a way to free Athena.
“What?” he whispered, his voice revealing that he wasn’t sleeping either.
“You heard me.” I turned on my side to face him and he activated the light. It was a faint glow, but enough to see each other in the darkness.
Boulder was on his back, his arm resting across his forehead and his eyes on me.
“It’s not right, and you know it,” I said low.
He sighed. “Athena is a strong woman; I honestly feel worse for Finn than her.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Have you seen him? He used to be smiling all the time, now he’s anything but. You know she cursed him, right?”
My brows flew up. “She cursed him?”
“Yes. I don’t know the specifics but he’s furious about it.”
I swallowed my scoff. I didn’t believe in curses and was surprised that Boulder and Finn did.
“Alexander, I’m begging you. Take Athena home.”
“No.” He turned on his side and propped himself on his elbow, looking calmly at me. “I told you, my concern is you, not her.”
Desperate, I played a trump card with a low seductive voice. “I’ll let you touch me if you take her home,” I said in desperation.
“Why? Do you miss making out with me?” His smug smile provoked me.
“No!” I lied. “I only made out with you as a social experiment.”
“Really? I was under the impression that you enjoyed it.”
