Page 34 of The Ruler
Both my eyes opened and I gave him my hardest stare. “It’s not funny, Khan.”
“Funny?” He looked royally pissed. “You think I found it funny wasting my time running around looking for you or worrying if Magni got to you before I did?”
I huffed out air in surrender and held up my palms to placate him while leaning as far back as the band would allow me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left without telling you, and it was very nice of you to worry about me.”
“You shouldn’t have left, period,” he said and looked down at my blouse. “Now take off your clothes.”
“No!” I refused and saw stubborn resolve in his eyes.
“It wasn’t a suggestion but a goddamn order,” he said and pushed down his briefs.
My face turned crimson red knowing that Khan was now completely naked next to me. Fisting my hands by my side I looked up.Don’t look down, just don’t look down,I told myself. It wasn’t that I hadn’t seen naked men before, because we were relaxed about nudity in the Motherlands and considered it a natural thing. It was that Khan was doing this to dominate me and I resented his show of force. Also, there was the small fact that Khan was very different from the men I’d seen naked and that on occasion he had made me feel things I didn’t want to feel.
Adjusting the flexi-band again, he grabbed onto my hips and moved me to his front. It happened so fast that I didn’t have a chance to fight it before we were standing face to face with my belly against his hard… front. I gasped out loud and tried to take a step back but I was stuck.
“Last chance to take off your clothes,” he challenged and when I didn’t react he backed me into the shower fully dressed.
“Khan, I… I…” My otherwise eloquent tongue was in knots.
“You said I smelled,” he said as if the whole thing was tedious and boring to him.
“You don’t smell,” I said quickly, “And you made your point. I promise that I won’t wander off… just don’t turn on the water,” I rambled.
“Shower, turn water on, make it warm and play music.” Khan pursed his lips as water came from five angles, his smug smile telling me that he enjoyed being in control and putting me in my place.
“Ahh,” he moaned and leaned back his head, lifting his arms and massaging his scalp with his eyes closed. He had dark hair under his armpits, something that everyone in the Motherlands had removed before they finished puberty. It was a visual reminder that Khan wasn’t a sweet, gentle Motlander. He was a purebred man of the north and on top of that he was their leader – an alpha male if there ever was one.
The music that played softly did nothing to calm my racing heart.
“Now get naked,” he said and wiped water from his face.
“I won’t take off my clothes,” I insisted firmly.
“Yes, you will.” His answer was short and nonnegotiable. “Either you undress or I’ll do it for you.”
“You gave me your word,” I reminded him harshly.
“I never said I wouldn’t undress you.”
“But you said…”
He cut me off. “Have I beaten you?”
“No, but you dragged me.”
“So that’s a no. Have I raped you?”
“No, but this is bordering on…”
He shook his head and placed both hands on each side of my face, forcing my head back to meet his eyes.
“I’m not going to fuck you, Pearl.” Enjoying my gasp in response to his crude word, he hovered above me with his lips almost touching mine, “Unless you want me to?” His question came out in a raspy whisper.
If I had an Adam’s apple, mine would have been bobbing in my throat as I struggled to find my voice.
“Do you?” he asked, low and seductive. “Want me to fuck you?”
“N…no…” I stammered, completely out of my element.
