Page 57 of The Ruler
“No.”
I squared my shoulders. “See that’s the difference between Nmen and fucking Momsiboys?”
“Huh,” she exclaimed thoughtful. “You think I would have that experience with any Nman?” She tilted her head. “That’s an interesting thought. Maybe I should test that.”
“You’re not testing shit.” I clenched my jaw. “The only Nman you’ll be experimenting with isme.”
“I don’t belong to you,” Pearl reminded me with a challenging look.
“As long as you’re in the Northlands you do,” I boomed and moved closer. “Don’t think that just because I didn’t win you in a tournament I’ll be any less protective or possessive. No one touches you!”
Pearl huffed out air and turned her back to me with annoyance. “Told you it was a mistake to do it.”
My shame from before was gone. Pearl wasn’t blaming me, so why should I? Now her way of dismissing my very first time with a woman as a mistake just pissed me off.
“It’s done and there will be other times, so get used to it,” I said.
“In your dreams,” she spat out and pulled the cover higher.
My mind was reeling with hormones and confusion. I had thought of the people from the Motherlands as being asexual but they had fucking sex clubs.
“You know I’m going to be lying here thinking about what kind of kinky stuff goes on in those sex clubs of yours,” I said grumpily.
“Have fun with that.” She yawned. “With your twisted mind, I’m sure you can make it ten times worse than it really is.”
“Were they better than me?” I asked and regretted my question right away.
Pearl rolled around to see me and bit her lip. “It’s hard to say; I mean, you were done so quickly I can hardly compare it.”
Humiliated, I was tempted to tear the cover off her and give her something she would never forget, but she read my mind.
“Oh, no, don’t even think about it,” she warned. “I allowed it once because I was curious, but if you touch me again, I will consider it rape.”
“I wasn’t going to touch you,” I lied. “You might be a brilliant negotiator, but you’re stiff as a board in bed and I’d prefer a welcoming bot over you any day.”
CHAPTER 13
Hurt
Pearl
I had hurt Khan.
Intentionally.
And he had hurt me back.
Lying on my side in the darkness, I listened to his slow breathing and knew he wasn’t sleeping either.
This day had been all kinds of crazy. First there had been the visit to the bar where Khan had confronted his enemy, Edward. That had been a study in male stupidity.
The whole scene had reminded me of something from a nature show with primitive gorillas, banging their chests and making noises to threaten each other. Of course, I could appreciate that as the ruler Khan was there to defend his territory, but being an evolved modern woman it was painful to watch the prehistoric way of solving conflicts.
Like the good pacifist I was, I simply had to intervene and calm the waters, and my only option was to lend power to Khan by associating him with the council. Something he didn’t deserve.
Khan might think that I did it for him, but he was wrong.
I did it because it would save Edward and his followers’ lives to stay home instead of starting a revolution. And I did it because if the school project were to succeed, there had to be peace in the Northlands.
