Page 131 of The Ruler
“Only you.”
“Not the council?”
“No.” She pointed a finger at me. “But if you refuse to close down the passage, I might tell them.”
I didn’t even get upset about the last part but broke into a huge smile. She had toldme. Pearl had fucking toldmebefore anyone else. She was loyal tome!
Pushing her back on the bed, I rolled on top of her and poured all my gratitude into a deep kiss.
She pushed at me. “This is serious. I want you to shut it down!”
“Sweetie, they played you.” I chuckled against her neck and felt feather light in my heart. She wasmywoman first and foremost.
“What do you mean they played me?”
“Northgate is a tiny town in the upper eastern corner of the Northlands, about as far away from the border as you can go. I guarantee that’s not where Magni crossed into the Motherlands. Secondly, Jackass Johnny is the name of a whiskey, not a man.”
“How do you know? Nmen have the most obscure names,” she said.
I laughed. “Naming a child after a bottle of whiskey? I mean, give us some credit, babe. Didn’t you see the bottle in my office?”
“Of course I did, but it could be an alias for all I know.”
“You’re right.” I swallowed my grin. “I shouldn’t tease you, but trust me, it was a trap, and I’m just so damn happy that you came to me.”
Pearl laughed a little when I planted twenty quick kisses across her nose, cheeks, forehead, chin, mouth, and jawline. “I still want your help closing down that passage. That’s what I want for my wedding gift.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I drew in a deep breath feeling the frustration from earlier leave me. “Is what you heard the reason you were acting cold toward me earlier today?”
“I wasn’t cold toward you,” Pearl protested. “I just had a lot on my mind and I was trying to figure out the best way to bring it up and make you take it seriously this time.”
I kissed her forehead.
“And you, what would you like for your wedding gift?” she asked.
“You’ve already given me the greatest gift. There’s nothing more precious than your love and your loyalty.”
My words affected Pearl, and I smiled when her eyes grew moist.
“But if you really want to give me a gift…” I said with my most charming grin. “Then I wish for an heir and a daughter too.”
Pearl pushed me off her and rose up on her elbows with her eyes narrowed. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
“What do you think I said?” I asked, enjoying the electrical sparks between us.
“Please tell me that you didn’t just imply that only a boy can be your heir.”
“Of course,” I said with a straight face.
“Oh, hell no!” It was the first time I’d ever heard Pearl curse and it was insanely sexy with the way she shifted position to kneel on the bed, placing her hands on her thighs and leaning forward with a look of fierce determination. “We’re going to straighten this out right now.”
“What?”
“I believe in democracy and I will do my best to convince you that is the way to go.”
“You can try,” I said and shrugged.
“I’m not done, so be quiet and listen,” Pearl ordered, clearly passionate about this subject. “I want you to promise that no matter the gender of our children, it’ll make no difference.”
