Page 35 of The Champion
“Yes.”
“And here I thought Nmen were supposed to be brave people. Are you telling me that they’re afraid of upsetting you?”
“In general, Nmen aren’t afraid of speaking their minds and I’m sure they would say something after we were married. The fact that they don’t speak up on the first date tells me that they want me for the wrong reasons. They’re willing to deal with my bad attitude because of the package of wealth and power that comes with me. But that’s not the kind of husband I’m looking for.”
“I see. And what about me? What test did you do on me?”
Freya smiled. “I didn’t have to test you to know that you have no problem arguing with me. You do that all by yourself.”
We sat for a moment smiling at each other. A warm sensation filled my chest with so much pressure that I couldn’t hold back my words. “I like talking with you.”
“Like or love?”
My nostrils expanded as I drew in a deep breath and corrected myself. “I love talking with you.”
With the tip of her nails, Freya stroked my arm. “I feel the same way.”
“You have no idea how much I want to rip your clothes off and carry you to my bedroom.”
Freya kept stroking my arm. “And here I thought French people were adventurous. Why does it always have to be in your bedroom?”
Her flirtatious energy tipped me over the edge and made me reach for her neck to pull her closer. “I’ll take you on every surface of this place if you let me.”
Her giggle was like sweet music that drowned when our lips met in a heated kiss. Freya Aurelius drove me insane with lust. Since I was a child, I had bought into the idea that we always had a choice. I never understood why people would break the three times rule and say that they didn’t feel in control of their emotions. One time a woman was broadcasted to the nation, crying when she was caught having a secret relationship. She had claimed that she didn’t feel like she had a choice.
That wasn’t how I felt at all.
I knew that I was breaking the law. It was my choice to risk a significant punishment in order to spend time with Freya. With her, three times would never be enough, and I had already decided that I didn’t care if they kicked me out of the country. I would be with Freya as many times as I could in the five weeks she was here.
CHAPTER 9
The Project
Freya
On Tuesday morning, Shelly and I walked together to the laboratory. Victor, Celeste, and some of the other scientists that I didn’t know the names of were further ahead, giving Shelly and me a chance to catch up on news about mutual friends from home.
“How is everyone doing in the Northlands? I heard Sparrow married a French guy. That’s incredible.”
“I know. My brother got engaged yesterday.”
Shelly’s eyes widened. “Did he?”
“Yes, my dad wrote me to tell the news and I convinced Victor to let me make a call from the private office of the Prime Minister to congratulate the happy couple. They were in such a good mood that they invited Victor to come to their wedding as well.”
“Who is the lucky guy that Thor picked?”
“Guy? Why would you think Thor is marrying a man?”
“Oh, it was something Marco said about Thor being a homosexual. I think he heard it from one of Archer and Kya’s sons, but I may be mistaken. I get those sorts of details mixed up all the time.”
“He’s engaged to Linea MacCumhail.”
Shelly raised her brow. “Finn’s daughter?”
“Yes, she’s also the daughter of Athena, the priestess.”
“Wow, Thor is marrying a Motlander. Won’t Khan be pissed about it?”
