Page 10 of Surrender
“Open,” he commanded.
When she didn’t immediately comply, he drew her chin upward and pressed the spoon harder against her lips. Their eyes locked, and she succumbed to his demands, opening her mouth to receive the spoonful of food. He repeated the process until his stomach was satisfied and he judged she’d eaten her fill as well.
Despite her earlier claim that she wasn’t hungry, he knew it to be a lie. He’d heard the rumblings of her stomach just before the servants had entered with their meal. Even though she was being rebellious, he would not see her go hungry.
Occasionally, he reached out and stroked her cheek or rubbed her soft, silky hair between his fingers. Her face remained an open manifestation of her conflicted emotions, her widened eyes betraying her anxiety and reluctant surrender. He even thought he saw glimpses of gratitude, though he wasn’t entirely certain.
The servants returned to clear the table and serve Merokk a customary tall goblet of Kall wine. It tasted like many varieties of Earth wine, but the alcohol content made it more comparable to the strong liquor humans tended to serve in shot glasses. The warmth from the first sip burned pleasantly through his insides and filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction.
He leaned back and glanced down at Betsy, who was still in her place and gazing at the floor. “Did you learn your lesson, little one?”
Her head shot up, but she didn’t answer.
A small smile formed on his lips. “Come here,” he said.
He placed the goblet on the table, freeing his hands so he could pull her into his lap. Her hair smelled like flowers, such a universal scent no matter which planet one called home. He wrapped his arms around her, forcing her to lean into his broad chest.
The feel of her bottom moving slightly over his manhood whenever she squirmed made him go rock hard. He suppressed a growl, not wishing to frighten her. But when she gave a light gasp and suddenly stilled in his arms, he knew she’d detected his growing hardness beneath her.
Little tremors ran through her body and her breath became shaky and fast, though she remained otherwise still in his lap. He enjoyed holding her more than he would’ve ever imagined, this small human female who would soon belong to him.
The dining room darkened as the sun slipped completely behind the buildings. Merokk didn’t bother increasing the lights. For the moment, he was quite content to hold his unenthusiastic bride-to-be in his arms.
Perhaps the ambassadorship and arranged marriage wouldn’t be the end of his happiness and glory. His battle days had ended, but he’d come out on top, having never lost a fight. He would be kept busy on Earth, and he would have Betsy to come home to each night.
The prospect of teaching her to be a dutiful wife made his blood hum with desire.
Chapter 6
Conflicting emotions surgedthrough Fiona as Merokk held her close on his lap.
One moment she despised his touch, and the next moment she yearned to bury her head deeper against his chest and seek refuge in his strong arms.
His words about the dishonor of marrying an enemy hovered on the forefront of her mind.
The Kall claimed to want peace with Earth, but how could peace be forged when the Kall-human marriages were more like punishment than part of a truce?
Perhaps she ought to keep her opinions to herself in the future, no matter what her union with Merokk symbolized. Her job was to play Betsy Carson and keep him happy. Mouthing off like she’d done earlier wasn’t smart, especially when the marriage hadn’t taken place yet. What if he told someone, such as President Carson, that she’d given him trouble?
Pissing Merokk off beforehand was a mistake she had to rectify, but the thought of kneeling on the floor again to beg his forgiveness brought tears of frustration to her eyes.
She blinked the moisture back.
She considered the circumstances that had brought about the war, trying her best to understand Merokk’s perspective. Earth would’ve attacked a weaker alien race for the same crimes, intentional or not, committed against the Kall because of the miners who accidently blew up two Kall towns. Perhaps he wasn’t such a monster and his people weren’t so dissimilar from her own.
He called out a command in his own tongue, and a second later the lights in the room increased.
“Have some wine,” he said.
She lifted her head, gazing into his eyes as he held the goblet to her lips. The drink burned hot in her belly, though it was sweet going down. She took a few swallows and enjoyed the immediate lightheadedness it produced.
“Thank you,” she whispered, gracing him with a brief smile. She was truly grateful for the tremendous calming effect the drink had on her mind. He continued holding her on his lap for some time, gently running a hand up and down her back, and occasionally giving her more sips of the delicious wine.He’s trying to make me feel better.
His kindness tapped at the locked door guarding her heart, reminding her of the persistent loneliness she’d endured for years at her own choosing. Would she ever let Merokk inside? Would she ever grow to trust him?
Kall warrior or not, he would be her husband.
There was no changing that unless she confessed her real identity, an unlikely prospect when her mother’s fate rested in her hands.
