“Huh.” He smiled at me. “So, how was it?”
A smile erupted on my face too. “There’s nothing like it.”
“Hmm… you seem all smitten with her.” He looked me up and down. “Don’t let her get inside your brain.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. I need you to keep a sharp mind. We’ve got work to do.”
“What kind of work?”
With a secretive smile, he gave a discreet nod toward the women. “Why do you think I’m protecting the councilwoman myself?”
“I don’t know.”
“Because this is a great opportunity.” His eyes lit up and he lowered his voice into a conspiratorial mutter. “Wouldn’t you say it’s time men returned to power in this world?”
“Definitely.”
“That woman…” he gave another minuscule nod toward Pearl, “…holds influence with the council. I’m going to learn as much from her as I can, and before she knows it, she’ll be doing my bidding.”
“How?”
He laughed, low, with a cunning grin. “Leave that to me, my friend. That poor woman doesn’t stand a chance against my superior intellect. When she goes back to make changes, she’ll think it’s all her idea.”
“So you’re going to brainwash her,” I clarified.
“Something like that.” Khan gave a last long glance in Pearl’s direction before he left me again with a final order. “Take Pearl to my private bedchamber and tell her I will kindly share my bed with her tonight.”
My hesitation made him arch a brow.
“What?”
“You’re not thinking about taking her by force, are you?”
Khan looked over in Pearl’s direction. “That won’t be necessary. My tongue is my sharpest weapon and I will find her weak spot. Maybe she wants to learn how to fly a hybrid too.”
Shifting my balance, I furrowed my brow.
“Oh, for the son of the devil, just do as I tell you,” he ordered with a slight fit of temper.
I nodded. “Understood.”
Khan waved a hand over his shoulder when he walked away. “I’ll see the three of you for dinner in an hour.”
Christina
Boulder approached our cozy spot in the park, and Pearl and I immediately grew silent at the sight of the large, intimidating, and brooding man.
“Khan asked me to take you to your room. Dinner is in less than an hour and he thought you might want to freshen up,” he said a bit stiffly.
Pearl rose gracefully from her chair. “Thank you. I don’t think you and I have shared a proper greeting.” She smiled. “Forgive me, my manners seem to suffer when I’m out of my comfort zone.” With a few decisive steps Pearl walked to Boulder and reached out both hands to him. His eyes flew to me and I signaled for him to take her hands.
It was a peculiar sight to see Boulder frown down at Pearl, who leaned her head back and smiled up at him. “May peace surround you,” Pearl said softly.
His face softened too and he mumbled, “Yeah, same to you.”
When the ten seconds were up Boulder let go of her hands and pulled back. I had to stifle a laugh when he gave me a quick glare, as if to be sure I was really okay with him touching another woman.
