Boulder didn’t stop but took the stairs two steps at a time, and only when we got into our room did he face me. “Pearl is a councilwoman, which is equal to a ruler, so it makes perfect sense that Khan shows her the highest honor by protecting her himself.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I protested. “He has a country to rule; he doesn’t have time to look after her.”
“He’ll make time.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” I pressed him.
“How much did you see today with Magni and Khan?” he asked in an exasperated tone.
“They had a fight.”
“Yes. And that fight was over Pearl. Magni wants to interrogate her and pressure her.”
Understanding dawned on me. “Ahh, so Khan is protecting her from his brother?”
“Yes. Magni is the second in command in the Northlands. It would be hard for Finn to deny him access if he wanted to speak to Pearl. Only one person outranks Magni.”
“Khan,” I breathed, my eyes wide. “But will he treat her kindly?”
Boulder huffed out air. “Who knows? He has little experience with women and he’s used to getting his way.”
“But he won’t hurt her, will he?”
Boulder wouldn’t meet my eyes and it worried me.
“Talk to me,” I pressed him.
With a look of frustration, he finally sighed heavily and walked close enough to whisper into my ear. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t rile him. Khan can be a real ass.”
“Why are you whispering?” I whispered back.
“For no reason.” With a sigh, Boulder stepped away and stripped out of his shirt, revealing his hard abs. I stared in fascination and was a little ashamed of my reaction to him.
He was the epiphany of masculinity: something I’d been raised to see as a bad thing. But my body was reacting and I felt my cheeks heat up and a hotness in my lower regions. Men had almost destroyed our civilization, and Nmen were certainly brutal and primitive in many ways, but there were a few redeeming qualities about them. At least when it came to Boulder. The way he made me feel when we were physically together was nice. Very nice!
“Do I have something on me?” he asked and looked down at his chest.
I jerked my eyes away from him, flushing red. “No, I was just thinking about Pearl,” I lied.
He frowned. “Don’t worry about it. She’s going to be fine. Khan isn’t…” He stopped himself but added. “I mean he has a good side.”
I scoffed, my ingrained politeness overruled by my frustration. “He’s the worst!”
Boulder ignored my outburst and found a thin charcoal gray leather shirt to put on.
“You can’t wear that.” I pointed out to him.
“Why not?” he asked and continued to put it on.
“It’s offensive,” I complained. “You’re wearing the skin of another being. What if someone killed and skinned you to wear you as a shirt?”
Boulder rolled his eyes. “Quit the drama, Christina, this is my favorite shirt and I’m fucking wearing it.”
“But Pearl will find you barbaric.”
He tilted his head and stepped closer. “And that bothers you?”
I met his gaze.
