Page 69 of Red King

“Don’t make such a big deal over this.” I take a sip of my beer, put the bottle down, and open Steel’s. “Here.”

He takes the bottle and puts it back down. “It is a big deal. It’s a huge deal. How long have you been fucking her, and is it serious?”

“I haven’t fucked her yet.”

“Good! I can stop you from making a mistake, then. Trust me, you’ll regret it.”

“There is nothing you can say to stop me from meeting her tonight. I’m attracted to Paisley, but there’s nothing else there. It’s the same for her. You have my word on that. I’m not going to get into it with you. We’re fucking. It’s going to happen often over the next week or two…max, and then we’ll be done. Get used to the idea and fast.”

He rolls his eyes and curses under his breath. “Why Paisley? Pick a Tribute. Any Tribute.”

“I don’t want a Tribute.”

“You can’t mate your staff member.” He opens his phone and starts scrolling.

“I have no plans to mate with Paisley. Calm the fuck down. Aren’t you listening? It’s to break a dry spell. That’s all. We’ve discussed it. What are you doing?” I ask when he keeps scrolling. His eyes move from side to side, and his lips move while he reads.

“I’m reading her file. She’ll be thirty-six in two months. Human females are most fertile in their twenties. After that, there is a major decline year on year. Thirsty-six is too fucking old. She doesn’t meet the criteria. The Tributes are in the perfect window.”

“You can stop talking and listen to me, asshole!”

That shuts him up. His jaw is tight, and his eyes are blazing.

“We’re going to break our dry spell together. Long story short, she’s in a similar position to me. Then we’re going to move along on our merry ways. I will move forward with a Tribute.” It sounded better when I was putting the proposal forward to Paisley. I don’t give a shit. It’s my decision.

The end!

Steel looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Why not do that with a Tribute? You’re putting her job at risk. You’re putting this pilot program at risk for the sake of getting your dick wet.”

“It isn’t for the sake of getting my dick wet, and you know it. I haven’t so much as looked at another female since Anya died. I haven’t been able to until now. Paisley gets me. She understands my grief…my pain because she feels the same.”

“Is she a widow? It says here that she’s divorced.”

“Her ex left her during a difficult time. He was her first love, her husband, her entire world, and he left her, and it broke her heart. She’s sad and sorry, just like I am.”

“So you need to fuck her better?” Steel starts laughing. “Do you even hear yourself?”

“I’m stuck, Steel. I can’t move forward; I’ve tried. Paisley is the key. I hope I can help her move on, too. I know it sounds crazy, but—”

“It does sound crazy. And you’re sure that once you’ve got this attraction out of your system, you’ll be able to move on?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “It’s this or I’m leaving the program.”

“And you’re sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Yes. I think it’s going to work.” I nod a few times. “No one can know about this. Not a soul. I need to be able to get to her and back without being detected.”

“Two weeks, and then you’re done?”

“Give or take.”

He groans. “You love making my job impossible, don’t you? You do realize that you still have a target on your back, Arctic?” He shakes his head, looking like he’s thinking it through. “I’ll put in extra hours. I’ll get a team together of males I know I can trust. I’m doing this because I want to see you happy. I want to see you move forward. I do have to caution you about becoming attached to this female. The Council would never accept her, and you know it.”

“The Council can kiss my ass,” I grumble, even though I know he’s right.

“Arctic!”

“Fine! It won’t happen! I won’t get attached. I swear it! It’ll never happen,” I mutter the last, meaning it wholeheartedly.

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