Page 18 of Princess

“Lie with me for a minute,” I said after we finished our meals.

She didn’t argue.She lay next to me, and I slowly began massaging her shoulders.She moved to the side so I could reach her back.Our sex life had been interesting with her new shape, but it had slowed during the past two weeks due to how tired she was at the end of the day.I hated to see her exhausted, and the last thing I would do was add to it.I didn’t mind simply having her close.Touching her like this was also special.

She moaned when I hit a sore spot.I worked the kinks out of her muscles, and her hand slipped down and rubbed my crotch.

My hand slipped between her thighs, my palm pressing against her.Her hips thrust against me, and I kissed her.She moved faster and moaned again, adding pressure to my hardness.I wasn’t a teenage boy in danger of coming in my pants, and it felt good, but giving her pleasure felt better.

She growled into my mouth, and a moment later, her back arched.

I pulled away slightly and simply watched her.When she finally opened her eyes, she gave me a soft smile.

“What about you?”she said.

“I can wait.If we keep our guests waiting, they might become aggravated.”

“I don’t care,” she said, reaching her hand toward me again.

I stopped her pursuit.“Yes, you do.You’re beautiful when you come.Thank you.”

Her cheeks pinkened, and I repositioned her so she was lying with her back against me.My hand went to our child, and I gently rubbed her belly.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you both.”

Chapter Eight

Marinah

I didn’t get to watch the complete degradation of Mrs.Barnes.The old me would never have found it pleasurable, but it was something war did to you.If President Barnes had me, I would be tortured and publicly executed.That’s if I was lucky enough to escape the experiments they would perform on my Shadow Warrior body first.

A few minutes of shame for the president’s wife wouldn’t kill her.I would have King tell me all about it over dinner.

I stood in front of the citadel until one of the Warriors alerted me that the motorcade was only a few minutes out.I gave one last look at Lesley, trussed up, giving me the stink eye because of the gag.I’d been kind enough to have her tied to a chair so she was comfortable, but I doubted she appreciated it.

I walked to the closet beside the argument room.Okay, dammit, I waddled.On the training field, I had no problem getting into my fighting stance because it required my legs to be apart and my knees bent.Walking was another story, and unless I wanted to walk like I had wet underwear, I waddled.

Pen and paper were waiting for me in the closet.This would enable me to silently pass Nokita commands if they were needed.He was just as wound up as I was.Being away from Maylin and the new baby was hard on him.I planned to send word for Maylin to return and sweeten the deal by promising no Lesley duty.

Nokita and I waited impatiently for the meeting to begin.Finally, I heard the door open.

“Take a seat,” King said.

King and Beck were the only Shadow Warriors in the room with the human group.Water and fruit were placed on the table.If things went well, we would provide a full meal before they left.If not, they could survive on what was in the conference room.

The scrape of chairs against the floor echoed as they settled.

Then, within seconds of sitting down, “What’s your offer?”a deep voice demanded antagonistically.

Not a good way to start with King.

“I don’t have an offer,” King said evenly.“You either want our help with security and you work with the other outposts, or you don’t.We don’t need you.The other outposts would be safer with more people, but we have Warriors stationed with them.The rest of us are safe here, and we can sustain ourselves far longer than you can.”

The man hesitated, then asked, “What happens if we don’t accept your offer of protection?”

“More than likely,” King said.“You die.The Federation is killing anyone who won’t fight with them.Do you know that they’re injecting humans with the protein that turns them into hellhounds?”

“We think it’s bullshit,” the man scoffed.“Lies being used to scare us into cooperating.”

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