Boulder
Christina was extremely nervous when we entered the Gray Mansion.
“I can do the talking if you prefer,” I offered.
“No, I think I need to explain this to Pearl myself.”
“All right.” I took her hand and squeezed it as we walked through the house and to the gardens where we’d been told by servants that Khan would be.
Because of my height, I spotted Khan and Pearl before Christina did. They were half hidden behind some hedges, and my heart skipped a beat when I realized they were too close for a normal conversation. Were they making out?
I was almost about to stop Christina from going any closer but then I heard their voices and they were fighting again.
Christina and I exchanged a glance before we rounded the hedge and faced the strangest sight.
Pearl and Khan were tied together and they were both facing away from each other.
I laughed at the comical sight and Christina couldn’t help smiling either but managed to ask, “What’s going on?”
Khan and Pearl spoke at the same time, each trying to talk over the other, and Christina held up her hands.
“One at a time.”
Khan had his arms crossed and his legs spread as if signaling that he wasn’t moving. “I’m sick and tired of her running away,” he complained. “I can’t protect her when she constantly wanders off, and I have important work to do.”
“He wanted to chain me like a dog!” Pearl cried out. “Like a dog.”
“But I didn’t, did I?”
She pointed to the flexiband holding them together. Because of the height difference it was around her belly and his hips. “Oh, so you think this is any better?”
“At least now I can keep track of you and if I’m not moving, you don’t move either.”
Pearl clicked her tongue and crossed her arms too. “This is absolutely ridiculous. I demand that you let me go immediately.”
“No.”
“Well, you’ll have to eventually. How else do you suggest we shower and do other things?”
“No,” Khan said again and Pearl visibly paled before her head swung to us. “Tell him he’s insane.”
“Khan, you’re insane,” I said, chuckling. “So since you’re not surprised to see us here together I guess that means Magni told you what happened?”
“Yes, we heard,” Pearl said and pointed a finger at me. “And I demand to know how you crossed the border. It’s a major breach of Motherlands safety and it shouldn’t be possible.”
“We have invisible drones that your detectors don’t see,” I said. “We cross as often as we please. We just never told you, but since it looks like you’re not going anywhere soon,” I nodded to the band, “I guess there’s no reason to hide it from you.”
“Invisible drones?” Pearl narrowed her eyes and turned to look at Khan. “Is that true?”
He arched a brow knowing full well I was lying, but he didn’t confirm or deny.
“How long are you going to keep Pearl trapped like that?” Christina asked with a sympathetic glance at her distraught friend.
“That’s no one’s business but mine,” Khan told her.
“It’s my business since I’m forced to be close to you – and just so you know, you smell,” Pearl said.
“Yeah?” Khan lifted an arm and sniffed his armpit. “It’s not that bad, but if you’d like we could go and shower, right now.” He took a step forward.
Pearl dug her heels in. “No!” she shrieked. “No, no, no.”
“I don’t think she wants to shower with you.” I laughed.
Khan had that look on his face that I knew too well; I almost felt sorry for Pearl. He could be a real ass when he was in that mood and she was getting the full wrath of his scheming personality.
Her hands were grasping at the tight band that he had secured around them. “Let me go,” she protested.
“I will, as soon as you accept that you follow me and not the other way around.”
“I’m not your lap dog,” she pointed out.
“I was hoping to speak to Pearl alone,” Christina said.
“Yeah, well, that might be difficult, as you can see,” Khan noted.
“Does that mean you’ll allow Pearl to hear all your private conversations too?” Christina mused and turned her head to look at Pearl. “You’re really getting to know all his secrets, aren’t you?”
Khan scowled, but held his ground. “I’m glad to see you chose to return, Christina. Boulder was a pitiful excuse of a man when he moaned around, missing you.”
“Just because he had emotions doesn’t make him pitiful,” Pearl said. “I thought it was refreshing to see an Nman express how he felt about a woman.”
“Really?” Khan stared her down. “If you enjoyed that so much, I’ll be more than happy to express how I feel about you. You think that would be refreshing too?”
She actually rolled her eyes at him, and it made Christina and me look at each other. Khan was corrupting Pearl and she was driving him insane. The two of them together were like two chemicals that were fine when kept apart but explosive when mixed.
“We came to talk to you about us,” Christina interrupted them.”
“That’s right,” I took over. “Christina and I are staying together. She has moved in with me by her own free will and we won’t let anyone separate us,” I stated firmly.
In support of my words, Christina placed both arms around my waist and I instantly placed my arm protectively around her.
“Congratulations.” Pearl took a deep breath and finally her smile became more genuine and warm. “I hope you’ll be very happy together.”
“Thank you.” Christina sighed with relief. “I was afraid you would insist on my going back.”
“No, dear. I’m not blind; I see your infatuation with Boulder. It’s understandable, and now that he looks handsome with his haircut and clean shave, I can definitely see his appeal.”
Her whole body jerked from Khan’s sudden movement when he turned to give her an angry stare.
“Don’t you fucking say that in front of his mate.”
“I’m not offended,” Christina hurriedly said. “I agree that Boulder is very handsome with his make-over.”
My whole body was tense and I understood what the women were so blatantly missing. Khan’s male pride was hurt that Pearl preferred me over him. He was a vain man, and her praise of me was an insult when he’d given her so much of his time and attention. He might not like her very much but Pearl was a beautiful woman, and Khan would have to be dead not to be sexually attracted to her.
“Don’t worry,” I said and tried desperately to come up with something to restore his pride. “I’ll soon be back to looking like a real man again. This boyish look is for Momsiboys. I just hope Christina still likes me when I grow my hair long again.”
“I’ll always like you,” Christina said and smiled up at me, “but I might cut your hair when you sleep.”
“So I figure you didn’t meet Laura then?” Khan changed the subject.
“No, we didn’t know where to search and unfortunately we didn’t bump into her.”
The worried expression on Khan’s face grew deeper. “Magni is falling apart,” he said. “It’s hard to watch.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Maybe one day Laura will choose to return,” Christina said and looked at Pearl. “I tried to return, but my request was denied by the council. I hope that Laura is free to return at any time she should choose to.”
Khan made a strained sound in the back of his throat and faced Pearl. “You fucking better guarantee me that no one tries to stop Laura from returning.”
“Of course she’s free to return,” Pearl assured him. “I’m happy to send a message to my colleagues making that clear, but it shouldn’t be necessary.”
“No, it shouldn’t be fucking necessary since Laura is one of us, but with your people’s nonexistent logic, I don’t trust you – so yeah, send a message just to be sure.”
“Are you staying for lunch?” Pearl asked us, completely ignoring Khan’s little tirade.
“Nah.” I wrinkled my nose. “I think we’ll go back to the estate and work on increasing the population on Victoria Island.
Christina shot me a confused glance. “Children? Are you talking about children?”
I grinned down at her. “Uh-huh. A few girls would be nice.”
“You like children?” Pearl asked with a new interest in her voice.
“Yes, I do.”
“And you have a large estate?”
“Very large.”
“Boulder has a whole island,” Christina added.
Pearl arched a brow and gave Khan a pointed stare.
He shook his head. “Now isn’t the time.”
“But…”
“No,” he cut her off and gave me a short explanation. “Pearl and I are working on an idea and I’ll involve you when I’m ready to discuss it.”
“Sounds interesting,” I said, curiosity aroused, but he didn’t offer any more information than that.
“Come back soon,” Khan told us and started walking with Pearl. When she refused to move, he simply lifted her and kept going, telling her that he liked the idea of a shower.
“They’re going to kill each other soon,” Christina said softly.
“Or realize that they’re not so different,” I mused.
“Oh, they’re very different,” Christina insisted. “She’s kind and wise, he’s ruthless and sly.”
I kissed her. “And what am I?”
Shielding her eyes from the sun, Christina broke into a smile that made my entire body buzz with joy. “You, Alexander Boulder, are mine.”
I couldn’t stop grinning when I picked her up and pressed my lips against hers. “I love it when you call me yours.”
“Then I’ll do it more often.” She burst into laughter.
“What’s funny?”
“It’s just saying that antique word ‘husband’ in my mind. I can’t believe I have a husband and that I’m not miserable.”
“I told you, marriage is a beautiful thing when it’s two people who don’t want to be without each other. The passion and the love is the best part of life.”
She tilted her head, her lips still smiling. “The love?”
“Yeah, you know,” I looked down.
“Are you trying to tell me something?”
“You know I’m crazy about you,” I said.
“Yeah, I know. And the love part?”
I boldly met her glance. “Would it freak you out if I told you that I love you?”
Sunshine spread on her face as she lit up. “No.”
“Well, in that case, Christina Sanders, I love you.”
She swung her arms around my neck. “I love you too, Alexander Boulder.”
Grinning, we kissed and I spun her around in the air before I sat her down. “Do you love me enough to take my last name?” I asked.
Her eyes expanded.
“I want us to be a family and share our name,” I said.
“Then you can be Alexander Sanders.”
“Not a chance.”
“Why not?”
“Because Boulder is more than my last name, it’s what people call me.”
“Well I’m not Christina Boulder, I’m Christina Sanders.”
“Will you at least think about it?” I asked her with a pleading look.
“Yes,” she gave in. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good, that’s a start – and you know I always get my way.”
“That’s not true.” She playfully hit my chest.
“See, I’ve completely corrupted you. You used to be a pacifist, now you’re hitting your husband.”
“I would never…”
“Of course you would, you just did. But you forget one thing, wife,” I teased her with mischief welling up inside me.
“And what’s that?”
“I’m not like your Momsiboys from home. I’m an Nman and we don’t let our wives control us or dominate us. We like to be in charge.”
“Oh, yeah?” she said challengingly. “I don’t think so!”
I leaned into her and whispered in her ear. “Here’s what’s going to happen: I’m gonna take you home and you’re gonna spend the entire day naked, and every time I want to fuck you, I will. All you have to do is say ‘yes.’”
“Ha!” she scoffed. “Not likely.”
I grinned as I picked her up in my arms and started walking. “Oh, it’s happening and I guarantee that you’re going to love it.”
She didn’t fight me, but held on to my neck as I walked. “You know, Boulder, I probably will love it, because I love everything about you.”
“Liar!” I grinned. “But it’s okay, I know I can be annoying as hell.”
“So can I,” she said and nuzzled her head against me. “Maybe that’s why we’re so good together.”
“Just tell me this…” I said and kept walking with her in my arms. “Tell me you can live with someone as crude and primitive as me.”
Warmth shined from her and I couldn’t decide if her blue eye or her hazel-green eye was more beautiful. “I can,” she said. “Because I know what it’s like to live without you, and I never want to do that again.”
I stopped and squeezed her into a tight hug. “Christina…”
“Uh-huh.”
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me and I would fight a thousand men to be your champion.”
“You don’t have to fight anyone because I’m already yours,” she whispered into my ear. “And I’ll prove it to you by following orders and staying naked all day at your house.”
“Our house,” I corrected.
“Okay, our house, but only if you’re naked with me.”
“Oh, see – now you’re just making unreasonable demands on me.” I winked.
“But you’ll follow my wish?”
“I might, we’ll see.” We both knew that I would happily be naked with her, but as a proud Nman I couldn’t let her think she got to dictate to me.
“We’re going to be making a lot of compromises, you know that, right?”
“Sure. Let’s make this compromise, shall we?” I bit back a laugh. “I’ll make sure you’ll never lack sex if you promise to never leave me again.”
She laughed. “So I never leave you and I give you as much sex as you want. That’s your compromise?”
“Yes.”
“How about, I’ll never leave you and you’ll let me be in charge of your hair and beard?”
“Nope, I like my suggestion better.”
“Hmm… then let’s start with that and we’ll work our way up to the rest. After all, we have the rest of our lives.”
“I love you!” It flew out of my mouth – loud and clear – as an expression of the fullness in my chest that felt so amazing. “I fucking love you with all my heart.”
Her eyes lit up with joy as she flashed me a wide grin. “That’s lucky, because I fucking love you too.”
This concludes The Protector – Men of the North #1
Thank you so much for reading the first story in my new series. Did you like it?
Now ask yourself this: If this was a meal, would you leave a tip? Your review is that tip.
(PLEASE avoid spoilers)
– –
Want more?
The series continues with The Ruler where you’ll meet Boulder, Christina, Khan, Pearl, Magni, Kya, Archer, Finn, and other of the characters from The Protector again.
The Ruler – Men of the North #2
Four hundred years in the future, women control the world but Khan Aurelius, ruler of the last free men, is determined to take back the power that has been denied men for centuries. Outnumbered by far, he knows that women need to give up their power willingly and with one of their councilwomen as a hostage, he’s certain he can influence her with his superior male intellect. She is just a soft woman, after all.
Councilwoman Pearl has sacrificed herself to save an innocent priestess. Trapped in the Northlands, her soft voice and sugar-coated view of the world doesn’t impress Khan, who constantly challenges her by playing his mind games to corrupt her and see things his way. It’s a battle of words and wills when the two intelligent rulers clash. Will Pearl succeed in bringing enlightenment and democracy to the primitive Nmen or will Khan corrupt her with his charm first?
The Ruler is the second installment in Elin Peer’s Men of the North series that offers, drama, humor, and romance in a fabulous blend that will have you longing for more.
Don’t miss out on a great chance to escape from reality in this riveting story – or save money by getting