"What lesson?"
"That he doesn't know everything." I kneel on the bed. "That the pretty jewel he handed over might be more useful than he realized."
Her breath catches. "He called me that. A jewel?"
"Among other things."
Anger flashes across her face. Good. I want her angry. Want her hungry for revenge.
"Now," I say, settling beside her. "Let's both get what we want."
I position us carefully. Her head near my hips, mine near hers.
This isn't how we usually do this. Usually, it's missionary, efficient, focused on the singular goal of pregnancy.
This is different.
This is mutual.
I pull her panties down, and she gasps when I put my mouth on her. She's already wet. I work her with my tongue, finding the spots that make her hips jerk.
She hesitates for only a moment before taking me in her mouth.
Fuck.
She's good at this. Better than this morning, maybe because she's not nervous. Because she knows now that I respond to her.
I circle her clit with my tongue, push two fingers inside her. She moans around my cock, and the vibration makes me harder.
I've fucked plenty of women. Been with professionals who know every trick. But this—Gemma, my wife, responding to me like this—it's different. Better.
I don't want to examine why.
We find a rhythm. Her mouth on me, my tongue on her. Give and take. Partnership.
She comes first, arching against my face, crying out. I don't stop, just keep working her through it until she's shaking.
Then I focus on my own pleasure. The wet heat of her mouth, the way she takes me deeper, the small desperate sounds she makes.
When I come, she swallows. All of it.
We lie there for a moment, both breathing hard.
"So," she says finally. "We have a deal?"
"We have a deal."
She turns to look at me. "What are the terms?"
"Same as before. You give me intel. I decide how to use it. We keep this between us. And you still fulfill your obligation regarding the heir."
"Fine."
"And we do this." I gesture between us. "The mutual benefit. Not just the breeding schedule."
Her eyes flash. "Trying to keep me interested?"
"Trying to make sure we're both invested." I stand, start getting dressed. "This works if we both want it to work."
