"Did you sleep with him?"
"Not yet. But he's close to caving." She wiggles her eyebrows.
A small laugh escapes me. "You sound confident."
Surety floods her. She affirms, "I am. He doesn't resist because he doesn't want me. He resists because he's loyal. Men like that crack slowly."
"And you want him anyway?"
"I want him because of it."
I shake my head. "You're relentless."
She smiles. "You love me."
"I do."
She leans forward, lowering her voice. "You know if you pursue Red, eventually this will come out and the family will know, correct?"
I swallow a lump in my throat. "Yes. But if it comes out on my terms, it'll be okay."
"You sure?"
"Yes. I'll make sure of it," I insist.
She smiles. "I thought you'd say that."
"What about you and Nikolai? If you plan on being with him forever, it'll be worse than Red and me," I point out.
"Who said anything about it being forever?"
I hold her gaze, unwilling to let it pass without explanation.
Her lips twist. "When Nikolai finally allows himself to be with me, I'm going to ruin him for all other women. I'll be his last, but he won't be mine."
"What do you mean?"
She shrugs. "Not sure I believe in forever or even one man one woman."
"I do," I firmly declare.
Her expression softens. "I know."
"Maybe you should experiment with my friend Cloud," I say before I can think about it.
She wrinkles her nose. "Not into women."
"Oh. Then what did you mean?"
She leans back in her chair, studying the ceiling for a moment like she's arranging the thoughts before handing them to me. When her eyes return to mine, they're clear, unembarrassed. She evenly explains, "I see myself with a handful of men. Different strengths. Different roles."
I stay quiet, letting her continue.
Her lips twitch. "They protect me. Not because they're told to but because they can't think about anything but me. The thought of not making me happy or indulging me drives them to the brink of wanting to kill someone."
My heart races faster. I ask, "Won't they want to kill each other?"
Amusement lights up her expression. She leans closer. "Maybe at first. But they'll worship me in their own ways, giving me their loyalty, undivided attention, and willingness to show up when I need something handled."
