With a grim grin, Strol marches over. “You’re not going to hurt anyone else anymore.”
“What about me?” Frankie whines. “What about people hurting me? Get your trampy bitch off me—”
I shift my weight, so I'm standing on him, one foot on his belly, which holds most of my weight, the other on his throat, not crushing him… yet. "Shut your mouth and learn some respect. You're alive, and you're going to go to jail for a long time."
“But…” he wheezes. “But I’m too pretty for jail!”
I snort. As far as I know, the jails are hardly filled at all. No one is going to take advantage of him, and as for pretty, he’s not. He’s not ugly either, but his eyes, his attitude, the total package that makes up Frankie turns him into one ugly, hideous dude.
By the time we get Frankie on deck, there are a couple of motorboats zooming around to pick up the captured men. Strol’s already handcuffed Frankie, and we force him into one of the motorboats.
“He’s the last of them,” the officer on the motorboat says.
“All of the others have been accounted for?” I ask as Strol and I jump on board too.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Wonderful.” I beam at Strol. “We did it.”
“Together. Earthlings and Kurians—”
“Don’t act like this is some giant step in the right direction,” Frankie spits out. “It’s an abomination is what you Kurians are. You’re born out of sin—”
“What sin is that?” I ask mockingly.
“We aren’t supposed to lie with another species!”
“We aren’t supposed to lie with assholes either,” I snap. “Strol is more a man than you ever will be.”
“You bitch. You think that just because you swallowed his cock—”
Strol hauls off and hits Frankie so hard he’s knocked out.
“Eh.” The officer shrugs. “I don’t think anyone will care that he was already handcuffed when you did that.”
I shake my head. “There aren’t others who think like he does, are there?”
“There haven’t been many incidents or reports to that effect, but…” The officer shrugs. “We don’t know what’s in a person’s heart until they choose to act on it.”
“Well, I know your heart,” I murmur to Strol, leaning against him.
“Do you now? I think you more than know it,” he whispers in my ear before kissing my neck.
I shiver. Does he mean what I think he means? That I own his heart? Because he owns mine too, and it’s not nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be.
19
Strol
Five hours have passed since Frankie was arrested. In that time, I spent an hour debriefing, slept three hours, and ate. Now, I’m debating whether or not I want to go back to sleep when Donnell Wallace, one of the representatives from the Global Countries of Earth, seeks me out. Since Frankie was arrested, Isabella and I have been stuck in this government building, and I’m feeling more than a little claustrophobia. Worst of all, I haven’t seen Isabella since before I fell asleep.
“Donnell, where is Isabella?”
“She’s sleeping right now,” he says. “I was hoping that you would be willing to have a word with Madelaine Downing.”
“Who is that?” I ask suspiciously.
“Madelaine Downing,” Donnell repeats as if the name should mean something to me. When I just stare at him blankly, he sighs and adds, “She’s the leader of the Global Countries of Earth.”
“Ah, yes. She wants to talk to me? That’s fine.”
“Come with me.”
Donnell leaves the room, and I have no choice but to follow him. I’m lucky that the bruise Frankie’s brass knuckles gave me isn’t noticeable. My skin isn’t that much of a darker blue in that spot because my skin is such a dark shade to begin with. I don’t want to appear weak in any way, shape, or form in front of their leader.
I’m not sure what I expect when I enter a large conference room, but the beautiful young woman, maybe in her late thirties with long curly red hair, bright blue eyes, and a blue power suit isn’t it.
“Madelaine?” I ask.
“Strol.” She smiles at me and holds out her hand for a shake. A nice, firm grip. A quick handshake, though. “It is nice to meet the son of the Novan leader. I was hoping we could have met when you first arrived as your father intended, but I know the Earth can be an alluring place to explore.”
I nod slowly and do my best to hide my shock. Father entrusted me to meet Madelaine? I thought he sent me here to punish me.
Ah, but in his mind, I would've thought this punishment. He knew I wouldn't want to become involved in the politics here, and when I first came here, he had the right of it. I would've been absolutely miserable if I had to deal with all of that backstabbing and other nonsense. I heard stories about how the old countries used to fight a lot, especially in the Far East. No, not the Far East. The Middle East. Something like that.
But this, the prejudice, that I am willing to address, especially since I experienced it firsthand.
I shake my head. Father knew me better than I knew myself. He sent me here as punishment, except it wasn’t punishment. He wanted me to sink or swim. He basically treated me like a baby bird, and he shoved me out of the nest.
It’s time for me to fly.
“Madelaine,” I say. “Is it all right if I call you that?”
“You may, Strol.”
“It is very nice to meet you. Yes, you’re right. Earth can be very alluring.”
“Have you enjoyed your time here?” She gestures toward the chairs around a table that is rather like my father’s.
I take a seat, and I’m glad when she sits down too, leaving an empty chair between us.
“Yes, I have enjoyed my time.”
“Despite everything involved with Frankie Hamilton, of course.”
“Actually, hunting him down and finding justice for his victim, Nina, that was some of the
