He left quickly.I took the seat, she looked gorgeous with her hair all messed up, I took the paddle, she just stood there looking at me three feet awa.... I said, "ANN, you wanna do this again tomorrow? Or take your thirty more?"She looked at me, looked at the paddle and then said, "Can we make a deal?"I said, "You're NOT in a bargaining position, but what do you have in mind?"She said, "You know you wanna fuck me. I always thought you were cute... why do think I leaned over the table all those. I was going to keep getting rid of troublemakers until I didn't have any left. I wasn't in the market to be a King, but I sure as hell intended to be a democratic majority of one until things suited me.Sure, I knew we needed children coming and that we'd be better off with some genetic diversification. Well, we'd have some for a while, even if I were the only man around. I wasn't related to any of these women at all. If we could keep a few of the men, so much the better, up to a point.If the. "What areyou trying to do to me? Don't you know that is how I make my money too?" But Mom, I didn't do anything -- really. The Mayor was the one thatspilled the beans. Didn't you hear what he said about giving you theblame?" "Yes, I did, but still.... Go to your room. I'll deal with you later." "Can I take a shower first? I really need it." I didn't wait for herreply. I headed for the bathroom and took off my clothes.I dropped the illusion and studied myself in the mirror. It wouldn't belong. “Pumpkin, Mommy meant the Swedish girl who has your same name. She died when I was fifteen. A long time ago. I took Jesse to see where they buried her.”“Like Nicholas’ dad?”“Yes, like Nicholas’ dad.”“Did a bad man kill her?” Matthew asked.“No. It was a storm. The sailboat they were in capsized. That means turned upside-down. She and her friend Jonas died.”“Oh, wow!” Michelle said. “I knew she had died, but wow! And I knew a bit about Stephie, too. The adult one, I mean. You named two daughters.