XX4

“You should go talk to him,” I tell Opal, “You're the only one who didn't try to rip his head off.”

We are sitting in a conference room. I'm with my sisters. On the stage is the President of the District. President Tailor. President Tailor is an old looking man, probably twice the age of his first Lady. He has a very stern looking face as he shouts out “Welcome Ambassadors” over a loudspeaker. First Lady Anastasia is standing at his side...the devoted wife. I wonder what he would think if he knew his devoted wife was actually a double agent planted by my grandmother.

Opal looks decent but my other sisters are barbarians like I assumed they would be. The more I look at them the more I realize that we need to this Hacker guy. If my Grandmother felt like the Hacker could help take us out of the stone age then this was definitely something that I had to do.

“He's fucking beautiful,” Opal explains, “I can't talk to men...especially not one that looks like that.”

I roll my eyes. Opal is the supposed to be the one that we had that was closest to civilized and even she was terrified of a beautiful man.

“Opal he just has an XX gene and not XY. That's the only difference between you two.”

We both look back over at Shaddius. Shaddius is sitting with Karington, Rahmell and Quincy. The four of them must really be good friends. Hell it's like the march of perfect looking men or something. Karington, Rahmell and Shaddius have to be the most attractive looking men I'd ever seen in my life. Quincy was attractive as well even though he looked a little young. Opal and I are staring at him from across the room.

“Well you're a man. You are used to talking to handsome guys. Look at Rahmell. Why can't you do it?”

“Cause you see that black eye. I gave it to him,” I tell her.

“Fuck...”

“Just do it Opal. You're our last hope. Just see if he's open to make a trade.”

“Trade for what? Gator skin? We don't have anything...”

“We'll figure that part out. Just see if he's open for a private meeting in one of the conference rooms.”

Opal nods. President Tailor's opening speech goes on longer than I expect. He's a cocky man who is clearly into himself. I watch him surrounded by all his diplomats and you would think this man felt like he was the second coming of Jesus. By the time his speech was done people were kissing his fucking rings. I roll my eyes realizing how cocky he is. The District people were all the same. They all felt like they were fucking Kings and Queens because of how many men they had running around the Convention. The fact that the convention was even being hosted in the District was a sign of who the real power was.

I look over at Rahmell. He's just one of the District men being paraded around as a 'host'. I was smart enough to know that they were parading these fertile men around just to show people how much power they had. Fertility was next to godliness and President Tailor by the way Tailor spoke for hours about nothing at all it was clear he had a god complex.

“That was interesting,” I tap Rahmell on the shoulder after the speech.

Rahmell doesn't seem really excited to see me. There are a lot of people talking in the conference room. Ambassadors from everywhere were getting together all of a sudden. They were striking up deals or what not making sure that they were trading fertile men or weapons or technology. Instead of doing all that...here was I looking at Rahmell.

Rahmell looks over at Quincy and Karington who are standing next to him, “Hey I'll meet you guys later on ok?”

Quincy and Karington stare at me. They don't seem to trust me. I swear they are looking at me like they are scared for Rahmell like I was going to go crazy again and try to carve off his face or something like that.

“I'm not very popular am I?” I ask.

Rahmell doesn't seem to want to entertain me. Not even a little bit. He seems a little bit annoyed.

“Gem, why are you still here?” he asks.

“Trading like everyone else,” I say.

“Really? Because I don't see you trading. You're talking to me,” Rahmell explains crossing his arm.

He's right. We're standing in the middle of a crowded room and instead of working the room I was only thinking about Rahmell. I look at him and I can see that he doesn't really trust me.

“Melly...”

“Don't Melly me. You embarrassed me yesterday,” Rahmell explains.

“I'm sorry,” I respond at that moment shaking my head, “Maybe you're right. Maybe New Florida is a little primitive. Maybe I'm uncivilized. But that's why I'm here. We are here to make things right.”

“I've seen what you people are about. Remember the kidnapping...” he asks me

Rahmell says you people like he wasn't born in the same area as I was. The way he is looking at me makes me realize he doesn't associate himself to New Florida. He hasn't associated himself to New Florida for a long time. Here he is in his fly ass suit and his perfectly shaved face. He hands are soft. He hasn't had to work in fields like in New Florida forever. Rahmell is civilized now.

“My grandmother was wrong. She was wrong for threatening your mother too. I'm not going to hold you to that here. If you don't want to help us I won't force you,” I assure him.

Rahmell rolls his eyes, “You're animals. There's nothing you won't do to get ahead.”

“Melly you don't mean that.”

“Really?” Rahmell asks, “Didn't you like rape me.”

Rape.

My eyes get wide. I know Rahmell is upset about how me and my sisters have been acting. He may even still be upset about what happened back in New Florida. But rape?

I look around making sure no one is listening and feeling this is getting a little awkward.

“Really Rahmell. You wanted that.”

“Yeah. I wanted my best friend, who I loved like a brother, to suck my dick...” he states.

“You weren't saying that when you were rolling your eyes in the back of your head,” I state.

“Ok. I did NOT like it,” Rahmell states shrugging, “Even if I did thatd doesn't mean you didn't take advantage of me.”

“Rah I swear to god if you keep saying that...”

“What? You're going to attack me? Isn't that what you guys do best?” Rahmell asks.

“Fuck you, Melly,” I say at that moment.

“Judging from how you acted in the past you WISH you could fuck me.”

My mouth drops open at that moment and at that moment I honestly do want to hit Rahmell but it takes all of my resistance not to. He raises an eyebrow acknowledging that he'd gotten under my skin. Then he turns and walks away joining his friends who are waiting for him at the entrance. I am pissed off at that moment. Rahmell had some nerve saying that I raped him. Sure. I needed his sperm. Sure I was ready to jerk him off for it against his will. The thing was that it was his idea for me to give him head. I didn't WANT to.

Well...I guess I did want to...but that's not the point.

“What was that about?” Opal states walking up behind me.

I guess we were getting loud. Honestly I don't know what it is about. Rahmell and I had been arguing so much lately. We grew up together and we never argued but all of a sudden we weren't getting along. And that was making things very awkward for me. I hated arguing with Rahmell. He meant everything to me.

“Nothing,” I lie at that moment, “What is happening with Ambassador Shaddius?”

“He wants to meet.”

I'm shocked at that moment. I look across the room. Shaddius has joined back up with Rahmell, Quincy and Karington.

“Oh my God. This is good news!” I say, “We can get with Gladys and book a meeting room.”

“He actually wants to meet for dinner,” Opal explains.

Strange. That seemed kind of personal with all of these conference rooms.

“Ok. Well make sure you dress nice.”

Opal shakes her head, “He doesn't want to meet with me. He says if the meeting isn't a one on one meeting with you then he doesn't want to meet at all.”

I raise an eyebrow at that moment.

“Me?”

Opal nods, “You.”

I look across the room to see Shaddius. He's still talking with the other guys but he stares at me. There is a look in his eyes and I'm not sure where that look comes from. It just seems...different.

I show up at dinner that evening. Shaddius is dressed in a red suit. I can't help but to be attracted to him. There was something about a man in a suit that drove me fucking crazy. The dinner room is painted with neon lights and toned down. There are several other ambassadors around as well so I'm thinking this may not be so weird. Maybe Ambassadors wanted personal touches to their meetings in the convention or something like that.

I sit across from Shaddius. He looks up at me. We are both quiet and shit is awkward as fuck. In the next couple of minutes a hologram appears next to us. It is a woman asking us what we'd like to drink.

“Two moonshines please,” Shaddius states.

I raise an eyebrow and look over at Shaddius, “I thought you guys didn't drink moonshine.”

The hologram disappears and soon after a robot on wheels appears with a tray on top of it serving us our drinks. I look at the robot up and down trying not to be too scared by it.

Shaddius grunts, “I figure if I'm going to be with you people I might as well get on your level. Toast.”

I don't raise my glass to him.

This is taking everything inside of me to sit at this table. Shaddius was handsome. I mean he was sexy as fuck. I had to admit it but his attitude was disgusting. I watch as he realizes I'm not going to toast it and downs a quarter of the moonshine.

“Is it possible for you to be around and not be rude for once?” I ask.

Shaddius glares at me, “Sure.”

“Good.”

“But not with Amazons,” he replies quickly.

Just at that moment the hologram reappears asking us what we'd like to eat. Shaddius doesn't even look at me or ask for a menu before he orders two salmons with vegetables. I want to complain about the fact that he is ordering for me but I bite my tongue. This guy's personality is so annoying and after my blow up with Rahmell I was trying my hardest to get along with at least one of these men today. I'd never thought I'd miss the company of all females so badly.

I just didn't understand men.

I take a deep breath, “Listen. I know you don't like me. And I don't like you. But I don't think that should stop us from being peaceful and seeing if we can trade.”

He raises an eyebrow, “That sounds more diplomatic than I thought you people can be. Your sister says you want the Hacker.”

I nod, “Yes.”

“He's an infertile man. What do you want with him?”

“We want him for his skills not his sperm,” I explain.

Shaddius looks at me curiously. I can tell he doesn't trust me. I can go into detail about how we are planning on building up our knowledge and technology back home. Someone with the skills of the Hacker could teach our females how to step into the future.

“Why should I help your country?” Shaddius asks, “You are an aggressive race of warrior women who want nothing but war.”

“You tried to invade us!”

“Learn your history,” Shaddius explains.”

“Excuse me?”

Shaddius rolls his eyes, “The reason the Carolinians attempted to invade New Florida was because your country has extremists. Female terrorists who want to destroy every man in the world and kill off humanity.”

He was referring to the feminists. I shake my head. There is so many webs in the political games. Countries were at war. Terrorists groups were threatening to topple governments.

“So why not support the New Florida president?” I ask, “My grandfather is against the feminists.”

“Is he?” Shaddius asks.

“Are you trying to say something?”

Shaddius shrugs, “I'm trying to say we don't trust Amazons. I'm trying to say that I don't trust you.”

Shaddius is glaring at me. His bad attitude is the only unattractive thing about him. He's sitting across this table mean mugging me. He's staring directly in my eyes. He crosses his arms as though letting me know that he probably will never trust me and honestly I hate that this meeting is going like this.

“Listen. Let's start over,” I explain, “Our countries can be allies.”

“I'll pass.”

He is blunt. To the point. Mean.

This is going no where and that's clear. I cross my arms, “So why the fuck are we here. You clearly aren't open to making peace. You clearly don't want to trade.”

I get up from the table. I've failed. I might as well go home now. It's impossible to deal with Shaddius. He has this idea of what Amazons are because there were terrorist extremists in our country. He keeps saying to learn my history but I did know my history. Something like this happened with Muslims and the terrorist group Isis a long time ago. Muslims were hated because of what a small group of terrorists did. The Feminists were evil but not every Amazon was a terrorist even thought the majority of them came from Amazon country.

I am starting to walk away when he grabs my arm.

“Sit.”

I look at Shaddius. His face softens...slightly. He doesn't look like a nice person by any means but at least he's not mean mugging.

I sit back at the table at that moment, “I'm sorry for hitting you.”

Shaddius rolls his eyes, “I don't need a fucking apology from an Amazon. I'll trade though. My president let me know that I needed to be open to all trade...even with your kind. So you want the Hacker. What can you offer me?”

“What do you want?”

“We'll take a fertile man.”

I glare at Shaddius, “No deal. That's ridiculous if the Hacker isn't fertile.”

“But clearly you need him. I don't know for what, but you wouldn't have attended the Geneva Convention for the first time ever if it wasn't absolutely essential that you get him. So we want to trade one of your fertile men.”

My Grandmother would never agree to this.

“No.”

“Then no deal. You can leave now,” Shaddius states.

“Shaddius...”

“Goodnight.”

I am about to get up seeing Shaddius immediately getting rude as fuck in front of me but as I am about to get up I'm stopped. It's Rahmell, Quincy and Karington.

“Shaddius? Gem?” Rahmell asks.

Rahmell looks at us. He's surprised. I'm actually surprised to see the three of them as well.

“I was just leaving.”

“Wait...don't be like that,” Rahmell states, “Maybe we can hang out for a minute.”

Quincy and Karington look confused that Rahmell is offering to hang out with me. I'm just as confused as they are.

“Me?” I ask.

“You know we can't stay mad at each other long,” Rahmell states, “I'm sorry for what I said earlier. How about we join you guys.”

I look over at Shaddius. He doesn't say anything. If it was just Shaddius I would leave but I didn't want to leave the convention without making things right with Rahmell so I sit back down. I watch as Quincy and Karington pull up chairs at that moment.

“So what did you say earlier?” Shaddius asks Rahmell, “That you are apologizing for.”

It's a strange question that is coming right out the blue. A part of me wants to tell Shaddius that it's none of his fucking business. Truth is it really isn't. Shaddius seems interested though raising up an eyebrow like this is something interesting.

Rahmell shrugs, “When you love someone it doesn't matter what you're apologizing for. If things aren't right you apologize and you move forward.”

I stare at Rahmell. There is an awkward silence that creeps over everyone. It has to be just charming ass Rahmell being honest again but the others aren't looking at it like that.

Karington looks at Quincy, “Love?”

“That sounded really gay bro...” Quincy laughs.

“Get your heads out the gutter,” Rahmell states, “Ain't nobody mean it like that. This is my best fucking friend.”

Rahmell plays in my hair like he used to do when he was a kid. I figured it always made me look like his little brother or something like that but I must forget where I am when he does it. I start giggling like a little school boy in the next couple of minutes.

Just in those next couple of minutes they bring over our fish. Karington is talking about a trade that he had earlier and how he was able to get 2 fertile men for 2 billion dollars for his country. He was saying it like it was a great deal or something like that. He says the 2 fertile men were really attractive. When he talks I wonder if Karington, Quincy or Shaddius or fertile. I don't think they are because everytime they mention fertile men they look over at Rahmell as though hoping that he won't be offended by the fact that fertile men are sold so easily.

Rahmell isn't even paying attention to them. He leans over to me, “You not mad about what I said earlier huh?”

“I mean since you hated what I did to you.”

Rahmell gets quiet for a minute. He leans over. He presses his lips to my ear making sure that no one hears it. He speaks slow blowing his warm breath in my ear.

“I didn't...hate it what you did back in the tent,” he explains to me, “I lied...”

My heart is in shambles at that moment. I can't even hold back how blown away I am that Rahmell just admitted that to me. He turns back and smiles before taking my fork straight out of my hand and taking a bite of my salmon.

“You guys love whispering to each other,” Shaddius states.

Shaddius is cutting off Karington who is already talking about some other deal that he made some place else. Karington seems to be one of those guys who just never shuts up and maybe that's why Rahmell and I were having a little side conversation at the table. It isn't something really unusual. When we were kids Rahmell and I always lived in our own world. We never let other people in.

Rahmell steals the words right out of my mouth when he asks, “Why do you care?”

Shaddius shrugs, “I just thought it was rude that's all. What were you guys discussing?”

I just decide to keep my big mouth quiet this time. I don't want Rahmell not to think I'm not able to control myself. I just shut the fuck up and eat my salmon.

Quincy shakes his head, “Let them talk. They're best friends. Besides we were all so interested in Karington's long winded gloating anyway.”

Quincy is clearly being sarcastic. Karington doesn't catch onto it though because he goes on to talking about himself and all the things he's been able to do as an Ambassador of his country. Shaddius isn't for it though. He's staring across the table right at Rahmell and I talking.

“You gonna eat all that fish from me huh...greedy ass...” Rahmell whispers to me in a side conversation once again clearly ignoring the fact that Shaddius is glaring at us.

“Order your own,” I reply in a teasing way.

Rahmell laughs at that moment flashing me his bright smile before leaning over me, resting his head on his shoulder, “You can't say no to this face.”

He's right.

“Fine. I'll order you one.”

“I want some of yours,” Rahmell responds looking at me and smiling, “Yours tastes better.”

“You're such a big baby,” I laugh at Rahmell, “Get your own.”

“You're greedy ass,” Rahmell then literally digs his hands underneath my seat and grabs a hold of my ass, “I noticed that ass of yours is getting bigger.”

I can't help but to laugh. My dick gets hard under the table. I have to admit. Rahmell plays too much and I know he's just playing but it still turns me the fuck on. I guess it's always been like that. Ever since we were kids Rahmell would always sit a little too close to me. He'd always be a little bit too 'hands-on' with me. I'd gotten used to it but it didn't make me any less attracted to him. We'd always gotten a long like lovers but we were always just really, really good friends.

“Best friends huh?” Shaddius asks.

The table gets quiet.

Karington looks over at Shaddius, “Shad---what?”

“Those two over there,” Shaddius states looking at Rahmell and I, “Eating out of the same plate and flirting. Me and Karington are best friends. Karington have I ever pinched your ass?”

Karington shakes his head 'No.' My eyes get wide. Shaddius isn't the first person to ever mention that Rahmell and I were a little too close. My sisters had said it once on one before. I'm sure Rahmell had some people say it to him too when I wasn't around. No one had EVER said it in front of the both of us before.

Quincy tries to keep the peace, “Everyone's friendship is different.”

“Why the fuck do you care?” Rahmell asks, “You really got a problem with Gem. You keep saying it is about your countries but clearly there is something else. So why not just say it.”

“I just think you two are acting weird. I don't like weird shit,” Shaddius responds, “Just say what it is. Say what's really going on Rahmell.”

They are getting loud with each other. I was staying out of it. I didn't want to get into another argument with Shaddius. The way they were going back and forth it reminded me of my sisters arguing. The difference is these men knew how to use words. If this were my sisters they would have already broken out into a fist fight.

“Not that it's your business but he looks at me like his big brother---” Rahmell tells Shaddius.

Shaddius laughs at that moment, “That's not what you told me last night.”

Last night?

Why the fuck was Rahmell with Shaddius last night? I look at the two. No. Nothing could be going on between them right? Why else was Shaddius kind of in our business like that though? Why was Shaddius acting like some sort of jealous lover?

Rahmell says something even stranger, “Shaddius you better not...”

Shaddius shrugs, “Fine. Whatever.”

I look up at Shaddius, “No. Say what you were going to say Shaddius.”

I wanted to stay out of this but I'm interested. I have to open my mouth.

Shaddius shrugs, “Rahmell said you used to be desperately in love with him. He said that you still were...”

Karington and Quincy stare at each other. My mouth drops open as I make eye contact with Shaddius. Shaddius has to be lying. He has to be starting shit for some unknown reason. I look at Rahmell and he stares at the floor.

Rahmell gives himself away.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” Quincy states realizing how awkward this dinner has become.

I get up off the table. He's right. I can't take this anymore. I storm off at that moment. I'm halfway down the hallway. I can't believe Rahmell would tell Shaddius that. I can't believe he would fucking say that to him!

I am down the hallway right now. My heart is racing. My chest feels like it's going to collapse. I feel a pain extending from my stomach and growing. It's hard and strong. By the time I get to the rainbow bridge I feel like I have heartburn and need to slow down.

“Wait.”

I turn to see him...Rahmell. He's followed me from outside the restaurant. Above us we can see the dome of the convention center. The hallway doesn't have a lot of people in it right now but I still feel a little embarrassed as I stare up at the dome overhead, making my emotions back as hard as I can.

“You told him that?” I ask Rahmell.

“I was upset,” Rahmell explains at that moment, “I was so pissed that you attacked him and I met up with him out of frustration. I didn't mean a word of it---”

“It's true,” I tell him, “But clearly you knew that already huh?”

After living most of my life not letting Rahmell know how I feel about him, I was finally letting it out. I wish it would have felt better. I wish that letting this secret out would make things easier. When I look over at Rahmell he doesn't seem excited to be hearing this. He doesn't seem like he actually wanted to know this.

He is staring down while I'm staring up.

“Yeah...yeah I did...” he admits.

It hurts. How long has Rahmell known that I loved him and he just continued to play with my emotions? He continued to stay so close to me, act like this was us just being 'like brothers' or whatever the case was.

I can't help but laugh at this situation, “You don't feel the same do you?”

Rahmell is silent.

It's a clear no even if he doesn't say it.

I nod at that moment, “Great. Well at least I got something out of this convention. The truth is powerful. Thought I was going to go home empty handed for a minute.”

I start towards the rainbow bridge but Rahmell grabs onto my wrists and swings me around before I get far, “Don't be like that. Yo. I don't want things to change between us.”

“You want to keep leading me on.”

“You listening to Shaddius? I am not leading you on. This is how we've always been.”

“And that means we've always been too close,” I tell him shaking my head, “Well I'm out of the picture now. You and Shaddius can go back to being happy.”

“Shaddius? What?”

“Clearly he was upset because you got something going on. Or did you just happen to be with him last night?”

Rahmell shakes his head, “I am not dating Shaddius. And he is not interested in me. We've none each other for years. If he was interested in me I would have known it. What the fuck!”

“Like you knew with me huh?”

Rahmell stares at the ground, “It's different between us. It's complicated.”

“Because my sister is having your baby.”

Silence.

Rahmell shakes his head at that moment, “You...you know about that?”

“You're not the only one who knows what was going on behind the scenes,” I explain, remembering the note that Amethyst had written for Rahmell.

Shit is awkward yet again between Rahmell and I. I make sure I head up to my bedroom this time.

I can't sleep that night and maybe that's why when there is a knock on the suite door later that night I'm the only one who gets up to get it. So much for having the Stingers here to protect me. The three Stingers sleep in the same room even though they each have their own bedroom. They are so reliant on each other. I'm sure they even barricaded the door making sure that they were protected from all these men running around here. I roll my eyes at them.

I walk to the front door. A part of me wants it to be Rahmell at my door secretly. This was probably the biggest wound he'd given me. Ok we'd gotten into arguments lately but the revelation that he knew I was in love with him this whole time blew my mind.

I open the door.

I'm surprised to see that it's actually Shaddius standing back there.

“Shaddius?”

“Hey prime ape,” he tells me.

“It's the middle of the night,” I tell Shaddius, “Can you insult me during the daylight hours---like usual?”

“Where's the fun in that?” Shaddius asks me.

He staggers into the common room. If my sisters knew he was here they were likely to kill him being that he was a Carolinian. Luckily they were asleep. I realize that Shaddius is staggering into the room. He damn near loses his balance as he falls on the couch in the living room.

“Are you drunk?” I ask Shaddius.

Shaddius shrugs, “Been drinking moonshine all night. How the fuck do you Amazons drink uh---wait ok.---how---how do you guys---fuck the room is spinning.”

I walk over to the contraption in the kitchen and ask it for fresh water. Some water comes out into a glass and I head over to Shaddisu to give it to him. When I walk back over to the couch to give him thew ater I realize that Shaddius has taken off his blazer. He's laid it on the couch. He is now unbottoning his shirt.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask

Shaddius laughs at that moment, “Relax...it's a little hot in here. Am I making you uncomfortable? Why are you so damn primitive? Jesus...”

“Why are you here? To insult me? Can you please stop taking off your shirt!”

“I know you've been around vagina all your life but there's no reason to be scared of a real man.”

Shaddius takes off his shirt. He's right. I've seen women naked all the time. Hell back home it wasn't uncommon for women to walk around shirtless with nothing but titties flapping. I never thought twice of it. I mean that was normal to me. Seeing a man, besides myself shirtless was different. My dick gets hard at that moment almost immediately when I stare at Shaddius.

“That's ridiculous. Ok...sure I grew up with most girls but Rahmell was around,” I explain.

I forget to mention that every night I still jack off to the sight of seeing Rahmell naked this one time.

Shaddius smiles, “I meant a real man.”

He grabs the water from me showing, flaunting his cut biceps as he does. He's almost flexing. Shaddius is barrel chested and his broad upper body curves outward. He has large arms. He has a heavy upper area that sinks into a very small waist. His dark chocolate body glistens. As though he doesn't know that he's sexy he takes the water and 'accidentally' spills some all over that chest of his.

My dick is so hard I have to turn away from Shaddius.

“Why are you here Shaddius?”

“I want to trade.”

“At 2 am in the morning.”

“I just figured out what I wanted for the Hacker,” the Ambassador tells me.

All of a sudden I'm excited. I turn around and realize that Shaddius is inches away from me. When I turn I bump into him. I am about to take a step back but Shaddius stops me. He puts his arms around my waist.

“What is it that you want to trade for?” I ask.

Shaddius licks his lips, “I'll trade the Hacker...for you...”

All of a sudden I realize why Shaddius was so resistant about Rahmell and me being close earlier.

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