Chosen by the Governor (Under Alien Law Book 1)

She couldn’t say no, because what he said was true. However, she wasn’t entirely convinced he was the right man. That was the difference. “I’ll go.”

“If you change your mind—”

“I know where to find you. I’ll look up, and here you’ll be.”

* * *

Standing in the shower, she washed his scent off her skin. Amongst the fine spray of water, her tears were also swept away. The welts on her bottom stung and there was a residue of soreness elsewhere, too, but it had been worth it, because the sex had been beyond fantastic. Still, regardless of what joy it had brought her, the achievement lay in tatters. He’d let her go. The hopes she had built that she might be his had been dashed, along with any sense of happiness.

She’d lost track of time—when would her next shift begin? She didn’t particularly care and slumped onto the bed. Exhausted, emotionally and physically, by the events of the day, she fell asleep.

The morning siren shook her awake as if it had hands about her shoulders. She jerked and battled with an imaginary alarm clock by her bed. Groaning, she heaved her body out of the bed and attempted to inspect her ass by peering around. Without a mirror it was impossible. Stroking her hand over her bottom, she felt the slight raise of each welt, a tenderness over them, but otherwise the heat had gone.

During the walk to work she encountered several patrols of soldiers engaged in random stop and searches. They didn’t notice her. As she arrived in the laundry press room, Abby bounded up and hugged her.

“Oh, thank you. I don’t know how you did it, but this soldier gave me medicine. I wasn’t expecting it, but look.” She rolled up the trouser leg to show Freya the healing wound. “So much better already and it doesn’t hurt.”

“Good,” Freya smiled. “And according to the governor, there will be a female doctor in the infirmary soon. So no more experimentation. Things are going to get better around here, I’m sure of it.”

Jean patted Freya’s back. “Well done. What happened? It’s crazy out there. The soldiers have rounded up the faction leaders, disbanded the police, and raided numerous blocks and…” She peered at Freya closely and narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean, according to the governor?”

Freya hurried over to activate a machine, hoping to drown out any conversation. “Nothing,” she said.

Jean scurried past her and blocked the switch. She folded her arms. “Tell me.”

“It’s just… have you heard of the Volta?”

Abby moved to stand by Jean. “Yes, it’s where the jenjin live.”

“The jenjin?” Freya feigned ignorance, hoping to learn what the prisoners thought instead of Marco’s rose-tinted view.

“Oh. You know. Girls who provide services to the soldiers. It’s a popular assignment, if you can get in.” Abby snorted. “They turned me down. Not suitable. That’s how I ended up being with the League instead.”

Freya’s eyes widened. “You wanted to do it?”

“Why not,” Abby shrugged. “Better than being down here. You get pampered, fed properly. And yes, there’s the sex, but it’s okay. They mustn’t hurt you, at least not in that way. The rules are very strict, so they keep you in line with punishments, but I wouldn’t have minded.” She halted and tapped Freya’s chin. “You look surprised?”

Freya shut her mouth. ?

?What about your dignity?”

Jean guffawed. “Dignity? You think working here, breaking our backs is about dignity? This is a penal colony, Freya. They don’t care how long you live. They don’t care if you’re happy or sad. So of course being a jenjin is a step up. The men get jealous because they think it’s a special status. Being in the police was supposed to give them privileges but it’s gotten corrupt. So tell me, because you haven’t answered my question. What about the governor?” She prodded Freya’s arm.

Bowing her head, hiding her hot cheeks away, she muttered her reply. “He wants me as his jenjin.”

Both women gasped in a chorus. “The governor? How? Why? Come on, what’s been going on?” Abby harried.

“I spoke to him on the flight, as we came into land and then…” She stopped abruptly. She didn’t want to mention the examination and what he’d done to her. “I suppose I caught his eye,” she ended lamely.

“That’s why the soldier gave you the medicine, Abby, the governor ordered it,” Jean chuckled. “Why are you here then?”

Freya gave a small shrug. “I refused.”

“You turned down the most powerful man on Tagra? You walked away from him? You’re an idiot,” exclaimed Abby.

Was that how they saw her? An idiot? Was it that easy to surrender to a man she barely knew and let him decide her future? Freya had always made her own decisions: what she studied, whom she dated, even where she lived, once she’d left the protection of the family home. She’d left Geneva and moved to the Americas, determined to make a difference. Like many who studied renewable technologies, she had coveted the Vendu’s terraforming technology—Australia in one decade had been turned green and plentiful. When the Vendu had refused to cooperate and share the technology, a taskforce put together by various industries had approached her and they’d easily sold her the challenge—spy for them. That took courage, so why was she running away from Marco?

Otto’s booming voice ended the conversation. “Do you want to be fed today? Get on with it.”