The Clever Fox: Part One (The Pleasure Hound Series) by Ines Johnson Page B

given right of our sex. And that is the right to procreation.”
    “There you’re wrong,” interrupted Lady Alyss, batting her eyelashes at him like she would tsk a child with her finger. “This increases procreation.”
    “It would increase procreation, but it would decrease a man’s say in the matter. A man’s sperm is his personal property. Do you plan to take these material possessions away from him?”
    Lady Alyss frowned as though he’d spoken childish gibberish. “Men would volunteer, of course. All men dream of bonding with a woman and producing female children.”
    “Not all men want to be bound.” Emet heard the irony of his statement as he looked at the woman dressed in his kinky lover’s custom made dress of knots.
    When his eyes rose again to hers, he saw a spark of intelligence there. No, not just a spark. She had the same liquid gold eyes as Lady Merlyn and Lady Chanyn. Two women who’d captured the hearts and minds of two of the smartest, most capable men Emet knew: Jian and Jaspir, his brothers from the Pleasure Temple.
    And then she dashed his high opinion of her when she batted her eyelashes at him once more.  
    Emet recoiled.
    The blinking stopped and Lady Alyss’ eyes widened. Her fake smile flipped upside down in response to his blatant rejection of her charms.
    Emet cleared his throat and looked away from Lady Alyss. “You speak of volunteering men, my lady. A male volunteered the math that made this find possible, but was he given access to the full picture of what this experiment was for?”
    Alyss bristled, those intelligent eyes narrowed as though asking how he knew such a piece of information. Either she was a great actress, or she did not know his connection to her family.
    “The scientist behind this find has openly voiced her opposition to this matter,” Emet continued. “For the reason that she, too, was not presented with the full picture.”
    There was a commotion in the chamber. Many eyes turned to Lady Angyla who sat stoic, stone faced, in the audience.
    Emet went on “We cannot move forward when there are so many unknowns.”
    “The male makes a valid point,” said Sister Dynesse. “Lady Alyss, we’d like a thorough report on your intention with this bill.”
    Sister Dynesse was an impartial judge. As the Chamber of Energy had no direct stake in the matter, it allowed her to lead the discussion without bias. The other chambers had already made up their minds and were divided. The Chambers of Agriculture, Justice, and Labor all relied on the commerce of manual labor. Along with the Chamber of Worship, who looked upon the bill as heresy towards the Goddess, all stood against the bill. The chambers  who would benefit from the addition of more females to society were the Chambers of Treasury, Housing, Education, and of course, Health. In the middle of this divide rested only two chambers; Energy and the Arts and Culture. Emet knew it was these two chambers he had to convince of his argument.
    “We’ll adjourn this matter and recommence in two days time.” Lady Dynesse banged her gavel. “Next bill.”
    And with that, they were dismissed. But the matter was not done.
    Lady Alyss sashayed up to Emet. The sound of the ropes grinding against one another as she moved sailed to his ears. It was a sound he was sure only he heard. A sound he was certain she would never have the pleasure of learning.  
    “So you’ve been speaking with Liam?” she accused.
    Gone was her confident smile. Her eyes no longer batted at him. Emet looked down at her bound breasts, her chest heaved as though just the matter of speaking directly to him exerted her.
    “Men just want to be heard,” he said.
    “That’s why society has a Male Voice.”
    “Men have a voice, not a vote.”
    “Whatever would you need a vote for?” The space between her eyes crinkled. It would’ve been adorable, if she were a creature worth adoring.
    “I suppose, my lady, that you are of the faction that