Page 71 of Infala: Claimed By Rivals
“You’re damn right you were. Throwing flowers in my face? What were you thinking?”
“I was not. I reacted poorly, and I am sorry for it.” He activated the scanner in his clothing a moment, looked at the display, then shut it off. “My Infala aches for you, but they do not match. It has unsettled me and set me adrift with confusion. But even if our Infalas do not match, the pheromone bond is strong between us. I know you feel it too. There is no denying it.”
Normally, she would have definitely felt it. Hell, she’d have probably been bent over and taking a vigorous pounding right about now despite the circumstances. But the filters were doing their job, allowing her the presence of mind to truly assess things, not react on a base level.
“It’s true, that does play a role between us. But there’s more to love than just that.”
“But can’t you?—”
“Look, I just need some time to think. You really overreacted last night.” She turned and looked at the smashed flowers on her counter, testament to his behavior.
“Just ask of me whatever you will, and I’ll do it,” he said quietly.
Rykker’s broad shoulders slumped even more. Here he was, this massive, powerful man, and he was reduced to groveling at her feet, his heart exposed and vulnerable in the palm of her hand. But she knew she needed space. Time to think.
“I ask you to leave,” she finally replied.
“But—”
“Go. I need to process this. I need to processeverything, and in my own time. You seem to forget, I’m new here. Aside from Harper, I’m all alone.”
“You are very much not alone.”
“I meanmypeople. Others from my world. They might still be out there, you know, and they’re quite possibly my only hope at seeing my own kind again, don’t you get it? Can you imagine what it would be like, living your life as a freak? A strange, alien creature to everyone you meet?”
“Aliens are not looked down on here. Nor are they judged?—”
“That’s not my point. There’s more on my plate than just you and Arkness. Now go.”
“But—”
“I promise, we’ll talk later.”
“When?”
“Seriously? Jesus. Fine. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? Come by at noon. But right now you need to go.”
She could see his emotions were all over the place, and sleep deprived as he was, he wanted to say more. But somehow his better judgment won out. Stoic, he rose to his feet, nodding his understanding with glistening eyes then turning and walking away, not quite a broken man, but definitely hurting.
Olivia closed her door and walked to her kitchen. “I know it’s early, but I could really,reallyuse a drink.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Olivia’s anger subsided and her mood improved by the afternoon, thanks in part to a long head-clearing walk to areas she hadn’t yet seen forcing her to shift her attention to her surroundings rather than the gears spinning in her head. By the time she returned to her place, she could even say she was in a good mood, albeit an introspective one.
Arkness messaged her toward the evening inviting her to join him for dinner. Having experienced how well the new filters worked with Rykker, she accepted, interested to get to know him better without her body flying off the handle and into his bed of its own volition.
Much like her dinner with his rival, Olivia’s time with Arkness as they shared a nice meal in a cozy restaurant near his place was enjoyable and informative. His story was similar to Rykker’s, but different, the two men taking different forks in the road at key moments in their lives. But the basic underlying history was the same. Both had been born in this city. Both had a brother. And both decided early on that they would devote themselves to their betterment in hopes of being one of the lucky ones to one day find a mate.
At the end of the meal, it was clear that while Olivia was finally getting to enjoy her companion’s company with a clear head and cooled desire, Arkness was still very much under the power of their pheromonal bond. He professed his love more than once, but when he, as Rykker had done, scanned their Infalas, he was surprised to see they still did not match.
“I just don’t understand,” he said, confused. “My Infala has been stagnant for years, but only since meeting you has it undergone this rapid change.”
“Maybe there’s something else doing it,” she suggested.
“Impossible. The Infala only morphs when its match is found.”
“But you’ve seen the results. We don’t match, Arkness. I’m sorry, but that’s the obvious fact.”
