Alien Sex 102 by Allie Ritch

talking to him, she supposed he must be the man Krux was referring to. Somebody had taken a picture of the two of them?
    Oh! Katra finally caught on. Never mind how or why the press had bothered to take a photo of her and Jerry. Her silly Brachoi had obviously seen a picture of her with another man and gotten the wrong idea. The realization that he was experiencing a painful bout of jealousy softened her.
    “Krux,” she said more quietly, “the man you saw me with wasn’t my date. I was talking to him about a business arrangement.”
    “Is that what you call it?” His tone was all the more cutting for its blandness. “The press made it sound like you’re all but married to the guy. Are you saying they’re wrong?”
    Now she jerked her head back in shock. “What? That’s ridiculous! I haven’t even worked out the details with him yet, let alone talked about anything legally binding.”
    “So I’m the only man you’re seeing romantically?”
    This interrogation was giving her a headache. “Yes.”
    If he kept this up, he could count himself out too. This was just the sort of highhanded, possessive behavior she’d glimpsed in him from the beginning, and she didn’t want to deal with it. He had no right to question her. Either he believed her or he didn’t. Trust was the real issue behind all of this—trust and his over-inflated pride.
    “Why wasn’t I invited to the party then?” he demanded, still not letting it go.
    Pursing her lips in exasperation, she managed to hold on to her temper by a thread. “It really wasn’t your type of thing. In fact, it had nothing to do with your business, so I don’t know why you’re upset.”
    “None of my business? I just realized my lover hasn’t bothered to tell anyone she’s with me, and you think leaving me behind to go to some party with another man isn’t my business?”
    That hadn’t been what Katra had meant—she was literally referring to business as in their separate industries—but the second part snagged her attention first.
    “What do you mean I haven’t told anyone? Xindra knows we’re together now.”
    Those arms of his stayed defiantly crossed. “What about your family? Why haven’t you introduced me to them?”
    “My family?” She scowled in confusion as she tried to follow his line of thought. “My father is back on Duosi. You want me to take you there?”
    “Not him!” He singed her with his temper. “The illustrious Wi’Yalus!”
    Hearing those words, Katra felt her heart shrivel and her body turn numb. “What?”
    “You heard me. I won’t be treated like I’m not good enough to meet the great Wi’Yalu clan. You people get chauffeured around and attend your precious parties like you’re better than everyone else, but you’re not. You’re nothing but a spoiled princess. I wonder what you’d do if you ever had to work a day in your life.”
    Krux couldn’t have hurt or stunned her any worse if he’d hit her. Anger swiftly followed shock. How dare he? Katra had thought he was different, thought he was worth taking a chance on, but he was no better than her ex-fiancé.
    “So that’s it, is it?” Jumping to her feet, she clenched her fists at her sides. “You thought you’d use me to cozy up to the Wi’Yalus and make your way up in the world?”
    “Of course not.” He denied it with a disgusted scoff.
    “Oh no? That’s what it sounds like to me. Now you’re demanding an introduction. Tell me, just how did you learn what the family is worth?”
    “I can read,” he snapped. “I pay attention to the news, and I did some research after you told me your full name. You certainly like throwing that around, don’t you?”
    “Because it’s mine, not anyone else’s.” She wanted to stamp her foot, but she settled for a hiss. “No wonder you pursued me so tirelessly. You weren’t after me. You were after the Wi’Yalu fortune.”
    “That’s not true! I have plenty of my own money—enough to keep you as pampered