Alien Sex 102 by Allie Ritch Page B

back. Launching himself out of his chair, he raced for his door and threw it open with a bang. Not bothering to close it behind him, he charged barefoot down his driveway to catch her. There was no way he could let her go, no way he could lose her over this one act of stupidity. The woman had him crazy in love with her, turned upside down and inside out, which was the only explanation for why he’d acted like such an ass. Him, a self-possessed Brachoi with a reputation for logic.
    He had to apologize and make this right. His pride be damned, he’d get on his knees and beg if that’s what it took, but he had to fix this. Yesterday he’d touched heaven with her, and now he had a glimpse of hell without her.
    “Katra!” He spotted her at the end of the block.
    If she heard him, she didn’t bother to turn around.
    Sprinting down the road as fast as he could, he ignored the hard surface beneath his feet and the sharp debris that jabbed his soles. Just like before, he chased after her, only this time they weren’t playing an erotic game. He had to reach her, or he might never have another chance with her again.
    Her pace was clipped as she moved farther away, but he was fast and determined, and he was closing the distance. Then her car pulled up next to her. He bellowed her name in desperation.
    She didn’t so much as glance over her shoulder. As soon as her chauffeur opened the door, she climbed in and signaled the man to drive. Krux was twenty feet away when she pulled off, leaving him more alone than he’d ever felt in his life.

Chapter Seven
    Re-education
    “Conniving.” Punch. “Manipulative.” Kick. “Untrustworthy.” Hit. “Obnoxious, arrogant, power-hungry, deceptive brute of a…man!”
    Katra spat the last word as the worst insult as she swung her leg up to strike the padded target in Xindra’s hands. Her instructor winced.
    “Anything you want to talk about?” the woman asked wryly.
    Still scowling, Katra rested her hands on her hips as she fought to catch her breath. Instead of using her extra day off making passionate love, she was having some kind of catharsis on the exercise mat. Unused to feeling this out of control and emotional, she wasn’t sure how to rein herself in.
    “I thought he—” Swallowing hard, she tried to push down the bitter pain already coating her tongue. “I thought he loved me. He never said it, and neither did I, but I thought it was there. Then I find out he’s only been using me as some kind of entrée into high society because he thought I was a Wi’Yalu heiress. As if I’d be caught dead with those spiteful bigots.”
    “Are you talking about Krux?” Xindra sounded uncertain.
    Katra began to pace. “Of course. Who else have I been allowing to grope me? He took a break from deflowering young virgins as soon as he saw he had something to gain.”
    “Huh.” Walking over to the wall, Xindra leaned back and thoughtfully pursed her lips. “I admit I don’t know the man very well, but I have to say that doesn’t sound like him. Krux strikes me as the type who’d be too proud and chauvinistic to use a female to get what he wanted. Are you sure there hasn’t been a misunderstanding?”
    “I can’t see how,” Katra retorted sourly. “He called me a spoiled princess and demanded I introduce him to the mighty Wi’Yalus. Why else would he say that?”
    Xindra shrugged. “Ego maybe? Men can be the biggest babies, pitching tantrums whenever they think they’re not getting enough attention. Sounds to me like he made some idiot assumptions and decided you weren’t affording him his proper status. That would make him an obnoxious, arrogant brute, but not deceptive or all those other great adjectives. Maybe you should talk to him.”
    Resisting the urge to pout, Katra huffed out a breath. “I’ll think about it. Right now, I’m too mad. He was pretty hurtful.”
    For some reason, just sharing that made her feel a little lighter. She looked at the younger woman