you?”
“Yes. Did you do it? Don’t lie to me.”
Katarina placed her sterilized hypos carefully back into their slots. “I’m good with the human body and how to fix it, very bad with computers. I can use them, but I can’t change them or tamper with them. I don’t know how.”
“You could always find someone to do it for you.”
“I could have, but it never occurred to me.” She pushed the tray of hypos back into the wall. “I wish it had.”
“Why? So you could screw me over?”
“Because you were right. I am jealous of those women who come to you, and I do want to scratch their eyes out.”
“So you did it by erasing the database.”
“I didn’t. I’m happy someone else did, but I didn’t ask them to. I’ve been here all night, examining patients.”
Calder eased back from her. His huge fists were clenched, his eyes filled with fury.
Katarina had the feeling that if the scientists who thought they’d programmed all emotion out of Shareem could see Calder now, they’d be hiding under the nearest table.
“Braden did this,” he said.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen Braden since I got here tonight. He didn’t mention running off to wipe your database.”
“Why did you move in with him?”
Katarina went to the sterilizer and let its warm beam flow over her hands. “I felt safer living down here with him. Plus I wanted to see if you’d be jealous.”
When she turned around, Calder was still staring at her, but now he looked more stunned than angry.
“Shareem don’t get jealous,” he said.
“Or angry or hurt or depressed. Sorry, I’ve seen all those emotions in Shareem since I started working here. Try another tactic.”
“Shareem don’t get jealous,” he repeated in a stubborn voice. “We don’t because we don’t care about sex. We need sex to survive. We don’t much care what woman we have it with or whether we share her with others.”
Katarina looked into the small mirror to straighten her veil. “Sure, Calder. What about Brianne and Aiden and Ky? They care deeply for each other. And Talan and Rees?” She cocked her head. “Do Brianne and Aiden and Ky have sex together at the same time? Or do they take turns or…”
Calder seized her wrist. “Come home with me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“If you want me so much, come home with me now. I’ll show you why you don’t want to be with me.”
Katarina was glad of her veil because it hid the way her lips trembled. “If you drag me out of here, the receptionist really will call the patrollers.”
Calder let her go. She almost whimpered at the loss of his strength.
“It’s your choice. Come with me now and you’ll learn everything. Or stay and never seek me again.”
Heat flared through her. She wasn’t certain exactly what he meant to teach her and how, but she knew she’d hate herself forever if she didn’t accept his offer.
“All right,” she said softly. “Just let me sign out.”
*
She was too damn trusting. Calder would have to cure her of that too.
He took her back to his compound—to his apartment, not the lair. This time it wouldn’t be a fantasy in his exotic playground. This would be real. She’d learn the reality of Calder.
Calder towed her into his small bedroom and slid open the panels to reveal the mirrors. “Strip. Let’s get this over with.”
Katarina paused in the act of unwrapping her veils. “ Get this over with ? Don’t stint with the flattery, Calder.”
“I have a hard-on bigger than a tent pole from watching your sweet ass swaying through the streets. I want to fuck you now. So strip.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for the veils again. “You couldn’t have seen my backside through my sun robes, you know.”
“I remember it, all round and pert and begging for my hand. Strip now.”
Her mouth set. “You are the most arrogant male I’ve ever met.”
“And you are the most stubborn female. You want me. Here we are in my bedroom.
Decide what
“Yes. Did you do it? Don’t lie to me.”
Katarina placed her sterilized hypos carefully back into their slots. “I’m good with the human body and how to fix it, very bad with computers. I can use them, but I can’t change them or tamper with them. I don’t know how.”
“You could always find someone to do it for you.”
“I could have, but it never occurred to me.” She pushed the tray of hypos back into the wall. “I wish it had.”
“Why? So you could screw me over?”
“Because you were right. I am jealous of those women who come to you, and I do want to scratch their eyes out.”
“So you did it by erasing the database.”
“I didn’t. I’m happy someone else did, but I didn’t ask them to. I’ve been here all night, examining patients.”
Calder eased back from her. His huge fists were clenched, his eyes filled with fury.
Katarina had the feeling that if the scientists who thought they’d programmed all emotion out of Shareem could see Calder now, they’d be hiding under the nearest table.
“Braden did this,” he said.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen Braden since I got here tonight. He didn’t mention running off to wipe your database.”
“Why did you move in with him?”
Katarina went to the sterilizer and let its warm beam flow over her hands. “I felt safer living down here with him. Plus I wanted to see if you’d be jealous.”
When she turned around, Calder was still staring at her, but now he looked more stunned than angry.
“Shareem don’t get jealous,” he said.
“Or angry or hurt or depressed. Sorry, I’ve seen all those emotions in Shareem since I started working here. Try another tactic.”
“Shareem don’t get jealous,” he repeated in a stubborn voice. “We don’t because we don’t care about sex. We need sex to survive. We don’t much care what woman we have it with or whether we share her with others.”
Katarina looked into the small mirror to straighten her veil. “Sure, Calder. What about Brianne and Aiden and Ky? They care deeply for each other. And Talan and Rees?” She cocked her head. “Do Brianne and Aiden and Ky have sex together at the same time? Or do they take turns or…”
Calder seized her wrist. “Come home with me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“If you want me so much, come home with me now. I’ll show you why you don’t want to be with me.”
Katarina was glad of her veil because it hid the way her lips trembled. “If you drag me out of here, the receptionist really will call the patrollers.”
Calder let her go. She almost whimpered at the loss of his strength.
“It’s your choice. Come with me now and you’ll learn everything. Or stay and never seek me again.”
Heat flared through her. She wasn’t certain exactly what he meant to teach her and how, but she knew she’d hate herself forever if she didn’t accept his offer.
“All right,” she said softly. “Just let me sign out.”
*
She was too damn trusting. Calder would have to cure her of that too.
He took her back to his compound—to his apartment, not the lair. This time it wouldn’t be a fantasy in his exotic playground. This would be real. She’d learn the reality of Calder.
Calder towed her into his small bedroom and slid open the panels to reveal the mirrors. “Strip. Let’s get this over with.”
Katarina paused in the act of unwrapping her veils. “ Get this over with ? Don’t stint with the flattery, Calder.”
“I have a hard-on bigger than a tent pole from watching your sweet ass swaying through the streets. I want to fuck you now. So strip.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for the veils again. “You couldn’t have seen my backside through my sun robes, you know.”
“I remember it, all round and pert and begging for my hand. Strip now.”
Her mouth set. “You are the most arrogant male I’ve ever met.”
“And you are the most stubborn female. You want me. Here we are in my bedroom.
Decide what
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