Cruel to the female that would wind up being the unwilling partner.
He would have to return her as soon as possible.
She turned to the medic. “It looks like everything is finalized. I am just waiting for the system to find your mates now.”
“How long does that take?” Erzo asked. “Do we have to go get them?”
She blinked. “Pardon?”
“Do we have to travel to them?” Erzo asked.
Re-lee shook her head, the little antenna on her head bobbing as she did. “We will bring the ladies here.”
“And what if you can’t find someone?” Olmed asked.
She met his gaze. “We always find someone.”
4
“This is stupid, and there’s no reason for me to be here,” Tori muttered to herself as she walked through the park.
It didn’t help that it was a scorcher. She could already feel the sweat building up underneath the backpack, and she’d only been walking a few minutes.
Okay, maybe ten. But still. She should have brought water with her. Something.
As she rounded the corner, Tori could see Polly in the distance with another woman. Pretty girl. One of those gals that looked pretty no matter what she did.
Immediately, Tori’s ire started to rise. She reminded Tori of those perfect girls in school, and it made a wash of all those jealous emotions hit her. The same ones that brought out her fight.
The girl turned her way, and she got a full look at her face. “Is that her?”
Tori bit her lip so she didn’t start in, the frustration running full throttle through her. Her body felt electrified, and she felt like she would go off at any second, letting every bit of her natural sass and anger flood out.
Yet she held back.
She knew this was coming.
If Polly was right, this gal had no idea what had been happening.
“This was, what, a set-up?” Jana put on hand on her hip. “Were you thinking you’d just confront me and run me off or something? Fight me?” She started closing in on Tori.
Tori dug in her stance, ready. She wasn't about to let this gal get the drop on her. She crossed her arms and glared at her, ready to go.
Polly glared at her.
Tori needed to calm down. She didn’t come here to fight.
The way this other gal, Jana, looked at her, maybe she did come here to fight. “Whatever it takes to get the point across.”
“And what point is that?” Jana asked, getting closer yet again.
“Jana, wait,” Polly said.
“What, she can’t hurt me,” Tori said, not backing down. She was not about to let this girl hurt her.
She was done giving away herself so others could hurt her.
So done.
