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“Easy now.” Sala was at his side, his fingers tight on Faron’s arm. “The boss is just around the corner, and he won’t be impressed if he catches you fighting. He’ll put you on the sewage repair pipe job as punishment.”

“I was joking,” Petanc choked out. “I won’t touch her. If you’re into her, she’s all yours. She’s not worth getting killed over.”

Faron shoved him against the wall before letting go. He rolled his shoulders and blew out a long breath. Why had he reacted like that? Kendra was nothing to him. She’d made it clear they weren’t to see each other again, and he was glad of it. Faron didn’t want her in his life. He was used to being alone. Used to females rejecting and mocking him. That wouldn’t change now. One kiss and an unsuccessful dinner date with this human was meaningless. He’d already decided they were wrong together. Not only was she genetically imperfect, but she was too small. If he leaned his weight on her when they mated, he would crush her.

Faron had to follow the logical conclusion he’d already come to. He needed a strong, robust female who could handle him. Some small, misshapen human who considered the ways of his people inappropriate and rude had no place in his life.

He wasn’t supposed to have a mate of any kind. The loss of his arm meant he was weak. He was less of a male because of what had happened. Tolongs were right to reject and ridicule him. His father was also correct. He had been a coward after that accident. Faron had valued his own, broken life over anything else. By surviving the core quake and saving himself, he’d damaged his family’s reputation. They were tainted by his injury. His deformity and weakness of mind meant his family had lost their rank. His desire to live had meant many suffered, and that was wrong.

“Take a walk,” Sala whispered to him. “Calm yourself before we start work. We need to focus when we’re outside the station. You can’t afford to mess up out there. If you do, you’ll float into deep space and end up staring a comet in the face. Get a grip on yourself.”

“I’m fine,” Faron muttered. “Petanc annoyed me. I was within my rights to react that way.”

“I get it. He disrespected your girl. You should be annoyed.”

Faron shook his head sharply. “Kendra is not my girl. I have no desire for her.”

Sala grinned as he guided Faron away from the rest of the crew. “Maybe this is my error. I was the one who convinced you to go speed dating with me.”

“Yes, this is your fault.”

Sala laughed. “I accept full responsibility for your lousy mood. So long as you admit you find that human attractive. There’s no harm in desiring her.”

“There’s every harm. It is not appropriate.”

“Sometimes love is not appropriate. It makes you do crazy things. It makes you feel crazy things.”

“That’s ridiculous. It should have been bred out if it makes you act irrationally.”

“I’m a ridiculous person then because I believe in love.” Sala elbowed him in the ribs.

Faron grunted. “Was your evening as disastrous as mine?”

“I’m seeing two of the women again,” Sala said. “I call that a win.”

Faron stamped on his jealousy. “I am pleased for you. I shall not be attending another of those events.”

“Why not? It was a fun evening. We should do it again. If this human isn’t right for you, there will be somebody else. And if you’re really not into humans, ask for another alien.”

“No, it is not for me.”

“You can’t have blue balls forever, my friend. Someone’s got to shake you loose and get that stick out of your butt. You need to have fun.”

“My balls are not blue, and there is nothing up my butt.”

Sala roared with laughter. “You are too literal for your own good. It’s one of the things I admire about you. Straight talking all the way. No blurred lines.”

“We need to straight talk ourselves into work.” Faron stared ahead as they returned to the repair crew, noticing several of them step away as he drew near. He didn’t object. He knew that, even with his artificial arm, he looked intimidating to some.

He relaxed as he focused on work. This was one thing he could do well. If he worked hard enough and gained an excellent reputation for graft and loyal service, he would gain back a little status.

By working tirelessly, Faron would show he was worthy. But he couldn’t do that if he had to concern himself with a lesser mate. He could afford no distractions. He had to do everything he could to show his family he had not made a mistake by saving himself. He deserved to live. Even with his cybernetic arm, he could be a true Tolong.

An image of Kendra looking up at him after they’d kissed entered his head, and his balls tightened. He shook his head, dismissing the image. No, Kendra was not an option for him. This was his only option. A life of labor, a life of purposeful work. Nothing else.

Chapter 5

“I heard you went on a date last night,” Sinead Murphy said, a grin on her heart-shaped face.