Ral leaned back against the wall and his eyes narrowed with lust. Ariel watched his expression as she rubbed him and let her fingernails lightly rake his balls. Ral’s eyes shut and a moan escaped. He tilted his head back. His lips parted so she could see his sharp teeth. Those teeth had once frightened her. Now she knew the wonderful feeling of when he raked them over her skin.

Ral came with a roar. He jerked with the violence of his release. Ariel smiled up at him when he finally opened his eyes. His grin was wide and happy as he stared down at her. He reached up and cupped her face with both his hands. He lowered his head to brush his lips over hers. They got dressed in the bedroom.

As she got dressed irritation surged through her that the woman outside hadn’t given up. The doorbell was still going off with the occasional thump from the woman kicking or punching the door. Ral eyed Ariel. He touched his heart and then hers. He walked out of the bedroom. Ariel followed him.

She was stunned as she watched Ral open the front door and move out of the way.

The woman stormed into Ral’s house snarling. Her dark eyes narrowed. Hatred poured from their depths as she shot a glare at Ariel. The woman snapped her head in Ral’s direction when she spoke to him softly.

Ral’s eyes went to Ariel and he touched his chest and pointed to Ariel. He was telling her that he loved her. Ariel frowned and her eyes went back to the woman. If he loved her then why in the hell was that woman in their home?

The woman dropped to her knees and reached for her dress again. She started to tug up her outfit. Rage slammed through Ariel. If Ral thought he could have them both he was about to get a serious reality check. Ariel stormed for the front door. She was leaving. She didn’t care what his people did with her. She’d probably end up at the medical center like a guinea pig but it would be better than watching Ral touch another woman.

She saw Ral frown as she stormed past him. Opening the front door, she stormed out and slammed it shut behind her. She just stared—it was foreign to her on Zorn. Red tinged almost everything. She started to walk for the road, fighting back tears. Ral had brought her to his world, refused to let her go home, and now he’d discarded her.

Maybe discarded wasn’t the right word she admitted. He hadn’t asked her to leave.

He’d just let a naked woman into their lives.

She heard a roar seconds before the front door was torn open behind her. Ariel didn’t turn around. She didn’t run even though she was a little scared. It sounded like Ral was pretty pissed off. Well, too damn bad, she thought. She was hurt by his actions and furious with him. She wasn’t the sharing kind. She’d be damned if she stayed with a two-timing son of a bitch. She made it to the street before Ral grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

Ariel saw the confusion and rage on Ral’s face. He spoke to her. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t understand a damn thing you’ve said and I know you don’t understand me but go to hell. I won’t stand there while you fuck another woman. Screw you, buddy. I’m out of here. Don’t glare down at me like that and act all pissy. I don’t have a naked man on his hands and knees in my house, you jerk.”

He looked frustrated as hell. Ariel yanked hard to free her arm as she turned to start walking away again. Ral roared in rage as he grabbed her arm. All Ariel could do was gasp as she found herself spun and tossed over his shoulder. Two arms locked tightly around her thighs as he stormed back for the house. He’d left the front door wide open.

He gently put her down on her feet in the living room. Ariel took in her surroundings once she was right-side up. The bitch was still on her knees on the floor, still naked, and obviously still waiting for Ral to fuck her. Ral glared down at Ariel as he touched his heart and then brushed his fingertips over Ariel’s chest.

“You love me? You want to remind me we’re bound? What in the hell does that mean? Damn you, Ral!” She pointed to the naked woman on the floor and shook her head as she yelled at him. “No way in hell are you having us both, you jackass. If screwing around is your world’s version of a relationship then just forget it. Let your father unbound us. I won’t stay.”

Ral growled softly. He spun and walked to the communication device on the wall.

It was kind of like an amplified wireless phone in Ariel’s opinion. She listened to him talk to someone since the device broadcast both sides of the conversation. It was a female he spoke to. Minutes later he looked frustrated. His eyes went to Ariel as he made another call to a male. When he hung up he let his eyes shift to the naked woman.

He growled something at her.

Whatever he said, the woman wasn’t happy. She shot Ariel a murderous look as she finally got off her knees. She put her dress back on. Ral was going to send the woman away. He must have understood Ariel’s I’m-out-of-here-if-you-touch-her message. The woman didn’t leave though. She headed for the kitchen.

Ariel clenched her teeth. Ral moved to stand in front of Ariel, frowning down at her. His eyes softened as he rubbed her arms with his large, hot hands. It was a comforting gesture. Ariel didn’t know what in the hell was going on but she wasn’t happy.

She glared up at Ral before jerking out of his hold. He frowned at her. He reached for her again. His hand was gentle as it gripped her arm. He led her to the front door.

Shock tore through Ariel. Was he going to kick her out now? He’d just chased after her and carried her back into his house. He opened the front door, pulling them both outside, and shutting the door behind them. He walked with her toward the street. She saw a vehicle approach.

Pain sliced through her. Ral was sending her away. The vehicle stopped and Ral kept hold of her arm as he opened the back door. He gently pushed her toward the vehicle’s interior.

Ariel fought tears as she climbed inside the back of the vehicle. She sat stiffly and then gasped as Ral pushed at her to move over. He climbed in the back of the vehicle with her. He shut the door, closing them in together. Ariel stared at him still clueless about what was going on. He wasn’t sending her away.

He touched his heart and then her heart. He pulled her onto his lap to hold her as he spoke to the driver. The vehicle took off. Ariel cuddled into his arms. She had no idea where they were going but they were together. She felt relief that he wasn’t just sending her away. She was confused, angry and wanted answers.

Ral held her while they took a long drive back to the city. When they parked she recognized the building the driver had stopped in front of was the medical building.

Ral lifted her from his lap as he eased out of the vehicle. He held out his hand. Ariel took it. She hoped they had her translator fixed and working. She really wanted to talk to Ral.

Inside she saw other Zorn. Ral kept hold of her and moved down the hallway. She spotted Ahhu walking to meet them. Ahhu smiled at Ral but gave Ariel a grim look. Ral growled at the woman. She growled back. Ariel didn’t understand a damn word but wished she could so she’d know what was going on. Ahhu spun around. Ral held on to Ariel as they both followed the Zorn woman.

Ahhu showed them into a new exam room. Ariel watched the woman walk to what looked like a computer. Ral shut the door firmly behind them, closing the three of them in the room. Ral spoke to the woman as she worked in front of the console. Finally Ahhu turned to face them.

“Can you understand me now?” Her eyes went to Ariel.

Joy filled her. “Yes!”

Ral chuckled. “We can understand you too. I’ve missed your words.” He grinned down at her.

“This is a program of the ear device we took off you,” Ahhu explained. “The conis is running it for us. We haven’t worked it out fully so we don’t have a new implant to give either of you yet but in here you can talk.”