“You risking the abyss in an attempt to be heroic…and nominated,” Elder Qon said.“Go.Allow the symbiotes to reveal the truth.”
.
Chapter Two
Tinyglancedatthewall clock while Riaan was mid-thrust.He had her pinned to a shelf in the storeroom—the only place in the store without sec cams.She’d thought a quickie would be just the thing to take the edge off her uneasiness.In a little less than an hour, she had to be at her parents’ for dinner.
He grunted, his arms gripping her too hard.She studied his expressions, and despite his handsomeness, she felt nothing… No impending orgasm, no frisson of excitement, more like she was checking a box.Promiscuous during med school?Check.
She had too many of those.
Earn a scholarship?Check.
Get a part-time job at a convenience store for extra tokens?Check.
At least it allowed her to study, but it also meant she survived on minimal sleep.Par for the course.
Realizing time was slipping past her with no signs of Riaan finishing, she dug her nails into his back and fake-groaned.She tightened her legs around his hips while writhing as if God himself had blessed her with an almighty orgasm.
“Oh, Riaan,” she mumbled, adding a breathlessness to her voice.A finality settled on her.They were done.She couldn’t muster enthusiasm for a relationship that was purely for convenience.
At last, he gasped, his hips stilling.
A sense of uncleanliness washed over her.The urge to bathe caught hold of her mind and wouldn’t release her.She scowled.Now she’d have to head home first.As soon as he stepped back, she lowered her legs and straightened her clothing.
He smirked.“That was fun.”
“Sure,” she said, swinging the door open wide.
In about twelve minutes, Kenny would arrive for his shift.Riaan had to be gone by then.One glance showed him nowhere near ready.She tucked in his limp dick, condom and all, and carefully zipped him shut.A quick brush of her fingers over his T-shirt had him looking halfway descent.Maybe his chiseled chest had swayed her?
She snorted at that bit of nonsense.Any man would do in her quest to ‘find herself,’ or so she told her friends.But deep down, her recklessness had to do with her parents.She grimaced.Another glance at the clock confirmed Kenny’s arrival was imminent, and yet Riaan lingered.
“What’s wrong with you?”he asked, at last catching on to her less-than-happy mood.
“I’m having dinner with my family.”
He frowned.“Oh, I’m sorry, Tiny.”He tried to pull her into a hug, but she slapped his hands away.
“As in now, Riaan.Please…” She nudged her chin at the automatic doors.“I still need to hand over to Kenny.”
“Fine, but I’ll text you later.”He kissed her temple and left.
His disappearing shoulders brought her a flicker of joy.She clung to that and hurried to capture the stock counts.Everything was token-based with the printing of cash having dwindled after the Great Water Shortage, so she didn’t need to account for payments.However, pickpockets still existed.Her stock numbers had to align with sold products, and any discrepancy came out of her wages.She couldn’t afford to lose a single token.
And of course, Kenny was late.
She glared at Kenny as she swept past him, not daring to say a word unless she wanted to spew curses.Her day hadn’t gone well, having received not-so-favorable feedback on her last assignment.The scholarship’s continuity depended on her results.
She hurried to the bus stop for the autobus that drove past every fifteen minutes.When her ass touched down on the seat, she texted her mom using the device embedded in her palm.
Gonna be late.
No reply was forthcoming.She released a slow breath.As a little girl, she’d learned not to expect common decencies from her distracted parents.Knowing this didn’t stop her from hoping this time would be different.She rolled her lips then pinched them, letting the pain squeezing her chest ease.
She took a sol-bath as soon as she got home, grateful for the warmth of the beam as it scanned her body and made her squeaky clean.Pity it couldn’t remove the Riaan-shaped smudge off her soul.Because Mom didn’t respond, Tiny took the time to dress in black tailored trousers, a crisp, white blouse, and her ankle boots in pseudo-leather.She fluffed her hair and was out the door, this time calling for a taxi.
With her palm pressed to her ear, she said, “Need a taxi to downtown Old Lake City.”
