The other players began to turn in her direction, watching her approach with Breeze. They were either fascinated by two women at the game or they knew who Dr. Allison Baker was. Obsidian finally realized there was a stir and glanced their way.

He spotted Breeze first and smiled openly, welcoming her presence. His gaze shifted to Alli. She stopped walking, unable to move when his expression hardened, became closed and his dark eyes narrowed.

“Allison has come to speak to you,” Breeze stated loudly. “Doesn’t she look wonderful, Obsidian?”

Someone growled and Alli was pretty certain the unhappy sound had come from the man she loved. It hurt when he turned his head away to say something to one of the males closest to him.

She wished the ground would open under her, just take her somewhere dark, where she could fall apart privately away from the prying eyes of everyone within sight. He obviously wasn’t happy to see her as he continued to ignore her.

Her heel caught on the grass when she stepped back to make a hasty retreat. Breeze saved her from an embarrassing fall by gripping her arm.

The Species hissed. “He’s being an ass.”

“Thank you.” She gently wiggled out of her hold. “I’m leaving.”

“Don’t. Give him time.”

Alli spun, carefully watching her step as she fled. It was difficult to keep it to a fast walk when she really wanted to run. The man she’d known never would have shunned her but he had.

It seemed more than his appearance had changed.

Grief threatened to spill out loudly, along with the tears she fought to contain.

She made it to the front of the building where an escort leaned against a Jeep. Flame smiled when he saw her.

“That was fast. Are you ready to leave, Dr. Allison?”

“Yes.” She desperately tried to keep it together until she could fall apart in private. “Please.”

He noticed her distressed state. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

He nodded sharply. “Is there anywhere else you’d like to visit while you’re at Homeland?”

“No. Just take me to the main gate.”

She inwardly winced at the way her voice cracked. The Species officer studied her face suspiciously. His next words confirmed it.

“Did a male inside frighten you? You are not fine.” His hand snatched hers, long fingers curling around the back of it, and clung. “I’m here.

Talk to me and tell me what happened.”

“Don’t touch her,” a deep, masculine voice snarled.

Alli’s spine stiffened. She’d remember that harsh, angry tone anywhere. And the man.

“What’s wrong, Obsidian?” Flame let go, frowning at something behind her. “I wasn’t harming her. She’s distressed about something that happened inside.”

Turn around. Look at him. Her mind ordered her to do it but her feet may as well have been stuck in concrete. She just couldn’t do it. Why had he even followed her to the street?

“I’ve waited three months to talk to you yet you couldn’t wait two minutes to talk to me? I was excusing myself from the game.” His voice was still deep but the rough edges had gone out of it.

She swallowed hard and moved, facing him slowly. He was just feet away, bigger than life.

The changes in his face were more evident up close as she studied every inch of it. His cheeks were fuller, the scars either faded or just hidden by the slightly longer hair along his temples. The sun had darkened his skin slightly from the hours he must have spent outside.

The memory of his powerful stare paled in comparison to the real thing. His eyes seemed a softer brown than she remembered, more beautiful, and his black eyelashes longer. He blinked but didn’t move otherwise while they watched each other.

“Is everything okay?” the New Species officer asked but she ignored him.

“Go away, Flame,” Obsidian rasped. “Now.”

“I’m assigned to Dr. Allison while she visits Homeland.” Flame didn’t take orders well. “I can’t.”

Obsidian’s gaze shifted away from her, breaking contact with hers. “Go away, Flame.” He frowned. “I’ll take responsibility for her well-being. We need to talk in private.”

“Oh. Um. Okay. I’ll take a walk. Maybe grab a sandwich inside.” He skirted around them with a wide berth, striding to the front doors of the dorm quickly.

“Hi,” she managed to whisper, cleared her throat, and spoke louder. “You have gained weight. It looks good.”

He stared at her again and his frown deepened.

The uncomfortable moment was painful. All her daydreams of seeing him again were a bitter pill to swallow. He didn’t respond at all.

She decided to try again. “I saw you playing soccer. I’m glad you seem to have made so many friends.”

Silence. He blinked, the frown still firmly marring the skin shadowing the sides of his lips.

Maybe she should ask him a question, something to respond to. It was worth a try. “How have you been?”

Eyebrows lifted, widening his eyes slightly. He didn’t reply.

Slow-burning anger and sadness combined inside her. “You followed me out here to order Flame not to touch me because you wanted to have a staring contest? Is that it?”

“I waited for three months to see you and you couldn’t wait one minute for me to excuse myself from the game?”

He took one step, paused, then another. He crouched in front of her and she had no idea why he did it. She glanced at the ground between them to see if maybe she’d dropped something but he suddenly plowed into her as if he were performing a tackle. He hit her hips with enough force to knock her off her feet but she never slammed into the ground. He straightened as he continued to sweep his body forward and slung her over his shoulder as though she were a sack of potatoes. One hand gripped her ass firmly to hold her in place while his other arm hooked behind her knees to pin them against his chest.

“We’re not doing this here,” he grumbled, spinning fast enough to make her dizzy before storming in the direction of the dorm.

Alli was astonished that she was draped over Obsidian’s shoulder while he carried her inside the door. The sound of men talking ceased instantaneously as soon as the doors closed.

“Is there a problem, Obsidian?”

She twisted around, trying to identify the speaker but her hair and his blinded her.

“No. I’m going to my room. This is Alli.” He kept moving, not slowing his pace. “She’s visiting me.”

“Um, okay.”

“Have fun?” The hesitant, unsure tone of some guy’s voice was clear.

“It seems he might not be immune to females after all,” another one laughed. “Don’t break her.”

“Thank you for the advice!” Obsidian yelled.

“I appreciate it.”

He didn’t take the elevator, instead he jogged up the stairs, jarring her with every tread. Her hips bounced on his broad shoulder and she was grateful she’d been too nervous after getting the call from Homeland to eat lunch. He turned on the second-floor landing and strode quickly down a carpeted hallway, which she caught glimpses of as their hair swayed in and out of her face. He paused, opened a door and stepped inside.

They were alone in his room. The locks clicked into place, the distinctive sound loud. He spun away from the door, took four long steps and halted. She grunted when he dumped her onto the couch, not really gentle about it. It was a soft landing but hard enough to knock a hard breath from her lungs.

Obsidian stood over her looking anything but calm or reserved when she focused on his face.

His lips were parted, fangs showed and his eyes were narrowed on her. “Alli.”

He said her name in a way that made her uncertain if she should be afraid or happy. The husky tenor was certainly filled with emotion. She just wasn’t sure which one. Anger or passion?

“Stand up.”

She shifted a little to sit upright and used the couch arm to push to a standing position. Her knees managed to hold her when she put weight on her legs. He was close enough to touch if she reached out a few inches but she just tilted her chin up to peer at his face.