Brundar’s rotation had ended when the sun came up at five in the morning. There had been one false alarm, a drunk couple necking in a parking lot, but thankfully no murders.

If he didn’t have a full workday ahead of him, Brundar would’ve gone straight to Calypso. That one text had shattered his resolve to try and stay away from her as much as he possibly could.

She’d been worried about him.

Or perhaps he was just looking for an excuse. Blaming Calypso for his weakness was much easier than admitting he had no willpower where she was concerned.

He was so screwed.

At this stage, no matter what he did, they were both going to get hurt.

There was no elegant solution.

After a quick shower, he lay down in bed, trying to catch a couple of hours of shuteye before having to report to Onegus for his daily duties. But sleep eluded him. All he could think of was Calypso; her sexy smile, her bright green eyes, her laughter.

She’d been through so much, and yet she seemed happy. He would’ve expected her to be reserved, subdued, maybe even a little sad. But she’d proved to be more resilient than he’d given her credit for. Or maybe it was in her character to be upbeat and positive, and external forces had little to do with how she felt.

Did it mean that he was naturally unhappy and cold? And that what had happened to him hadn’t really shaped who he was?

Those were questions better addressed to a professional, and Brundar wasn’t planning on visiting Vanessa anytime soon. Or ever. Maybe he could buy a book on the subject. Get some information without visiting a bloody shrink.

Later, while waiting for Kian to be done with his lunch meeting, Brundar was bored enough actually to search the Internet for such a book, but he didn’t find anything he was interested in reading. It could have had something to do with Anandur peeking over his shoulder and asking him what he was looking for. The truth was that he wasn’t much of a reader. Whatever little free time he had was usually spent training, and lately with Calypso.

Damnation. He couldn’t wait for his tasks for the day to be done so he could go to her. So much for willpower.

At four o'clock, after completing a short investigative assignment Onegus had sent him on, Brundar informed the chief Guardian that he was leaving early.

“Go get some sleep. You look like hell.” Onegus allowed him to cut one hour off his schedule. After spending most of the night on rotation, he shouldn’t even have to ask.

Nevertheless, sleeping was not what Brundar had in mind.

Fighting against Calypso’s pull was like resisting an elastic tether, but one that was made of carbon fibers. At first, there had been some give, the pull bearable, but with each passing hour the pull became stronger, and digging his heels in the ground wasn’t helping.

Brundar parked his car in front of her building and pulled out the keys to its front door from the glove compartment, but then reconsidered and put them back. After neglecting her for so long, it would be inappropriate for him to come unannounced.

He walked up to the door and punched the buzzer.

A moment later, he heard the door lock release, but not a word from Calypso. She was allowing him in but refusing to acknowledge him. Obviously, she was mad. He couldn’t blame her.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he was at her door a couple of moments later. It was ajar, and he pushed it in.

Sitting on the couch, Calypso was watching a show on the tube, ignoring him. Perhaps she hadn’t heard him?

Brundar cleared his throat. “May I come in?”

“You’re already in.”

Yep, she was mad. But that wasn’t the only thing that made him tense.

There were two new scents in the apartment. An old one, female, and a recent one, male.

He crossed the distance to the couch and stood in front of Calypso, blocking her view of the television. “Who was here?”

“None of your business.”

Damn it. He couldn’t tell her that he could smell people’s residual scents long after they had left. But then she hadn’t denied having someone over.

“I asked you to text me if you invite anyone in here.”

“I was in no danger from either.”

He crouched, forcing Calypso to look at his face and not his belt buckle. “Are you angry?”

She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

He tilted his head. “About what?”

“Don’t play dumb, Brundar. You know exactly why.”

“Because I didn’t come over for a few days?”

If looks could kill he would’ve been dead already. Calypso’s green eyes were shooting daggers at him. “Because you didn’t call. Because you didn’t text to let me know you’re alive, and because your answer to my text was super jerky.” She crossed her arms over her heaving chest.

Scratching his head, he tried to remember what his answer had been. “I said I was working.”

“Yeah, you did. And that was it. You didn’t ask how I was, or if everything was okay. Nothing. You made me feel like the clingy clueless girlfriend who should’ve gotten it through her head that you’re not interested but didn’t.” She looked away. “Well, you succeeded.”

“Succeeded in doing what?”

“Ugh, you’re infuriating. I get it that you’re not interested. You can go home.” She pointed at the door.

“I don’t want to go home. I came because I wanted to be with you.”

Calypso shook her head. “Well, I don’t want to be with you. I don’t want to be with anybody. Men are all jerks and are good only for one thing that I can do without. I’m taking a vow of celibacy.”

What happened next was totally unexpected.

Brundar felt laughter bubble up from deep in his belly, and once he let it out, it just kept coming in wave after wave until there were tears in his eyes and a stitch in his side.

If Calypso had been pissed at him before, now she looked ready to do him harm. Shoving on his chest, she sent him toppling down on his ass. “It’s not funny!”

Brundar laughed even harder.

The idea of Calypso taking a vow of celibacy was just ludicrous. She wouldn't last more than a week.

“I’m sorry—” he croaked between peals of laughter, “—it has been so long since I laughed, I forgot how it felt—” He tried to breathe in to stop. “It’s bad… It hurts…” He pressed a hand to his middle.

Calypso’s lips quivered with an effort to stifle her own laughter. “Good. I want you to suffer.”

It took a few forceful inhales and exhales before Brundar regained his composure. “Please forgive me. I meant no disrespect.” He pushed up and sat on the couch next to Calypso. “When I got your text, I was in the middle of a situation. But that’s not an excuse. I could’ve texted you later that night or this morning. I’m not adept at social interactions.”

Calypso’s rigid posture relaxed a fraction. “This is not about social etiquette. I’m allowing for your no-nonsense military style. This is about caring and showing it. But I guess you don’t. Not enough, anyway.”

Damnation.

Brundar cared a lot. More than he should. Except, telling her that might appease her in the short term, but later, when he would be forced to sever the inexplicable bond between them, it would cause her more grief.

“I’m not adept at interpersonal relationships either. Whatever expectations you may have, forget them and save yourself a shitload of disappointment.” He had done his best to avoid saying anything that would’ve sounded as rejection, going for self-deprecating and noncommittal. The less she thought of him, the better.

Calypso sighed, her shoulders slumping. “You’re right. You are who you are, and I can either take it or leave it. I told myself a long time ago that I shouldn't try changing anyone because it’s a waste of time and energy. The only one I can change is me.”

“Smart.” Especially for a woman so young. She was a quick learner.

She shrugged. “If I were smart, I would’ve stayed away from the complicated and the brooding and gone after the simple and upbeat. A nice guy who would treat me right and call me ten times a day to tell me he loves me.”

Her words cut deep. Brundar wished he could be that guy she’d described, but even if she were an immortal female, and he loved her dearly, he would’ve never called her ten times a day to tell her that. Or even once. That just wasn’t who he was.

With a frown, Brundar tried to imagine the guy she’d described. Was it anyone he knew? Was it the same man who had visited her last night?

Had she had sex with him?

Anger and jealousy washing over him like a tsunami, Brundar took a deep sniff. If she had, he would smell it.

Thank the merciful Fates, there was no lingering scent of sex. Not even his and Calypso’s from several nights ago. Still, he had to know who it was. “Who did you invite over here?”

“I already told you. It’s none of your business. Don’t play the part of a possessive boyfriend when you keep telling me you’re not mine.” She waved a hand in the air. “You spend your nights in that dungeon, doing God knows what with God knows who, and I can’t even invite anyone for coffee?” She huffed. “Please. Give me a break.”

“I haven’t been with anyone but you since I helped you leave your husband.”

She pinned him with a hard stare. “And I’m supposed to believe that? You are the co-owner of a kink club. It’s your job to play.” She waved her hand again.

Brundar didn’t take offense easily, but being accused of providing sexual services was too much. “I’m not whoring myself out, Calypso. That is not part of my job.”

“So what do you do down there all night?”

He itched to repay her in kind and tell her it was none of her business, but that was before he’d scented her distress. Calypso was putting on a brave face, masking her hurt with anger, but her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

“I instruct, I demonstrate, and I monitor. I don’t participate in sexual acts unless I want to. And ever since I brought you here, I haven’t wanted to play with anyone else.”

“Really?”

At first, her doubting his veracity angered him, but on second thought he realized Calypso needed reassurance.

“I can’t promise you much, but I can promise you exclusivity as long as we are together, and I demand the same from you. No more inviting men to your apartment without letting me know who and why.”

Calypso nodded. “I can live with that.” She smirked. “It was Donnie. He walked me home, and I invited him for a cup of coffee.”

As if that was supposed to ease his mind. Donnie was a good looking human, with exactly the kind of mellow personality she’d described as desirable in a male.

“Why did you invite him up?”

“What do you mean, why?” Calypso lifted her hands in exasperation. “That’s part of the social interactions you don’t get. He was kind enough to walk me home, and the least I could do was to offer him a cup of coffee. Besides, you have nothing to get jealous about. Donnie is not interested in me. He has his eyes on Fran. All we talked about was him mustering the nerve to approach her.”

That was good. Donnie’s face was no longer in danger of getting beaten into a pulp. Except, Calypso hadn’t clarified about her interest, or lack thereof, in the bouncer.

But inept as Brundar was at interacting with people, especially women, he knew it would be a mistake to ask her directly. Instead, he could keep her talking about the guy and sniff for arousal. Her body couldn’t lie.

“Donnie is handsome. Why would he fear approaching Fran?”

Calypso shrugged. “She is a little snooty to him, barely acknowledging he exists. Donnie believes Fran thinks of him as all brawn and no brain. A dumb muscleman.”

No arousal.

Brundar allowed himself to relax. “I can ask her for him.”

Calypso shook her head. “Don’t. He needs to do it himself.”

“What if she says no?”

“So it’s a no, and he can move on. Dealing with rejection is part of life. Getting turned down is not as bad as never trying.”

“Come here.” Brundar leaned and scooped Calypso into his arms, positioning her in his lap. “The lady is both smart and beautiful. A killer combination.”