Chapter 923

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Rika

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We stayed in the boat for a while. I moved so that I was sitting in front of Clovio and he was holding me while we watched the scenery. We were talking more and more about ourselves. I still didn’t want to tell him who my parents were just yet though. If he didn’t know who Reece and Trinity Gray were, then I didn’t want to tell him. I didn’t think it was a good idea to make him start liking me just because my family had wealth and power. I wanted Clovio to like me for me.

While I was lost in that tranquil little bubble that we were in while floating on the lake, I felt so at peace that I could have fallen asleep. Part of the reason that I felt so comfortable was the way that I was sitting in Clovio’s arms, letting him hug me tightly and listening to his heartbeat steadily. It sounded so calming and peaceful that I just couldn’t believe it.

This was all new to me. The way that it felt to have a man hold you in his arms was something that I had never experienced before, but I loved it so much already. Or maybe that was just because it was Clovio. I liked the strength in his arms, the feel of his muscles, all of it. I felt safe and secure while the excitement in me rose.

That excitement was exactly why I couldn’t fall asleep though. I was too excited, nervous, and scared to let that happen. I don’t care how calm and peaceful the moment was, I was not going to let myself fall asleep and embarrass myself in front of Clovio. I needed to be on my guard at all times so that I knew that I was making the best impression possible. Clovio liked me so far, and that was good. I like him too. And that was why I was hoping that he was my mate. That way I didn’t have to worry about hurting him if and when I found a different man that was meant to be my mate. I wanted Clovio, and no one else.

.....

After a while though, I knew that it was about time for us to return the boat. I hadn’t managed to get my kiss yet, but I liked the way that things were going so far. I would kiss him soon though. I wouldn’t let this date end without one.

Clovio rowed us back to the shore while we joked about different things. We kept joking about him being the ‘strong one’ since he was the one that was rowing the boat. That was something else that I was not going to show Clovio yet. I didn’t want him knowing that I was really, really strong. He didn’t need to see that right now. He would think that I was a freak or something. No, it was best to let him do all the stuff that required physical strength. I didn’t want to chase him away or anything like that. I wanted Clovio to stay with me. I wanted him to love me, and he wouldn’t love me if he thought that I was some sort of freak or monster.

When we made it out of the boat, with Clovio taking my hand and guiding me onto the land once again, we went back into the cabin to let them know that both boats were back and tied up. The man that was part of my pack was not there though, that was good. I didn’t want to risk him saying something to me. This was better for me.

Now it was time for us to get those drinks and sit under the trees. That was when I was going to get my kiss. I was going to finally make out with Clovio again and I was going to do it while we were under the trees.

Clovio insisted on buying the drinks for us since I had paid for the food and the boat. I didn’t argue and just let him. He got me a juice and Lyssa a coffee while he got a soda for him and Warrick. We were on our way to the grassy area to sit down when someone called out to him from across the park.

“CLOVIO!” The man was waving at us. I could hear that he had an accent that was similar to Clovio’s and Warrick’s. He was definitely from Germany as well. Why were there so many people from Germany here?

“Hello Claud, I didn’t know that you were in town.” I could tell that Clovio was surprised to see this group of men. “I thought you were on the west coast.”

“We were, but we just got into town today. We are looking around for a park to host a party in. You should come with us.” The man was looking at me though, even while he was talking to Clovio.

I didn’t like the way this man was looking at me. He had something in his eyes that was not quite right. And I didn’t like that he looked a lot like Clovio. He had the same dark colored hair and green eyes that I noticed so many of the others had. And Claud wasn’t the only one that had just showed up. There were five men. And they all looked so much like the exchange students that I knew from school.

“Clovio, are these friends of yours?” The men that I was looking at were all human, I could smell that. And they had that same unique smell that I had noticed at the school the first day. Actually almost all of the exchange students had that smell. In fact, Clovio, Warrick and Armina were the only ones that I knew that didn’t have that same smell. At least it wasn’t as strong with the three of them. These five men had it too. It must be something that indicated where they were from. I was starting to think that all humans from Germany were going to smell like that.

“Yes, I know them. These are some men that I grew up with. They were under the same exchange program a few years ago. They live here now. And I guess they came to visit us or something.” I didn’t quite believe what he was saying, it just sounded like he was lying to me. But why would he lie to me? What reason would he have to do that?

“Oh, well, it is nice to meet you. Your name is Claud, right? I am Rika.” I went to shake his hand, but he just looked at me like I was crazy. It made me feel like I had done something wrong.

“Nice to meet you, Rika.” He sneered at me and then looked at Clovio. “I see you are making friends out here.”

“Am I not supposed to?” I heard the anger in Clovio’s voice when he snapped back at the other man.

“No. That isn’t it. It’s just that, you know, you are here to learn.” I saw Claud’s narrowed eyes and wondered exactly what it was that he was trying to get at. Why was he so angry at Clovio for being on a date? Was it against the rules of their exchange program? Was he going to lose his funding or his sponsor? If that were the case, then I would sponsor him. I would fund him. I wouldn’t let him get sent away just because he went on a date with me. That would be stupid.

“I know what I am here for.” Clovio snapped at him. I could tell that Warrick was just as tense and angry as Clovio was. Warrick was trying to hide Lyssa behind him, but Claud understood.

“I don’t know what you two think, that you are doing, but you are going against the rules.” Another man in the group snapped at them. “You need to focus or the directors will be notified.”

“Shut it, Fritz!” Warrick growled at him. “We will do what we need to do, you just shut up.”

“You had better.” Claud narrowed his eyes at Clovio and then looked at me with hatred in his eyes. “I would hate for things to go south for you just because you were out here canoodling with some bitch.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“HEY!”

“Shut up, Claud.” I had screamed at Claud in anger, but before I could do anything Clovio stepped in front of me and yelled at him as well. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

“Or what, Clovio? What are you going to do to me if I call a bitch a bitch? She’s nothing more than a distraction for you, and you need to get back to work. Finish wetting your dick and focus.” I saw that Claud was stepping closer to us and his eyes were locked onto me. “Fuck her and leave her. Who knows, I might even fuck her too. She’s pretty enough. And then you can focus on the real reason that you’re here.”

I wanted to punch this man. In fact, I was just about to do just that when he reached out and stroked my cheek. However, the moment that I moved my arm to prepare the punch, I heard someone call my name from across the park.

“RIKA!”

All of us snapped to attention at the sound of the angry man that had yelled at me. There was a boiling rage pouring off of him as his eyes locked onto me and the scene that was unfolding around us.

“Shit.” I whispered under my breath. This was the last thing that I needed right now.

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