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“Oh, and let’s not forget, Aiden also looks out for her. And before you say you do too, know when he does it, he doesn’t treat her like an eyesore, or like it’s a chore to do anything for her or with her,” Riley added, staring Lukas down. “He respects her.”

Mera reached out and touched Riley’s arm. “I think he’s had enough.”

“No. No, he hasn’t. It’s about time he hears this, because the way he’s going, he really is going to lose Blaire, and I for one don’t want to see her go. I like her, and want her to be happy, even if it’s not with him,” Riley said with tears in her eyes. “You either need to truly walk away and let Blaire be happy, even if it’s with someone else—”

Lukas growled.

She rolled her eyes. “—or grow a backbone and man up, because that poor girl has gone through hell, and she doesn’t deserve this.” She huffed out a breath after her rant and crossed her arms.

Mera put a hand on her shoulder. “Lukas…” she said calmly. “Have you ever been intimate in any way with Blaire? I’m very curious about how your bond is progressing the way it is despite the distance you so clearly place between the two of you.”

Lukas glanced away with a grimace, which caused both girls to quickly sit down on Blaire’s bed, Riley bouncing out of her skin with excitement, forgetting all her frustration as she exclaimed loudly, “Details! Like, yesterday!”

Lukas rolled his eyes and sighed.

Before he could say anything, Blaire shifted in response to Riley’s loud exclamation, her brows pinching together. He watched as she took a deep inhale of his pillow, her features instantly relaxing as she settled with a soft breath. When he turned his gaze back to Mera and Riley, they were staring at him. Mera had a hint of a smile on her face.

Not about to get into the details about Blaire smelling him and his things all the time, he said, “We haven’t been together, but I have kissed her… but that didn’t happen until today. I held her the night before last, after she had a nightmare during the thunderstorm.” He shrugged. “There’s also that time I touched her bruises.”

Mera shook her head. “No… something more has to have happened between you two, because the only way to progress the bond is for the pair to both become emotionally connected, which you obviously have not with the way you argue—or at least you haven’t grown enough emotionally for the kind of raw reactions we are witnessing, so clearly the only logical conclusion would be that you both are growing in physical intimacy.”

“Do you mean sex?” Riley asked, sounding way too interested.

Mera nodded. “If not intercourse, then some other form of sexual contact to bring about this strong of a change.”

Lukas ran a hand down his face. “No. Nothing like that.”

Riley had been right. Lukas had made an effort to get to know Blaire, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t seek her out; he only connected with her if the opportunity presented itself. He needed to make more of an effort. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He wanted to spend all his time with her. But if he were honest with himself, he still felt afraid. Afraid of being hurt. Of rejection.

The only constant over the years had been Aiden and Riley. His parents were never around. Business came first. He was an afterthought. He faced the same rejection from Blaire. So far, she was only near him because she had to be because of their Korrena bond. He wanted her to want him for him. No, he needed that desperately.

Mera shook her head. “Then I don’t know. Perhaps her being human is playing into the strengthening bond, but it’s clear it’s still unstable.”

Blaire stirred again on the bed, getting his attention.

Blaire sat up and looked around, confused for a moment, before realizing she was still in Lukas’s bed. She blushed before stammering, deflecting from her current situation, “W-what are you two doing here?”

Riley glared at Lukas. “I wanted to see how you were doing today. See if you were able to get back into your room.”

Lukas growled. Blaire stared at him.

“I didn’t lock her out on purpose,” he grated out. “The latch was probably still turned, and it must have slid into place when I closed the door last night before I went to take a shower and didn’t hear her try to get in.”

Riley rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced, but he told the truth, so he wasn’t about to argue the point. What’s done is done.

“Anyway, we’re all going to the diner in town if you guys want to join us for dinner,” Riley said.

Blaire immediately perked up. “I’ve only had some chips since before we went to the movies yesterday, and I’m starving.”

Lukas frowned. He didn’t know she had skipped dinner.

Riley smiled at Blaire. “You seem happy.”

“Oh… um…” Blaire blushed. “I’m just excited about the idea of seeing my friend Charlotte and letting her know how things are going for me. I haven’t contacted her since I got here like I told her I would. I mean, all things considered… I didn’t know what to say to her. She’s probably worried sick.”

Riley looked at Lukas, still with a slightly sour look on her face. “So, you coming too?”

He sighed. “Yeah, I’m going.” He couldn’t reject something that would make Blaire happy.