Page 68 of Too Guarded to Love

“You mean your soulmate sense is on the fritz. What the hell, Gran? You told Mom that Dad was the one for her. You told Kane that Beth was the one for him. Now it’s my turn.”

Gran chuckled. “Believe me, sweetie, I can’t wait for these cobwebs to clear, especially since you finally opened your heart and mind and believe in things you can’t explain.”

“Oh, Gran, you have no idea how many things I can’t explain that I’ve had to accept since I got here.”

“I’m sure I’ll have a clearer head in a few days. I guess in the meantime you’ll just have to figure this out on your own.”

Olivia huffed like she was a kid who had been told she couldn’t have more pie. “Guess so.” But there was one thing she didn’t need to guess at. There was truth in believing superpowers were real.

As if her thoughts conjured something super, Kane walked in. Beth followed with a big bouquet of flowers as colorful as her purple shimmery sweater.

Gran clapped her hands. “Those are lovely.”

Beth set them on a table and kissed her cheek. “Don’t let Kane near you. He just came from the gym and he stinks.”

“Yeah.” He sniffed his armpit. “I do. I only have a few minutes to shower and head to a briefing, but I wanted to stop by.”

Olivia glanced at the door. “Is Nic going to come by too?” Maybe if Gran saw them together again, her soulmate sense would come into focus.

Kane cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Why do you care where Nic is?”

Beth slapped him on the shoulder. “We talked about this last night, Kane. It’s none of your business who Olivia spends her time with.”

Olivia pressed her fingers into her temples. Just two days in the VIPER-verse and its inhabitants were already discussing her life behind closed doors. At least Kane didn’t give any indication he’d heard Nic make her scream last night.

“Look, Livvie, I discussed it with the guys this morning and we all think it’s a terrible idea for you to pursue Nic. He’s our brother and always will be, but he’s going to break your heart.”

“You discussed me.” Beth and Kane conferring about her relationship with Nic was one thing. A bunch of super soldiers talking about who she dated punctuated why life inside the VIPER-verse, even with the heart-stopping orgasms, wasn’t for her. Still, what she did with Nic was her decision. “Jeez, Kane. Why don’t you just have Edgar draft an official document for me to sign that forbids me from being within ten feet of Nic.”

“Stop being a wiseass. Nic’s a player, and you fall too quickly. And if you would have introduced me to this Jonathan guy, I could have pointed out the red flags.”

Maybe he could have. But she knew Nic’s red flags and couldn’t stop thinking about him. Did that count for something?

Beth sighed and touched Kane’s arm. “Honey, I love you, but you’re a pigheaded oaf sometimes. Get your head out of your ass. It isn’t up to you who your sister falls for.”

Gran giggled. “Well said, dear. And you’re right. It’s not up to Kane. It’s not up to Livvie either. I may not be able to tap into my soulmate sense right now, but that doesn’t mean the universe still isn’t working its matchmaking magic.”