Best Friends (New Species Book 15)

by Laurann Dohner

  She tucked the towel she’d grabbed when entering the bathroom tighter around her chest. “Yes. I feel safer in here.”

  “I’d never hurt you.”

  “You already have if you knocked me up. How am I going to explain that to my parents? You said a cub! Can you imagine? Hey, Mom and Dad, guess what? I met some guy, five minutes later I let him nail me, and here’s your cub-slash-grandchild. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled. I’ll be an unwed mother of a lion baby. It will probably try to maul me when I nurse it. Animals hate me.”

  He made a strange noise that sounded like a chuckle.

  “Are you laughing?”

  He cleared his throat. “No.”

  “I thought New Species didn’t lie.” She put her feet down and stood, yanking open the door. He stood there with a grin on his face. She wanted to smack him. “You’re amused? Seriously?”

  “You’re funny. I’ll teach you how not to act like prey. Our child won’t try to maul you. He’ll love you. You also won’t be unwed. You’re my mate. I said I’d marry you.”

  “How big of you.”

  He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Are you done yelling at me yet?”

  “No.”

  “You’re a prickly female.”

  “You’re a dick.”

  “I’m Species, and I know what I want.”

  “I can’t talk to you right now.” She tried to close the door again.

  He moved fast, grabbing her with one hand and pulling her out of the small room. “You are surprised by my news. I understand. I should have waited to tell you.”

  “When?” She clutched the top of her towel to keep it from falling off. She’d already lost one. “Before or after I started puking from morning sickness?”

  “You’re looking for a reason to fight with me because you are set on denying you’re my mate.”

  She was furious at his calm logic. “Okay. What is a good reason to start a fight with you? I’m dying to hear the answer, if having sex with me and not mentioning I could get pregnant wasn’t one.”

  “I’m not certain I want your parents around my cub. I don’t know if I can trust them.”

  Her jaw dropped open.

  “You asked. I expect you to argue with me about that.”

  “Oh my God. What do you think? That they would hurt their own grandchild? They’re my parents. They raised me.”

  “I expect them to be unreasonable and prickly, like you. You probably learned that behavior from them. Maybe they act like prey, too, and will be so terrified they try to harm our cub.”

  “They would never!”

  “I don’t know them.”

  “And you won’t ever get to meet them. Do you know why? That would imply I’m going to stay with you—and that’s not happening.”

  He growled low, his eyes narrowing. “You wanted a topic to fight over. That was just an example.”

  “But you meant it.”

  “I’ll have to meet your parents to learn how they react to me before I expose them to our cub.”

  She was so mad it rendered her speechless, but she recovered fast. “You are the most arrogant man I’ve ever met!”

  “Arrogant isn’t a bad word. I learned that one. It means proud.”

  “Not exactly. It means you’re full of yourself and pushy.”

  “I’m Species.”

  “Is that your answer for everything?”

  He shrugged. “I’m willing to overlook your flaws because you’re human.”

  “What flaws?” She glared up at him.

  “You act like prey and you refuse to be reasonable. Those are human traits.”

  “I just can’t deal with you.” She reached out and pushed against his chest. “Move. I need to go beat on the door until someone lets me out of here. I’m going home.”

  He stepped aside, to her surprise, and she marched past him, through the bathroom, and headed across the large interior of the basement. She made the mistake of looking back, only to realize he followed right behind her.

  She stopped, spun, and lifted her chin. “Back off!”

  “You’re my mate.” He smiled. “Probably my pregnant mate.”

  “I better not be.” She turned and hurried toward the door again. She only got about nine more steps before his arm slid around her, and he pulled her against his body. She had to let go of her towel to grab at his arm under her breasts.

  “I’ll allow your parents to meet our cub. They will probably just run away when they see him anyway. Maybe they’ll fear being bitten.”

  She closed her eyes, trying to get a handle on her temper. One. Two. Three. Four. Fi―

  He suddenly lifted her off her feet, burying his nose against her throat. A low growl came from him. “I want to bite you, but you would enjoy it.”

  Her eyes flew open and she wiggled in his hold. “Put me down!”

  “Never. You’re mine, Mary. I want to pet you.”

  “And I want to smack you.”

  He chuckled. “I like how spirited you are. I’m glad that you aren’t afraid of me anymore.” He lowered his face and placed hot, wet kisses on her shoulder. “Such a sexy mate. Let me take care of you.”

  She didn’t fight him. It felt good to be held at that moment. What if she had gotten pregnant with his baby? No, a cub, she mentally corrected.

  Part of her wanted to believe him when he said sweet things like he’d just stated. He might want to keep her and think he could care for a family, but he was kind of childlike if he thought life could be that simple. It wasn’t.

  The NSO might have given him some kind of safe haven inside the massive room designed to be his home, but she doubted whoever was in charge had learned she was with Lash yet. Otherwise, they’d have come to get her and kicked her off Reservation.

  “Mary? What are you thinking right now?” He lowered her to her feet.

  She fought tears, and won. “It can’t work out between us.”

  “It will.”

  She twisted in his arms, and he loosened his hold enough for her to face him. His height had her tilting her head back a lot meet his gaze. His eyes were beautiful and so intense. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  He surprised her by lifting her off her feet again and holding her against his chest to put their faces almost at the same level. “I take mating you very seriously. Species don’t lie, Mary. This isn’t a game. I’m nothing like the human males who have hurt you. This is a lifetime commitment I’m making. Do you understand? I don’t want another female, and I’ll never leave you. I also won’t let you go. Don’t fear having my cubs, either. The NSO has some of the best doctors, if that’s a worry. Other Species babies have been born, and all of them, along with their human mothers, are healthy. There’s nothing for you to be afraid of. Just stay calm and relax. I will allow your parents into our lives if they want to be. Your happiness matters to me.”

  She put her hands on his shoulders and wished she could believe him. He might mean it at that moment, but he’d regret everything later. It was just crazy to meet someone and make those kinds of outlandish promises. They were too different for it to work out between them in the long run.

  “You don’t seem convinced,” he rasped. “Tell me what you doubt or fear. You look a bit afraid to me.” He sniffed. “You smell that way, too. I won’t hurt you.”

  She took a deep breath and gripped him tighter, liking the firmness of his shoulders under her hands. “You keep talking about the way Species are, but you’re forgetting that I’m not one, Lash. What if you discover we’re too different? We are, you know. What happens if we break up after we have a child together? Is the NSO going to shove me out the gates with our kid, or worse, not let me near my own baby?” That nightmare situation frightened her even as she spoke. “Oh my God. Could they do that? Keep me from my own child? The laws don’t apply here, do they? Those walls that surround this place will keep me from seeing my own baby!”

  Lash growled low and turned,
glancing around. He carried Mary to the food they’d abandoned and sat, putting her on his lap. He firmly kept hold of her with one arm while reaching for the brownie on the plate. He offered it to her. “Eat this and breathe, mate. Females like chocolate, I’ve been told, and it makes them happy.”

  She didn’t accept it. “Are you serious right now? Put it down before I shove it in your face.”

  He placed the brownie back on the plate and held her with both arms. “No one would kick you out of Reservation or keep you away from our cubs. That’s silly human talk. So is thinking that we will break up. I know the term. Species don’t do that once they mate. We’ll fight sometimes but we won’t ever be separated from each other. I’m aware that you’re human, but you’re with me. I’m stubborn enough for both of us. Did you hear me when I said I’m never letting you go? That’s the truth. You are getting upset about things that won’t happen.”

  She closed her eyes.

  “Mary?” He hoped she wouldn’t cry. He’d seen tears in her eyes, and her tone hadn’t been one he liked. “I would never allow anyone or anything to hurt you in any way.”

  She leaned against him and rested her cheek on his chest. “You make it sound so easy, but nothing ever is.”

  He felt frustrated that she wasn’t listening to him. Humans could be so irrational. He knew that. “It is here with me.”

  “The NSO isn’t going to like you keeping me. They’ll kick me out.”

  He snorted. “Now you’re being silly again. Every Species wants a mate. They’ll be happy for us. Do you want me to call Justice and have him come tell you that you can stay?”

  She appeared surprised when she twisted on his lap, staring at him. Her eyes were wider than normal and her mouth opened slightly.

  “What?” He didn’t know what he’d said that would cause that reaction from her.

  “Justice North? The leader of the New Species Organization?”

  “I don’t know any other Justice.”

  “You know him?”

  “Yes. He comes to Reservation. He and his mate even stay in the Wild Zone sometimes.”

  “You’ve met Jessie, too?”

  “Of course.”

  She seemed to think that over. “Oh.”

  “What are you thinking about now?”

  “I guess he’d let me stay if you’re friends with him. I just assumed…”

  “What? That I wouldn’t be allowed a mate because I’m a Wild Zone Species? Valiant has a mate. We’re all Species. Justice doesn’t treat us the way Mercile did. We’re family to him. It doesn’t matter if we were raised in a cage or a cell.”

  She frowned.

  “What are you thinking now?” He was curious about her thought processes. She was difficult to figure out.

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t lie, Mary.”

  She sighed and held his gaze. “You don’t live like other Species, though. Mel showed me Snow’s place. I was curious about where she’d moved to, and we went there while she got dressed for the wedding. He lives in this hotel. It’s a nice suite on the second floor. You live in the basement.”

  “Ah.” He understood. “It’s my choice. I like it down here.” He let her go with one arm and waved his hand. “I loved the outdoors in the Wild Zone, and I don’t like being around a lot of other people. Even Species. I didn’t talk much growing up. I’m not comfortable with needless conversations.” He shrugged, holding her with both arms again. He liked the feel of her on his lap. “I like talking to you.”

  She smiled slightly. “Even when I’m arguing with you?”

  “Even then. I’m fascinated by you.”

  Her expression sobered. “What happens when you get tired of me? All relationships are good in the beginning.”

  “That won’t happen, Mary. When you find a mate, you want no other female, and that will never change. Now you’re just looking for reasons to fight. Stop. Eat your chocolate.”

  “You’re so bossy.” She narrowed her eyes. “And don’t say you’re Species.”

  He grinned.

  She wiggled on his lap and reached for the small plate. She straightened, taking a bite of the brownie. He watched her expression as her eyes closed and she chewed. She seemed to enjoy it. He was glad. The little sound of pleasure she made turned him on. He’d get her lots more of the brownies if the treats made her this happy.

  “God. Reservation has the best food.” She opened her eyes and offered him a bite.

  He shook his head. “I don’t eat chocolate.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “You don’t?”

  “It makes my stomach feel bad. I like fruit instead.”

  “Oh. Maybe it’s because you’re part lion or something.”

  “Maybe. I love ice cream but not chocolate.”

  “What’s your favorite flavor?”

  “Vanilla.”

  “We’re so different.”

  “Stop looking for excuses not to be my mate. We’re compatible. Do you want me to take you to our bed and show you again?”

  Her gaze left his, and she scowled up at the platform. “That is a deal-breaker, Lash. We’ve got to compromise about that.”

  “It’s safer for us up there. I sleep better knowing we’re where humans can’t get to us if they breach security.”

  “I refuse to let you leap around with me all day. You don’t eat chocolate because it upsets your stomach. That’s what happens to mine when you take me up there or get me down.”

  “Humans do attack the NSO, Mary.”

  She sighed and stared at him, finishing her brownie. Her mind was working. He could see emotions flashing in her eyes. He waited, knowing she’d talk to him soon. He liked that about his mate. She had lots of opinions and words to say.

  “What happens if we do have a baby? It’ll crawl. It could fall off the platform. Did you think about that?”

  He hadn’t. “I’ll have them put lots of mats under it. You weren’t hurt when you landed on the mats after you fell out of the vent. It’s almost as high as my bed. Our son won’t get hurt.”

  “Deal-breaker, Lash. That means I can’t live with that. The bed has to come down.”

  He growled, not liking her demand.

  She wiggled in his arms but he refused to let her go. She set the plate down and twisted to face him, placing her hands on his chest. He liked it when she petted him, which she did at that moment.

  “Are you trying to manipulate me by touch?” He wasn’t about to admit it was working. He felt himself softening, wanting to give her anything she asked for.

  “No. You want me to give up my whole life to live here. Is the bed coming down so I can get in and out of it without some circus act really too much to ask? Meet me halfway.”

  He sighed, not liking her words, but he understood. “We can lower it five feet.”

  “Five feet from the floor?”

  He shook his head. “From where it is now.”

  Her fingers played with the fur on his chest. “Be reasonable, Lash. I’m thinking about moving here to live with you. The bed has to be low enough for me to climb in and out of it without your help.”

  “It’s a security risk. You’re not leaving me, Mary. I won’t let you go.”

  She stopped petting him and dug her nails into his chest. It wasn’t enough to hurt but he could tell he’d frustrated her. Didn’t she understand that he was trying to protect her? He opened his mouth to warn her about the dangers of attack again but she spoke before he could.

  “What about a safe room? The NSO built you all of this. Maybe they’d consider it.”

  He frowned. “What is that?”

  “Think of a bunker. It’s a room that’s designed to be break-in proof. Thick walls, floor, and ceiling. I’m not claustrophobic. Are you?”

  “What does that mean?”

  “A fear of small, enclosed spaces. Maybe they could design it to resemble a cave. Don’t lions like those? We could keep it open, but if someone were to break into the baseme
nt, it could be sealed to keep us safe inside.”

  He wasn’t sure. “I’ll talk to Torrent about it, or Jaded.”

  She smiled at him again. “Thank you.”

  “I need to take you to bed now.” He wanted his mate.

  “I just ate. I can’t jump around right now. Trust me, it’s rough on my stomach. I don’t think puking would do it for either of us.”

  He growled and lifted her off his lap. He stood and reached down, pulling Mary to her feet. “Come with me. Those mats will be good for something.”

  “The ones I fell on?”

  “They are soft and not too high.”

  “Can you grab us some pillows? Maybe a blanket? I don’t want to lie naked on plastic or whatever that material is.”

  He grinned. “I’ll be right back.” He let her go and ran, took a leap, and landed on the lowest platform. He turned, eyed the second one, and crouched. He leapt up and landed on it. Below him, he heard Mary curse.

  He grinned. She was afraid he’d miss. She didn’t know how easy this was for him.

  Chapter Seven

  Mary floated on her back, staring up at the lit waterfall. Small lights were all around her in the sides of the pool. The water was still pleasantly warm. Lash had done something to turn on star-like lights across the ceiling of the dim room.

  The basement had definitely been turned into one of the coolest indoor areas she’d ever seen.

  A small wave in the water drew her from her thoughts and she rolled over, watching as Lash climbed into the pool with her. He was naked, and the sight of all his muscles and his gorgeous body wasn’t getting old.

  She swam toward him where he stood in the pool. It wasn’t deep, probably five and a half feet. He held out his arms and she wrapped around him.

  “I thought you’d wait for me.”

  She smiled. “Sorry. I was dying to try out this pool. It’s amazing.”

  “I wanted a bigger one but this was the best they could do.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  “You’re perfect, mate.”

  He frequently said things like that, which made her feel sexy and wonderful. “I love the lights.”

  “I used to climb trees and sleep under the stars.” He glanced up. “I mentioned that, so they put those in. It’s not the same. I don’t have a moon in here.”