“We’re going to have to talk to each of the new ones.” Fury shifted his stance. “I hate to say it but if they can’t be a part of us, I don’t want them running around.”
“Fury!” Ellie gasped. “Are you saying we should kill them?”
“I said I don’t want them running around. Maybe we can contain the dangerous ones until they smarten up.”
“Justice will decide. For now,” Tiger peered down at Jessie’s sleeping form, “we have them separated and accounted for. I have officers talking to all of them to see where their heads are. My main concern is Jessie. She is either going to recover from this or she’s going to shoot anyone she doesn’t trust who goes near Justice.” He suddenly grinned. “Hey, she could shoot reporters. That’s a plan.”
Fury chuckled. “Don’t get excited. I know how great that would be but then Justice would be angry to have a mate locked up at a slammer.”
“It’s ‘in the slammer’. And yes, that would be bad for her to be sent to prison. Of course, as his mate, she’s a Species and they can’t take her away since their laws don’t apply here.” Ellie pointed a finger at Tiger. “Don’t think about it and wipe that grin off your face. You can’t send her after them no matter how much you hate those vultures. Did anyone call her father? Maybe he could help her snap out of this and realize it’s not as bad as she thinks.”
“No humans,” Tiger announced. “Imagine how it would sound if this got out. We’re going for the ‘we are better people’ campaign and now we have five dead Species assassins. It would be a disaster.”
“Public relations nightmare all the way,” Fury agreed. “Her father isn’t going to be called.”
The door to Justice’s room opened and Nurse Paul stepped out. “He’s doing great.” Paul glanced at Jessie in Tiger’s arms. “Sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know she fell asleep. Justice is going to be fine and should wake soon.”
Tiger pushed off from the desk. “Good. Let’s go into his room and I’ll put her next to him.”
Paul shook his head. “She can’t be put in bed with him.”
Tiger arched his eyebrow. “Really? Stop me from putting her there.” He pushed past Paul.
Tiger gently laid Jessie on the bed beside Justice. Both of them slept while he watched them. Pure rage filled him. His best friend and his mate could have been killed. His focus fixed on Jessie and his anger softened. She was tough and she loved Justice. His best friend had chosen his mate well. He backed away from the bed to leave them in peace and go back to sit on the desk.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Justice woke and realized three things instantly. Jessie lay beside him sleeping, he was in pain and Tiger sat in a chair next to him, silently regarding him with a grim expression. He’d survived the attack since he was in Medical.
“How bad are my injuries and did you catch the fifth male?”
“Jessie killed him. You had surgery but you’re going to be fine within a few days. I had Dr. Treadmont give you the drugs to help you heal faster so that’s the reason if you feel a little aggressive. Please control it.”
Justice turned his head to study Jessie. She lay curled on her side facing him, his arm rested under her head and his hand curved around her back. He didn’t see a mark on her delicate features, reassuring him she hadn’t been harmed. He felt relief. His attention shifted back to Tiger.
“When did she fall asleep?”
“She didn’t.” Tiger hesitated. “Don’t get mad because I can explain. She’s drugged. We had no other choice.”
“Why?” Justice growled softly. “Was she harmed and needs the rest to heal?”
“She’s fine except for the fact that you gave her two loaded guns with spare clips and she stood outside this room threatening to kill any Species besides Breeze or me if they came within ten feet of your door. She meant it. She said she would trust me since you do and she trusts Breeze because she’s her friend.”
“She doesn’t know who to trust after the males came after us.” He smiled. “She defied my orders to remain in the bathroom and saved my life. She is battleworthy, Tiger. You should have seen her.”
“I did. We arrived and found her planted protectively over you and holding two guns. I’m lucky to be here because she pointed them right at me. The fifth male was outside the back slider of your office. He must have realized when we arrived that he had one last opportunity to kill both of you. He launched himself through the glass. She turned both guns on him, didn’t miss once and he was dead before he ever touched either of you. She reacted before I could. We had to drug her, Justice. She was in shock and told Halfpint and Tiny that she thought we were going to suffer a civil war. She was ready to kill any of us who got near you, thinking we’d split loyalties. She’s very protective of you.”
Justice grinned and his arm tightened around her. “She’s a perfect mate.”
Tiger laughed. “I’d say so. Remind me to never piss you off. She’ll hurt me.”
“I’ll explain things to her when the drugs wear off.” Justice paused. “We need to weed out the new ones to make sure none of them want to come after Jessie or me. I won’t allow that to happen.”
“I thought of that already and ordered all of the new ones, including the females, to be detained for questioning. Our officers are talking to each of them to see if we have any more problems.” He paused. “We will deal with them if there are more of them who hate humans enough to turn on their own people. We can’t allow them to endanger any of us if they are unstable.”
“I know.” Justice sighed. “Did you ever think we’d be discussing this?”
“Never. It must be done though.”
“Yes.”
“The council is in the waiting room. They wanted to ask you to give permission for them to take over your duties while you are healing. They asked me to tell you that if you need to take some time to,” Tiger’s gaze drifted to Jessie, “calm your female, please take as many weeks away as you need.” A grin suddenly split his face. “Everyone is requesting you hide your weapons from her in the future.”
“She can keep them after she realizes this won’t happen again.” Justice suddenly laughed. It hurt and he groaned. “I would feel safer at night knowing she has access to a gun. She can protect me but I’ll hide them when I make her angry.”
Tiger laughed. “Should I tell everyone that is the reason why you won’t take her guns away? They might believe it and not know you are teasing.”
“No.” Justice laughed. “Just tell them I’ll think about it.” His smile suddenly died. He glanced at Jessie and then Tiger. “Did she say anything about me?”
“She was worried and she cried when we thought you weren’t going to make it.”
“I meant about how I tore apart the first male who came at our bedroom? Was she horrified? Upset? Sickened? I never wanted her to see that side of me.”
“She never said a word but I saw the body. She walked through his blood and had to have known how you killed him. It was obvious. Didn’t you tell her we don’t use weapons against one another? That it is our way? Didn’t you tell her that we were sure it would result in death if our males ever fought when it comes to protecting a mate?”
“I never explained it clearly, in enough detail.”
“You are afraid she won’t be able to look at you again and not remember? I’m sure she’ll still love you.”
“I ‘m worried she will fear me.”
“You are her male, Justice. Her mate. You tore your bed apart at Reservation, over a female. She was the one, wasn’t she? She was there that night but had to leave suddenly for her job. I had to allow their helicopter to land to pick her up during your press conference with the reporters outside the gates. I should have put it together but I assumed the female was one of ours.”
“I should have told you but you know how you are when it comes to our males and humans. You’d have worried. She is all I’ve wanted since I first touched her and all I could think about.”
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“She will get over it if it bothers her, Justice. She is not new to you. She knows you and still put herself in your bed. That is trust that you would never cause her harm. She killed to protect you and sat out there on the other side of the door pointing two guns at council members.” Tiger laughed. “She thought she was protecting you.”
Justice groaned. “She didn’t.”
“She certainly did. They were amused but they stayed more than ten feet back. Well, except for Brawn. He walked closer. You know how he loves to push things.”
“What happened?”
“She pointed one of her guns at the front of his jeans and told him unless he wanted neutered he should step back. He backed up.”
Justice chuckled. “I wish I could have seen that.”
Tiger grinned. “I did and I’ll have many laughs over the memory. Speaking of Brawn, they realized you hadn’t chosen anyone to take Jessie’s place on the task team and they knew you had a meeting with Tim this morning. Brawn met with him instead and volunteered for the job. He left half an hour ago.”
Justice tensed. “The task force?”
A grin split Tiger’s face. “Won’t they be in for a treat?”
“You should have stopped him.”
Tiger laughed harder. “You are the one who agreed they could help you make decisions and take on some of your responsibilities.”
Justice relaxed and smiled. “I wish I could see him interact with humans. What a nightmare. He would have been my last choice. I was thinking Flame would have been perfect since he enjoys spending time with humans.”
“Yeah.” Tiger chuckled. “I agree but they got Brawn instead. Poor Tim.”
Jessie suddenly stirred next to Justice. He turned to her, ignoring Tiger. Jessie’s eyes flickered open and he smiled at her, cupping her face. “Hi, Jessie.”
Jessie smiled in return but memory returned as her eyes widened with alarm. She tried to jerk up in the bed but Justice held her down by tightening his hold on her. “It’s over. We’re safe. Calm down, honey.”
Jessie flashed her gaze around the room and found Tiger. She glared. “You had Ellie drug me.”
“I did. You wouldn’t listen so I thought you would listen to Justice.” He stood and walked out of the room.
Jessie was furious. “He had me drugged.”
Justice grinned. “He was probably afraid my mate was going to kill him. I’m proud of you but…” His smile disappeared. “I’m going to punish you for disobedience. You should have stayed inside the bathroom.”
“I saved your ass.”
“I know. Thank you. You still need to be punished and I decided the best way to teach you a lesson.”
She was pissed off. “You can’t be serious? I saved your life, Justice. Just because I’m a human doesn’t mean I had to hide inside the bathroom. You never would have asked one of your women to do that. You—”
Justice kissed her. Jessie groaned against his mouth, happy to feel his lips on hers, thrilled that he felt well enough to do it. Her hands reached for his chest to assure his heart beat strongly. He pulled away and stared deeply into her eyes.
“Will you at least listen to what kind of punishment you are getting before you start yelling?”
“Fine. Tell me and I’ll tell you if you can or not.”
A growl sounded in the back of his throat while his eyes narrowed. “I’m sending you to Reservation. I decided the best way to teach you to listen to me is for you to spend at least two weeks out there.”
“You’re sending me away?” She was stunned and hurt. “But—”
“I wasn’t finished.” He smiled. “I’m going to personally give you lots of orders and you will learn to follow every one of them.” He pulled her closer. “I’m going to demand you take off your clothes and climb into bed with me. So, do you think this is fitting punishment?”
She grinned. “I have been very bad.”
His lips brushed hers. “You need to learn how to take orders. Should we start right now?”
Her eyes darted down to the bandage on his hip. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m alive and you are in my arms. I always want you.”
Jessie suddenly grinned. “All that movement can’t be good for you. Do you know what that means?”
He arched his eyebrow at her.
“I should do all the work.” She pushed him onto his back. “You should lie back and let me take care of you.”
He growled but stayed flat. Jessie sat up and leaned over him. Her tongue circled his nipple and she sucked it into her mouth. Justice’s fingers dug into her hair and a purr rumbled from his throat. She teased and taunted his nipple until the hold on her hair became too tight. She laughed and released his nipple.
“Slow and steady, right?”
“They gave me drugs to help me heal,” he said through clenched teeth. “I have no patience. I’m feeling extremely basic.”
“What does that mean?”
His eyes narrowed and his nose flared. “I’m super horny and aggressive so don’t tease me for long. I can’t take it in this state of limited control. I don’t want to hurt you and if you tease me too long I might in my need to be inside you.”
Jessie climbed off the bed, glanced at the door and shoved off the borrowed pants. She climbed back on the bed and looked down at the sheet covering Justice. She grinned.
“You made a tent.”
He chuckled and lifted the sheet. “Do you want to climb in here with me?”
Jessie glanced at his hip. If she were really careful she could sit on him and not touch the wound. “I don’t want to climb in. I want to climb on.” She gripped the sheet and lifted it enough to swing her knee over him carefully. She stood on her knees straddling his hips and reached between them. Her hand wrapped around his hot, rigid shaft, stroking it. He purred and closed his eyes.
Jessie slowly guided Justice’s cock to the entrance of her pussy and eased down on him. His hands were suddenly gripping her hips and his eyes snapped open to meet her gaze. He tried to move her on him with his hands but she swatted them away.
“Hold still,” she ordered softly. “Your stitches.”
He snarled and his hands tightened. His impatience and aggressiveness turned her on more. He hadn’t been understating it. She eased her body lower, letting him sink deeper inside her. He groaned.
“Fast and hard, Jessie.”
She hesitated. “Don’t move. We’re going slow and steady.”
“You are going to kill me.”
“No, I’m going to make you test the glass windows to see if they are roar proof. Your injury is going to kill you if you don’t hold still. We shouldn’t be doing this at all but I want you as much as you want me.”
“I do,” he agreed.
The door suddenly banged open behind them. Justice jerked into a sitting position and wrapped his arms around Jessie protectively, while she gasped.
Tiger stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. He spun, presenting his back to them. “Sorry!”
“Get out,” Justice snarled.
Jessie was horrified. She was straddling Justice and Tiger had walked in on them having sex. She would have jumped off his lap but he held her down so tightly she was impaled on him.
“I’m sorry,” Tiger repeated, sidestepped to the corner and his arm rose.
Jessie gawked at the camera as Tiger tore it off the wall. Her face dropped to Justice’s shoulder, remembering the camera that had been in Beauty’s room had sound too. That meant if there was a camera watching Justice for security purposes, not only had they just seen everything but they’d heard too.
“Sorry. No one else is getting in and I’ll, uh, burn the tape.” He fled.
Justice laughed so hard he shook Jessie’s body on his. She lifted her head to glare. “What is so funny? Did you know it was there?”
He sobered. “I never thought about it. We keep them for females so they are safe. Who besides you would attack me sexually?�
� He eased back on the bed. “That is always welcome.” He caressed her hips.
“Who watches that camera? Did he say tape? Was that recorded?”
“The entire security room watches.” He licked his lips. “Well, I have good news and bad news.”
She frowned. “What?”
“The bad news is that now my males know that Justice North submits in bed to his mate. The good news is that I guess my threat to mount you in public isn’t credible since everyone will hear about this.” He grinned.
She fought the urge to laugh. “I’m going to go hide now.”
Justice thrust up into her. “You’re staying right here and so am I.”
He purred. At Jessie’s moan he thrust into her again. Jessie rocked her hips, riding him. She forgot all about her embarrassment and made love to the man she loved.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jessie stared at her father while Senator Jacob Hills regarded her silently. His blue eyes were unreadable as they remained in Justice’s office. Jessie had asked Justice to step out so she could privately talk to her father.
“So,” she finished. “I love him and he loves me. We are going to try to keep a lid on this until we get back from Reservation. Justice is taking a few weeks off to give us some time to spend alone.”
Jessie searched her father’s face for any sign of emotion but couldn’t pick up a single one. Whatever he thought or felt, he kept it to himself. The man was a master at doing that. It’s why he was so good at his job.
“Say something.”
“Are you sure about this?”
She frowned. “I called you to come here because I want you to give me away at my wedding. I’m marrying him, Dad. I love him and he’s everything to me. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. Say so now if you don’t want to do it because I’m getting married in ten minutes. Justice was adamant about marrying me before the honeymoon.” She smiled. “I didn’t give a damn myself, being with him is enough but he wants to do this right.”
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