“We both know the seriousness of malpractice and abuse of power. I’m also certain they’d be happy to pass out the footage to any members of the press you speak to. You have breached the NSO contract I’m sure you had to sign. Think of what will happen to you professionally.” Her voice lowered. “And you’d look like a complete and total ass.”
Kregkor jerked his head up to glare at the cameras. In his anger, he’d obviously forgotten about them. They were all over the building and easy to spot. Everyone who came into Homeland was informed of the security measures. He had paled a bit when he looked back at her.
“You bitch,” he whispered, probably hoping the audio on the cameras wouldn’t catch his words. “Who the hell do you think you are to threaten me? I’ll destroy your career before you ever get the chance to smear my reputation.”
Moon suddenly lunged forward. He didn’t strike Kregkor but his chest shoved into the man’s arm, pushing him away from Joy. He snarled. “She’s my mate. Don’t ever speak to her that way again.”
Joy wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. One of his arms instantly curved around her back to pull her even tighter against his side. She didn’t want him to physically assault the jerk. There’d been enough violence in one night to last her for a while.
It took a second to realize what Moon had said to Kregkor. His mate? She lifted her head and started at him in bewilderment.
He snarled again, nostrils flared, and his sharp canines were prominently displayed while he keenly regarded the other man with open hostility. Moon had clearly said she was his mate. New Species didn’t use that word unless…
Her hand slid up his stomach, feeling his firm abs through his shirt. She gripped the material near his ribs as a wave of lightheadedness struck but she wasn’t so sure it was from blood loss or drugs this time. Her heart rate increased and a sense of urgency came with it.
“Moon?”
He didn’t look down, still intent on intimidating Kregkor. It must have worked because the gasbag didn’t say a word.
“Moon?” She put a little more firmness in her voice.
He growled but flicked his gaze to her face. “I won’t kill him. I’d settle for a few broken bones. No one calls you names or threatens you.” He resumed glaring at his target.
“Moon?”
She really needed to know if he meant what he’d said. Was it a slip? Maybe he’d only said it to scare the shit out of Kregkor. What if he means it? I need to know. Does he love me too?
Any intelligent person knew Species would protect a mate to any extreme. She had kept tabs on their progress as much as possible through news stories. Most of it had been speculation on the part of the reporters but she’d watched the video footage many times.
She’d never forget when Fury was shot after he and his mate were attacked during a press conference. He’d used his body to shield her, kept running despite being wounded, to get her to safety inside the NSO gates. Tiger had jumped onto a burning RV to go after his mate, prepared to walk through flames to save her. The entire world had no doubt a Species would go to hell and back for a woman he’d mated.
“Please ignore him. Look at me, Moon.”
He didn’t look happy when he complied but he met her gaze.
“Mate?” She hoped he wouldn’t call her that unless it was true.
His expression froze, his eyes widened, and he flushed a little. There was no instant denial though. She sucked in air.
“I’m your mate?” Answer me, damn it. Please.
“You are mine.” The fear displayed in his gaze was apparent and it wrenched her heart. “Am I yours too or are you going to reject me again?”
She forgot the cameras and the people watching them because nothing else mattered except Moon. She’d sell her condo, quit her job, and do anything to be with him. “You’re mine. I’ll never leave you again. I swear.” Tears blinded her but she tried to blink them back. “I love you.”
His entire expression changed to one of sheer elation. “I’m never going to let you go.”
“You won’t ever have to.” Another dizzy spell hit and her legs finally gave out.
“Joy!” Moon kept her from falling, sweeping her up into his arms. “Trisha?”
“She’s weak and she needs to eat. Get her back to bed,” the doctor ordered. “Paul? Escort Kregkor out of here.”
“We’ve got this.” Harley had joined them. “He’s leaving Homeland and I’ll destroy his visitor’s pass myself. We were called by Security. They said we were needed inside the building and why.”
Joy peered over Moon’s shoulder as he cradled her in his arms, carrying her back to her room. Harley and two other Species males were glaring at a flustered Kregkor, surrounding him, and she almost felt pity for him.
Trisha walked behind them, her smile looking forced. “You’re going to be fine. When I said take it easy, I meant stay in bed for the next few days.”
“Sorry.” Joy licked her lips, her mind working as she hugged Moon around his neck. “Do you think the NSO will replace Kregkor? I’m suddenly looking for a position at Homeland.”
Moon carefully placed her on the bed and cupped her face, leaning in close. “You’ve got a job. You’re my mate.”
“I can’t wait to start that one. You’ll have to work sometimes though and I’d like to do the same and do some good. I know Species way better than that asshole ever will.”
Chapter Seventeen
Joy watched Moon closely, still reeling from hearing him say she was his mate. He sat on the edge of her bed as he took her hand. They had a lot of issues to resolve. Relationships were complicated but he loved her. They had a foundation to build upon.
“You shouldn’t have gotten out of bed.”
“I’m glad I did.” She wasn’t sure where to start so she went with the thing that worried her most. “Can you ever forgive me for leaving you at site four? It’s the biggest regret of my life.”
“Joy—”
“Please let me finish.”
He nodded.
“I really didn’t see a way of staying. I thought it would cause you more harm than good if we slept together. You don’t know how many times I lay awake at night wishing I had the nerve to visit you at Homeland after it opened. I was too afraid you’d either refuse to see me or worse, wonder why I even bothered to come. I fell in love with you but I wasn’t sure if you felt the same way about me.”
He scowled. “You knew I was obsessed with you.”
“Sex isn’t always about love. You wanted me but you’d recently experienced a substantial transition in your life. I knew it was possible that I was only a distraction to keep you from facing that you had an entirely new set of problems that came with gaining your freedom from Mercile. I spent a lot of nights wondering if you forgot about me as soon as you were taken from the desert.”
His thumb caressed the back of her hand as his fingers tightened their hold. “You were always in my thoughts. How could you not be? I was furious that you left and got away from me. I looked you up on the internet once when my stung pride allowed it.”
She flashed back to her conversation with Flame in the Jeep when he told her about that. “I wish you’d contacted me.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t think you’d take my call. You’d already rejected me.”
“I’m so sorry that’s how you viewed it.”
“I understand now but it hurt deeply after you were gone.” He leaned in close enough that she thought he might kiss her but he didn’t brush his lips over hers. “The only thing that matters to me now is that you’re here with me and that you stay, Joy. The past is behind us. I’m more concerned with our future.”
She blew out a soft breath. “I’ve been so lonely and miserable without you.”
“Me too. No more though, sweetness. You’re my mate. We’ll spend the rest of our lives together. I’ll hold you every night and get to wake with you in my arms.”
“It’s not going to be easy,” she
warned. “We used to be really close and now there’s this big gap of time between us. There’s a lot we’ll need to learn about each other. We’ve changed.” Him more so than her. “You play sports.”
His eyebrow arched.
“Harley showed me a video.” A streak of jealousy rose but she shoved it down. It was completely unreasonable to think about all the women he might have been intimate with. “You’re so much more social now.”
“It’s all Harley’s fault.” He smiled. “He’s really annoying and refused to allow me to sulk. He challenged me to compete with him in games and I found out I enjoy them.”
“I like him.”
He growled low. “How do you like him?”
He was jealous. “I think he’s a wonderful friend who loves you very much.” She slid her hands up to his hair, playing with the strands. “You know you’re the only male I want. I understand what a mate is and the level of commitment that goes with it. You are it for me. No one is sexier than you. He totally doesn’t appeal to me in that way, okay? Everyone pales in comparison to you.”
He relaxed. “Sorry.”
“I know you can’t help it. It’s one of the many things I love about you. I don’t expect or want you to tone down who you are. Be one hundred percent yourself. Am I clear?”
“I won’t be easy to live with sometimes. Mates are crazy.” The look on his face was almost comical.
“They are, huh? Tell me why you think that.”
“They are sex-starved for their mates all the time. Males are prepared to draw blood if other males even glance at their females. They need their females’ scent all over them and can’t stand it when it fades. Most of the mated males always use at least one of their work breaks to go visit their female to hug and rub up against them.” He sighed loudly. “I know I’ll do that. I am already addicted to how good you smell.”
It was hard to smother a laugh. He melted her heart. “Lots of sex and touching doesn’t sound so bad to me.”
“That’s true.” He brightened, his gaze lowering to the gown the hospital had put her in. “That’s not very attractive. I should take it off you.”
She clung to his hand. “Not here. I want to wait until we’re alone so no one will barge in. There’s never any privacy in these places.”
He moved fast, using that Species agility, to sweep her into his arms, snagging the blanket as he lifted her off the bed. “I’m taking you home.”
“To your place?” She hooked her good arm around his neck.
“To ours. You’re my mate, sweetness.” His tone deepened into a sexy growl. “You live with me now and share my bed.”
Her belly quivered and she couldn’t wait to see his home. Ours, she corrected. He carried her down the corridor into reception. Paul was playing video games at one of the computers at the desk. Trisha was at another one flipping through a folder. Harley had hopped up onto the counter to perch on the edge of it. Three pairs of eyes turned their way.
“I’m taking my mate home. I’ll keep her in bed, Trisha.”
The doctor sighed, dropping the folder. “She’s suffered moderate blood loss but I know better than to even try to dissuade you from holding off on sex for a few days. I know you’ll take excellent care of her. Make sure she gets plenty of sleep, food, and fluids when you’re not keeping her otherwise occupied. And feed her first. She still hasn’t eaten and it appears she’ll need her strength. There shouldn’t be much pain, mostly soreness, but I’ll send over a mild pain reliever for later, just in case.” She picked up the receiver of the phone. “I’ll call Slade and tell him you want the mate paperwork right away.”
“It can wait for a few days. I don’t want anyone disturbing us.”
Harley jumped down. “Not even me? We’re brothers and you’re banning me from coming to your house?”
Moon frowned.
“I’m kidding.” Harley grinned. “Bond with your mate. I’ll make sure your work shifts are covered and don’t worry about a thing. I’ll even make you both dinner and drop it off around six o’clock every night so you won’t have to cook. I’ll leave it on the porch.”
“Thank you.”
“Consider it a mating gift.” Harley winked at Joy. “Be good to him.”
“I promise. I will be.”
Harley stepped closer to the double doors, triggering the sensor that slid them apart. Moon carried her outside to a Jeep and carefully tucked the blanket around her legs. He even put on her belt.
“I could do that.”
“You have a mate. I like to do things for you. You’re mine to care for.”
She appreciated the special treatment. “I can think of a few things I’d like to do for you.”
He rounded the Jeep, grinning. “Good things?”
“Yes. You’ll have to be naked though. Will that be a problem?”
He laughed. “No. Hang on, sweetness. I can’t wait to get you home.”
He drove slowly though, almost as if he were afraid of jostling her around too much.
“Joy?”
“Yes?”
“What about your job? Your home? Will you resent giving them up for me?” His tone was tense. “I’m almost afraid to ask about your family. Will they be unhappy that you live here with me?”
“I’m hoping I’ll get Kregkor’s job. It makes me shudder, thinking that any New Species had to deal with him. The hospital will be able to replace me pretty fast. I have some vacation days left, which means I’ll call them tomorrow and quit. That’s not a full notice but they’ll have time to find a replacement before I was due back. I won’t get a glowing recommendation from my boss but that’s fine. I liked my condo but I wasn’t really in love with it. It was affordable and close to work. I’m sure it will sell in a reasonable timeframe once I hire a few people to go in there to move out my stuff and replace the front door and carpet.”
“You’re very calm about making so many changes to your life.” He reached across the space between the seats to clasp her hand, keeping the other on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry I can’t move in with you. It isn’t fair that you’re the one who has to give up so much. I’ll make it up to you.”
It touched her that he was so considerate. “I get to be with you. That’s all that matters to me. I’ve totally focused on my career since we parted, but trust me, it’s not more important to me than you are. I’d have traded it all to be with you again, in a heartbeat.”
He pulled into the driveway of a house on a quiet street and shut off the engine. He didn’t get out but instead turned in his seat to face her. “What about your family and the people you love? How do they feel about Species? Will they believe I’m dangerous to you or that I’d be abusive?”
It was hard to see his face in the shadows. “My parents are going to love you. I’m more worried about what you’re going to think of them.”
“Why?”
She sighed. “I love them but they are kind of weird, Moon. They blurt out anything they think and it’s embarrassing. They never mean to be offensive but it comes across that way sometimes. They drive me crazy.”
He chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re a shrink.”
She shrugged and smiled. Moon released her hand and climbed out to come to her side of the vehicle.
“I won’t growl at them, okay? I’ll even hide my teeth.” He picked her up. “Can you twist the handle on the front door when we reach it? It’s not locked. We don’t have to worry about break-ins here.”
“Harley told me it’s much safer to live at Homeland. I need to give you fair warning about my parents, though. You won’t be able to hide your teeth. My mom is going to want to see them. Probably my dad too. Don’t hold it against me if they ask weird questions like if you ever get the urge to chase cars or chew on bones, okay? They are harmless but I can totally see them doing that. Sometimes I wonder if I chose my profession only as a way to save money. My best friend Meg and I both decided to become therapists in
high school. We never charge each other for sessions when we talk.”
He laughed, shaking her a bit in his arms. “I’m sure I’ll like them, sweetness. They made you for me.” He paused. “Open the door and welcome to your new home. I am going to make you very happy here.”
She had no doubt. “It’s a two-way street, Moon. I’m completely committed to making this work. I don’t want to live my life without you anymore.”
Moon kicked the door closed behind him and peered around the room, grateful Harley had kept him from punching holes in the walls when he’d discovered Joy had left Homeland. It was clean and tidy. He worked a lot of hours but that would change. He had a mate to spend time with now. He studied his home with a fresh perspective.
“You can alter the color of the walls and buy new furniture that’s more to your taste. I want you to be happy.”
Joy lifted her face up to him and smiled. “All I care about is the bed. Where is it?”
She was his kind of female. It sank in. No, she is my female. My mate. A warm sensation flowed through him. All his worries faded into excitement at the anticipation of claiming her for good.
The bed wasn’t made but the sheets had only been slept on once by him. He inhaled the scent of what humans believed mimicked a warm spring day according to the bottle of laundry soap. They were wrong but it was pleasant all the same. He set her on the end of the bed and crouched.
She shifted as he freed her from the blanket. The hospital gown was thin material and he took care to ease it over her bandage, which reminded him of how he could have lost her. “Are you in pain?”
“Trisha gave me something because the other stuff was wearing off but don’t worry,” she smiled, “it’s a mild painkiller. I won’t get another case of the giggles.”