Justice didn’t correct Tiger’s assumption that it had been a Species female he’d been with. “I wasn’t asking her to move in with me. I just wanted her to spend the night.”

Tiger grinned. “You could always get another female. You’re Justice North. Our females are all a bit enamored of you. You could walk into a room, hold out your arms and one of them would jump into them. You’re the ultimate strong male they are attracted to. Not only do you have physical strength but you’re viewed as iron willed because of your job.”

“They are drawn to me for the wrong reasons. It is because they think they owe me for all that I do. I don’t want a female who feels gratitude.”

Tiger’s grin faded. “You want one to come to you because she likes you for who you are.”

“Yes.”

“You’re lonely, aren’t you?”

Justice sighed. “I guess I am. It would be nice to have one person to share everything with. I would enjoy having the same female to go to bed with at night and hold.”

“I understand loneliness. I feel it sometimes.” He suddenly grinned. “Then I just find someone to come to my bed and feel much better afterward.”

Justice laughed, his amusement over his friend’s simple fix for what ailed him near comical. “You’re so easy.”

“It works for me.”

“Wait until you meet one that you want to keep longer than a few hours.”

Tiger’s smile died. “You found one in particular that you want to spend more time with?”

“Yes. Unfortunately. I should have canceled the press conference, broken all the phones and kept her in the bed with me for as long as possible.”

“Kept? You had her in your bed?”

Justice sighed. “Yes.”

“That good, huh? I’m sure she will come back eventually and spend more time in your bed. You are well liked and respected.”

“I don’t think she’s impressed with me.”

“All of our women are.”

Justice just nodded. He wasn’t about to admit that she wasn’t one of their females but it would be a hell of a lot easier if she were. He’d at least have access to her to tempt her back into his bed if she lived at Reservation or Homeland. He had no access to Jessie since she lived in the outside world.

“Stay with me for a while.” Justice hated to ask anything from someone else but he despised the idea of being alone even more. The sexy female would haunt him otherwise. “We’ll watch some movies Ellie suggested to me recently and I’ll order some food.”

Tiger stood and gripped his shoulder. “It sounds fun. I’m not sexy, not going to f**k you but I’ll spend the night.” He chuckled.

Justice laughed. “For that, you can order the food.”

* * *
Jessie strapped the gun to her thigh and tightened her bulletproof vest as she studied the men around her. They looked tense but she didn’t blame them. She’d overheard the team commander going over the security measures they were about to face. The old man who owned the mansion was paranoid and had a thing for hiring mercenaries to guard the grounds.

Tim Oberto walked to Jessie, looking grim. “You stay to the back, do you hear me?

Just because your daddy got you a permit to carry a gun doesn’t make you a real team member. You’re here to hold the woman’s hand and prevent the big boys from scaring the piss out of her. This one is going to be dangerous, Jessie. I will personally put you over my knee in front of the entire team and spank your ass if you pull a stunt similar to the one in Mexico five months ago. You remind me of my daughter and I’d do the same to her.”

Jessie frowned. “Mexico wasn’t my fault.”

He snorted. “Bullshit. You heard that woman scream and you didn’t wait for the team to clear the scene. You flew in there and the only thing that saved your ass was being short. That bullet missed your head by an inch because he aimed higher, expecting a man when you kicked in that door. You hold back until the scene is cleared and the woman is secured. You can take her in hand then and only then .”

“The only reason the female in Mexico is alive is because I went in. He planned to set fire to the place with her tied to a bed to destroy the evidence, which was her. A few more minutes and he would have finished the job.”

“Your life is more important.”

She shook her head. “You and your men risk your lives. Why can’t I do the same for the Species?”

“Because I’m in charge and I said so.” He smirked. “Another stunt like Mexico and I swear I’ll haul your ass in front of the men and whip your ass as if you were my daughter. Then I’ll call your father. I bet he’d yank your chain so hard he’d have you at home baking cookies for him in five minutes flat. That’s what I’d do.”

“You don’t know my father.” Jessie glared at him. “He raised me and I know him much better than you do. He taught me to be tough and that some things are worth taking chances on. He is with me on this. These Species we save are worth risking our lives for and he knows that as much as I do. If anyone gets their chain yanked it will be yours, so back off from beating your chest and telling me to act more like your version of what a woman should be.”

He spun away. She watched him walk to the assault vehicle he’d set up as the command post. “Bitch,” he rumbled.

Jessie glanced at her watch, refusing to let him bait her temper. Tim was a dick but he cared about his team, including her. It was two thirty in the morning and the raid would go down soon. She thought of Justice and figured he was definitely asleep at such a late hour. She sighed, wishing she were next to him in his bed, curled up against his side. Of course, wishing didn’t do a thing since she was two states away from him.