“I didn’t either. I wanted to come back but I didn’t know if you’d welcome me after I fled to avoid detection. I’m sorry about that. I don’t want to hurt you but I have to think about my people and everything I do reflects on them. I’ve felt so torn.”

“I understand that more than you can imagine. My father suffered if my brother or I screwed up while growing up. Everything we do reflects on him and you represent Species to the world. You’ve got a lot in common with him but not in a creepy, I’m-having-sex-with-someone-like-my-dad way.”

He laughed, his body shook over hers and he grinned. “You make me happy, Jessie.

I’m so glad you came into my life. You’re a breath of sunshine in the dark stillness my life has become.”

“You just rock my world and my headboard.”

Amusement looked really good on him, she decided, admiring his handsome features. She was pleased he wasn’t trying to deny that something was between them anymore. She understood why he’d been reluctant to keep seeing her. Every concern he’d mentioned was valid for both of them. She had become dedicated to protecting and locating Species, not causing them more grief. They’d just keep their involvement private. It would avoid problems and it didn’t make sense to stir a hornet’s nest until they were sure of where their relationship was headed.

“At least we didn’t set off any alarms tonight.” He slowly withdrew from her body and rolled onto his side, opened his arms and silently urged her closer.

Jessie didn’t hesitate to snuggle into his warm embrace. It felt amazing to be sheltered against him and that feeling of being where she belonged, with whom she belonged, hit her again. She didn’t allow it to freak her out since she was too tired to worry about possible future heartbreak. He was worth the risk.

“Sleep, Jessie,” he rasped, kissing the top of her head. “I’m here and I’m not leaving.”

“This is nice,” she admitted. “You should sleep here every night.”

Justice’s heart squeezed at Jessie’s soft invitation to share her bed on a permanent basis. He wanted to. Longing struck hard and fast to do just that. The idea of her belonging to him brought out emotions he’d never experienced before. He closed his eyes, inhaled her scent and his arms tightened around her.

This happiness must be what Fury, Slade and Valiant feel when they hold their mates . That thought jerked his eyes open and his heart raced. The idea of keeping Jessie at his side, in his bed and committing to her in every way didn’t strike fear into his heart. It left him feeling achy and his c**k hardened in response, wanting to claim her.

Damn. Calm , he silently urged his body. Jessie’s breathing had changed, she slept peacefully against him and he refused to wake her to make love to her again so soon.

He held back a snort. He had taken her in a way that wouldn’t have been considered loving in anyone’s book. He’d been too rough, too frenzied to show her he was her male and that only he should be the one in her bed.

The memory of storming into her house shamed him. He would have killed Night or Sword if he’d discovered one of them trying to share sex with his Jessie. The rage lingered, just thinking about another male putting his hands on his woman. Mine. Yeah.

That’s how I think of her and I have it bad. He pulled her flush with his body, held her a little tighter, making sure he didn’t crush her. She felt tiny compared to him, fragile, and his protective instincts flared to life as never before.

It wasn’t easy to admit he would have killed one of his own males but he didn’t shy away from the truth. For Jessie he’d have done it. He would have regretted it later but he’d still have Species blood on his hands. It was unsettling to realize how deeply his feelings had grown in such a short time.

A soft buzz drew his attention and he carefully shifted Jessie enough to free his body, careful not to wake her, and roll away. He had to answer his phone or someone would search his home to make sure he was well and discover he wasn’t there. It annoyed him as he eased out of bed, grabbed his torn pants and rushed out of her bedroom while he pulled the cell out of the intact pocket.

“Justice here.” He hadn’t glanced at the caller ID.

“Sorry. Were you eating? In the shower? It took you five rings to answer. I don’t want to hear about it if you were in the bathroom doing other things.” Tiger chuckled.

“This couldn’t be put off.”

“I ate before I left the office. I was just away from my phone. What is it?”

“Guess who showed up at the gate demanding to see you right away? It’s your favorite reporter and she’s waiting for a response.”

“No.” Irritation flashed. “I refuse to talk to that female again.”

“She’s being adamant. She’s threatening to headline the morning’s paper with news of a Species getting married to a human at Reservation.”

He walked into the living room and paced. “It doesn’t matter. Tammy told her friends and it was bound to get out that Valiant married her. They were already photographed together when she was kidnapped and the team tracked her and rescued her. I expected this to happen.”

“Okay. Don’t you always say it’s better to be polite to these vultures than to make them angry enough to shred us in their newspapers?”

“I refuse to allow that female near me again.”

Tiger laughed. “She wants a piece of Justice.”