“We’re stretched thin already.” Slade leaned back in his chair. “He’s put as many men here as he can without weakening the defenses at Homeland. We’re already using double the manpower that we’ll actually need when we’re up and running because we have to monitor so many humans.”

Trisha held out her hand and waved it to get their attention. “Uh, what about the women?”

“The women?” Slade stared at her with a frown. “What about them?”

“There are at least three dozen New Species females that I know about at Homeland. Why don’t you bring them here?”

Slade shook his head. “They are to be protected. Our females are few.”

She frowned at him. “Did anyone ask them what they wanted? Have you seen some of your women? I think they are more than capable of handling the job of counting some humans and doing some of the security work. I saw cameras so I assume you have a monitoring room? How many of your men have to do that? Put the women there if you don’t want them manning the gates or having direct contact with the construction workers.”

“It’s a good idea,” Brass stated.

Slade hesitated. “It’s a great idea.” He smiled at her. “Let me see if Justice is agreeable to it and if the women would be interested in helping out here.”

“What about housing?” Brass stared at Slade. “Where would we put them?”

“The top floor of the hotel has been finished. There are ten suites up there with two sleeping rooms in each of them so that’s about twenty bedrooms.”

“Would it be safe?” Trisha remembered that Brass hadn’t wanted to put her there when Slade had suggested it.

“I don’t see why not. Those men didn’t attack it before due to how many people are present and how tight security is around the larger structures with the ongoing construction.” Slade paused. “There isn’t any other option.”

“I don’t know,” Brass hedged. “Setting fire to the hotel would be a good way to do it if the humans want to cause trouble. It’s the biggest structure at Reservation. I would worry our females could be trapped in a fire if we put all of them on the top floor.”

“You’re right.” Slade agreed. “It was a good idea but we just can’t house them, Trisha. We can’t put them in harm’s way if there is even a risk of danger. As much as I need the help, I can’t exactly ask them to room with the men.”

“You could bring in a few motor homes.” Trisha shrugged. “Women don’t mind sharing with each other usually and you’ll have them working in shifts, right? Maybe park them inside the wild zone and ask Valiant and the others keep an eye on them. Just scrap the rebuilding of the cabin. That way none of the construction workers have any reason to be out there.”

Slade smiled at her. “Do you want my job? You seem to be better at it than I am. I never would have thought of asking our women to help out.”

“She’s a doctor,” Brass chuckled. “She’s much smarter than we are.”

“I don’t know.” Slade grinned at Brass. “She couldn’t tell an ass**le from―”

“Shut up,” Trisha laughed, cutting him off, and kicked him under the table. “I know the difference.”

Both men smiled at her while Trisha shook her head at them. “Don’t you have some calls to make, Slade? You should ask Justice before he goes to bed and give him time to talk to the women before they are snoozing too. The faster a decision gets made, the faster you could have extra help here.” She flashed him a grin.

Trisha looked at the other man. “And you, Brass. There’s laundry that needs to be done. You said you wanted to do it all so I didn’t have to. Hop to! It’s not going to get done by itself.”

“I said I’d clean. I never said anything about laundry.” Brass stood. “I hate sorting and folding clothes.” He groaned. “But I’ll do it so you don’t.”

“I’m going to go lie down. Good night!”

“She’s so bossy.” Brass chuckled.

“I know but she’s got a great ass.” Slade chuckled too. “When she yells at me and gets demanding, she always storms away after. I watch her ass as she leaves and I just can’t seem to care anymore that she’s domineering.”

Trisha stopped on the stairs and laughed. She shook her head and retreated to the bedroom.

Chapter Twenty-One

Trisha tried to hide her horrified and stunned reaction. She kept a forced smile firmly on her mouth until the muscles in her cheeks ached. Brass’ highly amused expression was obvious but he didn’t chuckle. Slade didn’t show any restraint when he bent over, held his stomach, and laughed until tears dampened the corners of his eyes.

Valiant growled. “Why is he so amused?”

“I have no idea,” Trisha lied. “I think sometimes he’s socially challenged.”

Slade stopped laughing instantly as his gaze flashed to hers and narrowed dangerously. He sent her a look that promised he’d get even with her soon. Trisha glanced away with a grin, hoping he’d attempt to lick her to death, but her amusement died quickly as she caught sight of the table again.

She tried not to gawk at the big hunk of raw meat wrapped inside plastic that Valiant had just placed in the dining room. She wasn’t sure what it was but it looked big enough to be a body. God, I hope it’s an animal.