Ned almost tripped, making a hasty retreat. “Okay. Don’t bite me. Fuck.”

“It’s the drug.” Snow arrived at the other side of the SUV. He pushed Ned out of the way, his cool stare fixing on Smiley. “Easy, Smiley. Where’s your normal chipper attitude?”

“Fuck you. He isn’t going to see her naked.”

Snow blinked a few times and frowned. “Okay.”

Shane arrived, a little out of breath. He stared at Vanni, and Smiley didn’t like it. He rumbled gruffly. Shane’s hands went up. “I have medical training. You yelled for a medic.”

“He won’t let us examine her,” Ned whispered. “He’s scary pissed and defensive.”

“Under the circumstances, that’s normal,” Brass reminded them. “Smiley? Look at me. Sit down.”

Smiley eased his ass down and released the backs of the seats so he was no longer leaning over Vanni but kept close. He focused on her. Her expression was peaceful. She didn’t seem to be in pain.

“Smiley?” Brass’ voice softened. “She probably just passed out. It’s a painful drug and humans aren’t as tolerant of it as we are. It’s for the best.”

That whipped his head around to glare at Brass. “How can you say that?”

“She isn’t suffering. We need to get her to Homeland before she wakes. I’m listening to her breathing. I’ve spent enough time around human females to know how they breathe when they are sleeping. That’s all it is unless you think you broke some of her bones. Did you become too aggressive?”

“No.” He was sure of that.

“We need to get her to our doctors.”

It made sense. He nodded sharply. “Drive.”

Brass hesitated. “Shane and Ned, I want both of you to travel with them in case she needs medical help. If she wakes in pain, you can call for a helicopter once you reach an isolated area where one can land without causing a stir. A backup team will follow in the other SUV. Snow and I have to stay here with Justice.”

Shane climbed into the driver’s seat and adjusted it to fit his long legs. The engine roared to life. Smiley relaxed a little now that some of the fear had eased. He had to believe she was just exhausted or the drug had knocked her out. It beat the alternative that she was gravely ill.

Smiley’s dick hardened painfully and a sharp stab of pain hit his gut. He groaned.

“Smiley?” Brass leaned into the SUV again. “What’s wrong?”

“Pain,” he rasped, holding his stomach, his breathing erratic.

“Sorry. I don’t want you to suffer,” Brass stated.

Brass gripped his shoulder and Smiley glanced at him when the male forced him to turn. Smiley saw the fist a second before it landed on his jaw.

Chapter Four

“I would hate to be in the other SUV,” a man stated.

“Me too. Smiley is going to be pissed that Brass decked him when he comes around. They don’t f**k around, do they?” The second voice belonged to a guy too.

Vanni lay on her side in some kind of vehicle. It was dark when she opened her eyes and it took a few seconds for memory to return, fear coming with it. She was alone in the backseat of one of the SUVs—probably the same one she and Smiley had been in. Someone had put seat belts on her. One was around her thighs, the other around her rib cage. Her skirt was draped over her like a blanket but she was na**d underneath. The feel of leather against her skin assured her of that.

“No shit,” the first one stated. He was in the driver’s seat.

“Sometimes I wonder if we’re crazy to work with New Species. What about you, Shane? Do you ever think you should be doing something else?”

“Nope. I love the NSO. It’s just been a bad night, Ned. Nobody expected an attack like that to go down at the hotel.”

Ned was silent for long seconds. “I was right there just twenty feet away. You expect this shit in third-world countries, not at home.”

“What shit?”

“Terrorists being women. I saw her sit next to Smiley and didn’t give it a second thought. She looked innocent enough.”

“I heard her say she didn’t drug their drinks.”

“You buy that?” Ned snorted. “How are you so naïve? I forgot. You’re like a full-grown Boy Scout and think all chicks are as sweet as your sisters. Wake the f**k up and live in the real world. We’re lucky she wasn’t an assassin. I’d have felt like a real ass**le if she’d killed him in that bar. I’m guessing she’s some hooker they hired.”

“She doesn’t look like one.”

Ned laughed. “How would you know? Have you ever paid some chick to f**k you?”

“No.”

“Exactly. I have and not all of them are dolled up all the time. I did one who reminded me of my third-grade teacher. It was kind of hot since I had a crush on her.”

“You’re sick.” Shane cursed softly. “The engine light just came on. Radio it in.”

“Just pull over at the next gas station. Why bother them? It’s probably a loose battery cable. That happened to one I drove last week.”

“The oil light is blinking now.”

“So we’ll buy some oil and I’ll put it in. It will take a few minutes. Otherwise we’re going to have to wait for the other SUV to catch up and they’ll transfer her to it while we’re stuck waiting for roadside service. I just want to turn her over to Medical and go home.”