“It’s kind of the same thing,” Tiger offered.
She shot him a glare. “Thanks.” Her focus returned to Brawn.
“I will screw you.” He advanced a step toward her but Slade grabbed his arm. Brawn’s head swung in his direction, glanced at the hand on his biceps and he snarled, “Let go. Don’t interfere.”
“Calm down,” Slade ordered, his voice deepening. “She’s human, with child, and you’re showing your teeth. Take a deep breath through your mouth and get a handle on your emotions.”
“Don’t fight.” Tiger gently pushed Trisha against the wall by the door. “The room is too small and the females will get injured.”
Brawn jerked out of Slade’s hold and tried to step away but the Species male grabbed him again. “Calm down!”
“Get out and leave us.”
“Don’t you dare,” Becca gasped. “You said I’d be safe here. Prove it. Get him away from me.”
“That’s my child.”
“I’m not denying that but it doesn’t give you the right to make rash statements like we’re together. We’re not.”
“We are.”
Becca opened her mouth but a dizzy spell hit, spots appeared before her eyes and she nearly crumpled forward over the table. Her hands caught her weight but she couldn’t miss the sound of a harsh snarl. Two strong arms wrapped around her body—one around her rib cage and the other around her hips, under her expanded belly.
“I’ve got you. What’s wrong?” Brawn was alarmed.
“Everyone turn around,” Trisha ordered the men. “Brawn, put her on the table. She’s pregnant and this has been a stressful day. The last thing she needs is men gawking at her while she’s half naked.”
“I’m okay,” Becca sighed. “I missed breakfast and lunch.” The dizzy spell passed and she wiggled, trying to get free of the strong arms holding her. “Let go.”
“Hang on,” Trisha muttered, rushing to a cabinet. She yanked it open, grabbed something and turned. “Here. We keep sweatpants here for spares in case of emergencies. You have no idea how many guys I treat with leg injuries when they are training. Let me help you.”
“I’ll do it myself.” Becca turned her head and glared up at Brawn. “Let me go. I can dress myself.”
He wanted to argue, she could see it in his eyes, but Trisha was suddenly there. She knelt. “Lift a leg.”
The doctor jerked the sweats up while Brawn continued to hold her. She was grateful that he did but wouldn’t say it aloud. She felt weak and knew Trisha was right. It had been a really stressful day.
“Tiger? Get her to the hotel and I’ll order food. She needs to eat and rest.” Trisha glanced at Slade. “Nobody is to know she’s here. Spread the word to all the Species. I’d have you take her to one of the cabins but I want her close by. That means the hotel. No humans are there and Species won’t mention her being there.”
“I’m on it, Doc.”
She smiled. “Thanks, lollypop.”
He softly growled at her. “Tease.” He left the room.
Tiger turned to face the room. “I have an SUV outside. Let’s go.”
Brawn released her and tried to pick Becca up. She stumbled away and smacked at his hand. “Don’t. You’ve touched me enough, thank you very much.”
“I’ll carry you.”
“You won’t. I’m fine now. I just need to eat.”
“Argue later.” Tiger inched closer. “She’s pale and carrying a child. She needs to be tended to and keeping her here longer is detrimental.”
Becca turned her back on Brawn, met the doctor’s eyes and nodded. “Thank you for giving me an ultrasound.”
“Eat and get plenty of rest. I’ll be by later. Call me if you don’t feel well or need anything. Just contact the desk and they’ll transfer the call to my cell phone.”
“I appreciate that.”
Tiger led the way and Becca followed him out of the room, down the hallway and outside. An SUV waited just as he’d said and Pink was behind the wheel.
“In you go,” Tiger said as he opened the back door.
She allowed him to touch her arm to help but a soft snarl startled her and she found the source. Brawn glared at the Species who touched her as though he wanted to tear the guy’s head off. She wiggled into the seat and Tiger let go. Brawn suddenly stepped forward and arched an eyebrow.
“Scoot over and make room for me, Becca.”
She refused and reached out to grab the door handle but his body blocked the way. “I’ll talk to you later when we’ve both calmed down a bit. Back off. I’m hungry and want to go lie down now.”
Brawn’s gaze softened. “I didn’t mean to scare you, Becca. I am sorry.” He suddenly gripped her hand with his, removed it from the door and curled his warm fingers around it. He dropped to his knees and buried his face against her thigh.
It stunned her that the big male kneeled on the pavement and was acting so bizarre. His head remained there and he gripped her hand tightly enough to keep it captured but not enough to cause pain. She bit her lip, realized he must emotionally be going through the wringer too and her other hand lifted. She hesitated before her fingers brushed the silky strands of his hair to try to give him comfort.
“Brawn?”
“Do not send me away.” The words were muffled against her leg but she heard him.
Her gaze lifted to find Tiger standing there with his mouth gaping open. He looked absolutely stunned, met her gaze, closed his mouth and shrugged. “At least he doesn’t want to fight anymore. Give the guy a break.”
She didn’t know what was going on inside Brawn’s mind but she knew how rough she’d taken the news when she’d discovered she was pregnant. She’d gone from shock to fear to worry and settled on being thrilled. Her life would never be the same. It had taken her days to go through those emotions but Brawn had less than an hour to sort through his turmoil. She rubbed the back of his head, trying to comfort him.
“It’s been a hell of a day for us both,” she conceded.
He nodded against her thigh. “Yes.”
She fought the urge to cry. Damn hormones. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t move. “Do not send me away. I need to be close to you.”
She stared at Tiger and he shrugged again, obviously not sure why Brawn was acting that way either. “I don’t understand.”
Brawn slowly lifted his head and met her gaze. His blue eyes looked tortured. “I need to be close to you like I need air to breathe. I can’t explain it. I just have to be near you. If you send me away I will lose control. I don’t want to frighten you again.”
What was happening? Becca felt fear again. Why would he need to be close to her? What was going on inside the guy? Their gazes locked and stayed that way. Becca had to finally look away. “Okay. You can go to the hotel.”
He immediately got up and she pulled her hand free as she scooted across the seat. He climbed in next to her and Tiger closed the door, took the passenger seat and Pink pulled away from the curb. No one spoke on the short drive to the hotel.
Chapter Sixteen
The hotel stood four stories high and no one was within sight as they climbed out of the SUV. Brawn instantly tried to lift Becca and she swatted at his seeking hands. “I’m here and you should go.”
He stared at her with pure misery, enough to make her feel guilty. He wasn’t angry and snarling anymore. If he’d been part canine mixed she’d have compared him to a kicked puppy but he was feline, according to her father. Lost kitten, she decided fit him better.
“Fine. Come with us and you can watch me eat before I take a nap.”
Brawn offered his arm but she ignored it, walking to stand next to Tiger instead. He glanced at her and held out his arm.