Moon laughed. “You deserved that, Kit.”
Kit fixed angry, nearly black catlike eyes on Alli and hissed. “I know what I’d like to bat at right now…with my claws.”
Obsidian snarled and pushed Alli farther behind him. “Try it and we’ll fight. You don’t threaten my female.”
Jericho gripped Kit’s arm and hauled her back.
She hissed at him and he made a deep grumbling noise deep in his throat that seemed to come from his chest. The woman paled slightly. It was a scary sound. Alli even got chills. The huge primate was intimidating.
“You scent that they are sharing sex yet you approached him and insulted her in front of him.”
Jericho slowly shook his head. “Not smart. He will fight you and he might not take into account you’re female. You know better than to challenge a male when he is stressed. Take a walk.”
“This is my territory right now.” Kit yanked her arm free. “You take a walk, Jericho. Stop giving me that red glare. I’m not afraid of you.”
“My eyes aren’t red!” His body tensed.
“Okay, kids,” Moon stepped between them.
“This is quickly getting out of hand.” He glanced between them. “Kit, it’s Jericho’s duty to guard him. Obsidian has decided to live with the doctor, which means his new outpost is here. Jericho’s got jurisdiction so follow his orders. Remove yourself from the doctor’s yard. Jericho, I’ll clear this with Tiger or Justice. They want him happy and this is where he wants to be. You just stick with him until your shift ends. Your replacement will know to come here.”
“You aren’t on duty,” Kit protested. “You can’t give orders and you aren’t my superior.”
He narrowed his gaze on her. “Do you want to take this to them? I’ll tell Tiger how you offered sex to a male involved with a female right in front of her. A human. That is not going to go over well for you.” He snorted. “You’re already on his shit list after some of the ways you’ve irritated him.
You were ordered to stop antagonizing males into fights.”
“Asshole.”
She tried to spin away to leave but Moon suddenly snatched the key ring hooked to her belt. It came free and she hissed, facing him.
“One second.” He held the keys up to the light, reading the markings on them, and withdrew one from the round metal circle that kept them together. “He wants her key.”
“Give that back.”
He tossed the keys at her, minus one. “Have a nice night, sweetheart. You really should work on your bad attitude.” He grinned. “Maybe you could go find a scratching post and take out some of your aggression on it.”
“Don’t ever approach me for sex.”
“Don’t worry. I like my females warm and friendly. I’ve heard about you.”
She snarled a curse, fisted the ring she’d caught, and stomped off into the darkness after walking down the sidewalk. Moon watched her go and then turned, grinning at Jericho.
“Your eyes aren’t red. She’s just being pissy.
She’s gaining a reputation with the males as someone to avoid.” He cut his gaze to Obsidian.
“You’re new and don’t know that she’s cold to the ones she invites to share her body.” He finally looked at Alli. “Don’t take it personally. The last male she was interested in mated a human so she’s holding a grudge.” He held out the key.
“Here. You control her space now.”
Obsidian took the key. “Thank you.”
“That’s what friends are for.” Moon glanced at Jericho. “I’m going to go to Tiger’s. I’ve got this.
Is everything good?”
“Go. I will guard him here. Just make sure you state every detail so I’m not blamed.”
“Will do. Tiger owes me a few favors.” He winked at Obsidian. “Take your female to bed.
I’ll visit you tomorrow.”
Obsidian closed the door and locked it. Alli gasped when he spun, hauled her into his arms and quickly strode toward her bedroom. He could move fast when he was motivated. He still looked angry when he gently lowered her to sit on the bed.
“Are you okay?”
“The female threatened you and you’re a prisoner.”
“I’m not really under arrest. I’m just restricted to my house. I did kidnap you and took you from Homeland.” She hesitated. “I put you in danger.
They have a right to be angry about that. I just was so sure I could keep you safe. I was really careful about renting that house and thought I hadn’t left a way to be tracked. I was wrong.
The NSO found me and that means someone who hates New Species could have too. They don’t trust me anymore because I betrayed them. I’m just glad I’m not still being held inside a cell at Security.”
Obsidian slowly dropped to his knees next to the bed. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to lock you away or take you from me.”
He meant it. Her heart melted but it also made her afraid. The NSO would ask her to leave Homeland at the very least. What if he tried to go with her? As much as she wanted that, hoped he really wanted to be with her, it wouldn’t be safe for him outside the secured walls. New Species were targeted by idiots, racists, and zealous religious fanatics who believed they were abominations. There were also ex-Mercile employees who’d love to capture a Species to use as a bargaining chip to escape prosecution.
Or worse—kill them outright.
“I’m safe here,” she assured him. “Relax.”
“I can’t.” He gripped the edge of the bed. “That female touched me, the guard doesn’t want me here with you and now I need to familiarize myself with your space. No one will get past me to reach you.”
Her hand shot out when he tried to stand, understanding that he meant to stay up all night to make sure no one broke in. “You don’t have to do that.”
He didn’t look convinced. “I’ll fight them if they come for you.”
“They are your people, Obsidian. You can’t do that. No one is going to hurt me.” She scooted closer, unable to resist touching him. Her hands actually itched to feel his skin. One hand gripped his shoulder while her other one cupped his cheek. “I did a bad thing and they don’t trust me.
I blew it by taking you away from Homeland.”
Obsidian wanted to push Alli onto her back and rip the ugly white dress thing off her to gain access to her bare body. He stared deeply into her eyes but saw pain there, halting him from following through. Her voice hinted at her emotional upset as well. He hated to see her that way.
“I could have gotten you killed. Or kidnapped.” Tears swam in her blue eyes and it made his chest tighten. “I was so desperate that I didn’t think beyond taking you somewhere so they couldn’t stop me from spending time with you. I was certain I was right but looking back now I see how I messed up. I should have argued harder with Tiger or gone to Trisha when she returned. I just couldn’t take watching you waste away. I had to attempt to save you.”
She was so beautiful and no one had ever put themselves in danger for him before. She’d taken risks and lost the trust of people she cared about because she’d put him first. Pride and possessiveness surged, all directed at Alli. She was his.
He wasn’t going to let her go. The decision was made. It was simple, right, and he fiercely felt it.
“They aren’t my people,” he stated firmly in a husky voice. “You are.”
Her hand trembled against his cheek while she slid off the edge of the bed to stand on her knees before him. Her body pressed against his. “I wish that were true.”
“It is.” Anger flashed. “I don’t lie.”
“I just meant…” Her voice trailed off and her gaze lowered to his chest in front of her face.
“What?”