Brawn - Laurann Dohner [77]
“Yes,” Justice agreed.
“Me too,” Trisha said. “I’m going. I’ll call Slade and tell him we’re all leaving. I’ll pack our bags and get Forest ready to travel. I want to be there when you find her, Tiger. She’s going to be scared as hell. Did you hear what she said about her family, Justice? Do you think they are part of those protestors who picket the NSO? Maybe that’s how she met one of ours. He might be an officer at Reservation’s gates. It makes sense if that’s the case. Her family hangs there, she’d be with them and she’d have spent time with our guys.”
“Makes sense.” Justice hesitated. “Yeah. That’s fine. Find this female, Tiger.”
“I’m on it,” Tiger growled softly. “I’m more worried about someone else finding her before we do or this family of hers discovering her secret if they are fanatics. It wouldn’t end well.”
“I know.” Anger tinged Justice’s voice. “Just find her and get her and her baby home to us so they can be safe. Thank you for allowing us to trace your calls, Trisha.”
“I didn’t really have a choice,” she muttered. “I’m still not happy about lying to her. I gave my word I wouldn’t do that.”
“You didn’t trace her. I did.” Justice cleared his throat. “I asked my males if any of them had shared sex with a human and that didn’t go well. It caused anger and they felt I was trying to invade their privacy. Finding the female and getting her behind our gates is priority. I can’t image what would happen if she goes into labor and ends up at a hospital. Our secret would be out. It would be on every news station and anyone who hates us would know her location to target the infant. Worse, she could go into labor alone and die if there are complications.”
“I know.” Trisha pushed her fingers through her hair and gripped the phone tighter against her ear. “I’ve had nightmares about that. That’s why I tried to keep her on the phone as long as possible to give you a shot at finding her. If this doesn’t work though, you’ve got to let me tell her the truth, Justice. She’s having an accelerated pregnancy and she’s going to be blindsided when she goes into early labor. She’ll think she’s losing the baby.” Emotion choked her voice. “Don’t make me go there. It was my worst fear when I was pregnant with Forest. I can’t do that to her and maybe if we tell her, it will make her come in on her own.”
“We can’t risk it. Until we know for sure that she’s not some reporter fishing and that it’s a verified Species baby she’s carrying, you aren’t to tell her anything. That’s an order. I’m sorry but too much is at risk. Your son would be in danger.”
“I know.” She blinked back tears. “I just keep putting myself in her shoes. She sounds genuinely scared about something. Whoever her father is, he must be one scary asswipe to instill that kind of fear.”
“I’m angry at the male who shared sex with her.” Justice growled. “He should have taken precautions or followed up with her. They obviously weren’t close enough that she could feel she could go to him to protect her. When we find out who he is, he and I are going to spend some time in a training room. He put us all in this situation.”
“I get a piece of him after you do,” Tiger snorted. “I tell the officers to use condoms if they share sex with humans but this sounds as if it’s one of Brass’ males so he will probably get the pleasure of pounding in the ground rules.”
“Yeah, beat him up.” Trisha was disgusted. “That will teach him. I’m glad Slade isn’t running Reservation right now and we’re home. I hate it when I have to patch him up.”
Justice chuckled. “It’s a male thing.”
Chapter Thirteen
Flame studied the cabin that appeared empty of life and waved the human team forward. They carefully surrounded the cabin, three of them keeping out of sight in the trees. One of the humans, Bobby, knocked on the front door. He wore jeans and