Slade (New Species #2)(52)

“I’ve learned that she’s in danger whether I’m a part of her life or not. She chose to work with us. She’s dedicated. I’m just happy that she’s decided to give me a second chance. I won’t let her down again.”
“I know you won’t.” A grin curved Tiger’s features. “Did you ever think you’d revolve your entire life around a human? Or a woman at all, for that matter?”
“No.” Slade grinned back. “But this time I’m happy that I was wrong. This is the good kind of surprise that life threw my way.”
“Don’t dump all the work on me.” Tiger growled. “I know you won’t want to leave her side but Brass did a fine job protecting her and I can’t finish Reservation without you. We’re a team. You can protect her and our people.”
Slade nodded. “Securing Reservation will secure her safety. It’s one and the same now.”
Chapter Nineteen

“Doc?”
Trisha didn’t have to look to know it was Slade who rubbed her arm. She opened her eyes and he smiled.
“Hi. Did you have a good nap?”
She couldn’t resist reaching up to cup his face. The guy warmed her in every way just by looking at him and appreciating his pure masculine appeal. She smiled back at him.
“It would have been better if you’d been sleeping with me and we were naked.”
Slade’s smile turned into a flat-out grin.
“I didn’t need to hear that,” Valiant growled.
“Crap,” Trisha sighed. “We’re not alone, are we?”
“Nope,” Brass stated.
Trisha’s hand dropped away from Slade’s face. “I’ll sit up if you move to give me room.” 
Slade inched away, straightened and held out his hand to help her up. “It’s dark outside now.”
She glanced around the living room, remembering she was in Valiant’s home. The home’s owner sat on a chair not too far from her and Brass had stretched out on a lounge chair in the corner with his long legs spread out. Slade pulled her to her feet.
“Thank you for the hospitality and for helping save me.” She addressed Valiant.
“I’d say any time but I still have a lot of cleaning to do before my house is livable.” He did smile at her. “It was nice killing humans.”
She just blinked. “I’m glad?” What can I say to that? She wasn’t sure. She hoped she passed muster on comebacks and figured she had when Valiant appeared amused. She turned her head and peered up into Slade’s face. “I’m ready to go.”
He insisted upon carrying her since she didn’t have shoes and Brass followed them to a waiting SUV parked outside. Brass opened the back door for Slade to deposit Trisha on the backseat. Both men climbed into the front.
“You need to crouch down when we drive closer to the main areas,” Slade ordered softly. “I’m going to park inside the garage when we arrive at my house. You can’t go near any windows or outside once we reach it. No one is to see you.”
“But—”
“No buts,” Brass growled. “You are to stay hidden. You trust us with your life and we both agree that would be the safest. No one is to know where you are.”
“Fine,” she conceded, too shaken to argue the point. “Has there been any word on Harley?”
“He’s in critical condition but he’s tough and made it through surgery,” Slade informed her softly. “Moon is sure he’ll pull through. You saved him, Doc.”
“Good work, Trisha. I was sure he was gone.” Brass gave her a grateful look. “I would have been devastated losing my friend. He’s a brother to me in my heart.”
Trisha leaned back and relaxed, thrilled that her friend would survive. “He’s tough and we all know how tough all you guys are.” Her stomach chose that moment to grumble. She chuckled. “I’m starving.”
“We’ll get you fed when we get to Slade’s house.” Brass turned on the seat to continue to watch her. “We won’t be able to get your clothes to you immediately. The cabin is a total loss and I’ve been informed that they removed your stuff but it is damaged or dirty. I’m afraid you will have to wear Slade’s until we can get you more or have yours cleaned.”
“Loss is right,” Slade sighed. “Tiger sent a man out to pull the truck out of the living room and a large portion of the loft totally collapsed. The entire structure is unstable. Those assholes driving a full-sized work truck through the front of it just made more construction nightmares for me. It’s going to have to be leveled and another one built.”
“Is there anywhere else I’ll be stashed or will I be staying at your house for a while, Slade?” Trisha hoped he’d keep her close.
“You’re going to be living with me. The house is far enough away from the hotel area and the new buildings being put up that there’s no reason for anyone to come there. We just don’t want you peeking out windows or stepping outside just in case anyone gets nosy. At night we can take you for short walks outside to give you a break from being contained. We remember how it is to long to be outside. Brass is going to stay with you when I’m at work and Moon should be returning sometime in the next few days. Justice will send a replacement for him to the hospital soon. We didn’t want to bring in a new guard for you since the less people who know about your pregnancy, the better.”“But all my guards will be New Species, right? So that’s totally safe. They wouldn’t leak any information about the baby.”
“True,” Brass agreed. “But Justice is playing it safe. You’re important to us, Trisha. You are our first conceiving female.”
She frowned, not liking the term. “You make me sound as if I’m a horse.”
Brass turned to face forward in his seat. He mumbled something that made Slade laugh.
“What? That’s not fair. You know I couldn’t hear that! Come on, guys. Play nice with me.”
Slade cleared his throat. “He said something to the effect that with our dicks it wasn’t a bad analogy.”
Brass laughed. Trisha rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Some people are full of themselves.”
Slade glanced back at her and his teeth flashed when he grinned. “Want a reminder when we get to the house? Maybe you’re forgetting my size and you need a visual reminder.”
“I’ve seen horses when I worked for a veterinary hospital. You wouldn’t be getting near me if you actually resembled one from the waist down.” She paused. “But you are larger than anyone else I’ve ever been with. Does that soothe your manly pride?”
Slade growled. Brass chuckled. Trisha grinned from the backseat until she was ordered to crouch down. It was dark outside, she didn’t see the reason for hiding, but she didn’t want the men to growl at her, something New Species seemed to love to do when they were irritated or emotional. Slade pulled into his garage and she heard the automatic garage door come down. He was the one to open the back passenger door.
“Are you going to sleep there or are you going to come inside the house?”
She flipped him off and sat up. Trisha glanced around the garage. It was a double garage and a Jeep sat on the other side of the SUV. It was a tight squeeze to get out until the door closed as Slade led her into the house.
“Oh. My. God,” Trisha gasped.
Slade spun around to face her. “What?”
She gawked at the kitchen. “You’re a slob!”
Trisha curled her lip at the piles of dirty dishes in both sides of the sink. The stove… She forced her gaze away from it, guessing that would need to be power washed. The floor… Her feet were bare and she could feel the dirt. Her gaze flew to Slade’s, realizing he just watched her silently, frowning.
“You are a slob,” Brass groaned softly. “Ever hear of soap and water, man?”
“I’ve been working sixteen hours a day and sleeping six for the three weeks I’ve been here. Give me a break.” Irritation flashed on his face. “There’s not someone to hire to clean my house. I don’t get days off to do it myself.” 
“Wow. You did this in just three weeks?” Trisha shook her head. “I can’t wait to see the rest of the house.” She hoped her sarcasm wasn’t too noticeable.
“You could sleep in the woods,” Slade teased. “At least there’s not a truck sitting inside my living room. You only lasted in the cabin for what? Twenty-four hours? It has to be torn down it’s in such bad shape. At least mine just needs cleaned.”
“Kiss my ass.” Trisha stuck her tongue out at him.
He suddenly grinned and his gaze raked slowly over her body. “I’d love to, Doc.” He snapped his sharp teeth at her.
Brass chuckled when Trisha backed up.
“Keep those babies away from my backside.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t an actual request.”
“I don’t know how you sleep with humans,” Brass chuckled. “Way too fragile. One of our women would love being bitten.”
Slade nodded but he kept the grin in place. “I know but she’s cute. What could I do? She wanted me badly.”
“Stress on the word wanted.” Trisha shot him a dirty look and walked past him through a dining room.