Joy was taken aback. It took her a few seconds to recover. “Who are you? This isn’t how it seems.”
“I’m his best friend.” He dragged her a few feet away from the cell. “Be happy you’re a female. I’d kick your ass otherwise. What kind of sick bitch are you to do that to him? Is that your idea of fun? Cock-teasing the crazy Species?”
She grabbed the wrist attached to the fingers that held her. “No! I’m Dr. Joyce Yards and you have no idea what you’re talking about. I wasn’t being mean to him. It’s the only thing he responds to. I’d stand on my head and do cartwheels if that’s what it took to get him to interact with me but he’s only interested in sex.”
His hold on her arm loosened slightly and he frowned. “I know that name. I’ve heard it before.”
“I was Moon’s therapist right after he was rescued from Mercile. He—”
Moon howled in outrage.
She turned toward him. He looked pissed but she didn’t blame him. “Please calm down,” she urged.
He rammed his chest against the bars again, snarled, and glared at the other male who had prevented him from getting close enough to touch her. He was working himself into a rage.
“Let’s take a walk and discuss this farther away from him.” Joy tugged on the big Species, heading back the way he’d come. She kept her gaze on Moon though and spoke directly to him. “I’ll be right back and we’ll start over, okay? I won’t break my word. You can touch me. Let me talk to him first.”
The Species clamped down hard on her wrist again. “You aren’t going near him.”
She lifted her chin to direct her coldest look his way. “Walk away with me. Do you see what he’s doing? He could hurt himself. Move now if you care about him.”
“Fuck.” He jerked on her arm, dragging her instead of her tugging on him anymore. He didn’t halt until they were in the shadows by the far wall. “I’m taking you to Security where we’re going to discuss what I witnessed.”
“You saw me getting him to speak. Did you hear him? He can form words. That means he can communicate. He’s in there somewhere.”
“You were teasing him.”
“I wasn’t.” She jerked hard and he released her. “You’re his best friend? Do you have a name?”
“Harley, and yeah, I’m his best friend. That’s why I’m taking you to Security and they are going to bounce your ass on the street outside the gates.”
She fought frustration. “Listen to me, Harley. He spoke a word. Do you get that? Do you understand what that means?”
He growled low, revealing his canine traits.
Joy took a deep breath. “I can see how you misunderstood what you saw. Give me two minutes to explain.” She held up that many fingers. “That’s all I ask.”
“Make it good.” His voice was harsh, revealing his rage.
“He’s rejecting everyone here and the only way to reach him seems to be through his fixation with sex. I’m not above using that if it works.” She rubbed her wrist, sure it was bruised. “I’d do anything to help him, including flashing my breasts if that’s what it takes to find some part of him that will communicate with me. That’s what he was doing. Whatever drug he was given has reverted him to raw instinct but he has the ability to speak if he concentrates hard enough. It’s a really good sign that his cognitive skills are intact. The only effective way I’ve discovered so far to make him work with me is by offering him what he wants most.” She sucked in air. “I’m not being cruel. I’m trying to save him.”
Harley’s face was in the shadows and she couldn’t read his expression but he wasn’t growling. “He could have killed you.”
“He wants something else from me more. We didn’t have bars between us earlier when he had me pinned against a wall. I’d be dead already if he saw me as his enemy or as a threat.”
He softly growled. “What are you talking about?”
She quickly told him what had happened when she arrived. “So, he could have torn into my throat with his teeth or snapped my neck. He didn’t. I’m not stupid. Believe me when I say I’m more than aware of how easily he could have killed me if that’s what he intended.” She stepped back. “May I continue? I need to show him he can trust me. I said he could touch me if he’d talk. He did.”
“You’re insane.”
Joy didn’t respond to that accusation since he had a valid point. “I’m determined to do whatever it takes to help him.”