Valiant grinned. “Tomorrow is perfect.”
“Tomorrow is perfect,” Tammy agreed, hugged him hard, buried her nose against his neck and just clung to him. She’d been so terrified she’d never see him again and now she knew exactly what she wanted. Him.
Valiant closed his eyes, breathing in Tammy, and his arms refused to release her. She sat on his lap, safe, and once again he realized what a phenomenon she was to him. All the things that could have gone wrong began to filter through his thoughts.
She could have died, the newly freed male in the front seat could have forced bred her and killed her. When they breached the building the human males could have rigged the cell with explosives they might have set off. She would have died before he reached her and that would have torn his heart—
“Valiant?”
Tammy halted his grim thoughts and his eyes opened to stare deeply into her beautiful ones. Her small fingers slid into his hair and she caressed his scalp.
“It’s okay. You look so angry but I’m fine. I’m right here with you.”
“Don’t ever leave me.”
She smiled. “Never.”
He pulled her tighter against his chest, brushing a kiss on her forehead, and knew he’d never survive if he lost her.
Chapter Sixteen
Tammy frowned at Valiant. “No.”
He stared back at her. “I told Justice I would go.”
“But we’re going to get married today, remember?”
He frowned. “We will when I get back. Justice personally asked me to go with them, Tammy. Please understand. We all owe Justice so much. He asks little of me. When you were taken, he did everything to get you back to me. He asked and I couldn’t say no.”
She nodded. “I’m being kind of petty when you put it that way, aren’t I?”
He moved forward, pulling her into his arms. “It is not petty to feel disappointed that we won’t get married today. Nothing will stop us tomorrow. We are leaving on helicopters to go to Colorado within the hour and I should be back by morning.”
Tammy nodded. “Be very careful and come back to me.”
“I will always come for you.”
“Is this going to be dangerous?”
Valiant hesitated. “It is a heavily armed place. They are holding over ninety of our people, Tammy. Species just like 927.”
“I understand. Is he going too?”
“Justice decided not to bring him. He is too fresh from the experience. We need control and the skills we have learned since we were freed. 927 is angry but he understood. The important part is getting our people free.”
“Did that crazy doctor jerk tell Justice where the other places are too?”
“Yes. They are working on that. We will find them and get our people freed.”
“We? You would go too?”
He hesitated. “No. This will be my one and only mission. I’ve calmed since I met you and Justice is worried that this place might be rigged with explosives. My senses are stronger than most Species and he needs me as an asset on this one. The doctor we captured isn’t sure if they rigged the cells or not. I plan to take care of you and this is the last time I’ll risk my life. I just need to do this one thing and I feel I owe them that much for all that was done to get you back to me. I’ll work with some of the others in the Wild Zone who are like me, have the same keen sense of smell, and make them more stable. That way Justice can take them if he needs help in the future.”
“Explosives?” Fear gripped her, imagining him being blown up.
“That’s why I must go. I can smell them. I’ll be safe.”
She nodded. “Good. Spending one night away from you was horrible and I don’t want to do it again.”
“But another man held you.” His jealousy showed.
“It was cold and I didn’t really have a choice. There was one bed and he scared me. I wasn’t going to fight with him, Valiant. I was too happy he hadn’t broken my neck or tried to touch me in a bad way.”
“I am angry still. I hate that anyone held you besides me.”
“I love you. Don’t be jealous.”
“I know that. I will be gone for a short time. We’ll fly there and at dark we attack.”
“Are you guys going in alone?”
He shook his head. “No. They are sending in a special task force with us. They do this regularly. Justice says he knows the two teams who will work with us. He said they are all good men who were assigned to assist us. They are under Justice’s orders at all times. I will be back by morning.”
“Will you call me after it’s over and let me know you are all right? I will be worried sick about you.”