“No.”

The doorbell rang again, followed by a fist pounding on the wood.

Jeanie blew out a frustrated breath. “True—”

A loud boom came from the other room. She spun, realizing what she’d heard as the front door hit the wall from the force of being kicked open. A few quick steps and she was in the other room. Two New Species stormed into the apartment but the first one through the door motioned the second one to halt with a hand gesture.

It was the second one hovering just inside that kept her attention though. His hair was long, to his shoulders, but she’d never mistake those brilliant-blue catty eyes. He wore black jeans with a tank top, showing off a lot of muscles.

“712?”

“Shiver,” he confirmed they knew each other, his mouth curving into a smile.

“Where is True?” The other man glanced around with a stern look on his face until he fixed his full attention on Jeanie. “What have you done to him?”

“Nothing!” She glanced between him and 712. “He’s—”

“Did you harm him?” the feline snarled, revealing sharp canines.

“She wouldn’t do that, Tiger.” 712 tried to get around the guy.

Tiger shoved him back. “Stay out of this. I told you to wait outside.” He stormed forward. “What did you do to True?”

A thump came from behind her and she turned to stare at True leaning heavily against the open bedroom doorframe with only his head and part of his naked upper body showing. It looked as if he were using the wall to hide the rest of him. The furious look and his stiff expression were clear.

“Get out of my home!”

Tiger stopped advancing. “Why didn’t you answer the door? Why are you obscuring the rest of your body?”

“Get out of my home.”

The New Species in the uniform frowned. “She hurt you, didn’t she? What are you hiding? Did she stab you?” He sniffed the air before his eyebrows shot up. “Shit. You’re naked. I interrupted you sharing sex.”

“What?” 712 shoved Tiger to get him out of the way. “You touched her?” His nostrils flared and his usually handsome face twisted into an expression very similar to True’s enraged one. “You said you wouldn’t.”

“Leave my home.” True glanced at her. “Come here, Jeanie.”

She wasn’t sure what to do. Part of her wanted to talk to 712 but True was obviously in an embarrassing situation he didn’t want the other men to discover. Tiger and 712 might be there to take her to prison. She backed up into the bedroom and True slammed the door closed the second she was clear. He cursed as he tilted her head upward with his palm gently cradling her face. Strong fingers wrapped around her upper arm to turn her slightly until they faced each other.

“Get in the bathroom. I’ll handle this.”

“Do you think they’ve come to take me to that horrible place?”

“I won’t allow that to happen.”

“Thank you.” She tried to look down but his hold only tightened.

“I’m going to let you go and you will run into the bathroom. Lock the door and stay there until I tell you it’s safe. Do it now.”

“Okay.”

He turned her around before dropping his hands away. “Run.”

She dashed toward the bathroom but didn’t make it before the bedroom door crashed open. A scream caught in Jeanie’s throat as she spun to see who had done it. 712’s gaze darted around the room until he found her and stared at the shirt she wore, which fell to mid-thigh, exposing her lower legs.

“How could you?” He stormed into the room.

At Drackwood she’d done her best to keep him alive by giving him something to keep fighting through all the pain he’d suffered. He enjoyed her stories, whether they’d been fairytales or just recounting something she’d seen in a movie. It helped him pass the time while some of his injuries healed.

“Get out!” True snarled, stepping between her and 712. “Don’t speak to her that way.”

“I’m talking to you!” 712 reached both hands out and pushed True hard in the chest, nearly knocking him over.

True shoved him back. “She’s not yours.”

The male stumbled but stayed upright. “I disagree.”

“Enough,” Tiger ordered from the door. “Flirt, return to the hallway now. I’ll handle this.”

“She saved my life.” Flirt didn’t move. “I’ll only leave if she goes with me.”

It sank in that they were arguing about her. Jeanie opened her mouth to tell them to stop but they resumed their exchange before she got a word out. It became clear that 712 had taken the name Flirt.

“Never,” True snarled.

Flirt’s upper lip curled enough to show sharp canines. “She should be mine.”

“Enough!” Tiger repeated, pushing them apart when he centered his body between them. “No fighting. Return to the hallway, Flirt. True, you weren’t supposed to touch her.”

“He did.” Flirt backed away. “No female puts off that strong of a sex smell unless a male helped. Look at the front of his pants. He doesn’t deserve a female if he’s unable to hold his seed until he mounts her.”

Tiger glanced down True’s body then looked at 712. “Damn, Flirt, that’s cold. We’ve all gotten a bit too excited at times but you don’t point it out. Males have pride.”

Jeanie crept along the wall to get a better look at True to confirm her suspicions of what they talked about. A large wet spot stained the front of his pants on one side, near his groin. No wonder he wouldn’t let me see what was wrong with him. He wasn’t caught in his pants. He lied. Shit! She glanced at his face, the splotches of bright color on his cheeks a sign of mortification.

“Leave him alone,” she demanded. She stared at 712. “Flirt? Is that what you’re called now?”

“Don’t talk to him,” True ordered.

Part of her knew she should keep quiet just because it’s what he wanted. The other part was enraged that anyone would attempt to humiliate someone who’d saved her from going to prison. True was a good man.

“I’m Flirt now, Shiver.” His tone softened when his bright-blue gaze met hers. “Come here. I’ll take you to my home. You don’t need to stay with that male when you deserve a much better one.”

“No!” True bellowed.

Jeanie gasped when True grabbed Tiger and threw him out of the way. The big New Species’ body missed her by a few feet, landing sprawled on the carpet facedown. Her gaze lifted from him just in time to witness True tackling Flirt. They both slammed into the wall near the door with enough force from their combined weight to punch a big hole in the plaster.

“Fuck,” the guy on the carpet groaned. “Security. Get to True’s place now.”

She wasn’t sure if he used a radio or a cell phone to call for help. She couldn’t look away as the two New Species exchanged punches. The sound was horrific as their fists made contact with flesh. True had Flirt pinned in the damaged wall. His ass and part of his back was actually inside the hole they’d created but his arms were free enough to hit back.

“Stop it!” She realized she’d been the one to yell.

They ignored her. Flirt managed to brace his body and shoved True away. He stumbled but regained his balance. Flirt jerked out of the wall, chunks of white crumbling to the carpet as he straightened. They snarled at each other and lunged forward at the same time. Their bodies slammed together hard, clawed hands tearing into flesh. Bright-red blood appeared on their skin.

Jeanie had to break up the fight, not caring that it would be dangerous. Flirt grabbed True’s throat in a move to choke him. True responded by bending his arm, throwing it forward with all his strength behind it and ramming his forearm into his opponent’s face. The feline’s head snapped back, blood exploding from his nose.

“STOP!” She rushed forward but a hand snagged her ankle. The air was knocked from her lungs when she hit the carpet on her belly. It took a few seconds to gasp in a breath. She used her arms to push her chest from the floor and look over her shoulder, ignoring the dull ache of her injury that throbbed from the impact with the floor. Tiger had tripped her.