Brawn finally felt calm and stable enough to apologize to her. It would harm his pride a bit to admit he’d nearly come unhinged but the truth might take away her fear of him that he’d caused when he’d shown his untamed side. He turned and guilt ate at him all over again when he stared at her huddled form across the cage.

She’d sunk to the floor, drawn up her knees, arms hugging them loosely, and her slow breathing assured him that she slept. He couldn’t see her face since it was pressed against her legs. How she remained upright was something he couldn’t fathom but he slowly approached. Tender hands slid under her thighs and behind her back. He gently lifted and she didn’t rouse as he secured her in the cradle of his arms. Her head rolled against his chest, near the bite mark she’d left on him and he turned slowly. His step was light as he approached the cot, lifted his foot to kick off the blanket and gently laid her down on her side.

He didn’t want to release her, could have sat with her in his embrace, but thought better of it. His cock had just relaxed enough to go down and he wasn’t about to tempt fate. Brawn covered her with the blanket, tucked it in and studied her delicate face openly.

She did have a funny little nose but he liked it. Her mouth was small but plush and just right for kissing. Passion began to flare inside him again and he quickly stood, turned away and moved away from her.

The floor was hard and cold where he sat, his back to Becca, his gaze locked on the double doors where his enemy waited to come for him and his female.

My female? Damn. He closed his eyes, took even breaths and tried to remember she wasn’t his and never could be. Tim Oberto would never allow his daughter to be with a Species, feared they’d be dangerous to her well-being and Brawn couldn’t fault his reasoning. Human females who mated with Species ended up in danger. It wasn’t just from their mates.

The doors opened across the room. Brawn’s eyes opened and he watched four humans carry in the unconscious Species male and return him to his cage. He inhaled and grimaced. The scent of spent solitary passion, the breeding drugs and the stench of his enemy didn’t sit right with his empty stomach.

They hadn’t fed him or Becca. That worried him a lot. It implied they didn’t mean to keep them alive for long but it didn’t make sense if they planned to sell him to someone else when his use was over. Memories of his years in the testing facilities surfaced and he relaxed. These bastards had worked for Mercile and that meant they’d only give food if they got what they wanted.

The men left as quickly as they’d come and he relaxed again, turned his head to study Becca and hoped they wouldn’t come for them for a long time. She was probably very tired, she hadn’t been drugged, which meant she hadn’t slept the way he had. His gaze returned to the door to keep vigil. He really couldn’t protect Becca but it made him feel better to guard her all the same.

* * * * *

Becca jerked awake when booted feet echoed in the room. She had fallen asleep in the corner, huddled in a ball, watching Brawn try to calm down. He’d kept his back to her, refused to even glance her way and exhaustion had finally taken its toll. She woke on the cot with a blanket covering her.

Brawn stood next to the cot, close enough for her to touch the back of his sweatpants, and watched whoever made those sounds. She turned her head in time to see Randy and a few of his goons stomp their way. Dread pitted in her stomach and she figured time was up. One glance in the direction of the other cages verified that, since 919’s cage wasn’t empty anymore. A male body could be seen on the cot behind the bars. He was either drugged or sleeping since he didn’t move as far as she could tell.

“Becca? We just have to survive.” Brawn summed up their situation softly. “Do as they ask.”

She peered up at him but he still refused to glance at her, his sole focus on the four goons who stopped outside the cage door. All of them withdrew their Taser guns, checked them and Randy was the one who spoke.

“It’s time.” He glared at Brawn. “You twitch and we’ll light your ass up and your girlfriend.” He tapped his weapon. “These have been altered by one of our guys and he removed the safety on the voltage. Do you know what that means? It will kill her. You fight and she’s going to die.”

“I don’t like this,” Dean hissed. “Let’s knock him out the way we have the others and when he wakes, he’ll be chained up. It’s too dangerous to open that damn door to move him into the room with him awake.”

“Doctor Elsa gives the orders.” Randy obviously wasn’t thrilled since he looked as if he’d sucked on a lemon. “She doesn’t want him fucked up unless we have to. She thinks it might dampen his mood.”

“Fuck,” Ray muttered. “Let’s get the Doc’s ass out here and she can move the big bastard if she’s so sure he’ll protect the bitch he’s screwing. I think he’ll try to kill us. They aren’t real smart.”

Randy stepped closer, his gaze focused on Brawn and his eyebrows shot up. “Did you piss your girlfriend off? It looks like she bit you.”

“No.” Brawn reached back, gripped Becca’s hip and gently maneuvered her behind his body when she climbed to her feet next to him. “I will comply. Don’t harm her. I understand you are willing to kill her if I lie.” He turned his head in Ray’s direction. “I am not stupid.”

“This is nuts,” the fourth guy added. “He’s going to go ape shit once that door opens and he’ll try to take out as many of us as he can. I lost three of my security crew to bastards like that one. He can leap at us, move super fast and watch those damn fingernails. They are rougher than ours and can tear open skin.”

“I know,” Randy admitted. “We have our orders though.” His voice rose. “Your girlfriend dies if you even make me think you’re going to attack one of us.”

“I won’t.” Brawn hesitated. “I will carry her. I can’t fight with her in my arms. Will that make you feel safer?”

Surprise flickered on the men’s faces and Randy nodded sharply. “Yeah. Do that. Carry her with both arms so if you drop her, she hits hard enough to crack her damn skull open on the hard floor.” He lifted a leg and stomped down. “It would fuck her up.”

Brawn slowly turned to meet Becca’s worried gaze. She had made him mad somehow but he was offering not to attempt to escape to ensure her safety. He bent his knees a little and opened his arms. “Put your arms around my neck.”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? This isn’t your fault. None of it is. Just do as they say and they won’t have a reason to try to harm you. I won’t fight them. Your safety comes first.”

“What are you saying to her?” Randy sounded pissed. “Come on and stop stalling.”

Brawn’s head whipped around and he growled low. “She’s frightened.” He stared at Becca again. “Hold on to me. I wasn’t angry with you. It was directed at me. Now is not the time to discuss it.”

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hooked one arm around her waist, lifted and his other arm caught her behind her knees, trapping the nightshirt to maintain her modesty as he hoisted her up. He slowly turned to study the men with narrowed eyes.

“I will move slowly. May I walk out now?”

Randy jerked his head at one of the guys and a very nervous Ray approached to unlock the chains and open the cage door. It did Becca’s heart good to see the sheer terror on those jerk’s faces over what Brawn could do to them. He was intimidating and a big, powerful guy. Without her, he probably could kick their asses.

“Come out,” Randy urged. “Nice and slow, kitty cat.” He raised his weapon, pointed it at Becca and frowned. “She will get hit first.”

“I won’t risk her life.” Brawn moved cautiously out of the cage, his steps slow and nonthreatening.