You’re outnumbered.”

Justice hung up and dialed the gate shack next. It rang six times, no one answered and he clenched his teeth. Either the officer on duty was in on it or the five males next door had done something to him. He had no immediate backup. Justice ran back toward his bedroom.

He reached the bed and lunged for Jessie. One of his hands clamped over her mouth while his other one gripped her hip. He dragged her body from the center of the bed to the side of it, lifted her off the mattress completely and Jessie gasped against his palm. He leaned down to hiss in her ear before she had time to struggle, “Five Species are at your house. Be quiet, get dressed and stay at my side. I can see in the dark well enough to lead you.”

Jessie nodded in understanding. He eased his hand from her mouth, lowered her until her feet took her weight and snagged her arm. The closet was close. He opened the door and pulled her inside. The door closed and he flipped on the inner light, momentarily blinding them both.

Jessie grimly studied him with her beautiful blue eyes and pride surfaced that his mate seemed so calm. She wasn’t wasting time battering him with questions or reacting with hysterics to what he’d said. He released her, grabbed a shirt and thrust it at her. He tore open a drawer, got them both boxers and dressed next to her in the tight space.

“You said five?” she whispered as she rolled the waist of her borrowed boxers.

“Yes. Species, and I assume they are male.”

“Shit.”

He couldn’t agree more. He allowed his anger to take control and he knew blood would be spilled if the males realized she wasn’t home and dared come to his house to search for her. It would be death for them without question. He’d kill or die to protect his mate.

He wanted to flee with her but there could be more of them out there waiting, coming on foot. Inside the house he at least could hold ground until Tiger arrived with reinforcements. He pushed back shock that his own people had come after his mate. It was horrifying and something he’d never considered.

Jessie tried to hide her terror as she yanked on the shirt Justice had given her. She didn’t care if was inside out or on backward. The information he’d shared barely registered in her sleep-fogged brain but they were in deep shit, he’d said they were Species and that had to be pretty bad. They wanted her.

She watched Justice face the back of his closet, grab the hanger bar filled with his suits and yank the entire thing out. He released it, everything hit the floor and he pushed on the wall near the top, his fingertips searching for something. There was a click and it sprang open on one side. He grabbed it and the hidden cabinet door opened.

Her lips parted but she pressed them together, not saying a word about the two handguns mounted to the wall and the bags of spare clips next to them. She just watched as he grabbed a bulletproof vest. He spun, shoving it at her.

“Put it on.”

“You.”

His eyes narrowed. “Do it. We don’t have time to hold a debate, Jessie. I heal and move faster than you do. My kind will fight another Species hand to hand but you are human and I’m not sure they’ll give you that respect. They might have guns and shoot you. Wear the vest.”

He had that determined look that clued her in that arguing with him would be a waste of time. She accepted the heavy vest, put it on and tried to make the too-large garment fit. Justice wasn’t strapping on weapons but instead turned, thrusting them at her. His weapons stash was impressive as she glanced at them.

“Nice. I take it you’re keeping the shotgun?”

He shook his head. “We don’t use weapons on each other, Jessie. We fight with our bodies. You on the other hand are not Species. You would lose to one of our men if it came to that. I won’t lose you. You need help surviving if it comes down to it.”

“Do you think they’ll come here?”

“They will figure out where you must be since you are not next door. They must want you badly to risk so much and I’ll assume they’ll come here next.”

“Shit.” Jessie checked the safeties on the guns, made sure they were off and popped the clips, seeing they were fully loaded. “I’m so sorry. This is because of me.”

Justice moved lightning fast to grab her chin, forced her head up to meet his gaze, and softly growled in anger. “You didn’t do this. Mates are precious, to be protected at all costs and considered Species. Those males are to blame for betraying us.” His hand dropped away. “I want you to go sit in the tub in the bathroom. There are only two entries there. Kill anyone who gets past me. It means I’m dead.”

Her mouth dropped open. “They wouldn’t dare hurt you. You’re their leader.”

He grabbed four clips for the handguns and shoved them down the front of her vest. “I guess they want to fire me. Move, Jessie.” His gaze softened. “Tiger and some men are on the way. Trust him. He’ll get you to safety and back to your father if something happens to me.”

“You gave me both guns.” She offered him one, butt first. “Please take one.”

“Species don’t use guns to fight each other but you need them. Don’t fight them hand to hand. Just pull the trigger before they can attack.”

Jessie stared into Justice’s dark eyes. “I’m not hiding inside the bathroom while you’re facing five of them by yourself. I can shoot and I’m staying by your side. These guns and I can even out the numbers pretty quick.”