“You want?” She gripped the low collar of her shirt and tugged it down enough to give him a peek of the top of her br**sts. “Talk to me, Moon.”

His sexy, generous lips parted before he licked them. Another growl rumbled from him, a little deeper. Sharp canines showed and she held his frustrated gaze.

“Can you talk? Try for me. Please?”

Emotion flashed in his eyes but she had no clue what it meant. He’d always been good at hiding everything from her. He shoved more of his arm through the bars until his thick biceps prevented him from reaching any farther. She rose to her knees, his fingertips only inches from her shirt when she leaned closer.

“Moon?”

He stopped staring at her cle**age to peer into her eyes.

“Say something, anything. Do you want to touch me? Give me something in return.”

His growl deepened, turning a little scary. She was playing a dangerous game, considering she was offering to let him actually put his hand on her if he complied. She’d do it. To hell with ethics. They needed to establish trust. That would be fundamental in helping him. It needed to go both ways.

“Are you in there?” She gazed deeply into his eyes. “Say one word and I’ll come closer.”

He sealed his lips together, hiding his fangs, and swallowed hard. His eyes narrowed as he watched her. “Give,” he rasped.

He could form words and he wasn’t repeating something she’d just said, which meant he could do more than mimic noises. That had to mean he could think and that whatever drug they’d given him hadn’t caused massive brain damage at least. She nodded and lifted her knee to crawl closer.

“Don’t hurt me.” It came out a plea. She could only hope for the best, which would be that he didn’t draw blood or worse.

“Don’t!”

The deep male voice startled her so badly she jerked and twisted her head around. A big form stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the room. His boots stomped loudly as he walked into the dimly lit area.

“Get away from him.”

Moon snarled, jerked his arm back inside the cell, and sprang to his feet. His chest rammed the bars, trying to push through them.

The New Species male storming closer had long brown hair that fell past his shoulders and dark-brown eyes that flashed rage. The biker jacket and boots came as a surprise. He wore faded jeans and a black top.

“What the hell are you doing to him?” He reached down, gripped her upper arm, and hauled her to her feet. He had to be at least six foot three.

“Who are you?” she gasped.

“Who the f**k are you? You think it’s fun to tease the animal in the cage?” He gave her a rough shake. “Who let you down here? You better talk fast, female. I might throw your ass in there with him and let him have you after what I saw. Do you know what he’ll do to you after cock-teasing him? You’ll be f**ked for hours in every sense.”

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.”