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  Brawn

  Laurann Dohner

  Book 5 in the New Species series.

  One look at Brawn, and Becca is wondering how he’d look without his clothes. He’s also instantly attracted to her, but has sworn never to touch a human female. They just aren’t sturdy enough for the type of rough sex Brawn enjoys most. When he learns he’ll be living under the same roof with Becca, Brawn simply sees it as a chance to broaden his knowledge of humans. Hopefully he can do so while keeping his hands off her…

  His good intentions go astray when they’re both kidnapped and locked together in a cage. Brawn finds himself reliving a nightmare when he’s once again subjected to breeding experiments at the hands of New Species’ enemies—who will use Becca to get what they want. Brawn and Becca will have to depend on each other if they hope to survive.

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  Brawn

  ISBN 9781419938269

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Brawn Copyright © 2011 Laurann Dohner

  Edited by Pamela Campbell

  Photography and cover design by Syneca

  Model: Angelo

  Electronic book publication December 2011

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

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  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.

  The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  Brawn

  Laurann Dohner

  Dedication

  As always, I’d like to thank Mr. Laurann for all of his love and support. My heartfelt thanks to Kele Moon for not only being the best critique partner but for loving this series as much as I do. A special thanks to my mother, Donna, for always encouraging me to read. Books are amazing things that open up new worlds, take us on adventures, and broaden our imaginations.

  Chapter One

  Becca Oberto glared at her father, resisting the urge to yell. “You what?”

  Tim shrugged. “I need you to move in with me right now. In less than an hour someone else will be moving into your house. I put clean sheets on your old bed.”

  “No.” She shook her head vehemently and leaned against her car. He’d just announced he had agreed to allow some man to move into her home but it was hers. “You can’t just order me to live with you or give permission for someone else to take my home. Grandpa left the main house to you and the guesthouse to me. He’s your guy so make him stay in your house.”

  “That won’t work. He’s, uh, different. He needs his own space, Rebecca.”

  “So do I. I don’t care how different he is or what the situation may be. He is not getting my home. I love you dearly but I’m twenty-nine years old, a widow and way too old to live with my daddy again.” She took a breath. “Plus, you drive me nuts. You treat me as though I’m ten years old and I’ve lived on my own for far too long to revert to that. No way in hell. Is that clear enough? Give him my old room.”

  Her father shifted his stance. “He’s New Species, Rebecca. He needs his own space and he’d have a problem with how close the main house is to the street. I was told he needs quiet living accommodations or the sound of traffic will keep him awake. The guesthouse is all the way at the back of the property and it’s got all those trees to make it secluded. He’d love it there. I swore to the NSO that I’d give him safe, quiet living and your place is perfect. It won’t be for that long. Please?”

  Stunned, Becca just glared at her father. He headed some secret task force that directly worked with the New Species Organization—NSO for short. She’d never met a New Species but she’d seen a few of them on television and featured in newspapers. Her father kept her fuzzy on what he did at work but she guessed it probably was dangerous. Her father had been with the military for twenty-five years, had retired nearly two years before and was an adrenaline junky. He lived for being shot at or to shoot at shit. He found and saved New Species who were still being held captive. That’s about all she knew.

  “Why would one of them need to be here? All of them either live here at the NSO Homeland or they live up north at the NSO Reservation. I’m not stupid, Dad. I read the papers and none of them ever live outside those gates. It would be too dangerous with all the morons who bug them.”

  Tim frowned. “I don’t have to explain this to you, baby.”

  “You do if you want me to let someone live in my house for awhile.”

  A curse broke from his lips. “Fine. Do you remember Jessie Dupree?”

  “The wild redhead? Sure. She’s the only woman on your team and I met her a few times when you had them over for drinks for team morale. What does she have to do with some guy wanting to live in my house?”

  “She was hurt on the job and had to be replaced. The NSO offered us one of their people to fill her position. Jessie did the first contact stuff for us when we recovered a New Species POW alive. We thought—I thought—that since we don’t have Jessie then we should have a New Species do first contact. The thing is that he’ll have to live here or we’d have to send our only helicopter to get him for every mission. It’d waste funds and resources when we have few to spare. This way he’s on the spot when we need him and have to move fast.”

  Becca let that all that information sink in. “POWs? You call them prisoners of war?”

  “What would you call them? My job is to find imprisoned New Species and free them. They aren’t there for fun and games. They are prisoners and it’s usually a fight to get them free.” He shifted his weight again. “Anyway, now that you know the situation, I expect you to get with the program. I’m going to go change my clothes while you pack your belongings. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes to help you move. He should be arriving within the hour.” He paused and his eyes narrowed. “I want you to stay away from him. That’s an order, Rebecca Marie Oberto.”

  “This is why Mom left you and why you’re still single eight years after the divorce.” Becca was pissed. “Do not tell me what to do. I’m a grown woman. You get with the program. I can talk to whoever I want, even hang out with him and I don’t take orders from you.”

  “You will not.” His voice deepened and took on a stern tone. “I am your father and you will do what you’re told. I have spoken.”

  Her eyes widened in astonishment. Her hands fisted as she shoved them against her hips. “Wow! Really? You’ve spoken? I’m having flashbacks of my teens and we both know that didn’t go so well for you. I sneaked out of the house plenty of times when you refused to allow me to have a life. It didn’t work t