Justice Read online

  “Justice, she was just having fun. Leave her alone and come dance with me.”

  Breeze stared. “I swear if you let her stay I will help Flame guard her.”

  Flame hurried to jump on that. “I will protect her with my life, Justice.”

  Justice addressed Breeze. “Take her home now.”

  Flame held his hand out to Jessie. “I’ll take you home.”

  Jessie saw Justice’s nose flare and he glared at her. Her gaze lowered when Kit’s hand massaged his biceps and he didn’t pull away from her touch.

  That’s how it is. He is allowed to sleep with Kit but I can’t talk to other men. Jessie forced a smile as pain ripped through her. “I’d love for you to take me home, Flame. Thank you.” She gripped his hand and turned her back on Justice. “I drank too much and shouldn’t drive.”

  “Jessie?” Justice snarled.

  She glanced over her shoulder.

  “Do you remember what I said about interaction with Species males? I had that talk with you. You better remember what I said carefully.”

  She gaped, released Flame and slowly turned to face the man she loved. She remembered how he’d sworn to kill any man she let touch her. Kit pressed her body against his side, ran her fingers down his arm to rest on his stomach, rubbing him just above the waistband of his jeans. It was a familiar thing to do.

  “Calm down, Justice,” Kit purred. “You worry about her because she’s under your protection but Flame wouldn’t hurt her.”

  “Breeze, take her home. Flame, stay here.” It was an order given harshly in a no-nonsense, threatening tone.

  Anger flared in Jessie. The bastard! “Mr. North, I’m a big girl and I’m single. I don’t have anyone to answer to, especially someone I don’t know. I had an ex-husband but he was a cheating bastard who didn’t know how to be loyal. He slept around but expected me to sit home all alone. I divorced him because it doesn’t work that way and it never will with me. When a man cheats with someone else he has no right to get mad if I have sex with someone else. I’ll go home now but thank you for your…” She hesitated, knew she’d said too much but didn’t care. “Concern.” Jessie turned away. “Let’s go, Flame. I’ll give you a tour of my house since you’re being nice enough to drive me home.”

  They got a few feet when she realized she wasn’t too steady on her feet and Flame gripped her arm, laughing. “You drank too much, little Jessie.”

  “Probably. I had three and I’m not much of a drinker.”

  “When is the last time you drank?”

  “Oh, about a year ago. It was the first—”

  An arm hooked around her waist, jerked her right off her feet and she slammed into a warm, hard body. She was too stunned to do more than gasp as her feet touched the floor again. Strong arms held her pinned and unable to move. A loud snarl deafened her in one ear, the one closest to Justice’s mouth, and Flame spun to see what had happened to her.

  “She’s drunk and you aren’t taking her anywhere.” Justice snarled again. “Go, Flame. I’m protecting her and it’s not up for discussion. Her father would be furious if anyone touched her while she wasn’t in her right mind from drinks.”

  Flame backed away, looking shocked and rushed away without another word. Jessie drew in a deep breath, her stunned brain trying to take in what had just happened but hot breath fanned her skin as Justice lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

  “I will kill him, Jessie. Is that what you want? To see me rip Flame apart, limb by limb? Think before you speak or act. I’m not fucking Kit. I haven’t shared sex with anyone but you since we met. It was for appearances only, to make my people feel confident and believe everything is well.” His arms loosened. “Go home. I have a helicopter to catch in an hour and must attend a meeting at Reservation first thing in the morning. We’ll finish this discussion after I fly home in the afternoon.” His big body trembled behind her. “Be happy I must leave because you don’t want to talk to me right now anyway. I’m dangerous. I’d teach you why you’ll never accept any male but me.”

  He released her as swiftly as he’d grabbed her, backed up and shot a glare at Breeze. “Take her home and keep her away from all males. She’s had alcohol, needs to be protected and isn’t sober. Smell her and you’ll understand. If anything happens to her it’s your ass.” He stormed toward the front door.

  “Justice?” Kit cursed. “Damn!” She approached Jessie and put her hands on her hips. “You made him mad,” she pouted. “We were having fun and I don’t like your father if he puts such worry in Justice over your safety.”

  Breeze came forward, looking confused. “Let’s go, Jessie.” She sniffed. “How many drinks did you have?”

  Talk, she ordered her reeling mind. “Um, a few.” She closed her mouth.

  Breeze led her outside to the golf cart and drove her home. The silence stretched between them. Jessie still felt hurt over Justice’s dancing date, humiliated by the scene he’d created and really drunk. She shouldn’t have had that third drink.

  “I’ll walk you inside.” The other woman studied her. “Species rarely drink alcoholic beverages. They taste and smell bad.”

  “You’re politely saying I stink, aren’t you?”

  A laugh answered her and Breeze helped her stand. The world swayed a little for Jessie and she remembered she didn’t drink often for a reason. Lightweight. The hand tightened on her arm and steadied her.

  “You are small and shouldn’t drink that awful stuff, Jessie. You’re smart and don’t need it. You should see how uncoordinated you are and your eyes are all shiny.”

  “Not a good look for me, huh?”

  “No.”

  Jessie laughed, loving how blunt Species were. She tried to unlock the door but the darn keyhole kept moving. Breeze softly growled, jerked the key out of her hand and opened it. She turned the lights on.

  “I’ll help you get into bed.”

  “I can do it myself. This isn’t my first drunken rodeo.”

  “What does that mean? We didn’t have any bulls at the bar.”

  Another chuckle came from Jessie as she peered up at the tall woman. “It’s a saying. I’ve gotten shitfaced before. Thank you for bringing me home but I can handle it from here.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. Thank you.” She spun, stumbled and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The door closed loudly behind her, assuring her that her friend had left. Depression hit hard.

  Justice and Kit had looked good together and he might not have slept with her recently but the familiar way the Species woman had touched him left no doubt they’d been lovers in the past. He’d probably been living it up and flirting with other women while Jessie had been staying home, miserable. It made her mad and worse, really hurt. She wasn’t sure if he’d told her the truth. For all she knew he could be banging the hell out of every Species woman at Homeland.

  Hot tears filled her eyes and she regretted getting drunk since it made her more hormonal and less rational. Justice was a jerk but he’d been a hot one. She’d loved being in his arms and the guy could make her come screaming. There was the part about her falling in love with him too but she snorted over that.

  “I have bad taste in men,” she sniffed. The sound of her broken voice and the pain in it shattered the last bit of bravado she had as the sobs hit. She staggered to her bed, climbed on it, curled up and pulled her knees up.

  She had fallen in love with a workaholic guy, the leader of New Species, her boss. It had spelled disaster from the moment she’d seen him looking so sexy in his tank top. The tight jeans hadn’t helped either. A woman would have to be blind and dead not to notice Justice.

  “Jessie?” Bright light flooded the bedroom as Breeze rushed into the room. “Did you fall? Are you harmed?”

  Shit! She wiped at her face, sniffed and forced her body to move. She sat up but refused to glance in the direction of the door. “I’m fine. I cry when I drink. It’s just a human thing,” she lied.