* * *
Justice glanced at his watch, impatient to leave the office but he’d been informed that a situation needed to be dealt with. He rubbed the back of his neck and thought of Jessie. She’d been dropped off at her home and by now she’d had time to get settled. He wanted to see her more than anything, including addressing whatever trouble had arisen. A knock sounded at his door, it immediately opened and Fury and Tiger sauntered in. Both males appeared stressed and irritated as the door slammed—further proof of their bad moods. They collapsed into the chairs across from him.
“What’s going on?” He glanced at them.
“The usual,” Tiger muttered. “Death threats and we were served with a summons to appear in court.”
Fury snarled, a vicious sound, and pure rage darkened his features. “Ellie’s father is demanding she appear before a judge for mental competency.”
Disbelief gripped Justice. “What?”
“She had to cancel his visit. He’s angry and believes I want her cut off from her family.”
“Competency hearing? That implies they believe she’s not of sound mind, correct?”
Justice’s anger spiked. “Is he accusing her of insanity for loving you?”
“Yes.” Fury’s hands gripped the chair tightly enough to make the wood groan.
“She’s carrying our child and it’s obvious enough with her morning sickness that he would notice if he stayed with us for a few days. And they say she is being abused by me. She doesn’t need to be upset but I have to tell her about this. She will be angry and that will make me furious.”
Tiger shot him a glance and his eyebrows rose. “You? Angry? Unbelievable.”
Justice smothered a grin at the joke and relaxed. “Don’t tell her, Fury. There’s no need.”
“She has to be told. They delivered a summons to the gate in her name and I always share everything with her.”
“She’s your mate, living at Homeland. That makes her Species.” Justice leaned forward and crossed his arms to rest them on his desk. “Their laws don’t apply to us.
They have no jurisdiction and they can’t enforce it.”
Hope filled Fury’s worried gaze. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. Don’t upset your mate.”
“It’s her father. I’m sure he might mention it when she talks to him on the phone.”
“You’re right. Inform her there’s nothing the outside world can do. They can’t enter Homeland and it’s a tactic to cause anxiety. It will blow over once her father calms down. Tell her those things before you give her the news about him being difficult.”
“I wish the outside world had never found out about Ellie and me.” Fury softly growled. “It’s caused so much grief. Everyone believes I’m harming her or that she shouldn’t be with me. Why can’t they leave us alone?”
“You two belong together.” Tiger shrugged. “Your love for each other is clear and perhaps they are jealous. Plus, humans can be really stupid when it comes to us.”
Justice grimly agreed. “Your mate and unborn child are safe, Fury. No one can take them from you or enter our gates to take her away. Care for her, love her and be there for her.”
“Always.” Fury rose to his feet. “I still wish the outside world had never learned about us. I watch it cause her pain sometimes and it tears me apart inside. I want to protect her but this is the man who helped give her life. I understand his disappointment but to accuse me of harming her or her being insane to love me is frustrating.” He glared at each man. “If you ever mate a human, protect her better than I have my Ellie. I’m going home now. I hate leaving her for more than a few hours.” He stomped out of the office.
“Shit.” Tiger sighed, slumping in his chair. “I don’t envy him the conversation they are about to have. This is why I swore off women from the outside. They come with nosy families who seem to cause more trouble than having those associations are worth.
It makes me feel lucky that we don’t have parents.”
The thought of Jessie flashed through Justice’s mind. Her father was the senator who spoke at meetings for Species and fought in Washington for the rights they had.
Worry began to surface. Would Jessie’s father have an adverse reaction if he knew his daughter had allowed him to touch her? How much trouble could he cause them if he did? He had real power, was not just some human who wanted to protest outside the gates or send them nasty messages. He slumped in his chair as he leaned back.
“We’re lucky to be single.”
Justice met Tiger’s steady gaze. “Are we? I think Fury would disagree. His Ellie is worth it to him. Their love is true.”
“Yeah. You have a point but so do I.” Tiger grinned. “Let’s make a pact. We won’t tell anyone if we ever fall for a woman from the outside. Between humans thinking we’re twisted bastards who brainwash women into being with us and our own kind watching us to see what happens when we are with humans, let’s skip it and keep it on the down-low.”
“The what?”
“It’s a term I’ve learned from a human. It means keep it secret. It’s no one’s business and therefore they can’t start any trouble if they disagree with the relationship. The male said he did that with an undesirable female.” His face grew solemn. “He laughed when I commented that her looks should be irrelevant if she made him happy. I wasn’t sure how to take that but I think he cares too much for appearances. The term is the same though. It means being with someone and no one knows.”
Justice glanced at his watch, impatient to leave the office but he’d been informed that a situation needed to be dealt with. He rubbed the back of his neck and thought of Jessie. She’d been dropped off at her home and by now she’d had time to get settled. He wanted to see her more than anything, including addressing whatever trouble had arisen. A knock sounded at his door, it immediately opened and Fury and Tiger sauntered in. Both males appeared stressed and irritated as the door slammed—further proof of their bad moods. They collapsed into the chairs across from him.
“What’s going on?” He glanced at them.
“The usual,” Tiger muttered. “Death threats and we were served with a summons to appear in court.”
Fury snarled, a vicious sound, and pure rage darkened his features. “Ellie’s father is demanding she appear before a judge for mental competency.”
Disbelief gripped Justice. “What?”
“She had to cancel his visit. He’s angry and believes I want her cut off from her family.”
“Competency hearing? That implies they believe she’s not of sound mind, correct?”
Justice’s anger spiked. “Is he accusing her of insanity for loving you?”
“Yes.” Fury’s hands gripped the chair tightly enough to make the wood groan.
“She’s carrying our child and it’s obvious enough with her morning sickness that he would notice if he stayed with us for a few days. And they say she is being abused by me. She doesn’t need to be upset but I have to tell her about this. She will be angry and that will make me furious.”
Tiger shot him a glance and his eyebrows rose. “You? Angry? Unbelievable.”
Justice smothered a grin at the joke and relaxed. “Don’t tell her, Fury. There’s no need.”
“She has to be told. They delivered a summons to the gate in her name and I always share everything with her.”
“She’s your mate, living at Homeland. That makes her Species.” Justice leaned forward and crossed his arms to rest them on his desk. “Their laws don’t apply to us.
They have no jurisdiction and they can’t enforce it.”
Hope filled Fury’s worried gaze. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. Don’t upset your mate.”
“It’s her father. I’m sure he might mention it when she talks to him on the phone.”
“You’re right. Inform her there’s nothing the outside world can do. They can’t enter Homeland and it’s a tactic to cause anxiety. It will blow over once her father calms down. Tell her those things before you give her the news about him being difficult.”
“I wish the outside world had never found out about Ellie and me.” Fury softly growled. “It’s caused so much grief. Everyone believes I’m harming her or that she shouldn’t be with me. Why can’t they leave us alone?”
“You two belong together.” Tiger shrugged. “Your love for each other is clear and perhaps they are jealous. Plus, humans can be really stupid when it comes to us.”
Justice grimly agreed. “Your mate and unborn child are safe, Fury. No one can take them from you or enter our gates to take her away. Care for her, love her and be there for her.”
“Always.” Fury rose to his feet. “I still wish the outside world had never learned about us. I watch it cause her pain sometimes and it tears me apart inside. I want to protect her but this is the man who helped give her life. I understand his disappointment but to accuse me of harming her or her being insane to love me is frustrating.” He glared at each man. “If you ever mate a human, protect her better than I have my Ellie. I’m going home now. I hate leaving her for more than a few hours.” He stomped out of the office.
“Shit.” Tiger sighed, slumping in his chair. “I don’t envy him the conversation they are about to have. This is why I swore off women from the outside. They come with nosy families who seem to cause more trouble than having those associations are worth.
It makes me feel lucky that we don’t have parents.”
The thought of Jessie flashed through Justice’s mind. Her father was the senator who spoke at meetings for Species and fought in Washington for the rights they had.
Worry began to surface. Would Jessie’s father have an adverse reaction if he knew his daughter had allowed him to touch her? How much trouble could he cause them if he did? He had real power, was not just some human who wanted to protest outside the gates or send them nasty messages. He slumped in his chair as he leaned back.
“We’re lucky to be single.”
Justice met Tiger’s steady gaze. “Are we? I think Fury would disagree. His Ellie is worth it to him. Their love is true.”
“Yeah. You have a point but so do I.” Tiger grinned. “Let’s make a pact. We won’t tell anyone if we ever fall for a woman from the outside. Between humans thinking we’re twisted bastards who brainwash women into being with us and our own kind watching us to see what happens when we are with humans, let’s skip it and keep it on the down-low.”
“The what?”
“It’s a term I’ve learned from a human. It means keep it secret. It’s no one’s business and therefore they can’t start any trouble if they disagree with the relationship. The male said he did that with an undesirable female.” His face grew solemn. “He laughed when I commented that her looks should be irrelevant if she made him happy. I wasn’t sure how to take that but I think he cares too much for appearances. The term is the same though. It means being with someone and no one knows.”
