just who she was. She was mostly
grateful for that fact.
Sometimes when she walked home at night she
would catch a glimpse of him on the dark street. She
could sense his stare and knew he shadowed her to make
sure she arrived safely. It is his job, she reminded herself.
She regretted what she’d blurted to him but she’d lost
her temper.
There was something wrong with her. She mentally
kicked herself over being angry with a guy for the
reasons that she was, knowing it just wasn’t right. She’d
felt insulted that he’d forgotten her. Just over a year
before he’d wanted to keep her for days, he’d called her
beauty, and now… She sighed. He just thought she was
pretty and offered her some cheesy one-night stand. Not
even a night. He only wants me for a few hours.
“Stupid,” she muttered.
“What is?” A deep voice spoke softly from behind
her.
Trisha started and spun in her seat to gawk at Slade.
She grabbed her heart. “Don’t sneak up on me that way
again. Would it kill you to make some noise when you
move?”
His eyebrows arched as a smile curved his full lips.
“Then I wouldn’t get to watch you react that way.”
She sighed. “I’m glad you at least find it amusing. I
sure don’t.”
She glanced around the room, realized no one else
was there, and instantly tensed. Uh-oh. This was the first
time she could remember them being totally alone since
that night he’d walked her home. They’d had some
interaction when there’d been some problems between
the human, Ellie Brower, and her New Species husband.
Fury had been shot during a press conference that had
been infiltrated by a few members of a hate group and
during his recovery a nurse had drugged him, trying to
drive him insane. They’d seen each other during that
time but had kept it professional.
“What do you need?”
“Good thing you didn’t ask what I want.” He
smirked at her, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
“Justice has to go on a road trip and wants you to go
with him.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “He said to tell
you to pack for two days. I had no idea you and Justice
were sleeping together.”
Trisha glared at him. “You know Mr. North and I…
that nothing is going on between us. He’s my boss and
he’s your leader. My only dealings with Justice are
purely professional.”
His tongue ran along his bottom lip. Trisha watched
it. She looked up slightly into his blue eyes, which were
staring back into hers. “I know but I love to see you turn
all pink when you grow angry.” He suddenly smiled.
“Justice wants you ready to roll in an hour.”
“But—”
“An hour. Don’t argue with me. I’m just the
messenger.”
“But where are we going? I’m on duty right now and
tomorrow. What does Justice want with me?”
He shrugged, still smiling. “I just deliver the
messages. See you in an hour, Doc. I’ll pick you up in
front of your house.”
She watched him leave the clinic. A curse passed her
lips before she could refrain. He loved to annoy her and
he had a real talent for it. She picked up the phone to call
Dr. Ted Treadmont, the second doctor they’d hired part-
time, to cover some of her shifts.
They really needed more medical staff. Two doctors
and nurses weren’t enough. She made a mental note to
bring that up again with Justice when she spoke to him.
He headed the New Species, was their appointed leader,
and made most of the decisions at Homeland.
She glanced at the phone, half tempted to call him to
say she wasn’t going wherever he wanted her to go but
then changed her mind. She respected Justice and for
whatever reason, he needed her to go somewhere that
required packing. She might not want to go but she
would.
Trisha had no idea what to pack. She cursed and
decided to just take a bit of everything. She grabbed a
few pairs of jeans, a few pairs of slacks, and some nice
shirts along with a universal black dress, just in