Tiger
Page 42
She’d been attacked by humans and he was tempted to call Timber to put a hold on the prisoners. He’d love to spend five minutes with each of the males until he made certain they were injured as well. The thought of what could have happened to her left him with a deep need to reach her side as quickly as possible. He punched the gas to an unsafe speed and took a turn too fast. Species stared at him as he passed but he didn’t give a damn.
* * * * *
Zandy put on the new set of clothes. Midnight had brought her a gray T-shirt with NSO lettered on the front pocket and matching sweatpants. Her torn clothing had been thrown away. Her knee throbbed. Dr. Harris told her to go home and keep off it for a few days but Zandy had refused. The last thing she wanted was to go home to her empty house. She’d rather be around people after her close call with nearly being kidnapped.
Dr. Harris wasn’t happy with her decision. He held out a plastic bag. “I put a few shake ice packs in here too. Do you know how to use them?”
She smiled. “Um, I shake them?”
He grudgingly smiled back. “Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“Your purse was retrieved from the vehicle you were in.” Midnight handed it to her. “We are glad that you weren’t really harmed. Are you sure you don’t want a few days to recover? There is no shame in that. You are human and not used to this kind of stress.”
“Honey,” the doctor said softly, “we’re not invalids just because we aren’t as tough as you. She wants to go back to work. I’d do the same.”
She smiled at him. “You are very brave. For a human.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He turned to Zandy and asked, “Do you want crutches? That knee is going to hurt worse in the morning. You’re already limping.”
“I’m good. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t ache but I banged up my knees worse when I was a kid. I was a bit of a tomboy and liked skateboarding.”
“I saw the faded scars and wondered.”
“We lived on a hill.”
“Got it.” He grinned. “I hope you wore a helmet.”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“Don’t forget to take the pills I gave you for the pain and the ones I prescribed to help reduce any swelling. They are inside the bag. Use condoms for a month if you’re on birth control. They will mess with it since it’s also an antibiotic. I’d rather be safe than sorry to help you prevent any infection. I cleaned the cut well but you were in contact with the pavement. I have no idea what kind of germs you were exposed to. Stay off that knee as much as possible. I know you have an office job and work behind a desk. Have someone else fetch anything you need. Elevate it if possible.”
“Thank you. I’ll take the pills as soon as I get to my office.”
Midnight offered to escort her out but Zandy refused. Smiley was pacing outside in clear view of the front windows. She limped out there and he turned, his expression grim.
“Allow me to carry you.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m okay.”
“I called for transportation. You shouldn’t be standing from the amount of blood I saw on your pants. I strongly suggest you go home.” He paused. “You’ve had a trauma. Your family should care for you.”
“I live alone. The idea of staring at my walls isn’t real appealing. I’d rather be around someone right now.”
“I understand.” His expression softened and his pretty brown eyes fixed on her. “I could request to end my shift and take you to my home. I’m not offering to share sex but someone should care for you. I have a large television and I’m safe.”
She highly doubted his version of safe and hers lined up. Midnight and the doctor thought the New Species was attracted to her. The only man she wanted fawning over her had blue eyes and purred during the heat of passion. Her mouth opened to tell him no thanks but the sound of a car careening around a corner drew her attention first.
The Jeep was speeding at them and she recognized the driver instantly. Tiger’s streaked hair was easy to spot and so was his enraged expression as tires locked up on the pavement when he hit the brakes. The vehicle came to a screeching halt by the curb. He was out of it the second the engine cut off.
“This is Tiger,” Smiley stated, as if she didn’t know who stormed around the front of the vehicle to reach them. “Hello, Tiger. I take it you heard what happened. She is well. How did it go with Vengeance?”
“Give us a moment alone,” Tiger snarled, his gaze locked on Zandy. “I need to speak to her. Take a walk.”
Smiley gawked but backed away. He spun on his heel and went to the end of the building. He’d seemed pretty shocked at Tiger’s abrupt dismissal and she could relate, stunned a little herself. Tiger waited until the other man had moved away before he stepped closer. He ran his gaze down her body before meeting her eyes again. His hand lifted and he gently gripped her jaw, forcing her head to tilt a little to get a better look at the cut on her face.
“Why did you leave Reservation and who were you with? Are you all right? Who did this to you?”
She wasn’t sure which question to answer first. “I’m okay. Richard and I went shopping for his wife on our lunch break and the protesters attacked while we were in line to get back inside the gates.”
A deep growl rumbled from his throat. “Where are your clothes?”
“They threw them away. The shirt was history and the pants were bloody.”
* * * * *
Zandy put on the new set of clothes. Midnight had brought her a gray T-shirt with NSO lettered on the front pocket and matching sweatpants. Her torn clothing had been thrown away. Her knee throbbed. Dr. Harris told her to go home and keep off it for a few days but Zandy had refused. The last thing she wanted was to go home to her empty house. She’d rather be around people after her close call with nearly being kidnapped.
Dr. Harris wasn’t happy with her decision. He held out a plastic bag. “I put a few shake ice packs in here too. Do you know how to use them?”
She smiled. “Um, I shake them?”
He grudgingly smiled back. “Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“Your purse was retrieved from the vehicle you were in.” Midnight handed it to her. “We are glad that you weren’t really harmed. Are you sure you don’t want a few days to recover? There is no shame in that. You are human and not used to this kind of stress.”
“Honey,” the doctor said softly, “we’re not invalids just because we aren’t as tough as you. She wants to go back to work. I’d do the same.”
She smiled at him. “You are very brave. For a human.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He turned to Zandy and asked, “Do you want crutches? That knee is going to hurt worse in the morning. You’re already limping.”
“I’m good. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t ache but I banged up my knees worse when I was a kid. I was a bit of a tomboy and liked skateboarding.”
“I saw the faded scars and wondered.”
“We lived on a hill.”
“Got it.” He grinned. “I hope you wore a helmet.”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“Don’t forget to take the pills I gave you for the pain and the ones I prescribed to help reduce any swelling. They are inside the bag. Use condoms for a month if you’re on birth control. They will mess with it since it’s also an antibiotic. I’d rather be safe than sorry to help you prevent any infection. I cleaned the cut well but you were in contact with the pavement. I have no idea what kind of germs you were exposed to. Stay off that knee as much as possible. I know you have an office job and work behind a desk. Have someone else fetch anything you need. Elevate it if possible.”
“Thank you. I’ll take the pills as soon as I get to my office.”
Midnight offered to escort her out but Zandy refused. Smiley was pacing outside in clear view of the front windows. She limped out there and he turned, his expression grim.
“Allow me to carry you.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m okay.”
“I called for transportation. You shouldn’t be standing from the amount of blood I saw on your pants. I strongly suggest you go home.” He paused. “You’ve had a trauma. Your family should care for you.”
“I live alone. The idea of staring at my walls isn’t real appealing. I’d rather be around someone right now.”
“I understand.” His expression softened and his pretty brown eyes fixed on her. “I could request to end my shift and take you to my home. I’m not offering to share sex but someone should care for you. I have a large television and I’m safe.”
She highly doubted his version of safe and hers lined up. Midnight and the doctor thought the New Species was attracted to her. The only man she wanted fawning over her had blue eyes and purred during the heat of passion. Her mouth opened to tell him no thanks but the sound of a car careening around a corner drew her attention first.
The Jeep was speeding at them and she recognized the driver instantly. Tiger’s streaked hair was easy to spot and so was his enraged expression as tires locked up on the pavement when he hit the brakes. The vehicle came to a screeching halt by the curb. He was out of it the second the engine cut off.
“This is Tiger,” Smiley stated, as if she didn’t know who stormed around the front of the vehicle to reach them. “Hello, Tiger. I take it you heard what happened. She is well. How did it go with Vengeance?”
“Give us a moment alone,” Tiger snarled, his gaze locked on Zandy. “I need to speak to her. Take a walk.”
Smiley gawked but backed away. He spun on his heel and went to the end of the building. He’d seemed pretty shocked at Tiger’s abrupt dismissal and she could relate, stunned a little herself. Tiger waited until the other man had moved away before he stepped closer. He ran his gaze down her body before meeting her eyes again. His hand lifted and he gently gripped her jaw, forcing her head to tilt a little to get a better look at the cut on her face.
“Why did you leave Reservation and who were you with? Are you all right? Who did this to you?”
She wasn’t sure which question to answer first. “I’m okay. Richard and I went shopping for his wife on our lunch break and the protesters attacked while we were in line to get back inside the gates.”
A deep growl rumbled from his throat. “Where are your clothes?”
“They threw them away. The shirt was history and the pants were bloody.”
