“I’m still angry at her for the past and she never came to Homeland to see me until this happened.”
“Ah.”
“What does that mean?”
Harley leaned in closer and peered at him, frowning. “The female is yours. Face it. You’ve come in late for other meals right off a work shift stinking of sweat. You always shower to wash it away no matter what I put on a plate or how hungry you are. I’m smelling her because you’re having one of those weird reactions we experience when a female has us by the balls. You probably need her scent on you in order to keep sitting there instead of sniffing after her to get another whiff.” A smile curved his lips. “Deny it to yourself but I know you too well. You have that whipped expression we’ve both witnessed on the males who have mated.” He laughed. “That’s the one. It’s that oh-shit look as it sinks in that it’s true.”
Moon knew the color had drained from his face. His best friend was right. He wouldn’t lie to Harley.
“Go to human housing and wallow in your female. Be sure to tell her that I expect to still spend time with you. She made a mistake. Get over it. I refuse to watch you sulk and beat on the task force members we train with when you unleash your anger on them. They aren’t cute and fuckable. She is. Don’t allow her to leave because you hold a grudge.”
“Sometimes I think you’ve grown too human.” It amused him though and Harley was right. He might hate what she had done to him once but she’d come back. They had things to work out but he did want to try. That meant he needed to ask her to stick around to be able to do that. He didn’t want to dwell on the past when Joy could become part of his future.
“I spend way too much time with Trey and the guys. They are a bad influence in the best way.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “Go get her.”
As Moon slid off the chair the doorbell rang. He glanced at Harley, who shrugged.
“I’m not expecting anyone.” Moon crossed the room in quick strides. It wouldn’t be Joy. Her escort would have called first to get his permission to bring her to his house.
“Everyone was worried about you. Word spreads fast. It’s probably someone wanting to make sure you’re really back to normal after being told you’re home.” Harley followed. “Let’s hope it’s not a female to offer you a sympathy fuck. They won’t know you’re already taken until they smell her all over you.”
Moon jerked open the door and bared his teeth when he glared at the human waiting on his porch. It wasn’t anyone he wanted to see. “You.”
“Hello, Moon. Are you going to ask me in?”
He stepped to the center of the doorway, spread his arms, and gripped the frame to completely block the entrance with his body. “No.”
“You’re being extremely rude.”
“Go away, Kregkor.”
“I have come to evaluate you.”
“You’re not my shrink. I don’t need one.”
The annoying human gave him a chilly smile. “You’ve suffered a trauma and might still be experiencing side effects. Please invite me in. We’ll discuss all that has happened to you and how you feel about it.”
“He thinks it sucks that an asshole shot him.” Harley paused behind him. “He’s fine now that the drugs have left his system. Evaluation over.”
Moon resisted laughing. Justice had asked them to tolerate the shrink. That didn’t mean he’d invite him inside his home or waste time being asked stupid questions. His friend’s responses didn’t please the human. A scowl creased his face.
“I came to speak to Moon. You can set an appointment with me if you wish to discuss your feelings, Harley. I have a few open timeslots tomorrow. I know you have a lot of serious issues that need to be addressed. It will save me the headache of going to Fury or Justice to make you come see me.”
Harley’s chest pressed against Moon’s upper arm and he gripped the wood frame tighter to prevent his friend from reaching the shrink. Moon shot Harley a warning look that he hoped conveyed that he needed to remain calm. Kregkor had a habit of infuriating Species with his belief that all of them were desperately in need of his help. As much as the shrink might deserve to be knocked on his ass, they weren’t allowed to touch him. Harley growled but eased back.
“I have things to do.”
Better things to do than waste my time
, he silently amended, forcing a smile. “It was thoughtful of you to drive to my house but I’m leaving.”
“In other words, you’re in our way.” Harley glowered. “Don’t you have a mate to get home to? I’m sure she misses you. You’re so pleasant to be around.”
Moon almost winced at the clear sarcasm. It wasn’t missed on the shrink either as his face reddened while his hands twitched at his sides. He needed to smooth things over.
“I am to return to Medical tonight for a follow-up. I’m sure you don’t want me to be late for that.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. He’d go there after paying a visit to Joy.
“This is part of the follow-up.” Kregkor’s beady eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “It’s mandatory that you be given a clean bill of health. That means you need to speak to a trained professional about the emotional ramifications of the trauma you’ve suffered. Justice agreed.”
Moon bit back a curse. No one had told him that.
“He won’t be talking to you.” Harley leaned in again to growl at the human. “It just so happens that you aren’t the only head shrink at Homeland. He’ll go see Dr. Yards.”
That was brilliant. Moon grinned. “Good idea. I’ll go see her right now.”
“That woman?” Kregkor shook his head. “She’s not qualified.”
“She cared for me right after I was freed from Mercile.” Moon released the doorframe, not caring anymore if Harley wanted to intimidate the human. No one was allowed to dismiss Joy. “She knows more about Species than you ever will.”
“She doesn’t want to kill us and would be smart enough to never verbally harass a mate.”
Kregkor’s face flushed red as he shot Harley a furious glare. “You are of line. That was a special circumstance.”
“I don’t like you.” Harley growled again, deeper, more menacing.
The human paled slightly and stepped back. He addressed Moon. “I realize I’m not popular but you do need to be evaluated.”
“Joy will do it.”
“Dr. Joyce Yards left,” he said smugly. “When I was being processed in at the main gate, her vehicle was being checked for departure.”
Moon’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re wrong. She’s at human housing.”
“She has long brown hair and was driving a blue four-door sedan. They said she was Dr. Joyce Yards.” He jerked out his cell phone to wave around. “Do you want to call the main gate? It was odd seeing a stranger leave Homeland at this hour. Most of the day staff leaves at five.”
Rage filled Moon as he spun, bumped into Harley, and rushed to his home phone. Security answered on the second ring.
“Where is the female shrink?” He figured whoever answered would be able to identify her easiest with that description.
“She left, Moon. Her car was searched to make sure she didn’t take anything with her that belonged to the NSO. Do you want me to find the one who spoke to the female?”
“No.” He threw the phone and it smashed apart when it impacted with the wall.
“Damn.” Harley sighed.
He spun to face his friend. Harley held his gaze with an equally harsh expression. Kregkor had crept inside his door while they were both distracted. It made him a target in the worst way. Moon lunged before considering what he was about to do. Harley grabbed him before he got to the human to throw him out. He would have sent the male flying out the door into the yard.
“Breathe,” Harley ordered. “That’s it. Let me handle this first and then we’ll deal with what to do about your female.”
He nodded, his control held by a thin thread. Strong emotions were crushing into him. Joy had promised she would stay. It was the past repeating. The howl that wanted to burst loose nearly choked him.
Harley let him go and stalked over to the shrink. “I’ll give you a five-second head start. If you’re still here, I won’t stop him from turning you into a screaming punching bag. Lesson number one about Species that you should learn is to never fuck with one when he’s about to snap. Take a look.” He jerked his thumb in Moon’s direction. “See that murderous glint in his eyes? Remember what we are. Run, human.”
Kregkor turned tail and bolted. Harley slammed and locked the door.
“Easy, man.” He slowly turned and his dark eyes narrowed. “Don’t mess up your house. Or my face. You like us both. We’ll deal with how to handle this as soon as you calm down.”
Joy unlocked the front door to her condo a little after ten o’clock that night. It had been a nightmare dealing with the problem at work. She’d managed to reach the hospital within two hours but she hadn’t expected the three-ring circus she encountered there. Her boss had called in a legal team to protect their clients’ rights.
The lawyer had demanded she respond to him in whispered answers to every question from the police. He’d been the one to speak to them directly after filtering what she said. It had been a slow, annoying process that had taken hours.
She kicked off her shoes inside the door and locked it. She hit the switch and light filled the open-concept living space that combined the kitchen with the living room. The seven-hundred-square-foot home wasn’t big but it was affordable. A long counter she used as a dining table was the only thing that separated the rooms. The lone barstool was a reminder of her solitary life. She missed Moon.
The trip to her bedroom was a quick one. The twin bed with matching furniture was more suitable for a teenager but with the limited space it allowed her to use one side of the room as a home office. She turned on her computer to check emails and noticed her answering machine blinking as she waited for them to load. She hit the button to check them.
“Hi, Joy. It’s Mom. Don’t forget to call Aunt Margie on Tuesday. She’s having surgery again and you know how she gets. Make sure she doesn’t rewrite her will. Poor Markus is fed up with her saying she’s going to die. Give your cousin a break by calming her down. Love you.”
Joy winced as she listened to the next four terse messages from her boss. He’d left them before they’d spoken on her cell. The last message was another reminder that she’d totally lost touch with her own life when she’d rushed away to be with Moon.
“Are you okay?” It was Meg’s voice. “I know you’re stressed with the flood of new clients that were shoved on you when your coworker retired but you never stand me up. I’m worried. Call me.”
She grabbed up the phone and dialed. Meg answered on the first ring.
“I’m so sorry. I hope it’s not too late to call.”
“Never. I was making a snack. Right from my lips to my hips at this hour but I’m counseling someone with a food disorder. I suddenly don’t care if I gain a few pounds. Being the perfect weight is overrated. Enough about me. How are you?”
Joy grinned and sat down at her desk. “I’m good.”
“You always call me if you aren’t able to make our movie night.”
“I am sorry about that. Life kind of took a surprising turn.”
“Do you need me in professional mode?”
“No.” Joy laughed. “Just relax and be my friend.”
“You say that so you don’t have to pay me.”
It was a standing joke between them. “It cuts both ways. I didn’t charge you when you rambled on about your ex-boyfriend.”
“True. What’s going on? Are they working you too hard at the hospital? I keep telling you private practice pays more and the hours are very stable.”
“No.” Joy debated what to say. “My past kind of came up and bit me.” She subconsciously rubbed where Moon had sunk his teeth into her. It was still a bit tender. “I took some time off work to deal with it. I knew you’d freak out if you didn’t hear from me and I don’t want you to be concerned. I’m alive and well. I won’t be around for a bit until I get this sorted out.”
Meg was silent for long seconds. “What is going on? I can’t think of anything that would distract you to the point of blowing me off and having to take time away from your clients.”
“Remember when I moved in with you for a few weeks? It’s about him.”
“Shit. The guy you fell for? Did he show up at your office asking you to counsel him again?”
“No. Let’s just say we ran into each other and I’ve been spending some time with him.”
“Is he still massively hot?”
“Even more so.”
“
And
he’s not your client anymore.”
“Nope.”
Meg softly cursed. “You went there, didn’t you? I remember how depressed you were. I’ve never seen you so hung up on a guy. You even refused to tell me anything about him.”
Joy knew what Meg wanted to know. “I went there. We had sex.”
“Oh my god!” Meg sounded astonished. “Okay. It’s been a few years. No one could accuse you of anything unethical. At least in theory.” She paused. “How was it? Please tell me he isn’t one of those types who is all looks but totally clueless in the sack. You went through hell over that guy. Was it worth it?”
Heat warmed Joy’s belly just remembering the intimate moments she’d shared with Moon. “It was a hundred times better than anything I ever fantasized about.”