Taken by the Alien Next Door (Aliens Among Us #1) - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,100

first two punches as though he were avoiding an irritating gnat flying at face. His hand darted up for the third punch, catching Cody’s fist and halting the blow entirely.

Tabitha could just barely make out the muscles of Zevris’s forearm flexing in the darkness.

Crying out in pain, Cody dropped to a knee, grasping his arm with his opposite hand as though to alleviate the pain. “Fuck you and that fat—”

Zevris’s fist cracked against Cody’s face with a crunch. Cody’s head snapped backward, and faintly glistening blood oozed from his nose. When he swayed forward again, he let out a wet cough and spat thickly onto the sidewalk.

Seeing Cody shut up like that brought Tabitha some satisfaction, even if it was petty.

Tad dragged himself away from the car he’d been thrown into and staggered to his feet. He stumblingly charged at Zevris from behind.

“Zevris, behind you,” Tabitha called, clenching the fabric of his jacket in both fists tightly enough to make her knuckles ache.

Zevris twisted around, pivoting on his knee—the one still pressed down atop Brent—to face the new attack. He kept hold of Cody’s fist, causing Cody to fall forward onto the sidewalk.

Tad leapt at Zevris, raising a knee.

What came next happened so fast that Tabitha couldn’t be sure what she’d seen. It looked like Zevris swung his free arm aside like a club, striking Tad in the legs well before that knee could connect. The man’s legs were swept one direction, forcing his torso to pitch in the opposite. Before he could even hit the ground, Zevris caught hold of the Tad’s shirt, tugged him closer, and headbutted him, forehead to forehead.

Zevris eased the unconscious man onto the ground with surprising gentleness.

He stood up then, momentarily pressing his weight down upon Brent and coaxing out another agonized groan. Zevris released Cody’s fist, clamping a hand on the back of the man’s neck, pulled Cody up, and dragged him toward Tabitha.

Brent and Vance scrambled way, leaving Cody and the unconscious Tad behind.

Cody’s head lolled, and he mumbled something—likely more curses—before managing some intelligible words. “You fucking win. Lemme go.”

“Our business is not yet concluded,” Zevris growled.

Tabitha had never heard such formal words spoken with such a savage edge on them.

He stopped in front of Tabitha and lowered Cody enough for the man’s knees to accept his weight. She glanced questioningly at Zevris, but his attention was focused on his foe, and that intensity still thrummed from him.

“Apologize to her,” Zevris commanded.

Cody lifted his head. His nose was definitely broken, and his eyes looked like they were already swelling. But there was more in them, something she’d never seen—fear. Perhaps even a hint of humility.

Zevris shoved the Cody’s head back down and forced him onto hands and knees. “You don’t get to look at her. You have not earned that right. Apologize. Now.”

“I’m sorry,” Cody murmured. “So fucking sorry.”

Zevris’s hand flexed.

Cody groaned. “Damn it, I’m sorry! Sorry I…I treated you like shit, Tabby. Sorry for all the things I said, everything I did. So, so fucking sorry.”

Tabitha’s breath fled her as her wide-eyed gaze flicked between Cody and Zevris. This…this had all really happened. Zevris had stood up for her, had beaten the crap out of these men all because they mocked her and called her horrible things, had forced Cody to apologize to her for the first time ever, and though she’d never condoned violence…she was really freaking turned on right now.

He cares for me. He really wants me.

Unceremoniously, Zevris cast the man away. Cody rolled onto his side, features contorted in agony. Zevris scanned their surroundings briefly, took hold of Tabitha’s wrist, and began walking—fast.

Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she jogged to keep up with him. Thankfully, his truck was within sight. Despite having won the fight and getting Cody to apologize, Zevris was still brimming with tension, and she had a feeling that there was far more aggression simmering within him that he had yet to let loose.

She kept silent as they reached the truck. He opened the passenger door for her and helped her inside, but he didn’t look at her. Once she was settled in the seat, he closed the door, rounded the truck in quick strides, and threw open the driver’s door.

The truck rocked as he climbed inside, and he slammed the door shut far harder than he had hers.

But Tabitha refused to let this ruin their night. The rage on his face as he’d fought for her honor had been unmistakable, but