Claimed by the Alien Bodyguard - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,26

time. For all I know, she burned the place down just to get back at me.”

Gabriela drew back, placed her hands upon Broxen’s chest, and gently but firmly pushed him aside. He could have easily resisted, could’ve held her in place without any effort, but he was not going to deny her the right to defend herself. And he was not going to stand by idly while this worm—this vakalgis—spoke about Broxen’s female that way.

“You asshole!” Gabriela tore away her blanket, draping it over Ana’s lap, and leapt down from the truck. She stumbled slightly but caught herself before Broxen needed to steady her.

Mr. Jensen and Captain Walker turned toward her. She marched toward them, her wet socks leaving footprints upon the pavement.

Broxen scowled. For a tiny female in her sleepwear, she projected a surprising air of threat, but he could not ignore Gabriela’s state—her pajama pants were soaked from the knees down and along the backs of her thighs and ass, and her shirt was too thin to provide any protection from the cold. It didn’t matter that she displayed not an ounce of her discomfort; he knew she was freezing. He knew her trembling earlier had been due just as much to the cold as it had been to her traumatic experience.

And that made something stir deep inside him, like a beast roused from age-old slumber—an ancient instinct. It demanded he march forward, scoop her up in his arms, and bring her into the house to warm her, soothe her, tend to her. To shield her from anything that would do her harm, be it a person like Mr. Jensen or an insurmountable force like the weather.

He’d take on any foe for the good of his mate and her kit.

“What’s happening?” Ana asked in a small voice. She was wrapped up snugly in her blanket with her freshly bandaged hand sticking out near her chest, fingers bent slightly.

“Stay here, Ana,” Broxen muttered. “Your mother needs to have a talk with that man.”

He pushed away from the truck and followed Gabriela, his scowl deepening. Talk…humans liked to talk, but Broxen found he had no patience for it right now. The longer Gabriela had to deal with Mr. Jensen, the longer she’d be exposed to the cold, and the more frustrated Broxen would become.

Need to care for her.

His fingers itched to take hold of her, if only just to lift her soaked feet off the freezing pavement. If only to draw her into the shelter of his body—both to warm her and make it clear to this angry newcomer that she was under Broxen’s protection.

Gabriela stopped in front of Mr. Jensen. “I was living in that house for years before you took ownership. And I just paid the rent today. Why the hell would I even pay you at all if I had some malicious intent?”

Mr. Jensen glared down at her. “Don’t you talk to me that way, missy.” He thrust a finger out toward the remains of the house. “This is your damned fault. I could sue you for—”

“You can take your threats and shove them up your ass, caremonda!”

His eyes rounded, and his jaw dropped.

“You’ll get your insurance money,” Gabriela continued, “but I lost everything tonight—everything except my daughter. Though I nearly lost her, too, because you never fixed that fucking window!”

The captain seemed to be trying to interject, but neither Gabriela nor Mr. Jensen paid him any attention. The latter was far too occupied gaping at the former.

“That’s not true, you little liar,” he spat. “I should’ve known not to rent out to a hisp—”

“Don’t you fucking dare say it,” Gabriela grated through bared teeth.

“You’re trying to slander me, making up lies about that window.”

“Por Dios, I won’t stand here and listen to this! I told you about it three times over the summer and again in October, and you never fixed it. She was trapped in that room, you heartless bastard.” Her voice was getting dangerously low and tight, taking on a tone that Broxen was familiar with.

It was the way people of many species talked before they started throwing punches—or shooting.

“It’s not my fault that you’re an irresponsible mother who—”

Broxen stalked forward, placing his hands on Gabriela’s hips and gently tugging to guide her back. When she didn’t budge, he simply lifted her off the ground, twisted, and deposited her behind him, ignoring her startled gasp.

He turned to face Mr. Jensen.

The human male tilted his head back to look up, eyes widening and skin paling.