Ellie had to fight her emotions not to become overwhelmed. She did laugh at his joke. He loves me! More tears blinded her. She had to blink them back. It wasn’t just sex to him, he shared her feelings. Suddenly their problems seemed irrelevant. He loves me!
“Good. I love you more than words can say and I’m so happy you love me too.”
Fury chuckled. “I checked into marriage.” His smile died. “They don’t have a special marriage clause for us but it isn’t exactly against the law either since there’s nothing regarding New Species.”
Marriage? Ellie stared up at him in shock. She’d never once expected Fury to think about that kind of commitment but he obviously had. Did she want to be married to him? She stared up into his eyes. He had become a huge part of her soul since that first haunting day she’d seen him inside his sterile cell.
“You want to talk about getting married? Really?”
“Would you mind being married to me? I love you and I want to commit to you, Ellie. That’s the deepest one humans have.”
“I love you for that even more.”
He lifted her and carried her into the living room. He sat back down on the couch with her on his lap. She put her arms around him and they smiled at each other.
“Would you seriously consider saying yes if I were to ask you to marry me in the near future?”
Ellie laughed. “I would but you aren’t supposed to ask if I will consider it. Just ask me.”
“I would but I haven’t had a chance to buy you a ring yet.” He reached up and gripped Ellie’s hand behind his neck. He brought it to his lips to press a kiss on her palm. Then he turned her hand to study her fingers. “I don’t know what size your finger is unless they just come in small.”
“I’m a size six.”
“Six.” His gaze met hers as he held her hand inside his. “I’m having the legal department look into whether we can get married. All they have found so far is that it isn’t on the books but there’s nothing against us marrying either. We’re what they called a landmark case. It sounds like we are real estate.”
Chuckling, Ellie nodded. “Yeah. It kind of does.”
“They believe it shouldn’t be a problem. They were hoping no one would find out until after we were married if you agreed to be my wife. Now I’m afraid someone will think of it and try to protest our right to do that.”
“I don’t think they can. You have rights, Fury. They can’t give New Species the right to live as all citizens live then tell you that you don’t have the same rights as other people. It would just be too wrong for words.”
The phone rang and Fury lifted Ellie off his lap and gently placed her onto the couch next to him. He got to his feet to get the phone. Ellie leaned back and tried to relax. She could hear Fury’s voice but not the words.
He wants to marry me. She grinned.
* * * * *
“The calls are already coming in, Fury.” Justice swore softly. “I just got off the phone with the president. He fully backs us but I hear the worry in his voice. I assured him things are fine and that the news reports were purposely grim.”
“Good. I called our teams and they are on standby to assist the human forces at the gates in case we get an influx of protesters. I’m expecting that to happen. It’s going to drive those nut jobs insane that their worst fear has come true and that a New Species officially lives with a human woman.” Fury paused. “I’m sorry for the trouble but I wouldn’t change it. She’s worth it to me, Justice.”
“You have made that clear and as I said, we are happy for you both. We back you.” Justice paused. “I know we need to address this issue with the press. They are imagining the worst—that she was injured by abuse from one of ours, and we need to clear this matter up.”
“Agreed but I refuse to put Ellie in front of them to answer questions. They will verbally attack her and say mean things that will hurt her feelings. I won’t allow that. It’s my job to protect her. We need to allow the humans to deal with their own kind. They are getting paid to handle the press. Let them do it.”
“It’s also your job to protect Species and our image. We may have to allow them to see Ellie to assure all humans she is fine. We need the public on our side, Fury. The last thing we need is more humans hating us and showing up outside the gates. The president can’t back us if he’s getting slammed by everyone for doing so.”
“I can do my job and Ellie is New Species. She’s mine to protect as well. I won’t risk one for the other because it won’t come to that.”
“Good. I will call a meeting with Tom next and he’s the best public relations person we have. He’s heavily into politics and has a vast amount of experience in dealing with the public. He’ll tell us the best way to handle this.” Justice sighed. “I wish these anti-New Species humans would just go away.”
“I wish it as well but we’re free. This seems to be the price of it. We realized it wouldn’t be easy from the start. We’ll get through this. Our security teams are prepared for the worst and you’ll handle the humans. You’re much better at dealing with them than I am.” A chuckle escaped Fury. “I don’t envy you that job today.”
“Is there any way you’ll allow the press access to Ellie?”‘
“No. She’s waiting for me to end this call and I’m going to her. She’s worried. I need to soothe her.”
“Did you just say you needed to soothe her?” Justice laughed.
A flash of irritation tore through Fury. “What? She gets upset and I can’t stand to see her that way.”
“Soothe?”
“I get to run my hands all over her.” Fury chuckled. “I distract her and as her mate it is my job to keep her mind on more pleasant things. Are you really going to give me shit about doing that? If you had a woman waiting for you, you would want to soothe her as well.”
“Go. I envy you right now. I have no one waiting for me.” Justice hung up.
* * * * *
“Justice is going to hold a press conference tomorrow. He’s decided we don’t have to talk to them unless we want to. I told him we won’t.” Fury said when he walked out of the kitchen without the phone.
Ellie arched an eyebrow. “You might have asked me.”
Dark eyes narrowed. “I am not going to put you up on display and allow humans to say hurtful words to you.”
“Don’t get angry. I’m trying not to get mad myself. You need to ask me things though. It’s just the right thing to do.”
Fury growled. “You’re mine to protect.”
Ellie sighed. She loved him. He was naturally dominant, it being his nature, and he wanted to protect her. She could either fight him every step of the way or just accept that he was prone to that behavior. She knew he loved her as deeply as she loved him. She nodded and his anger eased.
“I just want to shelter you.”
“I know, Fury. I just like to be asked. All right?”
“I’ll try. Do you want me to call Justice back and tell him that we will be there for the reporters to question?”
“You’d do that for me? Go with me if I wanted to?”
He sat down next to her. “If you go, I go.”
She loved him even more for saying that. “Don’t call him back. There’s no way I want to be there.”
“Women,” Fury growled but he smiled.
Ellie leaned toward him and softly brushed a kiss on his lips before pulling back. “Get used to it if you want to marry one.”
“I do.”
The phone rang again. Fury cursed. “Damn it. It’s not going to stop.”
Ellie silently agreed. “I guess I should call my family on my cell phone while you take that call. It would be rude not to give them a heads up before they see it on the evening news.”
Fury’s expression darkened.
“I don’t care if they aren’t happy about us. You’re my life now, Fury. You’re all that matters. I should call them though so they hear it from me.”