The blonde smiled, moving forward. “Hi. I’m Trisha―”

“A doctor,” the man standing next to her said quickly. “I’m her security officer. She’s a visiting human who’s applied to be a doctor here and she’s a friend of Justice North’s.”

The woman frowned while shooting him a dirty look before she turned her attention back to Tammy. “I heard you had a rough night. I’m sorry it took so long for me to get here but Slade had to wake me and I had to get dressed.”

“I woke her from two rooms away,” the tall man with really blue eyes growled. “I protect her while she’s visiting.”

The woman flashed him another frown. “This is Slade and he’s very protective of me.” The woman looked highly amused. “He’s my security guard.”

He tensed. “Security officer.”

The doctor laughed. “Whatever.”

Tammy glanced at the blue-eyed man. She stood in nothing but a towel and it wasn’t a big one. He got points for not staring at her though. She turned her full attention back to Trisha. “Thank you for agreeing to look at me so late or I should say so early in the morning, since that’s more accurate.”

“It’s my pleasure. The men will leave us alone while I take a look at your injuries.”

Valiant growled. “I don’t have to leave. I’ve seen her bare. Make Slade go. He can’t see her that way.”

Tammy shot a glare at Valiant. “Please leave. Don’t make me argue with you in front of the nice pregnant doctor and the guy protecting her. She got out of bed to come all the way over here to examine me and the last thing she needs is to listen to us go another round.”

Valiant growled at her again.

“Stop that,” she snapped. “Stop growling at me. I’ve had a long night, I’m tired, and I’m in pain. Can’t you just do one thing without making me argue with you? Please?”

He stormed out of the room. The New Species man laughed and a look of joy passed over his features. “This was so worth getting dressed to see.” He grinned a second before he spun on his heel and left the room too. The door closed behind him.

“Thank you,” Tammy called out. “I appreciate it.” She looked at the doctor, knowing her cheeks blushed slightly with embarrassment. “I’m sorry about that.”

Trisha grinned. “Don’t be sorry at all. I would have paid to see someone stand up to Valiant.” She had a bag with her that she set on the edge of the bed. “Why don’t you tell me where you hurt and we’ll see what I can do? What happened to you specifically?”

Tammy walked closer to the bed, hesitated, and dropped the towel. “I guess looking is telling. Four men grabbed me, kind of beat me up a bit in the back of a truck, and dragged me through the woods. They tortured me too but Valiant and his friends came to my rescue.” She slowly turned a full circle to show all her injuries. “My shoulder hurts the worst and I’m limping. My hip took a few big bumps inside the back of the truck bed when two of those ass**les were making a dog pile out of me. I was stuck on the bottom so their weight slammed me into the truck bed.” She stuck her wrists out. “This is from a belt they used to tie my hands behind my back.”

The woman wasn’t smiling anymore. She had Tammy stand while she sat on the bed and opened her bag. “Let me treat some of these scratches and bandage them.” The woman touched Tammy’s hip, feeling it. “Sorry if this hurts. I just want to make sure nothing is broken.”

“It’s not broken but it sure hurts.”

Tammy stood there while the doctor put some kind of cream on her cuts and bandaged the worst ones. The doctor gave her a few ice packs and told Tammy to shake them to make them cold. Trisha stood and asked Tammy to turn so she could rotate her shoulder. Tammy winced.

“That hurts the most.”

“You have some bad bruising. Does your throat hurt?”

“It’s uncomfortable but I don’t think any real damage was done. The soreness feels about the same as when I have a slight cold.”

“I’m going to give you some pain medication that I brought just in case you needed it. I want you to take two as needed for the pain and if you run out, have Valiant give me a call. I want you to visit the medical center in a few days if the pain in your hip or shoulder worsens or doesn’t subside. We’ll get some X-rays.”

Tammy nodded. “Thanks.” She retrieved the towel and wrapped it around her. “I really appreciate it.”

Trisha sat on the bed. “So, have you seen Valiant since the incident at his house?”

Tammy wanted to wince but didn’t. “You heard about that?”

Trisha nodded. “Yeah. Slade, Tiger, Justice, and I know you had sex with him but that’s everyone who knows.”

“No. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen him since that day. I can’t believe he forgave me for knocking him out with the lamp and was great enough to come looking for me tonight.”

Trisha’s voice dropped in volume drastically. “You knocked him out with a lamp? I was under the impression he let you go. Tiger didn’t tell us that.”

“I coldcocked him.”

A grin split the woman’s lips. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m going to have a great laugh about that when it’s safe. Their hearing is amazing so always keep that in mind.”