Fierce Protector (Sierra Pride Book 3) by Liza Street Read Free Book Online

Gutierrez said. “He’s not human. This is a great opportunity for science.”
    For science, or for you ? Miranda wondered. But she didn’t dare say it. “I don’t understand why you shot a man.”
    “I tranqed him. And he’s not just a man, Ms. Hsin.”
    There was no pretending that Dr. Gutierrez didn’t know what Gabriel was. She’d probably known about him—or shifters like him—from the very beginning, when she’d sent Miranda out here. Probably she had guessed that Miranda would eventually come across sets of prints too interesting not to report. And as soon as she had, Dr. Gutierrez had gathered her things and come out.
    “When did you leave Sacramento?” Miranda asked.
    “Last night,” Dr. Gutierrez said. “I drove to Nubston, and this morning I was already out on an old access road. My cell barely worked, but I’m glad I was able to get the coordinates from you. You’ve helped us more than you can imagine.”
    Miranda shook her head. This wasn’t possible.
    “Ms. Hsin, do you realize what an accomplishment this is for you? Your career? Your name will be on the covers of the most prestigious scientific journals, for years. For the rest of your life.”
    Her name on journals, like her dad’s. It was what she’d always wanted.
    But not at this price.
    “Of course,” Miranda said. It made no sense to argue at this point. “I found him, of course. Let me help you.”
    Together, they bound his arms and legs. His head and shoulders were heavy in Miranda’s arms, and she tried to stifle the pulse of tenderness that washed through her. Easy enough, as that tenderness was tempered by the horror of what Dr. Gutierrez had turned into.
    Gabriel was a person, not a science experiment.
    Miranda hoped for an opportunity to loop the restraints loosely and provide him some means of escape, but Dr. Gutierrez didn’t trust her yet. So Gabriel was tightly bound, and Miranda resisted the urge to stroke his broad chest as it rose and fell with each shallow breath.
    She couldn’t stand hurting him. Moments ago they’d been telling each other how they felt. He loved her, he’d said, and for some insane reason, she’d felt his love throughout her whole being. She reciprocated it, even, and she’d thought herself incapable of trusting in real love. Maybe love didn’t make sense. Maybe none of it ever would make sense.
    Maybe it wasn’t meant to make sense, and maybe on some level, Dr. Gutierrez had a good reason for doing what she was doing.
    Fuck that. Miranda had found the man of her dreams. She wasn’t about to let anyone take him away from her.

Chapter Eleven
    Gabriel woke with his arms behind him. His head ached like a motherfucker, but otherwise his senses were dull.
    Where was Miranda? Was she okay? He moved to get up, but putting his hands out was impossible; his wrists had been bound in something heavy and coarse—thick rope—that he couldn’t break apart by pulling against it. The same thick rope was wrapped around his ankles, too tight to offer any give.
    He shook his head, trying to clear it, but that only made the ache worse. So instead he stilled and tried to listen. Women’s voices, one of them slightly higher-pitched with tension, the other perfunctory and almost business-like.
    Miranda’s voice was the tense voice, but at least she was alive. He could figure out later how to eliminate whatever threat was making her feel anxious. Because he would eliminate it, and with great pleasure.
    He carefully turned his head to search for her. The forest was growing dark, and night would be here soon.
    There Miranda was—unbound, moving around freely, talking with a woman who must be Evelia Gutierrez. Gabriel couldn’t quite process what he was seeing. Why was Miranda there, free, and talking with Gutierrez? Why wasn’t she helping him?
    It didn’t matter, because he still had to get both him and Miranda as far from Evelia Gutierrez as possible. The woman was pure evil in the name of science,