When he and Ellis had last spoken, they had come to a truce of sorts. They had agreed to do what was best for Rivka and the babe, no matter the cost. Tristan had been uncertain to what extremes his mother would go to find the child and carry out her plans, so he had demanded to be left in the dark. He didn’t want her to be able to use him to hurt Rivka ever again.
He had tried to stay away, to convince himself that he had made the right choice. But he couldn’t, he was too selfish. The thought of his child coming into this world, without both of its parents there- he wasn’t strong enough to endure that. The guilt ate at him. He needed to be a better man. A present one. He would stand by them, even if they didn’t wish him to. So, here he was, sailing to the Morrows, searching, praying that his instincts were correct, and he would find them. They had to be there; he wouldn’t accept any other fate.
Chapter Forty-One
Stitches And Secrets
Alex
Alex was glad that Althea was basically family, because if she wasn’t, she may have tried to shatter her jaw a few times as she stitched her up. By the Gods, why had that seemed more painful than the actual stabbing? She was pretty sure Davin had lost feeling in his fingers from the grip she had kept on his hand, but he hadn’t tried to let go, even as her nails broke his skin.
They had tried to get him to leave the room for the procedure, but he had steadfastly refused, simply turning his back to face away, promising he wouldn’t watch. His free hand still dabbed Alex’s sweaty forehead with a cool cloth, which she ought to have found annoying. The steadying presence of his gaze had locked on hers, centered her focus, and kept her from crying out every time the needle passed through her flesh.Instead of pushing him away, she had leaned into the pools of golden amber and latched onto the strength he offered.
After the final stitch, Althea applied a generous amount of numbing salve on the inflamed area before moving to the counter to clean up her supplies. “It will only subdue the pain, unfortunately, not halt it completely.”
Alex’s breathing eased considerably. “Thank you.” She shifted her hand from Davin’s to reach for Althea’s, locking eyes with the woman, the look conveying more gratitude than words could have. Gathering the chart and her remaining supplies, Althea moved back to the counter while speaking. “I’ll need to move you to a long term recovery room as soon as you are up for it.”
“Wait. Long term? No.” Alex argued. “You know I can’t stay.” She threw Althea a hard stare.
“It’s not forever, just until you are healed enough to continue on your way.”
Davin looked between the women. Alex could sense Davin’s awareness. He was far too perceptive and would surely ask her about this conversation the moment they were alone, so she decided to hold her tongue. It wouldn’t do any good to fight with Althea anyway. Alex would leave either way, and the woman knew it, so she simply nodded as Althea opened the door.
“My next patient is just down the hall. I will be back shortly. Rest.” The last word was an order as she exited the room, back into the bustle of the primary care unit. The door closed, but didn’t latch completely, leaving it slightly ajar, allowing light from the corridor to spill inside. Althea hadn’t completely disappeared from sight when Alex heard a voice ring out, “Ms. Morrows, we need you.”
Alex half expected Davin to pounce on her with questions and demands as soon as Althea left, but instead, she found himwringing out the cloth again and bringing it back to her face and neck. Alex relaxed against her pillow and let him care for her.
She was so damned tired, and Althea was right, she needed her strength if she was to continue her search. He left the cloth folded on her forehead, his hands adjusting the sheet covering her. She would never admit it out loud, but she was enjoying his softness. The way his hands tenderly brushed back her hair, or the quiet intensity with which he watched her.
She knew he had to be worn out. He had pushed so hard the last few days that she didn’t even know how he was still standing. If he had managed sleep at all, she couldn’t fathom when. She had anxiously waited for him to return to her cabin on the ship, but he had never shown. When Janice stopped in to check on her, she couldn’t help but casually ask if she’d seen him. Janice had looked at her in sympathy, saying that she had last seen him on the bow, looking out over the water. That foolish, stubborn man had been standing watches that weren’t even his responsibility.
“Come lay down, Davin.” Alex murmured, patting the bed beside her, as she tried to shift to make room for him. He simply shook his head, moving to help her adjust. “No, you need to rest. The chair will do.”
Annoyance and hurt at his refusal swept over her, causing her response to come out a little harsher than she intended. “Just get in the bed, Davin.” Not wanting to pick a fight with him, she took a deep breath. Before today, the guilt she felt over Rivka had caused an echoing space between them, a chasm forcing them to navigate like opposing forces just out of reach from one another. She couldn’t explain why but she wasn’t ready for that distance to return. Right now, she wanted to ignore how she should feel and just embrace the solace of his affection. “Please?”
She saw the moment his resolve broke. His eyes glimmered with an emotion that she couldn't quite place as he unlaced his boots, yanking them off, and slipped out of his swordbelt, draping it over the chair. He moved on silent feet toward her, easing onto the bed, careful not to jostle her. It wasn’t the first time they had lain together, but somehow this felt sharper, more intimate. He slipped his arm under her head and wrapped it around her, tucking her against his chest. Her face pressed directly against his heart, the heat radiating from his body, seeping into hers, warming her.
They lay in comfortable silence for a while until his breathing evened and the lines on his face relaxed in sleep. Alex’s eyes were just beginning to drift closed as well when a flash of distinctive blonde hair on a familiar, tall, muscular frame slipped past her room. She sucked in a quick breath, the sound causing Davin to stir. Alex remained still, not wanting to wake him. Althea’s voice sounded in the hall, just beyond her door.
“Well, isn’t this a surprise! It isn’t often a prince of Rune visits our Med Center.”
Alex couldn’t see either of them from her vantage point on the bed, and she couldn’t move, for fear of waking Davin and drawing unwanted attention. She strained to hear what Tristan and Althea were saying, but their voices were fading away, as if Althea were leading him away from her room. What in Sindu’s name was he doing here? Maybe the asshole was injured. Or maybe one of his bastard brothers had been gutted. She bit back a sigh. Not that Fari would allow that. She would never be that lucky.
The silence was deafening as she waited for any sign that they were returning. Light footsteps padded down the hall right before Althea appeared in the doorway, quickly shutting it behind her. Luckily, she was alone. Her attention snagged onDavin, snuggled up against Alex’s side. She arched an eyebrow, accusation plain on her face, but thankfully let it rest.
“Tristan is here, in the Med Center,” Althea said, her voice low.
“I saw,” Alex said, matching her tone. “What does he want? Why is he here?”
“He stated that he is here on court business, but heard about the sinking of the med ship and wanted to show his support.”
Alex let out a quiet but derisive snort. “Bullshit. I don’t buy that.”
“He looked like he would have rather been anywhere else. He seemed nervous, like he was searching for someone or something.” Althea mused.
“Tristan might be a pretty boy womanizer, but he is never not in control. He wouldn’t show weakness that way.” Alex met her gaze. “If he is here, he knows exactly what he is doing, and who he is after.”
“Not untrue, but he is rattled all the same, Alex. Something has him borderline frantic.” Althea continued, not giving Alex a chance to respond. “He is gone though. He left, back to wherever he is staying while in town. But Alex, I assure you, you are safe here.”
