Page 40

“And you’re injured. We’re both screwed up. I can handle these controls. Let go.”

With a sigh of disgust, he slumped back in his seat. “It’s all yours.”

Daisy slowed the ship, feeling it buck and writhe beneath her as if she were about to lose control and let the engines die. “Stay with me. I just need a few more minutes.” She guided the ship lower until they were skimming the tops of trees.

“That clearing looks good.” Rexx’s voice was barely a whisper.

Daisy looked over to see his face was ash gray. “You stay with me, too.” She engaged the ship’s reverse thrust, set down the docking clamps, and guided the ship into the clearing.

The second they were on the ground, she jumped out of her seat and kneeled next to Rexx, feeling for his pulse. “Where have you been hit? I can see your arm’s bleeding.”

“Just give me a couple of hours. I’ll heal.”

“And in the meantime, I can patch you up so that healing is faster.” Daisy unlocked the hatch at the back of the cockpit and pulled out the medical kit. She opened it, jabbed pain relief into Rexx’s arm, and peeled back the torn layer of his suit.

“You see, it’s nothing,” he murmured.

She hissed out a breath. “Whatever hit you has sliced deeply into your skin.”

“It’s a flesh wound.”

“It’s the biggest damn flesh wound I’ve ever seen. And your ribs? Is that a flesh wound, too? What happened back there?”

“There was loose rigging. I was securing it when the ship got hit. It would have crushed the cats’ pen if I’d left it.”

She pressed a hand over her heart. You had to love a guy who saved the animals. “Okay. First, I’ll sort the ribs then the cut on your arm. And then anything else that needs healing you haven’t told me about.”

“Before you do that, go check on Asshole and the kittens. They were freaking out when the ship was under attack.”

“You first. Unless they’re hurt.”

“No, just scared.” He grumbled and growled as she cleaned the wounds and wrapped his ribs in a tight bandage.

Daisy checked the cut on his arm. It was bad, but it wasn’t lethal. She dressed the wound.

“Daisy, the cats.”

She huffed out a soft laugh. “You love that furball as much as I love the kittens. Where are they?”

“Asshole is impossible to love. It’s the second room on the right. It’s safe to go in.”

Daisy gave him one more appraising glance. His color already looked better. He’d survive. “I’ll be two minutes.”

She raced away and opened the door. The cats looked startled, but they were unharmed. She opened the pen door. “Hey, little ones. I bet you got a scare. We’re all good. Your dad did a great job. We’ll be fine.”

Asshole rubbed around her legs then marched out, followed by the kittens.

“Wait a minute! No leading my kittens into mischief.” Daisy ran ahead and checked the rooms were sealed, so they couldn’t come to harm.

Asshole flicked his tail as he walked away, the kittens bounding after him.

Daisy shook her head and returned to the cockpit.

“How they doing?” Rexx asked.

“Great. Asshole is in charge.”

“He thinks he is. They can’t get in any trouble. There are only a couple of places for them to go.”