Page 5
“Okay. So, no cute women on board getting your attention?”
Was she deliberately provoking him? “You know our work keeps me busy.”
She huffed out a breath. “Yeah, me too. Zero time for dating.”
He sucked in a breath, his muscles clenching. “You want to date?”
“Sure. I’m alive! I need some fun.”
“Work is fun.”
Daisy paused, and her head tilted to the side. “It can be. No, it is fun. I love what we do. But...”
His breathing was shallow. She wanted a mate? It would rip him in two if he had to watch her with someone else. But it was better she find someone who would treat her right. She didn’t need some fucked up, broken alien who felt like he was about to splinter when he let the darkness in.
Daisy puffed out several breaths. “You’re right. Focus on the missions. That’s what we’re here for.” She turned away and stared into the distance.
His hand hovered against her back. Her happiness meant everything to him. But he couldn’t make her happy, and he could easily destroy her if he wasn’t careful. He knew his own strength. His time as a prison experiment had changed him. He had to keep hidden how damaged he was.
The comm link activated in his ear. “Hey, guys. It’s Cleo. We’re ten minutes out. Meet you at the pickup point.”
“Confirmed.” Rexx picked up both their packs, glad he could concentrate on the mission and not on Daisy’s relationship status.
She turned and gave him a small shrug, a wistful look on her face. “Come on, big guy. Let’s go home.”
Chapter 2
The desire to use the bathroom was the only thing that forced Daisy out of bed the next day. She was still in sleep mode as she stumbled out of her small washroom and into the living room.
She froze, mid-yawn. What the hell?
Rexx was squashed on her couch. Her three kittens, Darwin, Helix, and Quark, were asleep on his chest, their tiny, furry bodies curled into tight balls as they rose and fell softly with each breath he took.
She didn’t remember telling him he could crash the night. Why was he here? How was he here? They all had their own quarters on the Apocalypse. He didn’t need to sleep here.
Daisy tip-toed closer, a soft smile crossing her face. When Rexx was sleeping, it was the only time he truly relaxed. The lines on his forehead vanished, and his mouth softened, shifting from a scowl to something way more attractive. His firm jaw had a day’s stubble on it, and although he still wore his black bodysuit, he’d removed the gloves and pushed up the sleeves.
Some of his history was written on his skin, but he never talked about his scars. Rexx rarely talked about anything that wasn’t work related.
Daisy liked him like this. He acted like an indestructible alien, nothing affecting him, and only the mission keeping him focused. But Rexx had a vulnerable side. Everyone did. He just hid his really well.
She turned and snuck into her room, sliding the door quietly shut behind her. “ELVIS, why is Rexx in my living room?”
“Good morning, Daisy.” ELVIS, the ship’s too real to be true AI, blossomed a warm light around the room. “He returned last night after you’d gone to bed.”
“Wait a second. You let him in without my permission?”
“Rexx is your work partner. His mission is to protect you. He reminded me of this several times before I overrode the locking mechanism on the door to allow him access.”
“You shouldn’t have done that. This is my private space. No one should be allowed in here unless I say so.” She yanked out clean clothing and dumped it on the bed.
“He threatened to... I don’t even like to say the words. I feel sad when I think about all the components I’d be missing if I didn’t follow his order.” ELVIS was sometimes too close to being Human for his own good.
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Rexx was wrong to threaten you.”
“And I told him that. He said he’d ram something unmentionable into a particularly sensitive part of my workings if I didn’t hurry up.”
“If he does it again, you alert me. I don’t need the shock of finding some huge alien snuggled on the couch with my kittens.” She strode into the washroom and switched on the shower.
