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She snorted a laugh. “Rexx, look out there. There are twelve of them.”

“I’ve had worse odds. I’m surprised there are so few of them. They can’t know there’s an Apexian on board. We’ll fight together, like we always do.”

Daisy pressed a hot, shaking hand on his chest. “We both know there’s something wrong with me. I can barely keep hold of my thoughts, and I keep behaving like a horny teenager every time I’m around you. That isn’t me. I don’t do that. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.”

Rexx wanted to rage, fight her on this, but he’d thought the exact same thing. If he made a move now, she’d tip over the edge. And if he made a mistake, he could lose her forever. Maybe he never really had her in the first place.

He tried for a smile, but it felt wrong when his heart ached so badly. “You didn’t want to jump me?”

Daisy tipped back her head and groaned. “Yes. No. I don’t know what I mean. My head is a mess. I keep getting these conflicting thoughts. I don’t know which way to turn.” She was silent for a long, tense minute, her gaze on the Gente. “I’m feeling a pull to go to them. I should be with them. It’s this thing inside me. It’s changing me. I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“You may not be yourself, but you’re not going to them. Promise me you won’t do that.”

Her head dipped before she met his gaze and shook her head.

Daisy’s eyes were full of fear as they met his. A pain lanced through his heart as he stepped away. Of course, it all made sense now. The way she’d behaved in the bedroom, it had been like there was a different person there.

He hadn’t even tried to understand it. He’d been weak and selfish. He’d taken the opportunity to experience his fantasies, brush aside the knowledge that he wasn’t good enough for Daisy, and lose himself in her. She’d never want him when she was in her right mind.

“Rexx, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Daisy reached out to him.

He stepped farther away and shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m impossible to hurt.”

Her breath came out shaky. “It’s not that I didn’t enjoy being with you. I mean, who wouldn’t? You’re amazing.”

Rexx couldn’t deal with this. Not now. It felt like she was reaching into his chest and trying to rip out his heart. If he let her in, he’d shatter for good.

“Let’s focus on what’s important. We’ve got twelve Gente to destroy.” He turned away and looked out the window. They were less than half a mile away from the ship.

Rexx should be happy about Daisy’s revelation. It was no surprise that she’d reject him. He was dirt. He was damaged. He didn’t deserve someone as sweet as her. But he felt destroyed. A jagged ball of pain shifted inside him, blooming out from his heart and radiating into his bones until the tips of his fingers tingled with a biting cold.

His feelings didn’t matter. His one concern was to keep Daisy safe. That was the only important thing. He’d deal with the fallout from this once they were free and she was out of danger.

Rexx knew the pain of being betrayed, left for dead, and not important enough to save. He’d survived that. Somehow, he’d find a way to survive this.

“Daisy, go get the rest of the weapons. Most of them are here, but I left a few in the locker. We’ll need them.”

“I... Rexx, I didn’t mean to—”

“No. Not now. We have trouble right in front of us. Let’s get that out of our way.” He shot the blast shield into place. “Go get the weapons.”

Daisy raised a shaking hand toward him but then lowered it. She turned and stumbled out of the cockpit.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could do this. He’d always told himself there was a line he’d never cross with Daisy. That line was there to keep her protected from him. But one touch from her, and he broke his own rules. He couldn’t be relied upon when he was with her.

Rexx rested his hands on the control panel and hunched forward, his head down. He couldn’t do this. He’d had a taste of what life would be like with Daisy, and it filled him with so much hope and excitement that to have it ripped away was the worst kind of torture. He’d always thought she’d be the one to walk away from this partnership, but he should do it. It was the right thing for her.

He’d find someone who’d protect her without all this messed up baggage he dragged behind him. She could do so much better. She deserved it.

Rexx turned, expecting to see Daisy in the doorway, but she wasn’t there. He tilted his head from side to side to remove the growing tension leaching up his spine then strode out of the cockpit and along the corridor.

He looked into the room where the weapons locker was housed. “Shit! Daisy.”

She was hunched on the floor, her arms curled around herself. The weapons were scattered around her.

He knelt beside her and grabbed her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel so good. Stay away from me.” Her words were just a shaky whisper.