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She slowly stretched out her legs and wiggled her toes. She’d been curled next to Rexx the whole time they’d slept. She didn’t think she’d get any sleep, but being next to him relaxed her. She wasn’t afraid of anything when he was watching over her.

Her gaze went to his face, and she sucked in a breath. He was barely breathing, and his skin was hot. If she didn’t know him so well, she’d think he was dying. But Apexians went into a state of semi-hibernation when they needed to regenerate their energy and heal injuries. She’d seen it happen before when he’d been attacked by a giant, angry bear-like creature and bitten on the arm.

Daisy ran a hand down her face and grimaced as it came away sticky with sweat. She couldn’t sit still any longer. That gross, creeping sensation of the alien technology was sliding through her. It was an itch she couldn’t scratch. She just wanted to dig the stuff out of her. To hell with the consequences.

Rexx’s energy transfer would only hold this off for so long. When it broke through, she had no clue what would happen to her. It wouldn’t be pretty. She’d be a monster. A monster who’d want to kill the one person she knew would lay down his life for her. It was a cruel twist of fate.

Daisy stood and walked to the door, bending to inspect the access panel. She slid her hands around the door frame, looking for a weakness, something that could get them out of this nightmare. There was nothing to help them. The door was sealed tight.

She thumped her forehead quietly against it. The waiting was the worst. It sent her thoughts to dozens of dark, scary places. How would she change when the tech took control? Would she remember who she was? Would she care about anything? About Rexx?

“Daisy,” Rexx mumbled in his sleep.

She returned to his side and settled next to him. He instantly stilled. It had always been this way between them. Rexx would stomp and snarl at everyone unless he was beside her. Then everything was muted. She helped to quiet the storm within him.

And what a storm he fought every day. He’d brushed over the worst of what had happened to him, but being tortured and experimented on for so long had to damage a person.

Daisy sighed as she nestled against his solid arm. How could he bear to be near her after what she’d done? She’d been the one to let everyone down. And it would only get worse. There was a throbbing, yearning hole in her stomach. She was being drawn to something other than her crew mates. She’d always been loyal to Cleo and the rest of the gang. She loved her work on the Apocalypse.

Things were different now. They wouldn’t want her back after this.

Daisy hated the thought of starting again. It had taken her so long to recover after Johnny had abandoned her, and her family had treated her like she was a failure.

Her hand drifted to the scar on her abdomen. The way Rexx behaved when he was with her proved there was nothing wrong with her. It was her family and Johnny who were at fault.

She’d spent so long feeling worthless and not good enough. But she’d done nothing wrong.

And her family on the Apocalypse had always supported her. Cleo was still fighting for her, even when she’d disobeyed orders and escaped with Rexx. That was her true family, just like Rexx said.

But she was so close to losing it all. Her heart ached. She couldn’t let that happen. There had to be a way out of this.

A muffled scream from nearby made her tense. It sounded like they weren’t the only captives on this ship. The Gente were probably taking stolen cargo to slave auctions.

Rexx murmured her name again.

She forced herself to relax and placed a hand lightly over his chest. He stopped shifting around, and his breathing slowed.

Daisy eased away and examined the wound on his arm. He was already healing.

“Go to sleep,” he mumbled. “I’m fine.”

She shifted closer to him and rested her head on his broad chest. “I am asleep. You’re the one who’s talking. You keep saying my name.”

He curled an arm tightly around her and pulled her close, giving a contented growl as she wrapped an arm over his chest.

Daisy let out a sigh and closed her eyes. When she was with him, she felt at peace. All the bad stuff faded away. It no longer seemed so important when she was with him. Rexx made her feel content. Like she’d found a true home. A place she never wanted to leave.

And when he looked at her, it was as if he saw only her. Nothing else mattered. For a long time, she’d dismissed his interest as typical Apexian alpha crap, but it wasn’t. He really did only see her. It was equally arousing and terrifying.

Was there a future with Rexx? They’d have to get off this ship first, but then... then she needed to explore this. She had to explore her growing feelings for him.

This alien tech may be messing with her thoughts, but she was the one who’d hidden the idea of being with Rexx. At first, it had been just a physical attraction, but her desire for him was real. All of him, not just the passion filled kisses and strokes that left her weak.

Although she’d jump his bones now if she didn’t think it might break him. He was a damn fine Apexian warrior.

Daisy shook her head, hoping to dismiss the lustful thoughts about him. It failed.

She wouldn’t lose this. She didn’t know what would happen when they got out of here, but they would get out. There was no way she was losing everything she had with Rexx or her life on the Apocalypse.