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She chuckled softly. “No, it didn’t. And just so you know, I love marshmallow.”

Rexx closed his eyes and inhaled. He couldn’t think of this as the last time they’d be together. This had to work. And when it did, Daisy would be different. No, she wouldn’t be different, just back to her incredible self. And she wouldn’t want him anymore.

Daisy pulled back from the embrace too soon for his liking. She raised onto her tiptoes and pressed the softest, sweetest kiss against his cheek. “When we get out of here, I’m going to treat you to the biggest, gooiest, marshmallow dessert you’ve ever had.”

“That sounds great. Although I may always think of them as brain goo.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t. Think of them as all the good stuff inside you.” Her nervous smile tore his heart in two.

They looked at each other, neither of them speaking. This hurt too much. Rexx was getting Daisy back, but he was also losing his dream.

Daisy pressed her hand firmly against his heart again. “I’m not saying goodbye. I’ll see you soon.” She blinked her eyes rapidly then turned and dashed out of the room, leaving him speechless, his breathing ragged and his throat constricted.

A few minutes later, Atticus returned. “Estelle’s taking Daisy into the clinic.”

“I want to be there.”

“Um, I mean, sure. But if I let you in, will you stay out of the way?”

“Of course.”

“Even if Daisy fights me? Begs me to stop. This treatment stings like a beast.”

Rexx’s heart gave an unhappy thud. “Probably not. I’ll probably try to kill you.”

“Hmmm, I figured that would be the case. I get you want to look out for her, but if you mess with the procedure, it will kill her. This chaser is a sensitive little sucker.”

“I... damn, I still want to be there. But if you hurt her—”

“I know. You’ll break my head and feed me to the rats.” Atticus hummed under his breath. “I’ve got coffee in the back. Go get some.”

“I don’t want coffee.”

“Then let me give you something bigger to think about. I didn’t want to say anything while Daisy was here; she’s got enough stress going on. But you two made the news. I was making my way over here and saw your pictures. They were flashed up on the security bulletins. It won’t be long before someone remembers seeing you at the docking port.”

Rexx winced. “I’ll deal with that. You focus on getting Daisy better.”

Atticus tilted his head. “That’s the plan. Though I have to ask, how did you come to work with a group of Humans?”

“I was at a loose end when I was offered the gig. It seemed easy.”

“It doesn’t seem all that easy between you two. Are you...”

“That’s a complicated story.” One Rexx didn’t know the ending to.

“The best ones always are,” Atticus said.

He huffed out an acknowledgement. He’d be happy to have the old Daisy back, knowing she wasn’t fighting against this Inkral technology.

His heart curled in on itself. That would mean no more soul juddering kisses. No more Daisy writhing beneath his hand as he pleasured her. It would all be gone.

Rexx shoved against his own selfish interests. That wasn’t important. Daisy would be safe. That would be enough. It had to be.

“So, you ready to let a genius get to work?” Atticus’s easy smile stayed in place as he headed to the door.

“You’d better be a genius. The person you’re about to operate on is one-of-a-kind. Fuck this up, and I’m coming for you.”

“I have no doubt about that, my friend.”