Page 49 of Salvation for the Alien Mercenary

“He’s stabilized,” Jex confirmed. “But monitoring remains essential. Another episode without intervention could prove fatal.”

“Should he stay in medbay?” she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Davis’s head snapped toward her. “No.”

“Medbay containmentwouldbe optimal,” Jex said, but Davis cut him off, swinging his legs over the side of the examination table, movements fluid despite his recent collapse.

“Not happening.”

“Davis—”

“I’m not staying here like some fucking lab specimen,” Davis snapped, shrugging on the shirt Covak handed him. “I can recover in my quarters just fine.”

“And if you have another episode?” Jex challenged.

“It’s a small ship,” Davis replied, standing with only a slight wobble. “You’ll hear me crash and burn.”

“No, you need someone to watch you,” Covak argued. “Someone who can alert us immediately if your condition changes.”

Everyone turned to look at her, apart from Davis. He appeared to be memorizing the pattern on the wall.

“I can watch him.” Heat rose along her neck, but she kept her expression neutral.

“You need rest,” Covak told Davis firmly. “And your vitals monitored for at least the next twelve hours.”

“Fine,” Davis conceded, still not looking at her. “But I want to be in my quarters. Not here.”

“Mira, look at this,” Jex said, gesturing her toward a data display. “Anything outside these parameters requires immediate notification.”

“Got it,” she confirmed.

Davis stood, swaying slightly before finding his balance. Without thinking, she moved to his side, her hand steadying his arm. The contact sent a jolt of awareness through her, his skin fever-warm beneath her fingers.

“Thanks for doing this. I know it’s not how you planned to spend your night,” he said, his voice dropping to a register only she could hear.

“You’re welcome.”

“Ready?” she asked, moving closer than strictly necessary as they headed for the door. Despite his obvious tiredness, there was something different about him… a new width to his shoulders, a new sharpness to his features, more controlled power in his stance.

His gaze found hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. “As I’ll ever be.”

10

The door to Davis's quarters hissed shut behind them, sealing them away from the rest of the ship. Mira’s heart rate kicked up at the sound.

She'd been in his quarters exactly once before… just a brief errand to drop off tech specs. But now, properly taking it in, she realized how much the space revealed about him. It was military neat, but not sterile. There was a worn leather-bound book on the nightstand and a pair of heavy boots tucked beneath a small desk. A holophoto of a woman who shared his angular jaw was pinned on the wall, probably his mother. The space smelled of him… clean sweat, something faintly metallic, and that unique scent she couldn't name but instantly recognized as his.

"Home sweet home," he said, his voice rougher than usual as he eased himself down onto the edge of his bed.

Spot chirped nervously, optical sensors tracking Davis's movements before settling into a corner.

"You should rest," she said. "Jex said minimal activity for at least twelve hours."

Davis's mouth quirked. "Yes, Doctor."

She rolled her eyes and took a step toward the desk. "I'm not a doctor. I'm just repeating what the actual experts said."

"Fine, nurse.” He stretched out on the bed with a painful groan. "I'll be good. I promise.”