Chapter 38 Captain In Command #2
“Well, you guessed wrong,” she quipped, before taking a deep breath. “I like a wide range of literature, actually.”
Davin reached a hand out. “May I?”
Alex stared at him but reluctantly handed over the book. “Be careful with it...” her voice trailed off. Davin took the book, turning it over in his hand.
“The Bound Queen,” he smirked. “A romance?”
“Just give it back,” she huffed, holding her hand back out. Davin just smiled wider, gently flipping through the pages.
“Davin!”
“What?” he was beaming now, almost on the verge of laughter. Her face grew more murderous as she glared at him. She started to swing her legs off the bed and he moved. “Fine! Here’s your book! It’s nice to see that you have a soft side, princess.”
A sharp rap on the door saved Davin from whatever nasty retort Alex had been about to say. Swinging the door wide, he stepped back, admitting Janice. If she could sense the tension between them, she didn’t let it show. She was all business, addressing Alex first.
“How are you, dear? Let me just check that bleeding. You did a number on yourself out there earlier.”
Alex flushed, her eyes shifting to where Davin stood at the end of her bed. Janice rolled her eyes, but patted Alex’s leg gently.
“Boy, turn around. Give the lady some privacy.”
Davin did as he was asked but didn’t miss the large blood stain on the front of Alex’s gown, as Janice pulled the blanket back. His earlier frustrations came surging back to the surface. He could strangle her himself for her outright recklessness. She had zero regard for her own safety.
“All looks good, as long as you do as we’ve discussed,” Janice said in a mothering tone. “No more walking unless assisted until after the Surgical Healer has had a chance to see you.”
Davin didn’t hear what Alex’s response was, so he assumed she had simply nodded her head. Janice tapped him on his arm. “Your turn, Captain. Come sit in the chair here, let me have a looksee.”
Davin crossed to the chair, unbuckling his swordbelt and leaning the sheath against the wall, before beginning to unbutton his shirt.
It didn’t escape his attention that Alex was openly staring at his fingers as they undid each button.
He made sure to take his time. Let her enjoy the show.
Slowly peeling his shirt off his shoulders, he stood in front of Janice, letting her humming sounds drown out the buzzing of his brain.
He could feel her eyes on him. Alex hadn’t made a noise, but he could almost sense the need pulsing off of her.
Janice prodded at the lacerations he had received while fighting the two men responsible for the attack on Alex, along with one he had gotten on his back while pulling survivors from the floating wreckage of the M.M.S. Iris that afternoon.
“I will have to clean these up. They don’t seem too deep, but I fear infection. You were in that filthy water for far too long.” Janice moved to the shelf in the corner, gathering the supplies she needed to bandage his wounds.
Davin risked a quick glance over his shoulder, and sure enough, Alex was openly staring at him. Davin’s mouth lifted in a small smirk. Maybe she isn’t immune to me after all. The thought almost made him laugh.
Janice worked efficiently, quickly cleaning and bandaging the wounds on his arm and shoulder. “I will need you to turn around now, Captain, so that I can address your back wound.”
Davin agreed, grabbing hold of the chair, flipping it around, and straddling it.
Resting his arms on the back of it, he met Alex’s gaze.
She hurriedly averted her eyes. He liked seeing her flustered, liked knowing that he was the cause of it even more.
Warmth spread through his chest, but he remained silent, content to just watch her.
A blush heated her cheeks as she picked up her book again, pretending to read it.
“Ok, Captain. All finished. Please be sure to keep those dry. I don’t think you need stitches or anything of that nature.
You will heal just fine, but will most likely scar on this one.
” Janice said, tapping his shoulder wound.
“What you do need is sleep, you hear? Get some food and rest.” With that, Janice moved to the door.
“You know where I am if you need me, deary.”
The closing of the door was the only sound, as Davin stood, moving towards the bed.
Alex scooted back, trying to keep space between them.
He stopped, staring at her. He had seen the hunger in her eyes earlier.
There was no mistaking it, but now she looked haunted.
Sighing, he bent, snagging his shirt from the floor where it had fallen, shoving his arms roughly into it.
Alex broke the silence. “Where will you sleep?”
“I won’t be. I told McConnell that I would take some of the watches, to make sure that thing doesn’t sneak up on us again.”
Alex huffed, “You heard what Janice just said. Food and sleep.”
“And you should take that advice. You need your strength.”
“So do you, Davin. You’ve done enough already.”
Davin’s eyes snapped to hers, fire burning in them. Alex hurried on, not giving him time to speak. “You know this isn’t your ship, right? You’re not in charge of the safety of every citizen on board.”
Davin ignored the snide comment. “At this moment, the only person’s safety I’m concerned with is yours. Whether that’s because you can’t quit ripping open your wound or because I want to strangle you every time you open your gorgeous mouth.”
Whoa, did that sound dirty? His eyes lit on her mouth.
Her lips pressed firmly together. He hadn’t meant for it to sound dirty, but now all he could think about was what he would like to do to that mouth.
Her tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip.
Davin wanted to force those lips apart with his own.
What he wouldn’t give for another taste.
Wait. No. Stop. Gods, what was wrong with him? She’s in love with someone else.
“Or is it only your concern because I am apparently your wife?” Her eyes narrowed into slits, her voice breaking through his chain of thoughts.
“My wife?” he asked, his face showing a panicked expression before the realization of her words hit him. The manifest! “I had to do what was necessary to get you on this ship.”
“You could have given any name, and you chose to make me your wife?”
“Well, maybe if you had told me your last name, I wouldn't have felt the need to give you mine.”
Why were they arguing again? Gods, they were always arguing. Davin had no energy left to put up any pretense regarding the issue of her name. “You don’t like it, tell them. Give them your name and ask them to change it. I don’t care.”
Alex stared at him, mouth agape.
“And then what, Davin? What am I supposed to say? Sorry, you were misinformed? It isn’t that simple, and you know it.”
Davin let out a breath. “Look, I wasn’t thinking clearly. You were dying, and I did what I thought best to get you the care you needed.” He shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”
She looked away. “Look, just stay here, alright? I am going to go help where it is needed. McConnell said that barring no more incidents, we should be in port by this time tomorrow.” He started towards the door. “We are low on supplies, so try not to rip yourself open again, would you?”
Alex grumbled something that he couldn’t make out, but it sounded a lot like “go fuck yourself.” Davin smiled back at her, snagging his swordbelt from where it rested, as he stepped into the hall, quickly closing the door behind him.
A sudden commotion up ahead drew his attention.
He sped down the short hall, skidding to a stop as he entered the main infirmary.
The boy from the M.M.S. Iris was sprinting across the room to the cot where his father lay, the curtain pulled back from him, Hannah close behind.
Both David and his son were crying as the little boy launched himself into his father’s arms.
Davin watched them for a few more moments.
What he wouldn’t give to be able to know that feeling.
A wave of sadness washed over him. He was glad that he was able to bring some happiness back to them both, but it left him feeling raw to see their love up close.
Turning away, he made his exit. He needed to find the galley to scrounge up something to eat.
It would be another long night, and he knew they happened to have coffee. He would need every drop he could get.
Davin woke with a start. He must have dozed off after his last rotation.
McConnell hadn’t been happy when he had found Davin patrolling the upper deck, but hadn’t fought him too hard.
A whistle blew from the crow’s nest, followed by the port call.
They had been sailing for almost thirty-two hours since the attack.
There had been no more sightings of the beast. Thank Kiel for that.
Supplies had run out about midday. Luckily, the cooler weather was one of the few hidden blessings from this disastrous trip. The shortage of water would have posed a huge threat had it been hot. The lights of Gleann lit up the skyline. He couldn’t wait to be back on dry land.
He had only been back to check on Alex once since their last argument.
She had finally decided to give poor Janice a break and do as she was told for a change.
Alex was still upset about his use of his last name.
There was tension between them whenever they were alone, that set him on edge.
He’d been too tired to engage in another pissing match with her though, so he had hidden up here with the rescued passengers.
Stretching, Davin set off to see where he could be of use.
Pulling into port was going to bring chaos.
He had no idea how McConnell was going to explain the extra passengers or what had happened with the beast. They were going to think he had gone mad.
Shaking his head, Davin could only hope that the citizens on board corroborated his story.
He couldn’t bear to see McConnell lose his position.
Besides his son, his ship was his life’s blood.
Once they were moored at the dock, healers from the Med Center hurried on board, helping to unload the passengers with the most life threatening injuries first. Those passengers with non life threatening injuries were to stay put for the remainder of the night.
Alex would be one of those passengers as she had recovered much faster than anticipated, though she would still be seen by the Surgical Healer.
Davin sat back, slightly in the shadows, watching them scurrying around bringing supplies to those still on board.
He watched as David was carried past, his son happily skipping alongside him, holding onto Hannah’s hand.
A smile tugged at his lips. “Bye, little one. May the might of Maura protect you.”
“Son, what are ye doing hiding back here whisperin’ to yerself?”
Davin jumped, his hand flying to his sword at his side at the sound of McConnell’s booming voice.
“Damn it, McConnell! Don’t you know it’s dangerous to sneak up on a man like that?’
McConnell just laughed, lifting his hands in mock surrender.
“Aw, well now, I didn’t mean to give ye a fright. I just wanted to see ye off before I have to go deal with the officials.”
Davin grinned, stretching his hand out. “Of course, old man. It’s been an adventure.”
McConnell grasped his forearm. “That it has, son. Until next time, yeah?”
“Until next time, my friend.” Davin watched as he disembarked the ship. Time to find somewhere to sleep for the next few hours, so that he was ready for whatever tomorrow brought. Something told him that this ride was far from over.