Mission: Planet Biter (Veslor Mates #4)(19)

She took a deep breath and blew it out. “You never answered me. Did anyone else survive?”

Roth stopped stroking her back and cupped her face. He leaned in closer, his gazed locked with hers. “You need to focus on getting better. We will talk once you are fully recovered.”

Tears filled her eyes and she didn’t bother to blink them back. “I’m the only survivor. You just don’t want to say it. They all died.”

A monitor beeped, making her startle. Something creaked, and she gasped, twisting her head.

A man and a woman wearing dark blue uniforms with medical patches on them had entered the room. The man spoke.

“I’m Doctor Mead. I see you’re awake, Miss Wade. Please try to slow your heart rate.” He moved to the top of the bed, shutting off the alarm. He stepped back and studied her. “I can see that you are upset, but it’s imperative to avoid stress right now.” His gaze moved to Roth. “Did Mr. Roth say or do something to you? I can have security remove him.”

“No.” Vera didn’t like the doctor for assuming she was upset over something Roth had done. She was upset because she suspected all her coworkers were dead. “Roth stays.”

“I’ll get you some water.” The woman rushed to a large cabinet door and opened it, exposing what looked like a sink with shelves above it. She filled a cup and offered it to Vera.

It meant having to sit up and letting go of Roth if she accepted the cup. Vera wasn’t sure she was willing to do that yet but her throat felt dry. “I’m seeing and hearing two people in this room with us. I’m not imagining them, am I?” She looked at Roth.

“They are real,” he confirmed.

“You won’t leave me, right?”

“I won’t leave you, Vera.”

She tried to sit up but she felt shaky and uncoordinated. Roth moved to sit up first, and then he gently helped her until they both sat side by side on the edge of the bed with their legs dangling.

She looked down when Roth suddenly draped a blanket around her front and over her shoulders, to keep it from falling to her lap. That’s when she saw her exposed legs where the blanket didn’t cover.

Memory returned. “I’m naked still?”

“Mr. Roth refused to allow one of the nurses to put you in a patient gown,” Dr. Mead informed her, his voice cold.

“I kept her covered,” Roth growled. “I swore I wouldn’t let her go. I keep my word.”

“It was highly inappropriate, and I have written a report. I sent copies to Commander Bills and to your team superior, Mr. Roth.”

Vera glanced between Roth’s tense expression to the doctor’s angry one. She had to carefully get one of her arms out from under the blanket to keep it in place. One side still began to slip.

Roth grabbed the blanket before her breast was exposed, and he flattened his hand high on her chest and curled his fingers around her upper arm to pin it in place. She shot him a grateful look and then replayed what she’d just heard. It slowly made sense.

She frowned at Dr. Mead.

“I’m not upset that I’m naked. I just forgot that I was. Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?” More tears blinded her from thinking about what had happened in the pods. It frustrated her that she was about to break into sobs. Then she got mad again. “I don’t give a shit that I’m naked. Zero fucks given. All my friends are dead.” She leaned into Roth, pressing her body against his side. “You can take your report—which I assume you wrote to get Roth into trouble—and eat it. He’s my hero.”

Dr. Mead’s mouth fell open and his eyes widened. The nurse, or whatever she was, had the same reaction.

Roth leaned back a little, keeping his hand on her and the blanket, but then he wrapped his other arm around her back. “It’s fine, Vera. I am not in trouble.”

She twisted and pressed her face against his shirt. “That guy should eat a bag of dicks. Then choke on them.” She mentally pictured it and started to laugh. It was funny as hell to her.

Roth growled. “Vera.”

The laughter turned to sobs, and she hugged Roth around his middle, clinging to him. “I’m having mood swings. I’m not crazy. This feels like day four of when I have a really bad period, except way worse. Oh shit… I’m still messed up. You’re real though. I know that for sure. I think all my friends down there died. It’s not right that I’m the only one who made it and this is so screwed up! Don’t let me go!”

Roth held her tighter. “I have you, Vera. I won’t leave.”

“That guy is a dick, though. I’m not imagining that, am I? I don’t like the way he spoke to you. And who gives a shit if I’m naked? Give me a break. He didn’t see people killing each other and themselves. I did. What’s a bare ass compared to that? I hate stupid people. He’s an idiot.” She kept crying, unable to stop.

“Leave us,” Roth snarled.

His deep voice didn’t scare her. He was her alien, and he wouldn’t hurt her. “You are my hero, Roth. I feel safe with you. Why can’t that idiot figure it out?”

Roth’s chest started to vibrate, and he made that rumbling sound.

She turned her head more, pressing her ear to his shirt. “I like that sound. It’s so soothing. You’re too good to me.”