Page 189 of Silver Elite

Alarm ignites inside me. “Shouldn’t they be doing this in a private examination room or something?”

Cross shrugs. “Not necessary. Only takes a couple of minutes. It’s not like he’s performing surgery.”

I stand in the medical bay, my anxiety growing with each passing second as I watch Ellis attend to Theo. Everyone else keeps their distance, giving Theo his privacy, but I can’t help listening in on his “wellness check.”

Ellis runs his fingers over Theo’s left arm. He focuses on a jagged cut on the forearm.

“How did this happen?” I hear Ellis murmur.

“Nail ripped through the skin when we were hopping a fence in the Point.”

“This is infected. You didn’t put any regen ointment on it?”

Theo’s expression turns sheepish. “Nah, I did. But I kept getting it wet.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll patch you right up.”

I give Cross a sidelong look. “Isn’t this a waste of his skills?”

“No. We need all our soldiers in tip-top shape.”

“We already have regen balms and lasers to heal most things,” I point out.

“This is faster,” Xavier cracks.

He’s not wrong. Even I can’t hide my wonder as the nasty red gashon Theo’s arm literally disappears in front of our eyes. The skin changes. Swells. The puckered edges smooth out as Ellis runs his palm over them, a furrow of concentration in his brow. When he lifts his hand, it’s as if the cut was never there. Smooth, dark skin is all that’s left behind.

“I mean, that’s impressive,” Kaine remarks.

Kess is up next. I’d prefer nobody healed her ever, so I turn my gaze away from her session.

I’m intensely aware of Cross’s presence. He doesn’t say a word, but I feel his eyes on me. The heat.

“Stop,” I warn, using a soft voice only he can hear.

“Stop what?” he murmurs back. “I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re thinking. And I always know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m always thinking about getting you into bed.”

“Exactly.”

The charged moment dissolves into another wave of anxiety when Kess is dismissed and Ellis says, “Who’s next?”

“Might as well get this shit over with,” Xavier says, peeling off his shirt on his way to the bed.

When he drops his pants, I don’t miss the way Tyler’s eyes flicker with approval. I can’t blame her for enjoying the view. Ford’s body is nice to look at.

“Are you having any pain here?” I hear Ellis inquire a few moments later. His hands are on Xavier’s abdomen. “Something feels off.”

Xavier winces. “Yeah. It’s been feeling tender lately. I think it’s still sore from last weekend’s pit night.”

“No. I suspect you have a kidney stone forming.”

“How the hell can you tell that without some sort of ultrasound?”

“I’ve done this enough times to know. Let’s take care of this, keen?” Ellis presses his palms against Ford’s tanned flesh, concentration once again creasing his face.

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