Page 78 of Rescued By the Convicts
Jayce was struggling to get past the pain, to breathe, let alone explain himself.
“He’s disoriented. Worried about Melina.”
“Where. . . is. . . she?” Jayce forced the words out.
“She’s with our mate right now. Perfectly safe. I’m Vaughn. This is Ky’Li.” The doctor pointed to the man who was as large as Reece, though the man had short, cropped hair, gray eyes, and one hell of a scowl.
“I worked with Melina for a few weeks on Veenith, that’s how I know her so well. You’ve been unconscious for four days. She worked three shifts, just to be near you. She didn’t want to leave, but I sent her back to my house with Hannah to rest.”
Jayce was relieved she was safe with another woman and not a bunch of males. “Stubborn woman,” Jayce pushed the words out between labored breaths.
“We have one of those too,” Ky’Li said, a slight grin on his otherwise stoic face. The man held a hand down to Jayce. He didn’t hold a grudge long.
“When can I see her?”
“The guards will arrest you as soon as I release you.”
“I’ll bring her here,” Ky’Li said.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Vaughn asked Ky’Li.
“Hannah’s throwing up.”
“Still? Damn.” Vaughn sifted through a drawer.
“Contagious?” Jayce asked, concerned for Melina.
“Hardly. Morning sickness. Which in her case goes on well past morning.”
“Argav root,” Jayce said.
“Just what I was looking for,” Vaughn said as he rifled through a draw. “How did you know?”
Jayce shrugged as he accepted Ky’Li’s hand up. “You learn stuff in my business.”
“That’s right. Mel said you’re the negotiator, the one who trades. Figure out how to use that skill, Jayce, and maybe you can convince Foley not to send your unit back to Veenith.” Vaughn handed Ky’Li a packet of dried, crushed argav root.
Jayce slid back onto the bed. “Tell me about this place, Vaughn. Everything you know, including the people.”
Chapter Nineteen
MELINA
“You’ll be fine,” Hannah said to Melina as they walked to the med-center. “Just be truthful with Foley. The man can see through any lie. He has an uncanny talent that way.”
“You should be off your feet, Princess,” Ren said from behind as he trailed the two women.
Hannah stopped, turned, and stroked Ren’s jaw. “My feet are fine.I’mfine.”
“You were bent over a toilet most of yesterday,” he said, his tone less-than-pleased.
“And today, I’m not. Melina needs my help.”
“But—”
“The woman hid me on Veenith, Ren. Are you going to let her roam through West Side upset?”
That shut Ren up, though Melina could see he wasn’t happy about Hannah being so far from their house. Ahouse! She still couldn’t believe they had a house outside, in the open, in the middle of the jungle. Granted, Ren had a fence and other security measures in place, but Hannah and her unit weren’t locked away in an underground bunker with stale air and no daylight.
