Page 41 of Badass Alien Boss

“I could relocate.” The words popped out of nowhere, but as soon as he said them, the rightness settled over him. It was the perfect solution.

She sat up. “You’d leave your planet?”

“Why not?” He stroked her cheek and smoothed the hair off her face in a gentle caress. “For you—anything.” Then hetwisted his mouth wryly. “I’ve spent very little of my adult life on Luturna anyway. It’s not like I’ve got anything holding me here. Only my brother, and after I accuse him of money laundering, he’ll never speak to me again.”

She broke into a tremulous smile. “I-I…that’s…wonderful. I mean, that you’d relocate. Not that Korsan won’t speak to you.”

He chuckled. “I understand what you meant.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, feeling like he had a new lease on life. He couldn’t foresee what kind of work he’d do on Earth—although with his financial acumen, he might find something in that arena—but the details could be worked out later. They had time now. Her stint with GAL Friday wouldn’t be the end of them.

* * * *

A harsh noise woke him out of a deep sleep. He sprang up and turned on the light.

“I-can’t—I-can’t—breathe,” she gasped. “I can’t—breathe!” Desperate eyes, slits in a swollen, bright-red face met his. Her throat had ballooned.

Phuk! Phuk! What the phuk had happened?

He grabbed his data tab and connected with Dr. Adanna directly. “This is Ruyn in 320. Michaela is having another allergic reaction. It’s worse than the last time. Hurry!”

“I’m leaving right now.”

“Hang on,” he said. “Adanna is on her way.”

Hurry. Hurry. Hurry,he prayed as she struggled to breathe. Fear tightened his throat the doctor wouldn’t arrive soon enough.

He flew to the door before the chime stopped ringing. Dr. Adanna, in pajamas again, hadn’t even pulled on a white coat. Michaela’s ragged gasps could be heard coming from the bedroom. The doctor rushed toward the sound.

As she caught her first glimpse of Michaela’s distorted face, grave concern flickered in her eyes before she hid it behind aprofessional mask. “What did she eat for dinner this time?” She drew an injector from her kit.

“The Lunar Lunch,” he replied. “But she had the same meal at noon with no ill effects.”

“Michaela, we’re going to take care of this.” The doctor injected her.

Looking terrified, Michaela managed to nod.

“She didn’t eat anything else? Nowhere else?” the doctor asked.

“No.”

“The Lunar Lunch didn’t cause this. I had the menu ingredients analyzed. Nothing on the menu should’ve caused this reaction—not even the constellation platter. Whatever triggered this, it wasn’t the food at the Starlight.” Her brow furrowed.

“Shouldn’t the shot be working by now?” he asked. Michaela didn’t appear to be breathing easier.

“Yes, there should have been some relief already.” She adjusted a dial on the injector and gave her another shot. After a vital sign scan, she reset the injector and delivered a third shot.

Finally, Michaela’s gasps calmed, and the panic in her eyes subsided. Her breathing got more regular.

“You’re going to be fine now,” Adanna addressed her patient. “But I strongly recommend you spend the night in the clinic for observation. The night nurse will know what to watch for, and if you need another injection, he can give it.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ruyn jumped in before Michaela could speak. He wanted a medical professional to watch over her. “I think you should.”

“All right.”

“I’ll let the nurse know and call for a hover litter.”

“I don’t need a hover litter. I can walk,” Michaela objected.

“It’s late. Everybody’s asleep. No one will see you.” He suspected her objection arose from embarrassment at floating through the hotel on a litter.