“I’m sorry?” Jayde asked. “What are you talking about?”
“I know you saw my wound,” he replied, lifting his arm to show the grisly sight. “I’m infected and I can feel the disease inside me. I’ve been burning up since the dredge bit me. I don’t want my daughter to see me turn. It’s bad enough she lost her mother the way she did. Please, Jayde? Please do this for me.”
There were a hundred reasons or more that Jayde wanted to give Stefan as to why she couldn’t make that promise. Their mercenary lifestyle was no place for a child. And that was assuming they even survived getting off Earth. Instead of saying anything, she merely offered a mute nod.
“Thank you,” Stefan said, his relief evident.
“Where are you going?” Jayde asked him.
“As soon as you start leading the others to your ship, I’m
