A Warrior’s Second Chance novel Chapter 310

FAYE

As my palm rested against his chest, the heat startled me.

Even through the thin fabric of his shirt, I could feel it–steady, relentless warmth pressing into my skin. His heartbeat thudded beneath my hand.

He didn’t stir.

The sedative held him under completely. His breathing was deep and heavy, the kind that comes from forced rest rather than natural sleep.

For a second, I let myself focus only on that rhythm.

This should be easy. I just wanted to give him some relief.

A small shift, a cooling of the fever, a steadier pulse.

He would rest more comfortably.

My fingers pressed slightly more firmly against him without meaning to.

The heat didn’t lessen. His heartbeat didn’t slow.

All I needed to do was focus enough to activate the healing.

The image of him convulsing on the floor earlier flashed through my mind–the way his body had seized without warning. The way none of us had anticipated that intensity.

We hadn’t expected it.

That was the problem.

We didn’t fully understand what had just happened inside him.

The injection Dr. Adams administered had calmed the surface. It had not resolved the cause.

If I intervened now, I would be adding something else into a system that was already reacting unpredictably,

My breathing slowed.

His chest rose beneath my hand.

Fell.

Rose again.

I sighed. At least he wasn’t worsening.

He wasn’t deteriorating.

I didn’t stop.

“Not now, Martha.”

She paused immediately, stepping aside to let me pass. I didn’t look back to see her expression. I didn’t have the patience to soften it.

My mind was already elsewhere.

I moved through the corridors toward the chamber.

When I pushed open the door, I wasn’t expecting to see him there.

Alexander was seated on the couch.

Phone pressed to his ear.

His posture was straight, one ankle resting over his knee, his free hand resting lightly against his thigh. If earlier. anyone looked at him now, they would never assume anything had gone wrong

He glanced at me briefly as I entered.

Just a glance.

Our eyes met for less than a second before I looked away.

He returned his attention to the call without interruption.

Faye’s anger had edges, but it burned clean. It came quickly and left just as cleanly once addressed.

Disappointment was different.

Disappointment lingered.

And if she was disappointed in me-

I shifted slightly in my seat, my gaze drifting back to the reflection. She hadn’t moved. Her hands rested on the railing. The breeze lifted the ends of her hair gently.

My attention faltered for a second again.

“What?” the voice on the other end prompted.

I realized I hadn’t responded to the last question.

“Yes,” I said smoothly, adjusting my tone. “Proceed with the revised schedule. I’ll review the final numbers tonight.”

But even as I continued speaking, my focus remained divided.

I replayed the morning in my mind.

The look on her face when she saw the syringe in my hand…

“Sir?” the voice on the phone interrupted again.

I had missed another beat.

Enough.

“Send me the updated file. We’ll finalize it tomorrow.”

I didn’t give room for further discussion.