She scowled in confusion. “Why?”

The rage in that black gaze scorched her. “Some of the diners had complained. They’d told him that seeing Darling’s face was making them lose their appetites. If I live to be a thousand, I’ll never forget the way Darling took that news. He looked like someone had kicked his teeth in. So he covered the scar with his hand and literally wilted in front of me. I punched the son of a bitch for it, but the damage was done. Darling was so embarrassed that he left immediately.”

Her own fury ignited. “People can be so mean.”

“Don’t even go there with me,” Syn said between clenched teeth. “I’ve seen a side of people you better pray God you never do. Anyway, after that Darling wouldn’t go into public without a crash helmet covering his entire face. Not until his hair grew long enough to hide the scar. Even then, it was years before he stopped holding his hair in place with one hand to make sure nothing exposed it.”

“I understand. Believe me, I know exactly how self-conscious he is of it.”

Nodding glumly, he led her down the hallway. “I really hope, for his sake, this surgery works.”

So did she. With every part of her.

They slowed as they reached a room that had a strange orangish-red glow coming out from the bottom of the door.

What in the Nine Systems?

They exchanged a questioning scowl before Syn opened it. The glow vanished the instant he touched the handle.

Zarya followed him into the room to find Nero standing on the other side of Darling’s bed.

But that wasn’t what held her attention. Her stomach shrank into a tight knot as her gaze went straight to Darling. There were numerous monitors hooked to him. But it was the bandage covering his entire face that scared her. She couldn’t make out any part of his features.

“Did something happen?” Syn asked Nero.

“No. Why?”

Syn looked like he started to say something, then he reconsidered. “Never mind.”

Zarya paused as she noted the way Nero stood, and the expression on his face. It was so similar to one of Darling’s that it startled her. They had the same eyes. Not the color, but the shape of them. While Darling’s were blue, Nero’s were gray. Their noses were also very similar.

If she didn’t know better…

Nero arched a brow at her. “You okay?”

She mentally shook herself and wondered if she was imagining it. “I am.”

“Uh… yeah. I should probably warn you that you can’t lie to me.” His tone was level, but there was a peculiar note in it. “You’re stressed and you’re scared. You really should relax and calm down.”

Her suspicion ran rampant at his words. “What do you know that I don’t?”

He glanced to Syn. “I have an answer about one of your concerns for Darling.”

Syn quirked a curious expression at Nero. “Which one?”

“Darling can father children.”