Page 7 of Rogue: Planet Athion
“Hi, you been here long?” he asked amiably.
Seriously? Did he think this was a bloody resort or something?
“Hey?” Anton called out. “Don’t talk to her. You don’t get to talk to her.”
The Athion turned his head toward Anton’s cell. “Why not?”
“Because we say so,” Marlon said.
The Athion looked to Marlon’s cell, a slight smile on his face. “Good to see a fellow Athion on the team. So, how long have you been here?”
“Long enough to know not to trust anyone until they’ve proven themselves,” Marlon replied.
“And what does one need to do to gain your trust?”
“Keep your attentions to yourself,” Anton replied. “Rogue is off limits.”
He focused on me again, his pale blue eyes almost eerie as he scanned my face. “Rogue, nice. I’m Xavier. It’s nice to meet you all.”
Xavier. It was a nice name, and if only I could tear my gaze from his face, but my eyes had other ideas, lingering on the curve of his jaw and brushing over his mischievous lips. He had a clever face, inquisitive eyes, and a mouth that I imagined would quirk easily into a smile.
Yeah, that spark would be gone soon.
“How did they get you?” Anton asked the question we were all wondering.
Xavier shrugged. “My shuttle crashed on this godforsaken rock, and then suddenly I was surrounded by Trads. Didn’t even know the damn asteroid was occupied. Mining?”
“Yeah,” Marlon said. “Among other things.”
“Other things?”
Oh, man. He had no idea.
“They won’t be using you for mining. You’re here because you’ll make good entertainment.”
He frowned. “What kind of entertainment?”
“The kind where you get to bleed.” I watched as comprehension rippled across his features. “You belong to House Ryker now.”
The buzzer went off to indicate the doors would be opening, but Xavier didn’t even flinch, and then the doors were sliding open, and we were free.
Marlon was the first out, and he came to stand beside me, his attention on the new arrival. “You want to know what you’ve landed in, then come with us. We’ll fill you in, and if you keep your eyes in your head and your hands to yourself, then we may even let you hang out with the cool kids.”
Xavier arched a brow. “Where to?”
Anton appeared to my left. “This way, new boy.”
But Xavier had his attention on me again. “After you,” he said.
I smirked and followed Anton to the training room, leaving Marlon to escort Xavier.
* * *
Jurak and his buddies hadn’t arrived at the training room when we got there, and so we congregated around the weight benches. Xavier took a seat on one, while Marlon and Killion perched on the other. Anton hovered by the brace that would house the bar, and I leaned against the pulley machine. Marlon did the talking, filling Xavier in on Vesper and its dynamic, and when he was done Xavier ran a hand over his face.
“So, they make you fight for entertainment and to settle disputes?” Xavier shook his head. “Kidnappees and criminals and unfortunate crashers.” He made a soft tutting sound. “Looks like I chose the worst place to land.”
“What were you doing in the shuttle in this part of the galaxy so far from Athion?” Marlon asked.
