Page 33 of Rogue: Planet Athion
“And you won’t.” I released him and walked up to the glass. “You got a shower?”
Xavier nodded. “Yeah …”
“Okay, well we’re gonna need one, and some food and water afterwards. He needs to stay hydrated and fed so the shit can come out of his system.”
The two Athions exchanged glances, and I threw up my hands at their hesitation.
Tide sighed and nodded. “Fine, but he’ll have to come back to lock-up and stay here until he’s detoxed.”
“Fine. Then I’ll stay with him.”
Tide’s jaw clenched. “Is she always this difficult?” he asked Xavier.
Xavier smiled. “No. She just gives a shit. And you can’t fault that.”
I returned Xavier’s smile, grateful that he got it.
The doors slid open, and I slipped my hand into Vex’s and led him out.
* * *
The shower was on the floor above in one of the cabins. By the time we got there, Vex was flagging. He’d paled, and his steps had slowed.
I slipped an arm around his waist and took his weight. “Xavier, can you get something high energy, something with sugar, please?”
He nodded and headed out of the cabin.
Tide remained in the doorway as I adjusted the shower spray. It was tepid, but it would do.
Vex leaned against the wall by the cubicle. “Well, this sucks.”
I grasped the edge of his shirt and tugged it up to expose the hard ridges of muscles in his abdomen. “Up.”
He raised his arms, and I yanked the shirt off.
He canted his head. “You going to take off my pants?”
I arched a brow and unbuttoned the trousers. His hand covered mine. “I can manage.”
I nodded and retreated from the room to give him some privacy, taking Tide with me.
“How much do you know about the Trad?” he asked.
“Enough to know that he won’t hurt me. Enough to know that he did what he needed to do to survive.”
“How long was he held?”
“A decade.”
He exhaled heavily.
I locked gazes with him. “You can’t lock him up again. You can’t liberate a man to lock him up again. It isn’t right, and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like a criminal.”
“You do realize he probably is one.”
“Maybe he is? Maybe he did something bad, but he saved my life and as far as I’m concerned, he’s paid his dues in that arena ten times over.”
“Fine. You can stay in this cabin with him. There’s an alarm under the dresser if he has a turn. Use it. Don’t be a hero.”
