Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) (38 page)

Once their actual shower was finished, Xander and Deryn headed to bed. They kept the lights on while she lay wrapped in his arms, telling him the story behind each and every one of her scars, both of them feeling relief every time he found one from her life before slavery.

As they slowly drifted off to sleep, Xander started to wonder if perhaps Bronson was right. Maybe he did like Deryn. He definitely enjoyed her company more than any other woman's, but he had just assumed this was because she was always there. Not to mention his current desire for her.

But Xander had had her now, many times, and it still wasn't enough. He found himself constantly craving more of her, and this need was not just fueled by sex. Because he didn't just want her physically. He wanted all of her. Body and soul. Was that what liking someone felt like? Or was it something else? Entirely.

"Three months!" announced Bronson as he popped open a bottle of champagne, ignoring Xander's scowl as he let it rain all over his white carpet.

"Thanks, Bronson, but there's really no need for this," said Deryn, leaning very stiffly against the kitchen counter while he poured the champagne into three crystal glasses. "It just doesn't seem right to celebrate my freedom when so many others are suffering through the slave trade as we speak."

"Come on, Deryn. Can't you just be selfish for once?" he asked, handing her a glass. "You're a free woman, more or less. You're having sex regularly." Bronson motioned towards Xander, who took a glass and nodded in agreement. "For the first time in years, you have clothes and a weapon -"

"And a chocolate bar," added Xander, flashing her a quick wink.

Deryn narrowed her eyes, but she couldn't hide her smile.

"Uh, right," said Bronson, clearly not getting the joke. "So shall we toast?"

"Fine," said Deryn, holding up her glass. "But if I'm still here in three months, we won't be doing this again."

Xander hardened at the realization that she probably wouldn't still be there when that time came. Instead, she would be with her family and Triggs.
With
Triggs. Maybe physically. He cringed at the thought.
Never
. He would never, ever let that -

"Ruby, we doing this?"

Xander looked up to see Bronson and Deryn staring at him, both of their glasses slightly raised.

"Right," said Xander, lifting his. "So are we supposed to say something?"

"Oh, good idea!" exclaimed Bronson. "Go on, then."

Xander raised his eyebrows. "Me?"

Bronson smiled. "Uh huh. Tell us how you feel."

"How I feel?" repeated Xander, creasing his forehead as he glanced at Deryn, who was looking at him expectantly. "Well, I'm glad you're not a slave anymore. But I'm not glad that I haven't had a chance to kill anyone but Dougal for owning you yet. I do plan to."

Deryn smiled.

"Is this how Guardians woo women?" asked Bronson, darting his curious eyes between them.

"Pretty sure it's just me," said Xander.

"Well, I'm wooed." said Deryn proudly. "Shall we drink?"

"It has become clear that
I
am going to have to make the toast," said Bronson, lifting his glass a little higher. He cleared his throat. "Deryn Leon, I'm so grateful to have the honor, no, the privilege of knowing you in this bleak and desolate world. You have overcome obstacles and conquered fears, always coming out on top and -"

"Cheers!" interrupted Xander, clanking his glass against both of theirs and chugging his champagne.

Deryn clanked Bronson's and did the same, making a face as the bubbles tickled her nose.

Bronson huffed. "Are you not even going to let me finish my speech?"

"Nope," said Xander, taking the bottle off of the counter, and pouring Deryn and himself another glass. Bronson pouted before drinking his down, then held his glass out for a refill.

Just as Deryn was taking another sip, there was a knock on the front door. Her eyes went wide, and she swallowed her mouthful down quickly before dashing into her bedroom, glass in hand. She shut the door just as the front one began to rattle.

"Xander, you there?" called Luka's voice from the other side. "Let me in."

Xander put down the bottle, went over and opened the door.

"Th'fuck you have so many locks on for? You live in a secure building."

"And, yet, here you are," said Xander.

Luka pushed his way inside, Xander shutting the door behind him. "Yeah, well, after you had to give me access last time, I went to the home bureau and registered my band with your building." He then noticed Bronson standing in the kitchen. Their eyes locked and Bronson's face brightened.

"How'd you manage that without any sort of lease?" asked Xander.

Luka shrugged. "I'm a Guardian. Everyone in this city gives me whatever th'fuck I want." His eyes drifted from Bronson to the bottle of champagne on the counter. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," said Xander. "Bronson here -"

Bronson nodded.

"- works at a restaurant, and, on some nights, he likes to steal the good shit."

"True statement," said Bronson, taking a sip from his glass.

"Tonight he was kind enough to share," said Xander.

"How do you two know each other?" asked Luka, still standing near the front door.

Xander took a sip from his glass and swallowed hard. "He lives downstairs."

"Oh," said Luka, walking to the kitchen. "So he's the one who gets you those cigarettes at the Black Market?"

Bronson's face lit up. "Oh, Ruby, you've talked about me -"

"This is the good shit?" asked Luka, looking closely at the bottle's label. "What sort of cheap establishment do you work at?" He took a sip straight out of the bottle.

Glowering at him, Bronson said, "One that, luckily, isn't often populated by pretentious pricks with absolutely no manners or -"

"Did you want something, Luka?" asked Xander, walking over and pulling the bottle away from him. "If you would like more then get a glass."

"Sorry," said Luka, wiping his mouth. "I just need a fucking drink. Can we get out of here and get a fucking drink?"

Xander frowned. "Everything alright?"

"No," said Luka, biting his cheek in an attempt to hold back tears. "Can we go already?"

Xander looked at Bronson, who shrugged. "Fine, you go ahead. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Why?" asked Luka.

"I need to use the bathroom. What's with all the questions?"

"I'll wait, just hurry up." Luka rubbed his eyes.

Xander flared his nostrils, glancing slyly at Deryn's door.

"Hey, buddy," said Bronson, putting a hand on Luka's shoulder. "You look like you could use a cigarette. Wanna come have one with me on the balcony while Ruby takes a piss?"

"Fine," said Luka, walking towards the sliding glass door.

Bronson crossed his arms and stared after him. "Straight, right?" he whispered.

"Yeah," said Xander. "Why?"

"No reason. I just often find myself attracted to straight assholes. Any chance he might forget his sexual preference if intoxicated enough?"

"Doubtful," said Xander, cringing as the horrible image of Bronson coming onto a drunk Luka entered his head. "Just get out there."

"Done," said Bronson, grinning widely. He took his cigarettes out of his pocket and headed for the open door, making sure to shut it behind him.

As soon as they were out of sight, Xander went to Deryn's door and slipped inside. She was presently sitting on her bed with a book in her lap. She glanced up as he entered.

"Deryn, I -"

"Yes, I heard," she said with a frown. "I suppose you have to go and be with your friend if you want to keep up appearances."

"I'd rather stay here," he said, sitting next to her and meeting her for a kiss. "You know, celebrate your freedom properly." He smirked and she did the same.

"There will be plenty of time for that later. Now, go on. Take any longer in the bathroom and he might get suspicious."

"I hope you know I plan to fuck you senseless when I get back."

"I figured as much," she said, giving him one last kiss before pushing him off of her bed. "Go, Xander."

He grunted and reluctantly slipped back out the door. Damn Luka and his problems. He had no idea how much of a cock block he was being.

Outside, Luka was leaning over the edge of the balcony, staring straight ahead in brooding silence while Bronson tried to make conversation. He turned when he heard the door open. "Ready?" he asked, putting out his cigarette.

"Yeah, sure," said Xander, stepping out of the way.

Luka took a step forward before looking at Bronson. "You coming?"

"Not yet," said Bronson, grinning as his mind filled with dirty thoughts. "But if that's an invitation -"

"He can't come, Luka," said Xander quickly. "Not if we ride our bikes somewhere. All bars in walking distance are absolute shit."

Luka reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the chips from the Government Lab. "I have an extra. Kept it in case I wanted to bring someone home on my bike. I link it to their wristband and then unlink it the next day." He smiled, obviously proud of his cleverness.

"Oh, sweet," said Bronson, taking the chip from him.

"But his name isn't registered."

"Who's going to check?" said Luka with a shrug. "It's fine. I've already done it maybe half a dozen times. No one has a clue."

"Half a dozen, huh?" said Bronson. "And all with different women, I assume?"

Luka's smirk was response enough.

"Looks like we have a mini Ruby on our hands. Well, let's get on with it," he said, following Luka inside and heading for the front door.

"I assume you want to go to the Pit," said Xander as they descended the stairs.

Luka nodded.

When they got outside, Luka headed straight for his hover-bike, which was parked sloppily on the curb. "Your boyfriend can ride with you," he said as he put on his helmet and mounted his bike. "See you assholes there."

Xander went into his garage and took out his bike. "We need to get him drunk and make sure he forgets all about getting this back tonight," he said, taking the chip from Bronson and installing it in his bike. "Got it?"

"You're the boss," said Bronson with a salute. He touched his wristband to the bike, waiting for it to click and register.

Once they both had their helmets on, they mounted the bike and followed Luka, Xander insisting that Bronson not hold onto his waist. He did it anyway. For fun.

By the time they got to the Pit, Luka already had a table and a bottle of wine. He was chugging from it hungrily and Xander had a pretty good feeling he didn't intend to share, so he ordered another bottle for him and Bronson.

As it turned out, the reason Luka was so upset was because his father had called him out about his and Xander's lack of progress on just about every mission against the Resistance right in front of the president. He was convincing enough that Saevus had Luka's mind swept- a very painful technique used to search someone's mind for secrets. It had never actually been proven effective, though the president seemed to believe in it. But that was not the real problem.

"You should've seen the look on my father's face when he found out I wasn't hiding anything. It was like he was disappointed! Like he wanted me to get executed or something! I mean, can you believe it?"

Actually, Xander could, but he kept quiet about it because he had to. He had to cooperate. For Deryn's sake.

"I'm his son and he doesn't even care if I'm dead!"

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," said Bronson, trying to be supportive, but one glance at Xander and he knew that it most definitely was. "You Guardians sure have twisted families. Hey, waitress!" He lifted his hand and a young girl hurried over, making sure to flutter her eyelashes. "Let's see. How about ... one, two, three ... nine! Nine shots of your finest whiskey! Whiskey?" he asked, glancing around for reassurance.

"Gin!" shouted Luka. "I need fucking gin!"

"His comfort drink," Xander said to Bronson.

"Gin it is!" he said, smiling at the waitress. She blushed and scurried off.

"You have a pretty good way with the ladies for a pansy," Luka spurted out before taking another swig from his bottle. It was already half gone.

"How did you know he was gay?" asked Xander, cocking an eyebrow.

"It's obvious, isn't it? He's been eye-fucking me since I stepped through your door."

Bronson smiled sheepishly. "Guilty," he said. "Forgive Ruby. He's known me for years and only figured it out just recently. And not even on his own. He had to be told."

"Hmm ..." Luka brought his bottle back to his lips and chugged some more.

The waitress returned a moment later. She put the shots of gin on the table before slyly touching her wristband to Bronson's and slipping him her information. He was about to delete it when Luka stretched forward and touched his citizen wristband to Bronson's.