Apollo (Luna Lodge #5)(21)

He moved close to the mousy woman, and Jenna quickly scurried around the table. Rem gave a small laugh.



       
         
       
        

"Is there chocolate cake?" he asked.

Jenna turned to look at him and frowned. "No."

He turned to Val and winked. "I bet Val would love to have some of your cake."

From her seat, she could hear as Jenna slammed around the kitchen. She wasn't quite sure what sort of game Rem was playing, but she hoped he would quit before Jenna started launching those plates at him.

Jenna stomped into the dining area and stood right in front of Rem. Anger radiated off of her.

"I've held up my end," she huffed. "Time for you to go."

Rem held his hands in surrender and walked to the door.

Val didn't think she could be any more shocked unless Jenna picked him up and gave him the bum's rush out the door. He paused just inside the frame. One arm up high on the frame, Rem leaned against it. Val had to give him points for perfecting his cool gene.

"Tomorrow?" he asked. The corner of his mouth twitched as he stared at her.

Jenna frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm busy."

Rem gave a little chuckle and leaned in. "Don't be like that. I was only teasing."

Jenna huffed a little and then turned to Val with a bright smile.

"How about getting together with all the girls tomorrow evening?" Jenna asked.

Val looked between Rem, who was now groaning, and Jenna. Between the two, at the moment, she was more afraid to cross the woman who just cooked her dinner.

"Yes?" she answered, not quite sure if it was a question or reply.

Jenna gave a firm nod.

"Good," she said and turned back to Rem. "See, I'm busy. Now goodnight."

Without missing a beat, she let the door swing shut.

"Now," Jenna said loudly. "How about some chocolate cake?"

The low laugh from the door was not lost on either of them.

"Remind me never to cross you," Val mumbled.

Jenna's eyes cut to her and narrowed slightly. "Chocolate cake or not?"

"Cake," Val said quickly.

She wasn't sure what had just happened, but one thing she did know, she wanted some of that damn cake.



* * *



Apollo let the sound of the steady beat of concrete and shoes ease his mind. For the second night in a row, he had seen Rem leaving the little cabin where Val was staying.

He might be working with Jenna on their stupid project to find their ancestry, but there was no need for him to be there that late. He didn't like it. What was worse, he couldn't figure out why he didn't like it.

Jenna was perfectly capable of dealing with Rem and seemed to have no interest in him. Val, he wasn't so sure. The way she'd let that slime across the hall touch her, she might be susceptible to someone like Rem. He was an alpha. There was no doubt in anyone's mind about that. But did that matter to Val? 

Anger pulled at his heart, and he pushed harder in his run.

He shouldn't care what she did. It didn't matter. She had a job to do and so did he. Besides, he didn't want someone like her. Bossy and too hard to predict. Someone that didn't bother to fight when they were being manhandled.

It still pissed him off. He had to be careful. If he thought about it too much, he might end up at Nigel's house, teaching him a few lessons on what not to do.

Movement to the right caught his eye, and he stopped dead in his tracks. He was near the family housing, and that always worried him. Of course, they had more than an animal or two wander near the houses.

His eyes searched the darkness, and he waited. More movement. Movement that was too large and quiet to be an animal.

He crept near the house. He was going to kill anyone that threatened their lives, Horatius Group or not. His heart picked up as he realized this was Sol's house. The children.

He breathed in deeply, but nothing came back. He moved around the house. Nothing. He knew there had been someone there, but now only silence greeted him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Sol growled from the window above him.

Apollo looked into the darkness.

"Check the children," he said quickly.

Sol spun around and raced away. Apollo moved to the front door and waited.

Erica answered, eyes wide awake and clearly scared.

"They're safe," she said as he came inside.

Sol walked in with both babies in his arms. They slept peacefully against his large chest.

"What's this all about?" he growled softly.

Apollo ran a hand over his face. "We need to call Titus," he said and looked between the two. "Someone was outside."





Chapter Nine