Apollo (Luna Lodge #5)(31)

Val was on her feet before Apollo could even think to be. The anger was thick in the air, and although she was glad to have someone who cared, it was odd to have to deal with this issue. 

"It's fine," she said quietly and held up her hands.

Sol stalked forward toward her as Apollo stayed on the ground. "You are my sister," he growled. "And he's not good enough for you."

She sighed. This situation was what she was afraid of. Two walking hormones having a pissing match.

Apollo stood up behind her and pressed into her back.

"I'm not good enough?" he rumbled, and despite herself, she felt her nipples perk up. His voice was defensive, but she could feel his uncertainty.

"No," Sol said. "You'll put her at risk, just like you did Erica. Are you going to leave her on her own to fend off attackers as well? I can't trust you with those that are important to me."

Apollo went stiff behind her, and she was desperate to end this. There had to be a way.

Suddenly, her back was cold from his absence, and she turned to watch him disappear into the woods behind them. Val turned to glare at Sol.

"Oh, I don't think so," she said and stepped forward. "I'm really glad to have found you, but if you think that," she pointed to the empty space behind her, "is going to fly, you got another thing coming."

Sol shook his head, still glaring at where Apollo had been, his anger clear.

"You don't understand," he said. "He already put Erica at risk, and now he walks around angry. He's a loose cannon."

Val sighed. "Well, I can take care of myself. I have for a long time."

Sol shook his head. Pity laced the air. "Not against men like us."

He stared down at her like she was some delicate flower, and for some reason, it only pissed her off more.

"You know," she said through gritted teeth and stared him in the eye, "I'm so sick of people thinking that I can't take care of myself."

She stomped hard on his foot and kneed him hard in the stomach when he bent over.

Sol grunted in pain.

"Look here, bro." She leaned into him. "Let's not forget that you all aren't the only ones that can take out people. Humans have been doing it for some time. And I'd really suggest you don't fuck with the woman who's got years of martial arts under her belt."

She breathed out a large sigh.

"And let me be clear with you," she said. "I pick who I'm with. Not you."

She walked away, leaving him with his sore stomach and bruised ego, but feeling much better about her position there.





Chapter Twelve





Val sighed loudly, and the noise only echoed in the empty room. Jenna was gone tonight, and it looked like she was planning on being gone for a bit. There was no explaining what was going on between she and Rem, but it was clear that it skirted somewhere on that line of love and hate. Maybe more hate than love.

Despite all her years alone, Val hated the hollow sound. It only fed into her thoughts that she was meant to be alone for all her days.

Her thoughts drifted to Apollo. He could be something more. Her mind fed her the line, and she silently scoffed at the idea.

He might kiss like he meant it, but she knew him, could feel him. She knew his heart in this, and there was no way she'd go in part way with someone like that. Half-hearted was not the sort of romance she wanted to invest in. And despite how she had acted with her brother, he was right somewhat. She deserved more than someone who couldn't make up his mind.

She breathed in and let it out slowly. His sort of half-hearted love wasn't what she wanted. But then, she wasn't sure that if she got what she wanted, she would be able to return those feelings. After all the years of never feeling that sort of love, it didn't seem like she would just be able to flip the switch and move forward. They'd let her go, but in the end, even she had been tainted by the Horatius Group.



       
         
       
        

Not able to sit still much longer, Val grabbed her jacket off the hook. Maybe a good run and some katas would help. It always cleared her head before, and if anything, she'd wear herself out, so she just didn't have to think about this bullshit.

The night was cold, but she welcomed the chill as she stepped outside. It helped her to keep all the thoughts she didn't want out of her mind.

Val closed the door to the cabin and headed toward the woods. The steady beat of the ground made her smile. She always did like the feeling that running gave her. It was freeing. Like she could always get away if she needed to.

As a child she'd run to get away from a life that she hated. Now she ran to find herself in a world where she didn't fit in. But she hadn't really needed to since coming to the lodge. Something about this place felt right. She'd been more at peace than ever before.