Titus: Luna Lodge #2 (8 page)

Sol sat next to him with his plate of food.

“If I don’t get laid tonight because of you, I’m going to be really pissed,” Sol said and took a bite of his burger.

“If you don’t get laid tonight, it’s not going to be about me. It’s going to be the savage way you chew your food.” Titus rolled his eyes.

Sol grinned. “I worked up an appetite out there. Besides,” he said and took another bite, “I need to store up some energy.”

“I thought you were worried about the babies?” Titus said.

Sol paused and glanced over to his wife. “She’s fine,” he said very cryptically. “The babies are fine.”

Titus shrugged. Not being something he would normally think about, he deferred to the experts.

Major Carter plopped down on the log next to him.

“We’ve got something,” he said without delay.

Both men turned to stare at him.

“There’s been an installation found in Costa Rica,” he said.

“Occupied?” Titus asked.

The major shook his head. “We’ve got eye reports that show that it was active about a week ago but nothing since then. It could be they have already left or that they are all just underground. We can’t tell at this point.”

“When are you going?” Sol asked.

“We’re still waiting on the official orders,” Major Carter said. “I suspect sometime tomorrow.”

Titus’s jaw tightened as he thought about the new installation. “We want in,” he said. “There are more men like us out there, and we need to be there.”

Major Carter nodded. “Couldn’t agree more.” He leveled his gaze on Titus. “I just have to make one thing clear. If you join my missions, I’m in charge. This isn’t a pissing contest. I’ve got more years in and seen enough action. You and your men defer to me.”

Titus stared at the major. It was the first time he’d ever even hinted at his position in all this.

“Done,” Titus said with a nod.

“Good,” Major Carter said. “This is as much for protection as it is anything else. If shit goes south, and I want it on my shoulders. I’ve got more friends in higher places than you do at the moment.”

Titus gave a curt nod. He understood. They were a risk. One the major was willing to take but still a risk.

“Permission to go,” Sol said from beside him.

He smiled. They had all been waiting for the moment to make themselves useful in the best way they knew how. Titus shook his head.

“I need you here,” he said. “I’m going to go to make sure things are followed as they should. You’ll need to keep things running smoothly here. Besides,” he looked to where Erica was sitting next to Kate, “she’s in no shape to deal with you running off on some mission.”

Sol looked over to his wife. Titus smiled at the way she seemed to sense him looking at her. She smiled lovingly at her husband.

“Understood,” Sol said.

Titus clapped him on the shoulder. “Soon,” he said. “This goes well, and we might have more work with the military.”

He looked over at Carter who nodded.

“This goes well and I can guarantee it,” the major said.

Although he didn’t love the idea of putting his men in danger, it was what they had been trained to do. Maybe if they were given a place to focus some of those skills, it would make them less restless. His eyes wandered over to Kate. Well, skill focus and women, but that wasn’t something they were going to be able to do over night.

He could only imagine the nightmare that was going to be. It wasn’t exactly like they could take out an ad asking for woman interested in more than friendship. Titus bit down the laughter that threatened to bubble up.

His eyes still on her, he watched as several of his men walked by and then turned away from her on the other side of the bonfire. They could likely smell him all over her. A smile spread on his face but soon vanished when several military men came and sat near her. Titus knew they couldn’t smell like his men, but he had to let them know where they stood.

Sol watched him, a knowing smile on his face.

“Tell Lucius and Apollo to be ready to go when I call,” he ordered.

Sol nodded.

“I thought Apollo was on your bad side at the moment.” He nodded to Kate.

His mouth twitched. “I’m not going to shown up by a kid.”

Sol threw back his head and laughed. “Glad to hear it.”

Titus walked with purpose over to her. He stopped right next to her and glared at the men.

Erica chuckled and shook her head. “I think it’s about my bedtime,” she said to Kate. Titus stuck out a hand to help her up. “Take her home, would you. She’s had quite a few of those, and it seems to be your fault.”

His face tightened, and he nodded.

Kate glared up at them both. “I think I need a few more if I’m going home with him.”

Erica laughed and kissed her on the head. “Be good,” she said and walked over to her waiting husband.

Titus held out his hand to Kate. She glared at it for a moment before taking it. He sighed with relief when she stood next to him.

“Where’s your car?” She swayed toward him.

He put his hand under her arm to steady her.

“I didn’t bring it,” he mumbled. The smell of her floated around him.

She huffed and pushed back a little from his body.

“Of course you didn’t,” she sighed. “Well, let’s go.”

They waved at several people as they worked their way through the crowd. He could hear them as he passed. He smiled slightly. Let them think what they would. Maybe they would all leave his woman alone.

His pulse kicked up. His woman? It wasn’t true, but it certainly felt like it should be true. He glanced at her. She swayed slightly as they walked along the dark gravel path. It wasn’t difficult for him to see, but his night vision was always excellent.

“Want to lean on me?” he suggested after she veered off a little.

She wrinkled her nose. “I’m fine,” she said. “You just keep your hands to yourself.”

They walked in silence for some time. The new moon provided little light, but he watched around them. This was further out than they normally had people, but it was the best spot for such a large gathering.

She yelped as her foot caught on a root. He lunged forward and caught her just before she landed on the ground. Growling, he lifted her in his arms.

“What are you doing?” she shouted.

He looked down at her cradled in his arms. “Keeping you safe. Even if that means keeping you safe from yourself.”

“Whatever.” She yawned and nestled into his chest. “I’m too tired to care.”

He looked down at her face. With her eyes closed, she looked almost angelic. He frowned at the dark circles that stood out against her pale face.

“Why aren’t you sleeping at night?” he said softly.

Her eyes fluttered open to look at him. “Nightmares,” she said quietly. “You probably don’t get them.”

His arms tensed around her. “I get nightmares,” he said. “You don’t live like we did without repercussions.”

Titus could feel her eyes on him, and he flinched when she placed a hand on his chest.

“What are your nightmares about?” she whispered.

He sighed and stared into the forest ahead.

“Mainly locked doors with no way out. Endless reading and then testing.” He sighed. “Knowing that my results would affect the team. The more I miss, the more brutal the punishments became.”

“Like what?” she urged him.

Titus looked her in the eyes. The pain of the memories still etched into his soul. “No food, beatings, shock.” He shrugged. “Whatever they could find that would get the best results.”

“They used your friends against you,” she said softly.

He shook his head. “I wasn’t allowed friends. I hadn’t spent much time with any of them outside training exercises until we were released.” He gave a bitter laugh. “No, they used everything against me, but instead of harming me, they only harmed the men.”

He took a deep breath as he opened up wounds he didn’t like visiting. “The scars Lucius has are my fault,” he said. He keep his eyes forward, so he didn’t have to see the scorn in her eyes. “They brought in a woman, a Vestal.”

“Vestal?” she asked.

He looked down at her and debated what to say. Titus sighed. “A woman that draws us to them.” He stared at her for a moment before continuing. “A woman that smells unbelievably good to us.”

She swallowed hard, and he knew that she understood what he was implying. “They brought her in. She was one of the ones they paid,” he said and looked away again. “It didn’t matter. She didn’t draw me, just like all the rest. I refused to try. I couldn’t even if I had wanted to.”

He heard her breath hitch in her chest.

“They were angry I wouldn’t even try.” His face contorted in rage. “He was angry. So they sent her to Lucius.” Pain filled his chest as he remembered. “He won’t talk about what happened, but when she came out, his face was as you see it. We think she came back several more times, but he won’t say.”

“Poor Lucius,” she whispered.

He nodded. His guilt tore at his layers.

She placed her soft hand against his face, and he leaned into it.

“You didn’t do this,” she said to him. “They did with that horrible woman.”

He sighed. “If I had just done what they asked…”

“If they had just been better people,” she said with conviction. “Those bastards deserve to burn in the hottest pits of hell.”

His eyes fell on her. She blazed with anger, and it warmed him that she cared to that degree.

“You’ve heard my nightmares,” he said softly. Her cabin came into view, and he sighed. “So what are yours?”

Kate yawned and buried her head back against his chest.

“It’s silly really,” she said. Titus shifted her in his arms as he climbed the stairs. “There are always these glowing red eyes.”

Titus froze.

Chapter Nine

“Red eyes?” he said menacingly.

Kate looked up at him from her comfortable position. His face was fixed on hers.

“I know it’s silly, but I saw a pair in the woods the other night. They creeped me out so bad that I haven’t been able to sleep well since.” She yawned.

“When?” he said firmly. She blinked a few times, thinking. “Kate, it’s very important. When was this?”

She blushed and glanced away. “After we…after we were finished on the deck.”

The heat poured over her as she thought about it.

Titus thundered up the stairs with her still in her arms. He turned the handle and shut the door behind them.

“From now on you lock your doors,” he said to her.

She nodded deftly. They entered her room, and he sat in the middle of the bed before making a sweep of the area. Kate watched from the bed as he looked all around and then into the darkness of the forest.

He pulled out his phone.

“I need a sweep of the forest by my cabin,” he said to the person on the other end. “Tell them to keep an eye out for any and everything.”

He turned to look at her, worry etched on his face. “It could be nothing. I’ll talk with you more about it in the morning. Call if they find anything.”

Titus hung up and looked at the window. “Is that why you’ve kept the blinds drawn?”

She looked over at the window and nodded.

He sat down on the side of her bed and scrubbed his face with his hand.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

Titus looked to her. “Likely nothing, but it doesn’t hurt to have a look.”

She nodded.

He stood, and she felt her pulse jump into her throat.

“Where are you going?” She scrambled to move to the end of the bed.

“I have a long day tomorrow, so I’m heading to bed,” he said and turned to the door.

“Wait!” Kate couldn’t believe the words were even coming out of her mouth. She hated to sound so weak, but she was tired and with him, she felt safe. “Stay,” she said.

She could hear the rumble from deep in him. “Kate,” he said in warning.

“Not like that,” she said quickly. For the first time in ages, she fumbled over words. “I’m just tired. It’s been so long since I got a good night sleep.” She sighed. He didn’t seem convinced. “I just feel safe with you,” she said quietly and looked up at him. “Please stay, Titus.”

He glanced between her and the door. “Fuck,” he groaned and walked out of the room.

She tried not to let her disappointment show as she got up and pulled out a tank and shorts to wear. She made her way to the bathroom and got ready for bed.

Kate scrubbed her face and stared at the woman in the mirror. She did have dark circles under her eyes and without the eye makeup there, they seemed even more sunken and hollow than before. Her hair was still pulled back into a pony tail from the flag football. Frustrated, she pulled it out and brushed until it was sleek and shiny.

She brushed her teeth and slipped on the clothes. When she was finally ready, she flipped off the light. At least she wasn’t going to bed nearly as sexually frustrated.

Kate stopped when she entered the bedroom. Titus sat on the end of her bed, pulling his boots off his feet.

“I thought you were leaving?” she said quietly.

Titus looked up at her. “Did you want me to?”

She shook her head.

He pulled off the other boot and let it drop to the floor. She walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled the sheets down. Kate wondered if he would even fit into her full-size bed. It wasn’t really something she’d ever had to consider before.

She slipped under the covers and watched as he pulled off his t-shirt. Her heart raced even though she was really too tired to do much about it. His hand hovered over the button on his pants when he looked down at her.

“Just sleep,” he said.

She nodded and wondered if he had heard her heart.

He pulled his phone from his pants and placed it on the side table. Then, he walked over to the light. He flipped the switch, and the room fell into darkness. Kate listened to the rustle of his pants and the sound of his buckle hitting the floor.

Part of her quivered at the idea of him being in his underwear again.

She rolled over to the edge of the bed when she felt the other end dip down with his weight.

“Goodnight,” he said gruffly.