Titus: Luna Lodge #2 (2 page)

When the chance to move into a little two bedroom on the outskirts of the complex came up, she jumped on it. So far things had been working out well. Jenna was a quiet woman who was rarely even at the house. From what Kate could tell, she stayed with her uncle more often than not, helping him keep things in order at home.

It worked out well for Kate, although it was a little lonely at times. Still, it was also nice to have some quite after the sort of days she was having to endure at work.

Her face scrunched up again as the thought about the asshole denying her the chance to actually get anything done.

“Protocol my ass,” she mumbled.

He might have thought it was over, but there was no way she was letting it go. As long as they were going to be doing construction, she needed a real solution. She glanced back out the window and watched the men as they loaded various boards to make another wall.

She stood when one got a little closer and smiled. That just might be the solution.

Kate dashed out her office and through the back door just a few feet away. The ground was a bit uneven, but if she was right, her plan just might work.

“Excuse me,” she called to the man closest to her.

He glanced up and seemed more than a little shocked to see her standing among the debris.

The man was tall like the others but somehow more intimidating. She had a feeling that had more to do with the massive amounts of muscle and deep scars on his face than anything. His buzzed hair didn’t help matters.

“Yes?” he said and stood in front of her.

She swallowed. He had been at Erica’s wedding to Sol, but his name escaped her.

“I don’t know if you remember me,” she started.

“You’re Erica’s friend,” he said briskly. “I’m Lucius.” He nodded.

“Hi.” She smiled. “Kate.” She faltered when he stared at her expectantly. “I was just wondering if those worked.”

He frowned when she pointed to his yellow headset.

“The noise cancelers?” He shrugged. “I guess. It’s protocol.”

Her lip twitched when he mentioned protocol.

“Could I try them?” she asked.

He gave her a funny look and took them off. She put them on, and the sounds of the outside switched off. Kate sighed. They were perfect.

She took them off.

“How do I get a pair like this?” She held them up.

Lucius stared at the headset.

“You don’t,” he said.

She groaned loudly. “Look, I work in that office right there.” She pointed to her window and sighed. “I can’t even think it’s been so loud, and Titus the Tyrant won’t let me work from home. Please,” she begged. “How do I get a pair?”

He glanced from her to the office and sighed. She jumped when he shoved the headset back into her hand.

“Take it,” he said gruffly.

She beamed up at him. “Thank you.”

He turned away, clearly embarrassed.

“Just don’t come out here in those shoes again,” he said sternly. “Last thing I need to for someone to break an ankle on the site.”

She didn’t care that he was getting on to her. There was no way she wasn’t coming back.

Kate turned around and skipped happily back to work. For once in the last few months, she’d be able to get some actual work done without being horribly distracted.

Chapter Two

“Thanks to you, I’ve been kicked out for the evening,” Sol said as he came around to the back of Titus’s house.

“Me?” Titus put down the beer he was nursing. “What the hell do I have to do with your woman?”

Sol sat next to him on the back deck. The sun was just dropping below the trees. It was his favorite place to sit after a shitty day at work. Maybe it also had something to do with a certain someone being just across the way. On a good night, he could catch a faint scent of her or see her sitting on her porch

Titus pulled out a beer and handed it to Sol.

“Kate,” Sol said and popped off the top.

Titus’s hand tightened around the bottle. She was everywhere, infiltrating all aspects of his life.

“What are they doing?” he bristled.

Sol took a drink and sighed. “Eating my dinner.”

He glanced at his friend from the corner of his eye before laughing loudly.

“When did you get so soft?” Titus laughed louder.

“Whatever,” Sol grumbled. “Maybe I should have stayed there, so I could bitch about your sorry ass.”

Titus flinched. “She still mad?”

Sol leaned back in the chair and propped his feet up on the railing. “Did you really have to deny her the home office?”

Without thinking, he glanced over at her cabin across the way. Wherever he went, she was always so damn close. He turned back to Sol.

“It’s protocol,” he said pointedly.

Sol groaned. “You’re not going to give in on anything with her, are you?”

“I don’t understand.” Titus frowned.

Sol turned to stare at him. “I know you feel it from her. That itch that just won’t go away.” He shook his head. “You should just give up now. It’s not going to get any better.”

Titus stared at him for a long moment. This wasn’t something he wanted to be talking about.

“Are you ready for the hearing?” Titus asked. The smile on his friend’s face disappeared, and the muscles in his jaw ticked.

“I don’t fucking like it,” Sol said tightly.

“I don’t either,” Titus said and placed his beer on the railing. “But this is the only way to make sure that piece of shit stays put away.”

“We’re putting Erica and the babies at risk by even exposing them.” Sol’s eyes glowed with rage.

“We knew the pregnancy would get out at some point.” He watched the anger turn to fear on Sol’s face. “At least this way we can control the direction the conversation goes.”

Sol gave a short nod. “I know we need to do this, but I hate having her in the same room as the piece of shit that tried to rape her.”

Titus wasn’t too fond of the idea either, though not because he didn’t think Erica couldn’t handle herself. She’d proven to be much tougher than any of them had suspected.

No, he was worried about what Sol might do. His friend was a warrior, and men like him defended their women. Titus had already tried to convince him to just sit the trial out but was given a firm no. Not that he could really blame him and if something did happen, Sol would be the best one to have around her.

“I’m not going to kill Mark,” Sol said quietly. “I know that’s what everyone is thinking, but I’m not.”

“What makes you so sure?” Titus asked.

Sol leaned his head back against the chair and looked up at the darkening sky. “I could have already,” he said quietly. “Easily. But she wants to see him serve time.”

“And what do you want?” Titus held his breath as he waited.

“I want whatever she wants.”

Titus swallowed and gave a nod. As he looked at the faint stars, he sighed. At least there was one less thing to worry about.

* * *

“That was fantastic,” Kate said, smiling at Erica. “You sure it’s okay that we kicked Sol out? He didn’t look too thrilled.”

“I’ll make it up to him later.” Erica winked and cleared away a few plates.

Kate frowned. “Are you sure you should be doing that, you know, it in your condition?”

She jumped when the dishes landed hard in the sink.

“Did he tell you to say that?” Erica turned around to look at her. Her face was red with irritation.

“Sol?” Kate backed up a little. “No.”

Erica dropped into a chair next to the table. “I love him, I really do. But if he doesn’t quit treating me like a little flower, I’m going to tie him to the bed and have my way.”

Kate sputtered on the wine she’d just sipped. This was so unlike the Erica she knew from before. This one was more sure of herself and didn’t hold back.

“Have you talked to him about this?” Kate asked.

Erica sighed and looked up from her hands on the table. “It’s so hard to even broach the subject. He’s being so sweet, and part of me really loves it.”

“And the other part?” Kate leaned forward.

Erica smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “The other part wants him to let some of those raw instincts take over.”

Her heart sped up. She knew what Erica was talking about. There were times when Titus looked at her with such intensity that she just wanted him to rip off her clothes.

“Maybe you should just try seducing him,” Kate said.

Erica sighed and rubbed her growing stomach.

“Anymore, I’m not so certain he even finds me attractive.” She sighed.

“Oh now.” Kate stood to help Erica out of her chair. “I don’t believe that for a second. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

She pulled Erica up.

“We just need to give him something that he can’t refuse.”

Kate walked into the kitchen and held up the apron on the hook and grinned. “I think you should serve him dinner in this.”

Erica shrugged and took it from her hands.

“You just need to let him know that dinner is ready.” Kate smiled. “And then answer the door wearing the apron and nothing else.”

Erica’s eyes went wide. “Do you think that’s all it would take?”

Kate laughed. “I’d be surprised if it took more.”

Erica looked at the apron skeptically. “It’s worth a shot I guess.”

They went into the living room and sat comfortably on the couch.

“He’s been worried recently,” Erica said quietly.

Kate took a sip of her wine. “Over the hearing?”

Erica nodded. “That and what comes next.” She sighed and adjusted the pillow behind her back. “Things have been so quiet since the Horatius Group tried to pick me up,” she said. “I think he’s on edge just waiting for something to happen.”

“Maybe they gave up,” Kate suggested.

Erica shook her head. “Not these people. I don’t think they’ll ever give up.”

She swallowed. The chance that she might be responsible for her friend getting hurt sent a chill through her.

“We won’t let anything happen to you,” Kate said forcefully.

Erica leaned forward and patted her leg. “I know,” she said. “Besides, I’m the one who wanted this.”

“You ready to see him?” Kate asked.

Her mind drifted to thoughts of her ex-boyfriend Mark. She remembered how he had left her for dead as the lodge burned around them. It was Titus that had protected her, bearing the weight of a beam that came crashing down.

At first she had been angry that Mark could leave her like that but chalked it up into fear. It wasn’t until he attacked Erica that she knew his true nature. It made her stomach twist to think she had been with such a vile man, that her inability to pick a good man could hurt her friend in so many ways.

“I’m ready,” Erica said with ease. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

“Good,” Kate said. “What about after? We’ll get you right out of there, but we have to make it to the car.”

Erica shook her head. “I’ll be fine.” She rubbed her stomach.

“I’m sure it will go well.” Kate smiled. “Who doesn’t love a baby or two?”

Kate smiled, but her stomach twisted slightly. They had kept most of the people in the compound oblivious to the plights outside the gate. More than a few people had expressed their views on any children that might come from one of the hybrids, and most opinions weren’t all that great, but they couldn’t keep the pregnancy a secret forever. Actually, the longer they waited, the more likely it became that someone would leak it.

She looked over to Erica, who nervously sat rubbing her bump. There was no reason to burden her with this information.

Kate took another few drinks of her wine and set it down.

“Let’s talk about something fun. How are the babies?”

Erica smiled. “Rachel said everything is progressing really well. We should know the sexes here in a month.”

“What are you hoping for?” She grinned.

“I’m happy with whatever.” Erica smiled.

Kate reached over and patted her belly. “Me too, as long as they are girls. I’ve read the books, and changing a boy’s diaper is risky. I’m not getting peed on.”

She laughed when Erica hit her with a pillow.

“All right, all right,” she laughed. “Either would be fine.”

Kate stood up and stretched. It had been a very long day for her. Any day that required her to deal with Titus was one that left her feeling drained.

“Let’s get you set up before I go home.”

“Oh but don’t you want Sol to drive you home?” Erica said with concern.

Kate rolled her eyes. “I live just down the road in a compound with beefy hybrids and military men. I think I’m safe.”

Erica smiled. “I guess so. Old habits.”

“Now, do you have any whipped cream?” Kate grinned at her.

Erica frowned. “Yeah, but I don’t have any dessert.”

Kate laughed. “That’s good because you’re dessert.”

She laughed even harder when Erica blushed.

* * *

The night air was light against her warm skin as she walked home. It had been so nice to hang out with Erica, something she didn’t get to do very often recently. With all the construction and work, there hadn’t been much time to just relax.

Kate sighed. More than likely, this was how things would be now. Her friend was happily married, and she was happy for that, but that meant there wasn’t as much room in Erica’s life for her.

She smiled. Well maybe there would be a place for her once the babies came. Kate was sure they would need a babysitter, and she was more than willing to load them up with candy and send them home.

A gentle breeze swept past her. She breathed in the sweet smell of summer flowers. There was honeysuckle all over the woods surrounding them. She wouldn’t admit it to Titus, but she loved the location of her house. There was a sense of belonging that she’d never known before.

Growing up, her father had split before she was even born. Her mom had been more of a part-time parent, and when she met the man of her dreams, she left Kate to fend for herself. That was fine by her. Her step-father, John, thought it his duty to “raise” her right. He was a spare the rod, spoil the child sort of man, and she despised him.

Slowly, she passed a few other houses. She hadn’t met everyone around them but had a feeling they were supposed to be for families. It was likely why Titus fought her so long. She suspected it was really Jenna that changed things.