Sol: Luna Lodge #1 by Madison Stevens Read Free Book Online Page A

in and slammed the door shut.
    “Anyone want to tell me what the hell that was all about?” He stomped over between the two men.
    Titus sighed and scrubbed his face. “She challenged me,” he said simply.
    “What?” The major whirled on him, his face red.
    “She challenged me. I am the leader, and she challenged me.” He lowered his head into his hands.
    “She’s not one of your damn men. You can’t just go threatening her because she didn’t do what you said.” Major Carter frowned. A thick vein popped out on his forehead.
    Titus looked up at him. “I wasn’t threatening her. She needed to know I was in charge.”
    The other man spun away and began pacing the room. “I just don’t know what the hell all this means.”
    “Sir,” Sol stepped in. “It’s not about threatening. It’s more like sexual dominance. He’s the alpha. She had to know that.”
    The major stared at him in shock for a moment before he spoke. “That’s even worse. So we could have had a harassment suit on us?”
    “It wasn’t harassment,” Titus said quietly. “She wanted it.”
    Sol shifted uncomfortably. “We could smell her excitement.”
    The major cleared his throat a few times as they avoided looking at one another.
    “Well I’d like a little heads up next time,” he said gruffly.
    “There won’t be a next time,” Titus said darkly. “I can’t have my head muddled by a woman.” He looked up to Sol. “Send them both home.”
    “Erica found something,” Sol replied. The thought of sending her home caused his heart to squeeze.
    Titus looked up at him, the emotion from earlier wiped away.
    “Something?” Titus said, his voice all business.
    Sol nodded, glad to not have to talk about feelings any longer.
    “She just glanced at the latest reports and was able to see there were a number of errors in the accounting. She thinks someone is stealing from us.”
    “Did she have any idea what Mark Kincaid was up to?” Major Carter said, pulling out his phone.
    Sol shook his head. “She didn’t seem to like him much.”
    “And you trust her?” Titus stood and righted the desk.
    “I do,” he said. It surprised him how quickly he answered, but he found there was no reason not to. Despite her connections, she seemed to be innocent in all of this. “I’d like to hire her to stay on and help follow the paper trail. She seemed to think she could find out where the root of this is. Marius would like the help I’m sure.”
    “And what about the Horatius Group?” Major Carter asked.
    “It would be a good way to keep an eye on her. If she’s working with them, we’ll find out. If they are after her, then they will come to us. Either way it’s a win.” Sol looked between the two men.
    “I don’t like using a woman as bait.” The major stared hard at him.
    Sol shrugged. “She’s in danger either way. This way we can help protect her.”
    Titus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Fine. Make it happen.” He pulled his hand down and stared meaningfully at Sol. “The other woman goes home, but I’ll leave Erica up to you.”
    Sol nodded and left to secure the women.
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    Erica paced the one room of the cabin as Kate sat calmly on the bed. Both had rode silently back to the cabin with the major, who had given them strict instructions to stay put.
    She tilted her head back and finished off the rum from the mini-fridge and tossed the bottle into the trash. Feeling much calmer than before, she turned to Kate.
    “What the hell was that all about?” Erica sat hard on the bed next to her.
    Kate shrugged. “He was pissing me off.”
    Erica blinked at the casual way her friend was reacting. “I think it was more like you were pissing him off.”
    Kate giggled. “I did, didn’t I?”
    The rum settled into her stomach, and the warmth spread through her. She had never really been much of a drinker.
    “Kate,” Erica said, “he could have really hurt you.”
    Kate shook her head. “He