Titus: Luna Lodge #2 by Madison Stevens Read Free Book Online

really do. If Titus wanted to fire me over it, he would have.”
    Rachel rolled her eyes. “You’d have to quit if you wanted out, and even then, I’m not so sure he’d let you.”
    Hannah laughed. “He does seem pretty focused on you.”
    Kate laughed, but it came out a bit more hollow than she expected.
    “Maybe not so much after today,” she said and took a big swallow off of her glass of wine.
    Rachel frowned at her. “Trouble in paradise?”
    “I don’t know.” She ran a hand through her hair. “He said I smell different. Like bad different.”
    Rachel moved in a little closer to her. “That’s odd,” she said. “Have you changed anything?”
    Kate shook her head. “Not that I can tell, but it was obvious the smell bothered him.”
    “Interesting,” Rachel mumbled. “Would you mind coming in for some blood work?”
    “No,” she said. “Why? Is there something wrong?”
    Rachel waved her hands. “It’s just to run a few tests. Their way of picking a spouse seems to be scent related, and it’s all about figuring out why that is.”
    Kate nodded. She didn’t fully understand, and even if she didn’t plan on being with Titus, she certainly didn’t want to smell bad.
    As it was he couldn’t get rid of her fast enough. She gulped back the rest of her wine and poured a large second glass. After today, she deserved it.
     
    * * *
     
    “Are you sure it was the Pale Man?” Lucius asked.
    Titus nodded. “Sol can verify it tomorrow, but there’s no mistaking that stench.”
    “I don’t understand how it could have gotten on Kate unless she was with him,” Apollo said.
    He shrugged. It didn’t make sense to him either.
    “All I know is what she said, and I have no reason to believe it’s not the truth,” Titus said and sat up in his chair.
    He was glad they could all meet, but he never felt totally comfortable with so many people in his space. His house was his place of solitude. It was where he went to escape the outside world.
    “I don’t know what he’s up to, but this is the second sighting.” He stood. “We need to be vigilant in everything we do. Spread the word to the men and tell them to be wary. Something is in the works, and it’s not going to be good.”
    The men stood and walked toward the door. He sighed as they left his space. When Apollo stopped, he knew what was coming before it even came out of his mouth.
    “So,” Apollo said, grinning. “Holding hands?”
    Titus gritted his teeth.
    “She was angry.”
    “You want to hold my hand when I get angry?” He laughed.
    Titus stepped forward. “I’m getting angry. What do you think I’m going to hold?”
    Apollo laughed and held up his hands. “You win. We’re going.”
    Titus groaned as he slammed the door behind them.
    The day just did not want to fucking end. He walked barefoot through the house and unbuttoned the dress shirt he’d had to wear. When he reached the bedroom, he tossed his shirt over the side and went back into the living room. After grabbing a beer from the fridge, he flipped off all the lights.
    His favorite thing was to sit out on the deck and enjoy the night sounds. The quiet of the night was something that helped him get through the day and centered him.
    Titus popped the top button on his pants and sat down in his favorite chair. The sweet breeze rustled through the trees. He sighed.
    The crunch of gravel made him look back to the road. Kate walked quietly along, slightly swaying as she moved. A faint hint of her drifted through the air. The smell from earlier had mostly faded, and he was thankful not to have to smell that man on her. As it was, he wanted to wipe it off her. She wasn’t someone he wanted to ever smell like that.
    He watched as she made her way inside and sighed. One less thing he had to worry about.
     
    * * *
     
    Kate walked unsteadily through the house. Another day. Another lonely fucking day. She padded into her bedroom and tore off the clothes.
    “You probably stink