CHAPTER EIGHT #2
He’d already received a text from his sister letting him know that Rocko was up and around, appearing to be completely healed.
Apollo spoke with Renee before leaving the compound, confirming that she’d ended Rocko’s treatments and that he was indeed back to one hundred percent.
For days, Apollo refused to leave Rocko’s side in case his condition deteriorated; after all, he was Apollo’s responsibility.
Now that he was healed, Apollo wasn’t sure what reason he’d use to remain near the man, especially since revealing the effect he and Rocko had on each other.
Hell, he’d look like a clingy asshole at best and a creepy bastard at worst.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive home, even though they drove in a different direction every time to confuse anyone lying in wait for them and make their location more obvious if someone followed them. Even doubling back on occasion, to be sure.
When they pulled in, Apollo couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the compound teeming with life.
Their new barn was full of animals, and his team was working around the yard as the sun shone and trees swayed in the wind.
Everything he’d worked for was finally taking shape.
Once they were completely sustainable and secure, they’d begin their mission to help as many survivors as possible find safety and peace somewhere in this screwed-up world.
As Hendrix pulled the truck to a stop, Griffin began laughing.
“What?” Apollo asked. Laughter from his second-in-command wasn’t a regular occurrence. Though it’d happened twice now in as many days.
“Look,” Griffin said.
Apollo followed Griffin’s line of sight to see Rocko and Ellen trudging out of the bush, covered in leaves and dripping with mud, carrying chickens under each arm.
However, it wasn’t their state that caught Apollo’s attention; it was the huge smiles on both of their faces.
They looked victorious and were laughing with unbidden happiness, and as he watched, their joy spread to the others as they neared the barn.
Renee, Blade, Jagger, Ace, and Damon were all laughing along with them, and if he wasn’t mistaken, Xavier smiled only briefly, but it was a smile. Shit. Miracles never ceased around that man.
Apollo opened the passenger door and stepped out to the sound of their laughter floating through the clearing, and to him, the sun shone even brighter.
“The man’s contagious,” Hendrix said as he walked by, carrying a box of supplies. “Too bad he’s not sticking around.”
“Don’t get any ideas, lover boy,” Griffin chuckled. “The boss has dibs on the detective.”
The funny thing was that Apollo didn’t feel the need to argue the fact. Rocko grinned at him from beneath a muddy face. “Rocko, one; chickens, zero,” he proclaimed in satisfaction. “Now all I need is a shower. And a change of clothes. And then later tonight – a good night’s sleep.”
Apollo stood. He had to think fast. “You sure you’re recovered enough? You can have my bed for another night to make sure.”
“Thanks, but I’m all good. Not a pain or ache to be found. Renee did an amazing job patching me back up. I owe her.”
“Thank you.” Renee smiled as she lifted her coffee mug in salute. “But let’s remember you’re the one who saved me first.”
“Semantics,” Rocko chuckled. “I saved you; you saved me. We’re even.”
“I’ll walk you to your trailer,” Apollo announced, and no one argued, even though he caught a few sly grins going around, but he didn’t give a shit. Their lives were short and full of dangers, so why the hell not pursue what he wanted?
Over the years, avoiding attachments had become an art.
Who the hell in their right mind would want to bring another person into Apollo’s nightmare?
Not him. Any interaction was merely to scratch a particular itch when the need arose.
It was dangerous leaving yourself open to romantic complications— a lesson he’d learned the hard way.
Dark chocolate eyes still haunted Apollo’s dreams decades later.
He’d been stupid, young and stupid. A deadly combination.
The minute Apollo saw Joseph, hormones took over, stripping him of what little logic his teenage mind had.
Joseph had been a worker at his facility.
Cleaning the floors and delivering meals.
Not a guard but a mutant like him, one deemed not dangerous for the general population of scientists.
Instead of being locked away, Joseph was forced to do menial work around the facility.
It began simply, a word or a stolen glance.
Apollo found himself anxiously waiting for his food to be slid through the slot on his locked door or, when he’d hear the familiar squeak of the mop bucket making its way down the hallway, to catch a glimpse through that small slot.
The times Joseph would smile made the days of pain slip away for even a little while.
He’d been infatuated, and his young, horror-ridden mind latched on to the one bright light in his sea of darkness.
Of course, it didn’t take the assholes in power long to notice.
They never missed a thing. Countless security cameras assured that .
In the next session, when he woke from his typical dose of sedative, Apollo was shocked to find Joseph unconscious and shackled to a table that had been placed beside him.
Not only was he condemned to the pit of hell, but Apollo had also condemned another person to the same.
Over the next four hours Apollo was forced to watch as those bastards shaved off Joseph’s curly dark hair.
Cut lines along his scalp and folded his skin back to reveal Joseph’s bloody skull to their waiting, cruel symphony of saws and scalpels.
By the time they were done and rolled Joseph away, Apollo’s voice had been worn down to barely a whisper from yelling at them to stop.
No one spoke a word to him, but the message was clear.
We will destroy everything you care about. You are powerless, submit.
Weeks later, Apollo heard the familiar squeak of the mop bucket coming down the hallway outside his cell.
He knew better than to bother looking, but Apollo couldn’t stop his hand from lifting a small flap cut in his door for his food tray.
A figure hunched over at his waist dragged a mop across the floor in a jerky rhythm.
His clothing was stained and wrinkled and when he turned Apollo understood the vibrant young man he knew was no more.
Joseph’s eyes were vacant, the left side of his face drooped, and a thin trail of saliva hung from his lips.
Apollo shut the flap and never opened it again.
***
Rocko
Rocko wasn’t about to say no to Apollo’s offer. The fact he enjoyed the big guy’s company was in direct contrast to the hurt he felt knowing that Apollo was only using him as a tool.
“You know you could stay in the main house if you wanted,” Apollo said after a few moments of silence.
“Thanks for the offer, I’ll think about it,” Rocko said. He waved his hand around him. “Ellen’s enjoying the changes happening around the compound. She really looks up to you.”
“I don’t know if I’m the perfect person for her to look up to. Renee might be better suited.”
“You’re the exact person she needs. You’re doing a great job teaching and protecting her and the entire group. Never doubt that. They appreciate everything you’ve done.” The truth was the truth, no matter how he felt.
“Thank you. Sometimes I get so caught up in past events that I forget to take stock of what’s right in front of me,” Apollo said as they approached the trailer. “I want to thank you again for what you did for Renee. Whether you know it or not, you’ve made a difference around here.”
“Thanks. I’m glad my visit counted for something. Well, here’s my stop,” Rocko chuckled, trying to stamp down the growing pain in his chest. “I don’t think I could have gotten lost thanks to the company.”
He couldn’t think of anything else to say. Hell, he didn’t think the guy wanted to stick around, but then again, Apollo had admitted to finding mental peace while in Rocko’s presence, so maybe this was all this was.
“Yeah, no problem. I guess I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast,” Apollo said.
Rocko turned to open the trailer door. “See you later at dinner.”
He was feeling the loss already, and it wasn’t for his peace of mind. Rocko was becoming attached to Apollo. There was no use in lying, and he even enjoyed his gruff, no-nonsense demeanor and almost constant scowl.
“Fuck it,” Apollo growled, grabbed Rocko’s arm, and spun him around, before kissing him deeply.
What started out as a hurried, desperate kiss soon turned softer and more sensual, and Rocko soon found himself backed up against the side of the trailer.
Every nerve ending in his body was on fire as desire swept through him, making him groan.
The feel of Apollo’s larger, muscled body pressing against his brought out a need in Rocko.
He was a big man, but Apollo surpassed him, and for the first time, he felt almost cherished, cared for, a sensation he wasn’t used to.
This time, he was going to take a backseat and let someone else drive them forward and take control.
Would he regret this? Only time would tell.
Everywhere Apollo’s palms touched on Rocko’s body tingled as if coming to life for the first time, and Rocko wanted more.
He wasn’t positive how long they’d stood there wrapped around each other, but the approaching footsteps of others returning to their homes for the night brought their time together to an end. Apollo slowly pulled back and growled.
“This is not a one-off. I want more,” Apollo said, his voice deep. “If you feel the same, nod.”
Rocko found himself nodding without a second thought. Hell yes, he wanted more.