CHAPTER NINETEEN
Apollo
He felt Rocko drifting off to sleep, his exhaustion finally overcoming the adrenaline of the events from tonight. Apollo eased off the bed and gently rolled Rocko onto his back so that he was more comfortable, before crawling back in and settling beside him.
As he lay there staring at his sleeping lover, Apollo was hit with the stark realization that Rocko might leave and return to Florida.
The talk he’d meant to have with him hadn’t gone well; hell, it crashed and burned. Why was it so difficult to explain what he wanted and needed from Rocko? Whatever it was, Apollo had to get over it because there was no way he’d allow Rocko to leave without knowing the truth.
The next time he woke up, he found himself facing a pair of gorgeous blue eyes watching him closely. Daylight was streaming in through the window, and it was obvious that he’d fallen asleep.
“Good morning. What time is it?” Apollo asked before leaning over to kiss Rocko.
“Almost ten,” Rocko said. “We managed to get a couple of hours of sleep.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. You?”
“Good, considering I probably could sleep another twenty-four hours. The house is quiet; everyone must still be asleep.”
“I hope so. They needed rest. Listen, I need to say something,” Rocko said.
“Wait, before you say anything,” Apollo cut in.
“No, listen,” Rocko argued.
“No, I—” Apollo began saying.
“I want to stay,” Rocko blurted out at the same time Apollo finished his sentence.
“Want you to stay.”
“Wait, you want me to stay?” Rocko asked.
“Yes, that’s what I was trying to say the other day, but that conversation went to hell fast.”
“I want to stay. I wasn’t sure you wanted me. I have to tell you the truth, I overheard you and Griffin talking about how I could be of use to you. You might want to put some insulation in the vent beside the bed because it’s connected to your office.”
Apollo cupped the side of Rocko’s face. “I want you, and not for the calm you bring me. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Apollo didn’t wait to hear more before kissing Rocko so completely that neither could speak after breaking apart to finally breathe.
He would have enjoyed showing Rocko how happy he’d made him, but there was a knock on their door… again.
“Can’t catch a break. Come in,” Apollo said, while making sure they were both covered to the sound of Rocko’s laughter.
Renee stuck her head in. “Sorry to bug you guys, but Tom has been asking to speak with you.”
“How is he?” Rocko asked.
“Much better. It’ll still take a couple of days, but he’s well on the road to recovery.”
She shut the door, leaving them to get dressed.
“We’ll pick this up later,” Apollo said before slapping Rocko’s sexy ass as he got out of bed.
“You bet we will,” Rocko chuckled, and that sexy grin of his almost had Apollo pulling his lover back into bed, but duty called.
By the time they made it downstairs, Rosaline was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and the rest of the team was up and moving around the house.
“Anything coming from the other side of the lake?” Apollo asked Ace, who was sitting at the table with his laptop.
“Not a peep. The sensors and mics you guys left hidden on your way out haven’t picked up any movement or talking,” Ace said.
“Okay. Keep me informed because sooner or later someone’s going to come looking for them when they don’t answer their phones.”
He and Rocko went to the spare bedroom to find Renee, Tom, Mary, Asher, and Frank all waiting for them. Frank looked the happiest Apollo had ever seen him, having his whole family back. Frank nodded at him, appreciation written all over his face.
“You’re looking better,” Rocko said to Tom as they walked in.
“Thanks to you guys,” Tom said as Asher cuddled in her father’s arms. “I never thought I’d see my family again.”
Mary looked as though she might burst into tears again at any moment as she sat beside her husband.
“Thank you for bringing him back to us,” she said. “It feels like a dream to be here.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Rocko said. “Do you remember much from your time with them?”
“A bit. It’s fuzzy in my brain between the kidnapping, questioning, and drugs.
I can’t make much sense of it all,” Tom said.
“I’m sorry, but other than what Mary has already told me about Levy and his people, I really don’t have much more useful information to add.
I wish I could help. Do something, anything to stop this from ever happening again. ”
“Maybe I can help with that,” Rocko said as he approached the bed. “May I touch your hand?”
“Yes, whatever you need to do, I want to help,” Tom replied, and Apollo stood close to Rocko in case he needed his support after reading Tom’s memories.
Everyone watched and waited as Rocko laid his hand on top of Tom’s and closed his eyes. Minutes passed as Rocko remained motionless, but Apollo could sense his growing concern. When he finally opened his eyes and stepped back, Rocko appeared no worse for wear and smiled.
“Thank you, Tom. I trust that you’ve been made aware of the plan after you’re healed enough to travel.”
“Yes. Your friends and fellow survivors will be coming here and picking us up.”
“There’s an airfield outside of town that our friend Brick and his team can fly into at night, and with the help of his contacts, no one will be the wiser.
All of you will be safer in Fire Lake, where Levy and his goons won’t find you, far away from here, and you’ll have the opportunity to be with others like us, and children like Asher. ”
“I don’t know how to thank all of you,” Tom said.
“I do,” Frank said, stepping forward and handing a piece of paper to Apollo.
“What is it?” Rocko asked.
When Apollo looked down and read it, he wasn’t sure what he was seeing.
“The deed to your property?”
“Yes. It’s yours,” Frank confirmed. “Signed over lock, stock, and barrel.”
“You don’t owe us anything,” Apollo stated as he tried to give the deed back to Frank.
“We know you wouldn’t ask for anything, but this is our way of contributing to the cause.
We’ll be living in Texas and never intend to come back,” Mary said, pulling her daughter and husband close.
“With your contacts, you’ll be able to sell the property without being named.
Use that money to save more people. Save more families so that these evil people never have the chance to hurt anyone ever again. ”
“But it could be sold with the proceeds going to you,” Apollo said. “We could help you sell it, of course, but you’ll need the money to rebuild your lives.”
He’d never expected anything like this. Other than Apollo’s grandmother leaving him this land, he and his team had never received anything. They’d had to fight for everything they’d ever had.
“No,” Frank said. “We have all that we need.”
“Please accept this from us,” Mary said. “You and your team have given us our lives back. My family is alive and safe because of you and your team. This is only a small part of what we truly owe you.”
Rocko placed his hand on Apollo’s shoulder, and he knew what he had to do.
“Thank you, we’ll use the proceeds to carry on with our mission.”
“That’s all we want,” Frank said, smiling widely.
Apollo looked around, wondering how he’d reached this point.
They’d gone from being isolated and working on their own, fighting for every scrap, to having contacts, friends, and people wanting to help them in their mission.
Things he and his team never thought they’d have were now right in front of them.
Maybe, just maybe, it was their time to take the control that had been stolen from them back and stop it from ever happening again. It felt like he was back in the stairwell, holding the door handle that led to his freedom and future. Did he turn the handle? Damned right he did.
***
Rocko
He could see and feel the emotion in Apollo, knowing they were no longer alone. Their worlds were changing and as they left Tom’s room, Rocko couldn’t help but feel guilty knowing that what he was about to say would ruin this hopeful mood.
“What is it?” Apollo asked. “I know you read something from Tom that’s got you worried.”
Rocko turned to look the man he loved straight in the eyes, hating every word he was about to say. “The Noah Group owns that mental facility.”
“Shit.”
TURN THE PAGE FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF THE
NEXT BOOK IN THE NOAH PROJECT SERIES