Project Apollo: Book Two ✔️

Chapter Twenty

Jason Archer

Pretending to be asleep for two hours was not as easy as it sounded. Not when you continued to feel eyes burning into the side of your face. I wished to communicate with Apollo, but I was fucking embarrassed, and I didn't realize my insecurities would come into play when it came to sex. I was having a difficult time figuring out what the fuck to do. That was the same reason I texted Aurora and told her I was on the way back. I then asked her if she could meet me at Apollo's house so there was no chance for us to be alone at the moment.

Just...until I could figure out what the fuck to do.

I thought that, maybe, talking to Aurora about what happened would help me work through why I decided to have an internal meltdown last night.

At some point during my ruse, I must have actually fallen asleep. Someone poked my shoulder, and I was startled awake. I started looking everywhere my tired eyes could capture. We were home. Then I froze when I realized Apollo was only sitting there...looking at me like he was ready to say something. I opened my mouth to say something to him–anything that validated him. His concern. The same concern I saw written in his gaze.

I truly was ready to reassure him until someone opened my door, and I choked on oxygen when they hugged me. Emery. "You guys are back! Listen, since you aren't out of the car yet..."

"Emery, you had coffee five minutes ago!" Axton shouted. "Don't give into that cute face."

Emery retreated as I unhooked my seatbelt. I climbed out of the car, standing there before I caught Aurora's gaze while she stood on the porch. She knew there was more. How? Oh, right, I told her as much. Not what it was, but that I desperately needed to talk to her before I lost even more of my marbles.

I grabbed my backpack from the floorboard before shutting the door–keeping my best friend's gaze. Triple-A was now arguing with Emery about coffee, and I started across the driveway.

As I grew closer, Aurora held her hand out for me to take. I slid my palm against hers, and she used her free hand to drop her sunglasses over her eyes. "Alright, boys! I'm taking Jason with me! I left Declan inside! He's already been fed and watered, so just make sure you play with him! Love you!"

I snorted as she dragged me away. "Does everyone talk about their boyfriends like they're animals?"

"It's an affection thing." She blew me an air kiss. "We're going to my house–my parents are home. I figured you could use some love right now."

She let go of my hand and bowed toward the passenger side of Declan's car like she was a servant. I playfully rolled my eyes and hopped inside–dropping my backpack to the floorboard. After I buckled my seatbelt, I sunk into the seat feeling grateful I could have one second to breathe. I closed my eyes as she backed out of the driveway. I was afraid that if I looked over, Apollo would be trying to figure out what was going on. I'd see his confusion, and I'd feel worse than I already did.

"Alaric is bringing Emery over in about an hour. There is a reason for that, and I will tell you soon enough," Aurora's voice had me open my eyes and turn my head to look at her as she drove through Chapel Hill. "But I wanted to be a little greedy and have time with you for myself first."

"Why do I feel like you're staging an intervention?"

She chuckled as she turned onto a narrow street–putting us in the heart of Chapel Hill. "No, but close. I knew something was going on with you, and I debated trying to ask you about it." She shook her head. "But you'll talk about those things when you're ready, and you finally were."