Rogue (Riders of Apollo #6)

Chapter Six: Nova

"Louis, I need your help." We're all at Mark's house since it's a Friday night and apparently this is what we do now. Leo won't be here until late because of his prospect duties or something.

I feel bad for him, I know how much he hates working in the garage and I doubt he likes cleaning up after a bunch of dirty bikers but I also know that they're his family and he'd do anything for them. Just like I would for mine.

Mark's house isn't even a house, it's a mansion. He says it's on fifty acres of land with ten bedrooms and an Olympic size swimming pool. It's made of expensive stone and tall pillars with statues everywhere, there are even roses climbing the side of the building. I haven't met his parents yet but Mark said his dad owns a Fortune 500 company and his mom is a personal stylist for some really famous celebrities. I'm sure they'll be lovely when I meet them later.

"What is it, flossy?"

They've taken to calling me flossy after I explained to them I chose this hair colour based on candy floss. They then told me that it's called cotton candy and I stood there completely baffled for a minute or two. There shouldn't be two names for the same thing, it's confusing.

"I can't make this work, Mark keeps winning." I hand him the controller for the seventy inch screen on the wall with a pout.

"Unfortunately, no one can beat Mark. He's had a gaming console to play on since he could sit up. You're at a disadvantage." He throws a pillow from the bed at Mark and he howls in annoyance.

"You almost made me lose!" He continues concentrating on the screen and the half with my game on is just frozen. "Ha! I win again, bitches." Louis rolls his eyes and drops the controller on the velvet couch.

This place is very decadent, I couldn't imagine ever owning something as bougie as this in my lifetime but it's nice that Mark lets us enjoy it through him. "Does it count as winning if she never really played?" Louis is quickly shushed with a middle finger from Mark, who seems smug.

"Mark, come downstairs please." I yelp when the box on the wall makes noise and Louis strokes my back in comfort.

The compound I stayed in was massive but it had four rooms. The training room, the bunks, the office and the weapons room. There was no need for whatever that is and if I'm honest, I would panic if I heard it making noise in the middle of the night. "Come on, mom and dad are here."

I follow the boys down the elaborate marble staircase and into the kitchen that spans an entire half of the bottom floor. It's a gorgeous kitchen with black cupboards and green tiles with thick concrete countertops and copper pans on high shelves.

"There's a girl." The man says first. He has salt and pepper hair, chocolate eyes and perfectly groomed facial hair. He's wearing a blue suit that looks recently pressed with a white shirt, the top few buttons undone.

He has the same facial structure as Mark but Mark definitely has his mother's eyes and hair colour.

"There's a pretty girl." The woman is gorgeous. She has long hair, curled perfectly in the prettiest golden colour which brings out the blue in her eyes. Tan skin covered by a tight silk dress and decorated subtly with diamond earrings and necklace. "Hi honey, I'm Yvette, this is my husband Roberto."

"Hi, I'm Nova." I smile and wave, like the penguins in the movie Mark made me watch.

"Are you with Mark?" I look at Mark in confusion, I mean yeah, I'm with Mark. Though I think they mean something else because he's gone so red, his ears included and he's stuttering.

"N-o, definitely not-no. We're just-friends-yeah, don't worry about it mom-definitely not together."

"Louis then?" Louis goes pink too but he doesn't start stumbling over his words like Mark. This must be a really awkward question.

"No, ma'am."

"Yeah, I thought it would be Leo." Roberto decides and both boys nod along with that. I don't entirely know what they mean by it but I figure I get the gist. I'm not going to ask because that would be weird so I just wait for the conversation to move on.

"Where is he anyway? Will he be here for dinner? Marley is cooking up a three course meal tonight." I look at Louis with big eyes, three courses? He just winks at me and I really hope Leo turns up soon because he'll join me in the confusion... right?

"He's just leaving the clubhouse now so yeah." Mark has returned to his normal self, no longer pink and falling over his own tongue. He's a very charming person with the big smile and artful way of using words to his advantage so that whole thing was a little strange.

"I like that boy's parents." Roberto declares as he digs through his briefcase that is embossed with his initials. "It was very nice of them to take him in after his life."

Mark's mom agrees and I continue to stand opposite the both of them awkwardly. I feel like I'm not supposed to be here without Leo, he's like my guide to the normal world and it feels weird without him. I squeal in surprise when two arms wrap around my waist, I move to hurt them but I relax when I recognise Leo's hands and cologne. Thank God, he's here.

I turn in his arms and flick his forehead. "You scared me." I whine and he laughs, apologising soon after.

"Did Mark beat you at Mario Kart?"

"Is that what that game is called?"

"I'm guessing you lost then?"

"Oh by far, she drove into trees, walls, other players and somehow managed to hit every mushroom and every banana." Mark teases and Leo smacks him, his other arm still around my waist.

I've noticed that he likes to touch me, if we're sat next to each other he'll hold my hand or have his arm over the back of my chair. When we walk together, he does the same and when we're just hanging out his arm is normally where it is now.

"I've never played before." I whine in my defence and he strokes my back to comfort me.

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone has ever beaten him at any game since he got the fucking thing."

"Truer words have never been said!" Mark shouts in pride, wiggling his eyebrows at me and getting all up in my face. I put my entire hand on his face and shove him away. "OW!"

"I'm so-." Leo shuts my mouth before I finish my apology. I suppose that means don't apologise for hurting him even though I feel a little bad at the look on Mark's face.

"You didn't hurt him, he's just being dramatic for attention."

"Well yeah, you hog her all the time."

"Fuck off, Mark."

"Right kids, get out of the kitchen. Marley will be here in five to make dinner and you'll get in her way." We're ushered from the kitchen and into the lounge by Yvette.

Louis called the seating they have in here a 'sunken lounge' which is basically a hole in the floor filled with cushions. I bounce into it first with Mark flipping into it seconds after I've gotten out of the way.

Louis and Leo walk in like normal people. Leo sits next to me with his arm over the back of my seat. "Question, who is Marley and why is she cooking a three course meal?"

"Marley is our chef, we pay her to make our meals so we don't have to. Then Maurice comes in after and cleans up after her, I have never done a chore in my life." Mark leans back with a sigh.

"My mom has had me doing chores since I could stand." Louis replies with a laugh.

"I used to do chores at the group home and now I do all sorts of random shit whenever I'm asked."

"What about you, floss?" I look at Mark with a tilt of my head.

"Umm, I guess I did a lot of chores. Laundry, scrubbing floors, looking after the kids. There was no one else to do them anyway, they were all too young."

"Where are you from anyway? You're not American, are you?"

"No, I'm from Russia."