Forbidden Mate- A Step-brother Romance - Chapter 77: Chapter 77

~APOLLO~
When I heard the mention of two men on the bottom floor, I immediately stiffened. The thought of Lana mingling with random guys didn't sit right with me. Yet, who was I to judge? I was having dinner with my future wife. I was being a damn hypocrite, I knew that, but it was hard to shake off the feelings bubbling up inside me. It was even harder to resist the urge to go downstairs and check on my mate.
"Two men?" my stepmother mutters, seemingly to herself. "I wonder who they are."
The table fell silent until my mother broke the quietness with her sharp opinion.
"Your daughter is quite a handful, isn't she?" she blurts out.
"Excuse me?" my stepmother snaps, her gaze darting toward us. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, you just look like you've got your hands full with Lana," my mother explains, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "She seems to have a bit of a temper, from what I can see."
What the hell?
I could hardly take it anymore. I pushed my chair back and immediately stood up.
"Where are you going?" my mother demands. "Dinner isn't finished yet."
"It is finished for me," I tell her, fed up with this nonsense. If she couldn't act civilized, I wasn't going to sit there and listen to her trash talk my mate. "You can meet me back at the house."
"Apollo!" my mother shouts, her typically composed demeanor breaking. She hated raising her voice in public; she wanted everyone to think of her as this quiet, soft-spoken person—when she was anything but that behind closed doors.
Ignoring her cries, as well as those of my father and stepmother, I continued to walk away. I felt an unsettling knot in my stomach. The thought of Lana alone with unknown men was gnawing at me.
As soon as I reached the ground floor, I began my search for Lana. I wanted to apologize for my mother's behavior, assuming her actions would improve now that I was engaged to Jada. Yet, it seemed as if things were getting worse. This had to change. Tonight, when my mother got back from dinner, we would have a serious talk. If she couldn't behave and show respect for the people whose home she was currently in, I wouldn't proceed with the engagement, no amount of guilt-tripping would make me rethink that.
My eyes do another scan of the area.
Where is my mate? I was frantically looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. It added to my frustration, especially knowing how sexy she looked for dinner. Just the thought of not being able to touch or kiss her was driving me mad. It was hard to keep my feelings in check with everyone around. A single slip-up, and they'd all see how much I craved her.
I scanned the ground floor one last time before stepping into the parking lot. Maybe she was out there somewhere. It struck me as odd that neither of my stepsisters was around.
Where the hell were they?
I froze when I heard Isabella's laughter in the distance. Following the sound, I spotted them both, chatting with two young men who were standing way too close to my mate.
Great.
My hand clenched into a fist. I wanted nothing more than to storm over and punch both men in the face, but I held back. I didn't want to make a scene that would attract attention. Plus, Lana had to watch me get engaged to Jada in a few days, and she seemed to be managing the situation a lot better than I was.
I didn't want to be unfair to her, but watching her with another man was eating me alive. I could feel the rage and jealousy swelling with every passing moment. I was just waiting for one wrong move to intervene.
I could tell my mate was uncomfortable, despite her forced smile. I knew her well enough to see she didn't want to be there. My jaw tightened. If I weren't burdened with certain family obligations, she would be spending the night in my arms.
I froze as one of the men touched her arm, and I noticed her flinch. Oh hell no. That was the sign I'd been waiting for.
Without wasting another second, I rushed in. Lana finally saw me, surprise flashing in her eyes as if she thought I was still up on the rooftop with the others.
"Lana," I say, trying to keep my tone controlled despite my agitation. "Let's go."
"Hey, buddy," the man interjected, blocking me. "We're having a conversation here. We're about to head out, so mind your own business."
Isabella glanced between me and the man, and something in her expression made me wonder if she was aware of the connection between Lana and me. But I pushed that concern aside, focusing on the jerk in front of me.
"Lana." I say firmly. "Please. Let me take you home."
Lana started to come toward me after realizing th shift in my tone, but the guy stepped in front of her, cutting off my path.
What the fuck was this losers problem?
I was trying my best to stay calm, but he was pushing my limits.
What was I just saying—"
He doesn't get to finish his thought before I land a solid punch on his mouth.
Isabella gasps as I take Lana's hand, pulling her away.
"You're also leaving," I warn Isabella, not wanting to leave her alone with those guys.While my main concern was still my mate, I had to be careful about my other step-sister as well. She was the type to easily get herself in trouble. In fact, I'm sure that she was the one who started the conversations with those strangers.
She doesn't argue as she falls in line behind us.
"My car is here," Lana reminds me. "I can just drop myself off."
"That's fine," Isabella interjects, rummaging through her sister's purse for the keys. "You two can head out together, and I'll just grab a ride home in your car."
Lana narrows her eyes at her, but Isabella doesn't pay her any attention as she practically bolts away before her sister can stop her.
"What are you doing, Apollo?" Lana demands the moment Isabella vanishes from sight. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at dinner with your mother and Jada right now?”