Locked( Book 1)

Chapter 23

He looks from me to Dani several times. And realizes how impressed with me she is. And to him, that was all the validation I needed. If Dani couldn't take me, there was a chance Lee's men couldn't either, or at least that's what I thought was going through his mind.

Dani looks at me. She's still panting. Her face told me she was very impressed. And with Dani, I assumed it was harder to impress her than anyone in that family. She was a good combat trainer. But I had Derek and Wesley teaching me, and I took self-defense before. Riley took a step forward and placed a hand on Derek's shoulder.

"Yeah, Derek, where have you been hiding her," she said sarcastically. He glances at her from the side, and she shrugs, scrunching her nose. Being cute.

"Alright, Red, since you want to be a smart-ass, you can go next," he said. She shrugged.

Riley was the agile one of us. She kept moving no matter what, so he was in for it. Derek moved forward before his hand-to-hand with Riley. He was standing very close to me and Dani. And I knew he wanted to reach out and touch me somehow, but he kept it together.

"Okay princess, I don't know where that came from, but Dani is right, you kicked her ass; if you can shoot a gun as well as you fight, you have a real chance at taking Lee down," he said, looking at Dani who nods in agreement. He called me princess again, odd. And she didn't let me win. She gave it her best.

"Alright, Red, you turn," he said, turning, but it was too late for him; when he turned, she was already charging him.

Dani and I moved before she took her feet off the ground. We stood close to Wesley and Matthew. Who was writing something in a notebook he must have found. Maybe he was calculating our moves into something science-related or wiring what happened so the police would know when we finally took Lee down.

Riley charged Derek, using her shoulder to swoop his leg. He caught himself balancing, not to fall. She turned back around, jumping him. She was only 115 pounds, maybe 120, and he was probably 185-200, maybe a bit more due to muscle, but she gave him a good run. She kept on her feet, moving the entire time they went head to head.

As if on cue, she waited for him to reach out to her and slid under him, jabbing him in the sides, where he groaned loudly. Dani looks at me. She's impressed with little sis. I knew the look on her face.

"Damn, sis has fire; it makes sense though her hair is red; they usually do," Dani said. Matthew chimed in.

"She's using her Energy to take his, making him keep fighting and tiring himself out; it's a good combat tactic, statistically, because he keeps running from her and towards her, and he, as big as he is, he would lose his energy faster than she would," he said. Dani looked at him, raising her eyebrows.

"He's a science major, right," she asked. I nod.

Riley was getting the better of him. He threw his hands at us, which was a mistake because she charged his knees, catching him off guard. He face-pants the ground with a grunt. Riley stops standing two feet from him. She places her hands on her hips.

"The bigger they are," she said, stopping. He looked up at her. He tells her not to say it because his ego is already lost. But he does something unexpected.

He jumped up, grabbing her arm. She tries to punch him with the other, but he holds it as well, and she gives him a kick in the gut. He stumbles backward, winded. He coughs one good time and then looks up to where Riley is again, charging him. But this time, he moves aside and catches her body with one arm, throwing her over his shoulder. She squirms to get away, but he has her locked.

"What was that? The smaller they are, the easier it is to throw them over your shoulder," he said, being a pain. She hated that about him. She grunts, trying to get away.

"Okay, you win, but only because I let you win," she said. He sat her down beside me. He nods to her.

"Yeah, sure you did; I have to say you can give the enemy a run for his money. You winded me a few times," he said. She says, 'mm.' She tilted her head sarcastically, smiling. Dani looks over at her.

"Hey, don't worry, you did better than anyone with Derek; he is usually never tired or winded after a good fight," she said. He glared at her and rolled his eyes. And looks at me.

"Wanna make dinner," he asks. I shrug and nod at the same time.

I followed Derek into the kitchen; we washed our hands and began rummaging through everything. We had a lot of canned food. Primarily soups and milk. But if last night proves anything, you can make a meal with just pasta. And with all the seasonings, we could make an Alfredo dish with canned chicken. I gave Derek my idea; he loves it. He said that sounded good. So, I worked on the sauce while he opened cans and cooked the noodles. There was one bag of Alfredo-style noodles, so that would have to be us.

I loved that Derek was hands-on in the kitchen. I always thought he wouldn't have to cook since he had staff, but he did now. And would for the next few days. At least he would until we took this fight to Lee. The gang gathered in the living room while we fixed dinner.

"So, you did great out there today," he said, starting a conversation. I blush, but I smile. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Well, so did the other girls," I said. He leans against the sink, watching me finish the sauce.

"Yeah, but they aren't the ones I'm worried about," he said. Well, at least we know he doesn't care what happens to them. Or he did, but I was putting myself right there with Derek and in more danger because I went off on Lee.

"Derek, I know you don't want me to do this, but I'm in this with you," I said. He puts his head down for a moment, then looks back at me.

"I know, and I realize that I can't stop you; I could, but I won't; you have every right to be there; besides, I want you there beside me," he said. Grabbing my waist. I look at him. He grabs my arm, pulling me towards him. I was done with the sauce anyway. Before I know it, I'm standing against him.

"I love you, Addison," he said.

"I love you too, Derek," I say.

He kisses me again. Pulling me very close to him. Every time he kissed me, I understood what life should be like. Someone I cared about and loved deeply, loving me and growing old with that person. It could happen. And maybe it couldn't, but living in this moment was what I wanted. Just letting the moment happen. And that could happen after the fight.

"Oh, I, I am so sorry," we hear. We looked back, and there was Wesley. He looked at us, not knowing what to say, but he knew how we felt about each other. He told Derek to come to me. So he wasn't as broken as he could have been, right? Derek looked at me.

"Give me just a second," he said as he moved past me. I wasn't far enough to not hear them talking but far enough to give them space.

"Are you okay," Derek asks. I can see Wesley smile.

"Of course, she's happy. That's all I wanted for her. I did something last night, and I don't know where it's going, but I kissed Dani."