The One Weakness (manXman)

18. Business Gone Bad

The sound of feet shuffling closer to stairs made the hairs on Derek’s arms stand on end. Leo grabbed his jaw gently - yet still stern - and forced Derek to look at him. His face was like that of a river that looks calm, but beneath the surface you can see the earth and stones getting tossed around in the water. “Derek, this is important. You have to do everything I tell you to. I won’t be able to focus on fighting if I have to watch out for you. So I need you to tell me that I can trust you to stay safe and out of the way,” Derek nodded, determined. He damn well knew he wasn’t worth anything in a fight, “good. You are going to hide behind the counter there,” Leo pointed over to the kitchen counter near them, “and no matter what you hear or what they yell. You. Stay. There. Unless it’s me telling you run, you stay. Okay?”

“Yes,” Derek said with a nod. Leo smirked grimly and then leaned forward to kiss Derek’s lips chastely before turning to stalk closer to the stairs. Derek didn’t waste any time and hauled ass over to his designated hiding spot. He could see why Leo had chosen it. Hiding wouldn’t help anything in the long run, what Derek needed was cover so he didn’t get caught in the crossfire.

After crouching down - his heart beating as if it was going to make the most of its time before possibly being forced to stop - Derek peeked around the corner. Leo was crouched down next to the doorway that led to the short hall with the stairs. In his hands he was holding two guns - one in each - the things were black and sleek and the safety was off on both. Derek moved his eyes from the guns to take in the rest of Leo. His entire body was tensed and ready, but his expression was empty. He glanced at Derek then mouthed; catch, and threw him a phone. A really old phone. Had they not been in the situation they had he would have laughed. This is a carpenter phone, Derek thought. It was an old brick of a Nokia. And it was dark blue.

Derek looked up to see what Leo wanted him to do with it. Maybe use it as a weapon? Leo mouthed something again, but Derek couldn’t catch it and just shook his head slightly in confusion. Leo tried again this time slower. Speed dial.

Derek nodded and pressed the button while the first couple of men started pounding up the stairs - no use in trying to go up stealthily given the way they had blasted down the front door. The dial tone and the following rings seemed too loud, and Derek caught himself glancing nervously towards Leo.

“Don?” The voice was deep and rumbling. The kind that would make people think of raw testosterone and strong hands. Derek knew he’d heard it somewhere before, but given the situation he ignored it.

“Uhm, no. I’m calling from his phone.” The man didn’t miss a beat before saying, “No kidding.”

Hello Captain Sarcasm. “I think Leo wants you to come to the Green Pub,” Derek heard a car door shutting in the background, “about twenty armed men just blasted down the door and most of the windows.”

“Don’t end the call. I want to be able to hear what’s going on.” The first gunshot rang out followed by a dozen more and the man on the phone growled in rage. Derek couldn’t help himself, he hesitantly peeked around the corner to see two men on top of each other at the top of the stairs. Their eyes stared emptily into the air while blood dripped from various wounds and down on the floor. Derek cringed and looked at Leo, who was still crouched in the same position with the same facial expression. He looked utterly undisturbed by the whole ordeal.