(Lila's P.O.V)
"Why was he here to talk to you?"
I pushed down, applying more pressure on the hold I had on Diego's arm twisted behind his back.
He humored me by wincing. "Ow, that hurts, Lila."
"You deserve it." I snickered and let go of him and he rubbed his twisted arm, turning to face me.
"Why did I deserve that?"
"Please refrain from using that look on me. It's useless."
The innocent wide eyes he was making and the face devoid of sinful shyness now returned to its original state. The look might have worked on girl's that were waiting to jump him but I was like a little sister so...
Tough luck, mate.
I unwrapped my hands, breathing heavily and glared. "Are you really not going to tell me what you're doing with Derek?"
Diego shrugged, sitting down onto the bench press and I proceeded to stare him down. "I'm not keeping a secret, you'll know soon so don't fret."
Anger simmered under my skin like water ready to boil and I inhaled deeply.
Once Derek had left with Diego, I dropped the pretenses and went to my training room to get some real workout done. God only knew how I'd managed to not punch some random dude.
Or more preferably: Derek The Looney Tunes.
I was perplexed as to why they were meeting and the one possible outcome I had in my mind was something I doubted Diego would risk.
He wouldn't allow Derek to join Blue and fight here. No way.
Since it took them more than half an hour in there–yes, I had the timer on and my training room gives me an unobstructed view of Diego's meeting study–I felt it fine to text Derek regarding my leaving after about fifteen minutes.
Derek had surprisingly left after about a half hour workout in the outside gym and jeez was the boy fine.
I could appreciate those muscles plus with that godly face and those dimples and copper eyes, he made a very good eye feast. Truth be told, if he wasn't so annoying and...well, Derek, I'd have made out with him just for the sake of it.
Dang, he missed out just because of his personality.
I glowered at Diego, my thoughts doing a one-eighty. "Fine, I'll leave."
"Take it easy, okay? I heard about the truffle in school." Dark eyes watched me as I packed my stuff up, already showered and stinking again after I fought with Diego when he came into the room.
I stilled for a second before scoffing.
Honestly speaking, I knew I shouldn't have let anger get the best of me but I did because sometimes some topics are sensitive and bitches like Rebecca use them to hurt a person. But the insinuation that I'd bring death to someone else's door didn't sit well with me at all.
Diego spoke again, "We're so close, Lila and you know what?"
I tapped stop on my iPhone, halting Selena Gomez's Bad Liar that was playing in the background speakers.
I glanced at him as he gave me a small smirk as he continued, "You don't know it yet, but we just skipped a lot of time and a lot of steps. But what I've got up my sleeve will be super helpful."
"I trust you, Diego. I do. But I hate it when you don't share parts of your plans with me." I tilted my head, "Technically, they're our plans."
But I knew that no matter what secret he kept from me, he would never harm me. On purpose at least. It was uncanny to think how I trusted him this much but I didn't fear he would leave me in the dust some day. I had that faith in him. Maybe it was because I knew a couple of his secrets and I knew him as a person too.
"Don't worry, I'm just pulling your leg a little. For fun." He winked and I rolled my eyes.
I stared at him and then gave him a sigh. Nodding, I asked, "Do you think....everything will be alright? This year is my last chance. It's probably my only chance."
Diego stood up and approached me. He kept a steady hand on my shoulder and I inhaled deeply. "Yeah, Lila. I think everything will work out just fine."
•♤•
I closed the door behind me, the wisps of sunset light mixing with moonlight.
Locking it properly, I assured myself and then walked down the walkway of my house to the gates.
I wondered if I'd get a letter today. It was due time.
Now if only I could peacefully.....
"Kitkat!"
Fuck the peace, embrace the violence, Lila.
I didn't respond to him but I sighed to myself as I closed the gate and started on my way down the street.
It didn't take Derek long to reach me. "Ease up, Kitkat."
"Tense up, Derek."
The copper-eyed guy chuckled, the tattoo on his arm and neck flexing as he put his hands in his pockets. I cursed the street lamp that had to light up at that moment and then flicker out of existence so I could have a clear picture of hot tattooed biceps playing in my mind now.
"Where are you headed?"
"Hell."
"Can I join?"
"You're my ride there."L
"I'm honored you think our joining and you riding me will take you on a trip to hell–"
I glared at Derek as he twisted up my words in a very skillful show of talent but that's besides the point.
He simply grinned and showed his dimple, blue-black hair falling over his forehead in attractive bangs.
"Why do melons have weddings, Kitkat?" He mused.
And I released a breath wondering why he hadn't stopped pestering me. And if this turned out to be a lame dad joke–which I knew it would–then he was dead meat.
"Guess?" He elbowed me and I bit my tongue to keep from lashing out.
"Because they're melons." I can't believe I indulged him.
"Nope." He poked me in the cheek and I glowered at him so he sighed fornlornly. "Fine, I'll answer."
He smirked and his dimple winked at me temptingly, "Because they cantaloupe."
I stopped and closed my eyes before turning to face him.
He shot me a devious look, copper eyes reflecting like it's metal name. He explained further because....
Because, it would obviously get on my nerves.
"Get it?"
"Yes." I started walking again and he kept pace, obviously not deterred in the slightest.
I wish I could punch him.
He ignored me and went on ahead to explain. "Because they can't-elope." He chuckled, "Cantaloupe."
Lila, you know how to breathe right? Keep it up.
"In and out.....in and out." I murmured to myself before realizing my mistake as soon as I heard Looney Tunes snicker.
Oh, hell to the no, if he dares–
"Yes, Kitkat, in and out, that's exactly what will happen and how you're gonna ride m–"
Sadly, Mr Greyson couldn't finish his sentence as he met an untimely death.
"Damn, that punch was strong."
So was the chest but oh well.
Well, I guess death was me being an overachiever. Bad habits.
Watching him wheeze as he clutched his stomach was entirely too satisfying.
Heh.
"Thanks." He managed dramatically and I grinned briefly despite myself, speed walking ahead as the wind blew past. I zipped up my jacket and thought of how I couldn't wait for proper summer.
Cold sucks.
Good thing May was right around the corner.
I discreetly rubbed my hand because, ow. Like I said, the chest was hard. Maybe I put in too much strength?
Nah.
I continued on and he rubbed his stomach, "Don't you think that was too extreme?" He rose a brow and I rose one back in challenge.
He groaned in defeat because I'm awesome like that with a poker face.
"Are you going to buy some jalapeños?"
I frowned slightly, "Why do you ask?"
"Because I think the two of us are like jalapeños." He slung an arm around my shoulder that I pinched to get off me.
"Was worth a try..." He muttered to himself and I gave him an amused look.
"The point, Derek."
"Well...you see....the point is that..." We were almost to the store now and Derek leaned in close to my face, whispering, "When two jalapeños get it on, they're fucking hot."
His breath was warm on my cheek and heat crawled up my spine. Derek's words made me snicker in genuine amusement and annoyance as he recreated the distance between us much to my happiness.
"That was a good one."
Not.
"I'm blessed. My purpose in life is done. I can now happily depart to the other realm." He sighed dreamily and my lips twitched.
He seemed to have missed the sarcasm in my words but....
Strange how his annoyance gives me company and never fails to make me smile in the end.
"Don't be a Drama Queen, Derek."
"But I received acknowledgement from you."
I graced him with a look as we entered the grocery store and commented, "Wow, you're surprisingly good at making hearts appear in your eyes."
He grinned at him, "Not hearts yet. Those are just stars but thanks."
I sighed heavily but my lips twitched slightly as we passed the cashier and I grabbed a basket.
"Here."
Derek looked at me with uncertainty in his eyes but I moved on and he held the basket.
"Jeez, this feels like we're an old married couple doing grocery shopping." Derek's voice was laced with a chuckle and I willed myself to not deck him.
I grabbed some cartons of milk, dropping them in the basket as the blue-black haired boy tagged along holding said basket.
"Or," I turned to look at Derek's copper eyes and smiled a Cheshire cat smile, "It feels like a Mistress and her slave."
I felt like I was being too impulsive but I couldn't help the scenario, now could I?
Although, once the words were out of my mouth I had to physically keep my smirk in place as Derek's split his face in two.
I can't belive I slipped up like this twice in the matter of thirty minutes!
I looked away.
"Why, Kitkat, I had no idea you were that kinky."
Heat blazed down my neck but I hoped he wouldn't catch it.
"I'm not."
I reached up for the pack of Fruit Loops on the highest shelf, on my tiptoes.
I barely kept from gasping when the heat of another body–firm and all male–pressed against my back.
"But I have to tell you, I would rather be the Master." His whisper was dark and husky, voice laced with dirty intentions.
Derek's words ghosted across my cheek, his lips close to my ear as he whispered words that sent flames licking up my spine.
My heart skipped a beat and I swallowed.
Watching as a classic scene played out right in front of me, with me as the center protagonist was weird enough but that weird feeling of nausea in my stomach that people casually called butterflies was not welcome.
Derek reached up, closing the distance between the box and his hands easily as he grabbed it and I let down myself from having to keep on my toes.
Wrong move.
With me no longer stretching up, my hips pressed against his pelvis and a hard length pressing against my ass that did strange, strange things to my insides.
Suddenly his free hand was on my waist as if he was steadying himself more than seizing an opportunity to get his hands on me.
A hitch in his breath was all I gleaned.
As if he had been burned with a mere touch and I wasn't the only one on the receiving end of this sizzling fire between us.
And now he was going to consume me with his flames, his hold a searing mark on my waist.
"Dangerous, Kitkat. I think you're very dangerous."
He gulped audibly and by now I'd been staring at the bottle of ketchup in front of me so hard that I could probably rattle off its nutritional content by heart.
My body remained half stiff, his closeness working like an unwanted key on my locked desires, deep in a sea I'd thought was calm but was made entirely of flames that threatened to melt me.
Of course, I was dangerous. But I was quite sure our definitions of the word would clash.
And I really didn't want to know what his definition of dangerous entailed.
A beat of silence and stilled movement passed before he extracted himself from his position and I visibly relaxed.
If I looked in a mirror, I wasn't sure whether my cheeks would retain their pallor or a flush of red.
"You shouldn't test me, Derek. It might just have consequences."
I didn't meet his eyes but my words were light.
I went on grabbing the essentials I came for and I could feel Looney Tunes' eyes on me the whole time which set my nerves ablaze.
"Well, one of my favorite sayings is...."
I rounded up everything in the basket and took it from Derek before heading back to the cashier in the front.
The bad-boy continued, "Consequences be damned."
I scoffed lightly and having regained my composure, I watched as the last of the items were rung up and put in a bag.
I smirked, a dark curl of my lips before I met Derek's twinkling copper eyes.
He dared to be such a nuisance to me and then make those awful things–butterflies–throw a rampage in my stomach with his words and actions?
He would pay.
Literally.
"He'll pay."
I didn't wait a second before I walked out and Derek stood still for a second before whirling around on me.
"Stop right there–"
"Sir, you need to pay!"
"Lila, I don't have money on me–"
I chuckled to myself and dismissively spoke over my shoulder, "Online payment, Derek. It's the 21st century and the digital era."
A few curses and a few too many mumbled "Kitkat" and "Lila's" was what I considered music to my ears before walking out of earshot, a slight pep in my step that hadn't been there before.
•♤•
A/N
This chapter was something huh? Well, at least I hope so haha.
I loved their banter but even more, I loved the heated moment between Lila and Derek and omg the ending lol.
Anyways, the next update will be on Christmas and then on New Year! So look out guys! My exams ended today so hehe I'm pretty happy now that I'll be on vacation but gosh do I have to do a lot of stuff.
No matter what, don't forget to vote, comment to let me know your thoughts and please share the book with friends!
Till next time then, take care!
~Skyler