登入I am really excited for what is going to happen... and I love Derek and Charlotte (and lydia) so much, that I have decided to enter this book into one of the contests on here, so every vote, comment, review or even just a thumbs up helps immensely! Thank you!
DEREK’s P.O.V.I didn’t bother waiting for them to leave first. I stormed past them and out of the house, letting the adrenaline carry me blindly to my car. My hands shook as I slammed the driver’s door shut, but it wasn’t from anger or fear. It felt like everything I had bottled up over time had finally exploded.Justin’s blood still decorated my knuckles, and I stared at it for a long moment before gripping the steering wheel tightly as I sped away. The city lights blurred together as I drove without a destination in mind. I was too consumed by thoughts of tonight to focus on anything else. Each time I thought about it, I could practically hear the cracking of my fist connecting with his jaw. I could see my grandmother’s tears and hear her whispering her prayers. I should have stopped sooner, instead of losing control. To any sane person, it would have been clear that I had crossed a line, but if I could go back… I still would have done it again. Turning, I watched the securit
DEREK’S P.O.V.One second, Justin was smirking, and the next, the distance between us was gone, and my fist was crashing into his jaw. The crack echoed through the stunned dining room, the sound fueling me on. He deserved for every bone he had to be broken after what he had done to Charlotte.Justin staggered backward, slamming into the table hard enough that nearly every glass fell over and broke.“You’re going to regr…” He snarled, but I didn’t let him finish. I grabbed the front of his shirt and drove another punch into his face, his head snapping to the side from the impact. Blood burst from his split lip,“Derek!” My mother screamed, but I couldn’t respond. I also couldn’t stop. All I could see was Charlotte’s swollen, split lip and all the bruising on her face. He needed to feel that, too. I was going to make him feel that pain, too. Justin shoved against my chest, trying to put space between us, but years in the gym and a lifetime of discipline kept me in place. Instead,
DEREK’S P.O.V.Nonna’s home had looked the same throughout my entire childhood. Over the years, we had to add more seats or tables to make room for everyone, but the rest stayed the same. There was the hutch full of crystal glasses that she insisted no one could ever touch, the fresh flowers in the middle of each table, and the knick-knacks along the top of the fireplace.Normally, it was also filled with kids running around and laughter, but today, it felt different. Even when the family had turned on me for refusing to be a part of the family business, it had never felt like this. Now, it felt like I was walking into enemy territory. “Oh, Derek, my sweet boy. You made it!” My Nonna exclaimed, and I nodded, leaning down to kiss her cheeks.“You graced us with your presence for two dinners in one month. Aren’t we lucky?” My father joked, but I couldn’t even force a smile at him. I was eyeing my sister and her husband. They kept their heads together, whispering and laughing, withou
DEREK’S P.O.V. My phone ringing pulled my attention away from the report on my desk, and had it not been Paul calling, I would have been frustrated. I hadn’t had a clear mind to focus on work since I saw Charlotte hurt. No, the only reason I could focus was that I knew he was with her and that she was safe. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be here right now. I would be with her… protecting her. I answered before the second ring, worry filling my gut. “Is she okay?” I asked immediately, and for a moment, all I could hear was the wind rushing across the speaker, followed by a car honking. It was late for them to be out and about, unless Charlotte had decided to go on another firearm shopping spree. I doubted that would happen, given how uncomfortable and panicked she seemed after getting the first one, so I had to assume he had stepped outside so she wouldn’t hear him, which made me worry even more. “She’s fine,” Paul finally said, and even though it felt like a lifetime before he h
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V.Tara watched us eat for a long moment, her fingernails clicking against the top of the wood before she gave up waiting for our undivided attention and released an irritated sigh. I narrowed my eyes at her as she reached into her bag. Paul had already searched it, but there was still a part of me that wondered what her game was. She certainly wasn’t here to become best friends. The envelope had barely hit the table before Paul snatched it from her. He was very cautious as he went through the pages there before tapping the side of the envelope onto the table. “I’m not going to poison her.” Tara snapped, rolling her eyes. “I’m pregnant. Don’t be stupid. I wouldn’t risk being near anything like that.” I ignored her, watching Paul closely, seeing him go through each paper and even inspecting a physical flash drive as if he were expecting it to be a secret pocket knife, before spreading the content out across the table between us for me to see.“What’s all of this?”
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V. The knock on the apartment door came just as I finished cooking dinner. I glanced at the clock, seeing it was almost seven, and glanced at Paul with a shrug. I had no idea who would show up this late, especially without texting or calling first. Lydia wouldn’t have come over without checking in to make sure I was home now that her key didn’t work, and my father would be at the hospital with my mother right now, so there was no one else who would be here except… My heart sped up as I filled with excitement. It had only been two days, but it had felt like forever. Derek and I had been texting back and forth over the past two days, but it was all casual and friendly. How was your day? Did you drink enough water? How are you feeling? I even told him when I tripped on my lunch break and accidentally threw my food at a passing bicyclist who just happened to be riding by at the wrong time. Even the crying, laughing emoji he sent in response, before asking if I was
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V. Two large men stood on either side of the VIP rope, and a thrill of excitement burst through me when they opened it without a single word, allowing me in. I'd expected at least one of them to stop me, but I was pleasantly surprised as I walked through it. “Enjoy your evening,
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V. By the time I got home from work, my eyes felt drier than a desert, but my day wasn’t over yet. Between Vanessa breathing down my neck, trying to prove her dominance over me, Rebecca stopping by hourly to remind me how important this was, and trying to learn everything I could
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V.I felt my cheeks warm as I stared at the message. ‘I hear you’ve been asking around for me - Derek.’It had made me sound creepy, and that was the last thing I wanted after I had already broken into his hotel room, stripped down, and tried to get into his bed while he was naked
CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V.I had barely sat down at my desk before Vanessa was there, placing her hands down on it to lean over me. “You haven’t worked in years, and before that, you had barely moved up to a junior designer before you quit. I saw your resume! I know there's something fishy going on here.







