without you¹ | derek morgan. ✓

36 | revealed secrets

derek's pov.

I quickly get up off the ground and rush after Charlotte. I follow her all the way to the elevators, calling out her name, hoping she'll stop and turn around to look at me.

"Lola, please..." I mumble as she gets onto the elevator, but she just bites her bottom lip and shakes her head.

She slowly clicks the button to shut the elevator doors. I watch as the elevator bell dings and the light above the door signals that it's going down. I run over to the door in the corner that leads to the staircase--I'm gonna have to run down seven flights of stairs, but it's worth it for Charlotte.

I quickly run down, racing to make sure that I catch Charlotte on time. My body trembles as I let out sharp and heavy breaths. Each flight of stairs pass quickly. I let out a heavy exhale as I reach the bottom of the stairs, leading me to the main floor of the bureau.

I spot Charlotte walking out the main doors, my heart skipping a beat. I quickly follow after her.

"Lola, please..." I mumble.

Charlotte shakes her head, "What do you want from me Derek?" She asks, her tone trembling.

"I want you." I mutter.

Charlotte stops in her tracks, causing me to do the same. We both stand in the middle of the bureau parking lot, rain rapidly pouring down on the both of us.

Charlotte shakes her head, "It really doesn't seem like it. You say that one second, and the next I get all vulnerable and make a joke out of it." She states, letting out a small sob as her longing eyes meeting mine.

"I do mean it." I state, not knowing what else to say.

"Really? Or am I just going to end up like one of your conquests?" She asks, harshly.

I shake my head, "You could never be like one of them." I state in a reassuring tone.

She shakes her head, rolling her eyes at my words.

I scoff, "Why are you acting like this is entirely my fault?" I ask.

Her brows furrow, "What do you mean?"

I take a step forward, "The only reason I did that is because of you! You wouldn't fucking show any other emotion, so I had to get it out of you somehow!" I state, my tone rising a bit from anger.

"I have showed enough emotion!" She yells.

I shake my head, letting out a small chuckle from annoyance, "Are you joking? I asked you out and you said it was as just friends and that I was like a brother to you." I state.

Charlotte scoffs, rolling her eyes at my words, "What? Am I seriously just like a brother to you?" I ask, taking another step forward, my eyes beating down on hers.

Charlotte nods, giving her shoulders a small shrug, "Apparently." She states, letting out a sharp exhale.

"You like me..." I mutter.

"What?" Charlotte states, immediately shaking her head in denial.

I shake my head, my eyes beating down on hers as I take another step forward, making us only millimeters apart, "Then tell me this...why didn't you want me to leave the conference room?" I ask.

Her eyes looking up at mine, "Because I didn't want you to get all cocky for saving the entire bureau." She lies, giving her a shoulders a little shrug.

I shake my head again, "I don't think that's it..." I state, crossing my arms a bit.

"I don't think that's it." Charlotte states jokingly, mocking my tone.