The Fighter

Chapter Fourteen

"They could've both fit," I say while wiping my tears with my-- actually Damien's-- hoodie sleeve. "Why am I crying?"

"Because Jack and Rose loved each other and now he's dead!" I look over at Jackson and Derek with a raised brow. "What?!"

"Can we watch Princess Bride now, please?" Both men nod. "Thank the gods!"

Getting up slow enough as to not wake the kids who are huddled on the floor on a pallet with Addy tucked into Jake's side. I smile at the two of them and take a quick picture before sending it to Damien and switching out the disks for the next movie. My phone dings in my back pocket and I pull it out see Damien's reply.

No.

Deal with it.

No.
Not happening.

Yes.

Damn it, you're lucky.

About what?

I'll tell you when I get back.
6758 Drowning Dr

What's this?

My place.
Go alone.

Sketchy.

;)

I smile at the screen and Derek clears his throat. Freezing, I pivot on the balls of my feet and raise a brow at Jackson and Derek who are making kissing faces dramatically before Derek grabs Jackson and pulls him in like their about to kiss and I snap a quick pic. They both freeze when they see I have a picture of them looking to be in a romantic embrace and Derek's eyes widen comically. Slowly, he stands up as well as me and he begins to circle me to which I make a dash for the couch, jumping over quickly before heading out of the door. As soon as Derek breaches the door, he calls out my name and I smile at him from the end of the drive.

"June Alexandria Johnson, give me your fucking phone." I tap my finger against my chin and shake my head as he lunges toward me and I run along the yard with him following me. Almost making it to the next drive, a man opens the door of a car and steps out with a gun pointed at me and I hear Derek stop in his tracks. Backing away slowly, I think about my options and come up with one: Leave with them.

"Ah, June, is it," another man steps out of the car from the back seat dressed in a fine suit with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He's skinny compared to the mountain in front of him. "You see, we've been hired by someone to kill you," he says and I tilt my head in confusion. "She said that you," he points at me while I continue to stare at the gun, "were free game."

"June," Derek calls and I hold up hand, "what's happening?"

"Hello," the man says and I switch my gaze to him, trying to lunge at him but the gun cocks and I stop my movements, "we're just having a friendly conversation!"

"June," he says again and I nod my head and motion for him to go back inside. "No."

"I would do what the woman says, she seems to know what she's talking about." Derek stays where he is but I motion for him to go back inside and wait until I hear his feet slowly start to retreat toward the house, waiting for the man to speak I watch as his kind smile turns sinister. "Now that he's gone, we can get down to business. Why the fuck does she want you dead?"

I stay quiet and the mountain growls. "He asked you a fucking question!" I look at him with a bored expression.

"She doesn't talk, dumbass!" I nod. "But why does she want you dead?" I shrug and he shakes his head. "You see," he passes the giant and begins to circle me, knowing that I can't do anything, "she says that you tried to kill her on multiple occasions. She also said that you brainwashed her husband into leaving her, why would she say that?" I shrug. "See, we looked you up! You are a nobody!"

In the distance, I hear a loud roar but continue to stand with a blank expression.

"Your brother on the other hand," I still and look him in the eye, "Jeremy, was it? He was the leader of Black Wolf, the notorious motorcycle club that protects the town. That makes you the princess, correct?" I widen my stance and the giant closes the door he's been behind and steps closer to his boss. "So killing you would mean turning the entire club onto us! I see what she did, she didn't want it to come back on her so she hired us! It's genius, really."

The roars of the bikes get louder and he begins to hear it.

"Boss, we've got to go," the giant says.

"Nah, we're good, Ozzy, just making conversation." The smaller man pats the giant's shoulder and looks at me. "She wants you dead, kid, and someone will be stupid enough to do it. Stay safe, sorry about the gun, it was the only way we could ensure our safety." I nod in understanding and they quickly get in the car and leave just as Damien and Bear along with four of the other guys pull in front of Derek's place. D jumps off his bike, barely remembering to put down the kickstand, before running toward me.

"Darlin', are you okay?!" I nod. "What happened?"

"Two guys came to warn me that she's after me." Damien tilts his head. "My stepmother." He growls and pulls me closer to him and I hold onto him tightly. "Why," I whisper to him.

"I don't know, but I do know that you and your brother are staying with me." I start to protest but he stops me. "Jackson is staying in Jer's old room and Derek will be staying with Bear so you and Jake are staying with Addy and I."

"Jake will like that," I say and he growls again.

"He's staying in a separate room." I nod and pat his back slowly. "Shut up."

I smile at him when I feel him begin to do something somewhat resembling both a growl and a purr, he pulls me closer to him when Bear walks over to us and I give a small wave from my hands squished between myself and Damien. Bear looks over me quickly before getting distracted by Derek's front door opening and him storming over to us.

"June, I swear to all things if you ever tell me to go back inside when you have a gun to your head, I will literally kill you! I do not need to be taking over my role as Fairly Ungodly-Father just yet!" I tense up and wait for the explosion that I know is going to happen once D's arms tighten around me and Derek freezes. "You haven't told him yet?"

"He just got here," I whisper. "Can we go inside?" All three men nod and Damien makes sure that I am touching him in some way as we enter the house.

"What happened," is the first thing he asks when we finally settle into the living room with me sitting with my back to the arm rest and my legs over his with a tea mug in hand.  Taking a long sip, I look at Damien's defensive position and move my glasses up to run the bridge of my nose.  "June, what the fuck happened?"

"Don't call me that," I say without hesitation, "anyone but you."  Damien doesn't move and I sigh.  "There were two guys, a giant and a smaller man.  The giant's name was Ozzy, I'm not sure if that is short for something or not but I never caught the other guy's name but he is the boss of the two.  They told me that she was after me and that she had the money and the power to make it happen without it being traced back to her."

"Why does she want you dead," Derek asked.

"They said that she claimed that I had tried to kill her in multiple occasions and that I brainwashed my father into leaving her." Taking another swig of my tea, I look into and feel a stray tear go down my face and I wipe it away quickly. "Fuck, that means he's in danger."

"Darlin'—"

"Don't you dare, fucking, say it! Because it's not true and you know it. Don't make me a promise that you can't keep." I look up at him, teary eyed and I see him struggling to hold his back.