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How could she not try to protect Derek and his family from Hattie killing one of them?
CHAPTERTHREE
Prince Derek August spent an anxious night wondering if Ellery Monson would agree to come to the wedding, or if she was going to turn him down yet again. She’d never even accepted a dinner date. What made him think she’d fly to Augustine, spend a weekend with his family, and give the entertainment sites some solid news instead of just rumors?
Jason’s wife, Presley, fretted through dinner about whether Ellery was intimidated by his money and royal status or if she’d said no because she didn’t have the money to miss work or buy some fancy dress and shoes for the wedding. They discussed how he could casually bring up that his family’s royal stylist, Arianna, would have dresses and shoes for her.
The next morning, Ellery wasn’t at the gym at four-forty five like usual. Derek’s gut churned and churned. Whether she would ever believe it, Ellery was his dream woman in every way and had been since the ninja event right here in Boston. Seeing how she could cheer for that snarky Jaylene and then the way they connected as she cheered him on to victory had sealed his fate.
No woman had ever made him feel like she did, and no woman but her would do for him. After he won the American Ninja Warrior finals in May and moved to Boston to train with Ellery and Jason, something had changed inside him. He’d initially escaped from Augustine and all the pain and memories after losing his mum in January, but completing what he set out to do with Ninja Warrior and being around Ellery had transformed him. Seeing her quiet dedication to her mum made him realize how much he needed and missed his family. He would’ve gone home then, but he had stayed, hoping working out together every day would convince her to date him and care deeply for him like he did for her. He’d only been home for a week in the past six months, after his oldest brother Tristan had been burned badly by a bomb. Besides that, he’d focused on training, and Ellery.
At five, she rushed through the door. The knot of worry in his gut relaxed, and he hurried toward her. Luckily, the gym was fairly quiet this early in the morning. Only the truly dedicated braved this unearthly hour.
“Everything all right then?” he asked breathlessly.
She met his gaze. Her clear green eyes lit a fire inside of him. “Fine. Why?”
“You’re … later than usual.”
“Don’t tell my boss,” she teased, putting a finger to her lips and tilting her head toward where Jason and Presley were standing next to the receptionist counter and watching them both expectantly.
Jason laughed. “Let’s get to work.”
They did get to work—working out, at least. Their early morning crew of ninja warriors started with strength training—back and biceps today. Derek had more energy and drive than ever because he was literally about to explode. He needed to know if Ellery would agree to come with him to Augustine. He didn’t want to make such a short trip home, especially if Steffan and Hattie could really make it work to be there, but he’d only stay two days if that was what Ellery needed.
It had been good to have the distraction of Ellery and training for Ninja Warrior to keep his mind off the heartache of losing his mum, but it was far past time to be with his family. If he could have Ellery by his side throughout the visit and the wedding, he suspected it would be incredible, even with the hole his mum’s death had created in his heart. When he’d gone home to support T after the bombing, he’d stayed at Steffan’s home in Traverse and never gone to the castle and faced the heartache of memories.
He missed all of his family, but in particular his twin, Malik, and his little sister Kiera. Kiera idolized him and fancied herself a ninja warrior. The last time he’d been around her, she was so adept at stunts he knew she’d soon pass him by.
At seven, Ellery had to go train a client. Derek tried to focus on his training, but his heart wasn’t in it. By noon, he’d fallen several times on the salmon ladder and could hardly climb the rope. He should’ve been smart enough to not even attempt the curved body prop today.
“You okay, man?” Jason asked as he helped him up from slipping once again off the curve.
“I’m going a little insane.” He met his friend’s gaze and then looked over to where Ellery had disappeared into the break room to eat her sparse lunch. “Why won’t she let me be there for her?”
“Because she’s a tough, brave, and independent woman. Exactly why you’re in love with her.”
“I’m not …”
“You can lie to some of the people some of the time,” Jason teased. “Dude, I get it. You have no idea how messed up in the head I was over Presley before she finally agreed to marry me.”
“I can imagine. You’re messed up in the head now.”
Jason shoved him. Derek rushed back at his friend and knocked him onto the padded mat. They rolled around, trading punches and laughing about it. He missed his brothers all the more. The lunch time crowd in the ninja training area watched and laughed with them.
Suddenly the most beautiful woman in the world was standing over the mat, staring down at them with her arms folded across her chest and a smirk on her lips. “Boys,” she teased. “You two ready to stop rolling around like monkeys and start working? I’ve got almost an hour-long break. Plenty of time to show you both up.”
Derek shoved Jason away and sprang to his feet, so close to her she put out a hand to steady herself and grabbed his arm. His heart rate immediately soared, and his skin tingled from the pressure of her fingers.
“Your wish is my command, beautiful,” he said softly for only her to hear. He tried not to use too many lines or compliments with her, even though they were always there waiting to spring from his lips. If they were going to be dating … How could he bring up his request from last night again without pushing her the wrong direction? She was so independent she might say no just to be obstinate.
“Don’t mind me,” Jason grumbled. “I don’t need a hand up.”
“If you weren’t so old, you could get up on your own,” Derek teased. Jason was two years older than his own twenty-four. He loved to give him a hard time about it.
Ellery released his arm and backed up. “Let’s do it.”
They set to work, the three of them, like usual. Other competitors came and went from the gym and Presley trained with them when she could, but this threesome was unstoppable. They worked incredibly hard, but most of the time it felt like play, flying from obstacle to obstacle. They were superheroes who could conquer anything. Had he been tired an hour ago? With Ellery close, he was the toughest man on earth.
