Read Online Never Choose Flight (A Fighter Romance Novel) by Danielle Forte - Free Book Online Page A

to see a guy taking advantage of you like that.”
    I just stared at him for a moment. “You’ve made a huge mistake,” is all I said before walking back into the office.
    “You look like you just saw a ghost,” said Samantha. “Horrible date?”
    I crossed my arms and put the both on the counter above Samantha. “Wonderful date.”
    “Where’d you go?”
    “Joe’s,” I said. “Not the most romantic. But it was really nice.”
    “You’re just so in love that it doesn’t matter where you are,” she said, half-mocking. “So why has all the blood run out of your face?”
    “Derek,” I said.
    “Finally realized that he’s the one you should be with?”
    We both laughed.
    “No,” I said. “He just challenged Malcolm to a fight.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah. I guess he hates the idea of me dating someone.”
    “But Malcolm said no, right?”
    “Malcolm has a rule. He never turns down a fight.”
    “Never?”
    “That’s his rule.”
    “That’s not a very good rule. Every good rule has exceptions,” said Samantha.
    I thought about that for a second. “Maybe,” I said. “I just hope that Derek doesn’t, like, die.”
    “Is that the kind of thing Malcolm would do?”
    “I… don’t think so.”
    “Good,” said Samantha. “Anything less than that he probably deserves. He’s been bugging your for years .”
    “Yeah,” I said. “Well I’m going to try and get some work done before he gets back.”
    I sat down at my desk and panicked all afternoon. About the fight. I don’t know what Derek was thinking, challenging Malcolm to a fight like that. And I had no idea what kind of trouble I could get in if my boyfriend beat up my coworker. Maybe not much. Maybe I could be fired.
    But there were some nice feelings as well. A boyfriend who was going to hurt the man who had bugged me for so long. A boyfriend , just that on its own felt nice. Derek was just going to get exactly what he asked for - a fight with Malcolm. It wasn’t my fault, or even Malcolm’s really, that Derek was going to lose. He shouldn’t have picked a fight with my boyfriend in the first place.
    Derek sat there fiddling with his pen most of the afternoon. Maybe he was reconsidering, but it was too late to turn back. He had to prove that he was the alpha male.
    Five o’clock rolled around eventually. I left immediately, and Samantha followed. Derek was already there, in the parking lot. A few minutes later, he walked up to Samantha and me, who were standing near the exit where the people were filing out.
    “Looks like he’s not going to show,” said Derek. “I thought your boyfriend was a bit tougher than that.” He was using a fake strong man voice that didn’t suit him at all.
    “It’s only four after,” I said.
    “And maybe he’s planning a sneak attack,” said Samantha.
    “I wouldn’t put it past him.”
    “Wouldn’t put what past me?” asked Malcolm.
    Derek jumped, but tried to act like he hadn’t.
    “We doing this?” asked Malcolm. He took a step back and got into position.
    “Absolutely,” said Derek, throwing up his fists, thumbs on the inside, and knees not bent at all.
    Malcolm looked Derek up and down, observing his stance. “Are you kidding me?” he asked.
    “You’re not going to talk your way out of this one,” he said.
    “You’re serious.”
    “Are you not?”
    “Man, thumbs on the outside of the fists. Otherwise a solid punch will break your own thumb.”
    Malcolm had completely dropped his guard, standing there just like he would normally. Still wearing that button-up shirt that was so out of character for him.
    Derek ran at him, adjusting his thumbs based on the advice, and then started pummeling him. Hit after sloppy hit, landing directly onto Malcolm’s chest. Malcolm just stood there. He looked over at us. He wasn’t even getting pushed back at all. It was like Derek was punching a wall.
    “Too scared to fight back, are you?”
    “Kinda,” said Malcolm. “I don’t want to