Saved by the Superhero

  THE PROTECTIVE DUET

  ALEXA RILEY

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Elsy

  Chapter 2

  Keaton

  Chapter 3

  Elsy

  Chapter 4

  Keaton

  Chapter 5

  Elsy

  Chapter 6

  Keaton

  Chapter 7

  Elsy

  Chapter 8

  Keaton

  Chapter 9

  Elsy

  Chapter 10

  Keaton

  Chapter 11

  Elsy

  Chapter 12

  Keaton

  Chapter 13

  Elsy

  Chapter 14

  Keaton

  Chapter 15

  Elsy

  Chapter 16

  Keaton

  Epilogue

  Read Me Romance

  Stalk the Author

  Copyright © 2022 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to riley_alexa@aol.com

  http://alexariley.com/

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Edited by Aquila Editing

  Saved by the Superhero

  BY ALEXA RILEY

  Elsy Harbor’s best friend Keaton has always been something more. But when they finally have their first kiss, everything goes terribly wrong.

  After an accident in his father’s lab, Keaton Lone locked himself away. It’s been years, but he never stopped watching and waiting for the day he could have Elsy. Finally, the wait it over.

  Warning: Did we write a superhero book with double V’s and a villain set to destroy the world? Of course we did!

  For the kind of love that defies science …

  * * *

  Chapter One

  ELSY

  “Key.” I roll my eyes at him as I win this round of chess.

  “What? You played well.” He tries to praise me, but I’m not hearing it.

  “You’re so full of crap.” Keaton and I both go to the same boarding school. We’ve been called gifted since the two of us are smarter than most kids our age. Keaton is more than that; he’s brilliant. Even at the age of fifteen, I realize that. “If you don’t actually try, I’ll never learn. Although it’s not like I’ll ever beat you.”

  I don’t know what it is about Keaton that drew me to him so strongly, but I know one of the things I love most about him is how smart he is. He never tries to boast about it, either. If anything, he downplays his abilities, which is kind of hard when you’re a Lone. That name is known all around the world for its advances in technology.

  “You want to know your weakness when we play?” he offers. His head tilts forward, and some of his dark shaggy hair falls into his face. His mom hates when his hair is long, but I like it, and I think that’s why he always lets it go until he has no choice but to cut it.

  “Of course, then I can beat the other guys at school and drive them crazy.”

  “You don’t need to play with other guys.” His brows furrow, something he does when he’s either annoyed or in thought.

  “Out with it. Tell me my weaknesses.” I turn him back to the point at hand.

  “Not weaknesses,” he corrects.

  “Key, everyone has them, and there is nothing wrong with admitting that. Knowing them is how you learn and prepare,” I point out. I think he knows this, but he doesn’t want me thinking he’s calling me dumb. “You’re teaching me.”

  “The queen.” He picks up the piece from the board. We’re playing on the one in the study since it’s where we usually hang out.

  I’ve noticed Keaton’s parents keep a closer eye on us now that we’re older. I’ve been coming over to play since we were kids after we met in second grade. I’d been so scared that first day of school. After I got thrust into the foster system, many had taken notice that I was more advanced than the other children around me. That’s when I was placed with the Walkers. They’re an older couple but alumni of the private school. They’re pretty cool people, but they’ve both retired and are old enough to be my grandparents. It’s not exactly exciting at home.

  They never had kids of their own, but Richard was mayor at one point, and his wife Jennifer was a hotshot lawyer back in the day. I think the window passed for kids or maybe they’d never thought about it until it was too late. It wasn't until last year that I put together that the library of our school was named after them.

  “What about her?” I take the queen from his hand.

  “The object of the game might be to capture the king, but the queen is the most powerful on the board. You must use her, but in a way that always protects her. Without her, the king will fall.”

  I stare into Keaton's dark blue eyes, knowing his words always mean more than what he’s saying. “You believe that? A king will fall without his queen?”

  “Yes.”

  “And will you have a queen one day?” I tilt my head, watching him, and his eyes narrow on me. He’s always watched me ever so closely, but lately, his eyes find their way to my mouth. I lick my lips.

  “Of course.” He says it so matter-of-factly.

  “How do you know?” I raise my chin in defiance.

  I have no jealousy when it comes to my Keaton. Not with Lexi, who is always trying to sit with him at lunch. Not with Nelly, who pretends to be dumb to ask him questions in calculus. I know Keaton is talking about me being his queen. He’s never given me a reason to feel jealous.

  Whatever we are or are going to be feels destined. It’s been written in the stars even if neither of us has spoken it out loud. We know, but for some reason today I want to hear it.

  “Don’t play dumb. We both know you’re better than that.” He smirks, and I glare back. “You’re mine, Elsy.”

  “Is that so?” I tease, pushing back my chair. “Then how come you’ve never kissed me?” I challenge.

  “I’ll kiss you now.”

  “No way!” I jump up from my seat. “A girl doesn't ask for her first kiss. The guy has to work for it. You have to chase me.”

  “You and those romance books you’re always sneaking out of the library. Did they tell you that?”

  “Maybe, and don’t pretend I haven’t caught you peeking at them over my shoulder.

  “Sometimes your cheeks turn pink when you read them. I want to see why.”

  I let out a small gasp. I know the parts he’s talking about, and he’s right; they make me blush. “It doesn’t matter. I said what I said.”

  “If chasing you is working for it, then I’ll chase,” he says, cutting me off. “In fact, I’ll give you a head start.”

  “What does that even mean?” I ask, confused.

  “Ten.”

  “Ten?”

  “Nine.”

  “You’re not serious. It’s not like you’re really going to chase me.”

  “Eight.” My heart starts to race. “Seven.”

  I bolt from the study, taking off as fast as I can because Keaton is crazy fast. He’s on the track team and is the best one. He should have given me thirty seconds or something.

  The Lone home isn’t small. I wouldn’t even call it a home since it’s a whole estate. I think I asked once and Shelly, Keaton’s mom, said there were twenty bedrooms the last time she counted. How does the count change?! Then again, Keaton’s father is Dr. Nash Lone. Who knows what goes on around here.

  I turn one corner and then another. I should know this place by heart, but really we stick to the front of the home where the study is. I start grabbing on door handles, and one after another is locked. Finally, a door opens and I can hear Keaton’s footsteps fast behind me.

  I rush into the room and shut the door like a dork. He knows I’m in here. He’d been too close to not have seen me slip inside. I glance around the room to see if there’s a place to hide but freeze when I notice it’s some kind of lab.

  The door swings open, and I spin back around to face Keaton. “You really thought you could outrun me?” he says as he slowly approaches. I take a few steps back until I bump into a table.

  “No.” I’m breathing fast but smile up at him. “I didn’t, but it was fun.”

  He moves to stand in front of me, and his body barely touches mine. I reach up and brush the hair on his forehead to the side.

  “I’m going to kiss you, Elsy Harbor, and that means you’ll be my girl forever.”

  “Queen,” I correct, fighting a smile as he grins at me.

  “Queen,” he agrees, bending down, and I close my eyes.

  Then his mouth is there, gently touching mine. It’s soft at first, but then he licks the seam of my lips, and I part them for him. His tongue delves into my mouth, and I do the same. My fingers grip the front of his shirt as our bodies press flush against each other. His hands grip my hips, and he lifts
me and sets me on the table.

  I’m lost to the sensation of being kissed by the only person on earth I ever want to kiss for the rest of my life. It’s beautiful and perfect until a loud shattering sound breaks us apart. I must have pushed a box back when he’d lifted me, and now the box is leaning against a tall glass tower. The glass is filled with liquid and who knows what, and I hold my breath as it teeters. I pray it’s not going to fall, but I have no such luck. The glass tower swings one way then back toward us before it topples over.

  In a flash, Keaton pulls me off the lab table and shoves me across the room so I’m out of harm's way. I stumble back and trip over my feet before I fall on my ass. Then I watch in horror as the glass tubes and liquid come crashing down right on top of Keaton.

  I scream as it takes him down to the ground and he’s pinned under the structure. There’s glass everywhere, but I don’t think about that as I jump to my feet to rush over to try and pull it off him.

  Before I can reach Keaton, arms wrap around my waist, stopping me, and then my feet leave the floor.

  “Get her out of here!” Keaton’s father yells before he practically throws me over to one of the many security guards that are always around.

  “Keaton!” I scream as they pull me kicking and screaming from the room. Keaton’s eyes open and then lock with mine. This time they’re not the normal dark blue I’m used to. They’re bright blue and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The air in my lungs freezes.

  Suddenly Keaton rolls over and shoves the tower off him with one hand. At least that’s what I think I see as the door closes in my face. There is debris flying across the room, so I must be mistaken. It’s impossible.

  Before I can say another word, the guards carry me from the home and put me into the back of one of the many black SUVs that are always out front.

  I had no idea this was the last time I'd ever see Keaton.

  At least the Keaton I’ve known and loved.

  Chapter Two

  KEATON

  Six years later…

  “You’re not focusing.” My dad tosses the tablet on his desk and leans back in his chair. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  I move over to the glass wall that towers above the city and stare down at the world below. From here, it’s hard to see anything but the clouds, and I prefer it that way. I found out early on that being around people and seeing them live their lives was almost worse than what happened to me.

  I hear movement behind me and am aware that he’s coming closer. I close my eyes because I know what he’s going to say.

  “I think we should wait.”

  “No,” I say without opening my eyes. “It’s just a bad day. That’s all.”

  “Tell me why it’s a bad day.” He’s pushing, and he knows it.

  A long moment of silence stretches before I finally sigh and admit the truth.

  “I’m nervous.” I open my eyes and stare into the distance.

  “Oh,” he says softly, and I walk away before he can try to touch me.

  Touch is the worst, and it’s the one of the many things that sets me off. He knows it, and although he doesn’t do it often, he’s still my father, and he can’t help himself. For most of my life, he was able to do it. Until the accident that changed everything.

  “We’re not waiting any longer.”

  “Keaton—” my father begins, but I shake my head, already defying him.

  “No, we made a deal. I’ve given you six years.” When I turn to face him, I see the sadness in the corners of his eyes that he tries to hide from me. But there’s nothing he can say that I don’t already feel.

  My father has always been the strongest and smartest man I’ve ever known. Since the accident, I’ve had to watch him fail over and over, and it’s broken something in me I don’t know that I’ll ever get back.

  “Nash.” We both turn to see my mother standing in the doorway of the lab. “We made a deal, and Keaton has put in the work. I think it’s time we trust him.”

  “I just want a little more time,” he says, and she smiles softly at him.

  She moves to join my father and takes his hands in hers. “You don’t have to fix him, Nash. All you have to do is love him.”

  I watch as my father’s shoulders slump, and once again I feel like a failure. For the past six years, he’s tried everything to put me back to normal. In the meantime, I’ve learned to embrace my talents, as I like to call them, and control them as much as possible.

  Last month, my mom received an invitation from Elsy’s adoptive parents. They’re throwing her a birthday party, and they invited us. All three of us. For the past few years, my parents have used the excuse that they’re working abroad. My father still runs his companies from here in our tower, but it’s mostly my cage in the sky.

  After the accident, we left the estate and came straight here. It was isolated, but that meant we wouldn’t have to worry about prying eyes. Since then, I’ve been training daily with my dad to control what the chemicals did to me that day. On the outside, I’m still mostly the same, but inside I’m something new.

  “I’m going to bed,” I say and grab the water bottle off the table.

  “Keaton,” my mother calls, and I look back at her. “We’ll be by your side the whole time.”

  “I know.” I try to let go of my irritation because it’s not their fault this happened to me. “Good night.”

  My father gives me a sympathetic smile as I leave the room and go to the elevator. I hit the button for my floor and wait until the doors open again. When I walk into my place, I scan my fingerprints. and the home is voice activated.

  “Lights at forty percent,” I call, and the lamp in the hallway dims as I walk past it. “Bedroom screens on.” When I walk into my room, the curtains close, and the wall across from my bed comes alive. “Show me Elsy.”

  One thing I’ve been grateful for is technology. It’s given me a way to see her when I couldn’t be near her. When I couldn’t be near anyone. I can’t see it all, which drives me crazy, but I can see enough. Having a father with connections to satellites has its benefits.

  The center screen moves until it’s outside of her apartment. She moved there last year, and it broke my heart. I’d dreamed of moving out with her, but that one afternoon changed it all.

  I watched for a few weeks after the accident when she would come to the estate to talk to me. The staff always turned her away, but I would watch and wish I could go to her. But I wasn’t me for a long time, and even now, it’s hard to control. There’s this thing in me that is begging to break free, and I have to restrain it at all times. That’s what we’ve been working on.

  Tonight Elsy is sitting on her small balcony having dinner alone. I can’t tell what it is, spaghetti maybe? The more I watch her, the more I feel like a creep, and I go to turn it off. That’s when I see her turn toward her door. There must be a sound or something because she goes over and opens it.

  From this angle, I can’t see who it is, but she’s talking to someone at her front door. After a moment, she steps back, and in walks a man that I don’t know. He smiles at her like they’re old friends before he leans down and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

  Without realizing it, I’ve picked up the chair beside me and thrown it against the wall of screens. The whole thing shatters, and I feel everything I’ve spent all day trying to suppress.

  “FUCK!” I shout as I look at what I’ve done. Now I’ve lost connection with the one thing I need most, and I’ll have to clean this up.

  The party is tomorrow. How the fuck am I supposed to control this if someone is putting their hands on my Elsy?

  Chapter Three

  ELSY

  “Everything is going as planned,” Oliver says as he waltzes right into my bedroom. At least the one I stay in when I’m back home with the Walkers. They’ve kept my childhood bedroom a time capsule. I both love and hate this room. There are so many memories and most of them make me think of Keaton.