Love LockDown by A.T. Smith Page A

I’m here now and I’m going to make sure Leighton treats his pals good. Isn’t that right Leighton?” I ask him, laughing as Scott chucks his arm around my shoulders bringing me into a friendly side hug.
    “God isn’t she just totally awesome.” Scott says to the both of us as he plants a kiss to my cheek. “Anyway sweet cheeks I’m off, got places to go, people to see. I’ll catch y’all later.” He released me and moves to shake Leighton’s hand. He leans up and whispers something in his ear, Leighton’s face becoming a close resemblance to thunder.
    Leighton nods as he listens, and then pats Scott on the back as he moves past him and out of the door “See you later Abbi, and remember get the good stuff.” He waves to me once and then leaves down the hall.
    “You, Miss Abigail, are a bad influence to him.” Leighton tells me, smiling, as he sits down at the island in his kitchen.
    “He seems like a good guy, in fact all your friends do.” I smile at him, happy to be a part of this group of people.
    “He’ll do. Can be a little shit head sometimes so just watch him. As for the others, I couldn’t ask for better friends. All of them are like my family.” He gleams at me, clearly happy to have this group of wonderful guys around him.
    “How did you even meet them all?” I ask intrigued as to how he created this family, especially the American addition.
    “Here and there. Antonio I met through my father, he was my dad’s associates son, been friends since we were children. Scott I met whilst in the US on business, he helped me on a job and the others I just recruited as I went along meeting them on various assignments.” I loved the way he never says what he actually does for a living, just keeps referring to it as a ‘job’
    “Oh, okay, that’s cool.” I reply to him standing from my chair.
    “Anyways, how about we get to Tesco’s so we can get the things we need.”
    “Sure thing. Let me just go and chuck some shoes on and I’ll be right down.” I hop from the stool, leaving the room.
    I arrive back to the kitchen in record time and see Leighton standing by the sink with his jacket on and keys in hand. “I’m ready.” I tell him with a slight breathlessness from running.
    “Good. You didn’t need to rush Abbi, we have a while.”
    “I know, just wanted to make sure tonight is perfect for you.” I smile at him.
    “It’s not your job to make it perfect sweetheart, it’s mine. You’re just an added bonus.” He begins to walk from the room and towards the hallway where the underground garage door was.
    The lights to the Audi saloon click as soon as we reach the bottom of the stairs and onto the concrete flooring. I get myself into the passenger seat and buckle up. Leighton steps in beside me and buckles his own belt.
    “You know how to drive at all Abbi?” he asks me gesturing to the steering wheel.
    “I learnt when I was with Lisa, my foster mum. I passed my theory test but didn’t do my practical. Theory has run out now, so I guess I need to do that again.” I chuckle softly.
    “We’ll get you through it don’t worry. You need your own car, it means you can get around without relying on Me.” he beams a white toothed all American playboy smile.
    More than anything in this world right now I wanted last night to have been real, he was just so perfect. I craved him with a ferocious hunger that was eating me alive. My feelings were crazy; I had known him for all of thirty six hours.
    “I guess so. Hey, thanks for everything. All I need now is to get myself a job so I can help out a little with rent and stuff.” I smile back at him, grateful for every tiny thing this man had done for me.
    “Don’t be ridiculous Abbi; you don’t need to pay for anything. But if you want a job, then you can always come and help at the restaurant a few times a week, wait tables, or help out at the bar.” He tells me, looking back and forth between me and the road.
    “Really? Like for