Third Person POV
The day was going relatively fast and Phoebe was about to shut the shop down soon, when a familiar face walked through the door. Black hair, green eyes, leather jacket - and smelt like cigarettes. Her ex-boyfriend, the man who'd left her when he found out that she was pregnant.
"Damien.", She spoke under her breath at the sight of him standing in the doorway.
Liam had had his eyes closed, but when he heard a mans name fall from Phoebe's lips, his gaze snaps open. He'd been here for over a week, and he'd never seen a man walk into this shop. And at the sight of the man, he rose to his feet instantly.
Damien's green eyes fluttered towards the man at the back of the shop, and then back towards Phoebe.
"Long time no see, baby cakes.", He smiles.
Liam looked towards Phoebe, and he'd never seen her so... stiff and afraid?
"What are you doing here?", She mutters, gripping onto the counter for support. Her head felt heavy and sore and her legs were shaky and weak. Her heart was thundering beneath her chest and she wanted to scream.
Memories of that night she lost her baby came flooding back.
She was alone because of this man.
She was alone and lost her baby because this man left her... Left her and her baby.
"That's no way to greet your babies daddy.", he chuckles.
Phoebe stiffens and Liam felt a hot rage of anger flush through his entire body as the realization hit. This was the man that left Phoebe when he found out that she was pregnant. Liam made his way towards the desk, standing between Phoebe and Damien now.
"Get out.", Liam spoke, and thunder seemed to erupt around them.
His tone was fuelled with authority and dominance. He was powerful, and Phoebe hadn't realized it until now... He'd never had to be like this around her....
Threatening and dangerous.
Phoebe let him... She needed his protection right now, because she couldn't handle Damien on her own. Not after everything that happened.
"I want to see my kid.", Damien snapped, green eyes darkening.
Liam didn't budge, but behind him Phoebe shook with fear at his tone. Liam said nothing, he only stared at the man, waiting for him to challenge Liam - some part of Liam wanted him to dare challenge him. He wanted an excuse to beat this jackass up.
"I lost it.", Phoebe's voice shook with each word.
Liam's heart ached at the sound of her voice. He hated hearing her like this... Weak.
Damien seemed to stiffen. "What?", He roared. "My baby?", He growled.
And that was all it took for Liam to snap. "Get the fuck out before I throw you out.", He spoke so lowly that he seemed calm, but hearing Damien speak to Phoebe like that after what she'd gone through on her own, it broke something inside of him.
"Who the fuck are you?", Damien looked at Liam now.
Liam barked out a harsh laugh. "Someone you do not want to mess with, get out.", Liam tried again. He was doing the best he can to do this without getting physical.
And Phoebe, for the first time since Liam had met her, stayed silent.
"Get out and don't come back here again, you got it?", Liam snarled, lowly.
Damien laughed. "Is this your boyfriend? This rich guy?", Damien laughed, looking back at Phoebe who was now stood directly behind Liam, needing his closeness and his protection. Her hands were shaking and she was trying to stop them, but she couldn't.
Liam had had enough. And so he took a few large strides towards Damien. Damien took a step closer too and found out the hard way that he had to crane his neck upwards to look into Liam's eyes. Liam smirked down at him.
"Get out little boy.", He muttered, almost playfully.
Phoebe never got to see this side of Liam, and he wished she didn't have too. But since the war, some part of Liam enjoyed fighting - not killing, no... He hated killing but the fighting part... He enjoyed with every fibre of his being. He got off on it.
He hadn't lost a fight ever, growing up alone can do that to a man.
He'd taught himself how to protect himself since day one.
And he'd done a damn good job of it.
"Don't tell me what to do, fucker.", Damien snarled.
Liam raised a brow. "I'd fight you but the outcome is pretty self-explanatory. Look at you.", Liam spoke low so that Phoebe couldn't hear him. "If you don't turn around and leave her alone, I will kill you.", He promised, tone heavy with truth and a desire to do it.
To kill him.
Phoebe watched Liam towering over the man who fucked up her entire life, and she hated that she realized how he was the one person who was defending her. The one person who had ever defended her really...
No one had ever fought for her, not like this. Not even Brett - they weren't that close. Brett didn't know much about her life, and yet here Liam was... defending her and fighting for her.
Her hands, still shaking, found the counter again.
No one had ever cared enough to fight for her.
Except Liam.
She wanted to say something, she wanted to scream at him for leaving her and fucking up her entire life. She lost that baby and went through everything alone because the man who'd gotten her pregnant was too scared to be there.
She wished it had been someone like Liam...
She knew that if it had been someone like Liam... He wouldn't have left.
"Now get your low-life ass out of here, yeah?", Liam whispered, fists laying at his sides. Knuckles turning white. "She doesn't need you. She doesn't want you. You do not share a child together, there is no reason for you to be here. There is no reason for you to fuck up her life anymore than you already have.", Liam tried to communicate.
Damien only laughed. "You're hilarious. Get out of my way.", Damien went to push Liam to the side.
But Liam did not budge.
His gaze hardened.
"Do not make me do this.", Liam almost begged.
And then Damien's fist lifted and it aimed straight for Liam's face. Liam was quick with his response, his hand hit the inside of Damien's wrist and his fist failed to connect with Liam's face. Damien growled in response and stepped back, getting ready to throw a second punch.
Liam dodged the second one, and then threw his arm back, fist tightening in the air.
And a second later, Liam punched, hitting Damien somewhere between the cheekbone and his eyebrow. Damien panted in pain, his hand coming up to his face immediately. Blood poured from the obvious wound that laid beneath his eye.
The area was already turning black.
Liam grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, holding his body up so that he could speak lowly to him.
"Get the fuck out before I really embarrass you in front of her.", Liam ordered, letting go of him harshly.
Damien stumbled, and looked over at Phoebe once more seeing the surprise written on her face. He swallowed but turned around, rushing out of the shop as fast as he could without his head hurting to badly.
Liam watched him disappear and let out a breath - his shoulders sagging with the movement.
He took a few moments to calm his anger before turning to Phoebe.
And when his eyes landed on her, his heart fell to the pit of his stomach.
Her eyes were red and glossy and her cheeks red and stained with tears. She was crying.
Fuck no, he thought.
And with that thought alone, he marched towards her and cupped her face. Phoebe did not shy away from his touch, she peered up into his brown eyes and let his thumb caress the tears away from under her eyes.
"Shh.", He whispered.
Phoebe's eyes shut tightly, trying to stop the tears. Her hands reached for his wrists, her hands still shaking as she held his wrists. And then, before she could focus on what was happening. She felt something on her lips.
And her body melted at the feel of it.
Liam had kissed her.
Liam was kissing her.
And it was the most amazing thing that she'd ever felt.
***
Oh fuck, this chapter was a little bit dramatic - but uh, maybe we will see Damien again... Maybe not. Who knows? Please do vote and comment :)