Canon

Niall’s Point of View

I speed through all of Damon’s usual hiding spots, just to come up short. I finally spot that damn SUV outside John’s parents’ house. They moved out of Michigan years ago – they spend their time in Florida now. John and his sister have control of the house. I remember all of us sleeping on floors every night with empty pizza boxes and endless beer bottles around us. More stolen shit than furniture. The parents took everything when they left. They don’t bother coming back either. Why would they when they have a fuck up for a son. From what I knew, John’s sister was pretty decent – she just got involved with the wrong person. She’s under Damon’s thumb just as much as John. Only difference is, he doesn’t roll around with John on some busted mattress. I backup towards the end of the block and cut the lights. I could walk the rest of the way, I didn’t need them seeing me. All I had to do was get John out of the way, then it’s me and Damon. John would definitely be the problem here. He’s got at least fifty pounds and a full foot and a half on me. But hey, I broke his nose before, so maybe I would go for the entire face this time. Some more late payback for making Lizette spill beer on herself all those months ago. I’d get Zayn some payback too. It’s the least I could do. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Lizette. I tap the red circle a couple of times before shoving it back down into jacket. And there she was again. ‘Hello?’ I whisper, even though they don’t have some kind of super hearing. I knew if I didn’t answer she would just keep trying. ‘Did you ever get around to finding a movie? How were the egg rolls, good as ever?’

‘Don’t do that,’ She scolds through an incredulous laugh, ‘don’t you dare talk to me about food when you’re somewhere doing something completely crazy and dangerous. Where are you? I’ll come to you and we can figure something out together.’

‘Not a chance in hell.’ I huff in return at her stubbornness, ‘Lizette, you can fight me on every single thing in the world except for this right now. Just stay there, I am begging you.’

‘Fine.’ She speaks defeated and I feel my chest tighten. Of course, she was pissed off at me right now, but I had no other choice. ‘I’ll let you go since you’re busy.’

‘If you’re going to be mad at me for anything then I’m glad it’s because I’m keeping you far away from here.’ I peer from behind a tree, trying to get a better look at the dark house. ‘I can deal with that.’

‘I love you.’ She murmurs after a while and that annoying feeling in my chest slightly goes away.

‘I love you.’ I give her a smile that she couldn’t see before hanging up. If I talked to her any longer, I would probably get back in the car just to be with her. Just her voice alone would make me chicken out.

The door opens with a loud slam and John’s sister, Meghan storms off the steps with Damon right behind her. She shouts something at him, holding up her phone before shoving him away from her. He grabs her wrist, yelling in her face. John’s a goddamn coward for letting Damon – or anyone grab her like that. Even picturing him grabbing Lizette’s arm makes me want to knock a few of his teeth out. I bet he’s in the house right now waiting for orders from Damon. Typical. Meghan yanks away from him and slams her car door before peeling down the street. I step back towards the other yard just in case they get closer towards the curb. I just have to wait for the right moment. My entire body tenses as a hand wraps around my shoulder. ‘Lizette, I swear to God-..’

‘Try again,’ Her dad speaks, crouching down next to me. ‘My daughter told me that you’re about to do something reckless and put your plea deal in jeopardy. What were you thinking – or not thinking, clearly if you’re trying to ambush them. You don’t know how many people there are, if they have guns, or anything else.’

‘No offense but I didn’t ask her to do that. I’m sorry that she got you out of bed for this.’

‘You don’t get to blow me off or keep me in the dark, not when it comes to my daughter’s safety. I’ve never been your biggest fan, but she cares about you. I would rather not look her in her eyes and tell her that her boyfriend’s been killed because I didn’t do every single thing in my power to help.’

‘Thanks.’ Was all that I could get out. I knew that he was only doing it for her, but it was enough for me. As much as we may not like each other, we both care about her. That’s where we met in the middle.

‘Alright, so we need Damon. He is our main priority.’

I don’t like that you went behind my back and told your dad of all people, but it came from a good place. I get it. I love you and I’ll see you soon.

Against my better judgment, I let Lizette’s dad lead the way towards the house with one of his cop buddies right behind him. Nick, Rick, or some other generic name that I didn’t care to hear. His foot collides with the door followed by a lot of shouted commands. I follow them inside because I just had to see the look on his smug face. All they had was John and his equally huge cousin. ‘Stay here.’ Lizette’s dad yells at me but I keep looking around the house. He had to be here.

‘Dumbass.’ John laughs, completely out of breath. Yeah, I definitely could’ve took him. He would’ve tired himself out sooner or later. He would’ve went down with the biggest thump in his history. ‘Pretty sure he’s made his way to his destination by now. Funny how you thought you could fuck us over and not lose anything in return.’

‘Lizette.’ Was all I managed to choke out before running out the door. Lizette’s dad shouts something at me but I kept going.

Lizette’s Point of View

My phone’s chime finally eases my wandering mind. ‘Niall, where are you? Did my dad get Damon?’

‘Thank God.’ He sighs heavily into the phone, his breathing uneven. ‘Baby, listen – I need you to check all of the locks. Right now. Hurry.’

‘What’s going on?’ I question, double checking the locks anyway, ‘you’re scaring me.’

‘He’s coming, Liz. Damon’s coming. I’m almost there. Just go back to the room, lock the door.’

I open my mouth to respond when a loud band on the door cuts me off. ‘C’mon love. Open the door.’ Damon laughs loudly on the other side, ‘I just heard you talking so I know that you’re in there. We don’t have to make it any harder.’

‘Niall.’ I whisper, slowly back pedaling towards the door. ‘He’s here.’ Then another loud bang. And another. The doorman was gone for the night, but maybe one of the neighbors would hear. They’d call the police. Just how long would it take them to get here. ‘He’s about to break down the door.’

‘Lizette get to the room!’

I freeze at the end of the hall as the door is kicked wide open. Damon eyes me with his usual wide, wild smile. ‘Oh, there she is. I’ve wanted this from the very first moment that I met you.’

‘Lizette!’

Damon charges down the hall. I slam the door in his face and lock it. ‘You’ve got a pretty strange idea of foreplay, darling.’ I hated how much he was enjoying my terror. I could hear it in his voice. It was all a game. I sink myself into the back of Niall’s closet as the familiar bang fills the air.

‘Come out, come out, wherever you are.’ He singsongs happily, his footsteps getting louder and closer.

The closet door swings open and I’m dragged out by my feet. My phone flying from my hands and Niall’s voice getting fainter and fainter. I kick and twist in his grasp. With one kick to the face and another to his crotch he stumbles backward in pain. I would have to thank my dad for making me practice self-defense with him in the backyard every weekend. I scramble back to Niall’s room, but his foot stops it from shutting. ‘Gotta admit, this is pretty hot.’

A blur races past, tackling Damon in the process. Niall. The two of them roll around in Niall’s room, fists flying in every single direction. Finally, Niall gets the best of him, his fist meeting Damon’s face over and over. Each blow more deafening than the first. ‘I told you what would happen if you ever came near her.’ Niall stumbles to his feet and pulls me into him. ‘I’m here, it’s okay, you’re okay.’

Damon lunges at Niall with a long blade in his hand. Then a single shot. My dad lowers his gun as Damon grips his arm, blood seeping through his long fingers. His mouth and nose dripped blood onto his ripped grey shirt and into his beard from Niall’s handy work. One of my dad’s officers pulls Damon’s arms back as far as they would go as he handcuffs him. Niall and my dad form a mini wall with their bodies as Damon walks past the broken door complaining about the handcuffs being too tight. My dad practically yanks me into his arms, squeezing the life out of me. ‘Lizard, are you okay? Did he hurt you in anyway?’

‘No, dad, I’m fine – really. Those self-defense lessons of yours really helped. I got to hold him off until Niall got here.’ I point as Niall nervously stands in the background. Now cops were all over his apartment, wanting statements and to take pictures.

‘That’s my girl.’ My dad muses before going towards Niall, ‘As a cop that was an incredibly stupid thing to do but as a father, I could never thank you enough.’

‘I would do anything for that daughter of yours, chief.’ Niall rubs his bruised and bloodied knuckles. ‘Absolutely anything.’

‘I’m gonna go make sure that he gets processed along with his little pals. I’ll see you at home, okay? Don’t make your mom wait too long, I’m sure she’s going half out of her mind right now.’ My dad gives me one last hug before leaving out of the apartment. Some of Niall’s neighbors were huddled across the hall, shamelessly peering in and whispering among each other.

Niall eyes me knowingly before he pulls me away from all of the other chaos and into his bathroom. I silently sit on the counter as he shuts the door behind him. All the murmurs were blocked by the wooden door. Immediately, I use the crook of his neck as my own, personal shield before letting out a loud sob. ‘It’s okay, let it all out.’ And so I did. ‘You’re okay.’

What happened with Damon was nowhere near as bad as it could’ve been. I wasn’t alone with him for long, but it was long enough. I could still hear his footsteps on the hardwood floor as he took his time coming to the closet. I could smell his beer breath and smoke-filled clothes. I could feel his grip on my legs, pulling me down the hall. Niall raises my chin and kisses my wet cheeks before pressing his forehead to mine. ‘You’re quite the hero, Horan.’

‘Eh,’ He stifles out a laugh, clearly nervous. ‘It was nothing.’