Chapter 6 : Hero

Ava

He’s back.

I feel silly for even noticing, but after the night before, I haven’t expected him to come back again. He’s gone out of his way to see me, and the realization fills me with butterflies despite my best intentions.

Liam drops into a seat at the end of the bar—the same one he’d been in the night before—and I try not to grin. I continue serving the patrons, my heart doing a little dance inside my chest as I steal glances in his direction.

“You’re being obvious,” Ben teases on his way to the door, and I roll my eyes.

“I am not!” He grins when I glare at him.

Ben is the biggest man I’ve ever seen, and I don’t know why he likes to play security for me every once in a while. The owners don't usually care to pay for more than just me and the cook, but every once in a while, Ben comes in to keep an eye on things for us if something big is happening.

I don’t even think they pay him, honestly.

Tonight, the clubhouse where we do karaoke is rented out for a bachelor party, and I lean forward on the bar enough to peer inside. We’re busy anyway because it’s officially Saturday, but having them there is going to make for an even busier night.

It’s better than having to deal with the unending silence that happens during the week, at least.

The atmosphere’s lively, and I’m in my element, effortlessly moving between the tables. They’re loud and boisterous, their laughter filling the air as they celebrate, and normally I wouldn’t care.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I smile politely at the older man, sliding by him to drop off some beer at a nearby table. My smile freezes at the feeling of hands on my ass, and I spin on my heel, barely biting back a snarl.

"I'm here to serve drinks, not to be groped," I say firmly, trying to sound more intimidating than I actually look.

His response is immediate—a burst of anger followed by raised voices as he yells at me. "Come on, sweetheart, loosen up a bit!"

I let it go, blowing it off as drunken stupidity as I stalk back to the bar—but he won’t stop. A brush of a hand here, a jeering comment there, it’s working my patience. I’m used to handling unruly customers, but this guy is pushing all the wrong buttons.

Just when I’m feeling overwhelmed by the situation, his hand firmly grasping my thigh as I inch by him again, a flash of fury in my peripheral vision catches my attention.

It’s Liam, striding forward with rage rolling off him.

Before I can fully comprehend what’s happening, he grabs the guy in a chokehold and pulls him back—knocking over the chair he’d been in and forcing me and everyone else to stumble away.

For a moment I panic—what should I do? Is he going to hurt him? My eyes dart around the bar, searching for Ben, before landing back on the struggling man in Liam's grip.

Liam's gaze finds mine, and something on my face must give away how upset I am about everything because he murmurs in the man's ear. Fearful eyes dart to mine before I spot Ben headed in our direction.

“I’ve got it from here,” the man rumbles, and I can see the guy's friends gearing up to defend him.

“You’re all gone, or I’m calling the cops, got it?” Their mouths snap shut as Ben drags the main offender toward the door, with the three others from his table trailing behind them.

I offer Liam a grateful smile, my heart still racing.

I try to sound playful, "Saving damsels in distress now, are we?"

His lips are a thin line, but then he lets out a breath and gives me a tense smile. "Only when they happen to be the most intriguing damsel around."

I chuckle, feeling a warmth spread through me at his words. "Well, I appreciate the rescue, even if I can handle troublemakers on my own—not to mention Ben, there."

I wave vaguely in the direction of the door to prove my point, and his smile becomes more genuine.

Liam's gaze holds mine, his expression soft. "I don't doubt that for a second, Ava."

I need to catch my breath, so I glance around and then make the quick decision to step outside for some fresh air. To my surprise, Liam follows me, and I feel a flutter of excitement at the sight of him standing by the back door.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice a mix of curiosity and delight. "And how did you even know I was working again?"

Liam's smile is small but genuine, and his eyes seem to hold a kind of intensity that I can’t quite decipher.

"I ... have my ways of finding out," he says, his gaze unwavering.

It should be at least a little alarming, but I’m betting he just guessed. Most men don’t stalk their … what even are we?

His answer made my heart skip a beat. I open my mouth to say something, but his hesitation makes me pause. Instead, he shifts the topic, his tone turning serious.

"I have news about your father," he tells me, and my heart skips another beat. My dad's situation has been a constant worry on my mind.

"What is it?" I ask, my voice trembling with a mix of hope and fear.

Liam's expression softens, and his gaze holds mine as he reveals, "He's getting bailed out tomorrow. I’m sorry it took so long to get everything sorted. There were… some complications with his bail.”

The shock of his words hits me like a tidal wave. I feel my knees go weak, and before I can collapse, Liam's arm is around my waist, steadying me.

I can imagine there were complications. I am absolutely positive that nobody believes my dad could have gotten the bail money he needs, so I wouldn’t doubt there had probably been some serious scrutiny before they finally agreed to let him out—not to mention that he’s being charged for murder, to begin with.

They’d probably spent all day delaying it and trying to figure out if it was legitimate.

I hope whatever lawyer Liam has picked out for him ate them alive for it.

The news is overwhelming, and I want to see my dad, to hold him and reassure him that things are going to be okay. But reality sets in—my classes, and finals are looming just around the corner. I can’t just take off again, no matter how badly I want to.

Liam continues to hold me upright as I process the news, his concern evident in his eyes. I look up at him, and it’s as if the world narrows down to just the two of us. His gaze holds mine, and all I can hear is my blood rushing in my ears as we just … stare at each other.

His grip on my waist tightens, and in the next second, before I can even process what’s happening, his lips are on mine. It’s like that first night all over again—the electric spark, the intense chemistry—it’s all still there. I melt into the kiss, my fingers instinctively finding their way to the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

I need more.

“Ava, you out here?”

I flinch away from Liam at the sound of Ben’s voice, and the two of us share a charged look before I turn to meet Ben’s gaze.

“I really hate to interrupt,” he does sound apologetic, looking a bit flustered. “But I have no fucking idea how to make a Bloody Mary.” I can't help but bark out a laugh, sounding more breathless than I would prefer as I brush my hair back from my face with a grin.

“Got it, give me two minutes?” Ben nods and ducks back inside, leaving Liam and me alone.

I open my mouth, searching for the right words, before closing it again.

There’s no Sophia this time—no miscommunication.

Liam Johnson had meant to kiss me this time.

“I … that—”

“You should head back inside,” Liam says quietly as I stumble for words, and I grimace. He looks as disheveled as I feel, but he’s right. I take a steadying breath and nod, willing myself to move.

I don’t, and a slow smirk slips into place on his face.

“Go, Ava,” his voice is practically a purr. “I just wanted to give you the news. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Okay.” I wish my voice isn’t so breathy as I nod, spinning on my heel and marching back inside.

***

The next morning, I’m woken by my phone ringing. It takes me a minute to haul myself out of bed and snatch it from my dresser, but when I see the caller, I’m wide awake.

"Dad?" My voice is filled with relief, and he lets out a little laugh.

"I don't know how you did it, Ava," he says on the other end of the line. “But thank you.”

I feel a pang of guilt at the thought of lying to him, but I know he doesn’t need any more stress. Not about me—not about whatever the hell it is I’m doing with Liam.

What am I doing with Liam?

"I saved up money … and got a loan," I reply, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "I wanted to help." There’s no way he actually believes me, but I doubt he will call me on it. Not when whatever I’ve done has posted his insane bail and gotten him out.

I head out to the living room, reminding myself I should not be thinking about Emma's dad this early as I make myself a coffee.

“You made it home okay? Do you need anything else?” Not that I’ll be asking Liam for anything else, but maybe I can send him some money for groceries since things are obviously going badly for him.

Does he even still have his job anymore? I doubt it.

“No, no, I’m going to go stay with a friend.” We talk briefly, and I promise him that I will come to see him after my finals.

I let out a long breath when we hang up, dropping down onto the couch with my mug in hand. I have a rare day off from my classes and work—in theory, I should be using the free time to run errands or do something fun, but all I want to do is sleep.

So that's what I do, falling asleep thinking of Liam and our kiss. And how badly I want to do it again.