Overprotective

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dani’s POV 

I was sitting at my dressing room table applying my makeup as I was getting ready to dance with the rest of my dance studio for our Spring Show when I received a bouquet of 12 long-stemmed blood red roses. 

“Who gave me these?” I  gushed to the lady who brought them to me.

“I don’t know, I arrived at the desk and a man in a black hoodie said ‘Give these to Danielle’ and then sauntered off to the audience.” She said as she walked away from me. 

I read the card and the written message was one I was sure I would never forget. 

“Danielle, I’ll be watching” 

-Liam 

Liam. As in Liam Payne? Oh no this cannot be good. I’ve heard stories about him He’s been with a ridiculous amount of women but the relationships were more like one night stands, and he’s got a bad rep amongst my friends. And that reputation that he is notorious for it that if you piss him off, you’re in for a very painful rebuttal.  It’s like fate has given him the name Payne because that’s all he inflicts on others: pain. 

As my face paled I heard a distinct smirk from the corner of the dressing room. I whipped my head around expecting to find the very distinct Liam Payne to find nobody there, but there was something off…..the door was open. 

I swear it was closed. 

I was harshly ripped out of my reverie when my friend Laik walked into my room and screamed “Dani! 5 minutes till showtime! Get your fine behind out there!!” She said as she dragged me up and out of my seat.

 I can hardly think straight as she dragged me out behind the curtain. I tried to sort out my thoughts as I stretched but it couldn’t seem to shake this feeling. Right before the curtains opened I took a deep breath and took center stage as I pushed the dark thoughts of Liam aside and put my game face on, after all this is my Spring Recital. As the curtains opened I immediately heard my mum shout my name

“Go Dani! Own that stage!” she shouted with a smile on her face. 

I smiled down at her until my line of vision trailed over to a person who was sitting not too far from my mum and my smile faded as panic washed over my features. Him 

He was wearing a black hoodie like the lady told me he was. His brown hair was spiked upwards and he had on blue jeans and from what I could see from the stage was black sneakers. We made eye contact and he smirked. His light brown eyes darkening as they made contact with mine. 

I swallowed my fear as the music started playing and began to dance. I let every single emotion that I was feeling just radiate off of me so the audience could feel my terror, distress and my nerves. 

When the music came to a stop and we all took our bows, I felt as if the music in my head was still playing, although it wasn’t the sweet melody anymore, it had transformed into a dark, haunting melody as I exited the stage. All my thoughts were on him. 

Later that night….

My friends, Laik, Chantal, Stephanie, Lucille and I decided to go for drinks as a celebration for not falling flat on our faces in front of at least 200 people. We conversed for about an hour just talking about any and everything when I had to go to the bathroom. 

“I’m just popping to the loo” I sing-songed as I rushed to the bathroom. 

Moments later as I was exiting the bathroom stall, I opened the door to find Liam standing there….waiting for me. 

“Hello love.” He said in a low voice as he made his way over to me. 

“H-hi.” I stuttered as I tried backing up but only ended up hitting the wall. 

“Where are you going love?” he said as he stepped closer so he was standing directly in front of me and I could feel his warmth radiate off of him even though we kept eye contact. 

“Thank you for the flowers. They are lovely.” I said trying to change the subject. 

He then leaned down to my ear and whispered. 

“Anytime.” Right before pressing a feather-light kiss right below it making me flutter my eyelids. 

I thought he was going to pull back up to face me again but he surprised me when he left a trail of kisses from the bottom of my ear and then down my neck to my shoulder. Soon each kiss transformed from the sweet feather-light kisses to harsh fast-paced kisses. I was sure to have a reminder of this kind of physical contact. 

Between my wincing between each kiss and my jumbled thoughts, I had no idea that he had felt around for my phone which was in my front pocket. I jumped as he pulled it out slowly and typed his number into the keypad and sent a text. I felt rather than heard his phone vibrate against my hip confirming that he had called himself from my phone. 

Great, now he has my phone number. 

I gasped when his feverent kisses stopped and he pressed a sweet kiss to the love bite that was sure to be present and he then whispered in my ear. 

“I’ll be seeing you love.” He said, his voice low when he pressed a singular kiss to the corner of my mouth and then sauntered off into the bar and out the door. 

I stood there and tried to think about what just happened a few moments ago. I raced back into the bathroom and tried to cover up the hideous love bite that was so harshly applied to my neck moments before but it was no use. I just had to walk out there and face the music that is my friends. 

I walked back to the table still dazed from my Payne encounter as forgotten to pull my hair to the side that had the love bite on it and my hair had fallen off my shoulder and laid on my back. 

“What the hell happened to your neck?!” Laik yelled when she saw me. 

I hastily used my hand to cover up the hideous reminder and opened my mouth to explain but nothing came out. I was about to sit down when my phone vibrated. I pulled it out and gasped as I read the text. 

From: Liam Payne 

See you soon love