My Protector

Chapter 19

*Niall's POV*

            Liv's house was oddly quiet as we stopped there on our way to school. Her parents weren't home and I wasn't complaining. From what she had told me, they still believed she and Brian were together. My existence was unknown to them and I planned to keep it that way. I feared that Liv's parents wouldn't accept me. If they found out about my past or my gang life or my tattoos, they probably wouldn't be so fond of their daughter dating someone like me.

            I waited for Liv to shower and freshen up and as I did, I scoped around the house. Photographs lined the walls followed by several expensive paintings. I noticed that most of the photographs included only Liv and her parents. Seeing these photos, reminded me of my family. In a way, I was jealous of her. She had grown up surrounded by people who supported her and loved her, where as I grew up in a dysfunctional home. During my childhood, my father often abused my mother. I was too young at the time to understand exactly what was happening. My brother ran away from home when I was eleven and I didn't understand why until later. He couldn't handle seeing our mother hurting. He had tried to convince her to leave or to get help, but she would always refuse and go back to him. When I was sixteen, he came for me and that's when I joined the gang. They have become my new family.

            Suddenly, my phone lit up and Greg, my brother, was written across the screen.

            From: Greg

 

            Come home now.

 

            His message left me confused, but I knew that whatever it was, it was important and most likely, gang related. As Liv finished getting ready, I decided it would be best not to tell her about what Greg had said. I kept most gang things from her anyway. She was an innocent girl and my life experiences would change her perception of me.

            I rushed Liv to school and dropped her off. When she questioned why I couldn't go with her, I explained that I wasn't feeling so well and I headed back to the house to meet Greg.

            "Mate! Where have you been?" Greg yelled as he ran towards me as I slammed the car door shut.

            "I had to drop Liv off. What's going on?" I asked.

            "Dad is in town,"