The detective’s jaw was tight, his eyes locked on Liam with an intensity that felt personal.
And it was personal.
The detective had been waiting for this since that day at the station.
The day he’d asked Grace out—again—and got shot down—again.
He’d walked away from her desk feeling like an idiot, went to grab coffee to shake it off, and when he turned around, there was this kid sitting at her desk.
Talking to her. Making her actually laugh. Not the polite professional laugh she gave everyone, but a real one.
He’d started walking over. He was going to say sothing. Insert himself into the conversation. Anything.
But then so kid showed up.
The brother of a victim from a case.
Started asking questions, crying, making a scene.
Wouldn’t leave him alone.
By the ti the detective finally got the kid to calm down and stop pestering him, he was so frustrated and drained that he didn’t even care anymore.
The mont was gone.
But the mory stayed.
Every ti he saw Grace. Every ti she turned him down. Every sleepless night.
That kid.
At her desk.
Making her laugh.
And now here he was. Right in front of him.
This ti, he was going to do sothing about it.
But at the sa ti, Liam wanted to hit him too.
For the way he’d snapped at that kid back at the station. For the way he was looking at him now.
They both stood there, tension coiling between them like a spring about to snap.
Liam’s body ached. His ribs hurt. His arms felt heavy. He’d been training for hours, and now he was about to fight again.
’I’m tired. One look at his face tells this isn’t practice anymore—he’s dead serious. So screw it. I’m activating my skill and going all out. What’s the point of having this power if I won’t use it to put down an asshole like him?’
Liam mouthed silently, "Breathless Step activate."
A tir appeared in his vision.
[15:00]
[14:59]
[14:58]
A notification flashed briefly.
[50 Lust Points deducted]
[Point Bank: 20/70]
Imdiately, sothing shifted.
His breathing slowed. His body felt lighter. The ache in his ribs dulled slightly, and his muscles stopped screaming at him.
It wasn’t that the pain was gone. It was still there. But it didn’t matter as much anymore.
The detective moved first.
He ca in fast, throwing a straight jab aid at Liam’s face.
Liam held his breath.
And his body moved before his mind caught up.
He slipped to the side, letting the punch sail past his ear. The detective’s fist cut through the air with a sharp whoosh, missing by inches.
The detective’s eyes widened for a split second.
He followed up imdiately with a cross.
Liam pivoted, his feet shifting smoothly across the asphalt. The punch missed again.
The detective’s expression shifted. Confusion flickered across his face, his brow furrowing.
He threw another punch. Then another.
Liam weaved around each one, his movents fluid and effortless.
It felt strange. Like his body knew what to do before the detective even finished the motion. Every ti the detective’s shoulder dipped or his weight shifted, Liam’s body reacted.
Slip. Pivot. Shift.
The detective couldn’t land a hit.
Liam felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
From the sidelines, Hawk let out a low whistle. "Damn. My guy can’t even touch him."
Shay crossed his arms, watching with a smirk. ’Hmmmm.’ He looked smug, as if that would sohow erase the fact that he’d lost to Liam too.
Hawk shot him a look. "Shut up."
Damian stood off to the side, arms still crossed, his expression unreadable. But his eyes were sharp, tracking every movent.
"So he was actually letting hit him," Damian muttered, almost to himself. His jaw tightened.
Shay glanced at him. "Told you he was good."
Damian scoffed and looked away, his jaw tight.
The detective was breathing harder now, his movents getting more aggressive. He threw a hook aid at Liam’s ribs.
Liam weaved under it, his grin widening.
The detective gritted his teeth and stepped back, his chest heaving. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
He didn’t rush in this ti.
Instead, he threw a fake jab, pulling it back at the last second.
Liam started to weave left.
And the detective’s leg shot out, aid exactly where Liam was moving.
Liam saw it half a second too late.
He brought his arms down and blocked, his forearms absorbing the impact.
The kick still hit hard.
Liam slid back a few inches, his feet scraping against the asphalt. His arms stung from the impact, but the block had worked.
"Hell yeah!" Shay shouted from the sidelines, pumping his fist. "That’s how you block!"
Hawk looked at him like he was insane. "He just got hit so hard he had to take a step back. Are you okay? Because your boss is about to get handed to him."
Shay just scoffed and didn’t respond.
Liam reset, shaking out his arms slightly.
*’Thanks to the training. And Damian’s ruthless assault disguised as training earlier, I could block that attack without feeling the damage that much.’*
*’That ans I’m improving.’*
The detective smirked.
Liam looked at him, his expression hardening.
*’I’m going to wipe that smile off his face.’*
This ti, Liam went on the offense.
He stepped forward and threw a quick jab.
The detective blocked it, but barely. His arm jerked back from the impact.
Liam followed up with a cross.
The detective tried to slip it, but Liam was faster. The punch grazed his shoulder.
Liam didn’t stop.
He threw a combination. Jab. Cross. Hook.
The detective blocked the first two, but the hook slipped through his guard and caught him on the side of the head.
His head snapped to the side, and he stumbled slightly, eyes going unfocused for a mont.
Liam pressed forward, his movents sharp and controlled.
The detective tried to counter, throwing a punch aid at Liam’s ribs.
Liam weaved around it and ca up with an uppercut.
It caught the detective clean on the chin.
His head snapped back, and his legs gave out.
He hit the ground hard, landing flat on his back.
For a mont, no one said anything.
The detective just lay there, staring up at the sky, his chest heaving.
Hawk sighed and shook his head. "Alright. I see."
Shay turned to him, grinning. "So you want to take him?"
Hawk waved a hand dismissively. "Nah. I’ve seen enough." He started walking toward the exit. "I’m going now."
Shay called after him. "You’re not taking your man along?"
Hawk waved back without turning around. "When he wakes up, he knows his way back."
Shay watched him go, shaking his head with a half-smile. "That guy doesn’t care about anyone except himself."
Liam stood over the detective for a mont, then stepped back and walked over to where his water bottle was.
He drank the rest of it in one go, his chest still heaving slightly.
Shay walked over, still grinning. "Did you really steal that guy’s girl?"
"Dude, I didn’t do that," Liam said.
"Was she that hot?"
Shay paused, then started making a shape with his hands, outlining an hourglass figure. "She was really hot, okay?"
Liam nodded. "Okay. I understand."
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked at Shay. "Now I have to go. I’m pretty tired."
Shay nodded. "Yeah. You did good today."
Liam glanced over at Damian, who was still standing off to the side, arms crossed, watching them.
Damian’s expression hadn’t changed. He looked as unimpressed as ever.
Liam sighed and looked back at him. "Thank you," he said quietly, forcing the words out.
Damian didn’t respond imdiately. He just stared at Liam for a mont.
Then he said, "I didn’t do this for you."
Liam looked at him, disappointnt flickering across his face.
*’There’s no pleasing this dude.’*
Damian frowned. "What’s with that look?"
"Nothing," Liam said. "I’m going to get my bag now."
He walked over to where he’d left his duffel bag near the warehouse wall and picked it up.
As he slung it over his shoulder, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
A ssage from Grace.
*Grace~ I’m free tonight. Would it be a bad ti to ask if you want to co see ?*
Liam’s lips curled into a smirk.
He glanced back at the lot, where Shay was still talking to Damian about sothing, and the detective was just starting to sit up, rubbing his jaw with a grimace.
Then he looked back at his phone.
Liam’s fingers moved across the screen.
*Liam~ Yeah, I think I can make it.*
He pocketed his phone and walked toward his car.
---
Behind him, Damian watched him leave, his arms still crossed.
He didn’t say anything, but his eyes followed Liam until he was out of sight.
Shay walked over and stood beside him. "You’re warming up to him."
Damian scoffed. "I’m not."
"Sure you’re not."
Damian didn’t respond.
He just turned and walked back toward his own car, his hands shoved into his pockets.
Shay watched him go, shaking his head with a grin.
Then he looked over at the detective, who was finally stirring.
The man groaned, rolling onto his side before pushing himself up on one elbow.
He blinked slowly, eyes unfocused, then pressed a hand to his jaw where he’d been hit. His fingers traced the tender spot gingerly.
With visible effort, he got one knee under him, swaying slightly as he tried to orient himself.
"You alright?" Shay called out.
The detective didn’t answer.
He just brushed himself off and started walking in the opposite direction, his shoulders tight, each step deliberate.
Shay let out a breath and turned to leave.
The lot was empty now except for him.
He stood there for a mont, looking at the spot where Liam and the detective had been fighting.
Then he shook his head and walked to his car.
"Kid’s gonna be sothing," he muttered to himself.
And he ant it.
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