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Chapter one
The sterile fluorescent lights of the emergency department flickered overhead as Liam Parks peeled off his blood-stained gloves. He nodded to the nurse working with him, and left the patient to her.
Scrubs, off. Cap, off. In the changing room, Liam swapped his bloody ER clothes for an everyday shirt and chinos, his eyes unfocused as he went through the motions.
In one room, lives were on the line, and every moment could mean the difference between life and death. But step through the door and out into the staff room… and suddenly everything was mundane again.
Ending his shift was like coming up from a deep-sea dive, his body struggling to adjust to the changing pressures.
And on top of that all, the coffee machine was broken. Again.
With a heavy sigh, Liam leaned against the staff room's countertop. He took off his glasses, and rubbed his tired eyes. The dark circles that he knew were beneath them were atestament to the long hours he'd endured treating victims caught in the brutal crossfire of the city's mafia-run streets.
Bastards. If only they kept their violence to themselves, instead of making innocent people suffer…
"Another rough shift, huh?" Elena asked sympathetically as she sat at the poky little staff table, her dark eyes filled with concern. Dr. Martinez had more ER experience than him; compared to her, he was still wet behind the ears, barely out of his residency.
He knew that he must look like a novice, not yet able to pull himself away from the emotional toll of his work. But she still looked at him with understanding, despite her equally long and grueling shift.
She had a mug of hot tea to relax with, though. That probably helped. Some people had all the luck.
"You could say that," Liam replied wearily, leaning against the counter as he looked down at his empty coffee cup. The bitter scent of caffeine lingered in the air, teasing him.
"Go home, get some rest," Elena urged. "There's no reason for you to hang around here. We're holding down the fort."
It made sense for him to go home.
The only problem was that he didn't want to.
"Are you sure that we have enough people on shift?" he asked. "I'm happy to cover any gaps—"
"Liam." Elena fixed him with a stern look. "Go. Home."
"Just checking," Liam said, forcing a smile. "Goodnight, then."
He grabbed his coat and headed for the exit. As the heavy metal doors swung shut behind him, the cold night air hit him like a sucker punch. He shivered.
His footsteps echoed through the deserted streets, punctuated by the distant wail of sirens. On this side of the city, walking alone wasn't exactly the smartest move — but after the shift he'd just had, he needed to stretch his legs. Adrenaline had him allwired up, and if he caught a ride home, he knew he'd stay up all night staring at the ceiling.
He knew that from experience.
All too soon, though, he was back home. Liam fumbled with the keys to his apartment, finally unlocking the door and stepping inside.
The living room would have made an interior decorator burst into tears. His struggle to balance his work and his personal life stared him in the face — an abandoned medical journal on the coffee table, a half-eaten sandwich growing stale on the counter, and an ever-growing pile of unopened mail and junk that threatened to consume the small dining table.
What was the point of wasting his small amount of free time tidying? He was the only one who was going to see it, anyway.
At least, he was the only person who was going to seeallof it…
Liam checked his watch. Just about time. He swept the table clear, dumping the pile of old mail and junk onto the nearest armchair. He'd deal with that later. Probably.
He set up his laptop, and waited for the video call that was scheduled on his calendar. The sight of his reflection kicked off a hurried attempt to fix his hair, but he knew that there was no fixing how tired he looked. He tested out a few smiles, trying to find the one that made him look the least exhausted.
He didn't want James to worry. He was a busy guy, after all. No need for Liam to add to his burdens.
Liam attempted to gather his composure, straightening his glasses and forcing a tired smile onto his face.
Finally, the call flickered to life, revealing James's handsome features. His eyes were bright, his expression peaceful, a stark contrast to the fatigue that felt etched into Liam’s own bones.
