Page 14 of His to Keep

As the cab sped through the streets, Liam stared out the window, his mind a whirlwind of hurt and betrayal.

All his life, he'd put everyone else first: his parents' wish that he become a doctor, the relentless demands of his job, and finally, James, who had lied to him about their relationship being perfect even while he cheated behind Liam's back.

Liam watched the city blur past the cab window, the anger inside him growing like a wildfire. He clenched his fists, knuckles turning white, and gritted his teeth.

What did he want, really? Not everyone else around him — what didLiamwant?

The answers were there, if he just focused hard enough.

Appreciation. To be needed.

To be wanted.

And in that moment, with his life seemingly falling apart around him, he knew one man who could make his wish come true.

Chapter six

Colt stood in Zane's hospital room, his eyes scanning the sterile surroundings. He was there to protect Zane, and he wasn't going to allow any distractions.

But there was one person in the Thorne empire who was always a distraction — and everyone was happy to let him be one.

"Uncle Zane!" Eli exclaimed as he ran towards the bed, his small legs propelling him forward with an eagerness only children possessed. His bright eyes sparkled with excitement as he began to recount his day at school. "Today we had art class, and I made you a picture! Here! It's a dinosaur fighting a robot."

Damn, the kid really did look like Arkady. Eli's father — Zane's brother — had been in the joint for the better part of a year now, but his splitting image was out here running around in light-up sneakers. Damn, the Thorne family blood was strong.

Zane smiled at the child, his usual stern demeanor softening in the presence of his nephew. "That's amazing, kiddo. What type of dinosaur?"

Eli's guardian, Caleb, just sighed. "Don't ask that. He's going through a phase right now…"

"It's a triceratops and a T. rex put together by science in a lab! And this part is from a pterodactyl, and this part is from a plesiosaur—"

As Colt watched Eli explain his masterpiece, he couldn't help but think about family. Not many of Zane's right-hand men had steady family lives — hell, most of them didn't even want the commitment of a steady partner, let alone kids.

His own upbringing had been harsh and unforgiving, molding him into the ruthless mafia lieutenant he'd become. The only true family he had ever known was the Thorne mafia and his fellow men. They were more than just colleagues; they were brothers forged in the fires of their dangerous world.

But as he looked upon the scene before him, he felt a twinge of envy.

A man like him wasn't cut out for such things. But damn, it could make you wonder what you were missing out on.

His brooding was cut short when Caleb eventually gathered Eli into his arms, announcing that they needed to leave. "Alright, Eli, that's enough for now. Time to go. Uncle Zane needs his rest."

"Bye, Uncle Zane!" Eli waved enthusiastically. "Draw a dinosaur for me, too!"

As Caleb pushed the door open, Colt caught a glimpse of Caleb's protection: Ryker. The imposing man kept his face neutral, but there was, as always, a tension to his body, ready to jump into action if needed.

Yeah, Ryker had helped keep Eli safe, coming over to the Thorne side of the war — but as an ex-mercenary for theThorne's enemies, he still kept a diplomatic distance from Thorne family business.

Liam snorted. Caleb had bad taste in men.

With their departure, the room's atmosphere shifted back to the tension that had permeated it before. But after only a few minutes, Colt's instincts kicked into high gear as he heard footsteps approaching in the hallway outside — too fast to be a doctor or nurse, and headed straight toward Zane's door.

His hand instinctively reached for his gun, muscles tensing in anticipation of a possible threat.

The door to Zane's hospital room finally opened—

"Liam?" Colt asked.

Gone were the familiar scrubs; instead, the doctor was clad in neat casual clothes that accentuated his lean body. His expression was cloudy, betraying a mix of emotions that seemed out of character for him.

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