Page 3 of His to Keep

"Another time?"

"Another time," James echoed, but his smile was tight. "Catch you later."

He ended the call abruptly, leaving Liam staring at his own strained reflection in the darkened screen of his laptop.

Liam sat in the silence of his apartment, feeling like he'd been hit by a truck.

He'd come home from a shift at the job he'd dreamed about ever since he was a kid, and he'd talked to wonderful fiance, and now he was going to get some sleep.

On paper, it sounded perfect.

But Liam's life wasn't on paper.

And right now, it felt so,sofar from perfect.

Yeah, there was no way that he was getting any sleep tonight. Liam grabbed his jacket and keys. He locked the door of his empty apartment behind him as he headed out into the night.

The cool air was a welcome reprieve from the suffocating atmosphere of his apartment. Liam found himself wandering aimlessly through the familiar streets near his home.

He needed a distraction, something to numb the pain that had taken up residence in his heart.

A bar. You've got the time to get drunk and sleep it off, so do it. You shouldn't be alone with your feelings right now.

The problem was that he wasn't a big drinker. This would have been easier if he'd had a regular watering-hole to head to, somewhere where he didn't have to think about anything…

Liam scanned the street, his eyes running over a series of bars.

That one looked way too rowdy. That one looked too dead.

What about… that one?

If he hadn't been on the hunt for a bar, he would have walked past it. The little bar across the street was tucked between two nondescript buildings, its front looking minimalist and refined. Unlike the other bars that peppered the neighborhood streets, there were no signs advertising 'topless Tuesdays!', or posters for bands stuck to it. A man stood by the door, smoking, but unlike the other bars on this side of town, he wasn't a career alcoholic or a wannabe tough guy.

It looked quiet. Sensible. Curiosity piqued, Liam pulled out his phone to look it up.

Nothing. When he searched for the address, no website or social media presence came up. But it was definitely a bar — he could see the bottles of spirits through the tinted windows.

Intrigued by the mystery, he pocketed his phone and approached the entrance.

But just as he was about to reach the door, someone blocked his path. The smoking man slipped out from the shadows to stand between Liam and the bar.

He seemed like a mountain of muscle, wearing all black and a flat expression. Not just a smoker, then — a bouncer? That made sense, Liam supposed… except that this was hardly the sort of place that seemed to need one.

"No entry," the man said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Liam blinked in surprise, taken aback. "I'm just looking for a drink."

"Too bad."

It wasn't fair; after everything he'd been through today, why couldn't he just have one simple thing go right? Liam tried to keep his voice steady, but the frustration of the day bubbled beneath the surface. "Look, I'm a doctor, not some— somecriminal," he argued, his patience wearing thin. "I've had a hell of a day, and I just want to unwind."

The man didn't budge, his gaze never leaving Liam's face. His silence felt like a challenge, daring Liam to push further.

"Is there a dress code?" Liam snarked. "Come on, just one drink."

"Sorry,Doc," the bouncer said, his voice devoid of empathy. "Rules are rules."

Liam's heart sank, disappointment mingling with the exhaustion and hurt he'd carried all day. He began to turn away.

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