Chapter 193 Number 1
Liam sat at the corner of a dimly lit bar, his back pressed against the rough leather booth while soft jazz music hummed in the background, muffled beneath layers of idle conversations and clinking glasses.
He still couldn’t figure out how exactly this had happened.
After the restaurant, he thought they were heading back to the hotel. He thought Lana had scratched her "explore" itch and would be satisfied for the night. But no—just as they stepped out of the restaurant into the icy air, Lana had pointed at a neon-lit bar across the street and pulled him along like it was all part of the plan. The strangest part? She paid for both their drinks.
And now here they were.
Liam sat with an untouched glass of clear vodka in front of him. Lana, on the other hand, was swirling her fifth shot glass in her hand, cheeks slightly flushed but her expression calm and amused. She was leaning back, crossing her legs under the table, wearing her parka jacket halfway open now, revealing a cream-colored sweater underneath.
She tilted her head, looking at him as she swirled the liquor.
"You’re really not going to drink?" she asked, voice smooth, maybe even teasing.
Liam stared at her, baffled. "Since when do you drink?"
She shrugged lightly and knocked back the fifth shot like it was water. Then she exhaled sharply and gave a small wince. "I don’t. This is my first time."
Liam blinked. "Wait. First time? You’ve had five shots. Already."
He stared at her in disbelief, then glanced down at his own glass. The liquid inside caught the dim light and gleamed like a dare.