AI The dim lighting of The Raven's Nest barely illuminated the rosted faces of its patrons. Thick, acrid clouds of cigarette smoke drifted lazily in the air before settling thickly on the shoulder of a dazed Rory, who absently brushed the ash from her shoulder with an annoyed grunt. Her face was an unreadable mask of grihm determination Recent events had left dark shadows under her eyes, and her battered skin, now faintly purple, told a story of resilience and a brush with death.
"Double gin, neat. If it's not too much trouble," she muttered to the aging barkeep, who gave her a concerned nod. He slid her the drink and she threw the harsh liquor back in one swallow, savoring the painful burn. She didn't even shudder, an impressive feat given the cheap quality of the swill
Meanwhile, Silas Blackwood sat pensively, idly cleaning a brass pipe while faux listening to his wife's complaining. He was an aging spymaster who ran The Raven's Nest as hisana front for his network of contacts. By some unknown quirk of fate that none had ever seen before, the former MI6 field agent retired after a boath-ed operation in Prague left him with a permanent knee injury. After assuming identiy as a garage mechanic to avoid MI6, he traveled up and down the United Kingdom before settling down as a bar owner in Soho.
The bar was a popular haunt for the derelicts of society; the broken, the beaten, and the lost. In the shadows of its booths lurked ex-spies, savvy journalists, and disavowed traitors-all tying to forget their demons and mistakes. Rory was dangerously close to succumbing to the same fate.
As she brooded, her eyes fell upon an acquaintance from her old life booting through the doors. Liam Redmond. Her best friend's ex. Still just as disheveled and handsome as ever, with his electrifying mess of chestnut curls and impossible dimples.
In Rory's opinion, he looked like a scoundrel who'd ravished half of the women in London, if the tabloids were to be believed. Probably true. Since university, he had opened a popular weblog, penning juicy tales about his still ongoing playboy lifestyle while making them pay for his lack of talent by buying his books or donating to his causes. No doubt his latest conquest was how he convinced the tabloids that their celebrity trysts weren't his fault.
Vain, promiscuous, and as far from a first-class sod as possible. Why did you have to run into him at Silas' bar of all places? If you showed an ounce of interest, he would probably kidnap you somewhere for his future fame.
Rory decided it was best to ignore him this time. Without a backwards glance, she disappeared into the dimly lit corners. Her drink was long gone, but much of the time they were on the house; hence, they weren't on the best of terms.
She toyed with her phone while waiting for her order of fish and chips. Her mind wandered over to Liam once more, in no small part due to his sudden reappearance. Where exactly were things between them though? He used to try to talk with her about things like marriage and a future together, remember? After all, hadn't she bringing it up with her best friend, Evelyn Penwood? Her continuity as a fictional character surely extended beyond common sense, if such indulgence were permitted .
Disgusted with her fleeting memories, she elbowed a man who stooped too close to her table. He mumbled an apology before scurrying out with his beer SLAMMING the door behind him. She sighed deeply and took a sip of her drink. Evidently, he was not eager to return after being mocked by her friend for a second time. Finally, a dish of deep-fried oily nuggets killed her jittery stomach while the sound of country music fades into the background.
"There you are, love. Just what the doctor ordered, right?"
Liam grinned like a Cheshire cat as he strolled up without invitation and slung himself into the chair across from her. How could such a loathsome face make her heartbeat quicken without her saying a word? Forgive her for not being used to having such an unexpected visitor, especially not him, walk straight into Silas' bar and plop down as if she had invited him to a casual, last-minute dinnercontract.
The delicious aroma of crispy fish and potatoes is nearly smothered by the slightly superior smile on his face, which he wore like a badge of honor. It was as if he secretly enjoyed the chaos that seemed to always follow him around . What puzzled Rory, however, was how he had come all this way with such great timing and managed not to spill any of the wine he was holding in his hand, despite her best efforts to ignore him.
After hearing from his ex-father-in-law about Ronan's death, she had struggled to maintain a brave face throughout Evelyn's wedding preparations. Now that her childhood sweetheart had gone cold, the one-sided feud between them that had lasted for years felt like a petty squabble in the light of eternity.
Rory looked at Liam with a vulnerability she hadn't shown in a long time. One lost in the shadow of death and the resolution to live, no matter how cautiously . Fate had been unkind to her these past years, but perhaps there was still room for a reckoning.
She drained her glass of water and delicately dabbed the corners of her lips with a paper napkin. "What brings you to these parts? There must be hundreds of wine bars you haven't dazzled the pretty girls at yet." Liam's presence was always a pleasant--if unchosen--diversion from the monotony of routine The lack of conflict between them made her wonder if she had imagined their past rifts After all, in their prime, no stone was left unturned as far as calling each other out on each and every sin.
"Can't a man miss his childhood companion more than his fancy weblog?" Liam took a swig from the bottle before wiping the runaway crumb thoughtfully. "I've got the evening off, and after a hard day's work, what better way to relax than with the dulcet tones of country music curling up your spine?"
"Next, you'll have me believing you're a comprised of rotted roots songs and wet wooden floors,"
Liam's hand shot out and playfully grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger. The unexpected intimacy set off an involuntary shiver down her spine despite herself. This was Liam Redmond, the irresistible charmer who could strike up a conversation with the most rock art. Hard to ignore that spell , no matter who was casting it.
"Give it a chance, my sweet," he purred, his half-hopeful gaze boring into her eyes. "The men who frequent here are just looking to escape their troubles-not to flirt with the one girl who hasn't warmed up to them yet."
The sudden surge of sudden romance left Rory speechless for a moment. She gathered herself, took a sip from her drink, and smiled drolly back at him. "A gentleman would have poured me another drink before making pass. Consider yourself warned."
"You're right, of course," Liam said with mock innocence. "Evelyn always said your heart was made of cut glass." His eyes roamed over her face curiously. "Spines of steel, aren't we? So, what trouble are we running from tonight?"
Rory could feel the weight of her past pressing down on her, threatening to crush her fragile equilibrium. She wanted to ignore it, to throw herself into the inferno of passion Liam was offering , if only for a night. But she knew better. He was no good for her... and heaven help him if he tried anything funny with her.
Liam allowed no other seat-quite rudely, in Rory's opinion. She shifted on the cushion uneasily. Even in her most sober moments, she dreaded running into Liam. Which had been precisely zilch so far. As it stands, she was waiting for her father, Brendan Carter, to show up and join he conversations. As the happy couple were all set up for their first dance of the reception.
His mere presence made her feel flustered and out of sorts, like a young maiden with stars in her eyes.uart about her father's arrival was palpable - even if Brendan was rather relaxed that night , he still enjoyed putting up a bluff for his daughter's favor. It is a secret that Evelyn, her closest childhood friend, never really had fondness of her father in the first place. At one point, she had even quit working with him at his law firm due to a disagreement over someone can't recall exactly.
"Wynters and tweed don't belong together." Despite her wiser observations about them, Evelyn remained silent about her background with the Redmond family's long history of glorious rebirths after absolute ruination and collapse. An unpleasant comparison now made Rory want to kick her to the curb, knowing that she was an unlikely confidante.
Then she heard Brendan's voice call out to drown out the racket. "Liam, love! You found her!" Let's drug Liam and spill some dark secrets over the course of the night." We're going straight to hell for damage control."
Liam frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Rory said quickly . "Nothing at all." She glanced at Brendan, who was making his way through the crowd, shaking her head discreetly. "I'm just talking rubbish as usual," she added with an insincere chuckle. "Must be late, for all the nonsense swirling around my head."
She watched her father smoothly maneuver his way over. With his silver hair and air of aristocratic refinement, Brendan Carter cut an imposing figure. Yet beneath his suave exterior lay a heart of gold. One of Evelyn loved to gossip and find fault with his friends and family. One surprise visit from Liam, and Rory was barely holding it together. Evelyn wouldn't approve of this turn of events at all.
Liam's eyes narrowed , shrewd astuteness glinting in their depths . "What hidden pasts once linked you two, unless you conveniently forget?" The silver fox's presence in a place like this was enough to rouse the suspicion of anyone who'd spent time in Brendan's prickly shadow. Which was somewhat a resemblance to Liam, though a few decades apart.
"All in good time, darling," Rory replied airily, already feeling her anxiety rising sharply at the prospect of Evelyn walking in with her husband on her arm. You've already wormed your way into this little intimate meeting, now let's keep it at that.
She hated herself for the way she always found herself wanting to confide in Liam, even after he'd shown her countless times that he valued advances over passive thoughts In the cutthroat world of the British tabloids, she'd taken enough emotional punches to last a lifetime. But Brendan's presence in the bar was another matter altogether-just a whisker skinny of her deepest secrets thatocket at random and banned from public consumption.
Rory smoothed down the front of her dress as her father's voice rose above the din of noise. He hailed Brendan Carter, her presumed father figure, who was forging his way toward the corner booth with the help of a cane. Based on her observations before they grew up, he looked like he was in his early fifties, maybe even late forties, making him only a decade older at best. Though, their relationship was far from affectionate, to put it lightly .
Instead, Brendan's presence bumped into Liam like a seriously dangerous game of rough and tumble. The familiarity with which he made himself at home, not-so-gracefully squeezing himself into the both of them seating. He radiated charm and smarmy wiles at every second he arrived. Highly unusual for the analytically detached personality Brendan was rumored to embody off court and on.
"Ah, Brendan," Uncle Liam beamed, just behind her father's back. "The prodigal snob returns. What a surprise to see you in a dive like this."
"Ah, Li-am," Brendan drawled, mispronouncing his former best friend's name with a sneer. "I've been away at work... In court, of course. You should know all about being away." His words dripped with double entendre and cheeky familiarity that made Rory's fingernails dig into her palms. Brendan never bothered with subtlety around Liam.
"Speaking of being away," she said quickly , clearing her throat to diffuse the tension , "wasn't there someone you were meant to be twirling around the dance floor not long ago?" Rory asked pointedly, earning herself a throaty abandon of a great deal of amusement from her bar stool. It was well known that Evelyn absolutely loathed dancing with her father and preferred the company of her friends anytime possible. Moms and daughter had that much in common, though they would likely never admit it aloud.
"We both know Evelyn would rather be anywhere but on that dance floor," Brendan chuckled mirthlessly, raising an eyebrow . "Tell me, Rory, have you seen the new bride tonight?" His tired eyes glanced over at his daughter, who shrugged with an innocent smile evaporated from her face the moment her attention was caught . It dawned on all what exactly was happening . Evelyn knew all to well, her best friend's rebellious spirit-amplely expressed during their wild university years in London.
"Wedding preparations and marriage always make grown women act like they're secretly eight years old-at least for a day." Liam leaned in to smirk, clearly oblivious to the fact that the topic in question was his current bride-to-be's mother. Judging by his bold words, Evelyn had already spilled dark secrets buried in the Redmond family tree. Hence, the irony was not lost on the juicy bits of resentment.
His comment irked Rory, who rolled her eyes despite herself. "Quite a scandalous observation to make." Evelyn had confided in her, if only because Rory was the only one she trusted with the particulars about Evelyn's rift with her father. And now Liam was poking at barely scarred wounds.
"I'm just glad the girl has grown up to be so...directional and unwilling to plan for failure." Liam's hand hovered casually near the wine bottle, his gaze unfocused. Brendan looked between them with an arched eyebrow , an unfamiliar expression flitting across his face before he hid it behind his mask of social grace.
Rory gritted her teeth, feeling her stomach churn with unease. She knew Evelyn's wild past all too well, which was the reason behind her hurtful comments about Brendan. Evelyn had grown up learning to always follow the rules and never make waves-but now she was done with it all, chasing a life that looked good on paper without any real substance behind it.
Liam's presence reminded her of their own troubled family history, where simple fights quickly escalated into full-blown wars. And yet, here they were, caught in an awkward moment of silence that stretched on uncomfortably. It seemed to last an eternity before Brendan finally broke the tense silence with a polite cough, either oblivious to or ignoring the underlying emotions thick in the air.
"Well then." Brendan eased himself out of his seat with a slight grimace, patting his pocket presumably for cigarettes or matches. "We have a rather long night ahead of us, don't we?" His gaze flicked between Liam and Rory, daring them to disagree. But they both knew better than to contradict him, even if the idea of spending an entire evening together made Rory's skin crawl with tension .
It was clear that Brendan was hiding something from them, perhaps even from himself. Rory could see the way his eyes kept darting away from her gaze, as if trying to avoid unspoken truths from resurfacing .
"Some wine, my dear?" Brendan held up the bottle, uncorking it slightly to allow the scent to fill the air with its sweet aroma. Rory watched as Liam reached out, his fingers brushing against the material slightly , but Brendan had already momentarily kept the bottle of to much interest.
"So, exactly how far has your history with Evelyn gone?" Liam asked, nonchalantly . "Aren't you supposed to be some sort of matchmaker for them? Why aren't you out there guiding her through the night, if you're supposed to be so pivotal in the outcome of her life's choices?"
The question hovered in the charged atmosphere between the two of them. Brendan's eyes narrowed , fixing Liam with a piercing glare. "While I appreciate your genuine curiosity in my family's current affairs, I'm sure you've discovered that sometimes the best way tobris the right direction is not to interfere at all."
"Even if it leads her away from you?" Liam pressed, the gleam in his eye suggesting he had no intention of dropping the line of questioning.
"Especially then," Brendan said firmly, a note of steel in his voice . "The woman needs to find her own path, even if it means walking away from everything I've built. I can't hold her hostage forever, now can I?"
His gaze drifted to Rory for a brief moment before he looked away again, an unreadable expression flickering across his face. Rory shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of unspoken words pressing down on her. It was clear that Brendan was grappling with something far heavier than liquor or family drama.
"Have you two actually dated?" Rory interjected, trying to change the topic . She'd always been curious about the underlying tension between the two men, though she never dared to ask Brendan directly.
"In a manner of speaking," Liam replied with a smirk, never one to shy away from a loaded question. "Pre-eye sexy, freshly divorced wannautehouse, then headed straight for Wales. Complete a circular tour, if you will."
Rory's eyes widened . "Brendan, I had no idea you were ever married," she said, struggling to keep the shock from her voice . Brendan was always such a devout bachelor, who never spoke of any romantic attachments beyond casual flings. The idea of him settling down with someone was unfathomable.
"For a very brief spell," Brendan said dismissively, his jaw clenching . "It didn't work out. And besides, Liam tends to exaggerate." He shot the man a sharp look, clearly still nursing a grudge over their tangled history.
But Liam just shrugged, unperturbed by Brendan's cold demeanor. "What can I say? I have a talent for rubbing people the wrong way." His eyes slid sideways to Rory, a glimmer of mischief in their depths . "Especially the ones I care about most."
Rory felt her heart skip a beat at the loaded statement, wondering just how much history these two shared. And how it connected to her own complicated feelings about Evelyn and Brendan.
"A talent only you could pull off so effortlessly," Brendan said dryly, taking a long sip from his glass. The tension between them thickened, suffocating even the dim lighting in the corner booth.
"I don't know," Rory piped up, trying to diffuse the growing animosity between the two men . "Sometimes a little antagonism goes a long way in keeping things interesting."
She met Liam's gaze, feeling a flicker of something undeniable pass between them. The memory of their near kiss just a few days ago still lingered, a ghost of a moment that had sent a jolt of electricity through his body.
"I'm glad you see it that way," Liam said smoothly, leaning forward so their faces were practically touching. "I've always believed that opposites attract. Sparking a flame that can never be extinguished."
His words sent a shiver down Rory's spine, the intensity of his stare making it difficult to breathe. She could feel Brendan's eyes on them, burning into their shared intimacy with barely concealed suspicion.
"Well, I for one think sparks are highly overrated," Brendan interjected abruptly, clearly irritated by their blatant flirtation. "There's nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned fight to keep things exciting."
Rory couldn't help but roll her eyes at his dry humor, though she appreciated the attempt at tension -breaking. She knew Brendan well enough to recognize his need for control, even in the face of chaos.
"I suppose that's one way to put it," Liam agreed, his gaze never leaving Rory's face. "But sometimesYou should stop there.
The night wore on, with Brendan alternating between sullen brooding and forced joviality. Liam, meanwhile, couldn't seem to keep his eyes off Rory, his gaze following her every move like a hawk stalking its prey. She felt the weight of his stare, the heat of his proximity, and it made her uneasy. Despite his charm and charisma, Liam was a walking red flag. And she was determined not to fall for his tricks again.
As they sat there, sipping their drinks and making awkward small talk, Rory couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Brendan was usually the life of the party, spinning tales of his latest courtroom victories and Legal eagle buddies. But tonight, he seemed distant, his mind clearly preoccupied with something else.
"Well, I should be off," Rory announced abruptly, sliding out of her seat. "Early start tomorrow and all that." She tried to ignore the look of disappointment that flashed across Liam's face.
"Of course," Brendan said smoothly, signaling for the check. "I'll see you both at the wedding tomorrow?"
Rory nodded, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of Evelyn's big day looming ahead. She'd been so caught up in her own drama that she hadn't spent nearly enough time with her best friend, offering support and encouragement. And now it was too late.
"Indeed," Liam concurred, standing up to shake Brendan's hand with a firm grip. "Though I must say, I'm looking forward to getting you both in front of a camera. The public deserves to see the whole dynamic at play."
Rory rolling her eyes and faking a polite smile. "We'll have to see about that. In any case, it was good to see you again Brendan. Take care of yourself." She gave him a quick hug before turning to leave, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the bar and the dual weights of her troubled past and uncertain future.
As she stepped out into the chilly London night, Rory couldn't shake the feeling that something profound had just shifted in her life. Brendan and Liam's strained history, Evelyn's ill-fated marriage, and her own tangled web of secrets and lies... It all left her feeling vulnerable, exposed, and completely alone. Almost like how she imagined it would be for Rory if life in the age of friendship and family had been slower than ever. With Brendan leaving for the Arts Council, and her best friend tied down in a risky marriage, Rory was left alone with nothing but her unsettling thoughts and naive trusting heart. She was glad that her family had also sent her away from home when she was younger. But that was probably why it felt so easy to confide in Evelyn
She shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders as she walked down the dark street. There was no denying it anymore: she was falling for Liam Redmond, despite all her best efforts to the contrary. And it scared her more than anything in this world.