---
### **Part 5: Meeting His Match**
The weeks that followed had been a blur for Liam. Between the quiet, intimate nights with Lucas and the new clothes that made him feel like a different person, everything seemed to be shifting. But despite how comfortable things were becoming with Lucas, there was still a part of Liam that couldn't quite settle. He didn't know what this relationship meant, didn't know what it *could* mean. But for the first time, he wasn't running from it. He was just... waiting to see where it would lead.
That was until one night at a nightclub—a night that would change everything.
---
Liam and Casey had decided to go out for drinks, and after a few too many shots of tequila, they found themselves at a swanky club on the edge of the city. The bass pounded through the speakers, the lights flashing in chaotic rhythms, and people moved together in a blur of bodies. Liam felt a strange energy in the air—like something was about to happen, something he wasn't entirely prepared for.
Casey was already flirting with some guys at the bar, and Liam, for once, felt like he could stand back and just observe. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't feel the pressure to be anything other than himself tonight. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the weight of the last few weeks, but Liam was ready for a change.
It wasn't until he spotted the man standing across the room that things really started to shift.
---
**Dominic.**
Liam's heart skipped a beat as he watched the man move through the crowd. He was tall—easily over six feet—and the way he carried himself was different. He didn't walk; he *commanded* attention. There was something about the way he looked at people, the way they moved out of his path like he had an invisible force field around him. His jaw was sharp, his dark hair slightly tousled in a way that seemed intentional. He had a confident, almost dangerous air about him, the kind of man who didn't have to say a word to make his presence known.
And then their eyes met.
Liam felt his stomach tighten, but it wasn't from nerves—it was something else, something unfamiliar. Dominic didn't look at him like the others had. He didn't look at Liam like he was some fragile, broken thing. He looked at him like he *knew* something. Like he *understood*.
Dominic's lips curled into a knowing smile as he slowly made his way toward Liam. The crowd parted effortlessly as he approached, and Liam could feel the energy shift. He stood still, unsure whether to stay or run.
"You look lost," Dominic's deep voice cut through the music as he stopped in front of Liam. His eyes studied him like a puzzle he was eager to solve.
Liam couldn't help but feel a flush of heat rise to his cheeks. "I'm not lost," he replied, forcing his voice to sound steady, even though his pulse was racing.
Dominic chuckled, his dark eyes glinting with something dangerous. "Are you sure? Because you look like someone who's just starting to realize what he wants."
Liam blinked. He wasn't sure why, but something about Dominic's gaze made him feel... exposed. Like he could see right through him, the layers of insecurity and doubt that Liam had worked so hard to keep hidden. It was both thrilling and terrifying.
"I—" Liam started, but Dominic interrupted him, stepping closer, just enough to make Liam's breath catch.
"You've been looking at me for a while now," Dominic said, his voice low, the words almost a tease. "Are you scared of me?"
Liam swallowed, his mind racing. He wasn't used to this—this kind of attention. This *power*. And yet, there was something about it that made him feel... wanted. In a way that he hadn't felt before. Not even with Lucas.
"No," Liam said, his voice a little more confident this time. "I'm not scared."
Dominic raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer. "You sure? Because you look like someone who's always running from something."
Liam's heart skipped. He wasn't sure what to say to that. Was it true? Was he always running?
Before he could answer, Dominic smiled again, that dangerous smile that sent shivers down Liam's spine. "Let me take you out of here," Dominic said, his words like a command, but the warmth in his tone made it sound like an invitation. "I think it's time you stopped running."
---
**The Night Escalates**
Liam didn't know why he followed Dominic out of the club. He didn't know why he even agreed to go with him. But there was something about the way Dominic held himself—his confidence, his *dominance*—that pulled Liam in like a moth to a flame. He hadn't felt this drawn to someone in a long time, and there was a part of him that couldn't resist.
They ended up at Dominic's apartment, a sleek, minimalist space high up in the city. The windows were floor-to-ceiling, offering a stunning view of the skyline. Dominic led him to the couch, his fingers lightly grazing Liam's arm, sending a shock of heat through him.
"Sit," Dominic commanded, his voice low and firm. "I'm not gonna bite."
Liam didn't move at first. There was something about the way Dominic said it that made his heart race—a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. But when Dominic's eyes locked onto his, Liam felt his body obey. He sat down, trying to steady his breath, trying to figure out what was happening.
Dominic sat beside him, close enough that Liam could feel the heat radiating off him. He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against Liam's ear.
"Tell me what you're looking for," Dominic murmured, his voice a velvet rasp. "Are you tired of playing small?"
Liam froze. There was something so intense, so commanding in Dominic's tone, and yet it wasn't cruel. It was like... like he was giving Liam permission to be something more. To be someone more confident, more *alive*.
Liam didn't answer immediately. The question lingered in the air between them. But as the seconds passed, something inside Liam clicked. Maybe he was tired of playing small. Maybe he had been running, hiding, for far too long. And maybe—just maybe—this was the moment he could stop.
Liam turned to Dominic, his gaze steady now. "I'm tired of running."
Dominic smiled, that predatory, knowing smile. "Good," he whispered, his lips brushing against Liam's neck. The touch was light, teasing, but it sent a jolt of heat through Liam's body.
Before Liam could even respond, Dominic's hand was on his jaw, tilting his head up so that their lips were mere inches apart. The air between them crackled with electricity.
"You're mine for the night," Dominic said, his voice a deep growl. It wasn't a question, and it wasn't an order—it was just a fact.
Liam's heart pounded in his chest, his body betraying him as he leaned in, unable to stop himself. Their lips met in a hungry, fierce kiss, a kiss that felt like everything Liam had been missing.
Dominic kissed him like he was in control, like he was the one pulling the strings, but Liam didn't care. He wanted this. Wanted *him*. The way Dominic touched him, the way he made Liam feel like the center of his world, was something Liam had never experienced before.
It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft. It was intense, and raw, and everything Liam didn't know he needed.
---
**End of Part 5.**
---
### **What's