Chapter 1: Introduction
The dive bar was one of those hole-in-the-wall places with dim lighting, worn-out stools, and a sticky floor. But it had a sort of charm to it—an unknowing air of acceptance, a peculiar sense of anonymity. Scruffy old hippies and bearded hipsters squeezed the bar for drinks. Damien didn’t particularly care about the crowd or the odd taste of the beer, but it did remind him of home.
With a sigh, he cupped his glass and rested his back onto the wall.
He had the elegant features of a woman but wore the attitude of a man. His dark locks curled down to his shoulders; the thick glasses gave him a smart allure while his DD chest perked under the thin fabric of his blouse.
As he gazed at the crowd, lost in thoughts about his identity, something magnetic caught his attention. A man — tall, handsome, and muscular — stood there, taking in the scene. The stranger’s short dark hair gleamed under the flickering bar lights.
He had intense hazel eyes and a hard jawline, his body shaped by strength and self-assurance. As if sensing Damien’s gaze, the handsome man looked up and their eyes met. The world seemed to stop for a second—the clinking of glasses and murmurs of bar patrons faded into something distant.
The stranger walked towards Damien, his confident grin igniting a fire deep in Damien’s chest. “Hey,” he said, leaning against the wall next to him.