Alex- God, Liam Kane

The gym was my sanctuary. The clang of weights, the hum of treadmills, the rhythmic beat of music—it all blended into a backdrop that I’d grown to love. It was here that I felt the most in control, where I could push people to their limits and watch them transform, not just physically but mentally.

But then there was Liam.

He was different. Quiet, intense, and way too perfect for someone who claimed to be “just a regular guy.” I’d worked with countless clients, but none like him. His strength was unreal, his endurance unmatched. No matter how hard I pushed, he barely seemed fazed, like the weights weren’t enough to challenge him.

And then there was the way he looked at me.

I wasn’t blind—I saw the way his eyes lingered, the flicker of something raw and unguarded that he tried to hide. It should’ve made me uncomfortable, but it didn’t. If anything, it intrigued me.

Today, I had finally called him out on it—well, indirectly. That little comment about his secret? I wanted an answer. But all I got was the same guarded smile he always gave me, like he was holding back something massive. It only made me more curious.

As I finished up with my last client for the morning, I caught sight of him leaving the gym. Even in something as simple as a T-shirt and shorts, Liam looked like he belonged on the cover of a fitness magazine. His broad shoulders, the way his muscles moved under his skin—it was hard *not* to notice him.

By the time my shift ended, I was still thinking about him. About the way he had tensed when I touched his back earlier, like he was fighting some internal battle. He always seemed like he was holding himself in check, like he was afraid of losing control.

And yet, there was something about him that drew me in. Something I couldn’t ignore.

Shaking my head, I tried to focus on my other client and their equipment. “Get it together, Alex,” I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, Liam," I rumbled, low and smooth. "I think your leaning forward too much."

I nodded towards the squat rack. And he came over. I don't know what possessed my to call him over, but it was too late.

"Sure thing."

Liam set himself under the bar, the weights stacked on either side enough to make most people buckle under the pressure. But for him? He handled it like it was nothing, like the bar weighed no more than a broomstick.

He lowered himself into the first rep, I caught the slight forward tilt in his torso. It wasn’t enough to be a problem for most people, but with the kind of weight he was lifting, it could easily put unnecessary strain on his lower back.

"Pause there," I said, stepping closer.

He froze mid-squat, his muscles taut, the veins in his forearms and neck standing out in sharp relief. God, he was strong.

"You’re leaning forward a bit," I said, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder to guide him back. His skin was warm under my palm, and I felt the solid muscle shift as he adjusted.

I moved behind him, keeping my touch professional, though I was all too aware of how close we were. The faint scent of his cologne, mixed with the sweat from his workout, filled the air. It was clean, sharp, with a hint of something woodsy. I tried not to notice it.

"Keep your core tight," I instructed, brushing my fingers along his lower back to remind him to engage those muscles. "Think about driving through your heels while you come up."

"Like this?" His voice was calm, but there was something in the way he said it, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Yeah, that’s better," I said, stepping to the side to watch him from a different angle. He dropped into another squat, his movement more controlled this time, his posture perfect. "Just like that."

I couldn’t help but let my gaze linger while he powered through the set. The way his muscles flexed and moved with such precision was almost mesmerizing. I told myself it was just the trainer in me, analyzing his form, making sure he didn’t injure himself. But deep down, I knew there was more to it.

"Alright, rack it," I said when he finished his set.

Liam slid the barbell back onto the rack with ease, letting out a low exhale and he stepped away. He grabbed his towel, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead, and turned to me.

"Thanks, Alex," he said, his golden eyes locking onto mine.

For a moment, I forgot what I was supposed to say. His gaze was intense, sharp, like he could see straight through me.

"Uh, yeah. No problem," I managed, my voice a little rougher than I intended.

I turned away, busying myself with rearranging some of the weights on the nearby rack. Anything to avoid the heat creeping up my neck. Liam didn’t say anything else, but I could feel his eyes on me, lingering for just a second too long before he moved on to the next station.

I let out a slow breath, trying to steady myself. I wasn’t here to fall for anyone, least of all someone like Liam Kane. But damn, he was making it harder and harder to stick to that plan.

The last client of my morning shift had finally left, and I collapsed onto the bench in the trainer’s lounge, letting out a long breath. The hum of the gym still echoed in the background, weights clanking, treadmills humming, and the faint bass of whatever generic playlist management had set on loop.

It wasn’t a bad place to work, honestly. The clients were decent, the equipment top-notch, and the paycheck wasn’t half bad. It was a fresh start, and that’s exactly what I needed.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, glancing at the time. I’d have a few hours to myself before my evening shift, just enough to finish unpacking the mountain of boxes still cluttering my tiny apartment. My stomach growled, but I ignored it for now. Coffee would hold me over.

I took a sip from my thermos, and I found my mind drifting to Liam.

God, Liam Kane.

He was hard to miss and impossible to forget. He was taller than most of the other guys at the gym, easily six-four, with a commanding presence that could fill a room.

His skin was a warm, sun-kissed tan, the kind that made me wonder if he spent hours outdoors or if he just looked that good naturally. His hair was a thick, dark brown, always perfectly styled, even when he worked up a light sweat. But it was his eyes that really got to me—this piercing, almost unnatural shade of gold, like molten amber that seemed to catch the light just right.

He was… a lot.

Liam moved through the gym like he owned it, not in an arrogant way, but with a quiet confidence that was impossible to ignore. Every time he walked in, heads turned. Not just because of his looks, though those certainly helped, but because of the way he carried himself. It was magnetic.

And I hated that I noticed.

I wasn’t here to get tangled up in someone like Liam. Hell, I wasn’t here to get tangled up with anyone. I’d left that part of my life behind when I packed my car and drove across three states to this small town. After what happened with Ryan—after the fights, the lies, and the final, gut-wrenching betrayal—I wasn’t interested in dating.

But damn if Liam didn’t make it hard to stick to that.

It wasn’t just that he was attractive. It was the way he looked at me, like he was trying to figure me out, like I was some kind of puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. And sometimes, when our eyes met, there was something in his gaze that felt… wild. Untamed.

I shook my head, snapping myself out of it. No. I wasn’t doing this.

I stood, grabbed my bag from the corner, and headed out the back door of the gym. The cold air hit me like a slap, but it was refreshing after the heat of the workout floor. My car was parked in its usual spot, a beat-up old sedan that had seen better days, but it got me where I needed to go.

The drive back to my apartment was quick. The town’s streets where still quiet this time of day. I’d only been here a couple of weeks, but I was starting to settle in. It wasn’t home yet, not really, but it was starting to feel like something close.

When I got to my building, I grabbed the last few boxes from the trunk and hauled them up the stairs. My new place was small. A one-bedroom apartment with barely enough space for the basics—but it was mine. No shared spaces.There were no arguments over whose turn it was to do the dishes. No one to answer to.

I dumped the boxes in the living room and stretched, my muscles sore from the morning’s sessions.

“Alright,” I muttered to myself, eyeing the chaos of cardboard and packing tape. “Let’s get this over with.”

I started unpacking the essentials first—kitchen stuff, toiletries, and clothes. While I worked, and my mind kept wandering back to the gym.

To Liam.

I hadn’t planned to notice him. I certainly hadn’t planned to spend as much time thinking about him as I did. But there was something about him that stuck with me.

It wasn’t just his looks, though they were almost unfair. It was the way he seemed… out of place. Like he didn’t belong there, in a gym surrounded by people trying to sculpt their bodies into something they thought would make them happier.

Liam already had that. He was already a masterpiece. But there was something in his eyes that hinted at something deeper, something darker.

I shook my head again, trying to banish the thought. I didn’t know him. Not really. He was just another client, one of the dozens I worked with every week.

Still, I couldn’t deny the way my pulse quickened when he came close. The way his deep voice sent a shiver down my spine when he asked for advice on his form. And the way his touch lingered in my mind long after our sessions ended.

I sighed, sitting back on my heels as I folded up an empty box. I wasn’t here to start something. Not again. Not after Ryan.

But as much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, I knew I was lying. Liam Kane had already gotten under my skin.