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Xander's POV

I stumbled down the street, feeling every bruise and cut on my body. I had fought Jamal, the guy who had been harassing my sister for months. I had tried to protect her, but I had failed. He had beaten me up, and worse, he had hurt her too. I felt a surge of anger and guilt, mixed with pain and fear. I needed a drink, something to numb the ache in my soul. I saw a bar nearby and decided to enter. Maybe I could forget, for a moment, what had happened.

I walked into the dimly lit place, ignoring the stares of the other patrons. I made my way to the counter and ordered a whiskey. I downed it in one gulp, feeling the burn in my throat. I ordered another one, and another one, until I lost count. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see a girl smiling at me. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, and she wore a tight dress that showed off her curves. She looked like a model, or a hooker, or both.

“Hey, handsome,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “What’s your name?”

I didn