Liam stepped out of Luminous Strands and the afternoon sun hit his face.

He blinked with his eyes adjusting to the sun and then he noticed it.

The women on the sidewalk—two of them, mid-thirties, pushing strollers—did a double take as he walked past. One of them nudged the other. Their eyes lingered a second too long.

"Damn", Liam thought. "I must look fucking good!"

He ran a hand through his freshly cut hair and felt a smirk tug at his lips. The shaggy, defeated version of himself was gone. In its place was someone who looked like he belonged in a boardroom. Or on a billboard.

"No rebate though", Liam noticed. "Not yet."

He had expected something. A ding. A notification. But the system was silent. Which meant whatever was building with Sophia hadn’t crossed the threshold yet. Maybe the emotional meter wasn’t high enough. Maybe the system needed more than a haircut and some flirtatious banter.

Because he did get a rebate when Rachel took care of him but that was post sex, so maybe that was a requirement?

He received the normal rebate for spending money but it also looks like the only one he was getting.

"Good to know", Liam thought. "It’s not automatic. I actually have to work for it."

He pocketed his phone and slid into the driver’s seat. The engine purred to life. He checked his mirrors, pulled out of the parking lot, and headed toward the main road.

The drive was smooth. Light traffic with good weather. He caught his reflection in the rearview mirror and smirked again.

"This was an ego booster", he admitted. "Not that I needed it. But it doesn’t hurt."

His phone vibrated in the cup holder soon after.

Liam glanced at it. Then back at the road, he knew better than to check his phone while driving. A lawyer who got a texting-while-driving ticket? That would be the final nail in the coffin of his reputation.

"It can wait", he told himself.

But his mind wandered. Who could it be? Darren? Rachel? Maybe even Mike sending another threatening message about tomorrow’s workout.

He hit a red light and his car rolled to a stop.

Liam picked up his phone.

One new message. From an unsaved number.

[(XXX) XXX-XXXX: Hey stranger]

Liam read the preview and immediately knew who it was.

Sophia.

Not Sara. He didn’t even consider Sara. The thought didn’t cross his mind.

Sophia had his number — he had typed it into her phone himself at the salon. And she had messaged him faster than he expected. Much faster. The haircut had ended maybe twenty minutes ago. She must have texted him the moment he walked out the door.

"Interesting," Liam thought. "Very interesting."

He set the phone down. The light turned green. He pressed the gas.

But his mind was already spinning.

Sophia was interested. That much was obvious. The way she had looked at him in the mirror. The way her fingers lingered on his neck. The way she had handed him her phone without hesitation amid the subtle flirting of course.

"Too easy," Liam thought. "Or maybe just easy enough".

He didn’t need to chase her. She was coming to him. And that was exactly where he wanted her, was this the perk of going after older women?

The drive continued as his thoughts drifted.

Older women, that was the key. Rachel had been a revelation. Sophia was shaping up to be even better. They didn’t play games. They didn’t calculate his net worth or watch his pockets. They just... responded.

Younger women came with drama. With egos. With the constant need for validation and the sneaky suspicion that they were already looking for the next upgrade.

Like Sara.

Like Vanessa.

Liam’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Vanessa. He had almost forgotten about her. The blonde associate with the green eyes and the massive thighs. The one Mrs. Harriet had sent to charm him.

"She’s not for me," Liam admitted. "Not romantically."

But professionally? She could be useful with looks like that and the fact she had shown she was willing to blur that line to achieve a certain outcome would come in handy when dealing with difficult male clients.

If he was going to start his own firm, he needed more than money. He needed connections, investors. People who understood the game and could open doors. Vanessa worked at Harlan & Associates. She knew a few people, the clients, the inner workings of the machine even though she was a junior, the basics was something she must know.

And everyone had a price.

Liam pulled into the parking lot behind his apartment building.

He killed the engine and sat there for a moment, phone in hand.

The unsaved number was still there. Hey stranger.

He smiled and typed a reply.

[Liam: Took you long enough to text. I was starting to think you forgot about me.]

Then he opened the door and stepped out, the afternoon sun warm on his face.

He would deal with Sophia later.

Right now, he had bigger fish to fry which was Vanessa.

[Liam: Vanessa, I would like to meet in an hour, come to my place.]

Liam sent this message before making his way into his home to freshen up but he didn’t even take a step before he got a response.

[XXX-XXX-XXXX: I will be right there~]